India's Ganges River Now Filthier Than Ever, New Study Says

[INDIAPOSITIVE]

A recent study finds that the Ganges River is dirtier than it has ever been.

The study detailed the amount of fecal material, heavy metals and other pollutants that are contaminating the holy river.

The river supports over 500 million people, some of whom drink the water as a health elixir.


Despite efforts to clean up the Ganges River in India, the river considered to be the most polluted in the world is getting filthier, researchers say.

According to a report by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the water quality of the 1,569-mile river has worsened, particularly in places between Haridwar and Kanpur.

In those areas, there is a heavy presence of fecal coliform bacteria and other pollutants in the river that is known locally as the Ganga, including heavy metals and pesticides, according to the study.

The report says the river is blocked and damned at many places and water has been diverted for various uses. As a result, the water does not flow well, compromising the quality and ecological sanctity of the waterway.

A Hindu devotee drinks the water as a woman washes clothes amidst flowers and waste left behind by pilgrim in the Sangam, the confluence of rivers Ganges and Yamuna, in Allahabad, India, Tuesday, March 22, 2005. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)

Raw, untreated sewage amounting to 220 million gallons per day is being dumped into the river in a 320-mile stretch between Haridwar and Kanpur, the report says. The area is also home to 1,072 industries that regularly dump pollutants into the river.
The report says the fecal coliform content should be less than 2500 MPN/100 ml and noted that in a part of Kanpur last year, it reached 20,889. This year, it reached 40,000 at the same location.

Water Source for Millions
The Ganges supports more than 500 million people who live along the river and is used as a dumping ground for household and industrial waste and as a toilet for millions, according to Ganga Action Parivar. Despite the filth that contaminates the Ganges, the river is considered holy to Hindus, who believe the river can cleanse them of sin. Believers drink the water as a healing elixir.

(PHOTOS: Sacred River Resembles a Sewer)

In 2013, over 100 million people took a bath in the waters of the Ganges during the month-long holy festival of Maha Kumbha, popularly known as the largest gathering of humanity.

Hindu devotees perform rituals on the occasion of Mahalaya, or an auspicious day, to pay homage to their ancestors, along the waste, on the banks of River Ganges in Calcutta, India, Sunday, Sept. 28, 2008. (AP Photo/Bikas Das)

In 1985, the government began the Ganga Action Plan in an effort to completely clean up the filthy water. Despite efforts, the river continues to environmentally deteriorate.
Solutions
In lieu of their findings, the CPCB suggests installing flow measuring systems in 30 storm-water drains carrying sewage and other wastes along the Ganges to assess the quality of the water being discharged. They further recommend that the drains be maintained and regularly dredged to remove pollutants to avoid additional adverse environmental impacts.

They also recommended that until full-fledged sewage treatment plants are built, local authorities should be required to set up intermediary systems within the next six months to treat sewage flowing in the drains in an effort to reduce the pollutant load.

Critics of India's plan to clean up "Mother Ganga" say unless the river's flow is restored to clear out pollutants, nothing will improve the health of the river, reports chinadialogue.net.

https://weather.com/science/environment/news/ganges-river-pollution

 

[war&peace]

A huge effort is required to clean it up and it will take years if not decades to get it so safe levels..but it is strange and cringe worthy that people still take a dip in this dirty water...no offence against their religion but there are some commonly accepted concepts of hygiene and cleanliness among human beings,,why don't they follow it

 

[YeBeWarned]

A huge effort is required to clean it up and it will take years if not decades to get it so safe levels..but it is strange and cringe worthy that people still take a dip in this dirty water...no offence against their religion but there are some commonly accepted concepts of hygiene and cleanliness among human beings,,why don't they follow it

Faith buddy..

 

[xyxmt]

you cant clean it up unless million who use it are willing to change and keep it clean.

 

[Robinhood Pandey]

you cant clean it up unless million who use it are willing to change and keep it clean.

For once . .i agree with you.

 

[Icewolf]

About to throw up really. Indians bathing in their own filth. Then they complain why whole world laughs at them

 

[r@ven21]

Well some Indian chose to be dirty..Pathetic..
They blame government for their incompetent backward acts..

