River Ganges Pollution

 

River Ganges Pollution by Ebuka Ugboma

River Ganges pollution is a major issue that needs to be tackled. It is subjected to over 500 million gallons of untreated sewage every day and this has been the norm for decades. This has given birth to a host of health problems and deaths due to water-borne illnesses like cholera, diarrhoea and dysentery. The river is also full with poisonous industrial effluents spilling into it from factories, which have led poisoning in humans too.

 

Apart from being an environmental hazard, the pollution in River Ganges also poses a serious threat to India’s population as it is heavily populated on its banks. The blooming riverside chemical plants and factories, which are responsible for the pollution in Ganges, are also adversely affecting the lands and homes of the people. A lot of medical students and researchers and researchers also use water from River Ganges for conducting experiments. This non-stop pollution has led to an explosion in the number of diseases.

 

The government is working on these issues and taking all possible steps to prevent pollution in the river, but it is not enough. There needs to be a concerted effort by various groups working towards maintaining River Ganges as it is today. The measures taken by officials must be implemented most effectively on grounds that they are effective or at least first priority should be given to them instead of implementation as soon as possible.

 

The biggest problem is to clean up the river, but this is quite impossible. As it is the biggest river in India measuring around 2500 km (1500 miles) in length and its water originates from Bhagirathi valley which is a glacier located in the Himalayan region. It covers a vast area of 2,525 km and has been home to many religious places like Varanasi, Haridwar and Allahabad, which are considered as pilgrimage sites today.

 

The pollution of RiverGanges begins with the discharge of effluents from industries located on its banks. The factories along the bank either release their untreated contents directly into River Ganges or allow it out into sewer lines leading to Ganges. Industrial waste then floods into the river, causing a number of health problems for millions of its citizens. Besides, the industries often have their effluents discharged directly into River Ganges instead of treating them and it flows by these industries throughout the year. About 20 to 30 million liters of industrial waste is released in River Ganges every day. However, more than 90% of this waste is dumped in open grounds and lands on its banks.

 

The pollution from industrial effluents reaches to its banks through sewer lines and also through municipal drains, which are located in the city outskirts and provide water for domestic homes as well as agriculture sectors. Untreated sewage and bio-diesel mix also contaminate River Ganges as it flows through the city streets and drains. The pollution from these effluents is directly caused by corruption among the officials. Most industrial units do not have a sewer line pumping system, but instead release waste directly into River Ganges.

 

Often the locals remove solid industrial wastes from rivers with the help of tanks and other equipment, but around 17 km of River Ganges are not cleaned at all. Usually, some sections of the river are cleaned most of the time to keep it clean, but there are also stretches where there is no cleaning at all and this enables growth of harmful organisms like E. coli. Some of the sewage in River Ganges is also recycled into industrial effluents.

 

Apart from the damage caused by the river in terms of pollution and waste, it is also susceptible to damage due to its overuse by humans. There are a large number of religious places and pilgrimage sites located along its banks as well as agricultural lands for domestic residents. Cleaning these areas and moving people away from them would require extensive work, which would cost a lot of money and time.

 

The government can have a great impact on River Ganges by enforcing its Pollution Control Boards (PCBs) that step in against the failure of enforcement authorities who do not follow the guidelines set out by the PCBs, so far. There is a need to make PCBs more effective by adding judges and other officials. It is also important to ensure that PCBs enforce their own rules and guidelines, as they are being done today. The government can support PCBs in using technology such as CCTV cameras, while they decide upon the cases they want to take up. There is a need to create awareness among people about the importance of cleaning River Ganges and reducing waste by doing things like garbage segregation, water conservation and recycling.

 

There are some efforts that the government has taken for cleaning River Ganges with greater success than others. For example, the government is providing funds for setting up of water treatment plants and setting up of a sewage treatment plant in Allahabad. It has also issued guidelines to prevent pollution and is setting up effluent treatment plants in industries located on the banks of River Ganges. Besides, the government has also taken some steps to reduce waste and modify other behaviors, so as to keep River Ganges clean. It passed a law that makes it illegal for anyone to dump industrial waste into River Ganges. In addition, farmers are being taught to use pesticides and fertilizers in a more responsible manner. They are also being encouraged to grow crops such as mustard, which can help clean up the water in River Ganges.

