Pollution in Ganga Needs Long-Term Solutions
Watering Down: Pollution in Ganga Needs Long-Term Solutions
- The Maha Kumbh Mela at Prayagraj has seen around 45 crore visitors, leading to a significant risk of disease transmission due to microbial contamination.
- The Ganga River at Prayagraj, where ritual baths and drinking of water occur, becomes a complex receptacle of microbiomes.
- The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) monitors water quality and has reported fluctuating levels of contamination:
- On Makar Sankranti (January 14), faecal coliform levels were at 11,000 units at Sangam Ghat (4 times the permissible limit of 2,500 units).
- At Old Naini Bridge Ghat (Yamuna), levels were as high as 33,000 units.
- On other days, the levels dropped significantly, showing fluctuations linked to water flow and dilution.
- Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) and Dissolved Oxygen (DO) levels also showed similar variations.
- A CPCB report to the National Green Tribunal on February 3 stated that the water quality on January 12-13, 2025, was unfit for bathing or drinking, despite freshwater intrusion upstream reducing organic pollution.
- These fluctuations are consistent throughout the year, indicating that Ganga’s water at Prayagraj is not fit for consumption or bathing.
Political Response and Call for Long-Term Solutions:
- Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath dismissed the scientific data as “baseless”, which is considered misleading given the consistent findings.
- The National Mission for Clean Ganga requires sustained cleanup efforts, especially from Uttar Pradesh, its largest beneficiary.
- Long-term solutions are essential to address pollution, rather than denialism or dismissing scientific evidence.
- Scientific measures should be prioritized to maintain the spiritual significance of the Ganga without compromising public health.
Q. Which organization is responsible for monitoring water quality at Prayagraj during the Maha Kumbh Mela?
a) National Green Tribunal (NGT)
b) Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)
c) National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG)
d) Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
ans.b
Q. Which water quality parameter indicates contamination from human and animal waste?
a) Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)
b) Dissolved Oxygen (DO)
c) Faecal Coliform
d) Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD)
ans.c
Q. Which of the following is NOT a reason for the fluctuation in water quality at Prayagraj during the Maha Kumbh Mela?
a) Freshwater intrusion upstream
b) Number of people bathing in the river
c) Seasonal variations in temperature
d) Water flow and dilution capacity
ans. c
Q. Which initiative is aimed at restoring the health of the Ganga River?
a) Swachh Bharat Abhiyan
b) National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG)
c) Namami Gange Programme
d) Jal Shakti Abhiyan
ans. b
Q. Which Indian state is the largest beneficiary of the National Mission for Clean Ganga?
a) Bihar
b) West Bengal
c) Uttar Pradesh
d) Uttarakhand
ans.c
Q. Which statement best describes the overall water quality trend at Prayagraj during the Maha Kumbh Mela?
a) Consistently safe for drinking and bathing
b) Fluctuated based on water flow and dilution capacity
c) Improved continuously due to effective pollution control measures
d) Was unaffected by the influx of pilgrims
ans.b
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