Water quality of river Ganga is assessed as per primary water quality criteria for outdoor bathing notified by Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEF & CC) in terms of potential Hydrogen (pH) (6.5-8.5), Dissolved Oxygen (DO) (≥5mg/L), Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) (≤3mg/L) and Faecal Coliform (FC) (≤2500 MPN/100ml). The details of the criteria and rationale are
Under the Namami Gange Programme, the monitoring of water quality of river Ganga is carried out by State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) in 5 Ganga main stem States at 96 Manual Water Quality stations and data is compiled by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
Based on the manual water quality assessment by CPCB in 5 Ganga main stem states in 2019, the observed water quality indicates that Dissolved Oxygen which is an indicator of river health has been found to be within acceptable limits of notified primary bathing water quality criteria and satisfactory to support the ecosystem of river across all seasons and also for almost entire stretch of river Ganga. Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) has been found within the acceptable limits except marginal exceedance (BOD: 3.15 to 4.2 mg/L) in locations/stretches viz. in Kannauj Downstream (D/S), Bathing Ghat (Bharoghat) to Kala Kankar (Rai Bareilly), Kadaghat (Prayagraj), Mirzapur D/S, Chunar and Varanasi D/S (Malviya Bridge) to Tarighat (Ghazipur) and in West Bengal stretch/location from Tribeni to Dakshineshwar and Garden Reach. River water quality is conforming to criteria limits with respect to
Faecal coliforms in State of Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh upto Upstream (U/S) Kannauj (Rajghat) and other monitoring locations, namely, Bithoor (Kanpur), U/S Vindhyachal (Mirzapur), U/S Varanasi, Arrah – Chapra Road Bridge, U/S Doriganj in Bihar and Diamond Harbour in West Bengal.
Cleaning of river Ganga is a continuous process and under the Namami Gange Programme, several initiatives have been taken by Government of India which includes abatement and control of pollution at the source of pollution generation by adopting activities such as establishment/ upgradation of Wastewater Treatment Plants for the towns located on Ganga main stem and its tributaries, river front development, construction of Ghats and crematoria surface cleaning activities and solid waste management.
The outputs of these projects have started yielding results and the water quality of river Ganga will further improve once all the projects are operationalized.
Due to various pollution abatement initiatives taken by the Government under the Namami Gange Programme, the water quality assessment of river Ganga in 2019 has shown improved water quality trends as compared to 2014. The Dissolved Oxygen levels have improved at 27 locations, Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) levels and Faecal coliforms have improved at 42 and 21 locations, respectively.
Annexure
Annexure referred to in reply to part (a) & (b) of Unstarred Question No. 881 to be answered in Rajya Sabha on 10.02.2020 regarding “Quality of water after implementation of NGP”.
PRIMARY WATER QUALITY CRITERIA FOR BATHING WATER
(Water used for organized outdoor bathing)
CRITERIA | RATIONALE | |
1.Faecal Coliform MPN/100 ml | 500 (desirable) | To ensure low sewage contamination. Faecal coliform and feacal streptococci are considered as they reflect the bacterial pathogenicity. |
2.Faecal Streptococci MPN/100 ml | 100 (desirable) | The desirable and permissible limits are suggested to allow for fluctuation in environmental conditions such as seasonal change, changes in flow conditions etc. |
3. pH | Between 6.5-8.5 | The range provides protection to the skin and delicate organs like eyes, nose, ears etc. which are directly exposed during outdoor bathing. |
4.Dissolved Oxygen: | 5 mg/L or more | The minimum dissolved oxygen concentration of 5 mg/l ensures reasonable freedom from oxygen consuming organic pollution immediately upstream which is necessary for preventing production of anaerobic gases (obnoxious gases) from sediment. |
5.Biochemical Oxygen demand 3 day, 270C | 3 mg/L or less | The Biochemical Oxygen Demand of 3 mg/l or less of the water ensures reasonable freedom from oxygen demanding pollutants and prevent production of obnoxious gases". |
This information was given by the Union Minister of State for Jal Shakti & Social Justice and Empowerment, Shri Rattan Lal Kataria in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.
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APS/PK/SK