Water Quality Monitoring of Ganga River Water quality monitoring of river Ganga is being carried out by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) from Gangotri to Diamond Harbour. The overall water quality data as well station wise water quality data of last three years i.e 2013-15 indicates the following. The river water quality is conforming the bathing criteria for Dissolved Oxygen (DO) at most of the locations from 2011 to 2015. The long term assessment of water quality data indicates that the river water quality is not conforming to the notified criteria for bathing for Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) between the river stretches from D/s Raiwala to Haridwar D/s in Uttrakhand, from Kannauj to Trighat in Uttar Pradesh and from Baharampore to Uluberia in West Bengal. However, the stretches falling in the state of Bihar have been reported relatively clean in term of organic pollution. Except for few locations in the upper stretch of the river, the river does not conform to the water quality criteria for Faecal Coliform of 2500 MPN/100ml. The Government is aware that the detergents used by washermen along the bank of river Ganga releases phosphate and thereby increases the level of pollution in Ganga. Construction of Dhobi" ghats are included in the schemes under the Entry Level Activities of Namami Gange so that the waste water is diverted away and does not flow into river Ganga. This information was given by Union Minister of State for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Shri Vijay Goel in a written reply in Lok Sabha today. Samir/jk