 

 

Steps To Clean Up RiverGanges:

1. Farm Awareness – Farmers, who are the major polluters of River Ganges, need to be educated at the level of primary and secondary students in schools and colleges. School children are being taught about farming methods which can help them become aware of their environment and know that they can play a role in preserving it.

 

2. Empowerment of Farmers – Through education, farmers will understand the impact that they have on their surroundings and how they can change their habits to reduce pollution in River Ganges. Farmers should also be made aware that the government is willing to help them rigorously enforce laws against polluting River Ganges and ensure that waste is disposed properly instead.

 

3. Setting Up of Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) – The government can provide money for setting up of STPs in cities, towns and villages along River Ganges and this process has already taken place in Allahabad. In addition, the government should also provide help for installing sewer lines which will ensure that municipal waste is properly disposed off so as to prevent pollution of River Ganges.

 

4. Recycling Waste – Organic waste can be turned into compost or mulch, which can be used by farmers to improve the quality of their soil while preventing pollution of water in River Ganges. It will also help in promoting organic farming techniques instead of chemical fertilizers and pesticides which are bad for human health and environment. The government should encourage producers to make compost, which is not only good for the environment but also helps increase agricultural yields.

 

5. Encouraging Sustainable Transport – An integrated transport policy, which makes use of alternative sources of energy and improves public transport, will help reduce the amount of air pollution and also help create an atmosphere that encourages sustainable development by promoting an alternative way of doing things rather than following the old ways where people have a tendency to do things in a very unsustainable way. The government can provide subsidies for setting up bus routes or establishing more trains to reduce pollution caused by vehicles and encourage people to take public transportation instead.

 

6. Conserving Water – People need to be educated about how and why to conserve water as well as the benefits of doing so. Through this, people will see that conserving water is not only good for themselves but also helps prevent damage in River Ganges caused by less water in the rivers. The government should also take steps to conserve water through recycling and encouraging storm water drains, while they can also try to reduce wastage of water by educating people about this.

 

Conclusion

The government has taken some measures to reduce pollution in River Ganges but more needs to be done. In addition, there are also some steps that can be taken by every individual to help conserve River Ganges and make it cleaner. These are:

 

Awareness:

This can be accomplished by educating children and young adults about the importance of keeping River Ganges clean and the effects of pollution on human health as well as on other life forms in the ecosystem. Education can also be directed towards farmers so that they are able to have an awareness of their effect on their surroundings as well as the harm they cause to themselves due to pollution produced by farming practices.

 

Empowerment:

A way to empower farmers is to teach them how they can make an effort in protecting River Ganges. The government can also help farmers create awareness of the damage that they can do to the environment by continuing with their current farming methods. They will understand that harm caused by pollution is not only negative but also has effects on themselves. This makes farming a safer form of livelihood and increases the growth rate of crops which helps in saving resources and also prevents pollution from being produced from agricultural methods.

 

Setting up Sewage Treatment Plants:

The government can provide subsidies for setting up STPs, which will ensure that municipal waste and sewage are properly treated and become less harmful to human health and the environment.

 

Recycling Waste:

The government can encourage the recycling of organic waste which can be turned into compost mulch and used by farmers to improve quality of soil, prevent pollution and help promote organic farming.

Ebuka Ugboma has written a full ebook on the River Ganges Pollution. Purchase your copy here.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 

Gary Austine Ebuka Ugboma Esq FICMC, ACIArb UK, FMA, AGIS, PMP

LLB Hons, BA Hons, Dip Mus Ed, Pdip Bus Admin, PDip Estate Mgt,  MBA, MSC Peace and conflict resolution.

Ebuka Ugboma has multiple degrees from different Universities across different fields; Arts, Law, Social Sciences and Humanities generally. He is a Chartered Arbitrator and Mediator, trained in the style and pattern of Chartered Institute Of Arbitrators UK.

Ebuka Ugboma has successfully published many books including Propensities And Habits For Success

Check out and buy his books on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Ebuka-Ugboma/e/B0B6HHVVW6

Email: garyugboma@gmail.com Phone: 2348033924157