India’s Troubled Waters: Polluted Rivers and Their Impact

By Vivek Saini 

In the vast canvas of India’s scenery, where rivers hold stories of spirituality and vitality, a silent crisis unfolds a tale of troubled waters etched into the heart of the nation’s character. As the sun graces the sacred Ganga, once hailed for its pure waters, it now bears the burdens of a growing population, relentless industrial growth, and the ceaseless march of urban development.

The Yamuna, a river with pristine beginnings, shares a different story as it winds through seven states, betrayed by the very capital that cradles its flow. Far to the east, the Brahmaputra, a vital source of life in Assam, faces a growing threat from increasing sewage pollution, endangering ecosystems and people’s ways of life. Heading west, the Sabarmati, once celebrated as a sign of progress, grapples with the paradox of development as it finds itself ranked among the most polluted rivers in the country. Meanwhile, the Cooum, a lifeline for Chennai, reflects the urban challenge of a polluted river despite persistent efforts to restore it.

These stories, woven with environmental complexities and societal connections, demand our attention as we approach 14 March, T he International Day of Action for Rivers, a day urging us to confront the precarious state of these essential waterways and reflect on the shared responsibility we hold for their future.

Ganga: A Sacred River in Peril

The escalating global population, improved living standards, and the exponential growth of industrialization and urbanization have left water resources, particularly rivers like the Ganga, vulnerable to degradation. This deterioration, intensified by factors such as global climate change, the impact of glacial melt on Ganga’s flow, and the consequences of infrastructure projects in the river’s upper reaches, directly affects water quality. In some stretches, the mighty Ganga has become unfit for bathing, especially during lean seasons. Urgent and comprehensive responses are required to address the threats posed by these complex issues.

In the Ganga basin, an alarming 12,000 million liters per day (MLD) of sewage is generated, surpassing the current treatment capacity of approximately 4,000 MLD. Furthermore, around 3,000 MLD of sewage is discharged into the main stem of the Ganga from Class I & II towns along the banks, while the existing treatment capacity is limited to about 1,000 MLD. Industrial pollution, constituting roughly 20% volume-wise, holds greater significance due to its toxic and non-biodegradable nature. Notable sources include tanneries in Kanpur, along with distilleries, paper mills, and sugar mills in the catchments of the Ramganga and Kali rivers, contributing to the critical environmental challenges faced by the Ganga.

Yamuna: From Pristine Origins to Alarming Pollution

The Yamuna, India’s longest river tributary to the Ganga, originates from the Yamunotri glacier in Uttarakhand, traversing seven states before merging with the Ganga at Sangam in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. Despite its pristine origins, the Yamuna has become one of the world’s most polluted rivers, particularly downstream of New Delhi. The capital city contributes significantly to the pollution, dumping around 58% of its waste into the river, with the most contamination occurring at Wazirabad, the point where the Yamuna enters Delhi.

Downstream of the Wazirabad barrage, the Yamuna lacks almost any freshwater, except during the monsoon season, and faces a critical stretch of 22 km in Delhi, where 18 significant drains discharge into the river. According to a January 2021 report from the Delhi Pollution Control Committee, Delhi generates about 3273 MLD of sewage daily, surpassing the installed treatment capacity of 2715 MLD. Despite treating about 35% of the sewage before release, more than 800 million liters of largely untreated wastewater and 44 million liters of industrial effluents are pumped into the Yamuna daily. Plastic pollution further chokes the river in Agra, with Delhi alone producing an astounding 2,51,674 tonnes of plastic annually, half of which is single-use. The riverbanks are cluttered with things like flip-flops and paper, forming piles every few feet. Many plastic bags, even the ones supposed to be recyclable, end up in the river. 

Brahmaputra: A Lifeline Threatened by Sewage Pollution

Flowing from the Tibetan Plateau as the Yarlung Tsangpo, the Brahmaputra traverses Arunachal Pradesh and Assam before reaching Bangladesh. Despite encountering trash and pollution along its course, the water quality of the Brahmaputra significantly deteriorates in Assam. This decline is attributed to the state’s inadequate waste infrastructure, leading to the direct discharge of a large portion of liquid sewage into the river.

The Brahmaputra River is a lifeline for millions, supporting agriculture fisheries and serving as a drinking water source. However, scientific evidence highlights the escalating sewage pollution from the cities it sustains, particularly in Assam, posing a threat to the river’s health and the dependent ecosystems. Guwahati, Assam’s most significant city along the Brahmaputra, generates approximately 154 million liters of sewage daily, a surge attributed to a 20% annual increase in the city’s population. The primary cause of river pollution is the untreated drainage of sewage and wastewater directly into the Brahmaputra.

