With millions of pilgrims set to descend upon the Ganga River as part of the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, the Uttar Pradesh government has issued a set of mandates requiring industrial units which discharge pollutants into the river to shut down.
The aim is to rid the river of as many pollutants as possible before the Maha Kumbh Mela commences in March. District Magistrates have been directed to form local committees whose duty it is to inspect pollutant-emitting companies and industries in the area and ensure their clousre within three days, while industries already marked by authorities for closure, such as leather units, must remain closed.
This news comes hot on the heels of the announcement that 5,000 “green” toilets are to be installed in the Ganga River Basin in an effort to curb public human defecation and ensure that human waste does not end up in the river. Both this and the shutting down of pollutant-emitting industries are positive signs that the authorities are upping their ante when it comes to fixing the environmental problems of India’s holiest river with results of a recent report stating that no river in northern India is fit for bathing.
To help flush existing pollutants out of the river and help ensure a healthy flow of water, the Utar Pradesh authorities will also release an additional 2,500 cusecs of water in the Ganga from January 1, 2013 to February 28 and 1,500 cusecs of water from March 1 to March 7.
Author: Anna Rees/ RESET editorial