Ganga Pollution: An analysis of the problem and mitigation initiatives

The Ganga River's pollution is a multifaceted issue stemming from a combination of human activities, industrial practices, and agricultural runoff, which has led to a significant decline in the river's water quality over the years. Despite numerous government initiatives, the river continues to struggle with pollution, although recent data suggests some improvements.

Sources of Pollution in Detail

  • Untreated Sewage: The discharge of domestic sewage is a major contributor to the Ganga's pollution. A large number of urban areas along the river lack adequate sewage treatment infrastructure, leading to the direct release of raw sewage into the river. For instance, in Uttar Pradesh, a significant percentage of drains that empty into the Ganga and its tributaries operate without any treatment capacity. This untreated sewage introduces harmful bacteria and pathogens into the water, creating a serious health risk. The most probable number (MPN) of coliforms, a measure of fecal contamination, is often very high in the Ganga.
  • Industrial Effluents: Industries located along the riverbanks, such as tanneries, paper mills, distilleries, and electroplating units, release a large volume of toxic pollutants. These effluents contain heavy metals like chromium, lead, cadmium, and arsenic, which are harmful to both human and aquatic life. Metal speciation analysis of the river sediments has shown a dominance of available and labile fractions of heavy metals, indicating that the sediments can act as a source of these metals under favorable conditions. Industrial discharge also includes high levels of inorganic impurities and chemicals that are very damaging to the river's ecosystem.
  • Agricultural Runoff: Agricultural activities contribute to the pollution through the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. The runoff from these fields carries these chemicals into the river, leading to nutrient enrichment (eutrophication) and contamination. High levels of nitrates and phosphates from agricultural runoff and wastewater are often found in the Ganga.
  • Other Sources: Other sources of pollution include solid waste dumping, animal carcasses, and religious practices such as mass bathing and the immersion of idols. The resuspension of sediments during mass bathing events also impacts water quality.

Changes in Water Quality Over the Years

  • Increased Pollution Load: The total amount of wastewater discharged into the Ganga has increased dramatically over the years, outpacing the development of treatment infrastructure. The gap between the sewage generated and the capacity to treat it has widened.
  • Physicochemical Changes:
    • Dissolved Oxygen (DO): DO levels, crucial for aquatic life, have decreased in many stretches of the river, often below the desirable limits.
    • Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD): BOD, an indicator of organic pollution, has increased, signaling higher levels of organic waste. A high BOD level reduces oxygen availability, harming aquatic life.
    • Total Hardness (TH): Total hardness has shown variation during the Kumbh event, with higher values observed during the pre-Kumbh period.
    • Bicarbonate (HCO3): Bicarbonate concentrations have shown significant variation during the Kumbh event with higher mean values during the pre-Kumbh period.
    • Sulfate (SO4): Sulfate concentrations have shown significant variation during the Kumbh event, with higher mean values observed during the pre-Kumbh period.
    • Phosphate (PO4): Phosphate concentrations have shown significant variation during the Kumbh event, with higher mean values observed during the post-Kumbh period.
    • Nitrate (NO3): Nitrate concentrations have shown significant variation during the Kumbh event, with higher mean concentrations during the post-Kumbh and Kumbh periods.
    • Ammonium (NH4): Ammonium concentrations were relatively higher during the Kumbh period due to the addition of organic matter.
    • Dissolved Silica: Dissolved silica concentrations increased during the Kumbh and post-Kumbh periods, likely from resuspension of sediments during mass bathing.
    • Chloride (Cl-): Chloride concentrations have varied.
  • Microbial Contamination: There is a high level of bacterial contamination, with high counts of coliform bacteria.
  • Heavy Metal Contamination: The presence of toxic heavy metals such as cadmium, chromium, lead, and arsenic is a major concern. The Geoaccumulation Index (GAI), which measures heavy metal contamination in sediments, was found to be highest for cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb).
  • Emerging Pollutants: Lithium (Li), an emerging pollutant from sources like discarded Li-ion batteries, is also being found in the river.
  • Pesticide levels: Levels of some pesticides, such as organochlorines, remain a concern, though there has been some improvement since the establishment of the National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA).

