Pollution Science 101 - India 
                   ( Ecological Collapse)
                                                                  
                            
                                  Michael Ross

                             Monsantoinvestigation.com

 -------------------------------------------

The following article will detail the amount of environmental damage in India.


To read an additional article about the pollution and the uranium trade going on in India, click on the following link. This link is considered an additional section to this article.

 Uranium Trade 101 - India & Pakistan ( Pollution Science 101- India ) - UraniumTrade101india.Blogspot.com .

-----------------------------------------------

Contents:

Chapter 1: Himalayas
Chapter 2: Water pollution
Chapter 3: Illegal dumping
Chapter 4: Corruption
Chapter 5: Coca Cola 
Chapter 6: Miscellaneous

-----------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------


Chapter 1: Himalayas 

-------------------------------------------

-------------------------------------------

Melting glaciers bring India emissions, energy uncertainty

  13 May 2017

"In March or April, this used to be 10 to 12 feet of snow here," RS Rana laments, as he trudges through mushy slush in the Dhauladhar range.

An avid trekker, he's been hiking what are called the "lesser Himalayas" for nearly half a century.
The change, he says, has been dramatic.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-05-13/melting-glaciers-bring-india-emissions,-energy-uncertainty/8523704

--------------------------------------------------------

Himalayas lost 13 per cent of glaciers in forty years

January 2014

Amid controversy and debate over the precise impact of global warming on the Himalayas, glaciologists analysed a massive cache of data on the mountain range and have concluded that it lost 13 per cent of its glaciers in just four decades.
Approximately 443 billion tonnes (Gt) of glacier ice was lost in this timeframe, says a new research paper published in Current Science. It estimates the total glacial water stored in the Indian Himalaya to be around 4,000 Gt.


http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/himalayas-lost-13-per-cent-of-glaciers-in-forty-years/article5554156.ece

------------------------------------------------------

A high court in India took drastic measures to protect 2 vanishing glaciers

 Apr. 7, 2017

APRIL 7, 2017 —Just weeks after a high court in the Indian state of Uttarakhand granted legal personhood to the Ganges and Yamuna rivers, the same court recently extended that same standing to the Gangotri and Yamunotri glaciers that feed them. 
The finding follows New Zealand’s mid-March passage of a law recognizing the Whanganui River – a feature that the Maori people consider an ancestor – as a living entity. And the Indian court’s effort to protect the vanishing glaciers also carries religious overtones, since both the rivers and glaciers are considered sacred sites to many Hindus...


http://www.businessinsider.com/rights-of-nature-movement-india-glacier-2017-4


------------------------------------------------

Methane Explosion Warmed the Prehistoric Earth, Possible Again

December 10, 2001

 A tremendous release of methane gas frozen beneath the sea floor heated the Earth by up to 13°F (7°C) 55 million years ago, a new NASA study confirms. NASA scientists used data from a computer simulation of the paleo-climate to better understand the role of methane in climate change. While most greenhouse gas studies focus on carbon dioxide, methane is 20 times more potent as a heat-trapping gas in the atmosphere. 

 Generally, cold temperatures and high pressure keep methane stable beneath the ocean floor, however, that might not always have been the case. A period of global warming, called the Late Paleocene Thermal Maximum (LPTM), occurred around 55 million years ago and lasted about 100,000 years. Current theory has linked this to a vast release of frozen methane from beneath the sea floor, which led to the earth warming as a result of increased greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

 A movement of continental plates, like the Indian subcontinent, may have initiated a release that led to the LPTM, Schmidt said. We know today that when the Indian subcontinent moved into the Eurasian continent, the Himalayas began forming. This uplift of tectonic plates would have decreased pressure in the sea floor, and may have caused the large methane release. Once the atmosphere and oceans began to warm, Schmidt added, it is possible that more methane thawed and bubbled out. Some scientists speculate current global heating could eventually lead to a similar scenario in the future if the oceans warm substantially. 

The models used in the new study show that when you greatly increase methane amounts, the OH quickly gets used up, and the extra methane lingers for hundreds of years, producing enough global warming to explain the LTPM climate.

"Ten years of methane is a blip, but hundreds of years of atmospheric methane is enough to warm up the atmosphere, melt the ice in the oceans, and change the whole climate system," Schmidt said. "So we may have solved a conundrum."

https://www.giss.nasa.gov/research/news/20011210/

--------------------

 How has Antarctica’s landscape changed over geological time and why?


 Some 200 million years ago, Antarctic continental crust was joined with South American, African, Indian, and Australian continental crust making up a large southern land mass known as Gondwana (the southern part of the supercontinent called Pangea). After this time, Gondwana slowly split apart to create Antarctica as a separate continent, and Antarctica has gradually moved away from the other southern continents towards its present polar position.


 http://discoveringantarctica.org.uk/oceans-atmosphere-landscape/ice-land-and-sea/tectonic-history-into-the-deep-freeze/

---------------------

Some debate if the tectonic plates in India may move again soon. Some question if thermal warmth in the tectonic plates, could be heating up some areas of the Himalayas.

If  some scientists predict that the Antarctic plate is predicted to move north to the equator by some scientist, that this could explain more ice melting away completely in the Antarctic eventually. The Antarctic used to have green jungles, and was closer to the equator at one point in history. The Antarctic plate moved south, to where it become a new polar region with ice.

Some scientists predict that the Indian Plate, may move south near the equator eventually in the future.
If the plates shift, and India shifts to the south, more near the equator, this would mean that the Glaciers in India and the Himalayas would most likely have a tendency melt more. However, we think that the retreat of many of the glaciers in the Himalayas, is due to some human activity.

---------------------------------------------------

The Indian tectonic plate collided with the Eurasian Plate many years ago. There are many Earthquakes around the areas where these two plates join together. Many people say that seismic activity from these two plates moving again, could cause a super volcano.

We can even see how Earthquakes can heat up the areas around the quake.

--------------------------------------

The Himalayas: Two continents collide

 Among the most dramatic and visible creations of plate-tectonic forces are the lofty Himalayas, which stretch 2,900 km along the border between India and Tibet. This immense mountain range began to form between 40 and 50 million years ago, when two large landmasses, India and Eurasia, driven by plate movement, collided. Because both these continental landmasses have about the same rock density, one plate could not be subducted under the other. The pressure of the impinging plates could only be relieved by thrusting skyward, contorting the collision zone, and forming the jagged Himalayan peaks.



https://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/dynamic/himalaya.html



---------------------------------

PSB NoVa Himalayan Megaquake (HD)

 May 4, 2016

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYPqvlDS5To

---------------------------------------- 

What Lies Ahead for Earth’s Shifting Continents Just Might Surprise You

 Feb 7 2017

https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/the-big-questions/what-lies-ahead-earth-s-shifting-continents-just-might-surprise-n717276

---------------

Future Plate Motions & Pangea Proxima - Scotese Animation

  Sep 18, 2014

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2It3ETk2MGA


--------------------------------------

Thermal and tectonic consequences of India underthrusting Tibet

 The Tibetan Plateau is the largest orogenic system on Earth, and has been influential in our
understanding of how the continental lithosphere deforms. Beneath the plateau are some of the
deepest (100 km) earthquakes observed within the continental lithosphere, which have been pivotal
in ongoing debates about the rheology and behaviour of the continents. We present new observations
of earthquake depths from the region, and use thermal models to suggest that all of them occur in
material at temperatures of ≨ 600 °C. Thermal modelling, combined with experimentally derived flow laws, suggests that if the Indian lower crust is anhydrous it will remain strong beneath the entire
southern half of the Tibetan plateau, as is also suggested by dynamic models. In northwest Tibet, the
strong underthrust Indian lower crust abuts the rigid Tarim Basin, and may be responsible for both
the clockwise rotation of Tarim relative to stable Eurasia and the gradient of shortening along the
Tien Shan.


http://bullard.esc.cam.ac.uk/~copley/pubs/tim_tibet.pdf

---------------------------

Pangaea to the Present Lesson #2

http://volcano.oregonstate.edu/book/export/html/1083

-----------------------------

Dreaded Polar Vortex May Be Shifting

October 25, 2016

As the Arctic wind pattern migrates toward Europe it could allow frigid air to descend upon the U.S.

 https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/dreaded-polar-vortex-may-be-shifting/


-------------------------------------

Trans-border pollution impacts air quality in Nepal

March 21, 2017


KATHMANDU, March 21: Pollution in Delhi and other Indian cities, which receives a lot of media attention, has a big impact on the health and wellbeing of Nepal's population also, according to experts.
As air pollution respects no political frontiers, India's toxic air reaches Nepal when the air blows in certain directions, covering our skies with thick smoke haze mostly during summer. Such trans-boundary pollution worsens our already polluted air, compounding the effect on public health.

 http://www.myrepublica.com/news/16826/

-----------------------------------------------------------




The Himalayan region of India is home of some of the most notable glaciers in the world. This is a list of the notable glaciers in India. Most glaciers lie in the states of Sikkim, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Few glaciers are also found in Arunachal Pradesh.

List of Indian glaciers

Arunachal Pradesh

In Arunachal Pradesh, glaciers are found in Greater Himalaya ranges which run along the Tibetan border. All peaks here rise above 4500 meters and are snow covered throughout the year. Important glaciers:

• Bichom Glacier
• Kangto Glacier

Jammu and Kashmir

• Siachen Glacier is the second longest glacier outside of the polar regions and largest in the Himalayas-Karakoram region
• Nubra Glacier
• Chong Kmdan Glacier
• Drang Drung Glacier
• Shafat Glacier
• Machoi Glacier
• Rimo Glacier
• Tayseer Glacier
• Trango Glacier
• Hari parbat Glacier
• Chitta katha Glacier
• Shirwali Glacier
• Nun Kun
• Parkachik Glacier
• Kazi N Glacier
• Baltoro Glacier

Himachal Pradesh

• Bara Shigri Glacier
• BCB Glacier (bcb land)
• Beas Kund glacier
• Bhadal Glacier
• Bhaga Glacier
• Chandra Glacier
• Chandra Nahan Glacier
• Chhota Shigri
• Dhaka Glacier
• North Dakka Glacier
• Gora Glacier
• The Lady of Keylong
• Miyar Glacier
• Mukkila Glacier
• Parbati and Dudhon
• Perad Glacier
• Sonapani

Sikkim

• Zemu Glacier
• Rathong Glacier
• Lonak Glacier

Uttarakhand

• Gangotri Glacier
• Kalabaland Glacier
• Kedar Bamak Glacier
• Meola Glacier
• Milam Glacier
• Namik Glacier
• Panchchuli Glacier
• Pindari Glacier
• Ralam Glacier
• Sona Glacier
• Kafni Glacier
• Sunderdhunga
• Jaundhar
• satoanth
• bhagirathi kadak
• dokriani glacier
• chorabari glacier

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_glaciers_of_India


-----------------------------------------------------

Chorabari Glacier, India

For much of their water needs, South Asia’s residents—numbering roughly a billion—rely on thousands of glaciers nestled in the Himalaya. The glaciers feed major rivers such as the Ganges, and one such glacier is Chorabari Glacier in India. Situated between the Kedarnath summit to the north and the town of Kedarnath to the south, this glacier produces a vigorous stream that eventually merges with the Ganges River.

The Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) on NASA’s Terra satellite took this picture of Chorabari Glacier on November 22, 2007. In this false-color image, the land surface appears reddish brown, snow cover appears white (with dark blue shadows), and glaciers appear pale blue. Covering some 6 square kilometers (2.3 square miles), the Chorabari Glacier sports a rocky coating that helps insulate it from melting. Nevertheless, according to a New York Times report, the glacier had retreated by 2007. A map dating from 1962 placed its terminus, or snout, 262 meters (860 feet) farther down the mountain slope.
Because Indian glaciers have not been studied in detail for the past several decades, assessing their long-term trends has been difficult. More recent studies, however, suggest they are vulnerable to rising temperatures, which increased by 2.2 degrees Celsius (3.96 degrees Fahrenheit) between the 1980s and the new millennium. A 2007 report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change predicted that continued melt of Himalayan glaciers could increase the likelihood of floods over the coming three decades, followed by a reduction in water supply to South Asia’s rivers.

https://visibleearth.nasa.gov/view.php?id=8564

------------------------------------------------------

Glacial retreat in the Himalayas

 

Hotspot Details

Summary:

After the polar ice caps, the Himalayas have the largest amount of glaciers. More than thirty thousand sq. km of the Himalayan region is covered by the glaciers that can provide around 8.6 million cubic meters of water every year. Rivers, including the Ganga, the Indus, the Brahmaputra, the Salween, the Mekong, the Yangtze and the Yellow river are fed by glaciers in the Himalayas. Millions of people rely on this annual water supply to survive. Over the past several decades global climate change has influenced the Himalayan mountain glaciers significantly, pushing tempertures close to melting conditions (Rai and Gurung 2005). Recently, the Himalayan glaciers have been in a status of retreat at an increasing rate which will eventually result in a water shortage for all Himalayan countries (e.g. China, India, Nepal, and Bhutan).

http://lcluc.umd.edu/hotspot/glacial-retreat-himalayas

-----------------------------------------------

Samudra Tupa Glacier, India Accelerated Retreat 1998-2016

 December 26, 2016





 Landsat Comparison from 1998 and 2016 of Samudra Tupa Glacier, India.  Red arrow is the 1998 terminus, yellow arrow the 2016 terminus, green arrow a subsidiary glacier tongue, red line and dots the snowline and pink arrow an area indicating a water level decline in the lake.

http://blogs.agu.org/fromaglaciersperspective/2016/12/26/samudra-tupa-glacier-india-accelerated-retreat-1998-2016/




-----------------------------------------------------------

India’s Diesel Fumes Impacting Glacier Melt in Himalayas

  March 11th, 2014

KOLKATA – Being a traffic policeman in Kolkata is a life-threatening business. Not only are you at risk of being run over on the traffic-clogged roads and streets of this chaotic city of 14 million – you’re also more than likely to suffer from serious health problems due to some of the worst air pollution not just in India, but in the world.

