The Damodar River rises from the Chota Nagpur plateau of the Jharkhand state of India. The river originates near Chandwa village of Palamu district and flows eastward about 592 kilimeters through the state of West Bengal to join the Hoogli River, southward of Kolkata. The river has a number of tributaries.
The Valley of Damodar River includes India’s large reserves of coal and mica, and the area is highly developed industrial belt of India. The dams on the Damodar River have several hydroelectric power plants. Of late, the Damodar has become one of the most polluted rivers of India, polluted with chemical, and other pollutants like minerals, mine rejects, and toxic effluents, and the river banks are infested by coal dust and wastes from several big and small industries which are located in its basin.
