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Kanpur's Ganga is an unholy mess
Published on Thu, Nov 16, 2006 at 11:38, Updated at Fri, Nov 17, 2006 in Nation section
Tags: The Ganga Is Dying, SIT , Kanpur
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Kanpur: India's most sacred river, the Ganga is being poisoned and quite literally. CNN-IBN's Special Investigation Team travelled to Kanpur and found illegal industries operating on the banks of the river.
The multi-crore Ganga Action Plan has failed and toxic effluents of industries are spreading fatal diseases.
People near the river bank have developed yellow spots all over their bodies. "It’s because of the water. I don’t know what to do now,” a farmer, Ram says.
“I work in the fields. We cannot go near the Ganga. The water from the tannery is filthy,” another farmer says.
CNN-IBN found that an entire cocktail of toxic waste like arsenic, chrome and mercury is being dumped into the Ganga.
It was also found that several illegal soap factories on the river bank thrive on the waste from over a 100 tanneries, which flows unchecked into the Ganga.
All this waste from the tanneries is being mixed ironically to make soap, which is supplied to cities such as Delhi and Mumbai.
When factory owners were questioned they, too, were not bothered about the laws of the land.
“I don’t have a No Objection Certificate. I should have got it from the Pollution Control Board but I didn't bother,” a factory owner, Altaf says.
The law says that industries must state what chemicals will be used by them. But it was found that all boards on the factories regarding this norm were blank.
Even government-run sewage treatment plants are flouting all norms as effluents are being discharged into fields without testing for chrome.
Drinking water, too, is contaminated in this area and the Government has declared the water unfit for human consumption. Yet the people continue to drink and use this water as they have no choice.
A Government ordered report shows how UP government fell short of its targets in implementing the Ganga Action Plan.
- The Ganga Action Plan started in 1986 with an allocation of Rs 900 crore. Yet pollution levels are higher today.
- For instance, against a target of treating 1400 MLD (million litres/day) of polluted water, UP could create capacity only of 388 MLD.
- Electric crematoria at Allahabad and Hardwar, commissioned at a total cost of Rs 97 lakh are non-functional.
- Capacity for treating polluted water worth only 380 MLD, target was 1400 MLD.
- Against the target of 103 pumping sets, only 70 sets procured.
- Electric crematoria at Allahabad and Hardwar worth Rs 97 lakh is non-functional.
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