Odisha govt officials to lose 1 month's salary for failing to detect and stop river pollution

Odisha will hold departmental officers directly responsible if river water in their jurisdiction is found polluted, Forest, Environment & Climate Change Minister Ganesh Ram Singh Khuntia informed the State Assembly on Wednesday.

In a written reply, the Minister said river water quality is being tested once every three months, and strict action has been mandated against officials who fail to ensure continuous monitoring.

He added that officers who do not conduct regular water testing will lose their salaries for one month. Khuntia also acknowledged that river water quality remains a concern in several regions.

“We cannot say river water is fine everywhere. Waste from processing units is entering rivers. Continuous testing has been instructed, and if departmental officers make mistakes, one month of their salary will be withheld,” the Minister said.

According to his statement, pollution from industrial discharge, solid waste and untreated sewage continues to impact river stretches across the state.

Widespread River Pollution In Odisha

A day earlier, the state government had confirmed that river water at 16 locations across Odisha is currently polluted, based on recent assessments. The affected stretches include the Kathajodi in Cuttack, Daya river and Gangua nullah in Bhubaneswar, Kushabhadra near Bhingarapur in Gop, Brahmani river and Guradi nullah in Rourkela.

He attributed the pollution primarily to urban wastewater discharge, excessive river water extraction, and local sewer outflows.

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Government Measures Under Review

The Minister told the Assembly that the state has initiated steps to curb wastewater discharge, enhance riverbank sanitation and coordinate between multiple departments to reduce pollution load on major river systems.

The Housing & Urban Development Department, Public Health Engineering, and Water Supply & Sewerage Board have been asked to implement targeted interventions such as sewage management, preventing open defecation, strengthening riverfront infrastructure and improving monitoring systems.

The Assembly was informed that river impact assessment, riverfront development, toilet construction and prevention of external waste inflow are part of the ongoing action plan.