The Mahanadi and the Brahmani rivers flow around 250 km in Angul and Dhenkanal district. Here, the Government allocated as much as 1,028.039 cusec of water to total 26 industries where as only 11.38 cusec of water was allocated only to three urban bodies of these two districts. The aggregate water allocation from Mahanadi and Hirakud reservoirs reflects the highest degree of pressure compared to other water bodies. The second highest pressure is on the Brahmani river. As a large number of people depend upon the Mahanadi and the Brahmani rivers –both for agriculture and residential purposes — putting all the demand pressure on the two rivers would not be a rationale decision. The problem can be addressed by allocating water to industry and agriculture from other sources wherever the per capita water availability is relatively higher. The people of the Brahmani and Mahanadi basins have resented over unmatched water allocation to industries and lack of irrigation facilities. Around 6 lakh people have been affected directly for it. 15 per cent land has been irrigated in 36 years and vast ayacut area diverted. Moreover, as much as 300.16 cusec water has been allocated only from Samal Barrage on Brahmani at Talcher to four industries. Now thousands of farmers, who are deprived of getting required drinking water and irrigation water from the river, are resenting against allocation of water to only various industrial houses. The Rengali multipurpose project with a masonry gravity dam of 1,040 Mt length, with a maximum height of 75M across river Brahmani near village Rengali in Angul district has great irrigation potentiality. But the industry biased Government due to lack of its political will failed to provide required irrigation water to the farmers. In the Secretary Level Project Co-ordination Committee Meeting held recently under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary GC Pati, it was revealed that only 15.5 per cent land has been irrigated after lapses of long 36 years. This is the official report. But actually only less than 5 per cent land has been irrigated. As per the official report, only 33,907 hectares have been irrigated through Rengali project. Reports revealed that canal system of Rengali project envisages total ayacut area of 2,18,392 hectares. Again in last 12 years, vast ayacut area has been diverted for industrial use which has greatly affected the agriculture. The World Bank and Governments those who have given huge amount of loan have been cheated. The State Government has manipulated the irrigation ayacut land in favour of industrial interest. This has now led to widespread unrest among the people. Again , the Rengali project has come under the scanner of the CAG. The CAG had looked at non-completion of the project, non-accrual of intended benefits and widespread mismanagement in payment to contractors particularly with reference to construction of the project up to head works. Again the CAG noted that "due to delay in acquisition of land / non acquisition of land, non receipt of forest land clearance and poor contract management, the project remained incomplete at various stages with investment of Rs1,695.61 crore resulting in cost overrun by Rs1,461.97 crore (626 per cent) and time overrun by 17 years. On the other hand, vast mineral deposits in the catchment area, availability of water and good infrastructure lured industrialisation and subsequently resulted in deterioration of water quality in the river. Today Brahmani is considered one of the most polluted rivers in the country. The inhabitants along the banks have felt the effects of river water pollution and there has been a hue and cry about the deteriorating water quality and the adverse impact on human and animal health and on the natural flora and fauna. Affected by severe pollution, people are now coming to the street. The condition of river Mahanadi has deteriorated as it has become the dumping area for urban garbage and mostly untreated sewage. Official sources said people of Cuttack and Sambalpur situated on the Mahanadi banks are affected by jaundice mainly due to consumption of contaminated water of this river. While waste water generation from Sambalpur stretch of Mahanadi is 34,360 kilo litres per day (KLD), Cuttack and Bhubaneswar contribute 1,05,600 KLD and 2,08,624 KLD respectively. The condition of Brahmani is still worse with flow of industrial waste water, urban garbage and untreated sewage into it. Rourkela located on its bank generates waste water of 66,520 KLD with Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) and Suidihi Distillery contributing 52,272 KLD to river water of Brahmani. Similarly, Talcher town releases 45,184 KLD and coal mines keep contributing at least 35,746 KLD waste water to the river. Recently, the Chief Secretary has asked the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development department and the Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) to chalk out plans for improvement of quality of water in these two rivers. At Talcher the water intake pump is located at about 500 metres below the drain water outlet system. The sewage of the town flows into river Brahmani. It filters into the intake pump system polluting the drinking water. A large chunk of population of Angul district is exposed to contaminated drinking water, says draft internal audit report on district conducted by Institute of Public Auditors of India (IPAI), Odisha chapter. The Institute of Public Auditors of India analysing tests conducted says that high percentage of water sources was found to be contaminated. As per guidelines of National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP), all drinking water sources should be tested at least twice a year for bacteriological contamination and once a year for chemical contamination. The guidelines are overlooked. “It was further revealed that water of 529 sources was not safe for drinking as analytical tests conducted in the laboratory disclosed chemical contamination of water due to excess iron content in water of these sources exceeding the maximum permissible limit of one milligram per litre,” the report points out. Moreover, according to the report, water samples tested from the water sources available in eight blocks of Angul district indicated excess fluoride content beyond maximum permissible limit 1.5 milligram per litre. “Water in 97 water sources was not suitable for human consumption. Despite indication of such chemical contaminations in the test reports, these drinking water sources were neither declared defunct nor were sealed. As a result 0.63 lakh rural population dependant on these sources were compelled to consume unsafe water,” says report of Institute of Public Auditors of India. Similarly, water sources in 11 habitations in the periphery of Nalco were found to be unsafe for drinking purpose due to existence of excess fluoride content. The public sector unit had agreed to provide piped water supply of these fluoride affected villagers. But the plan could not be materialised. “Villagers who were deprived of getting the benefit of piped water supply are presently getting drinking water from tube wells. But groundwater sources of the periphery villages were unsafe for drinking due to presence of excess fluoride content and villagers are compelled to consume unsafe water,” it says. Ironically, Angul district is centre of thermal power generation in entire State. According to Institute of Public Auditors of India report, test check records and information furnished by the executive engineer revealed that in seven projects constructed at expenditure of Rs2.43 crore, there was continuous disruption of water supply due to power supply disturbances. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has calculated the CEPI Score of Angul-Talcher area as 82.09 and suggested Terms of Reference to formulate an action plan for prevention, control and remediation of various environmental components of the area. Industries ignored OSPCB Action Plan to combat water pollution at Angul.