 

[Nefarious]

Is it true there are sometimes dead bodies in the river? Like humans?

 

[joekrish]

A lot of talk and no action by the government.....

 

[Peshwa]

A huge effort is required to clean it up and it will take years if not decades to get it so safe levels..but it is strange and cringe worthy that people still take a dip in this dirty water...no offence against their religion but there are some commonly accepted concepts of hygiene and cleanliness among human beings,,why don't they follow it

I agree. This is a gargantuan task!
The river is utterly disgusting and needs Indias immediate attention. Water will become the most prized commodity in the near future and India needs to understand that such blatant abuse of natural resources will bite the nation back.

The disconnect I see here is, If Hindus consider the Ganges holy, why disrespect it by dirtying it?
If individually the Hindus would not like to live in filth themselves, shouldn't they apply the same standard to the what they consider holy or their god?!
I for one would like to treat my gods the way I would like to be treated. Apply the same standards!
But I don't think the human waste created by the religious types is half as bad as the industrial waste that is pumped into the river. That's the real culprit if you ask me. We need to levy heavy penalties on the offenders.

Some things are just beyond my grasp when it comes to India.

Is it true there are sometimes dead bodies in the river? Like humans?

Unfortunately true.
But we cant blame these people. This was a practice that took place way back when the population was manageable and the practice was limited to the lower strata of society who could not afford the sandalwood for the cremation.
With the population explosion, this has just become a nuisance now.
The govt. seems not to care even after repeated promises. Sad sad state of affairs for the Ganga.

 

[TOSSIT]

The disconnect I see here is, If Hindus consider the Ganges holy, why disrespect it by dirtying it?
If individually the Hindus would not like to live in filth themselves, shouldn't they apply the same standard to the what they consider holy or their god?!

Religious hindus for most parts only dump ORGANIC materials like flowers into the water. Those are bio degradable and does not cause pollution.

No religious Hindu dumps toxic wastes into the ganga.

I for one would like to treat my gods the way I would like to be treated. Apply the same standards!
But I don't think the human waste created by the religious types is half as bad as the industrial waste that is pumped into the river. That's the real culprit if you ask me. We need to levy heavy penalties on the offenders.

Some things are just beyond my grasp when it comes to India.

Industrial waste is the true culprit.

The reason is lack of state apparatus and abdication of state's responsibility combined with state corruption. The peole did not choose this, the choice was made for them.

Unfortunately true.
But we cant blame these people. This was a practice that took place way back when the population was manageable and the practice was limited to the lower strata of society who could not afford the sandalwood for the cremation.
With the population explosion, this has just become a nuisance now.
The govt. seems not to care even after repeated promises. Sad sad state of affairs for the Ganga.

In Hinduism the body is burnt to destroy all the accumulated sins of this lifetime since Fire purifies.

The state is responsible to providing adequate facility for burning the dead for free of cost. The same way it provides for Gravyard land free of cost.

But the state govt. has again abdicated from this responsibility too. The same way the british govt. did.

The poor then have no choice but try and destroy the sin's of the dead by dipping it in the Ganga, since a dip in the Ganga is supposed to destroy all sins of this lifetime. This is the last choice of a desperate poor man. No one wants their loved ones to be eaten up by scavenger animals, but this is what it has come down to.

And as usual, the "hindooos" get blamed for it.

 

[Peshwa]

Religious hindus for most parts only dump ORGANIC materials like flowers into the water. Those are bio degradable and does not cause pollution.

No religious Hindu dumps toxic wastes into the ganga.

I suppose that is fair for a certain section of these people.
But you're overlooking the plastic and non-biodegradable waste that is also generated by the same.
Back in the day, I wouldn't put much emphasis on it. Now, given all other factors, we need to address human waste of all kinds.

Industrial waste is the true culprit.

The reason is lack of state apparatus and abdication of state's responsibility combined with state corruption. The peole did not choose this, the choice was made for them.

Very true!

In Hinduism the body is burnt to destroy all the accumulated sins of this lifetime since Fire purifies.

