Meghan Hodges
The Ganges River, or Ganga, is a sacred river in India that flows from the Himalayas to the Bay of Bengal, covering a distance of over 2,500 kilometres. It is revered by Hindus as the Mother Goddess Ganga and plays a vital role in agriculture, fisheries, transportation, culture, and religion. However, the river faces significant pollution challenges due to various factors such as industrial waste, agricultural runoff, untreated sewage, and religious practices. The pollution has severe consequences, including health risks from waterborne diseases, ecological degradation, and threats to endangered species. Despite efforts to clean the river, such as the Ganga Action Plan, the complex nature of the problem requires integrated and comprehensive solutions involving infrastructure, sustainable practices, and improved monitoring.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| River length | 2,500-2,600 km |
| River basin size | Over 1 million sq km |
| Population of river basin | Over 650 million |
| Population of cities along the river | 100 cities with over 100,000 people, 97 cities with 50,000-100,000 people, and 48 settlements |
| Daily sewage dumped into the river | 3 million litres, of which only half is treated |
| Daily amount of filthy water reaching the river | Hundreds of millions of litres |
| Percentage of effluent entering the river that is industrial | 12% |
| Industries along the river | Tanneries, chemical plants, textile mills, slaughterhouses, hospitals, rubber, plastic, and leather manufacturers |
| Number of bodies cremated in Varanasi and deposited into the river annually | 40,000 |
| Waterborne diseases linked to the river | Dysentery, cholera, hepatitis, and acute diarrhea |
| Ecological impacts | Decline and local extinction of native fish species, threats to endangered species like the Ganges river dolphin and softshell turtle, and loss of biodiversity |
| Impacts of climate change | Reduced water flows and worsening pollution impacts |
| Clean-up initiatives | Ganga Action Plan, Namami Gange Programme, World Bank projects, Asian Development Bank projects, Indian government projects |
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What You'll Learn
Industrial waste and effluent
The Ganges River, India's largest river and a vital water source for an estimated 500 million people, is severely polluted. Industrial waste and effluents are significant contributors to this pollution. The river's water is used for irrigation faster than it can be replenished, and with numerous industrial cities on its banks, such as Kanpur, Prayagraj, Varanasi, and Patna, the river receives a constant influx of industrial waste and effluents.
Tanneries, chemical plants, textile mills, distilleries, slaughterhouses, and hospitals are among the industries operating in these cities. These industries discharge various types of waste, including liquid effluents containing organic matter and toxic chemicals such as chromium, cadmium, arsenic, mercury, nickel, sulphide ammonium, chemical dyes, sulfuric acid, and methane. For example, in the tanning industry, only 50-70% of chromium, a common tanning agent, is absorbed by the hides, leaving the rest to be discharged as industrial waste.
The concentration of certain pollutants, such as copper, in the Pandu River, a Ganges tributary, is a thousand times higher than in uncontaminated water before it even reaches the Ganges. Industrial effluents account for about 12% of the total volume of waste entering the Ganges. This includes wastewater from factories, which often contains plastic and other industrial waste. The toxic and non-biodegradable nature of industrial waste makes it a major concern, even though it accounts for a smaller volume compared to other sources of pollution.
The lack of dilution capacity in the river exacerbates the problem, making the pollution particularly toxic and hazardous. Additionally, the sewage waste and industrial effluents often mix, requiring different treatment methods due to their distinct chemical compositions. To effectively treat and monitor the discharge of industrial waste, it is crucial to carefully analyse the components of the wastewater generated by different industries and work towards reducing the presence of toxic materials.
To address the issue of industrial waste and effluents polluting the Ganges, several measures have been proposed and implemented. These include the Indian government's $4 billion campaign launched in 2010 to ensure that no untreated municipal sewage or industrial runoff enters the river by 2020. The Namami Ganga projects have also made progress with sewerage management initiatives, river surface cleaning, public awareness campaigns, and regular monitoring of industrial effluents from Grossly Polluting Industries. Furthermore, the Supreme Court of India has been working on the closure and relocation of industrial plants along the Ganges, and the lobby group Sankat Mochan Foundation is designing a new sewage treatment system for Varanasi.
