TODAY I read the report by central pollution control board on water quality and waste water management and it was very depressing. The synopsis of the report is actually the surrender of the water pollution controlling authority to central government.
Out 64 pages of the report only 6 pages are positively written and willing to provide certain solutions. Rests of the pages are just a harsh display of helplessness and untactful strategy (negative criticism) of government's ill management and lack of vision, Though the name of the report was water quality and waste water management Vision 2012-2017.
Here are some facts in the report:
There are 150 river stretches in the country out of which 50 have level 1 (out of 5 priority levels)priority pollution. That's 1/3 of rivers high on a BOD (biochemical oxygen demand) chart which is the cause for water borne diseases (like diarrhea which kills most of the children) spreading bacteria and microorganisms.
Higher concentration of total dissolved solid and micro pollutants are
detected in pockets.
• Coliform bacteria, which are indicator of fecal contamination, are also detected in aquifers of urban centers.
• Presence of α-BHC, endosulphan and methoxychlor pesticides in ground water of the metropolitan cities is observed but their content are well within the permissible limits for drinking water.
• Presence of pesticides in ground water attributed to their use in vector control programmes and agricultural activities.
Parameters in ground water exceeding permissible limit in the absence of alternate source has been considered as ground water quality hotspots.
Parametric Limits (Bureau of Indian Standards for drinking water)
Electrical Conductivity (>750 and >3000 micromhos/cm)
Chloride (<250 mg/l)
Fluoride (>1.5 mg/l)
Iron (>1.0 mg/l)
Arsenic (>0.05 mg/l)
Nitrate (>45 mg/l)
Waste water management in urban areas is worse than that of rural areas.
This country can no longer afford to allow urban areas constituting cities and towns of varying magnitude to take care of themselves.
Urban Centres in India lack infrastructure for sanitation.
The wastewater generated in Urban Centres are not managed appropriately.
Inadequate treatment facilities for sewage have deteriorated the water quality of aquatic resources.
They need the full and undivided attention of our planners and decision makers for protection of environment, aquatic resources and ultimately for better management of health aspects.
The latest study indicate that about 38000 million litre per day (mld) is the wastewater generation from 921 urban cities, Out of which Class I(423) Cities and Class II (498)Towns in India that houses more than 70% of urban population(class I=187 mn, class II=37.5 mn)
About 11700 mld is the municipal wastewater treatment capacity developed so far in India that account for about 31% of wastewater generation in these two classes of urban centres.
Performence of STP's(sewage treatment plant)
• Lack of Funds.
• Power failures disrupting operations.
• Lack of Operation & maintenance.
• Lack of good laboratories.
• Lack of proper conveyance channels.
• Un-skilled operators.
• Effluent not complying with standards.
• Not able to remove fecal coliform.
Its not like that we don't have solutions, infact we have many of them like removal of fecal coliform by UV radiation, oxidation, chlorination and biological(becteriophages) etc.
for more details go to http://www.indiawaterportal.org/channels/drinking-water.
But the thing is, that there is no initiative from the government and the reason stated above are the proof of it. The scarcity of water projected by our government is the mirror to the futuristic suffering of people for fresh drinking water and if the steps will not be taken then the end is inevitable.
Out 64 pages of the report only 6 pages are positively written and willing to provide certain solutions. Rests of the pages are just a harsh display of helplessness and untactful strategy (negative criticism) of government's ill management and lack of vision, Though the name of the report was water quality and waste water management Vision 2012-2017.
Here are some facts in the report:
- There is only 3% of fresh water (i assume that you know this).
- An optimum monitoring network (for monitoring rivers, lakes, pounds, ground water etc) should have 10000 stations, currently we have 1700.
There are 150 river stretches in the country out of which 50 have level 1 (out of 5 priority levels)priority pollution. That's 1/3 of rivers high on a BOD (biochemical oxygen demand) chart which is the cause for water borne diseases (like diarrhea which kills most of the children) spreading bacteria and microorganisms.
Higher concentration of total dissolved solid and micro pollutants are
detected in pockets.
• Coliform bacteria, which are indicator of fecal contamination, are also detected in aquifers of urban centers.
• Presence of α-BHC, endosulphan and methoxychlor pesticides in ground water of the metropolitan cities is observed but their content are well within the permissible limits for drinking water.
• Presence of pesticides in ground water attributed to their use in vector control programmes and agricultural activities.
Parameters in ground water exceeding permissible limit in the absence of alternate source has been considered as ground water quality hotspots.
Parametric Limits (Bureau of Indian Standards for drinking water)
Electrical Conductivity (>750 and >3000 micromhos/cm)
Chloride (<250 mg/l)
Fluoride (>1.5 mg/l)
Iron (>1.0 mg/l)
Arsenic (>0.05 mg/l)
Nitrate (>45 mg/l)
Waste water management in urban areas is worse than that of rural areas.
This country can no longer afford to allow urban areas constituting cities and towns of varying magnitude to take care of themselves.
Urban Centres in India lack infrastructure for sanitation.
The wastewater generated in Urban Centres are not managed appropriately.
Inadequate treatment facilities for sewage have deteriorated the water quality of aquatic resources.
They need the full and undivided attention of our planners and decision makers for protection of environment, aquatic resources and ultimately for better management of health aspects.
The latest study indicate that about 38000 million litre per day (mld) is the wastewater generation from 921 urban cities, Out of which Class I(423) Cities and Class II (498)Towns in India that houses more than 70% of urban population(class I=187 mn, class II=37.5 mn)
About 11700 mld is the municipal wastewater treatment capacity developed so far in India that account for about 31% of wastewater generation in these two classes of urban centres.
IN METROPOLITAN CITIES, classI cities, classII towns HAS
SEWAGE GENERATION is 15644, 35558, 2696 and mld respectively
and TREATMENT CAPACITY is 8040, 11553, 234 mld respectively
i.e, only 51% ,32% and 8% respectively.
SEWAGE GENERATION is 15644, 35558, 2696 and mld respectively
and TREATMENT CAPACITY is 8040, 11553, 234 mld respectively
i.e, only 51% ,32% and 8% respectively.
About 11700 mld is the municipal wastewater treatment capacity developed so far in India that account for about 31% of wastewater generation in urban centers.
Performence of STP's(sewage treatment plant)
• Lack of Funds.
• Power failures disrupting operations.
• Lack of Operation & maintenance.
• Lack of good laboratories.
• Lack of proper conveyance channels.
• Un-skilled operators.
• Effluent not complying with standards.
• Not able to remove fecal coliform.
Its not like that we don't have solutions, infact we have many of them like removal of fecal coliform by UV radiation, oxidation, chlorination and biological(becteriophages) etc.
for more details go to http://www.indiawaterportal.org/channels/drinking-water.
But the thing is, that there is no initiative from the government and the reason stated above are the proof of it. The scarcity of water projected by our government is the mirror to the futuristic suffering of people for fresh drinking water and if the steps will not be taken then the end is inevitable.
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