Chemical Pollution

Featured Articles
September 9, 2022 Highlights from a new report released by iFOREST
An old coal-fired power plant has been dumping vast quantities of ash out in the open for many years. (Image: Lundrim Aliu/ World Bank; CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
August 27, 2022 Study looks at microplastic types in lakes of Ladakh
(Vinay Goel, Wikimedia Commons)
August 11, 2022 This could lead to water quality crisis reinforcing the need for basin-specific management strategies
Around the world, more than a fifth of nitrogen released by human activity ends up in aquatic ecosystems (Image: Wikimedia Commons)
July 14, 2022 The river is faced with the dual problem of flood plain encroachment and growing levels of water pollution
Illegal transverse check dams (Badhals) built on Ichamati near a village in Basirhat (Image: Prithviraj Nath @ TheWaterChronicles)
June 13, 2022 A CEEW study indicates that forecasting systems helped avert extremely severe air pollution episodes last winter.
(Image: Ville Miettinen, Wikimedia Commons)
May 25, 2022 A study develops a decision support tool to identify polluted river stretches
Ulhas river near Khandpe village (Image: Ganesh Dhamodkar, Wikimedia Commons)
Performance audit of water pollution in India – A report by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India
This report of the CAG deals with the results of the performance audit of water pollution in India for the year ended March 2011. Posted on 03 Jan, 2012 11:44 AM

RiversThe issue was examined by CAG because various stakeholders working in the field of environment flagged water pollution as the most important environmental issue that concerns us. 

The audit was conducted through document analysis, collection of responses to questionnaires, physical collection and testing of samples. The results of audit, both at the Central level and the State level, were taken into account for arriving at audit conclusions.

Investigation and assessment report: Arsenic in drinking water sources and related problems of Ballia district of Uttar Pradesh
A National Level Monitor looks into the issue of water quality in Ballia. Posted on 28 Dec, 2011 11:03 AM

Following media reports about arsenic contamination in Ballia, and a complaint addressed by the people of Ballia to the Ministry of Rural Development, a National Level Monitor was requested to enquire into the issue of water quality.

Boy in Ballia shows the skin infection on his hands caused by arsenic poisoning

Yamuna-Elbe - A public art and outreach project at the Yamuna riverscape in Delhi launched on 5 November, 2011
People in the capital got to “experience the rivers” when the Yamuna-Elbe public art outreach project was organized in Delhi. Amita Bhaduri reports on this. Posted on 18 Dec, 2011 02:02 PM

Guest post by: Amita Bhaduri

The public art outreach project was organized by the Max Mueller Bhavan in association with the Government of Delhi and the Goethe-Institut (Hamburg, Germany) as a part of the “Year of Germany in India” programme opened on 5th of November, 2011. The art exhibition which continued till the 19th of November co-curated by artist Ravi Agarwal who is also a practicing environmentalist (Director, Toxics Link) along with German artist, Till Krauser attempted to create a pulsating synergy between the Yamuna and Elbe rivers.

Gigi ScariaGigi Scaria’s - The fountain of purification

Photo courtesy: Rocky Thongam

This is a 24 ft installation representing a four storey apartment complex that draws Yamuna water, purifies it at various levels and dispenses it from the top in the form of a fountain.

Encephalitis deaths in India - The same story of poverty, neglect, disaster and disease, how long will this continue ?
Providing temporary fixes to deal with situations such as this epidemic in Gorakhpur cannot help in finding long term solutions. Posted on 02 Dec, 2011 10:15 AM

Guest post by : Aarti Kelkar-Khambete

Water quality hot-spots in rivers of India: Comments by South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers & People, New Delhi
SANDRP states its concerns regarding the report. Posted on 30 Nov, 2011 04:54 PM

The Central Water Commission (CWC) has recently prepared a report on water quality scenario of our rivers and has evolved a methodology for identifying hot spots in Indian rivers. The water quality data is based on the average values observed during the last ten years (2001-2011) at 371 monitoring stations of CWC on almost all major, medium and minor rivers in India. Please find below a letter (dated November 5, 2011) from South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers & People, New Delhi to the Chairman, Central Water Commission stating its concerns regarding the report.

Status of groundwater quality in India - Report of the survey conducted in metropolitan areas by the CPCB
The report presents the results of a detailed survey of groundwater quality in metropolitan areas (population >100,000) in India. Posted on 24 Nov, 2011 05:36 PM

The report recognises that most groundwater quality problems are anthropogenic in origin, caused by a combination of over-exploitation and infiltration of wastes. Inadequate infrastructure and resources mean that waste generated by cities and industrial areas is not properly collected, treated and disposed, thus leading to grondwater contamination.

Karnataka High Court Committee strongly discourages commercial involvement in lake management and rejuvenation
A press release by Environment Support Group on this issue. Posted on 23 Nov, 2011 03:57 PM

Content and photo courtesy: Environment Support Group  

On the contentious policy relating to privatization of lakes, the Justice N K Patil Committee appointed by the Karnataka High Court has recommended that private sector participation solely based on commercial interest is not desirable.

Privatization of lakes
In a significant development, the Committee appointed under the Chairmanship of Justice Mr. N. K. Patil, Judge of the Karnataka High Court and Chairman High Court Legal Services Committee, in response to the Public Interest Litigation by Environment Support Group challenging the privatisation of management and rehabilitation of lakes in Bangalore (WP 817/2008), has strongly recommended that ““private sector participation solely based on consequential commercial interest” is not a desirable model” (Emphasis in original).

Status of water treatment plants in India - A report on their operational status by the Central Pollution Control Board
Sludge and filter back wash water needs to be treated and properly disposed, the study suggests. Posted on 23 Nov, 2011 11:47 AM

This document  by the Central Pollution and Control Board (CPCB) describes the findings of a study that evaluated water treatment plants located across the country, for prevailing raw water quality, water treatment technologies, operational practices, chemical consumptio

Demonstration cum dissemination of the feasibility of KAF (Kanchan Arsenic Filter) in Assam - A workshop report - IGSSS and Welthungerhilfe (26th July 2011)
This document is a report of the workshop organised by IGSSS and Welthungerhilfe on the demonstration cum dissemination of the feasibility of Kanchan Arsenic Filter (KAF) in Assam. Posted on 21 Nov, 2011 10:26 AM

The workshop aimed at possible replication and acceptability of KAF as a viable, low cost appropriate arsenic mitigation measure in the arsenic contaminated regions of the country.

Water quality hot-spots in rivers of India – A report by Central Water Commission
This report by the Central Water Commission (CWC) attempts to provide the water quality scenario of our rivers. Posted on 08 Nov, 2011 01:03 PM

River Water QualityIt evolves a methodology for identifying hot spots in Indian rivers. The water quality data is based on the average values observed during the last ten years (2001-2011) at 371 monitoring stations of CWC on almost all major, medium and minor rivers in India. In respect of Dissolved Oxygen and Biochemical Oxygen Demand, the Central Pollution Control Board's classification has been considered for evaluating the hot spot in the rivers.

The physical and chemical quality of river water is important in deciding its suitability for drinking purposes. As such the suitability of river water for potable uses with regard to its chemical quality has to be deciphered and defined on the basis of the some vital characteristics of the water. Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) vide its document IS: 10500:1991, edition 2.2 (2003‐09) has recommended the quality standards for drinking water and these have been used for finding the suitability of river water. On this basis of classification, the natural river water of India has been categorized as desirable, permissible and unfit for human consumption.

×