Ganga Dussehra
– Photo : Amar Ujala
Expansion
Today is Ganga Dussehra. It is the holy day of the descent of the purifier of the sinners on earth. On this day, devotees take a dip in the Ganga and pray for purification of the body and soul. But, you will be surprised to know that the water of the Ganga in Kashi is not even fit for drinking or bathing.
Research by BHU has found evidence of phosphate, ammonium and other heavy metals being present in the water of the city’s ghats. Consumption of such water can prove fatal for health. On the other hand, the presence of fecal matter (sewage water) has also been found in the Ganga due to sewage and drainage being discharged at many places.
In a research conducted by the Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development, BHU, the amount of phosphate was found to be 0.5 ppm (1 ppm i.e. 1 mg per litre) at the places where drainage falls into Ganga, such as Garhwa Ghat, Ramnagar and Assi, and 2.7 ppm around Ramnagar, where sewage falls into it.
Whereas there should be absolutely no phosphate in water. The amount of ammonia here was 17 ml. Apart from Ravidas Ghat where Ganga enters the city and Rajghat where it exits the city, the amount of nitrate and sulphate in groundwater on the banks of Ganga in Ramnagar has already been found to be twice the WHO standard (from 100 to 115), which also affects the water of Ganga. Due to this, the amount of pollution in Ganga is increasing.