Ganga Pollution

The major polluting industries on the Ganges River are the leather industries, especially near Kanpur, which use large amounts of chromium and other chemicals, and much of it finds its way into the meager flow of the Ganga. Unfortunately, this is a boom time for leather processing in India, which many view as a form of eco-environmental dumping on the third world, and with the lax and lubricable implementation systems of the Uttar Pradesh government, it does not seem likely that this will go down. The world bank report 1992, which focussed on the environmental issues, mentions the dissolved-oxygen and riverborne decomposing material at two points on the Ganga. However, industry is not the only source of pollution. Sheer volume of waste estimated at nearly 1 billion litres per day - of mostly untreated raw sewage is a significant factor. Also, inadequate cremation procedures contributes to a large number of partially burnt or unburnt corpses floating down the Ganga, in addition to livestock corpses. The Ganga Action Plan has been set up under the Indian Government bureaucracy, and is attempting to build a number of waste treatment facilities, under Dutch and British support, and to collaborate with a number of voluntary organizations. Surprisingly, the Hindu political parties in India are not very active in the efforts to clean up the Ganga, and it is not very high in the general religious agenda.

Article copyright Himalayan Academy

Report of the Workshop on Role of local government in making Ganga pollution free
Eco Friends organized a one-day workshop for the corporators and government officials of the local government (KNN) on March 22 at Massacre ghat, Kanpur. The workshop was intentionally organised on the banks of the river so that the participants themselves could see the pathos of Ganga in Kanpur. The objective of the workshop was to educate, aware and sensitise the officials of the local government about their duties and responsibilities towards making the Ganga pollution free. We wrote letters to them, met them personally and made repeated phone calls. Even the City Commissioner wrote to them on our behalf to participate in the workshop. Despite our best efforts, we could mobilise only 40 corporators to participate in the workshop, though we had assurances from almost all the corporators (therere 110 elected and 10 nominated). Besides corporators, wed Mr. V. K. Shukla from Central Pollution Control Board, Dr. Binayak Rath from Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, Ms. Suchitra Singh, President of Rotary Club of Kanpur Greater, and Mr. S. P. Mishra, City Commissioner, Kanpur and other eminent citizens in the workshop. Representatives from State Pollution Control Board, Ganga Pollution Control Unit, UP Jal Nigam (GAP Executing agency), and Project Planning and Coordination Unit (GAP Monitoring agency) did not turn up at the workshop. Kanpur Mayor Anil Sharma inaugurated the workshop. 40 corporators including 7 women corporators of different political parties and others attending the workshop were shocked to learn that approximately Rs.150 crore had been spent to

make Ganga pollution free in Kanpur alone. They did not have much idea about the Ganga Action Plan and the works carried out under GAP. Mayor Anil Sharma was happy that the workshop was organised on the banks of the river. He appreciated the efforts of Eco Friends to raise the issue of Ganga pollution through various forums. Mr. Sharma explained the problems of Ganga pollution and suggested measures to overcome these problems. He emphasized on the role of students in spreading awareness amongst the people, especially their parents. He said that more and more programs should be organised to educate, aware and sensitise students towards environmental issues. He suggested that students from different schools should be called from time to time to various ghats, especially during religious occasions to make the people aware about the condition of Ganga. This will have a psychological effect, he added. He also said that common man will have to come forward to discuss and improve the condition of the Ganga or soon a day will come when there will be no Ganga and no drinking water. He also spoke about the polluting social practices like dumping of dead bodies and worship materials in the river. Rakesh K. Jaiswal, Executive Secretary of Eco Friends informed the members that the aquatic life in the river had nearly gone dead as the river water was almost devoid of the dissolved oxygen content in the Kanpur stretch. The river was spreading various kinds of diseases and it was not safe to take a dip in it. He also added that the minimum flow in the river was not being maintained which had resulted into a decreased potential of the river to dilute the pollutants and depleted quantity of the raw water available for Kanpur. Mr. Jaiswal made the corporators aware of the purpose of the workshop and informed the corporators about their rights and duties which had been conferred on them by the 74th Constitution Amendment. He explained the status of Ganga and GAP at Kanpur and how GAP had failed miserably in its objectives. He said, GAP is neither Ganga friendly nor peoples friendly. He appealed to the Mayor and corporators to raise the issue of the minimum flow with the State and Central government. Mr P N Rai, corporator of ward 40 and Ex. Deputy Mayor said, we are mainly responsible for the pollution of Ganga and therefore, it is our responsibility to make Ganga pollution free. The pollution of Ganga is nothing but the pollution of mind. He said that Ganga should be cleaned on monthly basis. He also lamented the fact that corruption was rife in the government machinery as a result of which most schemes were falling flat. Kamal Shukla Baby, corporator of ward 25, believes that unless government takes strict action against the polluters, Ganga cannot be cleaned. He added that anyone found to be polluting Ganga by floating dead bodies, worship material etc should be penalized. He said that it was useless to think that Kanpur Nagar Nigam could help in any way to clean the Ganga as it was unable to pay even salaries to its employees. He promised to help Eco Friends in its efforts to stop the practice of dead body dumping into Ganga. He suggested that the unclaimed bodies should be taken directly to electric crematoria and each corporator should pay Rs 21,000 from his/her fund towards this. He also promised to raise the issue of Ganga pollution in the meetings of KNN. He said that the corporators would try to get the resolution passed by KNN that every month on a particular date KNN sweepers would clean the entire stretch of Ganga in Kanpur. Corporator Manju Shukla of ward 14 blamed tanneries for the Ganga pollution in Kanpur. She demanded strict action against tanneries, which were not treating their waste properly. She also blamed Pollution Control Board for being lenient towards the tanneries. Sudha Singh of Ward No 30 stated that Ganga Action Plan (GAP) was eyewash in which millions of rupees had gone down the drain. "The people are responsible for the rampant corruption and the filthy Ganga. She was of the opinion that if people raised their voice against the corruption, things could change. She demanded that the GAP corruption should be made public. Sushma Awasthi of ward 83 commented sarcastically on the government slogans of India shining and feel good, Ganga is feeling bad and not shining at all. V K Shukla, Scientist, CPCB informed the participants about the sources, and types of pollution in Ganga and their impacts on the river ecology and peoples health. He cleared the doubt of some corporators about the upstream pollution in Ganga. Paper and pulp industry, sugar factories and distilleries in the upstream sometimes release their effluent in the river which leads to change in colour of the Ganga waters. He informed

