Growing Pollution in Rivers

नदीनां सुखदं तोयं शुद्धं विश्रामयोग्यता।

विपश्चितो विना तीर्थं तीर्थं न शोभते मलम्॥

Meaning:- The water of rivers is soothing, pure, and suitable for rest. Without a wise person, a pilgrimage site is not considered holy.

Rivers are turning into dumbing yards,

Humans are destroying their own safety guards,,

Globally, India is ranked 120th among 122. countries in WaterAid's water quality index

It is estimated that around 37.7 million Indians are affected by waterborne diseases annually; 1.5 million children are estimated to die of diarrhoea alone and 73 million working days are lost due to waterborne disease each year. 

Assessment of water quality over the years revealed that in the year 2015, 70% of rivers monitored (275 out of 390) were identified as polluted whereas, in the year 2022, only 46% of rivers monitored (279 out of 603) are identified as polluted. It's estimated that around 70% of surface water in India is unfit for consumption. Every day, almost 40 million litres of wastewater enters rivers and other water bodies with only a tiny fraction adequately treated.

Things that humans are bestowed from the nature are mocking by the mankind, without realising the after effects. What is to do with the per capita income if humans are unable to breathe fresh air, drink healthy and clean water, eat nutritious food. India's performance is great if economic prospects are foreseen but it's worse if environment factors are considered. Most polluted cities are present in India, no regress or proper norms are there in our beloved nation to take care about the eatables adulterations or chemical dosages availability, no regulations on the portable drinking water and no stringent rules for the discharge of industrial wastes to the rivers or any other water bodies. Indians has to learn and relearn the specific rules for the prevention and conservation of our natural resources. 

Eyes 👀 capturing and spell bounding illustration that are cultivating the severe concerns :- 

 In Uttar Pradesh, over 66 per cent of the 1,340 drains that empty into the Ganga and its tributaries discharge untreated sewage into the river. 

Faecal coliforms are a group of bacteria found in the gut and faeces of warm-blooded animals. Their presence indicates that the water has been contaminated with the faecal material of humans or other animals, which enters rivers through discharge of untreated sewage. Of the 42 polluted stations, 34 had faecal coliform over 11,000 most probable number (MPN) per 100 ml, which is four times the permissible limit (less than 2,500 MPN per 100 ml). Seven stations, all in Bihar, had 92,000 MPN per 100 ml, nearly 37 times the permissible limit.

BOD is a measure of the oxygen required by aerobic microorganisms to biochemically oxidise the organic matter. It affects the amount of dissolved oxygen in rivers. The higher the BOD, the lesser the oxygen available to aquatic life. In January 2023, at least 100 stations had high BOD levels.

The Yamuna River is one of the most polluted rivers in India. It consistently records high levels of pollutants, including heavy metals, organic matter, and pathogens. The water quality has deteriorated significantly over the years.

Remedial measures to curb such river pollutants  :- Implementation of National Lake Conservation Plan (NLCP) and National Wetland Conservation Programme (NWCP) for conservation and management of identified lakes and wetlands in the country which have been merged in February, 2013 into an integrated scheme of National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Eco-systems (NPCA) 

There are several ways to embrace that helps in decreasing the increasing river pollution -> 

1. Preparation of action plan for sewage management.

2. Restoration of water quality in aquatic resources by State Governments.

3. Installation of Online Effluent Monitoring System to check the discharge of effluent directly into the rivers and water bodies.

5. Setting up of monitoring network for assessment of water quality.

6. Action to comply with effluent standards is taken by state pollution control boards to improve the water quality of the rivers.

7. Financial assistance for installation of Common Effluent Treatment Plants for cluster of Small Scale Industrial units.

8. The construction of dams all around nation.

9. Initiatives to clean up dirty waterways like the Yamuna.

10. Plantation tree drive stimulation at state and national level and involving entire population in tree plantation drive.

11. Ban on single use plastics as plastic have caused ample of nuisance to water bodies and acquatic animals as well. 

12. Supporting innovative initiatives that works on 3R ( Reduce, Reuse and Recycle) and Upcycling of the waste materials. 

13. MSMEs to work for the cleaning of the rivers and other water bodies.

14. Since adolescence and from classrooms, message to convey for respecting several water bodies. Religious sentiments should be welcomed in such a way that doesn't disturb the genuineness of the rivers.

Conclusion - 

Our globe is already experiencing severe water pollution and shortage as a result of increased global warming and climate change. Furthermore, as the world's population grows at an exponential rate, water resources are becoming increasingly polluted. Water pollution-related concerns and issues have been rapidly increasing, resulting in an increase in waterborne infections. While there is no one-size-fits-all solution to water pollution, there are a number of things we can do in our daily life to support. Stopping pollution rather than cleaning polluted water is the best strategy to clean polluted water.