Pollution in Ganga claims more lives than bomb blasts: L K Advani

NEW DELHI: Senior BJP leader L K Advani today expressed concerns over the increasing level of pollution in the river Ganga, saying it was claiming more lives than those caused by bomb blasts.

In his latest blog posting, Advani quoted Swami Chidananda Saraswati of Parmarth Niketan, Rishikesh, to argue that the pollution in Ganga was a serious matter.

"Today most people do not realize that nearly a million people living along the banks of the Ganga die each year due to illnesses caused by its polluted water...,"

"A few dozen people dying in bomb blasts in India becomes big news worldwide, and rightly so. But the tragic deaths of many people, who are dependent on the Ganga, goes unnoticed even in India. We must change this," he said, quoting Swami Chidanand.

"Ganga is languishing in such polluted state that people hesitate to bathe in her waters even in Kashi. This is caused by reckless and ill-planned industrialization and urbanization, made worse by lack of elementary civic facilities in towns and villages along it," Advani observed.

In the upper reaches of the river, hydro-electric projects have caused considerable damage to the Ganga and its natural ecology, leading to drying up of long stretches of the river-bed and depriving the nearby villagers of their main source of water, he said.

Suggesting measures to clean the river, the BJP leader quoted Swami Chidanand, "We must launch a mission, which I call the 3-T Mission -- toilet in every home, tap in every home bringing clean water, and tree-plantation on a massive scale in every village and town."

"Millions of Indians abroad would be inspired if India takes up this comprehensive Ganga Mission. They would even be willing to make generous contribution to this project," Advani said on his blog, quoting Swami Chidanand.

Mahanadi

Collector assures Inquiry into crop damage

Indian Express 25th July 2011

Sambalpur: Enraged farmers met Sambapur Collector Mrinalini Darswal here on Monday demanding adequate compensation for paddy crop damaged due to emission from the smelter plant of Hindalco at Hirakud. They were led by Sambapur Zilla Krushak Surakhya Sanghatan (SZKSS) president Murari Prasad Purohit.

Darswal assured the farmers to visit damaged farms and take up the issue with Hindalco management. On 23rd July farmers from Nua Jamda, dengimocha and Mohmadpur villages in the vicinity of the smelter plant of Hindalco found their paddy sapling damaged due to release of Suspended particulate matter (SPM) from the plant. Paddy sapling in over 25 acres of land across in three villages were destroyed while standing crop on about 15 acres in Nua Jamda village were damaged.
Later the villagers informed the deputy director of agriculture Ashok Mohanty who dispatched a team of scientists to the spot. The team confirmed damage to the crops.

Mapping of rivers under consideration
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BHUBANESWAR: Orissa is contemplating mapping all river systems in the State on various parameters in the wake of pollution being perceived due to release of waste water by industries and urban local bodies into rivers.

“While allocation of river water for agriculture and industrial purposes is a highly debated subject, quality of river water is slowly emerging a major concern. We are thinking of preparing indices for each river,” State Forest and Environment Secretary Aurobindo Behera said one the sidelines of a seminar here on Sunday.

“We would like to know where we are on different parameters such as quality, quantity, usage and discharge of waste water being released into river water by industries and urban local bodies,” Mr. Behera said.

The Forest and Environment Secretary said the present policy and enforcement mechanism to tackle river pollutions also needed to be reexamined.

“Moreover, urban centres are expanding across the State. The daily effluent being generated from cities are also dumped in rivers. It will create a problem in future,” he said.

The State government has signed a memorandum of understanding with private companies for close to 100 projects including steel manufacturing, thermal power and alumina refinery.

According to industries department, about 30 projects in the steel sector have started partial production in addition to about 100 sponge iron units. Most of the upcoming industrial and mining projects are coming up depending on water in rivers like Mahanadi, Brahmani and Baitarani.

http://www.hindu.com/2011/04/25/stories/2011042561790400.htm

Brahmani Basin Water Issues

Orissa: Jindal Steel and Power violates environment and Forest Rule at Angul

Report by Sangram Ranjan Nath, Bhubaneswar: Under construction Jindal Steel and Power ltd at Angul is now openly violated forest and environmental guideline. As a result the wild lives are on unsafe position. Deforestation is going on rapidly by Jindal with out any permission from forest department.