that CPCB was regularly monitoring the quality of Ganga water and also the colour change. He added that the coloured water of the Ganga was not harmful for the human health. Mr. Shukla commented that Kanpur Nagar Nigam had never agitated or protested against the pollution of river Ganga. He also complained about the inefficiency of KNN in regard with solid waste management in Kanpur. He said that KNN had failed to lift even 50 % of the waste generated in Kanpur and that was the reason why Kanpur streets remained dirty most of the time. At the end he said, Ganga is our most precious heritage and we should not loose it at any cost, Lets wake up to the cause. Dr Binayak Rath from IIT and a member of Citizens Monitoring Committee talked about the quantity of water in Ganga. He demanded that the river diversion issues should be discussed and the minimum flow must be maintained in the river. The workshop ended on a positive note that Ganga could be cleaned if honest and sincere efforts would be made. The participants agreed to raise and discuss the issue of Ganga pollution in the assembly and regularly monitor the status of Ganga and Ganga Action Plan. After the discussion the corporators along with the Mayor took a boat ride to inspect the status of Ganga. The workshop concluded with the distribution of mementoes and Ganga Aarti.

A Report submitted by Yogesh Kumar Saxena, Special Officer, Advocate, High Court regarding Pathetic Condition in Jajamau Tennaries Area, in Ganga Pollution case On 26th April , I along with a team of Advocates voluntarily participating in the matter namely Sri Awadhesh Kumar , Sri Y.N.Shukla, Sri S.K. Verma, all Advocates , Practicing at High Court, Allahabad, and other prominent citizen and elite members of public including Dr. associated in some way or other to undertake the auspicious duty to clean the water of river Ganga at Kanpur, where the water of Ganga is polluted to the extend of obnoxious substance having the immediate of spreading the epidemic being affecting the life of number of pilgrimage having the myth regarding the sanctity of the auspicious water in their mind and in psychological spheres. This was situated in Jaja-Mau Bridge at the distance of about 15 K.M. from Kanpur city. We all proceed to get the fact finding report being prepared on the spot. The first confrontation came with a corpse (dead body) lying in mildest of river Ganga. On close investigation by reaching near by to the said dead body, it was found that the post mortem was conducted and thereafter the body was thrown in river Ganga naturally by the police. No relative could have thrown the dead body which was floating on the steam of the water of river Ganga. His testis were swelled and looking like a balloon. The foul smell could not permit us to remain at the site. At this moment we found that taking it on the boat from the side of District Unnoa merged some other dead body. Thus, despite our intervention, we could not stop or convince the relative of the poor bachelor young Hindu Deceased not to throw him away inside Ganga river. There was no tortoise to feed the dead body. Thereafter we all proceed in the densely located factories of the different tanneries in the entire Jajamau Area having the periphery of about 2 square km. Some body suggested us to reach near the bank of river Ganga were U.P. Ganga Pollution Control Unit working under the guidance and supervision of U.P. Jal Nigam is situated. Shri Ajay Kanaujia, chemist having the scientific job to test the domestic waste water, the tanneries waste water treatment plants are situated. There was no electricity supply for about half an hour and during this period the waste water plant were in operative. After some time we meet with a team of Civil and Environment Engg. student working under Dr. Vinod Tara in IIT Kanpur. The atomic absorption spec photo meter comprising a cost of more than 25 lakh was required for the propose of monitoring the monthly sample sent every month to submit such report to the national river consumption directorate is forwarded. That immediately thereafter the supply of the electricity restored at the unit and the project Engg. Sri Madan Lal arrived. Subsequently the to more officer namely Sri R.K. Tripathi another project Engg., Sri Javed Ahmad project manager also arrived on the instruction given by Sri M.C Tiwari, General Manager from his office which was located at a far distance. There were 3 plants having 130 M.L.D.(ASP) activated sledge process for the treatment domestic waste water and conversion of the same to the normal water used for the purposes for irrigation may be seen. The second plant of 36 M.L.D. (UASB) was meant for the treatment of the waste water of the tanneries. In this plant the chromium was

