Bhubaneswar, Dec 2: At the ongoing Winter Session of the Odisha Assembly, Forest and Environment Minister Ganesh Ram Singh Khuntia informed the House that six coastal districts have been severely affected by sea erosion between 1990 and 2028.

According the data revealed by the minister, 26 villages in Kendrapara, 14 villages in Ganjam, and six villages in Puri, have been partially submerged.

Altogether, 140.73 hectares of land across Kendrapara, Ganjam, Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Bhadrak, and Balasore have been lost to the advancing sea. Families from Rajnagar block villages such as Satabhaya, Kahnupru, Barahipur, Magarkanda, and Rabindra Palli have been relocated to Bagapatia. To combat erosion, the government is expanding mangrove plantations along the coast.

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On lightning safety, Ganesh Ram Singh Khuntia stated that the government has planted 37 lakh palm saplings over the past two years to reduce lightning incidents. For this initiative, ₹7.59 crore was sanctioned in 2024-25 and ₹5.94 crore in 2025-26.

The Environment Minister also revealed that river water pollution has been reported at 16 locations across the state, including Kathajodi in Cuttack, Daya and Gangua in Bhubaneswar, Kushabhadra in Gop, and Brahmani in Rourkela.

He revealed that the pollution is mainly due to urban sewage discharge and excessive water usage. District administrations, urban development bodies, public health departments, and water supply boards have been directed to take corrective measures, including riverfront development, construction of toilets, and prevention of open defecation.

Separately, Labour Minister Khuntia informed that shops failing to display Odia signboards have been penalized. Between 2023 and 2025, 2594 shop owners received show-cause notices, while 319 were fined. The move is part of the government’s effort to promote Odia language usage in public spaces.