Neither district administration nor state government take any action against that illegal activity. Source said that Jindal illegally cutting the hill and blasting dynamite and transport the stone dust. So government loosed the revenue. Kamaria hill from Krushna Chandrapur Mouja under Banarpal Tahasil area is that example. Not only the wildlife gone away from that forest and hill area but also the stone dust mixed with the Nandira river water, which is now fully polluted.

There is no satisfied answer from district administration about this matter. The forest department is also sitting silence. Jindal also destroyed many trees and engraved the underground stone illegally and constructed his boundary wall back side of Diminia hill area at Sanakerejeng village. Villagers from that area demand that if that Diminial hill will not save from mafia and Jindal Company, immediately then it will destroy very soon.


Before Odisha wildlife committee also noticed about that illegal matter to state forest and environment department, district administration and District forest office. Villgers from Jindal affected area alleged that the company is blocked their irrigation water source and using that water in his plant work, illegally.

So that affected their occupation directly. Now central forest & environment department sent a explanation notice to Jindal .Orissa diary also asked about that matter to administration, and they said they will take step against that activity very soon.
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NRCP to Restore Water Quality in Rivers
14:39 IST
With a view to restoring water quality of rivers in the country, the Government has launched the centrally sponsored scheme of National River Conservation Plan (NRCP) which covers polluted stretches of 38 rivers in 178 towns spread over 20 States. Rivers Mahanadi and Brahmani in Orissa are among them. The pollution abatement works taken up under the Plan include interception and diversion of municipal sewage, setting up of sewage treatment plants, creation of low cost sanitation facilities, setting up of electric and improved wood crematoria and river front development. Sewage treatment capacity of 4064 mld (million litres per day) has been created so far in the country under the Plan. For improvement of water quality of lakes, the Government has undertaken a program of National Lake Conservation Plan (NLCP) under which 61 lakes in 14 States at an estimated cost of Rs. 1028.20 crore have been covered. With the completion of the NRCP and NLCP programme and through effective operation & maintenance of the assets being created, water quality of these rivers and water bodies is expected to improve contributing to rejuvenation of their bio-diversity.

Deaths and mortality of fishes due to pollution in various rivers and water bodies have been reported. Occurrence of such in rivers and lakes are on account of depletion in oxygen and release of toxic materials due to disposal of sewage or industrial wastes.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Environment and Forests (independent charge) Shri Jairam Ramesh in a written reply to a question by Shri Mohan Jena in Lok Sabha today.

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Brahmani river dying ?
PTI | 04:10 PM,Oct 14,2010

Jajpur (Orissa), Oct 14 (PTI) Brahmani river, the life line of a large number of villages on its banks in Jajpur and Kendrapara districts of Orissa, has dried up due to massive siltation at its upper reaches. The river is the only source of water for over three lakh inhabitants of Bari, Rasulpur, Badachana, Dharmasala and Jajpur blocks in Jajpur district and Aul, Kendrapada, Pattamundai and Raj Nagar blocks in Kendrapada district. Units at the Kalinga Nagar industrial complex are using water from Brahmani and Kharasrota rivers illegally, alleged Biswajit Mohanty, a rain water harvesting activist. He is echoed by Gagan Behari Jena, a local and convenor of 'Save Brahmani River Committee', formed by the people. ''The situation has turned complex as this year the river has turned dry due to truant rains ... The people are not getting sufficient water to irrigate their lands due to shortage of water,'' he says. Discharge of pollutants from industrial units has degraded the river to the extent that it has become a large drain. Once a source of fish and fresh water, Brahmani has become so polluted that its water has acquired a tar-black colour in many places,'' says Loknath Das, another member of the campaign to save the river. The industries there should take it upon themselves environmental and social responsibilities without waiting for regulation. They should also harvest rainwater, which will save the rivers and reduce water costs for them. Besides, waste water should be recycled, reused and made to recharge the ground water, says Mohanty. When contacted, Subrat Das, Executive Engineer of Water Resouces of Jaraka Irrigation division in Jajpur district said the problem arose from the fact that the water of rainfed Brahmani river enters its branch Kharasrota, which has a lower bed. Moreover, there is massive siltation and huge sand deposits at its catchments area at Jenapur and Bedipur, which needs to be cleared. A survey of Brahmani river is being conducted on a priority basis as per the direction of the Water Resources department, he said.