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Agricultural activities
The Ganges River, or Ganga, is the largest river in India and a vital water source for around 500 million people. The river is revered as sacred by the villagers, who worship it as a deity. However, the river is severely polluted, posing significant threats to human health and the environment.
One of the main concerns is the use of pesticides in agriculture. Pesticides are known to have various toxic effects, including neurotoxicity, mutagenicity, carcinogenicity, teratogenicity, and endocrine disruption. Despite the establishment of the National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) in 2009, which led to a reduction in pesticide levels, certain organochlorines remain beyond the permissible limits for drinking water. Lindane (γ-HCH) has been detected as the most dominant and frequently used pesticide, indicating continued use even after being banned.
Agricultural runoff and the use of chemical fertilizers and insecticides also contribute to the pollution of the Ganga. The river's water quality is deteriorating due to the presence of heavy metals and inorganic pollutants, which pose severe long-term health risks to local populations. Studies have shown that toxic heavy metals from agricultural activities accumulate in fish and vegetables, becoming harmful even at low doses.
The Ganga basin is one of the most densely populated areas in the world, with high demographic and economic growth rates. This rapid industrialization and population growth have increased the discharge of agricultural wastewater into the river, further compromising water quality. The widespread adoption of new technologies and pesticides during the "Green Revolution" has resulted in the Ganga basin becoming one of the most studied regions for organic contaminants.
Overall, agricultural activities play a significant role in polluting the Ganga River. The contamination of the water with pesticides, heavy metals, and other inorganic pollutants poses severe health and environmental risks. Addressing these issues requires the implementation of regulations, proper training, and education to promote safer and more sustainable agricultural practices.
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Cremated remains
The Ganges River, India's largest river and a vital water source for 40% of India's population, is severely polluted. The river is sacred in Hinduism, and many Hindus believe that being cremated on its banks and floating down the river will cleanse the sins of the deceased and carry them to salvation.
In the Hindu holy city of Varanasi, an estimated 40,000 bodies are cremated each year and deposited into the Ganges. In Manikarnika Ghat, the holiest of the city's stepped riverbanks, mourners gather by the hundreds to cremate their loved ones. The pyres are made of sandalwood for the rich and mango wood for everyone else. The cremation process requires a lot of wood, with one large body requiring up to 1,100 pounds of logs. This has led to concerns about deforestation and the environmental impact of the traditional cremation process.
Due to poverty, many families cannot afford the high cost of cremation wood, and as a result, many bodies are only partially cremated or not cremated at all before being deposited into the river. It is not uncommon to see partially decomposed bodies floating downstream. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of bodies in the river increased significantly, with official data underreporting the actual death toll.
The Indian government has recognized the need to clean the Ganges and has undertaken engineering programs and initiatives to improve the situation. The Ganga Action Plan (GAP), launched in 1985, aimed to improve water quality by intercepting, diverting, and treating domestic sewage and preventing industrial chemical wastes from entering the river. In recent years, electric crematoria have been constructed in Varanasi and other holy riverside towns as an alternative to traditional wooden pyres, helping to reduce river pollution and deforestation. Additionally, the city of Varanasi has implemented green policies, such as banning certain plastics and converting diesel-powered boats to run on compressed natural gas.
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Population density
Firstly, the large population residing along the river is a source of a significant amount of sewage water with a high organic load. It is estimated that the river receives approximately 1 billion gallons of raw sewage daily, with about 75% of the pollution coming from municipal sewage. The disposal of human sewage and animal waste is a major contributor to the pollution of the Ganga. Unfortunately, the treatment of sewage is inadequate, with only 37% of the sewage generated being treated before discharge into the river and its tributaries. This untreated sewage contains high levels of organic matter, including human and animal waste, which can lead to excessive nutrient loading and the depletion of oxygen in the water, creating dead zones where aquatic life cannot survive.
