The next time you cup your hands for that holy drink from the Bhagirathi, be scared. It could well be a scoop of faecal bacteria.
A Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) report on the Bhagirathi river's quality of water, one of the main tributaries of the Ganga in Uttarakhand, warns of an increase in pathogenic contamination at some of its key pilgrimage and tourist spots because of open defecation and seepage of sewage from septic tanks, toilets and hotels.
The pollution is acute in Gangotri, Uttarkashi, Dharashu-Chinyalisaur and Devprayag where there has been an increase in human settlements along the river bank, the report says. These are also the places where people take the holy dip and perform other religious rituals.
Problems associated with solid waste disposal, both biodegradable and nonbiodegradable, along the banks of the river are increasing day by day, the report adds.
Some of the discarded items include plastic bags, rubber and leather products, ashes, offerings of flowers, milk and sweets, shreds of glass and ceramic, tree stumps, food waste, old clothing disposed by pilgrims after bath and paper. Moreover, the forest areas situated downstream are used as dumping sites.
The report says the pace of human activity in and around Bhagirathi picks up momentum in July and August with the arrival of Kanwarias, a group of religious people who come to collect water from the river famed for its miraculous healing and health benefits.
The river, according to Hindu mythology, is the true source of the Ganga.
Water is also extracted from the river for drinking and irrigation purposes apart from two hydro-electric power projects - the 200MW Tehri and the 90 MW Maneri-Bhali units. A series of such projects are also in the pipeline.
It is estimated that the river stretch has a total potential to generate about 5,000 MW of power.
Ancient religious texts credit the waters of the Bhagirathi for its high tonic property, ability to revive people sapped by dehydration, assistance in digestion and even in the stimulation of grey matter.
The river is also known for its innate self-purification capacity because of the abundance of freshwater, high intensity turbulence of the stream and the amount of dissolved oxygen.
However, all these properties are terminally on the decline, thanks to human activities with significant magnitude.
The CPCB report says several scientific studies have confirmed that the water has high bactericidal capacity owing to the presence of Bacteriophage virus.
indiatoday
A Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) report on the Bhagirathi river's quality of water, one of the main tributaries of the Ganga in Uttarakhand, warns of an increase in pathogenic contamination at some of its key pilgrimage and tourist spots because of open defecation and seepage of sewage from septic tanks, toilets and hotels.
The pollution is acute in Gangotri, Uttarkashi, Dharashu-Chinyalisaur and Devprayag where there has been an increase in human settlements along the river bank, the report says. These are also the places where people take the holy dip and perform other religious rituals.
Problems associated with solid waste disposal, both biodegradable and nonbiodegradable, along the banks of the river are increasing day by day, the report adds.
Some of the discarded items include plastic bags, rubber and leather products, ashes, offerings of flowers, milk and sweets, shreds of glass and ceramic, tree stumps, food waste, old clothing disposed by pilgrims after bath and paper. Moreover, the forest areas situated downstream are used as dumping sites.
The report says the pace of human activity in and around Bhagirathi picks up momentum in July and August with the arrival of Kanwarias, a group of religious people who come to collect water from the river famed for its miraculous healing and health benefits.
The river, according to Hindu mythology, is the true source of the Ganga.
Water is also extracted from the river for drinking and irrigation purposes apart from two hydro-electric power projects - the 200MW Tehri and the 90 MW Maneri-Bhali units. A series of such projects are also in the pipeline.
It is estimated that the river stretch has a total potential to generate about 5,000 MW of power.
Ancient religious texts credit the waters of the Bhagirathi for its high tonic property, ability to revive people sapped by dehydration, assistance in digestion and even in the stimulation of grey matter.
The river is also known for its innate self-purification capacity because of the abundance of freshwater, high intensity turbulence of the stream and the amount of dissolved oxygen.
However, all these properties are terminally on the decline, thanks to human activities with significant magnitude.
The CPCB report says several scientific studies have confirmed that the water has high bactericidal capacity owing to the presence of Bacteriophage virus.
indiatoday
