The water of all the Ghats or bathing places of the Ganga River flowing through Bihar has been found to have life-threatening levels of Coliform bacteria. The permitted limit of Coliform in potable water is below 50mpn/100ml. The arsenic value or toxicity of Coliform is so dangerous that it cannot be declared fit if the waste contains 500mpn/100ml. Even for irrigation purposes also, it has be below 5,000mpn/100ml.
All the Ghats of Patna that include Mahendru Ghat, Collectariate Ghat, Gai Ghat, Haya Ghat, Gandhi Ghat, Guru Govind Singh Ghat, Gulbi Ghat, Didarganj Ghat, Chitragupta Ghat and Krishna Ghat have become extremely dangerous not only for human use but also for agri-purposes. A large number of people in Patna, Danapur, Fatuha and Patna Sahib use this highly contaminated water leading to several cases of diseases.
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) report says that, River Ganga, starting from Gaumukh in the Himalayas passes through 12-municipal cities before reaching Patna. In the process, it receives an estimated 89MLD of sewage from these municipalities and by the time it reaches Patna, its toxicity level becomes very high. To top it, it further becomes victim of dumping of toxic elements and urban waste of the Bihar capital.
About 68 “gross pollutants” of 450 different types of industries flow into the Ganga River. Since Patna is in the downstream, the degree of water-toxicity is much higher.
Latest sanitary studies and aquatic researches conducted in Patna reveal that the primary reason for Coliform infestation is due to the disposal of human faeces, urine and sewage directly into the river, rampant dumping of hospital and industrial waste and chemical effluences reaching the waters unchecked.
Even though the National Ganga River Basin Authority made it mandatory that no untreated municipal wastewater can be pumped into the river, over 80% of the wastewater directly into the river. Dumping of half-burnt bodies and dead animals further endangers the river.
