Ganga Water 'Unsafe' For Drinking In Haridwar: UPCB

The water was found to be in the 'B' category…


On Wednesday, 04 December 2024, the Uttarakhand Pollution Control Board said, the river of Ganga water in Haridwar was found to be in the 'B' category. It is extremely unsafe for drinking but suitable for bathing.

The Uttarakhand Pollution Control Board (UPCB) tests the Ganga water every month at about eight places around Haridwar along the UP border.

During recent testing, the water of the Ganga River for November was found to be 'B' category. The river water is categorized into five categories with 'A' being the least toxic, which means that the water can be used as a source of drinking after disinfection, and 'E' being the most toxic.

Rajendra Singh, regional officer of UKPCB said to news agency ANI, "Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has divided the quality of water into five classes. Based on four parameters (pH, dissolved oxygen, biological oxygen, and total coliform bacteria), the quality of Ganga is in the 'B' category. This means that the Ganga water is suitable for bathing."

Ujwal Pandit, the local priest also expressed his concern over the increasing pollution in the water. He said that the purity of Ganga water is affected due to human waste.

"By bathing with Ganga water, the diseases of our body are cured. Diseases like cancer are cured by it. We claim that now if you take Ganga water and check it after 10 years, you will not find any impurities. But whatever the result is coming out of the purity of Ganga water is because of human waste and we need to resolve it," he said.

Meanwhile, the pollution in river bodies in India, especially in the Yamuna River in Delhi, has been the cause of serious concern over the past few years.

On December 1, a thick layer of toxic foam was seen floating on the surface of the Yamuna River. It is an alarming concern about the potential health risks.

Edited By: Tanvi Walia

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