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Novel experiment to channel brackish water for irrigation

BERHAMPUR: The large creeks with brackish water on the Ganjam district coast can be technically innovated as sources of irrigation, felt engineers and social activists.

According to social activist Chittaranjan Dash, interlinked creeks of over 4,000 acres area exist from periphery of Berhampur University to Markandi village. The water of these creeks is brackish.

So, it is now unsuitable for irrigation or drinking. During high tide saline water enters into them from sea which also reduces the fertility of the land near them.

But due to high density of saline water it always remains below the sweet water that enters the creeks through rain and other channels during the monsoons. The upper layer of the creeks is always filled with sweet water which can be used for irrigation although it would still be unsuitable for drinking.

Similar experiment has already been taken up in Basudevpur block of Bhadrak district.

In this block 27 small creeks were renovated with Rs. 4.9 crore to store more water suitable for cultivation. During the Ravi season this project irrigates 5,500 hectares in the area, said P.K.Swain, a retired engineer who played a major role in the inception of this project.

But a detailed survey of tidal creeks is necessary to plan such projects.

Soil samples have to be taken for customised designing of sluice gates so that they do not get washed away by the tides or flood.

The plan is to have sluice gates at places where the creeks are connected to the sea.

The sluice gates would reduce the entry of extra marine water into the creeks. They would also arrest flow of sweet water accumulated on the upper layer of the creeks into the sea.

Mr Dash said if implemented this can be a boon for fishermen families living in villages near these creeks as it would provide them extra source of livelihood in the form of agriculture.

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