Orissa's fluctuating weather conditions suggest that it is reeling under climatic chaos. For more than a
decade now, the state has experienced contrasting extreme weather conditions claiming many lives: from
heat waves to cyclones, from droughts to floods. They have not only become more frequent, but have hit
areas that were never considered vulnerable. As a result, Orissa's economy has been ripped apart.
Agriculture, which is considered as the state's backbone has been worst hit due to such changes in the
microclimate and natural calamities.
• A heat wave in 1998 killed around 1500 people in the state, mostly in coastal Orissa, a region
otherwise known for its moderate temperature. The mean daily maximum and minimum
temperature of the state is gradually increasing. The Titilagarh and Koraput belt comprising entire
south and western Orissa has witnessed an exceptional rise in daily maximum and minimum
temperature. Earlier western Orissa was a known calamity hotspot, but now the coastal areas are
also experiencing heat waves. Bhubaneshwar now has a mean maximum temperature above 40°C
which is comparable to Sambalpur located in the interior.
• The frequency of cyclones has increased on the Orissa coast, the worst ever being the cyclones of
1999, when two cyclones hit the state in quick succession. The second one lasted three days and
ravaged 14 coastal districts. Around 15 million people were affected. Two million tonnes of rice
crop was lost and 17,000 square kilometre of agricultural land was devastated. Official estimates
put the loss at Rs.10,000 crore. Around 200,000 trees were uprooted in about 25,000 hectare (ha) of
reserved forest. In the districts of Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapada, the forest cover has now been
reduced by 50 per cent. The microclimate of the region has changed after this loss in vegetation.
Temperature data of the coastal region in the last three years shows wide fluctuations and average
temperatures have risen. Change in climate following the super cyclone possibly caused the state's
mango and mahua trees to flower unusually early.
• Floods have become an annual affair in Orissa. The worst ever flood in 2001 inundated 25 out of the
30 districts of the state. Areas with no history of floods such as districts in western Orissa were also
submerged.
• Ironically, Orissa suffered one of its worst droughts in 2001. It affected the lives of 11 million people
in more than two-thirds of the state's districts, engulfing earlier drought free districts like
Sundergarh and Kendrapada.
Since Orissa is placed at the head of the Bay of Bengal where weather changes are formed, even a slight
change in the sea's behaviour can have an immediate impact on the coast. The Bay becomes the centre of
low pressures causing heavy rains and cyclones in the sub-continent, especially in Orissa. Scientists are of
the opinion that increasing temperature and rainfall, triggered by global warming and climate change
may cause the climate to worsen in Orissa.
Apart from more frequent extreme weather events like floods and droughts, large-scale impact of climate
change is also expected to cause an increase in sea level causing economic loss and disruption of life. In a
case study of the Orissa and West Bengal region, an international body of scientists estimated that in the
absence of protection, a one metre sea level rise will inundate an area of 170,000 ha predominantly
prime agricultural land and displace 0.7 million people. An additional 4000 kilometres of dykes and sea
walls will be required to protect the area.
With sea level rise, many coastal systems will experience increased levels of inundation and storm
flooding, accelerated coastal erosion, seawater intrusion into fresh groundwater and encroachment of
tidal waters into river systems. Big cities situated on coasts, flood plains and river deltas, supporting a
large number of people and industries can expect increased flood damage causing loss of structures and
property. Disappearing shorelines also mean loss of social amenities and infrastructure.
Coastal erosion will increase substantially, endangering natural protective features such as mangroves
and barrier islands, and exacerbating flood risk. Consequently, many coastal communities dependent on
these and fisheries will suffer. Deltas and low lying coastal areas will be inundated by sea level rise.
Increased rainfall during the monsoons will increase the frequency of floods. Areas already prone to floods
will suffer more. Both religious and resort-based coastal tourism will suffer.
It is important to note that all this climate chaos implies displacement of large numbers of people leading
to rapid urbanization, straining resources and putting more pressure on civic amenities.
Agriculturally fertile coastal regions with paddy fields are vulnerable to inundation and salinisation.
Orissa normally produces around five million tones of rice each year. The rice crop on the coast
contributes about 40 per cent to the total rice grown in the state.
With rising temperatures, pest population will significantly increase because generally warmer and moist
conditions are highly conducive to them. Higher temperatures also speed up the life cycle of both the
mosquito and the disease organisms they harbour and make adult mosquitoes bite more often. The state
accounts for 15-22 per cent of malaria cases in the country and 40-50 per cent malaria related deaths. At
20°C, mosquitoes take 26 days to breed. This period reduces to 13 days when the temperature rises to
25°C, which is also the average temperature of Orissa now.
A possible increase in cyclone intensity of 10-20 per cent against a rise in sea surface temperature of 2 to
4°C is very likely to happen. Climate change has already intensified the Asian monsoon and increased river
flows. Experts say Orissa should brace itself for more severe flooding in years to come because of
deforestation, faulty flood control planning and global climate changes.
Disasters have a long-term impact, as people are forced to spend more of their earnings on basics like
building homes and agriculture. The already stressed ecosystem is made even more fragile with each
disaster. And the poor living on the margins of subsistence are forced into greater penury. With each
disaster their capacity to rebuild is reduced.
Courtsey: World WildLife Fund- India
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