CPCB team to check extent of pollution in Chambal river

KOTA: The stench of the stagnant Chambal River finally reached Delhi, with a team of scientists from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) landing in Kota to investigate the matter.
"We are here to understand the pollution status of Chambal River," said P Jagan, senior scientist, CPCB. "Water samples will be collected at 18 points where the nullahs from the city fall into the Chambal River.Dead fishes and the recent crocodile deaths can be attributed to stagnation of sewage water with no oxygen supply left. I have been given to understand that sewage treatment plants (STPs) are yet to be fully commissioned and linked with sewage lines," he said.
"Chambal River has two clear sections, upstream till Kota Barrage and downstream section which transforms into a nullah for disposal of Kota city's sewage," said Rajeev Pareek, regional officer, Rajasthan Pollution Control Board (RPCB). "The downstream section is a nullah having regular water flow only when excess water from Kota Barrage is released into it. We have yet to install a sewage treatment plant," he added.
Water was tested by RPCB in the downstream section, right bank of Chambal River approx 100 metres from Nayapura Road Bridge (culvert) on October 26. Wildlife and fishes will survive in Class D water though human beings need Class A water for drinking. Three elements\criteria must for the survival of wildlife and fishes are pH level, dissolved oxygen and free ammonia levels. All these were reported at much lower levels than required.
"The pH level was reported at 10.15 but for survival pH must be between 6.5 to 8.5. Next important element is dissolved oxygen which is needed between 4mg/l or more while the board found it at 0.77. Free ammonia is must at 1.2 mg/l or less while the report found it at 0.81," Pareek said.
The water is fit for drinking and called Class A water when the pH is between 6.5 and 8.5, dissolved oxygen at 6mg/l or more and biochemical oxygen demand at 2mg/l or less. But, wildlife and fishes will survive in Class D water, with pH between 6.5 to 8.5, having dissolved oxygen between 4mg/l or more and free ammonia 1.2 mg/l or less.
"In a National Green Tribunal (case no. 318\2014 dated October 7, 2015) ruling, the municipal corporation, UIT and the district administration have been asked to clear the MSW which is lying in nallahs. A period of 30 days was given for carrying out a special massive drive for this purpose jointly by all agencies. This case was filed by Babulal Jajoo before the bench of Justice Dalip Singh and Bikram Singh Sajwan, who had deemed it a prosecutable offence along with penalties for each day's delay in accordance with the provisions of the MSW Rules, 2000, and the provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, and National Green Tribunal Act, 2010. Future hearing was fixed for November 16, 2015. It was also stated that due to technical reasons, the STP could not be commissioned on October 2, 2015, but positively the same will be commissioned by October 31, 2015," said Brijesh Vijayvargia, the state vice president of Rashtriya Jal Biradari, who is working for Chambal river purification for last 25 years.
"This downstream patch of 17 km is most polluted. Recently, a crocodile was found dead, bloated and floating on the surface. Dead fishes too have added to the cesspool created here. An overbridge is being constructed at Nayapura Choti Pulia, where the workers have deposited the rubble. This has totally stopped the water flow from Kota Barrage. Here, a dozen nullahs from Sakatpura, Kunhadi, Ghantaghar, Rampura and Ladpura flow. The water is stagnating and creating a poisonous environment. The hot and humid climate has added to the damage."
"Tomorrow I will meet the local bodies involved and will try to ensure that the nullahs do not dispose their waste into the downstream section of the Chambal section," said P Jagan. This action plan will be a time-taking process which will involve a network of nullahs being linked to STPs in the future.