Pollution of the

GANGES
 Group Members

Ayush Arjun Arun

Kumar Malhan Kumar
(Roll No – 049) (Roll No – 026) (Roll No – 003)

Submitted to Dr Roma Rani

➢ Acknowledgement
➢ Aim and Objectives
➢ Reason for Choosing the Topic
➢ Methodology
➢ Effects Of Pollution
➢ Solutions
➢ Steps Taken By The Government
➢ Conclusion
➢ References
 Acknowledgement
We would like to express our special thanks to our teacher
Dr. Roma Rani for her able guidance and support in
completing our project.
We would also like thank our principal Dr. Manoj Khanna for
his priceless blessings.
We would also like to thank University of Delhi for giving us
the opportunity to study this exemplary subject -
Environmental Studies.
 To study the cause and
AIM effects of Water Pollution
of Ganges
 OBJECTIVES
➢ To identify the causes of water pollution of river
Ganga
➢ To know the impacts of water pollution of
Ganga river
➢ To identify the degree of pollution
➢ To find out ways to mitigate the water pollution
of Ganga river
Reason for choosing the topic
In India, rivers are known as the lifeline of the country. We are totally dependent on
rivers, from agriculture to drinking water, fisheries, sand for construction and even
for transportation purposes.

In India where rivers are considered as goddesses, the water pollution is highest and
this situation is in the country where 70 million hectares of land is irrigated through
these rivers and most of the population is totally dependent on these same rivers.

Keeping all these in mind we tried to explore what are the causes and effects of this
pollution on ourselves and our environment. We also tried to explore if there are
any possibilities of cleaning these rivers and restore their long lost glory.
 Site
of Study
Varanasi
➢ Varanasi, also known as Kashi and Banaras, is situated on
the banks of river Ganges in Uttar Pradesh, India, 320km
south-east of the state capital, Lucknow
➢ The stretch of Ganga, as it flows through the holy city
of Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, is the most polluted by
microplastics, more than Kanpur and Uttarakhand’s Haridwar
➢ Varanasi, also regarded as the spiritual capital of India,
attracts a large number of pilgrims from across the
world to the city to bathe in the river
Water Pollution in
Ghats of
Varanasi
 Pollution at the Ghats
● The city has 88 Ghats for sacred religious ceremonies and holy bathing,
which are performed every day in large numbers. The Ghats also
represent the spiritual city under the threat of acute pollution of the holy
river.

● River Ganga, along whose banks the city rose, is at a risk of endangering
levels of pollution not only from sewage, or as a result of a large number
of cremations every day but also as a result of the huge
microplastic pollution, which is generally unnoticed or
lesser-known due to lack of studies and public awareness.
Methodology
pH of water sample :
✓ Sample of water was taken from the site.
✓ The collected sample was then tested using pH strip.
✓ The dipped pH strip was compared with the pH chart and the water
was found to be slightly basic.

Turbidity of water :
✓ Sample of water was collected in a container.
✓ The sample was left undisturbed for sometime and the sample was
observed for the effluents mixed in the water.
 Observations
➢ The water was not clear and muddy in appearance.
➢ The surface of the water was covered with a foam-like
layer indicating the industrial pollution.
➢ The ph of the water was in range from 7.6 to 8.7.
➢ The banks were laden with plastic waste such as plastic
bottles
➢ Material from religious rites such as flowers, offerings
etc were also present abundantly flowing in the water
as well as on the banks.
Recent Pictures Of The Polluted Site
Findings
➢ Ganga is highly polluted by both natural and man made
sources such as agricultural activities, sewage, tanneries,
industries etc.
➢ Polluted water is harming humans and aquatic life
directly or indirectly and therefore is affecting the
ecosystem.
➢ The water contains highly toxic effluents and is harmful
even for bathing let alone drinking.
➢ Industries and religious activities are the major major
cause of the pollution.
STATE OF WATER
POLLUTION IN
VARANASI
 Major source of
Water Pollution
Industrial waste Storm water
drainage

Sewerage Religious tradition

 WATER
POLLUTION BY
INDUSTRIES
• Currently, industrial areas such as Ramnagar and Chandpur have a drainage
network. It was designed decades ago and is largely choked.

• The drainage condition in these industrial areas is poor; most of the drains are
open and these areas often face flooding situation during monsoons.
Tanneries, chemical plants, textile mills, distilleries and slaughterhouses
discharge untreated liquid waste into the river through open drains and canals.
• The industrial network does not have a CETP (common effluent treatment
plant), therefore the effluents generated by the industries go into the sewerage
network without treatment resulting in increased water pollution. Water users
are exposed to this pollution and face a high risk of waterborne diseases.
SEWERAGE
 Currently, the sewerage network covers only 32% of the city, which
means that the remaining households are either connected through
septic tanks, pits, or service latrines or do not have access to toilets. 18%
of the total households do not have access to independent, shared, or
community toilets.

