(a) whether the Government proposes to set up a Soil Resource Inventory and Management Centre in Orissa;
(b) if so, the details thereof indicating the location thereof;
(c) if not, whether any study has been conducted on soil erosion and land degradation in Orissa;
(d) if so, the details and findings thereof; and
(e) if not, measures being adopted to check degradation of soil and increase the soil fertility?
MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND
MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS,
FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (PROF. K.V. THOMAS)
(a) & (b): As per records available, there is no proposal to set up a Soil Resources Inventory
and Management Centre in Orissa.
(c) to (e): The Central Soil and Water Conservation Research and Training Institute (CSWCRTI), Dehradun in
collaboration with National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning (NBSS&LUP), Nagpur has estimated that
about 7.7. million hectare area is under very slight erosion class, which covers mainly coastal plains,
Garhjat plains, Mahanadi basin and Dandakaranaya area of the State. About 2.8 million hectare area of
the State is under slight erosion class dominating in Mahanadi basin area. Moderate, moderately severe
and severe erosion classes cover 4.1 million hectare area, which is restricted to Eastern Ghats and part
of Garhjat hilly areas of the State. Very severe and extremely severe soil losses are found in 0.8 million
hectare in the sharp escarpment of Eastern Ghats and Dandakaranaya hilly areas.
The severity of erosion in different districts varies. It is high in Kalahandi, Rayagada and Koraput in
comparison to Malkangiri, Gajapati, Ganjam and Phulbani districts mostly due to high intensity of rainfall
in short duration, deforestation, faulty land use practices and overgrazing.
The soil and water conservation measures recommended are adopting strip cropping, mulching, crop rotation,
contour cultivation, planting of grasses for stabilizing bunds, planting of trees and afforestation, bunding,
terracing, gully and nala are the major practices.