HC urged to take suomotu notice of Ganga pollution

Varanasi, Jun 5 (UNI) Environmentalist and Sankatmochan temple Mahant Vir Bhadra Mishra today urged Allahabad High Court to take suo-motu notice of the plight of the Ganga river, particularly in Prayagraj (Allahabad), to save the holy river from pollution.

President of Sankat Mochan Foundation (SMF), a local NGO working for the cause of Ganga, Vir Bhadra Mishra said in its survey conducted in an area from the Sangam to Bamrauli in Allahabad, the Foundation found the sewage was flowing into the river through 40 drains enhancing the level of fecal coliform bacteria at an alarming rate of 4.5 to 5.8 lakh per 100 ml of Ganga water near the confluence.

The permissible fecal coliform count should be 500 per 100 ml of water.

Besides, the level of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) was found over 30 mg per liter against the permissible limit of three mg per liter.

Talking to newspersons here, Prof Mishra said the survey and sample testing were conducted through 'global positioning system' (GPS), which was provided by the National Remote Sensing Agency, Hyderabad, and a mobile laboratory donated by a Sydney based organisation.

About 95 per cent pollution of the river in Allahabad is due to the flow of raw sewage into it, he said, adding, that expanding its activities, the SMF undertook this task mainly to draw the attention of government authorities and the High Court towards the dismal and alarming condition of Ganga, particularly when the 'ardha-kumbh' is fast approaching.

Prof Mishra further stated the detailed report of the recent survey, supported with test results and scientific facts, would be forwarded to the central and state governments and the Chief Justice of the HC, suggesting some appropriate measures to address the problem.

UNI ARS VS PR HT2120