Odisha

Ganjam Gets Odisha’s First Seawater Desalination Plant

Bhubaneswar: In a major step towards solving drinking water scarcity in coastal Odisha, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Sunday inaugurated the state’s first seawater desalination plant at Matikhal near Chhatrapur in Ganjam district.

The ₹135-crore project, developed by Odisha Sands Complex (OSCOM), a unit of Indian Rare Earths Limited (IREL), will produce 4.5 million litres of potable water daily using reverse osmosis (RO) technology. Of this, 1.5 MLD will cater to OSCOM’s needs, another 1.5 MLD will be supplied to two nearby villages, and the remaining 1.5 MLD will be reserved for emergencies.

Pradhan said the facility would permanently end the hardships caused by high salinity in local groundwater. The Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) provided the technology, while the Department of Atomic Energy funded the project. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had formally unveiled the plant in March last year from Bhubaneswar.

According to OSCOM chief C.V.R. Murthy, the district administration has built overhead tanks and laid pipelines to ensure household-level supply. Berhampur MP Pradeep Kumar Panigrahy urged IREL to set up a second plant to serve more areas, including Chhatrapur town, where summer shortages from the Rushikulya River are common.

Bureau The News Hashtag

Recent Posts

Mission Shakti Launches ‘Peetha on Wheels’ to Promote Traditional Cuisine and Women Entrepreneurs During Raja

Bhubaneswar: Bringing Odisha’s festive flavours to the streets of the capital, the Mission Shakti Department…

30 minutes ago

Odia Virtual Academy Concludes Manuscriptology Workshop, Focuses on Preserving Ancient Knowledge

Bhubaneswar: Efforts to preserve and promote Odisha's vast manuscript heritage received a boost with the…

1 hour ago

Rajasthan Delegation Visits Odisha to Study Urban Development Best Practices

Bhubaneswar: Odisha's innovative urban governance and water management initiatives have drawn national attention, with a…

2 hours ago

UG Admission Application Deadline Extended Till June 16 in Odisha

Bhubaneswar: Students seeking admission to undergraduate courses in Odisha for the 2026–27 academic session have…

1 day ago

Utkalika Opens Handloom and Handicrafts Exhibition at DN Regalia Mall in Bhubaneswar

Bhubaneswar: In an effort to showcase and promote Odisha's rich handloom and handicraft traditions, a…

1 day ago

Sahayog Programme Emerges as Lifeline for Urban Poor, Workshop Reviews Progress

Bhubaneswar: Efforts to improve access to government welfare schemes for vulnerable urban communities received a…

1 day ago