Secondly, the increasing population density along the river has led to rapid industrialization and the establishment of various industries, such as tanneries, chemical plants, textile mills, distilleries, slaughterhouses, and hospitals. These industries discharge toxic industrial waste, including heavy metals and non-biodegradable pollutants, directly into the river. The accumulation of these toxins in the water column and sediment poses severe ecological risks and long-term health threats to the local population, especially through the consumption of fish and vegetables contaminated with these toxins.
Moreover, the high population density has resulted in increased water extraction from the river for various purposes, including agriculture, irrigation, and general human needs. This excessive water withdrawal has disrupted the river's natural flow and ecological balance, hindering its ability to effectively dilute and flush out pollutants. As a result, the concentration of contaminants increases, exacerbating the pollution problem.
The Ganga basin, through which the river flows, is one of the most densely populated regions in the world, with an average population density of 520 persons per square kilometer, compared to 312 for the rest of India. The rapid population growth in this region has put immense pressure on the river and its resources. The combination of dense population, industrialization, and inadequate wastewater treatment infrastructure has resulted in the severe pollution of the Ganga, threatening the health and well-being of the millions of people who depend on it.
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Climate change
The Ganga River is facing a severe ecological crisis due to pollution and climate change. The river's health is deteriorating, and its capacity to support a thriving ecosystem is diminishing. Climate change is a critical factor in this, primarily by altering the hydrological dynamics of the river and reducing its resilience.
The Ganga River is treated as a receptacle for waste, with uncontrolled discharges of domestic sewage and industrial pollutants. The river basin has a high concentration of industries such as tanneries, sugar and distilleries, pulp and paper mills, fertilizers, textiles, and automobiles. These industries contribute to the pollution load in the Ganga, with their wastewater containing high levels of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), solids, total nitrogen (TN), chromium, sulphide, sulphate, and chloride. The excessive nutrient load, particularly nitrogen and phosphorus from fertilizers, causes eutrophication, leading to excessive algal growth and subsequent depletion of dissolved oxygen essential for aquatic life. Climate change exacerbates this issue by diminishing water flows, reducing the river's natural capacity to absorb and dilute pollutants.
The heavily industrialized Kanpur region is the most polluted stretch of the Ganga due to excessive pollutant discharge from industries. Agricultural runoff, combined with climate change, further increases the pollution risk in this area. Climate change-induced reductions in water flow are likely to worsen the impact of pollution from sources like tanneries. The cumulative effect of pollution, altered hydrology, and other anthropogenic pressures result in severe ecological degradation, biodiversity loss, and a disproportionate burden on vulnerable communities dependent on the river.
The Indian government has implemented various initiatives to address the pollution in the Ganga River, including the Ganga Action Plan and the Namami Gange Programme. However, significant success in cleaning the river has been limited. To effectively rejuvenate the river, a comprehensive approach involving infrastructure development, stringent industrial pollution control measures, improved waste treatment capacity, and behavioural changes is necessary. The lockdown during the coronavirus pandemic provided a brief period of improvement in water quality, as industrial units were closed, and rainfall contributed to the dilution of pollutants. Maintaining such conditions and ensuring the long-term health of the river ecosystem remains a complex challenge.
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Frequently asked questions
The Ganges River, or Ganga, is one of India's most polluted rivers. It is considered one of the most polluted waterways in the world.
The main sources of pollution in the Ganga are industrial effluents, agricultural runoff, and untreated sewage. The river receives approximately 1 billion gallons of raw sewage and is treated as a receptacle for waste, including human and animal carcasses. Climate change is also contributing to reduced water flow, worsening the impact of pollution.
There have been numerous initiatives to clean up the river, including the Ganga Action Plan and the Namami Gange Programme. The Government of India is also working with organizations like WWF to promote sustainable water management, species monitoring, and protection. Despite these efforts, significant success in cleaning the river has been limited.