Soaking up the Heat

Diesel fumes, along with smoke from coal burning, cooking fires and the burning of waste, are among the main sources of particulate matter called soot or black carbon. Recent studies suggest that funeral pyres and even the burning of incense at temples are also contributors to the accumulation of soot.
This black carbon rises into the atmosphere and is driven by winds on to the snow or ice in the Himalayas, darkening the surface and in the process reducing reflectivity and causing the surface to absorb more heat.
The International Center for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), based In Kathmandu, Nepal, is the only transboundary organization looking at climate developments across the Hindu Kush-Himalayan region.
According to ICIMOD estimates, black carbon is likely responsible for a large part – around 30 percent by some calculations – of glacial melt in the region. It says most of the black carbon deposited in the Himalayas and in the southern area of the Tibetan Plateau comes from the plains of India, while black carbon on the eastern and northern parts of the Plateau originates in central China.


http://www.climatecentral.org/news/air-pollution-in-india-fueling-glacier-melt-in-himalayas-17158

--------------------------------------------------------------

Some people debate over the claims of black carbon melting the Himalayan glaciers.

--------------------------------------------------------------

Snow and glaciers of the Himalayas – A study by Indian Space Research Organisation

 June 2011

 These reports present the findings of a study on “Snow and Glacier Studies” where snow cover for the Indian Himalaya was monitored for four consecutive years from 2004-05 to 2007-08.

http://www.indiawaterportal.org/articles/snow-and-glaciers-himalayas-study-indian-space-research-organisation

---------------------------------------------------------------

IPCC officials admit mistake over melting Himalayan glaciers

 January 2010

Senior members of the UN's climate science body admit a claim that Himalayan glaciers could melt away by 2035 was unfounded

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2010/jan/20/ipcc-himalayan-glaciers-mistake


---------------------------------------------------

Debate heats up over IPCC melting glaciers claim

 January 2010


https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn18363-debate-heats-up-over-ipcc-melting-glaciers-claim/

----------------------------------------------

Hiking The Annapurna Circuit: Why It May Be Now Or Never

The Himalayas, the world’s most iconic mountains, gave birth to the highest point on the planet, Mount Everest, just 70 million years ago when the Indian tectonic plate slowly collided with the Eurasian continent.

However, Everest’s famous (not to mention extremely dangerous) mountain climbing trek isn’t your only option. The Annapurna massif sits quietly in the shadows of Everest and contains six stunning mountain peaks, aptly named Annapurna I, Annapurna II, Annapurna III, Annapurna IV, Gangapurna and Annapurna South.

Destruction of The Annapurna Circuit

 

The Annapurna Circuit is one of the best hiking treks in the world, but it’s quickly changing with the ever- increasing demand of tourists.


 https://greenglobaltravel.com/hiking-the-annapurna-circuit-why-it-may-be-now-or-never/

 ------------------------------------------

 Annapurna I has the greatest fatality rate of all the 14 eight-thousanders: as of March 2012, there have been 52 deaths during ascents, 191 successful ascents, and nine deaths upon descent. The ratio of 34 deaths per 100 safe returns on Annapurna I is followed by 29 for K2 and 21 for Nanga Parbat. - Wikipedia

 -

 [ The mountain Annapurna 1 is located in the Himalayas,  Annapurna 1 is considered the most dangerous mountain to climb in the world. Annapurna 1 is currently the tenth highest mountain in the world. The best time to climb Annapurna 1 is in April and May, when it is not too cold, and it is not too hot. Trying to climb in the summertime, is when the rate of avalanches increase because of melting ice. The trek to Annapurna takes around a week and a half, where you hike through a jungle in Tibet, to get to the mountain Annapurna 1, this is one of the favorite tourist destinations in Tibet.  Many people die or vanish trying to climb this mountain, and it would be impossible to clean up all of this toxic gear left by dead mountain climbing groups. Annapurna releases some of the most beautiful avalanches that look almost like waterfalls of snow and ice. Annapurna has daily multiple avalanches that kill many climbing teams, this includes people falling through hundreds of feet of rotten ice to their deaths, including many hidden crevasses. There are even giant landslide zones, where giant rock landslides happen daily in the same area with loose rocks and  giant boulders that come crashing down with ice, or even falling seracs in certain areas of the main trail of Annapurna 1. It is very important trying to cross these landslide areas fast, before the falling rocks knock you off a steep cliff. In certain parts of the mountain, you cannot even use a safety rope, because much of the area is all snow, this makes it difficult to secure a rope to a secured place. Even when you do get a chance to use a rope, there is a good chance that an avalanche could hit your rope, and drag you down with the avalanche, or your climbing partner would fall and drag the other climbers to their deaths.

If many reports are true, and if snow starts melting even more on Annapurna 1, that it would make mountain climbing very difficult in this area of the world. We see that the Indian tectonic plate once crashed into the Eurasian plate. Many new reports claim that these plates are slowly moving once again. If the tectonic plates move again, this could melt much of the ice away from the giant mountains of the Himalayas. Even the Arctic and Antarctic would face a change in temperature and climate. Antarctica used to have forests many millions of years ago, when the tectonic plates were more near the equator. We can see that the tectonic plates shifted, and caused a climate change in Antarctica, and that this eventually is bound to happen once again.   ]

-------------------------------------

List of deaths on eight-thousanders

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_deaths_on_eight-thousanders#Annapurna_I


------------------------------------------------------

Mt. Everest, Himalayan peaks waste pollution

Aug 28, 2014


 Activists announced that Mount Everest and other Himalayan peaks are getting plagued with tonnes of disposed tents, spent oxygen cylinders and discarded food containers and bottles that are being left behind by mountaineers over the decades. Authorities are now encouraging the process of recycling.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jy-kBAd_nMQ

______________________________________________

The Dead of Everest 2013

 Aug 14, 2013

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzcHVlQSbIk

______________________________________________

Everest - Himalaya. Mirrors of pollution.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaBhHYjg-q4    

______________________________________________

The Killer and the Jet Stream

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqLEWNSYxRI

______________________________________________

Everest Extreme Expedition - Clean up campaign

Jul 23, 2012

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=362_wKjEJW8

______________________________________________

Keeping the Mountain Clean: April 25, 2009

As Everest Base Camp grows more crowded, we take an opportunity to meet some of the Sherpas dedicated to keeping the mountain clean.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTRyqlj1rIQ



______________________________________________

Is clean-up finally in sight for the highest rubbish dump on earth? Team set to solve Everest’s pollution problem for good

• Up to 50 tons of rubbish left by climbing tourists every year
• Problem had threatened to destroy fragile ecosystem of the Himalayas
• Clean up team have spent three years hauling rubbish from mountain
• Now want to make climbing groups adhere to Code of Conduct
•  

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2328920/Team-set-solve-Mount-Everests-pollution-problem-good.html


----------------------------------------------------------

Water quality assessment of the sacred Himalayan rivers of Uttarakhand - A study using biological assessment methods

Himalayan rivers, especially the Ganga and its tributaries, are extensively used for bathing, especially ritual bathing on festival days

 http://www.indiawaterportal.org/articles/water-quality-assessment-sacred-himalayan-rivers-uttarakhand-study-using-biological

-----------------------------------------------

The thirsty wettest place on earth

 Thanks to unscrupulous mining, ground water level of Cherrapunji in Meghalya, which receives the highest rainfall in the world, is depleting

 http://www.indiawaterportal.org/news/thirsty-wettest-place-earth


---------------------------------------------------------------------

Why the Himalayan glaciers may be the most important in the world

 

April 22, 2016 

India is the most vulnerable country to climate change

https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/why-the-indian-himalayan-glaciers-may-be-the-most/

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Does India Really Need to Defend the Siachen Glacier?

 February 23, 2016

The latest tragedy has triggered debate over the need to station soldiers on the icy heights.

http://thediplomat.com/2016/02/does-india-really-need-to-defend-the-siachen-glacier/

---------------------------------------------------------------

These 11 Facts Show The Deadly Cost India Has Been Paying To Hold On To The Siachen Glacier

 The first war started in April 1984 when Indian army launched Operation Meghdoot to take control of the region after learning about Pakistan's plan to seize the region. Pakistan, in response, also mobilised its troops ensuing in the battle between two neighbours. While India occupied and still maintains the control over all the 70-kilometre long glacier, Pakistan took control of icy-valleys west of Saltoro ridge - one of the strategic high-grounds on the glacier.

 A May 2012 report in South Asia Global Affairs said that one Pakistani soldier is killed every fourth day in Siachen while one Indian soldier is killed every second day – not by bullets but rather by the severe weather.

https://www.scoopwhoop.com/These-11-Facts-Show-The-Deadly-Cost-India-Has-Been-Paying-To-Hold-On-To-The-Siachen-Glacier/#.ybdas5u0y

------------------------------------------------

Glacier floods a growing threat across the third pole

14.08.15

 The number of glacier lakes on the Tibetan plateau and surrounding mountain ranges has grown significantly over the past three decades because of melting glaciers, a new study has revealed, warning of the growing risk of catastrophic floods downstream.

http://indiaclimatedialogue.net/2015/08/14/glacier-floods-a-growing-threat-across-the-third-pole/

--------------------------------------------------------

5 Mysterious Anomalies Hidden Under the Ice

 Oct 14, 2017

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7-WcJD0Ga4

----------------------------------------------------

As Himalayan Glaciers Melt, Two Towns Face the Fallout

 March 24, 2015

For two towns in northern India, melting glaciers have had very different impacts — one town has benefited from flowing streams and bountiful harvests; but the other has seen its water supplies dry up and now is being forced to relocate.

http://e360.yale.edu/features/as_himalayan_glaciers_melt_two_towns_face_the_fallout

--------------------------------------------------

 A REVISED GLACIER INVENTORY OF BHAGA BASIN HIMACHAL PRADESH, INDIA :
CURRENT STATUS AND RECENT GLACIER VARIATIONS


Dec 2014


https://www.isprs-ann-photogramm-remote-sens-spatial-inf-sci.net/II-8/37/2014/isprsannals-II-8-37-2014.pdf

------------------------------------------------

Pollution Studies of a Monomictic Lake, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India

 2013

https://www.omicsonline.org/open-access/pollution-studies-of-a-monomictic-lake-srinagar-jammu-and-kashmir-india-2168-9776.1000110.php?aid=16234

 ----------------------------------

Environmental Degradation of Jammu & Kashmir Himalaya and their Control (PB)

 Description

The environmental degradation of Indian States falling under the Himalayas is also on the increase. The environment of Jammu & Kashmir Himalayas has been very much degraded. The Government of India has formulated certain laws to tackle with various environmental and pollution problems. Now the time has come to deal with this situation more firmly in Jammu & Kashmir Himalayan region too. Environmental Degradation of Jammu & Kashmir Himalayas and Their Control, highlights all these problems and their solution in 15 chapters, In chapters I,II, the causes of deforestation, degradation of land and pastures, their control measures and hazards have been described. Causes of soil erosion, floods and landslides and methods to control them and hazards are given in chapters IV, V and VI. Chapter VII deals in the perishing plant species of lower middle and high Himalayas and control measures to save plants from extinction. A brief account of wildlife of lower, middle and high Himalayas, wildlife, environment and endangered species and methods for protection of human beings, animals and damage to plants kingdom and economic effects, are detailed in chapter IX along with control measures and global warming/green house effect and impact of acid rains. In chapter X, checking vehicular pollution, a brief scenario of vehicles of India and Jammu, Hazards of vehicular pollution and control measure have been stated. Chapters XI and XII devote on water pollution and its control and control of noise pollution with main topics of water pollutants, their harmful effects and control and causes of noise pollution, its hazards and remedies. Main factors or sources causing soil pollutants, food-borne infection, pesticide contamination, microbial/natural toxins, chemical pollutants, food-borne infections, pesticide contamination, radioactive substance, food additives, food adulteration and food fortification, control and preventive measures, are given in chapter XIV. Concept of agroforestry, agroforestry systems and agroforestry and environment, are detailed in chapter XV. At the end of every chapter, control measures, priorities and suggestion for future development are presented.

http://astralint.com/bookdetails.aspx?isbn=9788185211619

 ----------------------------------

Statistical Assessment of Water Quality Parameters for Pollution Source Identification in Sukhnag Stream: An Inflow Stream of Lake Wular (Ramsar Site), Kashmir Himalaya

2014

Abstract

The precursors of deterioration of immaculate Kashmir Himalaya water bodies are apparent. This study statistically analyzes the deteriorating water quality of the Sukhnag stream, one of the major inflow stream of Lake Wular. Statistical techniques, such as principal component analysis (PCA), regression analysis, and cluster analysis, were applied to 26 water quality parameters. PCA identified a reduced number of mean 2 varifactors, indicating that 96% of temporal and spatial changes affect the water quality in this stream. First factor from factor analysis explained 66% of the total variance between velocity, total-P, NO3–N, Ca2+, Na+, TS, TSS, and TDS. Bray-Curtis cluster analysis showed a similarity of 96% between sites IV and V and 94% between sites II and III. The dendrogram of seasonal similarity showed a maximum similarity of 97% between spring and autumn and 82% between winter and summer clusters. For nitrate, nitrite, and chloride, the trend in accumulation factor (AF) showed that the downstream concentrations were about 2.0, 2.0, and 2.9, times respectively, greater than upstream concentrations.

