Even untreated sewage water in Norway is cleaner than the water flowing in the Ganga
A study by the Norwegian Institute of Water Research has found the water of the Ganga "to be highly polluted with concentration of chemical oxygen demand (cod) twice as high and the concentration of chrome a thousand times higher, when compared to a untreated public sewer in Norway. The institute had conducted tests on water samples collected from the downstream of the Ganga near Combined Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP) in Jajmau, Kanpur.
According to the study, the Ganga was being "highly polluted" by toxic tannery effluents discharged by the CETP. "Following the western standards the water was not even fit to be led out in nature without thorough cleaning," says the report. The cod concentration was found to be 800 milligram (mg) per litre, against the Indian standard limit of 250 mg per litre, and total chromium was found to be 10.9 mg per litre against the permissible limit of 2 mg per litre.
The report says that skin problems among people living near the river could be explained by the high concentration of chrome and that Ganga water was being polluted by toxic effluents, carcinogens and other harmful chemicals.
We are a voice to you; you have been a support to us. Together we build journalism that is independent, credible and fearless. You can further help us by making a donation. This will mean a lot for our ability to bring you news, perspectives and analysis from the ground so that we can make change together.
Comments are moderated and will be published only after the site moderator’s approval. Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name. Selected comments may also be used in the ‘Letters’ section of the Down To Earth print edition.