Lockdown Proves to Be a Boon for Ganga: Health of River Improves

Patna:As per a study directed by the Bihar state pollution control board (BSPCB) on April 26 a part of Ganga river passing through the Bihar state capital Patna is convalescing at a faster pace from being polluted physicochemically and bacteriologically.

The nationwide lockdown Proves to Be a Boon for Ganga river. Water samples collected from 6 different places in Patna were found less adulterated as compared to the last 3 years.

The level of contamination was checked by the Bihar pollution state control board (BPSCB) in the lab where the total number of pollutants including total coliform (TC) and faecal coliform (FC) bacteria were decreased comparatively at a faster pace.

Moreover elements like dissolved oxygen (DO) biochemical oxygen demand(BOD) and pH also got refined in the water quality in April in contrast of the years 2017 2018 and 2019.

However in general the FC count at digha ghat in Kurji acutely dribbled from 2800 to 1650 whereas the TC load was also decreased noticeably from 5500 to 3250.

While 100 is the most probable number (MPN) of FC and TC in the river water. From 7867 and 2567 to 2600 and 2050 the TC level at triveni ghat at punpun and malsalami at Patna City decreased respectively.

The chairman of Bihar state pollution control board (BSPCB) Ashok Kumar Ghosh said that it was not possible to collect water samples from more places due to the lockdown.

Adding to this ghosh said,“The physicochemical status of the Ganga has also witnessed positive signs as the DO quantity, which remained around 7.7mg per litre during the last three years, moved up to 8.7mg per litre this month. The DO, as per the water quality criteria, should be 5 or more. Likewise, The Ganga showed recovery trend from pollution on the scales of BOD and pH,”

“The water samples from Kacchi Dargah and Fatuha also indicated good signs.”said Ghosh.

Moreover Ghosh also discussed the reason of the recovery of water quality of the river Ganga by saying it’s all because of the nationwide lockdown.

“Shutting down o industries in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh and a halt on human activities in the open and even on the river banks, like bathing, washing of cattle, dumping of garbage, religious rituals, washdown of pesticides and pharmaceutical wastes, contributed to the improvement of the water quality,” he said.