Maha Kumbh: Is Ganga Water At Sangam Protected For Bathing? Govt Knowledge Says | India Information
NEW DELHI: The Ganga water at Triveni Sangam, the place lakhs of persons are taking a holy dip day-after-day throughout the ongoing Maha Kumbh, is at present unsafe for bathing because it exceeds the prescribed restrict for organic oxygen demand (BOD), a key parameter to find out water high quality, in line with authorities information. BOD refers back to the quantity of oxygen required by cardio microorganisms to interrupt down natural materials in a water physique. A better BOD stage signifies extra natural content material within the water. River water is taken into account match for bathing if the BOD stage is lower than 3 milligrams per litre.
Authorities information exhibits that the river water at Sangam is at present exceeding this restrict. The BOD stage at Sangam was 5.09 milligrams per litre at 5 am on January 16. It was recorded at 4.6 milligrams per litre at 5 pm on January 18 and 5.29 milligrams per litre at 8 am on January 19 (Wednesday). In response to Central Air pollution Management Board (CPCB) information, the BOD stage at Sangam was 3.94 milligrams per litre on January 13 when the Maha Kumbh began.
It improved to 2.28 milligrams per litre on Makar Sankranti (January 14) and additional dropped to 1 milligram per litre on January 15. Nonetheless, it rose to 4.08 milligrams per litre on January 24 and was recorded at 3.26 milligrams per litre on Mauni Amavasya (January 29). In a report submitted to the Nationwide Inexperienced Tribunal on February 3, the CPCB mentioned the river water high quality didn’t meet bathing requirements throughout monitoring on January 12-13 at most areas in Prayagraj.
“Nonetheless, after that, natural air pollution (when it comes to BOD) began to lower as a result of freshwater intrusion at upstream areas. After January 13, 2025, river water high quality (is) conforming (to) the washing standards w.R.T. BOD besides (at) Lord Curzon bridge on river Ganga on January 19, 2025,” the CPCB report learn.
In response to Uttar Pradesh authorities officers, 10,000 to 11,000 cusecs of water is being launched into the Ganga to make sure it meets bathing requirements. The Maha Kumbh, which began on January 13, will conclude on February 26, Maha Shivaratri day. Over 54 crore folks have taken a dip within the sacred waters of Triveni Sangam to this point.
Mahakumbh Nagar is the world’s largest non permanent metropolis, accommodating 50 lakh to 1 crore devotees at any given time. These pilgrims generate at the least 16 million litres of faecal waste and 240 million litres of greywater every day from actions like cooking, washing, and bathing. Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Singh advised reporters on Sunday that the rise in footfall is because of the authorities’s success in enhancing river water high quality and sanitation because the 2019 Ardh Kumbh.
“Earlier than 2019, there could be no bogs at Kumbh. Officers would earmark an space with a crimson flag, present tents, and open defecation used to happen. “For the primary time in 2019, we constructed 1.14 lakh particular person bogs with Sintex (plastic) tanks beneath to gather wastewater and excreta. Desludging could be completed each two-three days and the faecal sludge could be taken to open oxidation ponds distant. This time, we’ve got constructed 1.5 lakh particular person bogs and two faecal sludge remedy crops,” he mentioned.
A 200 km-long non permanent drainage community has been set as much as join remedy services, Singh added. “Sanitation is an enormous hallmark (of Kumbh preparations), and people who have been to Kumbh beforehand can distinctly see the distinction,” he mentioned.
