The temperature of Bhubaneswar and its nearby areas has been on the rise. It is found to be as high as 43 degree Celsius even during April, when peak of summer in June is yet to come. Over last few years the ecological conditions of the region has undergone drastic changes leading to rise in mercury.
Not only Bhubaneswar alone, there are other places like Talcher, Sambalpur, Balangir, Sonepur, Titilagarh and Angul etc, where the day temperature is recorded always high. Once all these places, including the State capital, were known as summer capitals because of their cool climate and vegetation.
The important forests around the city including Banki, Khordha, Patia and Puri- Bhubaneswar Devotar forests, marshy lands, rivers, rivulets, streams and wetlands etc formed a cool climate for the city and its adjoining areas. The accumulation of humus in the ground floor prevented the sub- soil water table to sink fast which happened in case of Bhubaneswar and other areas like Talcher Sambalpur, Titilagarh and other heat ravaged areas.
When the writer entered into forest service, he had personally visualized nearly 40 streams and streamlets in and around Bhubaneswar, which had multiple functions in sustaining micro climate of the locality.
These water bodies were also sustaining the ground water table within a reasonable reach.However, these things are a thing of the past now. Bhubaneswar region is no longer cool. The situations are altered by human activities, especially due to the expansion of the city.
Bhubaneswar is expanding fast vertically as well as horizontally. Buildings are also rapidly rising up. The residential area, market, educational institutions, roads and other infrastructure are fast increasing, which have transformed it into a concrete jungle.
The concrete structure absorb heat and warm up the ground atmosphere. The buildings absorb heat during day time and reflect during night. Besides, vehicular emission also adds up to the heat in the atmosphere. Similarly, the brick kilns are also rising fast around the city for supplying bricks to the construction sector. The kilns are creating much emission.
The ecology of Mahanadi and branches Kathajodi and Kuakhai has been spoiled due to large scale felling of trees and clearance of bushes from their banks thanks to the shifting of sand and soil from the banks. The continuous process of extraction of sand from river beds has invited an ecological disaster, which needs to be carefully handled.
The agricultural fields present around the cities and towns should be intensively cultivated. Areas under irrigation should also be expanded as water acts as mega refrigerators for a locality.
Water management of all the rivers and rivulets facing threats are completely neglected and are being used as sewer and garbage dumping yard by the city dwellers.
Efficient water management for sustainable creation and management of agro- forestry is the need of the hour. let us stop further expansion of the city through a revised city plan and say no to over exploitation of the rivers and other water bodies. The wetlands should be saved from the hands of the land developers.
(The writer is a former senior forest officer and an environmentalist)