IITR collects Ganga samples after bodies found floating

Prayagraj: A team of experts from CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (IITR), Lucknow arrived in Prayagraj and collected water samples from the Ganga at various ghats on Monday evening amid the uproar over reports of bodies being immersed in the holy river and being buried in the sand on its banks.
The samples will be analysed to check if the pollution has increased lately since bodies washed ashore in large numbers for few days.
The IITR team, in fact, collected water samples from different locations from Kanpur and Varanasi also. “We collected samples from various locations on the request of UP Pollution Control Board and will analyse them on several parameters to test quality of water,” said senior principal scientist at CSIR-IITR, Lucknow, K C Kulbe.
After reaching Prayagraj, the team members wearing PPE kits collected samples from Shringverpur ghat and then moved to Phaphamau ghat, both spots where bodies had been buried in sand.
“Although bodies are buried at Phaphamau and Shringverpur ghats but there is no need to panic as Ganga water is still fine. However, sample collection and analysis is welcome as the result would clear the picture,” said irrigation department executive engineer S K Singh.
Former regional officer of UP Pollution Control Board, Mohammed Sikander said, “Groundwater is found at shallow depth on banks of the Ganga and is often just two feet below. When buried bodies decompose, material may seep into the groundwater which could pollute the river.”
Officer in charge, UP Pollution Control Board, Pradeep Vishwakarma said, “The samples have been collected to check the quality of water of the river. I can comment only after the analysis of samples is complete and we get the final results.”