Every year, millions of people visit Haridwar to take a dip in the sacred river, Ganga. But not many are aware that the water quality of it is not such to take a bath in it. The revelation has come after the water quality tests were conducted at 11 locations from Gangotri to Haridwar in Uttarakhand.
According to the Times of India, this has come to light after an RTI inquiry had been put to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) seeking details of water quality. The CPCB in its reply said that water of river Ganga is not suitable for bathing and fails at all the parameters of safety. As many as 50,000-1 lakh people take a bath every day at various ghats in Haridwar.
A senior scientist at CPCB, RM Bhardwaj said four factors were taken into consideration while examining water quality of from Gangotri to Haridwar, 294 km stretch. The factors included were: Coliform (bacteria), dissolved oxygen (DO), biological oxygen demand (BOD) and coliform (bacteria). The test found high levels of BOD, coliform and several other toxic materials in Haridwar.
As per the CPCB report, the coliform values should be 500 MPN (most probable number) per 100 ml or even less for bathing, whereas, the total coliform found is between 90 MPN per 100 ml to 1,600 MPN per 100 ml.
Renowned environmentalist Anil Joshi said, “Haridwar has emerged as an industrial and tourist hub and unless sewage treatment plants (STP) are installed and water discharge quality is monitored strictly, the ghats will continue to remain polluted.”