The state is responsible to providing adequate facility for burning the dead for free of cost. The same way it provides for Gravyard land free of cost.

But the state govt. has again abdicated from this responsibility too. The same way the british govt. did.

The poor then have no choice but try and destroy the sin's of the dead by dipping it in the Ganga, since a dip in the Ganga is supposed to destroy all sins of this lifetime. This is the last choice of a desperate poor man. No one wants their loved ones to be eaten up by scavenger animals, but this is what it has come down to.

And as usual, the "hindooos" get blamed for it.

I was born Hindu as well. So I do sympathize with the poor who have no choice but to do this.
I have no problem with the practice as such when borne out of necessity.
But the Government is the ones that have been making empty promises and not giving these people an alternate.
More importantly turning a blind eye to industrial waste as long as their pockets are lined!

But I will blame the Hindu! Because those govt. officials are Hindu too and they are disrespecting what they consider Holy by turning a blind eye to this! We are all responsible for this, to a certain extent.
The Hindu govt. officials for turning a blind eye. The Hindu worshippers for adding non-biodegradable waste. And us other Hindus for not speaking up more vociferously about this.
When it comes to voting, the Hindu card is used. Then why not be real hindus and clean and respect the Ganga the way it deserves to be respected?!

 

[TOSSIT]

I suppose that is fair for a certain section of these people.
But you're overlooking the plastic and non-biodegradable waste that is also generated by the same.
Back in the day, I wouldn't put much emphasis on it. Now, given all other factors, we need to address human waste of all kinds.

How so ? Plastics and such stuff is not used in any hindu religious ritual.

It is for the govt. to provide for sufficient dustbins and ensure they are emptied regularly. Its for the govt. to ban the sale of plastic carry bags.


I was born Hindu as well. So I do sympathize with the poor who have no choice but to do this.
I have no problem with the practice as such when borne out of necessity.
But the Government is the ones that have been making empty promises and not giving these people an alternate.
More importantly turning a blind eye to industrial waste as long as their pockets are lined!

But I will blame the Hindu! Because those govt. officials are Hindu too and they are disrespecting what they consider Holy by turning a blind eye to this! We are all responsible for this, to a certain extent.
The Hindu govt. officials for turning a blind eye. The Hindu worshippers for adding non-biodegradable waste. And us other Hindus for not speaking up more vociferously about this.
When it comes to voting, the Hindu card is used. Then why not be real hindus and clean and respect the Ganga the way it deserves to be respected?!

Its foolish to give corruption and bad governance a "hindu" angle.

By that same logic, one of the biggest polluters of Ganga is by Tanneries which are mostly owned by muslims.

UP has hardly voted on the "hindu" bcard. It has either been the "Dalit - Muslim" card or the "Yadav-Muslim" card. So the common factor in both this card is "muslim". So the apathy for the Ganga should be seen in this context too. (your own argument)

Its the BJP alone which has made Clean Ganga a political slogan. Its BJP along which has made a seperate ministry for Ganga and put a full time Cabinet minister on that job.

 

[somebozo]

Its called river of filth for a reason!

 

[Peshwa]

Its foolish to give corruption and bad governance a "hindu" angle.

Its not as much about giving it a religious angle as saying that the onus falls on Hindus to take the initiative to clean it up. Afterall, it is a holy river for Hindus and a lot of the contributing factors to the decline of the river can be blamed on the actions of the worshippers (if not all). Even if Dalit (who are hindus) and muslims (who may not have sentimental attachment to the river) don't take up the initiative, there are other politicians nationwide, not just in UP who are Hindus and should be at the forefront of this change, not to mention the common Hindus like you and I.

I may be misplaced in how I'm saying this, but the intention is to initiate action.

By that same logic, one of the biggest polluters of Ganga is by Tanneries which are mostly owned by muslims.

All industries contributing to pollution, hindu or muslim or whoever else should be penalized.

Its the BJP alone which has made Clean Ganga a political slogan. Its BJP along which has made a seperate ministry for Ganga and put a full time Cabinet minister on that job.

And I'm glad someone noticed finally and wish them success in this endeavor!
Though Ill hold off on the celebration until something actually changes on the ground.