Locality (IISER Berhampur & Ganjam District)
What this chapter covers
This chapter consolidates all our human practices and field engagements situated in and around IISER Berhampur. It narrates how our project’s environmental, technical, and social dimensions converge at the local scale — through village visits, field sampling, school interactions, and hydro-geological interpretation. Together, these represent how the problem of metal contamination unfolds within the lived and ecological setting of our own district.
Where we are
We are located in the coastal state of Odisha — bordered by the Bay of Bengal to the east, rich in native and tribal heritage, and historically known for its ports, mineral belts, and industrial expansion. IISER Berhampur stands near Markandi village in Ganjam district, positioned between Berhampur and Chhatrapur. This geography situates us at a unique interface of coastal ecosystems, industrial corridors, and agrarian landscapes — each influencing how contamination emerges and circulates.
The landscape we work in
The Rushikulya River — a major east-flowing river of Odisha — rises from the Daringbadi hills of the Eastern Ghats and drains through Kandhamal and Ganjam districts before meeting the Bay of Bengal near Ganjam. The basin’s lithological transition from crystalline uplands to coastal alluvium governs both groundwater chemistry and recharge potential. The region’s estuarine fringe is ecologically sensitive, hosting the world-renowned Olive Ridley turtle rookeries. Within this setting, even low-level contamination gains ecological and social importance.
Major river corridor, coastal recharge, strong school networks, and high community participation in conservation.
Monsoon-driven fluxes, industrial interfaces, invisible metal contamination, and estuarine ecological sensitivity.
Explore our field visit and sample analysis, where empirical data on metal concentration is paired with community narratives. These studies connect measured contamination to daily realities, from borewell use to pond dependence.
Our village visits across Markandi, Santoshpur, and nearby coastal hamlets highlighted how water is sourced, stored, and judged for safety. Clarity was often equated with purity — revealing a crucial awareness gap. These interactions formed the foundation of our educational and community-driven modules.
Beyond surveys, our human practices extended to building local scientific literacy and engagement. STREAM 2025 was designed exclusively for school students from Berhampur and nearby villages — combining science exposure with local environmental relevance.
Parallelly, Dockingthon connected our technical progress to national and collegiate audiences, showing how local insights can be translated into scalable biotechnological interventions.
Geo-hydrological Notes for Readers
The Berhampur–Chhatrapur corridor is a transition zone — where the Eastern Ghats’ uplands descend into the narrow coastal plain. Streams emerging from the Daringbadi plateau traverse lateritic soils before flattening near the coast. This terrain mediates filtration, recharge, and metal transport.
From our field readings and spatial mapping, three patterns emerge: (1) Intense monsoon pulses drive quick surface runoff, reducing infiltration time; (2) Soil–rock interfaces control the retention or leaching of metals; (3) Coastal aquifers near the Rushikulya estuary exhibit tidal influence and salinity–metal interactions. These cues frame how our sampling and risk interpretation are localized to real hydro-geological behaviour.
Villages around Berhampur–Chhatrapur, industrial peripheries, Rushikulya mid- and downstream reaches, and school campuses.
Measure, map, and explain—link field data to lived practice, deploy decentralized safeguards, and share open documentation.
How These Insights Shape Our Practice
Our locality work emphasizes that data and dialogue must advance together. Field samples from industrial ponds, school borewells, and household handpumps were cross-mapped with lived perceptions and health narratives. These dialogues informed our risk communication modules and the design of portable, low-energy purification prototypes.
Insights from these field interactions also shaped our goals of responsible remediation — solutions that remain functional within local infrastructural limits and environmentally compatible with the Rushikulya estuarine ecosystem. See Implementation and Sustainability for detailed strategies.
Start Exploring
- Begin with Local water sampling to see site-specific data and results.
- Visit Village awareness to explore social findings and interviews.
- Engage with Education & STREAM 2025 for local outreach narratives.
- For broader reflections and collaborative meetings, see Engagements.
Notes on Scope
This locality chapter is a living summary of our work rooted in Ganjam district. It will continue to grow as new sampling rounds, school collaborations, and community-led monitoring efforts are added. Our vision is to maintain an open, iterative record — where science, dialogue, and local practice remain in continuous exchange.