At the time of Durga Puja celebrations used to immerse the idol of
Goddess Durga in it, however, now the river has changed literally black in
color. The untreated effluents of chemical plants, sugar mills,
distilleries, and slaughterhouses etc. have made this river almost dead. The
water has turned black with hardly any oxygen in it. Like all other rivers, the
Kali Nadi is also considered as pious and aesthetic. The river has got the name
since it is believed that it used to cure black cough (Kali
Khansi). Since last two decades, the river is being used as a dumping
ground with substantial quantities of contaminants and untreated effluents from
numerous sources disposed into it along its course. The major factors are
industrial untreated effluents, domestic sewage, agricultural runoff,
indiscriminate use of polythene etc.
Industrial
usage is the main cause of pollution of the Kali River (East). Key industries
including sugar processing unit and their associated alcohol manufacture
distilleries, paper mills, dairies, tanneries are situated adjacent to the
river. The sugar mills and paper mills are enlisted in the 17 most toxic waste
releasing industries. These industries not only abstract large volumes of water
during their manufacturing processes reducing dilution of pollutants present
within the surface water bodies but also contaminate the river adversely by
draining their effluent wastes into it.
Secondly,
Kali Nadi receives a large volume of untreated raw human excreta from thousands
of major and minor habitations. In other words, it serves as a trunk sewer of
major cities and urban towns. It also includes domestic wastes such as soda,
DDT, BHC, petroleum products, etc. which indicates that it contains a wider
range of heavy metal parameters.
Thirdly, Western U.P being an intensely agricultural region, a considerable volume of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, rodenticides, etc. are used. These chemicals and heavy metals flow into the river through the process of erosion and through the soil to the underlying aquifers causing contamination of this important water resource.
Besides sewage flow, domestic waste flow and dead animals are also dumped in the river water. The dead bodies of people suffering from certain infectious diseases are also dumped in the river which spreads pollution and may lead to epidemics. The polluted river carries waterborne viruses and bacteria and is responsible for the ill health of the people.
Due to this mismanagement of a vital water resource, its
physio-chemical qualities have deteriorated to such an extent that it has
affected the groundwater too. The foul taste and odor manifest that the water
of the Kali River is un-potable. However, the marginalized community residing
within the catchment area is bound to consume the highly polluted water. The
residents are left with no option other than either to fend themselves or die
of neglect.
The
prevailing situation has raised a question whether the Indian government can
manage to provide safe drinking water to the Indian citizens, which is one of
their basic human rights? It is not so that there are no laws to safeguard
human health and river water from pollution. To minimize the aspects of
pollution and to improve the environment thereby government of India had
enacted the water (prevention and control of pollution) act and formed the
central board of prevention and control of water pollution. The above act lays
down the methods of regulation and provision of monitoring the industrial
effluents for pollution load through Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) under
the ministry of water resources.