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     Is Ganga a polluted river? As documented in this series, the question has no easy answer.  Disagreements come from disputes about the effects of the waters on those dependent on them, different methods of assessing water quality, and philosophical differences in the understanding of pollution.  Even the establishment of standards is problematic, dependent on the final use of the water, cultural norms and logistic issues that may limit the implementation of strategies to "clean" the water.

The Ganga Action Plan 20 Years Later
Varanasi and Kanpur


Link to audio clips

     The Indian government has long recognized the pollution of Ganga as a serious problem and in 1986 Rajiv Gandhi launched the Ganga Action Plan (GAP) to improve the quality of the river. Tens of millions of dollars have been invested in water treatment and education with mixed results. These pages and audio clips attempt to document the successes and failures of GAP and discuss some of the political, social and economic issues that have affected the implementation of the plan.

 

The Special Properties of the Ganges Water
or The Mysterious Factor X


Link to audio clip

     At the festivals of Kumbh Mela at the Allahabad millions bathe in the waters of Ganga with no apparent ill-effects despite the inflows of raw sewage, industrial wastes, agricultural run-off and a host of pollutants that cause the western tourist to pale at the prospect of immersion in the water.  Yet, there is no evidence of any significant health risk associated with this exposure.  The Indian people generally do not believe that the river is polluted although they are aware of the constant inflow of pollutants along the course of the river. There have been suggestions that there exist conditions in the Ganges that allow the river to purify itself; this section looks at factors that could allow a river to clean itself.

Classroom activities:

Predicting Water Quality

Using bioassessment and indicator pollutants to examine water quality

Assessing Water Quality

 

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