https://www.hindawi.com/archive/2014/898054/



 ----------------------------------


Spatio-Temporal  Changes  in  Water  Quality  of  Jhelum  River, Kashmir Himalaya

 2017

http://modernscientificpress.com/Journals/ViewArticle.aspx?gkN1Z6Pb60HNQPymfPQlZOfQiAxIWLr6eF5/wJ+8Q1bq2z+nrnSR80yDcY4SwdLU

 ----------------------------------

Monitoring of Water Quality Parameters in Upper and Lower Reaches of Dudhganga Catchment, India

2013

https://www.intechopen.com/books/perspectives-in-water-pollution/monitoring-of-water-quality-parameters-in-upper-and-lower-reaches-of-dudhganga-catchment-india


------------------------------------------------

Bihar to face more floods and droughts as rainfall patterns change

 
  02.10.17


http://indiaclimatedialogue.net/2017/10/02/bihar-face-floods-droughts-rainfall-patterns-change/



-----------------------------------------------

Glacier mapping: a review with special reference to the Indian Himalayas

 2009

http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0309133309348112

----------------------------------------------

Rapid Last Glacial Maximum deglaciation in the Indian Himalaya coeval with midlatitude glaciers: New insights from Be-dating of ice-polished bedrock surfaces in the Chandra Valley, NW Himalaya

 Feb 2016

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/2015GL066077/full


--------------------------------------------

Assessment of Lahaul-Spiti (western Himalaya, India) Glaciers- An Overview of Mass Balance and Climate

 2014

Abstract

Available published literatures on glacier mass balance and climate studies i.e. temperature change, precipitation variation etc. are reviewed for whole Lahaul-Spiti region as well as for western Himalaya. Chhota Shigri and Hamta glaciers both lie in the Lahaul-Spiti region and have the longest in-situ datasets till the date ~10 years, surface mass balance data, geodetic, remotely sensed mass balance data are available. We have compiled and compared all the datasets (different methods) and tried to link up the glacier mass balance with the climate of the past few decades. In the past decade both the glaciers have experienced negative mass balance. However, all the values of mass balance for same years are not corresponding with different methods, but it is clear that the two glaciers are losing mass and behaving like other glaciers with time. Data from Indian Meteorological Department shows a significant increase of average temperature for the entire country and huge variability in precipitation of Himachal Pradesh. Temperature and precipitation are the two main governing factors of the glacier health. It has been observed and predicted that glaciers of the Lahual-Spiti region are losing mass due to change in weather pattern, especially increasing air temperature which is the key parameter of glacier change. However, long-term mass balance and climate data are essential for the better understanding and to predict the future status of glaciers in Lahaul-Spiti region.


https://www.omicsonline.org/open-access/assessment-of-lahaulspiti-western-himalaya-india-glaciers-an-overview-of-mass-balance-and-climate-2157-7617.S11-003.php?aid=26804

------------------------------------------------------------------

A new look at air pollution sources and atmosphere-warming particles in South Asia

 October 18, 2013


New research provides most thorough analysis yet of outdoor cremation ritual emissions in South Asia. While past studies identify black carbon aerosols emitted from combustion of fossil fuels and residential biofuels as the dominant light-absorbing aerosol in the region; new research shows funeral pyre emissions contain sunlight-absorbing organic carbon aerosols known as brown carbon, and underscores the importance of quantifying and characterizing region-specific, cultural combustion activities to enhance existing aerosol emission budgets and climate models.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/10/131018132306.htm


------------------------------------------

Uttarakhand forest fires could melt glaciers faster, say experts

 May 3, 2016

Highlights

• Black carbon from smog and ash is covering the glaciers, thereby making them prone to melting
• Incomplete combustion of fossil fuels, biofuels and biomass produces black carbon
• Glaciers at Gangotri, Milam, Sundardunga, Newla and Cheepa are at risks  NAINITAL: Raging forest fires in Uttarakhand could have a devastating effect on the state's glaciers which are the lifeline of the major rivers flowing through India's northern plains.
  
  According to experts at Nainital's Aryabhatta Research Institute for Observational Sciences (ARIES) and Govind Ballabh Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development (GBPIHED) in Almora, 'black carbon' from smog and ash is covering the glaciers, thereby making them prone to meltin
•  
• http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Uttarakhand-forest-fires-could-melt-glaciers-faster-say-experts/articleshow/52084218.cms

--------------------------------------------------

The incredible artificial glacier that could combat climate change and bring year-round fresh water to a remote Indian village

 July 2017

 

  

 

•  The 'ice stupa' are artificial glaciers built at lower altitudes using pipes, gravity and cold temperatures
• It was the idea of Sonam Wangchuk, an engineer from Ladakh, in the Jammu region of north India
• The region receives on average of just 50mm of rainfall each year, and locals rely on water from glaciers 
• To create a ice stupa, pipes connect to a stream of water from higher in the mountains which flows down
• The pressure created by this difference in heights creates a fountain which freezes in the winter months 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-4713574/Artificial-glaciers-grown-high-altitude-desert.html

------------------------------------------


-----------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------


Chapter 2: Water pollution

-------------------------------------------

-------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------

10 Most polluted rivers of India

 Oct, 2015

 1. Ganga River   

 

Often referred to as ‘Holy Ganga’; this river is no longer holy when it comes to pollution. Ganga not only tops the list of most polluted river in India; but also tops the same in the World. Ganga has reached much farther than the WHO’s permissible limits in pollution levels.

 2. Yamuna River

 

 Yamuna also comes in the top 10 list of World’s most polluted rivers! Delhi is the major reason behind Yamuna’s woeful condition; as Delhi itself dumps 58% waste in Yamuna!

3. Sabarmati River



As per the CPCB report, Sabarmati River in Gujarat is the third most polluted river. Faecal coliform (F.Coli) bacteria were found to be the highest in this river.

4. Damodar River 

 

With so many coal industries sprouting on Damodar river’s mineral rich banks; the river is highly polluted in West Bengal and Jharkhand.

5. Oshiwara River
The Oshiwara River in Mumbai holds the fifth position in the list of the most polluted rivers in India. According to the reports, 85% of the Maharashtra’s rivers are polluted.


6. Gomti River
One of the major sources of water for Lucknow city; the Gomti river has been deteriorated by the industrial effluents in the past few years.


7. Mahi River
Due to excessive pollution and salinity; the Mahi River is on the verge of extinction in Gujarat.

8. Musi River

 

A tributary of Krishna River, Musi River flows in the Deccan Plateau and is highly polluted and its water is the most dangerous among the other rivers.


9. Hindon River
A tributary of Yamuna River, Hindon River is a highly polluted river in Uttar Pradesh region. According to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Hindon along with Yamuna are the two most polluted rivers of Uttar Pradesh.

 10. Wardha River
One of the biggest rivers of Vidarbha region, Wardha River holds the last position in the list. The river has been polluted much in the Maharashtra region.



 http://kanigas.com/10-most-polluted-rivers-of-india/



-----------------------------------------------------



 India's Most Polluted River Actually Bubbles With Toxic Foam



 Nearly one billion Hindus worship the Yamuna River as a goddess. They consider it nearly as sacred as the mighty Ganges, and yet it is dying. The stretch that meanders through New Delhi teems with filth and toxins, and its surface bubbles with thick, white foam. "Visually, it’s beautiful, but when you get close to it, it’s just that horrible smell,” says Zacharie Rabehi. “It smells like shit. Toxic shit, chemical sewage—a bit of sulfur, a bit of human excrement.”


https://www.wired.com/2017/04/zacharie-rabehi-toxic-city/

--------------------------------------------------------

Ugly reality of Yamuna – India’s most polluted river- in pictures

Oct 28, 2015



Hindus believe that one dip in the sacred River Yamuna frees one from the torments of death.  But burden of overgrowing population and unchecked dumping of sewage and industrial waste has rather turned it into a horrible scene.  Now, River Yamuna is seeking salvation from tormenting pollution. The Yamuna, also called Jammuna, is the second largest tributary river of the Ganges that flows through Indo-Gangetic Plains. It originates from the Yamunotri Glacier in Himalayas and flows through Uttarakhand, Haryana, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. The water is clear and blue until the River reaches Haryana. Thereafter, tons of untreated sewage, industrial waste, domestic waste, and dumped garbage turn it into one of the world’s most polluted rivers.

 

   

 


 


   

http://www.planetcustodian.com/2015/10/28/8311/ugly-reality-of-yamuna-indias-most-polluted-river-in-pictures.html


-----------------------------------------------------------

9 Most Polluted Rivers of Indian Metro Cities

 

Musi River -Hyderabad

Musi River divides the historic old city and the new city of Hyderabad in Telangana state. The river originates in Anantagiri Hills and joins the Krishna River at Vadapally,Musi river is highly polluted in Hyderabad and among most polluted rivers in country.

Yamuna River -Delhi

River Yamuna is one of the most polluted rivers of the India and the longest and the second largest tributary river of the Ganges. The holy river is getting polluted especially around New Delhi with garbage and industry sewage.

Sabarmati River -Ahmedabad

 

 Sabarmati River is one of the major west flowing river of Gujarat and third most polluted river in the country. It originates from Arravali hill ranges in Rajasthan and flows towards the Gulf of Cambay in Gujarat.

Ganges River -Allahabad

The river Ganga occupies a unique position in the cultural of Hindu and the holiest river of India. Ganges River river flows through 29 Indian cities with huge population who increase in the population density by Human waste,Industrial waste and Religious events.

Cooum River -Chennai

Cooum River flows through the majour corporation zones of Chennai and the river is highly polluted in this urban area. Polluted Part of the Cooum River is feed by pesticides of corporation zones and heavy metals from the industry in Kilpauk and Triplicane.

Mithi River -Mumbai

 Mithi River flows through the island of the city of Mumbai and get the water discharges of the Powai and Vihar lakes. The river has been polluted by dumping of industrial waste,raw sewage,organic waste and municipal waste.

Mula-Mutha River -Pune

 Mula-Mutha Rivers are formed by the confluence of Mula and Mutha rivers in the city of Pune. Pollution are released into the river at Pune and has resulted high levels of pollution in the Bhima River.

Gomti River -Lucknow

Gomti River is one of  the tributary of the Ganga River and one of the many transcendental rivers in India. The river collects large amounts of human and industrial pollutants from city of Lucknow,Lakhimpur Kheri, Sitapur and Jaunpur.

Vrishabhavathi River -Bangalore

Vrishabhavathi River of Bangalore is a minor river and one of the tributary of the Arkavathy River. The river flows through the south of the Bengaluru city and highly polluted due to domestic and  agricultural sources and pollution from industrial waste.


http://www.walkthroughindia.com/walkthroughs/9-most-polluted-rivers-of-indian-metro-cities/


-------------------------------------------------------------

Water pollution in India

 

 

 

 

The issues

 

Untreated sewage

A 2007 study found that discharge of untreated sewage is the single most important source of pollution of surface and ground water in India. There is a large gap between generation and treatment of domestic waste water in India. The problem is not only that India lacks sufficient treatment capacity but also that the sewage treatment plants that exist do not operate and are not maintained.
The majority of the government-owned sewage treatment plants remain closed most of the time due to improper design or poor maintenance or lack of reliable electricity supply to operate the plants, together with absentee employees and poor management. The waste water generated in these areas normally percolates into the soil or evaporates. The uncollected wastes accumulate in the urban areas causing unhygienic conditions and releasing pollutants that leach into surface and groundwaters.
A 1992 World Health Organization study reported that out of India's 3,119 towns and cities, just 209 have partial sewage treatment facilities, and only 8 have full wastewater treatment facilities. Downstream, the river water polluted by the untreated water is used for drinking, bathing, and washing. A 1995 report claimed 114 Indian cities were dumping untreated sewage and partially cremated bodies directly into the Ganges River. Lack of toilets and sanitation facilities causes open defecation in rural and urban pill areas of India, like many developing countries. This is a source of surface water pollution.


Sewage discharged from cities,towns and some villages is the predominant cause of water pollution in India. Investment is needed to bridge the gap between sewage India generates and its treatment capacity of sewage per day. Major cities of India produce 38,354 million litres per day (MLD) of sewage, but the urban sewage treatment capacity is only 11,786 MLD. A large number of Indian rivers are severely polluted as a result of discharge of domestic sewage.
The Central Pollution Control Board, a Ministry of Environment & Forests Government of India entity, has established a National Water Quality Monitoring Network comprising 1429 monitoring stations in 28 states and 6 in Union Territories on various rivers and water bodies across the country. This effort monitors water quality year round. The monitoring network covers 293 rivers, 94 lakes, 9 tanks, 41 ponds, 8 creeks, 23 canals, 18 drains and 411 wells distributed across India. Water samples are routinely analysed for 28 parameters including dissolved oxygen, bacteriological and other internationally established parameters for water quality. Additionally 9 trace metals parameters and 28 pesticide residues are analysed. Biomonitoring is also carried out on specific locations.
The scientific analysis of water samples from 1995 to 2008 indicates that the organic and bacterial contamination is severe in water bodies of India. This is mainly due to discharge of domestic waste water in untreated form, mostly from the urban centres of India.

