A SCIENTIFIC study carried on ‘current status’ of pollution in the Ganga river has underlined the cities of Uttar Pradesh (Kanpur, Varanasi and Allahabad) as most pollutant producer places grossly affecting the river’s water quality.
The report has also underscored the potential threat for survival of aquatic life in these pockets, if preventive measures are not taken up immediately.
The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has carried out the study on the ‘current status’ of the Ganga for the National River Conservation Directorate, New Delhi.
“Eighty per cent water of the Ganga in Kanpur and Varanasi is densely polluted by runoffs from only sewerage,” Jun Iwasaki, JICA expert for NRCD, revealed it in Basics of Sewage Treatment Training Course at civil engineering department of the IIT-Roorkee. Conducting the study over the scale of three parameters viz BOD (biological oxygen demand), DO (dissolved oxygen) and fecal coliform (a pathogenic bacterial presence due to animals’ excretion), it is revealed that the level of BOD’s concentration at Varanasi is around 23 mg/litre, that is worst of it kind present throughout the Ganga’s route, while, standard presence of BOD is considered of 3 mg/litre.
Similarly, the fecal coliform presence at Kanpur is at an alarming point of over 5,50,000 MPN/100 ml. The higher concentration of fecal coliform makes water very unsuitable for bathing purpose. The desirable presence of fecal coliform factor is only considered of 500 MPN (most probable number) per 100 millilitre.
{{/usCountry}}Similarly, the fecal coliform presence at Kanpur is at an alarming point of over 5,50,000 MPN/100 ml. The higher concentration of fecal coliform makes water very unsuitable for bathing purpose. The desirable presence of fecal coliform factor is only considered of 500 MPN (most probable number) per 100 millilitre.
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