Pollution Of Ganga And Yamuna Rivers And

Effects Of Air Pollution On Tajmahal

By
Name : Arya Milind Salvi
Std. : X
Div. : C
Roll No. : 48
Pollution Of Ganga & Yamuna River
 Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into the natural environment that cause adverse
change.[1] Pollution can take the form ofchemical substances or energy, such as noise, heat or
light. Pollutants, the components of pollution, can be either foreign substances/energies or naturally
occurring contaminants. Pollution is often classed as point source or nonpoint source pollution. In 2015,
pollution killed 9 million people in the world.[2][3]
 The GANGA is the most sacred river to Hindus and is also a lifeline to millions of INDIAN who live along
its bank and depend on it for their daily need . Ganga is a trans- boundary river of INDIA & Bangladesh. The
GANGA is longest river in INDIA. They are 2,525 km river rise in western HIMALAYAS in INDIA and
flow south and east through the Gangatic plain of north India into Bay of Bengal. The Ganga basin is the most
heavily populated river basin in the world, with over 400 million people and a population density of about
1000 inhabitant per square mile.
 The Yamuna has five segments – Himalayan Segment (from origin to Tajewala Barrage 172 km), Upper
Segment (Tajewala Barrage to Wazirabad Barrage 224 km), Delhi Segment (Wazirabad Barrage to Okhla
Barrage 22 km), Eutriphicated segment (Okhla Barrage to Chambal Confluence 490 kms), and Diluted
segment (Chambal Confluence to Ganga Confluence 468 kms).The Yamuna is the most polluted in its Delhi
Segment. The River Yamuna enters Delhi from Palla village. 22 drains fall into the Yamuna. Out of these, 18
drains fall directly into river and 4 through Agra and Gurgaon canal
Air Pollution
 Air pollution occurs when harmful or excessive quantities of substances including the gases (CO2, CO,
SO2, NO, CH4, CFC, Radon, etc.), particles (both organic and inorganic), and biological molecules are
introduced into Earth's atmosphere. It may cause diseases, allergies and even death to humans; it may also
cause harm to other living organisms such as animals and food crops, and may damage the natural or built
environment. Both human activity and natural processes can generate air pollution.
 India’s white-marble Taj Mahal is turning yellow and green as the 17th century mausoleum weathers filthy air
in the world’s eighth-most polluted city.
 One of the seven Wonders of the World, the Taj Mahal flanks a garbage-strewn river and is often enveloped by
dust and smog from belching smokestacks and vehicles in the northern city of Agra.
 Tiny insects from the drying Yamuna River into which the city pours its sewage crawl into the Taj Mahal, their
excrement further staining the marble, an environmental lawyer told India’s Supreme Court.
 To tell the truth Taj Mahal is slowly decaying due to air pollution. Dense smog created by human activities is
slowly discoloring the marble and turning it to sickly yellowish-brown color.
 Now the question rises who is to be blamed. There are several factors: heavy traffic, wood-burning
crematoriums, smoke from neighbouring factories, and Agra’s growing population, the last of which
demands more and more water. As the Yamuna River dries up, it risks sliding the Taj Mahal off its picturesque
banks into a sea of mud.
 Importance of Ganga Basin in India

 Geographical coverage is the largest – 26% of India’s land mass

 Most populated basin – hosts 43% of India’s population
 Second highest average annual surface water potential – 28% of India’s total – second only
to combined potential of Brahmaputra, Barack & others
 38% of India’s total estimated utilizable water comes from Ganga Basin – highest amongst
all
 Estimated utilizable surface water in Ganga is 48% of its total potential as compared to
4% for Brahmaputra
 Total surface and groundwater storage in Ganga basin is largest – groundwater share is
64%
 Nearly 40% of India’s total estimated replenishable ground water resources comes from
Ganga Basin
 Challenges faced by India’s River Basins
Growing Population & Increasing
Water Demand Percent contribution in Water
demand (2010)
• The per capita availability of India in 2010 is 1,588 Industries
Energy 6%
m3/year – moving towards water stress Domestic 3%
6%
• Demand expected to increase by 38% in next
4 decades
• Irrigation – largest consumer of water
• Very low water use efficiency – presently 35- Irrigation
85%

40%
• Based on a study, demand for domestic sector to
grow 2.6 times, energy 3.7 times and industry
2.2 times in in next 4 decades
 Challenges faced by India’s River Basins contd.

