The Sabarmati river in Gujarat today resembles a nullah, with 32 canals dumping chemical effluents and sewage into the river, and slums lining its banks. Other rivers in the state face a similar crisis according to a central government report A recent report by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) reveals startling facts about pollution levels in Gujarats rivers. The percentage rise in pollutants found in rivers since the last count in 2001 is the highest in the Sabarmati. The area now ranks among the highest pollution zones, the fourth in the country. The report on the Sabarmati river basin is the seventh in a series of basin/sub-basin studies taken up by the central board in collaboration with the state boards and other agencies. Until 2001, the Sabarmati figured nowhere near the top ten most polluted rivers. Officials blame this on the failure of the local administration to regulate the flow of untreated sewage into the river, and also the activities of polluting industries in the city. These are the two most important factors contributing to the pollution. The river currently resembles a nullah, with 32 canals dumping chemical effluents and sewage into the river, and slums lining its banks. Wastewater from a sewage treatment plant, which also processes industrial waste from the Pirana/Narol industrial estates, flows into the Sabarmati river. Plastic bags containing hazardous chemicals float in the puddles of water that are left; washermen scrub clothes in the water, which is pink, interspersed with black sewage flowing from the sewage treatment plant. The waters Bio-chemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) level has risen by 28 milligrams per litre, from 72.9 mg in 2001 to 100.3 mg in 2004. BOD is a measure of how much dissolved oxygen is being consumed as microbes break down organic matter. Higher BOD levels are a clear indicator of pollutants in the water as they show the presence of a higher quantity of organic waste. The standard BOD level required to sustain aquatic life is 10 mm per litre. By this estimate, the existing BOD levels in most Indian rivers are alarmingly high. The other two major rivers in Gujarat -- the Amlakhedi and the Khari -- figure in first and third positions on the list, respectively. The CPCB has sanctioned some common effluent treatment plants for the river. They have not actually taken off, although on paper the plants are functional, says an official of the CPCB. The Ministry of Environment and Forests has formulated charters on Corporate Responsibility on Environment Protection (CREP) regarding 17 categories of highly polluting industries. Charters identify the governments environmental concerns and priority areas and allow industries to plan, in advance, the investment required to put pollution control systems in place. The Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) collected the basic data for the above survey. Information and statistics on hydrology, physiography, soils, land use, water abstraction, human settlements, wastewater and pollutants were obtained from the Central Water Commission, Indian meteorological department, government of Gujarat, census commissioner, statistics department of Gujarat, Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation and Gandhinagar Township Authority. The report was reviewed and edited by Dr G D Agarwal from Envirotech Consultants Pvt Ltd. The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) already runs a project called the Sabarmati Shudhikaran Yojana. However, those connected with the project say the agencies that can make a difference -- the AMC and the GPCB -- are reluctant to take immediate action when required. infochangeindia.org/environment/news/gujarats-rivers-heavily-polluted-report.html
Posted on: Wed, 05 Mar 2014 09:22:22 +0000