Coliform levels

Rivers Yamuna, Ganga, Gomti, Ghaghara River, Chambal, Mahi, Vardha are amongst the other most coliform polluted water bodies in India. For context, coliform must be below 104 MPN/100 ml, preferably absent from water for it to be considered safe for general human use, and for irrigation where coliform may cause disease outbreak from contaminated-water in agriculture.
In 2006, 47 percent of water quality monitoring reported coliform concentrationst above 500 MPN/100 ml. During 2008, 33 percent of all water quality monitoring stations reported a total coliform levels exceeding those levels, suggesting recent effort to add pollution control infrastructure and upgrade treatment plants in India, may be reversing the water pollution trend.
Treatment of domestic sewage and subsequent utilization of treated sewage for irrigation can prevent pollution of water bodies, reduce the demand for fresh water in the irrigation sector and become a resource for irrigation. Since 2005, Indian wastewater treatment plant market has been growing annually at the rate of 10 to 12 percent. The United States is the largest supplier of treatment equipment and supplies to India, with 40 percent market share of new installation. At this rate of expansion, and assuming the government of India continues on its path of reform, major investments in sewage treatment plants and electricity infrastructure development, India will nearly triple its water treatment capacity by 2015, and treatment capacity supply will match India's daily sewage water treatment requirements by about 2020.

Other problems

A joint study by PGIMER and Punjab Pollution Control Board in 2008, revealed that in villages along the Nullah, fluoride, mercury, beta-endosulphan and heptachlor pesticide were more than permissible limit (MPL) in ground and tap water. Plus the water had high concentration of COD and BOD (chemical and biochemical oxygen demand), ammonia, phosphate, chloride, chromium, arsenic and chlorpyrifos pesticide. The ground water also contains nickel and selenium, while the tap water has high concentration of lead, nickel and cadmium.
Flooding during monsoons worsens India's water pollution problem, as it washes and moves solid waste and contaminated soils into its rivers and wetlands. The annual average precipitation in India is about 4000 billion cubic metres. From this, with the state of Indian infrastructure in 2005, the available water resource through the rivers is about 1869 billion cubic meters. Accounting to uneven distribution of rain over the country each year, water resources available for utilization, including ground water, is claimed to be about 1122 billion cubic meters. Much of this water is unsafe, because pollution degrades water quality. Water pollution severely limits the amount of water available to Indian consumer, its industry and its agriculture.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_pollution_in_India


---------------------------------------------------------------

The World's Most Polluted River Revealed in Photos

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2017/04/ganges-river-photos-giulio-di-sturco/



----------------------------------------------------------------

They're raising a stink: Polluted rivers in the country have doubled over past five years 

April 3, 2015

 

In what could give headache to the Narendra Modi government, which is already battling to revive the polluted Ganga, the number of contaminated rivers in the country has more than doubled over the past five years. 

According to the latest assessment by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the number of polluted rivers has gone up from 121 in 2009 to 275. 

The number of polluted river stretches has also doubled from 150 in 2009 to 302.

 

Out of 445 rivers monitored by the CPCB in 29 states and six Union Territories, 275 have been polluted, the study reveals.  

The sewage generated from 650 cities and towns situated along the 302 polluted river stretches has also increased from 38,000 Million Litres per Day (MLD) in 2009 to 62,000 MLD today, the assessment says. 

Significantly, though relative capacities of the Sewage Treatment Plants have not increased, there has been a massive rise in sewage. 

 

(On July 26, 2005, the Mithi River broke its banks, flooding some of the densely populated areas in Mumbai)

While the treatment capacity of the plants stood at 11,800 MLD in 2009, it has risen to 24,000 MLD. 

The gap in the treatment capacity has only widened with 26,200 MLD in 2009 to 38,000 MLD. 

Based on the Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) levels, the 302 polluted river stretches have been bracketed into five priority classes. 

The CPCB has placed 34 rivers with BOD values exceeding 30 mg per litre in Priority Class I that means they require urgent attention.

 

 

There are 17 rivers with BOD between 20-30 mg per litre in priority class II and 158 in the priority class V with BOD between 3 and 6 mg per litre.

The total polluted riverine length in the country is 12,363 km, of which 2,726 km falls in Priority Class I, 1,145 km in Priority Class II, 1,834 km in Priority Class III, 2,492 km in Priority Class IV and 4,166 km in Priority Class V, according to the CPCB.

Yamuna in Delhi is among the most polluted. Maharashtra (49) leads with the most number of polluted stretches, followed by Assam (28), Madhya Pradesh (21), Gujarat (20), West Bengal (17), Karnataka (15), Kerala (13), Uttar Pradesh (13), Manipur (12), Odisha (12), Meghalaya (10) and Jammu and Kashmir (nine). 

'85% rivers in Maharashtra are polluted' 

While campaigning in Nagpur during the Lok Sabha elections, the then BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi lamented about the poor state of the river Nag. 

Nagpur derives its name from this river which has been reduced to a stinking drain. Modi said that the river should be revived and brought back to its glory days. 

Even as the river Nag is waiting to be revived, across Maharashtra a similar fate has befallen majority of the rivers.

“Industrialisation, urbanisation and construction of dams are primarily responsible for the present state of rivers in Maharashtra,” said Girish Raut, environmentalist. 

Many people in Mumbai did not even know that the Mithi was a river till the July 26, 2005 floods. It was reduced to a drain. 

“I know people in Mumbai who have seen clear water flowing in the river Mithi and its tributaries. This was not eons ago, this was just five decades ago,” said Raut. 

He said that over 300 crore litres of pollutants are dumped in the Mithi river by the industries and human settlement on its banks. 

He estimates that 85 per cent of the rivers in Maharashtra are polluted. 

“Rivers are fed by the streams and rivulets from the mountains and hills.

"Forests on the hills in Mumbai, barring the national park, have been replaced by concrete jungle. 

"This leads to water not seeping into the ground and flowing off the surface leading to frequent floods”, said Raut.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/indiahome/indianews/article-3024936/Pollution-India-Polluted-rivers-country-doubled-past-five-years.html



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

India’s dirty rivers make the search for Saraswati seem pointless

 

The government is launching an effort to find the long lost Saraswati river, believed to be mythical by many. But many other rivers in the country continue being polluted and neglected while politics around the main rivers continues.

 

http://www.livemint.com/Multimedia/pHofTpUFT3IMfCALSUfNdO/Indias-dirty-rivers-make-the-search-for-Saraswati-seem-poin.html


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ganga Is Second-Most Polluting River In The World, Spewing 115,000 Tonnes Of Plastic Each Year

 

 Waste plastic that’s dumped in rivers across the world end up in our oceans every day, becoming on of the major sources of marine pollution. A recent study now claims that Asian countries are the biggest culprits when it comes to polluting our waterways.



According to researchers

at The Ocean Cleanup, a Dutch foundation working on new technologies to rid the oceans of plastic, rivers carry an estimated 1.15-2.41 million tonnes of plastic into the sea every year. To put that into perspective, we’d need anywhere between 48,000 to 100,000 dump trucks to carry away all that trash if we cleaned it out of the ocean. And India is one of the biggest contributors of that pollution.
 The study states that two-thirds of the pollution entering our oceans from across the world come from the 20 most polluting rivers, a majority of which are in Asia.

China’s Yangtze River tops that list, dumping approximately 333,000 tonnes of plastic into the East China Sea every year. India meanwhile comes in distant second, with just the Ganga river responsible for 115,000 tonnes of plastic output, with another Chinese river, Xi, coming in third.

 


In fact, six of China’s rivers are on the list of top polluters, with three in the top five. Beyond the top twenty worst rivers, the rest of the world shares 14 percent of plastic pollution in the oceans.

“Most of this river plastic input is coming from Asia, which emphasises the need to focus on monitoring and mitigation efforts in Asian countries with rapid economic development and poor waste management,” The Ocean Cleanup said. They say their estimates are rough, as there’s very little data to be had. “Yet, the relatively high concentrations of ocean plastic found at the surface of the North Pacific Ocean where buoyant plastics originating from Asia can accumulate, suggest that our assumptions are plausible,” the team added.


http://www.indiatimes.com/technology/news/ganga-is-second-most-polluting-river-in-the-world-spewing-115-000-tonnes-of-plastic-each-year-323479.html

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

15 Horrible Pictures Of The Most Polluted Rivers In The World

 March, 2017

15. The Marilao River, The Philippines 

14. The Han River, China

13. The Yamuna River, India

  

 

The Yamuna River is one of the most sacred rivers of India. Sadly, it looks like the Indians have forgotten how to treat sacred places. On top of that, the Yamuna River is one of the primary sources of drinking water in India, especially New Delhi. However, people from New Delhi throw around 58 percent of their sewage into this river. I am not a scientist, but I think it is clear that polluting the water which you will later drink is a stupid idea. That said, you can find anything from burned bodies to toxic chemicals to household garbage in the Yamuna River. It is one of the most polluted rivers in the world. However, the government of India cannot do a thing about this problem. Yes, they showed some efforts to stop the pollution, but it was more like a formality than a real action.

12. The Citarum River, Indonesia

11. The Huangpu River, China

10. The Niger River Delta, Nigeria

9. The Pasig River, The Philippines

8. The Red River In Wenzhou

7. The Ganges River, India

6. The Mississippi River, USA

5. Rajasthan Lakes, India

 

I know the Rajasthan lakes are not rivers, but it just must be on the list. After all, those “lakes” in Rajasthan look nothing similar to an actual lake. It is one big dump for industrial companies to get rid of their sewage and chemicals. People use it to dump their garbage as well. It makes the three most known lakes in Rajasthan – the Jal Mahal, Jaisamand, and Udaisagar – the most polluted lakes in the world.
The director of Centre for Science and Environment Sunita Narain stated that this situation cannot last any longer. She mentioned that 2016, with Brexit and Trump’s victory, must have been a wake-up call to the whole world. On top of that, Sunita claimed that her company has a lot of disturbing information about the pollution and India will have to start acting before more people die.

4. The Rivers Of Rio, Brazil

3. The Cuyahoga River, Cleveland, USA

2. The Matanza-Riachuelo River, Argentina

1. The Jianhe River, China

http://www.therichest.com/shocking/15-horrible-pictures-of-the-most-polluted-rivers-in-the-world/

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gujarat: State has 38 urban centres located on polluted rivers’

 March, 2016

Gujarat, with 38 towns and cities, has the fourth highest number of urban centres in the country that are located on polluted river stretches. Only Maharashtra, Assam and West Bengal has more such towns.

http://indianexpress.com/article/cities/ahmedabad/gujarat-state-has-38-urban-centres-located-on-polluted-rivers/

-----------------------------------------------------

Which is the cleanest river in India?

Opinion:

Chambal River
Dwaki River

 https://www.quora.com/Which-is-the-cleanest-river-in-India

-----------------------------------------------------

Flaming river redux: Fire erupts from polluted froth on India lake (Video)

 

 

 June 19, 2015

Mohamed Attaulla Khan won’t forget the night the lake he used to fish on as a boy caught fire.
The pollution in Bellandur Lake was well-known: Every summer for more than a decade, a white froth as thick as shaving cream had carpeted the water, a chemical reaction caused by untreated waste. But standing on a bridge one evening last month, Khan, a 56-year-old high school principal, saw small orange flames flickering at the lake’s surface amid the toxic suds.

 http://www.latimes.com/world/asia/la-fg-fire-springs-forth-on-india-lake-20150619-story.html

-----------------------------------------------------

Toxic foam is a fact of life along India’s most polluted waterways

 

 

Motorists pass toxic foam build-up on the Bellandur Lake on the outskirts of Bangalore, India, on April 28, 2015. Hundreds of electroplating and e-waste recycling units in the city’s industrial pockets discharge highly toxic chemicals into tributaries which flow into lakes and combine to create foam.

 


 


 


 Chemical foam from industrial discharge covers the surface of the River Yamuna in New Delhi in 2014.





 An extremely polluted river that runs along Faridabad, Delhi, India.




 An extremely polluted river that runs along Faridabad, Delhi, India.


 

 Indian fishermen untie their fishing nets near thick foam overflowing at a beach coast in Chennai in 2012. According to fumigation officials, the water is polluted by industrial waste and unusual discharge of sewage.





 Thick foam from pollution surrounds Indian workers at a site of a bridge under construction over the Yamuna River in New Delhi in 2014.




 Devotees immerse idols of Hindu gods and goddesses among foam from chemicals and debris in the Yamuna River, during the festival of Durga Puja in New Delhi in 2004.

http://mashable.com/2015/10/11/toxic-foam-india/#wsezGM1qTZq3

-------------------------------------------------

World Water Day 2016: India has the world's worst water quality, and it's getting worse

 March 2016

India has the world's highest number of people without access to clean water, imposing a major financial burden for some of the country's poorest people.
According to the Water Aid, an international charity that strives to improve access to safe water, as well as hygiene and sanitation, there are 75.8 million people in India (that's 5% of the country's population) who are forced to either spend an average of 72¢to buy 50 litres of water a day, nearly 20% of their daily income, or use supplies that are contaminated with sewage and chemicals. The people of Britain spend around 10¢ a day for the same amount.





 

http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/world-water-day-2016-india-has-worlds-worst-water-quality-its-getting-worse-1551050

 ------------------------------------------------

Not just scarcity, groundwater contamination is India’s hidden crisis

 Mar 22, 2017

More than three-quarters of India’s rural population depends on groundwater for drinking, but the country’s aquifers are not only under tremendous stress, the quality of water they provide is also deteriorating.