Mounting River Pollution

Pollution in Bheden and Ib (OPCB unveils action plan for coal belt)

The CPCB which had carried out a survey across the polluted industrial clusters of the country had developed a Comprehensive Environmental Pollution Index (CEPI). Ib Valley-Jharsuguda was given a score above 70 making the region heavily polluted.
In its pollution abatement plan, the Board called for creation of a reservoir for storage of mine drainage water and runoff which can be used for industrial purpose. An aluminium smelter plant operating in the close proximity of the Bheden river discharges its water to Hirakud reservoir. Since the smelter plant handles substantial quantity of fluoride-bearing materials, there is an apprehension that it may find its way to the Bheden and contaminate the water.
Besides, during monsoon, run-offs from various stockpiles like coal, minerals, solid waste get discharged to the river Ib, the Bheden and Hirakud reservoir through its feeder streams

Since sewage from Jharsuguda and Brajarajnagar towns are discharged into the Ib river without any treatment causing contamination of river water, the plan suggested a treatment plant for both the towns. All the abatement measures suggested included a deadline to be met.

Oil Spill in Brahmani!

Oil layer in Brahmani worries people on the bank
Express News Service
First Published : 23 Aug 2010 10:20:28 AM IST
Last Updated : 23 Aug 2010 11:51:39 AM IST

TALCHER: A Layer of oil and dust on the water of the river Brahmani has led to panic among the people living upstream of Samal barrage.

A blue coloured oil layer is clearly visible upstream of Samal barrage upto 10 km, informed villagers of Seepur and Durgapur, located on the banks of the river. Every bucket of water drawn from the river contains oil, they alleged.

The villagers, to their surprise, also find the water warm like in summer which is unusual during this time of the year. Some others complained of fly ash polluting the air.

But none points to any particular industry for the pollution. They apprehend that oil leakages from industries in the localities may be a factor.

The restive villagers said this poses serious health hazard to human and animal lives.

They have threatened to take to the streets if the administration and pollution control board fail to address the issue immediately.

District BJP president Asoke Mohanty has urged Orissa State Pollution Control Board authorities and district administration to take immediate action against errant industries and check such pollution.

Towrads River Cleansing!

It seems of late, Rivers in Odisha are getting attention!There was also another news in The New Indian Express regarding a District Collector's notice to Industries to not to draw water from rivers this summer. He has constituted a committee headed by a DSP to monitor this order! While these are welcome initiative, we fail to comprehend, why they always come as 'reactions'!

Nine Projects of pollution Abatement Sanctioned for Cleaning Brahmani River
Monday, May 03, 2010
Ministry of Environment and Forests

Six projects of pollution abatement have been completed under river cleaning project for river Brahmani in Orissa. Nine projects were sanctioned for the towns Talcher and Dharamshala for an amount of Rs. 389.83 lakhs. The remaining three projects are scheduled for completion by March, 2011. In addition, Government has provided financial assistance to the tune of Rs. 49.0 lakhs to Orissa for preparing pollution abatement proposals in respect of Dhenkanal and Rourkella towns for conservation of Brahmani. The assistance has been approved under the National River Conservation Plan (NRCP).

This information was given by the Minister of State for Environment and Forests (independent charge) Shri Jairam Ramesh in a written reply to a question by Shri Mangala Kisan in Rajya Sabha today.