Shirshendu Sekhar Das, the founder of The Midway Journey, an environmental conservation organization in Guwahati, emphasized that certain areas in the city, like Bharalumukh, have drainage channels directly leading into the Brahmaputra, significantly contributing to river pollution. He highlighted the alarming condition of the Bharalu River in Guwahati, describing it as entirely black and acting as a sewage carrier to the Brahmaputra. Das noted that during the rainy season in eastern Assam, water levels rise even before heavy rains due to closed channels, leading to sewage accumulation. The pollutants from this sewage accumulation harm aquatic fauna and flora, causing long-term ecological degradation of the marine environment along the Brahmaputra.

Sabarmati: Symbol of Development Turned Polluted Waters

In 2014, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi were photographed on the banks of the Sabarmati, showcasing it as a symbol of development. Later, in 2017, Modi took off from the Sabarmati on a seaplane ahead of the Gujarat assembly election. However, in a surprising turn, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) ranked the Sabarmati as the second-most polluted river in India in its national report on river pollution presented in the Lok Sabha last year. The Sabarmati River originates in the Aravalli hills in Rajasthan and covers a distance of 371 kilometers before reaching the Arabian Sea in the Bay of Khambhat area. With a total catchment area of 21,674 square kilometers, the Sabarmati plays a significant role in the region’s hydrology and ecosystems. This river, historically substantial for inspiring Mahatma Gandhi’s Satyagraha movement, faced an unexpected environmental challenge, highlighting the complexities of river pollution issues.

A Report from a collaboration of regional officers of the Gujarat Pollution Control Board, social activists, and environmentalists reveals that substantial portions of Gujarat’s Sabarmati River are either experiencing severe pollution or have dried up. This assessment underlines growing environmental concerns and highlights the urgent need for measures to address the challenges faced by the Sabarmati River in Gujarat. The Sabarmati River, upon entering Ahmedabad, no longer carries fresh water. Instead, the Sabarmati Riverfront has transformed into a stagnant pool of polluted water. At the same time, downstream, the river serves as a channel for industrial effluents from Naroda, Odhav Vatva, Narol, and sewage from Ahmedabad city. The drought-like conditions exacerbated by Riverfront Development have hampered groundwater recharge, leading to increased reliance on the Narmada River.

This distressing state of the Sabarmati River raises serious concerns for the health of Ahmedabad’s residents and the villages along the river downstream of the Riverfront. People in these areas depend on the river for their daily needs and livelihoods. The extensive pollution has resulted in contamination of groundwater, food, and associated health hazards, contributing to the loss of natural river habitat, depletion of groundwater levels, and harm to flora and fauna, emphasizing the urgent need for environmental intervention.

Cooum: Chennai’s Polluted Lifeline

The Cooum River, also known as Koovam, is a Bay of Bengal-draining river with a length of approximately 72 km, with 32 km passing through Chennai and the remainder through rural areas. The urban stretch of the river is heavily contaminated due to untreated sewage, industrial effluents, and solid waste. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) labeled it the “most polluted” river in the country, citing a Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) of 345 mg per liter between Avadi to Sathya Nagar, the highest among 603 rivers in India. A high BOD signifies poor water quality with low dissolved oxygen.

Despite multiple restoration attempts, including establishing the Chennai Rivers Restoration Trust (CRRT) in 2009, the river’s condition remains critical. The continuous inflow of untreated sewage, with about 900 sewage outfalls yet to be addressed, poses a significant challenge. The Chennai Metro Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB) is working on eco-restoration projects, incorporating 10 Infiltration and Drainage systems and three Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) at various stages.

The Cooum’s pollution has severe repercussions for the environment and public health. Communities along its banks, relying on it for drinking water, face waterborne diseases. The pollution also threatens marine life and biodiversity in the estuary and the Bay of Bengal. The river, hosting various species, is essential for maintaining hydrological balance and preventing floods in Chennai during the monsoon. Recognizing its ecological, economic, and social importance, concerted efforts are needed to restore and protect the Cooum River.

References:

1. https://nmcg.nic.in/pollution.aspx#:~:text=Approximately%203000%20mld%20of%20sewage,has%20been%20created%20till%20date.
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10. https://booking.chennairivers.gov.in/about.php
11. https://cmwssb.tn.gov.in/
12. Image 1: https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-boat-on-the-river-with-buildings-in-the-background-16542333/
13. Image 3: https://unsplash.com/photos/man-standing-on-boat-f43rDFk1Ph4 
14. Image 4: https://unsplash.com/photos/a-night-view-of-a-river-with-a-bridge-in-the-background-YiyBsUQynIA 
15. Image 5: https://twitter.com/ErikSolheim/status/1221606295511453698?t=vwV4Fcxz1RIBDt_WwXGjtg&s=19

Banner image: https://unsplash.com/photos/a-body-of-water-surrounded-by-lush-green-trees-vSRRmNaEeNU