More than three-quarters of India’s rural population depends on groundwater for drinking, but the country’s aquifers are not only under tremendous stress, the quality of water they provide is also deteriorating.
Government data says 94% of the population has access to improved water sources but this number does not tell the whole story. If you dig deeper and question the quality of available water, the crisis becomes murkier and more dangerous.
Surface water contamination receives a lot of attention because of the visible pollution of this water. In India, 19 states have reported fluoride contamination of water and groundwater in at least 10 states is contaminated with arsenic.
India has over 30 million groundwater extraction points and barring a handful, in all states a majority of wells have registered declining water levels in the pre-monsoon months over a decade from 2006 to 2015.
In pockets of Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Punjab, Rajasthan, Telangana and West Bengal the problem is particularly acute.
“If current trends continue, within 20 years 60% of all aquifers in India will be in a critical condition,” according to a 2012 World Bank report...

http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/not-just-scarcity-groundwater-contamination-is-india-s-hidden-crisis/story-bBiwL1eyJJeMgFQcX4Cn7K.html


 ------------------------------------------------

76 Million Don’t Have Safe Drinking Water: India’s Looming Water Crisis

 September 22, 2017

 Nearly 76 million people in India do not have access to safe drinking water, as polluted rivers and poor storage infrastructure over the years has created a water deficit which may become unmanageable in the future

http://swachhindia.ndtv.com/76-million-dont-have-safe-drinking-water-indias-looming-water-crisis-5606/

 ------------------------------------------------

80% of India’s surface water may be polluted, report by international body says

 Jun 28, 2015

 NEW DELHI: Even as India is making headlines with its rising air pollution levels, the water in the country may not be any better. An alarming 80% of India's surface water is polluted, a latest assessment by WaterAid, an international organization working for water sanitation and hygiene, shows.

The report, based on latest data from the ministry of urban development (2013), census 2011 and Central Pollution Control Board, estimates that 75-80% of water pollution by volume is from domestic sewerage, while untreated sewerage flowing into water bodies including rivers have almost doubled in recent years.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/pollution/80-of-Indias-surface-water-may-be-polluted-report-by-international-body-says/articleshow/47848532.cms

 ------------------------------------------------

Plastic fibres found in tap water around the world, study reveals

Exclusive: Tests show billions of people globally are drinking water contaminated by plastic particles, with 83% of samples found to be polluted.

 India: 82.4 % of tap water samples contained plastic fibres.


The new analyses indicate the ubiquitous extent of microplastic contamination in the global environment. Previous work has been largely focused on plastic pollution in the oceans, which suggests people are eating microplastics via contaminated seafood.
“We have enough data from looking at wildlife, and the impacts that it’s having on wildlife, to be concerned,” said Dr Sherri Mason, a microplastic expert at the State University of New York in Fredonia, who supervised the analyses for Orb. “If it’s impacting [wildlife], then how do we think that it’s not going to somehow impact us?”

 A separate small study in the Republic of Ireland released in June also found microplastic contamination in a handful of tap water and well samples. “We don’t know what the [health] impact is and for that reason we should follow the precautionary principle and put enough effort into it now, immediately, so we can find out what the real risks are,” said Dr Anne Marie Mahon at the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology, who conducted the research.

Mahon said there were two principal concerns: very small plastic particles and the chemicals or pathogens that microplastics can harbour. “If the fibres are there, it is possible that the nanoparticles are there too that we can’t measure,” she said. “Once they are in the nanometre range they can really penetrate a cell and that means they can penetrate organs, and that would be worrying.” The Orb analyses caught particles of more than 2.5 microns in size, 2,500 times bigger than a nanometre.
Microplastics can attract bacteria found in sewage, Mahon said: “Some studies have shown there are more harmful pathogens on microplastics downstream of wastewater treatment plants.”

Microplastics are also known to contain and absorb toxic chemicals and research on wild animals shows they are released in the body. Prof Richard Thompson, at Plymouth University, UK, told Orb: “It became clear very early on that the plastic would release those chemicals and that actually, the conditions in the gut would facilitate really quite rapid release.” His research has shown microplastics are found in a third of fish caught in the UK.

Advertisement

The scale of global microplastic contamination is only starting to become clear, with studies in Germany finding fibres and fragments in all of the 24 beer brands they tested, as well as in honey and sugar. In Paris in 2015, researchers discovered microplastic falling from the air, which they estimated deposits three to 10 tonnes of fibres on the city each year, and that it was also present in the air in people’s homes...


https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/sep/06/plastic-fibres-found-tap-water-around-world-study-reveals


-------------------------------------------------

The Great Plastic Tide

 

http://coastalcare.org/2009/11/plastic-pollution/


--------------------------------------


 Plastic pollution blights Bay of Bengal – in pictures

 2 March 2017

In India, 6,000 tonnes of plastic waste lies uncollected every day. Some of this washes up in Tamil Nadu state, where it pollutes and contaminates the food and water of communities living along the Bay of Bengal.
 
All photographs by Jacques de Lannoy

 

 


 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/gallery/2017/mar/02/plastic-pollution-blights-bay-of-bengal-in-pictures

------------------------

Bay of Bengal: depleted fish stocks and huge dead zone signal tipping point

 January 31, 2017



Yet the exploitation of these waters continues without check. At night specially equipped, long-armed boats materialise around the islands and shine high-powered green lights into the water to attract plankton and the squid that follow in their wake. After nightfall, a glow that is bright enough to be visible from outer space¹² hangs above the archipelago, like a miasmic fog. These squid boats, some of which are probably crewed by men who have been trafficked like slaves¹³, help to make Thailand the world’s largest exporter of squid – at least for the time being.

At the same time the bay’s ecosystems are also being disrupted by other environmental pressures. Several large rivers empty into the bay, carrying vast tides of untreated sewage, plastic, industrial waste and effluent from the agriculture and aquaculture industries¹⁴. The impact of this pollution could be catastrophic. The high load of organic pollutants, coupled with the diminution of the fish that keep them in control, could lead to massive plankton blooms, further reducing the water’s oxygen content.

Last month a multinational team of scientists reported an alarming finding – a very large “dead zone” has appeared in the bay. Apart from sulphur-oxidising bacteria and marine worms, few creatures can live in these oxygen-depleted waters¹⁵. This zone already spans some 60,000 sq km and appears to be growing¹⁶.
The dead zone of the Bay of Bengal is now at a point where a further reduction in its oxygen content could have the effect of stripping the water of nitrogen, a key nutrient. This transition could be triggered either by accretions of pollution or by changes in the monsoons, a predicted effect of global warming.

What is unfolding in the bay is a catastrophic convergence of flawed policy, economic over-exploitation, unsustainable forms of waste management, and climate change impacts that are intensifying in unpredictable ways. The scientists who identified the bay’s dead zone warn that this stretch of ocean is approaching a tipping point that will have serious consequences for the planet’s oceans and the global nitrogen cycle.

Should the bay’s fisheries collapse there will also be very serious human consequences, including intensified conflict and mass displacement. If millions of people lose their livelihoods then we can be sure that the resultant churning of populations will create huge new streams of migration, across the bay, the Indian Ocean, and indeed, the planet. Recent refugee flows in the region suggest that such a process may have already begun.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/jan/31/bay-bengal-depleted-fish-stocks-pollution-climate-change-migration


---------------------------------------

The destruction of reefs is bad news for humanity: How we can work to reverse the damage

 2017

http://www.firstpost.com/living/the-destruction-of-reefs-is-bad-news-for-humanity-how-we-can-work-to-reverse-the-damage-4049693.html


 ----------------------------------

Arabian Sea is suffocating due to toxic algae bloom, and it is going to get worse

30 March 2017

• The algae bloom stretches from Oman on the west to India and Pakistan on the east
• Algae releases ammonia, changes the flavour of the water and kills fish
• Researchers have discovered the formation of a dead zone (as big as Nigeria) in the northern Arabian Sea

What causes algae bloom?

The algae bloom is caused by Noctiluca scintillans—microscopic dinoflagellates that feed on plankton and suck up energy from the sun through microscopic algae living within their cells. In a marine ecosystem, dinoflagellates make up only a small part of the food chain. However, when there's a build-up of plankton, it leads to massive algae blooms that start dominating the local area.
When the cell of these dinoflagellates breaks down, ammonia is released. It changes the flavour of the water and, in extreme cases, it kills fish. That's a threat for local industry as fishing sustains around 120 million people living on the edge of the Arabian Sea.

Algae bloom linked to human activity and climate change

Scientists, who study algae, are of the opinion that these microscopic organisms are thriving in new conditions brought about by climate change, and “displacing the zooplankton that underpin the local food chain”. They fear that something has changed dramatically in the Arabian Sea. "It's unusual for Noctiluca (dinoflagellates) to bloom in the open sea and return year after year," Andrew Juhl, a microbiologist from Columbia University, had said in 2014. Increasing ocean temperature is not only aiding algae blooms, but also making dead zones more common across the world.

• Toxic algae thrive in warmer water
• Warmer temperatures prevent water from mixing, allowing algae to grow faster
• Warmer water helps small organisms to move through and allows algae to float to the surface faster
• Algal blooms absorb sunlight, making water even warmer, thus, promoting more blooms

According to another team from the Columbia University, the dinoflagellates have become more common due to hypoxia, or lack of oxygen.
After a three-year-long study on algae growth, the researchers discovered the formation of a dead zone (as big as Nigeria) in the northern Arabian Sea. This is where pollutants from human activity, especially sewage run-offs, have depleted oxygen levels. While toxicity makes it difficult for marine life to survive, it is ideal for the growth of plankton that these dinoflagellates feed on.
The satellite technology has enabled scientists to link algae to higher levels of air and water pollution in recent decades. There are concerns that algae blooms could create an alternate food chain, with more jellyfish and sea turtles, and less predatory fish.

http://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/arabian-sea-is-suffocating-due-to-toxic-algae-bloom-and-it-is-going-to-get-worse-57475

 ----------------------------------

Some question if the changing of the chemical composition of the Arabian Sea, is causing a change in the climate of the sea. The reefs of the Arabian Sea are being harmed by this change in the chemical composition of the rivers and oceans.


------------------------------------------

Massive stinking algae bloom the size of MEXICO turns the Gulf of Oman green

 

• Gulf of Oman turns green twice a year when algae spreads across Arabian Sea
• But, the organisms are thriving in conditions brought about by climate change
• These blooms have caused a 'short-circuiting of the food chain,' researchers say
• Algae can paralyze fish, clog their gills, absorb enough oxygen to suffocate them
• And, whales, turtles, dolphins and manatees have died, poisoned by algal toxins

 The Gulf of Oman turns green twice a year, when an algae bloom the size of Mexico spreads across the Arabian Sea all the way to India. Scientists who study the algae say the microscopic organisms are thriving in new conditions brought about by climate change

ALGAE BLOOMS 'SHORT-CIRCUIT' THE FOOD CHAIN 

Scientists who study the algae say the microscopic organisms are thriving in new conditions brought about by climate change, and displacing the zooplankton that underpin the local food chain, threatening the entire marine ecosystem.

The swarms of microscopic creatures beneath the surface of the Gulf of Oman were all but invisible 30 years ago - now they form giant, murky shapes that can be seen from satellites.

Across the planet, blooms have wrecked local ecosystems. Algae can paralyze fish, clog their gills, and absorb enough oxygen to suffocate them. 

Whales, turtles, dolphins and manatees have died, poisoned by algal toxins, in the Atlantic and Pacific. 

These toxins have infiltrated whole marine food chains and have, in rare cases, killed people, according to the U.N. science agency.

Researchers said the blooms have caused a 'short-circuiting of the food chain,' endangering other marine life.

The blooms will likely spread as the Indian Ocean continues to absorb greenhouse gas emissions, but could be contained if they are sprayed with fresh water.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-4315270/Growing-algae-bloom-Arabian-Sea-tied-climate-change.html

 ----------------------------------

Ohio State University study links toxic algae blooms, fatal liver disease | Video

 May 22, 2017

 http://www.tcpalm.com/story/news/local/indian-river-lagoon/health/2017/05/22/ohio-state-university-study-links-toxic-algae-blooms-fatal-liver-disease/100971180/

-----------------------------------

Chronic kidney disease in two coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh, India: role of drinking water.

 2013 Aug

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23475496

-------------------------------------

Deleterious role of trace elements - Silica and lead in the development of chronic kidney disease.

 June, 2017

 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28292724


--------------------------------------

Identification of Algal Blooms in the north Indian Ocean

https://www.nrsc.gov.in/Algal_Blooms_north_Indian_Ocean



 ----------------------------------

Impact of Algal Bloom on Mangrove and Coral Reef Ecosystem in the Marine National Park, Gulf of Kachchh, Gujarat, India 

 

Algal blooms occur as a natural phenomena when environmental conditions promote the rapid growth of algae, which is faced by almost all coastal countries^[1,2]. A severity of such algal blooms depends upon the nutrient enrichment level especially phosphorous and nitrogen contents in the ecosystem. Anthropogenic activities, natural sources, hydrographic changes and sometime climate change impacts are responsible to stimulate the growth of algae that causes intensive effect on the coastal ecosystems^[3-6]. The primary source attributed to the triggering and spread of blooms is increasing the pollution. However, pollution is not always a noticeable factor that cannot be ignored.

  Gulf of Kachchh Marine National Park (MNP) is one of the marine biodiversity rich habitats that include 42 islands. It is also known as non-divers’ paradise where variety of marine organisms can be witnessed during low tide^[7,8]. This Marine Protected Area is surrounded by various industries including petrochemicals, fertilizer, ship building, thermal power, salt works and several other small scale industries that drain their effluents into the sea^[9,10]. In addition, the southwest monsoon downpours the region and washes the nutrients along with other pollutant from land to sea. It stimulates the nitrification in the Gulf of Kachchh waters and further results in algal bloom every year from October to February...

https://www.ommegaonline.org/article-details/Impact-of-Algal-Bloom-on-Mangrove-and-Coral-Reef-Ecosystem-in-the-Marine-National-Park,-Gulf-of-Kachchh,-Gujarat,-India/620


 ----------------------------------


 We can see how natural disasters and natural climate change can even cause a change in coral reefs.