In the slums, 52,457 dwelling units have toilets. In addition, there are
99 community toilets, which have 1,134 toilet seats. The city is estimated
to generate 225 MLD (Million liters per day) sewerage and has
capacity to treat only 101.8 MLD of sewerage.
STORM WATER
DRAINAGE
Most of the drains have been connected to branch sewers, which leads to the
mixing of sewage with storm water. This increases the load on the sewage
pumps and the STPs, especially during the monsoons.
• The existing drainage network is grossly inadequate.
• Frequent clogging of drains due to dumping of solid waste in the
drains reduces its rainwater carrying capacity.
• Urbanization has reduced the natural drainage capacity of the
various water bodies in the city.
• As the drains are connected to branch sewer lines, it puts strain on
the STPs during the monsoon season.
- Source: MoUD Rapid Baseline Assessment - Varanasi City
RELIGIOUS
TRADITIONS
Ganga has a lot of cultural and religious significance and it is no doubt
that many huge religious gatherings happens around it these religious
gatherings also plays part in the water pollution.

Ganga is also the major centre for cremation and last rites. Varanasi is
also one such place with cremation grounds on banks of river Ganga.

Lots of Indian families that can't afford cremation and consign mortal
remains of loved ones into the river. These human cadavers cause
severe water pollution.
The Swachcha Ganga Research Laboratory in Varanasi,
which conducts regular water quality tests, found that
faecal coliform counts (FCC) range between 16,000 to 60,000
mpn per 100ml of water from the bathing ghats, which far
exceeds the permissible limit (limit for bathing is 500 mpn per
100 ml as stipulated by the CPCB)

Similarly, biological oxygen demand (BOD)

values are much higher (4.4 to 7.6 mg/l)
than the water quality standard of less
than 3 mg/l for bathing
Effects of WATER
POLLUTION
On Aquatic Life
The results of mercury analysis in various specimens
collected along the basin indicated that some fish
muscles tended to accumulate high levels of mercury
A strong positive correlation between mercury levels in
muscle with food habit and fish length was found. The
change of pH because of the industrial pollution is affecting
the aquatic life also as the fishes and plants can only survive
in a fix range of pH
The Ganges river dolphin is one of few species of fresh
water dolphins in the world. Listed as an endangered
species, their population is believed to be less than 2000
Hydroelectric and irrigation dams along the Ganges that
prevents the dolphins from travelling up and down river is
the main reason for their reducing population.
Gangetic Dolphins
 According to the International
Union for Conservation of Nature,
freshwater turtle species are
vulnerable. Due to their long lifespan
and high trophic level in the aquatic
food web, turtles are vulnerable to
heavy metals pollution, a major kind
of pollution in the Ganges.

The Ganges softshell turtle (Nilssonia

gangetica) is found in the Ganges, Indus,
and Mahanadi river systems of Pakistan,
northern India, Bangladesh, and southern
Nepal. This turtle inhabits deep rivers,
streams, large canals, lakes and ponds, with \
a bed of mud or sand.
EFFECT ON
PEOPLE
● The 2006 Ganges Water analysis showed a
significant association between the occurrence of
waterborne/enteric disease and the use of the river
for bathing, washing, washing, eating, cleaning and
brushing teeth.
● Exposure factors such as washing clothes, bathing
and lack of sewerage, toilets at home, outdoor
defective children, poor sanitation, low income and
low levels of education have also shown significant
association with enteric disease outcomes.
● Water in the Ganges was correlated with dysentery ,
cholera, hepatitis and severe diarrhea, which continue
to be one of the leading causes of child deaths in
India.
• Loss of livelihood - Because of increasing levels of
pollution the fisherman are finding it more and
more difficult to catch fishes. As the fishes have
moved away from the polluted sites.
• Agriculture - The polluted water is also affecting
the agricultural produce. As the polluted water is
affecting seed germination and is causing stunted
growth
TIME FOR SOME
STATISTICS !!
+ 315tons
The Ganges River contributes 315 tons
of plastic waste per day, the equivalent
of 79 elephants!
 663
species are affected adversely due to marine debris