Government Initiatives: A Detailed Look

  • Ganga Action Plan (GAP): The GAP was the first major attempt to clean the Ganga.
    • GAP Phase I (1985-2000): Focused on constructing wastewater treatment plants (STPs) to reduce sewage discharge. This phase was not very successful due to inadequate infrastructure, poor inter-agency coordination, and a lack of community participation.
    • GAP Phase II (1993-1999): Expanded the program to include tributaries of the Ganga, such as the Yamuna, Damodar, and Gomti rivers.
  • National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA): Established in 2009, the NGRBA aimed for a more holistic approach to cleaning the Ganga, declaring it a National River. However, it initially faced criticism for inaction and lack of visible results.
  • National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG): Created as the implementation arm of the NGRBA, the NMCG was later replaced by the National Ganga Council. The NMCG has sanctioned projects for the rehabilitation of existing STPs. It is also responsible for organizing events like the Ganga Manthan, a national conference to discuss solutions for cleaning the river.
  • Namami Gange Programme: Launched in 2014, this comprehensive program aims to clean the Ganga through multiple approaches:
    • Sewage Treatment Infrastructure: A key component of the program is developing new STPs and rehabilitating existing ones. However, the implementation of these projects has been slow, and many projects are still in the planning stage.
    • River Surface Cleaning: Efforts to clean the river surface include removing solid waste and other debris.
    • Rural Sanitation: Promoting rural sanitation practices to prevent sewage from entering the river.
    • Environmental Flow (e-flow): The government has notified minimum e-flows to be maintained in the Ganga at various locations, though these flows have been criticized as too low for a healthy river ecosystem. E-flow norms dictate that a certain percentage of the river flow must be maintained to meet the ecological needs of the river.
    • Industrial Pollution Control: Stringent regulations to check pollution from grossly polluting industries and hot-spots.
    • Public Awareness: Campaigns to create awareness among the public about the importance of a clean Ganga.
    • Afforestation: Efforts to increase forest cover along the river to help reduce soil erosion and improve water quality.
  • Other Initiatives: There are other initiatives by the government like the National River Conservation Plan (NRCP) which expands on the GAP model to address other polluted rivers in the country.

Effectiveness of Initiatives

  • Mixed Results: While some progress has been made in the last decade, the Ganga still faces a severe pollution challenge.
  • Sewage Treatment Gap: There is a significant gap between the amount of sewage generated and the capacity to treat it. Many existing STPs are not operating at their full capacity or are not functional. For example, in Varanasi, STPs only treat the water for a short time due to high volumes.
  • Industrial Pollution: Industrial pollution remains a significant issue, especially from tanneries in Kanpur and other polluting industries.
  • Monitoring Issues: There are issues with the current monitoring system. The number of parameters monitored are limited, and there are discrepancies in the data collected.
  • Recent Improvements: Recent reports indicate a decrease in pollution levels, especially during the COVID-19 lockdown. This was likely due to the reduction in industrial activity and human movement. Many stretches of the river were deemed fit for bathing in 2021 and critically polluted stretches were no longer found.

Challenges and Future Directions

  • Coordination: There needs to be better coordination between central and state governments, as well as local authorities.
  • Enforcement: Strict enforcement of environmental regulations is essential to check pollution from industries and other sources.
  • Comprehensive Approach: A more comprehensive approach that addresses all sources of pollution, including industrial, municipal, and agricultural, is needed.
  • Technological Innovation: There is a need to adopt advanced treatment technologies that can effectively remove pollutants, including heavy metals and bacteria, from wastewater. For example, Advanced Integrated Wastewater Pond Systems (AIWPS) are being explored.
  • Ecosystem Approach: There needs to be a greater focus on the ecological integrity of the river, including restoring its natural flow and conserving biodiversity.
  • Water Management: Over-abstraction of water needs to be regulated. There has to be efficient use of both surface and groundwater resources.
  • Public Participation: Active public participation is needed to ensure the success of any cleaning initiative.
  • Long-term Monitoring: Regular and comprehensive monitoring of water quality is essential to track progress and identify emerging pollution problems.
  • Redefining Standards: Prescribed standards for industries need to be revisited and amended in view of their impact on water quality.

In summary, while there have been some successes in recent years, the Ganga's pollution remains a formidable challenge requiring a holistic approach that addresses all aspects of pollution, from its sources to its impacts, while adopting new technologies, promoting community involvement, and ensuring strict enforcement.

Location: Ganges

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