Polluted river water threatens livelihood in Pali

Pali is the dying and printing hub of Rajasthan. Prior to interim stay by NGT, about 800 textile industries were up and running in the district.

At a time when the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has put an interim stay on the operation of textile mills in Pali district for want of pollution-check measures, a research by Jai Narayan Vyas University experts revealed that the river water there is not fit for drinking or irrigation.

A polluted Bandi river in Pali. (HT photo)

LR Meena from the department of zoology in the university said they are carrying out investigations to find out the effects of industrial effluents on Bandi river, adding that the chemical analysis done in the past showed that the pH level has crossed than the standard range. “The textile industrial effluents is adversely affecting the river water quality, killing aquatic life. If the situation persists, human lives are bound to get affceted as well.”

Pali is the dying and printing hub of Rajasthan. Prior to interim stay by NGT, about 800 textile industries were up and running in the district.

The textile industry requires copious amount of water for its operations. The effluents are often drained into the river without treatment.

He said high bicarbonate values recorded during the study periods. The presence of chloride ions that ranges between 1027 to 2020 mg/l have made the river water unsuitable for drinking purposes. Besides being highly saline, the water also contains fluoride in the range of 2.1 to 3.6 mg/l, much above the permissible limit.

Also, water with high TDS, BOD, COD values is unsuitable for irrigation.

The study shows that textile effluents are highly toxic in nature can threaten livelihood in this part of the state.