NEW DELHI: Amid chaos over the report highlighting increased Fecal Coliform (FC) in the river at Prayagraj, Professor Umesh Kumar Singh of the Centre of Environmental Science at the University of Allahabad on Friday suggested that the water at Triveni Sangam was fit for bathing.
“The level of dissolved oxygen in the water, as shown in the report, is good… On the basis of the current data, I can say that the water at Triveni Sangam is fit for taking a bath,” Singh told ANI. He opined that the Centre Pollution Control Board (CPCB) must work on the report since the data remains incomplete. The professor further said that the data showing the concentration of nitrates and phosphates is missing from the report.
“A few days back, the CPCB prepared a report that stated increased levels of faecal coliform (bacteria) in the water. I believe that the CPCB needs to work more on the report because their data is not complete. The concentration of nitrates and phosphates needs to be indicated, we can tell that the water has sewer water is present. When I analysed the data, I thought that these data were missing,” Singh said.
Associate Professor RK Ranjan of Central University of South Bihar said that there was not enough data to conclude that Sangam water was unsafe for bathing. “Central Pollution Control Board data is very inconsistent. To conclude that water is unsafe to bathe in would be to say things in haste. There is not enough data to conclude that the waters in Prayagraj are not safe to bathe in,” Ranjan told ANI.
He said that there could be many reasons for such data to emerge, one of which could be when a huge crowd takes a bath in the same waters. “Similar data can be seen from Garhmukteshwar, Gazipur, Buxar and Patna. There could be many reasons for this to happen. One reason behind this is that a large number of people bathe in the same waters. It also matters from where and when the sample of water is taken,” Ranjan said.
Assistant Professor Amit Kumar Mishra from the School of Environmental Sciences at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) said that more data sets were needed and that the presence of coliform bacteria was “nothing new.”
“I would say we need more data sets; we need more measurements…There is a huge number of population which is taking a bath (at Mahakumbh). If you talk about the coliform bacteria, it is nothing new…If you look at the data of the Shashi Snan peaks, you will see the E.Coli bacteria peaks at that time. So, in conclusion, I would say that we need more data sets, more parameters, and more monitoring stations, especially down the stream,” Mishra told ANI.
He said that a concentration of three micrograms per litre was safe for bathing purposes. Talking about the fluctuation of the concentration, Mishra said that examining the PH level in the water body is all alkaline water.
“For bathing purposes, three micrograms per litre is safe, and we can say that the water is good for bathing. But if you see the variation in the data of the Sangam ghat, you will see that it is fluctuating around 3. Sometimes, it goes 4, 4.5. So I would say that the dissolved oxygen level we see is a sign of a very healthy water body, and also, if you look at the pH range, they are all alkaline water,” Mishra said.
Adityanath dismissed Wednesday’s concerns regarding fecal contamination in the waters at Triveni Sangam, stating that continuous monitoring and purification processes ensure the quality of the water.
Addressing the state assembly, he said, “Questions are being raised about the quality of the water (at Triveni) … All the pipes and the drains in and around Sangam have been taped, and the water is being released only after purification.” CM Yogi emphasised that the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) is regularly assessing the water quality at Sangam.
