Rajya Sabha MP Vijay Pal Singh Tomar has raised concerns in Parliament regarding the rising toxicity in Kali, Yamuna, and Hindon rivers. Tomar alleged that the rivers have become a “source of cancer” in over 100 villages located along these water bodies, Times of India reported.
The BJP MP told parliament, “Wherever samples were taken from the Kaliriver, the oxygen level was found zero, making it unfit not only for drinking but also for irrigation”. The MP blamed the sugar and paper mills for releasing the effluent discharge into the rivers.
The people of, the Saini and Chilora villages, which are close to these rivers also spoke about the grim situation, the TOI report mentioned.
RIVERS CAUSING CANCER
In a report in TOI, Meerul zila panchayat Gaurav Chaudhary said around 100-150 people have died due to cancer in the surrounding villages due to polluting rivers.
A Chilora village resident said he lost his wife, 35, and two uncles, aged 56 and 60 to cancer.
The villagers told the daily that water from tubewells and handpumps is contaminated because of untreated industrial waste and urban waste too.
BJP’s Tomar has urged Centre to intervene and take urgent action.
Citing an officer from the UP Pollution Control Board, a TOI report said for the treatment of water, a total of 18 STP (sewage treatment plants) have been set up with a total capacity of approximately 180 MLD (million litres per day). However, the STPs are not fit for drinking water, the official added.
‘POLLUTED RIVERS IN INDIA’
In 2018, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) identified 351 polluted river stretches in India. As per the CPCB, Maharashtra had the highest number of polluted river stretches (53), followed by Assam (44), Madhya Pradesh (22), Kerala (21), Gujarat (20), Odisha (19), and West Bengal and Karnataka (17).
Read full report on polluted rivers on this link
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Updated: 05 Aug 2023, 02:34 PM IST