 ----------------------------------

Observations on Coral Diseases in Marine National Park, Gulf of Kachchh

2014

http://saspublisher.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/SAJB-26370-373.pdf

----------------------------------

Spatial inventory and ecological status of coral reefs of the Central Indian Ocean using Resourcesat-1

2012

http://nopr.niscair.res.in/bitstream/123456789/24796/1/IJMS%2042%286%29%20684-696.pdf

 ----------------------------------

Coral Reef Mapping and Reef Health Monitoring

http://www.incois.gov.in/portal/CoralReef.jsp

 ----------------------------------

Coral bleaching and mortality in three Indian reef regions during an El Niño southern oscillation event

 August 2000

  The 1997–1998 El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) event,   which   elevated   Sea   Surface   Temperatures (SSTs) of tropical oceans by more than 3°C, was one of  the  most  extreme  ENSO  events  in  recent  history. Such  increases  in  SSTs  above  the  seasonal  average
can trigger widespread bleaching in coral reefs. This study  examined  bleaching  in  three  Indian  coral  reef regions  in  relation  to  SSTs  using  quantitative  rapid assessment  methods  between  April  and  July,  1998. The  Gulf  of  Kutch  reefs  showed  an  average  of  11% bleached  coral  with  no  apparent  bleaching-related mortality.   In   contrast,   bleached   coral   comprised
82%  of  the  coral  cover  in  lagoon  reefs  of  Lakshad-weep and 89% of the coral cover in the Gulf of Man-nar   reefs.   Bleaching-related   mortality   was   high–26% in Lakshadweep and 23% i
n Mannar. The coral mass  mortality  may  have  profound  ecological  and socio-economic  implications  and  highlights  the  need for  sustained  monitoring  for  coral  reef  conservation
in India.


http://tejas.serc.iisc.ernet.in/currsci/dec252000/1723.pdf


 ----------------------------------

 DELAYED RECOVERY IN PORITES SPP. FOLLOWING MASS CORAL
BLEACHING: A CASE STUDY FROM THE GULF OF KACHCHH, GUJARAT, INDIA

2015

http://www.mutagens.co.in/jgb/vol.04/5/26.pdf


------------------------------

Ecological collapse

Ecological collapse refers to a situation where an ecosystem suffers a drastic, possibly permanent, reduction in carrying capacity for all organisms, often resulting in mass extinction. Usually, an ecological collapse is precipitated by a disastrous event occurring on a short time scale.
Ecosystems have the ability to rebound from a disruptive agent. The difference between collapse or a gentle rebound is determined by two factors—the toxicity of the introduced element and the resiliency of the original ecosystem.




In addition, a major concern for marine biologists is the effects of ecological collapse on the coral reefs (who based on fossil evidence are more vulnerable to extinction but also demonstrate greater resilience). An effect of global climate change is the rising sea levels which can lead to reef drowing or coral bleaching. Human activity, such as fishing, mining, deforestation, etc., serves as a threat for coral reefs by affecting the niche of the coral reefs. For example, Edinger and colleagues demonstrate a correlation between a loss in diversity of coral reefs by 30-60% and human activity such as sewage and/or industrial pollution.


 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecological_collapse


----------------------------

Coral bleaching

 

Indian Ocean

Coral reef provinces have been permanently damaged by warm sea temperatures, most severely in the Indian Ocean. Up to 90% of coral cover has been lost in the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Kenya and Tanzania and in the Seychelles during the massive 1997-98 bleaching event.

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coral_bleaching#Indian_Ocean

--------------------------

How Scientists Are Using Solar Energy to Regenerate Extinct Coral Reefs in India

 2017

Sadly, just like the rest of the environment, coral reefs are in trouble too. The reason? Coral bleaching or the death of zooxanthellae ( this symbiotic algae is the main source of nutrients for reef-building corals) due to rising seawater temperatures, overfishing, water pollution and other environmental factors tied to man-made climate change. Since it is the the presence of the algae that gives corals their brilliant colour, their death turns them white.
In the last two decades, three global mass bleaching events have taken place, with the most recent and devastating one beginning in 2014 and lasting for more than two years. According to the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network (GCRMN), more than 25% of the world’s reefs are already gone and another quarter will die within the next twenty years!

With such events expected to increase in severity and frequency, scientists across the world have been trying to come up with various techniques that can regenerate bleached and locally extinct corals. In India, marine scientists are using solar energy to regenerate extinct corals through a technology known as Biorocks.

 

http://www.icontrolpollution.com/articles/evaluation-of-ground-water-quality-of-bareillycity-.php?aid=45472

----------------------------------------

In a World First, Indian Marine Scientists Restore Thousands of Years Old Dead Coral Reef

 2016

Indian marine scientists from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) found a dead coral reef from 10,000 years ago in the Gulf of Kutch, and decided to try and revive it. Corals were then transplanted from a similar environment in the Gulf of Mannar and these fragile creatures survived. Given the marine environment in the Gulf of Kutch, the scientists now intend using the region as a sanatorium for sick and stressed out corals.
The beginning of this story dates back to over 10,000 years ago when there was a large thriving coral reef in the Gulf of Kutch. The reef had a good diversity of stony corals and was dominated by Acropora Stag-horn branching corals. Sediments brought down by the rivers that flow through the Kutch area caused silt to settle on the coral beds, leading to the death of these branching corals.

Indian marine scientists found dead branching corals on the 42 islands around the Gulf of Kutch. Carbon dating enabled them to deduce that these branching corals had died some 10,000 years ago.

https://www.thebetterindia.com/52607/world-first-indian-marine-scientists-restore-ancient-dead-coral-reef/

 ----------------------------------

Gujarat’s lungs in Gulf of Kutch are getting clogged

  
Apr 22, 2010

It has emerged that Gujarat’s coral reef cover has eroded by 23.2% over the past two decades.

It has emerged that Gujarat’s coral reef cover has eroded by 23.2% over the past two decades. One of the main factors cited for this degradation is anthropogenic influence, i.e., impact of human activity.

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-gujarat-s-lungs-in-gulf-of-kutch-are-getting-clogged-1374149

 ----------------------------------

Assessment of reef associated biota in the Pirotan Island, Gulf of Kachchh,
Gujarat, India

2012

http://www.imedpub.com/articles/assessment-of-reef-associated-biota-in-the-pirotan-island-gulf-of-kachchhgujarat-india.pdf

 ----------------------------------

Coral reefs in India status threats and conservation measures

 2012

https://www.mangrovesforthefuture.org/assets/Repository/Documents/Coral-Reefs-in-India-Status-Threats-Conservation-Measures.pdf



 ----------------------------------

Damage to Gulf's coral reefs 'is irreversible'

December 16, 2010

Reefs and mangroves 'more threatened here than in any other sea' and only 3% of the Arabian Sea¿s coral reefs, mainly around the Mussandam Peninsula, experience low threat levels.

ABU DHABI // Coral reefs in the Arabian Gulf have deteriorated significantly in the past decade and some of the damage is irreversible, according to a prominent marine scientist.
"All the major indicators are down," Professor Charles Sheppard, from the University of Warwick in the UK, told a marine conservation forum in the capital.
Average fish density, which is 4,000kg a hectare in a healthy reef, is less than 1,000, he said.
Coral reefs sustain a quarter of marine species, despite covering a tiny portion of ocean territory. Shrimp, crab, lobster and many other commercially viable species of fish live on reefs. If reefs disappear, so, eventually, will fisheries.
Prof Sheppard has been studying Gulf corals for more than 20 years and is a reviewing member of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the scientific body that informs the United Nations and world leaders.
One of the most striking examples of the severity of the reef damage that Prof Sheppard gave at the forum is Fasht al Adhm, a once-vibrant reef between Bahrain and Qatar.
When he first visited the reef in 1985, "the coral cover at that time averaged 50 per cent or more, which is healthy", he said.
"When we went back two years ago, the coral cover was virtually zero. The reef was covered in seaweed and slime and the corals were disintegrating.
"We went to other reefs around Bahrain and they were all the same," he said.
Prof Sheppard has recorded the damage to Gulf coral in a recent scientific paper, The Gulf: A Young Sea in Decline.
The paper mentions Dubai, where there was once healthy coral off the Deira Corniche and the Dubai aluminium smelter in Jebel Ali. Until 2004, when construction of The Palm Jebel Ali began, the emirate also had the Gulf's second-most biodiverse documented ecosystem.
In Abu Dhabi, the new Khalifa Port and Industrial Zone, projected to have the world's largest aluminium smelter and the biggest plastics and chemicals manufacturing zone, is close to the emirate's most vibrant coral reef, in Ras Ghanada.
In his paper, Prof Sheppard estimated that only three per cent of the Arabian Sea's coral reefs, mainly around the Mussandam Peninsula in Oman, experience low threat levels.
"Reefs and mangroves, in particular, are more threatened here than in any other sea," he wrote.
In his address on Tuesday he explained the reasons for the decline. Large-scale dredging and land reclamation, the process of creating new land from what was once the sea, are major factors, he said.
Others are nutrient-rich discharges from sewage treatment plants, thermal pollution from desalination plants and industry, and overfishing, which can remove herbivore fish that control algae. If algae is allowed to grow unchecked, it can overwhelm coral.

https://www.thenational.ae/world/mena/damage-to-gulf-s-coral-reefs-is-irreversible-1.516972

 ----------------------------------



What's eating planet Earth?

http://helpsavenature.com/lists-of-environmental-problems

--------------------------------------

Pollution turning country's rainfall acidic, says study

 Mar 4, 2017


Pollution is causing 'lifegiving' rain to become increasingly acidic in many parts of the country , particularly in the last decade, research by India Meteorological Department and Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology has revealed.

Analysis of rainwater samples from Nagpur, Mohanbari (Assam), Allahabad, Visakhapatnam and Kodaikanal in the decade 2001-2012 showed a pH level varying from 4.77 to 5.32, indicating that these places have been receiving `acid rain'. Rainwater with pH below 5.65 is considered acidic. 


-------------------------------

                   ACID RAIN Geographical Scenario -India

(source: http://iitmenvis.nic.in/menu/ENVIS_Acid_Rain/011.html) 

   
 Acid Rain - India

It has been found that potential neutralizer of the acidic components of rain water in Indian region is Calcium which is mainly naturally derived from the soil. As the soil of the most part of Indian land is Calcareous, it contains abundance of calcium. So, the Indian soil has as yet put a check on the acidification of rain water, but how long?

    Acid Rain Studies in India -

There have been many reports of acid rain in India in the past and that too have been only the episodic. Reported acid precipitations in India includes the acid rain in Chembur and Colaba industrial areas of Mumbai, in the vicinity of Singrauli Super thermal Power Plant ( average pH value 5.3), at a rural site of Bhubaneswar (median pH value 5.0) and the Silent Valley (pH=5.3).

Latest reports on acid rain are at Kalyan (pH=5.28), Chembur (pH=4.8), Sinhagad (pH=5.2), Delhi (pH<5.6) and very rrecently at Panipat (pH<5.6) of National Capital Region of Delhi.

Although the pH value of rainwater at Pune has been reported to lie in the alkaline range, its value has shown decreasing trend from value of 7.5 in 1986 to 6.2 in 1998. The main reason is attributed to the decrease in the level of calcium ion and increase in sulphate and nitrate ions.

Rain fall in Agra and Delhi regions have also shown decrease in pH value with the passage of time. Acid Rain studies are being carried out by IITM since last three decades. The pH values are higher (pH>7.0) in north & north-west parts of India. They are slightly lower (6.0 ≤ pH ≤7.0) in northeastern & southern parts of India. The higher pH is due to neutralization of acidic ions (SO4

& NO3) by soil originated cations (Ca, K & Mg) as well as by NH4. However, the pH values are acidic (pH ≤5.56) at some industrial, rural & remote locations which could be either due to anthropogenic emissions (Kalyan & Singrauli), acidic soil (Goraur & Mohanbari) or due to thick

cover of vegetation that prevents soil erosion (Trivandrum, Silent Valley & Tungnath). This work is being carried out at IITM, Pune by a team of scientist led by Dr. P.S.P. Rao.

 http://home.iitk.ac.in/~anubha/H4.pdf

----------------------------------

Link Established Between Air Pollution and Cyclone Intensity in Arabian Sea

Disruption of wind shear enables formation of stronger storms, researchers find

Pollution is making Arabian Sea cyclones more intense, according to a multi-institutional study that included scientists at UCSD’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography.
Traditionally, prevailing wind shear patterns prohibit cyclones in the Arabian Sea from becoming major storms. A paper appearing in the Nov. 3 issue of the journal Nature, however, suggests the weakening of the winds aloft has enabled the formation of stronger cyclones in recent years — including storms in 2007 and 2010 that were the first recorded storms ever to enter the Gulf of Oman.

