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Ganga
The Ganga rises in Gomukh in the Himalayas. As it flows through the mountains, many tributaries feed it. In Devaprayag, the combined waters of the Mandakini and the Alakananda, which have their sources in Kedarnath and Badrinath respectively, pour into the Ganga. It emerges from the mountain region in Hrishikesh and flows to the plains from Hardwar onward. There are many important cities that lie on its banks—Allahabad, Varanasi, and Patna to name a few of them. From the mountain to the sea, its length is about 2500 km. It is the lifeline of millions of people who live on its banks and depend on its water for their daily needs. But over the years, it has been extensively polluted and the water quality has deteriorated. The Ganga is one of the most highly polluted rivers with sewage and industrial waste flowing into it from the cities lying along its route. Ganga water, which was regarded as the purest and was believed to have magical curative qualities, is today the most polluted in cities like Kanpur, Barauni, and Hooghly. At places of pilgrimage like Prayag (Allahabad) and Varanasi, where millions take the holy dip, the Ganga has become a carrier of deadly diseases, like cholera, viral hepatitis, amoebic dysentery, polio, typhoid, and para-typhoid. Most cities along the river do not have sewage treatment plants and those that do have them can handle only part of the waste water. Millions of tonnes of untreated sewage is dumped daily into the river from the cities that lie along the banks of the river. Bathing and washing also contribute to the pollution as most of the soap that is used is made from chemical substances. The river is also polluted by human and animal feaces. Industrial units that lie along the banks of the river discharge all the waste into the river and only a few of them have proper treatment facilities. Deforestation in the catchment areas and surface run-off from cultivated land where extensive chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and insecticides are used also cause pollution in the river. Immersion of bodies along with ash from cremations is another major problem, as can be seen in cities situated along the banks of the Ganga. The problem of pollution is also linked to the immersion of idols after puja. Earlier, immersing idols was not a problem as the materials used in making the idols were all natural and puja was a community affair. But now, nothing apart from the mud that goes into making an idol is natural, and various heavy metals like manganese, lead, mercury, and chromium are discharged along with the idols. A large number of industries, mainly the tanning industry, have been discharging effluents into the river. The the High Court and the Supreme Court has issued directives on different occasions to these industries with regard to the treatment of waste. A large number of these tanneries are located in Kanpur and the quality of the water in this area is very poor. West Bengal has more than 40 large industries along the river, which discharge all their effluents into the river. At Varanasi, estimates show that more than 400 bodies are cremated on its banks every day. Thousands of cattle carcasses are dumped in the river every year. Realizing the magnitude of the problem, several organizations have initiated action to solve the problem. The Chipko movement made a countrywide appeal for support for its demand of stopping the felling of trees in the Himalaya to save the Ganga basin from floods. The movement is now active in the form of ‘Save Ganga’ campaign with more active popular participation in the anti-Tehri dam movement and demands that the hill catchment forests be managed as protection forests. The ‘Clean Ganga’ movement launched in the early 1980s in Varanasi focused attention on pollution of the Ganga and has been very active in generating support and awareness of the problem. The Government of India launched the Ganga Action Plan in 1985 to clean this holy river. This was the first time that the problem of water pollution was being tackled at a national level with interest being shown by all. But the main thrust is upon engineering work. The plan has also associated universities for research and mass education. Though there has been some change in the water quality of the river since this programme began, it is not noticeable to a layman. The improvement is marginal and is far below the expected rate. This has been attributed to corruption and to the vested interests of certain groups of people. Work on this project is still under way and it is yet to be seen whether the target will be achieved. The ultimate and permanent solution lies with the masses. Dense tree cover in its hill catchments should be restored by reviving the natural vegetation to conserve the water. This will check the occurrence of landslides, soil erosion, and drying up of the springs, which feed the Ganga. The government should ensure that there are adequate sewage treatment facilities in all the cities. All waste, whether industrial, household, or agricultural should be treated before it is discharged into the rivers. We have a tradition of worshipping the Ganga; therefore, let us keep it clean for the generations to come.
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According to Hindu mythology, Ganga came down to earth due to the
intense devotion of Bhagirath, the grandson of King Anshuman, who convinced Brahma to
release the river. He led her to the sea, in the process purifying the souls of his 6000
great granduncles. This river valley is considered the cradle of Hindu mythology.