Is Kapila getting polluted in the name of culture?

Rivers alongside famous temples have become most vulnerable spots for pollution as devotees, after taking holy bath, discard their clothes, plastic bottles, shampoo sachets and more into the water body, without worrying about the damage it could cause on aquatic species. While the Cauvery Sangama is a prime example, another that is nearly as bad is the Kapila Kale, which was recently cleaned up in a massive drive by 50 volunteers from the Yuva Brigade.
The cleanliness campaign came ahead of the Nanjungud Dodda Jathra, which is scheduled to take place on Tuesday. Yuva Brigade district convener, B Chandrashekhar says, “We managed to fish out 10 tractors full of waste, which is quite astonishing, considering this water is also used for cooking and drinking purpose. There are boards that have been put up requesting people not to pollute the river, but devotees are not concerned and continue to leave behind their clothes after a dip. Ideally, temple authorities should set up a designated place near the river for devotees and barricade the rest to prevent large-scale pollution. They can even deploy volunteers to keep check on the water contamination.”

Another member, Prashanth adds, “When we got into the water body, we were appalled by the sheer number of small glasses pieces that stuck to our heels. Just imagine the plight of creatures in the water. There were heaps of clothes also, which is a result of a belief that if devotees leave behind everything on them after a holy dip, they will be absolved of all sins.”

Environmentalist Guru Prasad K adds, “The dyes from the clothes thrown into the river changes the physiological nature of the water. The colour affects aquatic species like fish, which are dependent on water for their survival. Even if humans consume this water without proper purification it may cause some serious health hazards to the respiratory system.”