maximum and as such the nitric acid and sulphuric acid of the concentrated quantity was used and the waste water mixed with the air as to develop bacteria was seen by the entire group by riding over the ladder and they all seen that how does the waste water is circulated in the anti clock wise manner just to accumulate the raw material. Another plant of 5 M.L.D.(UASB) was meant for the treatment of domestic waste water which was operated by the gravitational force. There was burning of the gases in the open atmosphere leading to the pollution in the environment. The aforesaid biogas could have been uitilised by some bottling plant or could have been sent through pipe line. There was such a bad smell coming out from all the 3 treatment plants that if one may continue to stay there even for half an hour, the person not prone with such smell will be fainted on the spot. There was a storage of these waste water in the tank having the capacity of more than 20 meters in diameters and 35 to 50 meters in depth. The entire sludge is send to the fields where the soak pits use to concentrate the solid waste which was transported through tractors. We have collected the sample of the waste water at the time of its ingress which was dark greenish blue in colour while the tanneries waste water was containing the red brownish colour with the excess of the chromium. The problem regarding the mixing of the tanneries waste water being mixed in domestic waste water leading to the failure of this system as the system required for purification of the waste water out of the domestic use is dependent upon the bio degradable substance while the tanneries waste water was having the chemical but the owner of the tanneries quite cleverly was mixing it in the drainage of domestic waste water supply lane. This has created numerous problems to the administration of the functioning of the U.P. Ganga Pollution Control Unit. The second problem was regarding the relisation of the revenue from the tanneries which could not be recovered with them due to the political protection given by one and other political party. The rate dispute has yet not been settled even after the intervention of the District Magistrate Kanpur. Nagar Nigam, whose responsibility is determined 50 percent of the total charges prescribed as the rate schedule is the defaulter in making the payment. The rate schedule have been fixed by one Sri Haji Mustak Solanki which is quite disproportionate with the prescribed rate schedule. Sri M.C. Tiwari General Manager of Ganga Pollution Control has given the assurance to send the list of the defaulter but it is still awaited even after the expiry of more than 20 days. However, it was suggested that the recovery of the rate charges in order to maintain the functioning of the plant be made through recovery certificate under the provision U.P. Z.A. L. R. Act, 1951 but the same has not yet be done by the politician due to loosing the vote bank. It was just outside in the down steam that the glue factories atleast 10 to 15 in numbers on the single spot were functioning just to extract the gum and glue from the remains of the horns and other part of the animals being slaughtered and the tail is used for cooking the remains inside the boiler varying from the capacity of 200 square feets. Nobody is there to stop their production which is directly mixing inside the water of river Ganga There are 1. Shisha Mau Drainage having atleast 183 M.L.D. being mixed inside the water of the river Ganga during peek season. The other 3 more drainage known as Ganda Nala at Pandu river, whose water is mixed in river Ganga is maximum to the capacity 150 M.L.D. while 2 other drainage at C.O.D. and at Halua Khanda have got the 120 M.L.D. capacity to 60 M.L.D. capacity respectively. The list of the entire drainage being mixed up directly and indirectly are as under :1. Nawabganj Nala. 2. Guptar Ghat Nala. 3. Jageshwar Nala. 4. Jaewora Nala. 5. Rani Ghat Nala. 6. Tifco Nala. 7.Paramath Ghat Nala. 8. Muir Mill Nala. 9. Police Line Nala. 10. Jail Nala. 11. Golf Nala first. 12. Golf Nala Second. 13. Kisko Colony Nala. 14. Road ways Nala. 15. Parmoji Purva Khurd Nala. Amongst all these drainages Guptar Ghat and Jail Nala at Sarsadha Ghat provide the maximum quantity of the waste water directly inside the river Ganga. Thus, the problem for having the pollution being mixed in the holy water of river Ganga is visualized to the maximum at Kanpur where there is neither any animal surviving for feeding the dead body of the human being and of other animals. Our ritual and custom, once adopted by our ancestors are followed without any interaction to regenerate the method and ideology to save the sanctity of river Ganga. (Yogesh Kumar Saxena) ( Awadhesh Kumar) Advocates High Court Chamber No.139, Allahabad