Increase in water pollution Drain discharging into

• Partially or untreated municipal sewage – 75% of river Ganga

the pollution load to streams & water bodies

• Estimated sewage generation in India – 62000
MLD
• Treatment capacity available only for 32% of
sewage generated (CPCB, 2015)
• Industries contribute approximately 25% of the
pollution load – highly toxic in nature
• Contamination of groundwater with heavy
metals– arsenic, fluoride, iron, etc
 Challenges faced by India’s River Basins
Fragmented Management
• Water is a State subject
• Management of water by multiple institutions– CWC, CPCB, CGWB, NDWA,
etc.
• River basin encompasses more than one State and its management require
coordination between all stakeholders/departments/institutions
• Instead of following river-basin management, most efforts by Government to manage
river were town-centric and implemented by individual States
• Activities in the upstream of a basin affects the downstream – cannot be managed by
administrative boundaries
• Management will not be holistic if basin approach is not taken
• Most efforts have failed because of fragmented management
Extreme cases of pollution in river Ganga and
Yamuna
 Yamuna has become a garbage dump area with more than 57 % of Delhi’s waste
thrown into it.
 Only 55% of Delhi’s residents are connected to a proper sewerage system.
 According to the CSE, around 80% of Yamuna’s pollution is due to raw sewage.
 Ganga is considered to be the most polluted river in India.
 Approximately 1 billion litres of raw, untreated sewage is dumped in Ganga
regularly.
 Ganga contains 60,000 faecal coliform bacteria per 100 ml, which is a threat to
human health.
Effects of river pollution
 River pollution is a big menace to the economy, the environment and, of course,
human health and the other living organisms. It is a big contributor to a number of
health problems and disorders in humans. River pollution also affects aquatic life,
leading to growth of unhealthy fish unsuitable for human consumption and also
mass fish death. Polluted river waters have affected the lives of animals and birds as
well, sometimes threatening their very existence. In the long term, continuous
river pollution can lead to loss of biodiversity and even extinction of some species
and can disrupt the ecosystem as a whole.
 Need for River Basin Management:
 Ganga Basin – comprises of 11 states
 Mainstem flows through 5 states
 Pollution in Bihar cannot be managed until upstream states are managed Rajasthan,
Jharkhand, West Bengal,
112496, 13% Bihar, 93580,
 Hence efforts between States cannot be disjointed – a basin level planning 11% 50389, 6% 71489, 8%
is required Haryana,
34343, 4%
Chattisgarh,
 Ganga Action Plan (GAP) I & II successfully created 961 MLD treatment 17907, 2% H.P. , 4317,
1%
capacity but with limited visible change
 Learning from GAP – A holistic river basin approach required to manage the U.P., 241392,
river Ganga M.P., 181066,
21%
28%

 Installation of Sewage Treatment Plants (STP), Installation of Effluent

Treatment Plants (ETP), Installation of Common Effluent Treatment Plants,
Yamuna Action Plan, Environmental Awareness Campaign are few of the
initiatives taken by the Delhi Government to clean the Yamuna. Apart from this Uttarakhand,
water is checked regularly for its quality. 52988, 6%

 Yamuna Action Plan (YAP) –Yamuna Action Plan is for cleaning the Yamuna.
Since 1993 Japan International Cooperation Agency, Government of Japan is
assisting the Government of India to clean the Yamuna in phases. 39 sewage
treatment plants in 29 towns of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Delhi were built in State Wise Catchment Area of River
phase I of the plan. Near about Rs1,500 crore has been spent under Yamuna Ganga
Action Plan I and II.
Solutions
 We should never forget how much we are dependent on our rivers. It is the river systems in our country which provide
us with potable water, irrigation, electricity, transportation and also they are a great source of livelihood for a large
majority of people in the country. So we cannot ignore our rivers and let them die.
 The Government is already splurging massive amounts of money for the last so many years in the name of preventing
and reducing river pollution. No change. And there won’t be any, either. Meaningful action may bear fruit. The
readymadeprogrammes of setting upeffluent treatment plants and sewage treatment plants to clean up industrial wastes
and the sewage and then dump the waste water into the rivers are, as usual, creations of extraneous intentions.
 It’ easy to lecture that the farmers should adopt organic methods of farming, thereby reducing chemical pollution of
rivers. We have heard enough. So also there is demand that religious practices should be banned on river banks. Besides,
that there should not be any dhobi ghats. Proper drainage and sewerage systems that will not allow the river water to get
mixed with polluted water should be set up, it is always argued.
 Often it is also heard that we as citizens of the country are equally responsible – But collective responsibility is virtual! It
is claimed that we can promote communities’ involvement in cleaning up of local river and water bodies – Then why it
has not been done? We should raise the awareness among the people on the causes and effects of river pollution by
organising awareness programmes, meetings and distribution of literature on river pollution and its dangers – But who
doesn’t know pollution is bad!
 Instead of advising and suggesting steps to reduce river pollution, could the people who preach stand up and show the
way, by example, a small instance, a small act…
 Efforts Initiated

100% sewerage treatment Strict enforcement for

infrastructure for 118 Industrial pollution Improved wood-based
Towns crematoria

River Front Development Massive Afforestation Drive River Surface Cleaning

Treatment of drains
Effect of air pollution on the Taj Mahal
 Now the question rises who is to be blamed. There are several factors: heavy traffic, wood-burning
crematoriums, smoke from neighbouring factories, and Agra’s growing population, the last of
which demands more and more water. As the Yamuna River dries up, it risks sliding the Taj Mahal
off its picturesque banks into a sea of mud.
 The burning of Municipal Solid Waste in open results in thick toxic smog which is the main reason
for the discoloration of Taj Mahal. These wastes should be properly deposited in landfalls which
does not happen and the reason is bureaucratic incompetence.
 The Supreme Court of India has ordered that all the wood burning crematoriums to be replaced
by electric one. The UP Govt has banned the burning of cow dung which serves as cheap source of
fuel but at the same time it produces brown carbon the same type which is turning the Taj Mahal
into yellowish-brown color.
 It is also a responsibility of every citizen of Agra, Delhi and its neighbouring states to see that
activities which leds to producing of toxic smog should be stopped.
 We need a bold and effective solution ASAP if we want our future generation to see the beautiful
Taj Mahal in its former glory.
The means of struggle
 To fight against the darkening of the mausoleum it is necessary to take the problem
upstream and work on the depollution of Agra, in the general sense. Attempts to
comply with anti-pollution standards are proposed to the factories of the city but
face economic problems. The state government still makes great progress in
creating the famous area in which road traffic and dedicated to electric vehicles,
but this is not enough.
 Remains that once the mausoleum has tarnished, it must restore its whiteness by
the application of a mask of beauty. This is covered with a clay paste containing
natural or artificial products that have the ability to remove stains. This means is
widely used, regularly, and that's what keeps it in good condition, as long as the
problem of global pollution is not resolved. It would cost, according to some
sources, $ 230,000 each time.
Thank You