 The researchers note that the weakening wind pattern over the past 30 years has corresponded with a buildup of aerosols in the atmosphere over India, which deflect sunlight away from the surface, creating dimming at ground level.

http://ucsdnews.ucsd.edu/feature
/link_established_between_air_pollution_and_cyclone_intensity_in_arabian_sea

-----------------------------------------

Emissions from ships can impact monsoon activity over Bay of Bengal

August 10, 2016

Using surface and satellite data, a team led by scientist M.V. Ramana of the Hyderabad-based National Remote Sensing Centre has found that aerosol plumes from ships produced severe pollution along the international shipping route in the Bay of Bengal.
According to a paper published on August 2 in the journal Scientific Reports, emissions from ships along the corridor (5-6 degrees North latitude) has directly heated the lower troposphere by two-and-half times compared to surrounding areas and also created a temperature gradient of around 0.1K/day on either side of the shipping route. The troposphere is the lowest region of the atmosphere.
Satellite measurement confirmed the presence of high levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO ₂) along the shipping corridor, which is 100 km wide. The measurements were made during 2011-2012.
Compared with the surrounding regions, the concentration of NO ₂ was five times higher along the shipping corridor.
While the NO ₂ value in the surrounding region was 2x10 ¹⁴ molecules per cm ², along the shipping route it was 10 x 10 ¹⁴ molecules per cm ². The NO ₂ concentration along the shipping route over Bay of Bengal has been increasing at a steady rate of 0.08 x 10 ¹⁴ molecules/cm ²/year, notes the paper. There is a five to six per cent increase in shipping trade along the corridor per year.
Since NO ₂ can absorb solar radiation, the increased levels of this gas along the shipping route led to more heating of the atmosphere.
In addition to gaseous emissions, ship exhaust also contains particulate matter such as black carbon.
Along the shipping route, the black carbon concentration was elevated by a factor of four compared to surrounding regions; the lower troposphere solar heating rate was elevated by 0.1°C in cloud-free conditions.
“We need to examine for cloudy conditions,” said Dr. Ramana, the first author of the paper, who was with the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram, at the time of the study. The heating of the lower troposphere can have huge implications in terms of temperature profile and cloud formation, to name a few factors.
The emissions also led to increased concentration of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN). The CCN (at 0.4 per cent supersaturation) concentration is one order of magnitude (about 10 times) greater in the shipping corridor than the pristine regions of Bay of Bengal.
Increased levels of CCN can “disrupt organised convection in the monsoon depressions”, which means the more the concentration of nuclei in the atmosphere the more the number of water droplets that can form. However, “if the water vapour content remains the same and you have more CCN then it may not help cloud formation,” explained Dr. Ramana.
“The effects [of CCN] seen [along the corridor] may have significant impact on the monsoon activity over southern Bay of Bengal and implications for climate change mitigation strategies,” the authors write.

http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/Emissions-from-ships-can-impact-monsoon-activity-over-Bay-of-Bengal/article14564214.ece

--------------------------------

Impact of Arabian Sea pollution on the Bay of Bengal winter monsoon rains

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2008JD010679/full


------------------------------------

The Asian brown cloud

 2008 Aug

 The most visible impact of air pollution is the haze, a layer of pollutants and particles from biomass burning and industrial emissions. This cloud of pollution at times has a brownish color (e.g., the Denver Brown Cloud) and this brown cloud phenomenon is a common feature of industrial and rural regions around the world. Due to long-range transport, the mostly urban (fossil fuel related) or rural (biomass burning related) phenomenon is transformed into a regional haze (or cloud) that can span an entire continent. It is now becoming clear that the brown cloud can have huge impacts on agriculture, health, climate and the water budget of the planet.[1] The haze consists of a combination of water droplets and minute particles. The water droplets in a haze are less than 0.001 mm in radius. There are two possible sources for the particles in a haze. They are either generated naturally (e.g., sea salt, dust) or man made (e.g., sulfate or soot). From an aircraft, the haze appears brown when the fraction of soot or dust is large. The Asian Brown Cloud is a layer of air pollution that covers parts of the northern Indian Ocean, India and Pakistan, and parts of South Asia, Southeast Asia and China.[2,3] This pollution layer was observed during the Indian Ocean Experiment (INODEX) intensive field observation in 1999. Subsequently, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has been supporting a project called ABC.[4] The potent haze lying over the entire Indian subcontinent - from Sri Lanka to Afghanistan - has led to some erratic weather, sparking floods in Bangladesh, Nepal and northeastern India but drought in Pakistan and northwestern India.[5]

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2796752/

------------------------------------------

Himalayan pollution 'could impact monsoon cycle'

 

[KATHMANDU] Researchers have shown that pollution from China, India, Nepal and Pakistan can reach altitudes of over 5,000 metres in the Himalayas, contributing to the warming of the atmosphere and potentially affecting the South-East Asian monsoon cycle.
They also found that new aerosol particles — ultrafine particles suspended in the atmosphere — can form at these heights.
The French–Italian team, whose findings were published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences this week (13 October), conducted their study over a 16-month period at the Himalayan Nepal Climate Observatory site in Nepal's Khumbu Valley, located at an altitude of 5,079 metres.


http://www.scidev.net/global/pollution/news/himalayan-pollution-could-impact-monsoon-cycle-.html

--------------------------------------

Air pollution is stunting India’s monsoon

Sep 2011

India has been drying out for half a century, and air pollution thousands of kilometres away is partly to blame.
The monsoon has been weakening since the 1950s. Indian air pollution has been blamed, but now it seems that emissions further afield are also a factor.
“The summer monsoon provides up to 80 per cent of total annual rainfall in south Asia, and supports 20 per cent of the world’s population,” says Yi Ming of Princeton University in New Jersey. With his colleagues, Ming used climate models to assess how different factors changed the monsoon.
The monsoon is brought by large-scale wind patterns that transport heat between the northern and southern hemispheres. For half the year the northern hemisphere experiences more solar heating and so is warmer than the southern hemisphere; the situation is reversed during the other six months. As the winds head north over the Indian Ocean during the northern hemisphere’s summer they pick up moisture, which falls as rain over south Asia.

Air pollution in the form of aerosols can weaken these long-distance wind patterns, however. That’s because it reflects sunlight back into space, cooling the polluted area. Thick aerosol pollution over Europe in summer ensures that the northern hemisphere isn’t much warmer than the southern hemisphere, so there is nothing to drive the winds – and nothing to trigger the monsoon.

https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn20987-air-pollution-is-stunting-indias-monsoon/


 ----------------------------------



Impact of Deforestation on Indian Monsoon –
A GCM Sensitivity Study

 2005

http://www.igu.in/9-2/2gupta.pdf


-------------------------

Possible Influences of Air Pollution, Dust-and Sandstorms on the Indian Monsoon

 2009

https://public.wmo.int/en/bulletin/possible-influences-air-pollution-dust-and-sandstorms-indian-monsoon


----------------------

European pollution helped cause one of India's worst-ever droughts, researchers show

 

 21 April 2017

'The monsoon's bountiful rain is crucial to the economy and to livelihoods in the region

Pollution from Europe helped cause a drought in India that was one of the country’s worst ever natural disasters, affecting more than 130 million people, according to new research.
Sulphur dioxide – produced mainly by coal-fired power plants – causes a number of harmful effects, such as acid rain, heart and lung diseases, and damage to plant growth.
But sulphate aerosols also have a cooling effect on the atmosphere because it reflects sunlight back into space, a property that has led some to suggest it could be used as a form of ‘geo-engineering’ to reduce the rate of global warming.
However, emissions from the northern hemisphere can change the relative rate of warming in the south, causing the tropical rain-band to shift – with potentially devastating results.

Now researchers at Imperial College London have calculated just how big an effect emissions of sulphur dioxide had on rainfall in India in 2000.
The north-west of India experienced a staggering drop in precipitation of about 40 per cent because of emissions from the northern hemisphere’s main industrial areas.
Europe’s emissions alone caused reductions of up to 10 per cent in the north-west and south-west regions.
One of the researchers, Dr Apostolos Voulgarakis, of ICL’s Grantham Institute, said the study showed how emissions in one part of the world could have a significant effect on another – even if the pollution itself didn’t actually get there.

“East Asia is contributing more [of an effect] because it’s closer, but there is an effect from Europe and also the US,” he told The Independent.
Dr Voulgarakis said their research, along with other studies, showed the kind of problems that might result from attempts to use sulphur dioxide in a geo-engineering scheme.
“Geo-engineering has generally suggested to be problematic because of the knock-on effects it could have,” he said.
“This research shows one of those reasons as it can affect rainfall quite dramatically.”
The figures were produced using a climate model which Dr Voulgarakis said tended to give results on the high side of the range produced by different methods.


A briefing note prepared by Grantham researchers about the techniques to assess air pollutants said they could have “complex and diverse” effects.
Sulphate aerosols could “cool the atmosphere and so off-set some global warming” but “also increase air pollution levels and cause drought”.
“The impacts of short-lived pollutant emissions on air quality and climate change vary greatly depending on both the region where emissions occur and the location of the affected region,” it said.
“The climate effects of air pollutants are best assessed on a region-by-region basis, and are not easily captured by global metrics.”
It suggested air pollution and global warming should be dealt with as a single issue.
“Air quality and climate policy should be designed simultaneously to maximise beneficial outcome,” the briefing note said.
As the harmful effects of sulphur dioxide became clear, the European Union worked to reduce emissions.
A switch away from fuels with high levels of sulphur saw a 74 per cent reduction between 1990 and 2011.
By 2011, sulphur dioxides were less than half the amount in 2000.
In a blog post, Dilshad Shawki, a PhD student at the Grantham Institute, described how important understanding rainfall was, particularly in India and the surrounding area.
“Each summer the South Asian monsoon drenches the Indian subcontinent, as strong moisture-laden winds from the Indian Ocean deliver over 70 per cent of the region’s annual rainfall in just three months.
“As such, the monsoon’s bountiful rain is crucial to the economy and to livelihoods in the region.
“In recent decades however, rising pollution levels and increases in global surface temperatures have influenced atmospheric circulation patterns in the tropics, in turn affecting monsoon rainfall patterns.
“The challenge for scientists, including myself, is to gain a better appreciation of these relationships in order to build more accurate forecasts. Understanding and predicting monsoon rainfall is of huge importance to those societies that have developed following its rhythms.”
Despite the fall in European sulphur dioxide emissions, India’s droughts have continued as the world has got warmer.
Last year, the country saw its highest temperature on record – a sweltering 51 degrees Celsius (123.8F). Hundreds of people died as crops failed in more than 13 states.
Tens of thousands of small farmers also abandoned their land and moved to cities, while others killed themselves rather than face life in an urban shanty town.

http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/european-pollution-india-drought-worst-ever-sulphur-dioxide-geo-engineering-grantham-institute-a7694491.html


-----------------------------

How the Indian monsoon shapes butterfly physiology

 September 23, 2017

Timing is everything, especially when you live for just three months and have to undertake a 350 km journey: female Milkweed butterflies wait till their gruelling migrations — from one side of the Indian peninsula to the other — are over, to invest in reproductive tissues for birth. The Indian monsoon, which prompts these species to migrate to drier areas, shapes the physiology of the female butterflies more than they do to males, reveals a study published in Oikos.


http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/how-the-indian-monsoon-shapes-butterfly-physiology/article19742470.ece


--------------------------

Deforestation could shift monsoons, leaving India high and dry

 March 2, 2015

BANGKOK (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Large-scale deforestation could cause monsoon rains to shift south, cutting rainfall in India by nearly a fifth, scientists say.

Deforestation has long been known to cause temperature increases in local areas, but new research published on Tuesday shows a potentially wider impact on monsoon rains.

While releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, deforestation also causes changes in how much light reflects off the earth’s surface and the amount of moisture in the atmosphere from plants transpiring.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-climatechange-india-monsoon/deforestation-could-shift-monsoons-leaving-india-high-and-dry-idUSKBN0LY2A820150302

-------------------------------------

Deforestation in India: 73,000 years back

 

 A new study reveals that the volcanic eruption of Mt. Toba in Sumatra, 74,000 years back, deforested Central India.

The volcano ejected an estimated 800 cubic kilometers of ash into the atmosphere, leaving a crater (now the world’s largest volcanic lake) that is 100 kilometers long and 35 kilometers wide. Ash from the event has been found in India, the Indian Ocean, the Bay of Bengal and the South China Sea.
The bright ash reflected sunlight off the landscape, and volcanic sulfur aerosols impeded solar radiation for six years, initiating an “Instant Ice Age” that — according to evidence in ice cores taken in Greenland — lasted about 1,800 years. [Supervolcano Eruption In Sumatra Deforested India 73,000 Years Ago]

http://varnam.nationalinterest.in/2009/11/deforestation-in-india-73000-years-back/


-----------------------

China’s desertification is causing trouble across Asia

 

  May 19, 2016

As grassland turns to desert, dust is blown into the atmosphere and across oceans.

https://scroll.in/article/808295/chinas-desertification-is-causing-trouble-across-asia

------------------------------------

Rising mountains dried out Central Asia

December 11, 2013

The uplift of two mountain ranges in Central Asia beginning 30 million years ago expanded the Gobi Desert and set Central Asia on its path to extreme aridity, a new study suggests.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/12/131211104632.htm


______________________________________________

Identifying ancient droughts in China

Date:

March 8, 2012

Source:

The Geological Society of America

Summary:

Drought events are largely unknown in Earth's history, because reconstruction of ancient hydrological conditions remains difficult due to lack of proxy. New research uses a microbial lipid proxy of highly alkaline conditions to identify enhanced aridity in Miocene sediments on the Tibetan Plateau. This enhanced aridity is associated with significant uplift of the Tibetan Plateau nine million years ago.

 http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120308062539.htm

---------------------------------

For more information on the pollution in China and the Himalayas, view our article Pollution Science 101 - china  - PollutionScience101China.Blogspot.com .

--------------------------------

Desertification in western Rajasthan (India): an assessment using remote sensing derived rain-use efficiency and residual trend methods

  
March 2017

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11069-016-2689-y


----------------------

The Curious Case Of The Missing Rivers [River Restoration In India]

 January 2011

 The praised Saraswati river of Vedas and Epics is nowhere to be seen now. It actually brings in a doubt whether the epics and Vedas are true? The archaeological department comes to the rescue of our Vedas and they lead us further deep into the missing river’s case. Saraswati like the Sindhu river, ran across 1800 miles and it is found to have delivered in Gujarat’s Kutch district. Even the Sindhu river is considered as a branch of the Sarawati river. Exciting news is the place drenched by the river once is now the location of India’s Thar Desert. But archaeological department has found out that 4000 years ago, there was an civilization much before the much celebrated Indus Valley Civilization. Even Rig Veda says that the civilization was flooded with milk and honey. Government Information System departments have confirmed the existence of the river with satellites that are capable of traversing through the lands. The archaeological department finishes that around 1900 BC, due to earthquakes and other natural calamities, the river became extinct. Thus we lost one of the important rivers of India.

https://www.youthkiawaaz.com/2011/01/river-restoration-india/



-------------------------

Migration as a Factor of Deforestation in North East India

and its Socio-Economic Impact with Special Reference

to Assam

 2014

http://icehm.org/upload/6268ED0814008.pdf

-----------------------

A quarter of India's land is turning to desert, government report finds

 June 2014

Twenty-five per cent of India's total land is undergoing desertification while 32 per cent is facing degradation that has affected its productivity, critically affecting the livelihood and food security of millions across the country.

