Figure 7.13 Issue and Potentials in Ganjam district

7.5 Issues and potentials

Potentials and issues are being identified after the detailed analysis. The challenged river streams are being identified by using ARCGIS and the polluted river stretches are being addressed based on the CPCB information related to river pollution.

7.5.1 Potentials

There is abundance of rainfall is observed and there is a potential for enhancing Ground water recharge especially in Patrapur, Dharakote, Sanakhemudi, Bhanjanagar and Digapahandi regions.

The water availability is surplus in all the blocks but the top 5 least surplus blocks such as Digapahandi, Sheraguda Hinkilicut, Ganjam and Patrapur needs to be enhanced.

The Ground water quality in the majority of the regions are poor and water quality needs to be enhanced by proper measures.

Figure 7.13 Issue and Potentials in Ganjam district

7.5.2 Issues

The irrigation demand is meeting the water availability but the excess of ground water utilisation may leads to decrease water table in certain pockets such as Patrapur, Polasara, Begunaipada, Dharakote and Bhanjanagar.

The river stretch from Patrapur to Ganjam is notified as the polluted river by CPCB. In berhampur, aska and Chatrapur open sumping practices are being followed and almost 160 TPD of MSW is being dumped in the rivers.

The BOD levels between 0.8-1.1 is observed in the Rishikulya river basin especially in the stretch of Prattapur to ganjam.

The higher amounts of TDS (> 500 Mg/Lit) , EC (> 400 µs/cm) is observed in majority of the blocks due to poor maintenance of ground water recharge practices.

Table 29 Polluted river stretch and monitoring station

8 Primary sector of Economy

Agriculture, fisheries, and livestock were identified to be the most important economic sectors in terms of production, area, coverage, and employment, according to the district's baseline survey. As a result, these three areas were examined independently based on secondary sources of information in order to fully understand their potential.

8.1 Objectives

• To study the Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal husbandry in terms of production, worker’s status, economy generation, supporting infrastructure by performing development trend analysis. • To study flow of products between producer and consumer and identify the gaps. • To study the use of chemical fertilizers for different cropping seasons and its impact on environment. • To develop the strategies for increasing the production, enhance the socio-economic condition and providing better infrastructure facilities. • To develop a framework for identifying land suitable for agricultural and grazing purposes.

8.2 Introduction

8.2.1 Agriculture Ganjam is the agriculture-based district. It was discovered that the district's total cultivable land is 4,34,000 hectares (52.86% of the overall geographical area of 8,21,000 hectares), while the cultivated area is 4,06,000 hectares. Agriculture forms the backbone of the district’s economy, with more than 70% of the population being dependent on it. It is broadly divided into 2 Agro climatic zones (figure: 8.1).

East and South eastern coastal plains-: - It covers Chhatrapur Sub-Divisions and Eastern parts of Berhampur.

North eastern ghat hill regions: - It covers Bhanjanagar Sub-Division and Western parts of Berhampur.