UF toxicology lab to assess effects of pollutants on sharks

Filed under Research, Health, Environment, Veterinary on Thursday, September 27, 2007.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Sending commonly prescribed medications down the drain may be taking a bite out of the environment — at least when it comes to shark habitat, University of Florida veterinary scientists say. In fact, the combination of flushing unused medications and the natural excretion of drug residue from antidepressants, cholesterol-regulating drugs and contraceptives into wastewater systems could be having repercussions on aquatic animal life in general.

Researchers at UF’s College of Veterinary Medicine’s Analytical Toxicology Core Laboratory, in collaboration with Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota, are studying the bull shark’s exposure to pharmaceutical drug residue found in the waters of the Caloosahatchee River near Fort Myers. Bull sharks leave the ocean to spend time in brackish rivers and estuaries, and the river serves as a nursery for their young.

“Because bull sharks have the unique ability to survive in both saltwater and freshwater environments, they are in close, frequent contact with people — and, as a result, are frequently exposed to wastewater pollutants found in freshwater basins,” said Jim Gelsleichter, senior scientist at Mote Marine Laboratory.

Scientists are trying to determine whether exposure to prescription residue contaminants from water treatment plants and other sources affects the sharks’ ability to grow and reproduce.

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USGS: Salinity levels improving in southwestern streams

According to the USGS salinity levels in many southwestern U.S. streams has dropped over the last couple of decades. From the article:

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) released a report today describing salinity levels in streams and ground water in parts of Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming. The report concludes that although salinity varies widely throughout the region, levels have generally decreased in many streams during the past two decades. Elevated salinity levels, or concentrations of dissolved solids, can limit the suitability of water for many uses, including agricultural production and drinking water. Trends in dissolved-solids concentrations in streams were evaluated from 1974 through 2003. "The greatest change occurred during 1989 to 2003, when annual dissolved-solids concentrations decreased at more than half of the sites throughout the region," explained lead author and USGS hydrologist Dave Anning. "The reductions were widespread, as indicated by decreases at nearly all of the sites on the main stem of the Colorado and Green Rivers. We also noted increases at about one-third of the sites, while the remaining sites showed no trends."

Decreases in salinity are attributed, in part, to natural causes, such as geomorphic changes or climate variations. They also may be associated with human-related factors, such as changes in land and water use, reservoir management, trans-basin exports, and implementation of salinity-control projects. Salinity control projects include activities like using low water-use irrigation systems and re-directing saline water away from streams. USGS findings show that dissolved solids decreased from 1989 through 2003 at all sites downstream from salinity-control projects, and that the decreases were greater than decreases upstream from projects. For example, estimated annual loads of dissolved solids in the Gunnison River in the Upper Colorado River Basin decreased by about 162,000 tons per year downstream from the Lower Gunnison salinity-control unit, in contrast to a decrease of only 2,880 tons per year upstream from the unit. This net decrease is about 15 percent of the annual load in the lower Gunnison River. "This is good news," said Dr. Robert Hirsch, Associate Director for Water, "and shows successes from the region's investments in salinity control over the past several decades." Salinity-control projects have been implemented since the mid-1970s by the Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the Bureau of Land Management to control salinity of water delivered to Mexico, per the 1974 Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Act...

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Reservoir could spread Hanford pollution
By DAVID LESTER
YAKIMA HERALD-REPUBLIC
The list of concerns about the proposed Black Rock reservoir, east of Yakima, just got longer -- and more serious.

The item added Tuesday could scuttle the whole idea of a better water supply for farmers and communities and improved fish runs in the Yakima Valley by drawing water from the Columbia River.

The Bureau of Reclamation and the state Ecology Department released a study Tuesday concluding that water seeping through the bottom of the huge lake would raise the water table at Hanford, spread existing contamination and further threaten the Columbia River.

