World Water Day (March 22) special: 'Ganga bears the burden of our sins'

VARANASI: On Thursday morning, the eve of World Water Day (March 22), some religious people -- both men and women -- were taking bath in the Ganga near the newly constructed sewage pumping station in Nagwa area, where millions of liters of municipal sewage from the city find a way to go to the holy river through Asinullah. Without taking any notice of the discharge of raw sewage into the holy water, they were busy bathing and offering the sewage mixed Gangajal to the Sun God.It was hard to fathom whether it was their deep faith in 'Mother Ganga' or a negligent attitude or indifference to this perennial stream of water that has been nurturing a great civilization since time immemorial.
"We know that Ganga is getting polluted, it is a serious matter. But, what individuals can do to save the river, it is the responsibility of the government. It bears the burden of our sins," wondered one of them when his attention was drawn towards the flow of sewage into the river. Shockingly, after bathing they did not forget to wash their dirty clothes in the river. This was not the lone example, but the whole 7.5km stretch of Ganga in Varanasi faces the same treatment by all bathers everyday.
In Nagwa locality, one can see a row of huts along the nullah (once Asi) while other side of the nullah is marked by a sprawling Ravidas Park. People living in the huts and adjoining area unmindfully increase the pollution load of Ganga by dumping wastes. A sewage pumping station of has been created years back under the second phase of Ganga Action Plan (GAP), but it is still waiting for its operation as the decision of creating sewage treatment plant (STP) at Ramna has not been taken so far.
It means, the Ganga is bound to accept the burden of untreated sewage for years till the construction of STP in Ramna area. Project manager, Ganga Pollution Control unit of the UP Jal Nigam, Sanjay Kumar Singh, accepted the fact. "The decision regarding construction of STP at Ramna is yet to be taken by the Central government," he added.
While the delay in policy and project implementation is causing a serious threat to the Ganga in Varanasi, the city has already lost one of its streams of fresh water -- Asi river. Mythology says that Goddess Durga, after killing demon Shumbha-Nishumbha, had thrown her sword on the ground and a stream of water appeared at the place where it fell.
The stream, known as Asi (sword), met Ganga at Assi Ghat of the city. In course of time it was swallowed by the uncontrolled process of urbanization, and converted into a drain of wastewater. Under the GAP its course was diverted through Nagwa locality to intercept the sewage for pumping to the STP. Now, the Asi, which was believed to be a holy place where one could 'punaya' (blessing) of all the 'tirthas' (religious places) by taking a dip, is no more.