People's Perception on the Depletion and Degradation of Water Resources in the Patna and Kendujhargarh Blocks of Kendujhar District, Odisha, India from the Perspective of Climate Change

Climate change poses a significant threat to water resources globally, with potential impacts on water availability, quality, and accessibility. Kendujhar district, located in the eastern part of India, plays a crucial role in Odisha's economy due to its rich mineral resources and diverse ecosystem. The objective of this paper is to analyze the impact of mining on water resource depletion and its consequences with respect to the context of climate change. To fulfill the objective, data was collected from various secondary as well as primary sources. Precisely four data collection methodologies were applied: (a) Interviewing key informants based on a designed questionnaire or checklist (b) documentary research (c) organizational mapping (d) Focused Group Discussions. Both quantitative and qualitative data analysis methods have been employed in carrying out the analysis of data collected from primary and secondary sources. The analysis has been done with the help of a spreadsheet application. The data for the present study has been collected using a structured questionnaire structured questionnaire from two blocks. Based on the survey data, a minority of villagers in Patna Block are satisfied with the quality of water. Overall, only 43% of villagers reported being satisfied, whereas 57% reported being unsatisfied. Erendei village has the lowest satisfaction rate at 0%, while Ghatbalijadi village has the highest satisfaction rate at 100%. The dissatisfaction level is 87.5% in, 71.4% in Kothanghar, and 62.5% in Dumuria. The average satisfaction level across all villages is 64%. This suggests that a majority of people are at least somewhat satisfied with the water quality. However, there is a wide range of satisfaction levels between villages, from a low of 10% in Badapalasa to a high of 96% in Tikaragumura. This suggests that there are significant variations in water quality and access between different communities.