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Climate Fact: Discharges and Dead Zones (Wichita, Kansas)

Since 1910, overall precipitation in the lower 48 states has increased by ten percent, and the region with the largest increase in rainfall is the Mississippi River Basin, which includes the Arkansas River. Because of fertilizer use on farms, lawns, and gardens in the Basin, wet years mean that more nitrogen (an ingredient in fertilizer) is carried with rainwater into the Mississippi River, which ultimately leads to the Gulf of Mexico. Excess nitrogen in the Gulf can cause algae populations to boom, and when algae decompose, the process can consume much of the water’s oxygen supply, forming “hypoxic” or “dead” zones in the water. The largest and most severe coastal dead zone in the Western Atlantic Ocean is a 20,000 square kilometer area in the Northern Gulf, offshore from the Mississippi River Delta. The Gulf’s dead zone is less severe during drought years in the Midwest, whereas it is usually at its largest extent during flood years such as 1993. The growth of the dead zone from the mid 1980’s to the late 1990’s resulted in a decline of brown shrimp populations, impacting fisheries.

(Sources: Karlsen, AW et al. “Historic Trends in Chesapeake Bay Dissolved Oxygen Based on Benthic Foraminifera from Sediment Cores.” Estuaries: Volume 23, No. 4, pp. 488-508, August 2000 and National Weather Service: Climate Prediction Center. U.S. Temperature and Precipitation Trends: Annual. Accessed Online 3 July 2007 http://www.cpc.noaa.gov/anltrend.gif)

St. Croix pollution built up over decades

Phosphorous contamination of the southern part of the river began years ago, and some officials say it shouldn't delay new bridge.

By Kevin Giles, Star Tribune

Last update: September 17, 2007 – 9:31 PM

Phosphorous contamination that landed the federally protected St. Croix River on Minnesota's impaired-waters list for the first time has been building for decades, several experts familiar with the river said Monday.

One of them, Craig Affeldt of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, said that large algae blooms in Lake St. Croix -- the portion of the St. Croix River between Stillwater and Prescott, Wis. -- have resulted from excessive phosphorus, which can alter a river's ecosystem.

"Whether that's runoff from streets, parking lots, livestock or fertilizers, this is what people introduce to the landscape because that's how we live," said Affeldt, a specialist on St. Croix basin matters.

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PPL Pays Fine to Settle Water Claim

PPL Pays Fine to Settle Water Claim at Nuclear Power Plant

September 14, 2007: 05:33 PM EST

NEW YORK (Associated Press) - PPL Corp. has agreed to pay $500,000 to settle a claim that its Susquehanna nuclear power plant near Berwick used more water than authorized by a regional regulator, officials said Friday.

The power plant received upgrades to its flow meters in 2001 and 2002 to meet federal regulations, but the upgrades also caused the power plant to increase its water intake, said Susan Obleski, a spokeswoman for the Susquehanna River Basin Commission.

PPL spokesman George Lewis said the company still disputes that the plant ever used more water than its permit allowed, but agreed to pay the $500,000 to get commission approval of its application to increase its water use.

The application and settlement were approved by the commission at its Wednesday meeting, Obleski said.

