Ground water depletion has been a cause of concern in the industry and mines rich Angul district.
Of late, while people have been reeling under scorching heat due to rise in mercury with the residents near mines areas the worst-hit, a sudden fall in ground water level in Angul headquarters town and its vicinity has come as a double whammy.
Sources said that ground water level has fallen by 50 feet in last couple of days triggering a water crisis in the headquarters town. Because of the sudden fall in water level, many tube wells and bore wells have gone defunct.
Meanwhile, CITU has alleged that the pumping of excess water by the industrial houses through bore wells have caused the problem. The trade union in a meeting held in Angul on April 4 condemned the excessive water pumping.
CITU Angul general secretary Ananda Acharya said, “Industrial houses are pumping too much of water in their scores of bore wells leading to sharp fall of ground water level in Angul.” He demanded that the district administration should take urgent steps to stop it.