Remedial Measures for Saline Water Ingression in Coastal Aquifers of South West Bengal in India

Abstract

Purba Midnapur a coastal district of West Bengal in India is under a serious threat concerning the deterioration of groundwater due to seawater encroachment The upper soil horizon of Purba Midnapur consists of alternating deposits of clay and sand of marine origin As with all marine deposits rounded grains and high porosity are dominant characteristics The coastal line upto km wide tract is being contaminated due to the movement nbsp of saline water into aquifers of fresh water Thus groundwater has become unfit for domestic uses and irrigation purpose Due to extraction of groundwater the water table is distorted like a cone of depression resulting in the associated risk like defunct well and making the abstraction uneconomical due to increased lift Therefore immediate measures are required to control saline water ingression into the coastal aquifers This paper suggests some measures for controlling saline water ingression in the area concern