This story is from March 11, 2015

Gomti cries for saviour in Jaunpur

Gomti, a tributary of Ganga, has caught attention of policy makers as well as environment conscious people in Lucknow, the river has yet to find a saviour in Jaunpur. The pollution-hit Gomti gasps for oxygen at certain points in the city and there is tremendous load of coliform bacteria.
Gomti cries for saviour in Jaunpur
Varanasi: Gomti, a tributary of Ganga, has caught attention of policy makers as well as environment conscious people in Lucknow, the river has yet to find a saviour in Jaunpur. The pollution-hit Gomti gasps for oxygen at certain points in the city and there is tremendous load of coliform bacteria.
The recent sample testing conducted by Varanasi based Sankat Mochan Foundation, reveals that the river faces the worst level of pollution in the downstream on both banks near Shastri bridge.

“With the help of local group of civil society, we conducted sampling in 10km stretch of Gomti river including 7km in upstream and 3km in downstream. The result of sample testing is alarming and it needs urgent attention to save this river from dying in Jaunpur,” SMF president and mahant of Sankat Mochan Temple Vishwambhar Nath Mishra said. The samples were tested in Swachha Ganga research laboratory of SMF in the last week of February.
According to test report, the levels of dissolved oxygen (DO) were 1.4 mg/l and 2.2 mg/l at the right and left sides of Shastri Bridge respectively. The norms prescribed by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) suggests that DO should be 6mg/l or more for drinking water source without conventional treatment but after disinfection (class of water-A). Levels of biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) found at these locations were 30mg/l and 34mg/l respectively against the prescribed norm of 2mg/l or less in class A water. Shockingly, high concentration of fecal coliform counts, 4,60,000/100ml and 3,10,000/100ml were found, which CPCB prescribes 50 or less total coliform organism MPN (most probable number)/100ml.
More or less similar was the situation at Bajrang Ghat with high level of BOD (28.4mg/l), concentration of coliform bacteria (4,80,000/100ml), and low level of DO (3mg/l). The upstream locations like Kalichabad and Sadbhavna Ghat were comparatively in better condition with higher DO, but the concentration of fecal coliform remained high at all the places.
Gomti, which originates from Pilibhit, flows into Ganga at Markandey Mahadev, Kaithi on Varanasi-Ghazipur border after passing through Lucknow, Barabanki, Sultanpur, Faizabad and Jaunpur districts. “Gomti is also mythologically important,” said Mishra adding that the SMF has collaborated with Swachh Gomti Abhiyan, a campaign initiated by local civil society to protect the river. “We are trying to create awareness among people and draw the attention of government to save this river,” Gautam Gupta of SGA said, adding that municipal sewage is discharged into the river through 10 drains in different areas. Besides, the effluent mixed with acid from the ornament refineries also goes directly into the river, he said.

The authorities of UP Pollution Control Board were not aware about the discharge of acidic effluent into the river. The regional officer of UPPCB Dr Mohammad Sikander, when contacted, said that the department would undertake a survey and take appropriate action. He said that there is no sewage treatment plant in Jaunpur.
According to CPCB report, Jaunpur generates 21.4mld sewage. It may be mentioned here that Gomti Action Plan (GoAP) was formulated in 1993 for Sultanpur, Jaunpur and Lucknow situated along the banks of the river. The approved cost of the project was Rs 61.01 crores against which the component for Sultanpur and Jaunpur was Rs 10.72 crores. It was proposed to intercept, divert and treat 14 mld sewage at Jaunpur. The implementation of the project was delayed due to delay in acquisition of land.
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