Increase in population,
urbanization and industrialization is causing an ever-increasing threat to the
quality of waters in rivers, lakes and ponds in
India. Each time water is used for some
activity, its quality is degraded. Unfortunately, the sanctity attached to
rivers in the country does not ensure that the rivers are clean.
Class A: River water fit for drinking after
proper disinfection with the addition of chlorine or bleaching powder.
|
Class B: This water is fit for bathing. |
Class C: Water fit for drinking only after
proper treatment (screening to remove physical matters or particulate
such as paper, plastic, etc. |
Class D: This is fit for fish and wildlife. |
Class E: Suitable only for industrial cooling, irrigation,
etc. |
(Source :
www.edugreen.teri.res.in)
Average Chemical Composition (ppm) of Some Indian Rivers
River |
HCO3 |
Cl |
S04 |
SiO2 |
Ca |
Mg |
Na |
K |
TDS |
Brahmaputra |
56 |
11 |
4 |
7 |
14 |
5 |
7 |
3 |
107 |
Cauvery |
135 |
20 |
13 |
23 |
21 |
9 |
43 |
4 |
272 |
Ganga |
128 |
10 |
11 |
18 |
25 |
8 |
11 |
3 |
241 |
Godavari |
105 |
17 |
8 |
10 |
22 |
5 |
12 |
3 |
181 |
Gomti |
274 |
9 |
15 |
15 |
30 |
19 |
27 |
5 |
394 |
Indus |
64 |
5 |
23 |
5 |
54 |
12 |
10 |
0.3 |
173 |
Krishna |
178 |
38 |
49 |
24 |
29 |
8 |
30 |
2 |
360 |
Mahanadi |
122 |
23 |
3 |
17 |
24 |
13 |
14 |
8 |
224 |
Narmada |
225 |
20 |
5 |
9 |
14 |
20 |
27 |
2 |
322 |
Tapi |
150 |
65 |
1 |
16 |
19 |
22 |
48 |
3 |
322 |
Water pollution varies in severity
from one region to the other, depending on the density of urban development,
agricultural and industrial practices, and the systems for collecting and
treating wastewater. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB),
India, has
identified some of the polluted river stretches and possible sources of
pollution. Most of the polluted stretches exist in and around large urban areas.
Some Polluted River Stretches in
India
River |
Polluted
stretch |
Desired class |
Existing class |
Critical parameters
|
Possible source of
pollution |
Chambal |
Downstream of Nagda and downstream of
Kota |
C |
D/E |
BOD,
DO |
Domestic and industrial
waste from Nagda and
Kota |
Damodar |
Downstream of Dhanbad |
C |
D/E |
BOD,
Toxicity |
Industrial wastes from
Dhanbad, Durgapur, Asansol, Haldia and Burnpur |
Godavari |
Downstream of
Nasik and
Nanded |
C |
D/E |
BOD |
Wastes from sugar
industries, distilleries and food processing
industries |
Gomti |
Lucknow to confluence with
Ganga |
C |
D/E |
DO, BOD, Coliform |
Industrial wastes from
distilleries and domestic wastes from Lucknow |
Hindon |
Saharanpur to confluence with
Yamuna |
C |
D |
DO, BOD,
Toxicity |
Industrial and domestic
wastes from Saharanpur and
Ghaziabad |
Kali |
Downstream of Modinagar to confluence with Ganga |
C |
D/E |
BOD, Coliform |
Industrial and domestic
wastes from Modinagar |
Krishna |
Karad
to Sangli |
C |
D/E |
BOD |
Wastes from sugar
industries and distilleries |
Sabarmati |
Immediate upstream of
Ahmedabad up to Sabarmati Ashram |
B
|
E |
DO, BOD, Coliform |
Domestic and industrial
waste from Ahmedabad |
Sabarmati Ashram to Vautha |
D |
E |
DO, BOD, Coliform |
Domestic and industrial
waste from Ahmedabad |
Satluj |
Downstream of
Ludhiana to
Harike
|
C |
D/E |
DO,
BOD |
Industrial wastes from
hosieries, tanneries, electro-plating and engineering industries and
domestic waste from
Ludhiana and
Jalandhar |
Downstream of Nangal |
C |
D/E |
Ammonia |
Wastes from fertilizer
and chloralkali mills from Nangal |
Subarnarekha |
Hatia
dam to Bharagora |
C |
D/E |
-do- |
Domestic and industrial
waste from Ranchi and
Jamshedpur |
Yamuna |
Delhi to confluence with
Chambal |
C |
D/E |
DO, BOD, Coliform |
Domestic and industrial
wastes from Delhi,
Mathura and
Agra |
In the city limits of
Delhi,
Mathura and
Agra |
B |
D/E |
DO, BOD, Coliform |
Domestic and
industrial wastes from
Delhi,
Mathura and
Agra |
a BOD
(biochemical oxygen demand), DO (dissolved oxygen). Source: CPCB
|