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Water
Pollution from mass Bathing in Ganga River During Kumbha Mela
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Foreword
Mass bathing is
frequently held in India. On certain religious occasions, special
importance is assigned to it and a very large num~er of people take
bath during a short period in specific stretches of rivers, lakes,
tanks and sea coast. 'Kumbh' and 'Ardh-Kumbh' are such occasions when
millions take dip at sacred spots.
Water quality is severely affected by mass bathing. Deterioration
of river water quality may injure health of the people taking the
dip and also the population downstream which use the river as a source
of water for drinking and bathing. To ascertain the deterioration
of water quality, changes due to mass bathing have to be observed
through monitoring before, during and after the mass bathing event
and taking appropriate actions at all stages. The Central Board for
the Prevention and Control of Water pollution in the
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above context had sent its team of scientists and engineers to several
religious congregations to monitor water quality changes. This report
provides details of such monitoring during Kumbh Mela at Haridwar
in 1986, Aradh Kumbh Mela of 1980 at Haridwar and Ardh Kumbh Mela
of 1982 at Allahabad. Recommendations to minimise adverse health impacts,
likely to be caused by mass bathings, are suggested. .
It is hoped that the report shall found to be useful both for the
information and guidance it contajns. |
Dilip Biswas
Chairman, CPCB
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