WATER POLLUTION

A CASE STUDY ON RIVER GANGES

GROUP 8 ARJUN SANAL MANU MOHAN ASWATHY VIJAYAN REMYA RAJEEV VIVIAN MOSES VEENA S

Environmental issues in India

Air pollution, water pollution, garbage, and pollution of the natural environment are all challenges for India. Primary causes of disease, health issues and long term livelihood impact for India.

Water pollution
When toxic substances enter lakes, streams, rivers, oceans, and other water bodies, they get dissolved or lie suspended in water or get deposited on the bed. This results in the pollution of water whereby the quality of the water deteriorates

Water pollution in India

India is recognized as having major problems with water pollution Untreated sewage India lacks sufficient treatment capacity & sewage treatment plants that exist do not operate and are not maintained Biochemical oxygen demand levels of BOD are severe near the cities and major towns

 Coliform levels Coliform to be preferably absent from water for it to be considered safe for general human use Flooding during monsoons Agricultural Run off Industrial effluents

Case Study - The Ganga, India

Holy water, Holy river The Ganges.

There is a universal reverence to water in almost all of the major religions of the world The Ganges is India's holiest river, considered a source of spiritual purification for devout Hindus The river Ganga occupies a unique position in the cultural ethos of India

Why is it so important ?
The densely populated Ganga basin is inhabited by 37 % of India's population. The entire Ganga basin system effectively drains eight states of India. About 47 % of the total irrigated area in India is located in the Ganga basin alone. It has been a major source of navigation and communication since ancient times. The Indo-Gangetic plain has witnessed the blossoming of India's great creative talent.

Ganges today !!!

Major causes- Human waste

There has been a swift increase in the urban areas along the river Ganga Now river is no longer only a source of water but is also a channel, receiving and transporting urban wastes away from the towns. 2,300 towns in the country, 692 are located in this ganges basin, and of these, 100 are located along the river bank itself

 Domestic wastes & Solid garbage thrown directly into the river. Mass bathing and ritualistic practices. Laundry and public defecation.

Industrial waste
0.26 106 m3 d-1 of industrial sewage are going into the river. Countless tanneries, chemical plants, textile mills, distilleries, leather factories, slaughterhouses, and hospitals dumping untreated waste into it. Toxic and non-biodegradable waste

 Non-point sources of pollution from agricultural run-off containing residues of harmful pesticides and fertilizers.

Religious events
Mass bathing and ritualistic practices. Some materials like food, waste or leaves are left in the Ganges for ritualistic reasons.

Other reasons
Rampant deforestation in the last few decades, resulting in topsoil erosion in the catchment area . Silt deposits raise the river bed and lead to devastating floods in the rainy season and stagnant flow in the dry season. Defecation on the banks by the low-income people.

 Animal carcasses and half-burned and unburned human corpses thrown into the river Haridwar dam has led to decay of the Ganges by greatly diminishing the flow of the river The Farakka Barrage was built originally to divert fresh water into the Bhagirathi River but has since caused an increase of salinity ,having a damaging effect on the ground water and soil along the river.

 Ganges flows through the northern plains, where farming is the primary occupation of the people. The chemical fertilizers, pesticides, insecticides etc used in those agricultural lands finally end up in the river

Major impacts- Human beings

Water-borne/enteric disease due to use of the river for bathing, laundry, washing, eating, cleaning utensils, and brushing teeth Dysentery, cholera, hepatitis, severe Diarrhea, typhoid etc

Wildlife
Ganges River dolphin ,fresh water dolphins in the world, decreasing in number due to Hydroelectric and irrigation dams along the river basin Pollution threatens not only humans, but also more than 140 fish species, 90 amphibian species

Ganga action plan (GAP)

A program launched by Rajiv Gandhi in April 1985 in order to reduce the pollution load on the river. The program was launched with much fanfare, but it failed to decrease the pollution level in the river, after spending 901.71 CR rupees over a period of 15 years

Important reasons for the failure of Ganga Action Plan

Inappropriate Environmental Planning. Establishment of non specific Sewage Treatment Plants on highly productive crop lands. Shortage of authentic information on quality & quantity of waste generation, mode of disposal, possibilities for recycling, development of community treatment plants and cost effective treatment technologies.

 Lack of local technical expert committees for monitoring the work. Short of global tender policies for formulation and execution of pollution control projects. Improper mass awareness and involvement of Ganga users in different projects. Least political dedication and vision to save the Ganga.

Conclusions & Recomendations

A stronger GAP should be launched. Heavy fines must be imposed on the people dumping domestic and industrial wastes in the Ganges. Volunteers should be assigned to clear physical wastes such as plastic from the river. Awareness programmes and campaigns must be conducted, making the people aware of the present condition of the Ganges, the consequences, and they must be asked to eliminate the causes of pollution in the Ganges.

 Sewage treatment plants must be constructed on the banks of the Ganges. Chemicals and other industrial wastes must be treated, before being dumped in the Ganges. Experts must be brought in from other countries, too, to help the GAP. The dead bodies must be completely burnt or cremated before letting them flow in the Ganges.

Every citizen of India has the duty to preserve and save the Ganges, as the Ganges is a thing of pride for the Indians. Only with the whole effort of the Indians can the Ganges be pure and unpolluted

THANK YOU

 ARJUN SANAL- WATER POLLUTION,OCEAN,IN INDIA (GOOD INTRO) MANU MOHAN GANGES ..WHY IS IT SO IMP ? VIVIAN -GAP REMYA- Conclusions & Recomendations ASWATHY -HEALTH EFFECTS VEENA -CAUSES