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Safety concern over water

OUR CORRESPONDENT

Bhubaneswar, Sept. 15: Water of at least six major rivers in Orissa are unsafe for drinking, the Orissa State Pollution Control Board has said in its report on river water quality status. The survey, done over a period of five years, tested the quality of water in stretches of the Mahanadi, Brahmani, Baitarani, Rushikulya, Nagavali and Subernarekha near major towns and industrial areas. “The water is very polluted in areas like Cuttack, Paradip and Brajarajnagar. It’s unfit for drinking and can’t be purified by conventional methods,” said board chairman L.N. Patnaik. The board has divided water into five categories — A, B, C, D and E. While water in the A category can be used for drinking without conventional treatment but after disinfection, the B grade water may be used for outdoor bathing. The C grade water can be used with conventional treatment and disinfection while D is used for aqua-culture and fisheries purposes. E category is used for irrigation and industrial cooling purposes and has a pH level between 6 and 8.5. The board’s findings for towns located near this rivers found that the water quality in none of the rivers conformed to C standard. The board monitored the water quality on parameters such as colour, odour, visible effluent discharge, dissolved oxygen, biological oxygen demand, total coliform, faecal coliform, turbidity, presence of chloride/sulphate/phosphate/cadmium/copper/lead/zinc/mercury and pesticides like BHC, DDT, endosulfan, dieldrin, aldrin, carboryl 2-4-D, malathion, parathion and chloropyrophos. Board sources said that the presence of micropollutants were found to be high in places like Cuttack situated on the bank of Kathjodi, a subsidiary of Mahanadi, and Rourkela, situated on the bank of the Brahmani. Environmentalists said that the report indicated the government as well as the pollution control board have failed to check deterioration of water quality in major rivers of the state. “The board should be disbanded as it has become a toothless body of servile government officials. Since the board has closed its ears, the industries and municipal bodies are using the rivers as sinks,” said environmentalist Biswajit Mohanty. Patnaik said that the government should address to the pollution concerns of these rivers quickly. “We have to stop the pollution sources. The board can only suggest appropriate maintenance measures, but the government has to take action,” he said

Sukinda Valley of Orissa one of most polluted places	RSS

KalingaTimes Correspondent Bhubaneswar, Sep 14: Orissa has been in news time and again for wrong reasons. Here is one more. Sukinda Valley in Jajpur district of the state has figured among the Top Ten worst polluted places in the world. US-based Blacksmith Institute, an independent environmental group, in partnership with Green Cross Switzerland, issued their To

p Ten list of the world's most severely polluted places on Wednesday. According to the report of the Blacksmith Institute, Sukinda Valley contains 97 percent of India's chromite ore deposits and one of the largest open cast chromite ore mines in the world. “Twelve mines continue to operate without any environmental management plans and over 30 million tonnes of waste rock are spread over the surrounding areas and the Brahmani riverbanks. “Untreated water is discharged by the mines into the river. This area is also flood-prone, resulting in further contamination of the waterways. “Approximately 70 percent of the surface water and 60 percent of the drinking water contains hexavalent chromium at more than double national and international standards and levels of over 20 times the standard have been recorded. Full Story

Dry spell leaves Charles River low

By Ralph Ranalli, Globe Staff | September 9, 2007

Pressure from development in the outer western suburbs and the recent dry spell have dropped water levels in the Charles River to their lowest point in 16 years, prompting concern among conservationists about increased pollution levels and damage to fish and wildlife populations.

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Georgia's water plan has broad implications

By S. Heather Duncan - hduncan@macon.com

Some homeowners could pay higher rates for watering their big, green lawns. Cities and factories could pay each other for the right to dump more wastewater into one stretch of river. The state could ban building new reservoirs for generating electricity or tourism.

These are all possibilities suggested in the state water plan unveiled earlier this year by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division. The agency wrote the plan on behalf of the Georgia Water Council, and it expects to release a second draft Thursday.

In a broad sense, the water plan will affect everything from which Georgia cities grow to which species survive in state rivers.

When the water planning process started two years ago, the state was emerging from a drought that had heightened public awareness of the power of water. After a few wetter years and a temporary lull in regional "water wars," this year a Florida lawsuit heated up tensions and a new drought heated up Georgia - bringing greater urgency to the water planning effort.

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Marine Team Finds Surprising Evidence Supporting A Great Biblical Flood

Science Daily — Did the great flood of Noah's generation really occur thousands of years ago? Was the Roman city of Caesarea destroyed by an ancient tsunami? Will pollution levels in our deep seas remain forever a mystery?

These are just a few of the questions that are being addressed by a new environmental marine research team from Tel Aviv University and the non-profit research and education organization, EcoOcean.

The team, headed by EcoOcean's Andreas Weil and Prof. Sven Beer of Tel Aviv University, are working to uncover new secrets about civilization and climate change from the depths of the sea floor. They are also a conducting a large-scale study on the health of the Mediterranean Sea with Ph.D. students they sponsor. The work is being done aboard "Mediterranean Explorer", a floating marine vessel

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