‘UP must maintain Ganga flow’
WWF, IIT-Kanpur and the Dehra Doon-based People Science Institute (PSI) monitoring the daily inflow of water being released in the Ganga river at Allahabad believe the UP government has failed to ensure an increased supply of water for the Kumbh Mela.
All the three institutes are jointly monitoring the water levels at three stations in Allahabad which are Ganga above the Sangam, Yamuna above the Sangam and the main Sangam area in order to keep a tab of the environmental flow of the river during the 55 days of the mela. Dr Anil Gautam of PSI said, “The water flow is less than expected and the water quality remains extremely poor. Polluting industries from the upper, reaches including distilleries, paper industry and tanneries are no longer allowed to dump effulgent in the Ganga for this period.” Dr Ravi Chopra of PSI believes more water should have been released from the Tehri Dam, especially since there was a good monsoon in 2012.
The three institutes have determined the water supply norm at 250 cumex and on the big asana days, an increase in water supply at 310 cumex. Daily monitoring of water quality at the Sangam has shown high levels of turbidity because of mud, dust and sand being churned in the water.
The most alarming situation is the high faecal coliform (FC) levels which are presently at 600 FC per 100 ml, as opposed to the Central Pollution Control Board which has stated the upper limit at 100 FC per 100 ml of water for bathing purposes.
Dr Suresh Babu of the WWF says, “Stopping pollutants from entering the Ganga river for 55 days is an extremely short term strategy to protect the river.”
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