Ghaziabad: Chhath Puja is just days away, but a vast stretch of the Hindon remains coated with a thick layer of city's sewage, industrial effluents and toxic dyes, its ghats strewn with plastic waste, garbage and slush.
While the civic body claims it has started picking up waste from 60 points — ‘ghats' where puja will be offered by lakhs of devotees — unlike past years, the irrigation department may not release water into the river to flush away pollutants before the festival this time.
Brahmanand, an official from UP irrigation department, told TOI that the annual de-siltation exercise of the Upper Ganga Canal was still underway, and it was unlikely that the work would be over by Nov 7-8, when devotees will take a dip in the river before offering ‘argh' to the sun.
"Water will be released into the river only if the department gets a govt order," the official said.
Even with a govt nod, time may run out.
Rakesh Tiwari, who performs Chatth puja with his family each year at a ghat near the Elevated Road, said it takes at least two days for water from the canal in Haridwar, about 185km away, to reach the city.
"What is the use of a puja that puts our health at risk," said another devotee.
His concern is not unfounded. According to UPPCB data, the level of pollutants at three sampling stations — Mohannagar, Chhajarsi and Kulsera — in Ghaziabad between Jan and Sept is at an all-time high.
At the Mohannagar Road Bridge sampling station, the average dissolved oxygen (DO) level in the last nine months was recorded at 1.4mg/L. While data for Kulsera is not available, at Chhajarsi station it was recorded at 2.69 mg/L in the same period. The DO level of 6mg/l or above is considered amicable for the propagation of aquatic life by the Central Pollution Control Board. The higher the level of DO, the more fit it is for use as a drinking water source and bathing.
The UPPCB figures indicate that total coliform averages 2,53,333 MPN/100ml against the standard limit for total coliform of 1,000 mpn/100ml at Mohannagar, 3,48,889 MPN/100ml at Chhajarsi and 4,25,556 MPN/100ml at Kulsera. According to CPCB, 500 MPN/100 ml or less total coliform in water is considered fit for outdoor bathing.
Faecal coliform levels were at 2,53,333 MPN/100ml in Mohannagar, 2,73,333 MPN/100ml at Chhajarsi and 3,15,556 at Kulsera.
Total coliform is a large group of different kinds of bacteria and faecal coliforms are types of total coliform that mostly exist in faeces. If consumed, it can lead to severe stomach-related ailments.
"At all these stations, the average water quality comes under the ‘Below-E' category, which means that the water is contaminated to the extent that it is not even fit for animal bathing. How does one expect to perform puja in such pollution?" Abhisht Gupta, who filed a petition in the NGT over Hindon pollution, said.
A report submitted in the NGT, during the hearing of Gupta's petition, stated 55 drains across seven districts through which the river flows, empty 944 MLD of sewage into the river. Of this, 713 MLD are treated by 16 STPs. However, 231 MLD of untreated sewage still finds its way into the river.