Needs more scientific data: ICMR on proposal to undertake study of Ganga water for treating COVID-19

New Delhi, May 07: The Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) decides not to go ahead with Jal Shakti Ministry's proposal to undertake clinical studies for treatment of COVID-19 patients with Ganga water, saying it needs more scientific data.

Dr Y K Gupta, who is chairing the committee for Evaluation of Research Proposals at ICMR, said the evidence and data available at the moment is not strong enough to start the clinical studies by different routes/forms of Ganga water for treatment of coronavirus.

The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), an arm of the Jal Shakti Ministry that deals with the rejuvenation programme for the river, had received a number of proposals, including from people and NGOs working on Ganga, to undertake clinical studies for treatment of coronavirus patients with the water, officials said.

The proposals were accordingly sent to the ICMR.

Gupta, who is also a former dean of the AIIMS, said, "At present the proposals needs much scientific data, proof of concept and a strong background hypothesis. This has been conveyed to them (NMCG)."

The proposal was made by a collective of activists involved in the clean-up of the river as well as in the litany of litigation surrounding it.

NEERI, which is a Council of Scientific and Industrial Research organisation, has an ongoing study examining whether the phages in the Ganga water are responsible for destroying pathogens and delaying putrefaction.

According to the NEERI study, Ganga water has higher number of bacteriophages as against pathogenic bacteria. During consultations that were held between the NMCG and NEERI, the scientists had also said there is still no proof that Ganga water or sediment has anti-viral properties.

"We forwarded the proposals to the ICMR as received," said a senior official of the NMCG.

One of the proposals received by NMCG claimed that the waters of Ganga have "ninja virus" which scientists call bacteriophages.

Another proposal claimed that pure Ganga water boosts immunity which helps fight the virus.

The third proposal, a much detailed one, sought more research on Ganga water's anti-viral properties and its ability to boost immunity in fighting diseases.

NMCG officials said they have not received any official communication on the status of their proposals from the ICMR.