2 nd
most polluted river in the Asia

200 MLD
of wastewater is flowing into the river
Solutions
❑ To reduce the impact of cremation - promote the use of electric
systems as an alternate way of cremation
❑ People should be informed about the situation of the river quality so
that the use of its water for daily purposes is stopped
❑ Always avoid releasing untreated sewage into lakes and rivers as it
gets mix with water and pollutes it
❑ Effluents of industries must be treated and monitored sincerely before
throwing it in Ganga
❑ Farmers should be made aware not use excess fertilizer and pesticide
❑ Avoid releasing harmful chemicals and oils into storm drains
or rivers
STEPS TAKEN BY THE
GOVERNMENT
Government Programmes
01 02 03

Ganga Action National River Government

Plan Ganga Basin Clean-Up
Authority Campaign
 Government Programmes
04 05

Namami Gange
National Mission
Programme
for Clean Ganga
Ganga Action Plan
It was the first River Action Plan that was taken
up by the Ministry of Environment & Forests in
1985, to improve the water quality by the
interception, diversion, and treatment of
domestic sewage.
It also aimed to prevent toxic and industrial
chemical wastes (identified polluting units) from
entering the river.
National River Conservation Plan was an extension
to the Ganga Action Plan, so as to cover all the
major rivers of the country.
 National Ganga River
Basin Authority
‘National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA)’
was formed by the Central Government of India in
the year 2009 under Section-3 of the
Environment Protection Act, 1986.

It is chaired by the Prime Minister of India.

It declared the Ganga as the ‘National River’ of

India.
 Government Clean-Up
Campaign
In 2010, ‘Government Clean-up Campaign’ was
started to ensure that by 2020 no untreated
municipal sewage or industrial runoff enters river
In May 2011, the World Bank approved a grant-
cum-loan package of $1 billion for the mission
The NGRBA declared that Mission Clean Ganga
means not just cleaning the river of pollutants
but also means ensuring a minimum continuous
flow of water at all times
 Namami Gange Programme
In 2014, ‘Namami Gange Programme’ was launched as
an Integrated Conservation Mission, to accomplish the twin
objectives of effective abatement of pollution, conservation,
and rejuvenation of National River Ganga
It is the flagship programme of the Union Government with
a budget outlay of Rs. 20,000 crore
The main pillars of the programme are:
✓ Sewerage Treatment Infrastructure & Industrial
Effluent Monitoring
✓ River-Front Development & River-Surface Cleaning
✓ Bio-Diversity & Afforestation
✓ Public Awareness
 National Mission for Clean Ganga
It is the implementation wing of the National Council for
Rejuvenation, Protection, and Management of River Ganga also
known as National Ganga Council. It was established in the year
2011 as a registered society.
The aims and objectives of NMCG are:
✓ To ensure effective control of pollution and rejuvenation
of the river Ganga by adopting a river basin approach to
promote inter-sectoral coordination for comprehensive
planning and management
✓ To maintain minimum ecological flows in the river Ganga
with the aim of ensuring water quality and environmentally
sustainable development
CONCLUSION
According to Hindu Mythology, Varanasi liberates the
soul from the body to the ultimate. It is the Ganga Ghats
of Varanasi that complements the concept of divinity

Thus the culture, science and technology, political processes

and the people of a nation must interact for balanced
development of the country where various educational
institutions and professional bodies have to take the lead,
be it cleaning of rivers, environment or other spheres

A fresh start should be taken towards the project of THIS CULTURAL

cleaning Ganga at Varanasi, using appropriate
technology which incurs minimum costs and involves the HERITAGE OF
mass INDIA NEEDS
TO BE SAVED
References
• Kumar, S. et al. (2012) “Pollution of Ganga River Due to Urbanization of
Varanasi: Adverse Conditions Faced by the Slum Population”, Environment and
Urbanization ASIA, 3(2), pp. 343–352. doi: 10.1177/0975425312473229.
• “Quantitative Analysis Of Microplastics Along The River Ganga”
www.toxicslink.org
• “Ganga heavily polluted with microplastics, highest concentration in Varanasi,
claims study” www.newindianexpress.com Published: 22nd July 2021
• “Finding the Causes of Water Pollution in Ghats of Varanasi City” Volume:05
Issue:06 June 2018. Ar. Geetika Verma, Kartik Shrivastav, www.irjet.net
• Mukherjee Basak, Sayantani. (2015). “Ghats of Varanasi - An Emerging Centre
of Pollution” International Journal of Humanities and Social Science
• www.shutterstock.com
• www.slidesgo.com
• www.nmcg.nic.in
• www.drishtiias.com
• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pollution_of_the_Ganges