Context
A recent study has detected microplastic contamination in the Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary of Odisha, revealing that these particles are transporting heavy metals into the Brahmani River. The findings have raised concerns about the ecological health of the river system and the potential impact of pollution on the sanctuary’s sensitive estuarine ecosystem.
About Brahmani River
- The Brahmani River is one of the major east-flowing river systems of eastern India, flowing primarily through Odisha.
- It is formed near Rourkela by the confluence of the Sankh and South Koel rivers, both of which originate in the Chota Nagpur Plateau.
- Its basin extends across Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, and Odisha before draining into the Bay of Bengal.
- The basin is bounded by the Chota Nagpur Plateau in the north, the Mahanadi basin in the west and south, and the Bay of Bengal in the east.
- Major tributaries of the river include the Sankh, Tikra, and Karo rivers.
- The Brahmani Delta is home to the Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary, which is renowned for its population of estuarine crocodiles.
- The river is among the few rivers in India that cut across the Eastern Ghats, forming a narrow gorge near Rengali in Odisha.
- The Rengali Dam has been constructed across the river at this gorge.