As much as 105.19 million hectares (Mha) of the country's total geographical area of 328.73 Mha is being degraded, while 82.18 Mha is undergoing desertification.

The major forms of land degradation include soil erosion (which accounts for over 71 per cent of the total degradation), and wind erosion (10.24 per cent).

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/indiahome/indianews/article-2660560/Desertification-land-degradation-affects-quarter-Indias-land.html


-----------------------

Desertification eating into agricultural land in India, satellite images show

August 18, 2016

CHENNAI, India (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - More than a quarter of India’s land is turning to desert and the rate of degradation of agricultural areas is increasing, according to new analysis of satellite images.

A report from the Indian Space Research Organization says land degradation - broadly defined as loss of productivity - is estimated at 96 million hectares, or nearly 30 percent of Indian land.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-india-land-desertification/desertification-eating-into-agricultural-land-in-india-satellite-images-show-idUSKCN10T1HG

------------------------

Worsening Droughts Add To India's Desertification Problem

 Jun 18, 2014

Worsening droughts in India are having an impact on the desertification trend, as vegetation dries up and is often never replaced. On Wednesday, India's environment minister, Prakash Javadekar, said that up to 25% of the country was now desert.


https://www.forbes.com/sites/kenrapoza/2014/06/18/worsening-droughts-add-to-indias-desertification-problem/#1a6191c43dd8

------------------------

‘Almost 30 per cent of our land undergoing degradation’

  July 07, 2016

ISRO-led study analysed satellite imageries of the country over an eight-year period

Nearly 30 per cent per cent of the country’s total geographical area is undergoing degradation, according to a study that analysed satellite imageries of the country over an eight-year period.
The degrading area has increased over 0.5 per cent to 29.3 million hectares during the period, as shown by comparative remote-sensing satellite imageries of the States for the periods 2003-05 and 2011-13. Desertification increased by 1.16 million hectares (m ha) and stood at 82.64 m ha during 2011-13.

http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/%E2%80%98Almost-30-per-cent-of-our-land-undergoing-degradation%E2%80%99/article14474590.ece

------------------------

Desertification has increased in 90 per cent of states in India

  07 June 2017

According to this report, nearly 30 per cent of India is degraded or facing desertification. Of India's total geographical area of 328.72 million hectares (MHA), 96.4 MHA is under desertification. In eight states—Rajasthan, Delhi, Goa, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Nagaland, Tripura and Himachal Pradesh—around 40 to 70 per cent of land has undergone desertification. More to it, 26 of 29 Indian states have reported an increase in the area undergoing desertification in the past 10 years.

http://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/desertification-has-increased-in-90-per-cent-of-the-indian-states-58057

--------------------------

NASA Satellites Track Vanishing Groundwater

 http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/02/100217-groundwater-crisis-nasa-satellites-india-environment/

--------------------------------------

Delhi's depleting water table shows it's 'over-exploited': NGT

 Sep 21, 2017

NEW DELHI: The entire city of Delhi is "over exploited" in terms of groundwater, the National Green Tribunal has said while directing the local authorities to state how they proposed to deal with the problem of declining water levels in the national capital. 

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/delhis-depleting-water-table-shows-its-over-exploited-ngt/articleshow/60780612.cms?


-------------------------

Desertification

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desertification


------------------------

Kashmir: The Decline of Wular Lake

September 02, 2014

The mountainous roads near the town of Bandipora surround what looks like a huge meadow. A closer look reveals that the meadow is actually the water of Wular Lake hidden by floating vegetation, agricultural plots, and intentionally planted trees.
Even from the Wular Vantage Point, which provides visitors with a panoramic view of the northern side of the lake, many people often wonder where the actual lake is since a majority of it looks green. What used to be open water is now covered by rice paddies and thousands of willow trees that were planted by the government during the 1980s as a source of firewood.
Human intervention has caused much of the degradation with the problems stemming from multiple sources. Numerous issues stand in the way of Wular Lake’s survival, and thus the survival of the people who fully depend on it.
People are losing their livelihoods because the lake management authorities are not doing enough to conserve the lake. On the other hand, as globalized markets reach their villages, the residents are polluting the lakes with chemicals, such as dishwashing liquids, soaps, cleaning solutions, and fertilizers.
In a region that has already experienced strife and civil war from the partition between India and Pakistan, fighting over resources is not unusual. If Wular Lake fails to survive and the people are not able to meet their basic needs, they may indeed resort to violence.

http://pulitzercenter.org/reporting/kashmir-decline-wular-lake


-----------------------

A pond that receded to oblivion

 April 17, 2013

If the government records are any indication, the low land behind the cluster of commercial buildings in front of the Government Medical College Hospital here hides a pond that once used to be a perennial source of freshwater, spread over nearly half-an-acre.
The ground reality is, sadly, different. The once-famed public pond, ‘Cheruvakarakonam Kulam,’ is now little more than a depression in the land.
It is chock-full of raw sewage and urban refuse. Weeds and wild growth have almost levelled the pond. Its existence was almost forgotten till a civic minded citizen alerted the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau of its plight.

 http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Thiruvananthapuram/a-pond-that-receded-to-oblivion/article4626473.ece

-------------------------


Desertification and Land Degradation Atlas of India
(Based on IRS AWiFS data of 2011-13 and 2003-05)

http://www.sac.gov.in/SACSITE/Desertification_Atlas_2016_SAC_ISRO.pdf

------------------------

GLOBAL FAMINE FEARS: Worry over world food shortages as Indian farmland turns to DUST

  Aug 18, 2016

 

FEARS are growing that the world could be heading towards global famine after scientists revealed that farmland in one of the planet's top agricultural producers is turning to DUST.

http://www.express.co.uk/news/science/701600/GLOBAL-FAMINE-FEARS-food-shortages-Indian-farmland


----------------------------

Madurai's dust pollution due to unclean roads, alarmingly high

Jan 2016


Madurai: Although the Madurai Corporation has spent nearly a crore on the purchase of road sweeping machines, roads in the city continue to remain dusty. According to environmentalists, dust particles are causing a spike in air pollution levels in the city.


http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/madurai/Madurais-dust-pollution-due-to-unclean-roads-alarmingly-high/articleshow/50790871.cms

----------------------------

'The Dying Springs of Chirimiri'

2016-04-01 

http://www.indiawaterportal.org/articles/dying-springs-chirimiri

---------------------------

Desertification and land degradation atlas of India

06/07/2016

More than a quarter of the total geographic area (TGA)-96.4 million hectares (mha) or 29.32%-in India is undergoing degradation as per this Desertification and Land Degradation Atlas, released in June by ISRO Space Applications Centre (SAC). 

http://www.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/content/431916/desertification-and-land-degradation-atlas-of-india/


-------------------------------

 Press Information Bureau
Government of India
Ministry of Environment and Forests


16-June-2017

‘Nation Committed to Achieve Land Degradation Neutrality by 2030’: Dr Harsh Vardhan

Environment Minister’s Statement on Eve of World Day to Combat Desertification  

Emphasising that the Modi Government is committed to achieve Land Degradation Neutrality by the year 2030, Environment Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan has said that India’s new National Action Programme (NAP) will be finalised after a series of regional consultations and workshops with all relevant stakeholders, keeping in mind our national circumstances and development priorities.

pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=165692

-------------------------------

Deforestation in India

 

 Deforestation in India is the widespread destruction of major forests in India. It is mainly caused by environmental degradation by stakeholders such as farmers, ranches, loggers and plantation corporations. In 2009, India ranked 10th worldwide in the amount of forest loss, where world annual deforestation is estimated as 13.7 million hectares a year.

Dynamics

Several causes supported deforestation, including colonization, agricultural expansion, firewood collection, timber harvesting and extension of cultivation on slopes. Due to the colonization from all over the country trees are cut down as a primary source of fuel .These trees are used for cooking food and other daily needs which require fuel .

Effects

Deforestation has affected the lives of wild animals and birds including bats. Birds like sparrow, pigeon and crow are becoming rarer due to deforestation . Due to deforestation India is facing water problems in urban cities and villages.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deforestation_in_India


---------------------------

In just 30 years, India has lost large forests to 23,716 industrial projects

 

India’s forests now cover only 21.34% of the country. 

Indian villagers walk towards the Mahan forest during a protest against a coal mining project in Singrauli district, Madhya Pradesh. Of the 14,000 sq km of forests cleared over the past three decades in India, the largest area was given to mining (4,947 sq km), followed by defence projects (1,549 sq km) and hydroelectric projects (1,351 sq km).
Over the last 30 years, forests nearly two-thirds the size of Haryana have been lost to encroachments (15,000 sq km) and 23,716 industrial projects (14,000 sq km), according to government data, and artificial forests cannot be replacements, as the government recently acknowledged.
The government’s auditor has said conditions under which these projects are given forest land are widely violated, and experts said government data are under-estimates.
“It (government figure) is just the tip of the iceberg,” TV Ramachandra, associate faculty, Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, said. “Our study shows dense forest areas in northern, central and southern Western Ghats have decreased by 2.84%, 4.38% and 5.77% respectively over the last decade.”
Currently, up to 25,000 hectares of forests – 250 sq km, or more than twice Chandigarh’s area – are handed over every year for “non-forestry activities”, including defence projects, dams, mining, power plants, industries and roads, the government recently told Parliament. The rate of “diversion”, as the process is called, varies across states.
Punjab diverted about half its forest land since 1980, compared to Maharashtra, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu, which diverted less than 1% of their area.

 

India’s forests now cover 701,673 sq km, or 21.34% of the country, compared to 640,819 sq km 29 years ago, according to the India State of Forest Report, 2015, the latest available. The rise is explained by planted trees, particularly as monocultures, which do not replace the diverse, natural forests that are permanently lost.

India’s forests increased over the last 13 years, according to data from Indian State of Forest Reports. Such increases are an “outcome of statistical jugglery and the use of flawed definitions by India’s forest bureaucracy”, the Economic Times commented in 2012.

https://scroll.in/article/809286/in-just-30-years-india-has-lost-large-forests-to-23716-industrial-projects


----------------------------

Deforestation caused reduced rainfall in Ganga Basin, NE India

 

 August, 2016

As a result of the large-scale conversion of forest land to crop land, particularly tea plantations in northeast India, there has been a 20 per cent reduction in green cover in the core monsoon zone.

Using satellite data and regional climate models, IIT Bombay researchers have found that deforestation (converting woody savannah to crop land) in northeast India and north-central India has led to a 100-200 mm reduction in summer monsoon rainfall in these two regions. The land use information is based on satellite data for two time periods — 1980-1990 and 2000-2010. The results were published on August 24 in the journal Scientific Reports.
During the initial phase of a monsoon, oceanic sources play a major role in bringing rain and charging the soil with moisture. But at the end of the monsoon period (August to September), evotranspiration from vegetation (also called as recycled precipitation) contributes to rainfall. Evotranspiration is a local moisture source for rainfall. Recycled precipitation contributes to 20-25 per cent of the total monsoon rainfall during the end of the monsoon and is very prominent in the Ganga Basin and northeast India.
“Because of deforestation, there is 1-2 mm reduction per day in rainfall during the end of the monsoon in the Ganga Basin and northeast India,” says Prof. Subimal Ghosh, the corresponding author of the paper from the Interdisciplinary Program in Climate Studies, IIT Bombay.
As a result of the large-scale conversion of forest land to crop land, particularly tea plantations in northeast India, there has been a 20 per cent reduction in green cover in the core monsoon zone. Also, the deep-rooted vegetation of the forest trees, which has a higher water intake capacity resulting in increased evotranspiration, has given way to more shallow-rooted vegetation. These two factors have led to a reduction in evotranspiration and, in turn, rainfall at the end of the monsoon period. According to an earlier study, deforestation across the global monsoon region showed an 18 per cent reduction in precipitation in India.
“Deforestation is present in peninsular India and western India too but recycled precipitation component is less compared with oceanic contribution. So the impact is not visible in peninsular India and western India. In contrast, in the Ganga Basin and northeast India, recycled precipitation component is very high. So even a small change in vegetation cover in these two regions may cause a significant change in precipitation,” he says.
Changes in evotranspiration also affect the drying trend in India. “Over the last century, the warming of the western Indian Ocean led to a weakening of monsoon rainfall in India. In addition to reduced monsoon from distant oceanic sources, reduced recycled precipitation due to deforestation gets added up and causes severe drying in the Ganga Basin and northeast region,” Prof. Ghosh says.


http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/Deforestation-caused-reduced-rainfall-in-Ganga-Basin-NE-India/article14586978.ece


------------------------

We can see how the deforestation of trees in giant areas, will change the micro climate of that area.
If we cause too much deforestation around the globe, while changing the different micro climates of the world, that this could cause a problem with the rain cycles in rain forests.  Cutting down too many trees can change the oxygen cycle of the planet. We can see that the micro climate of many rivers in India has changed as well. We can see that many rivers now have less oxygen in them, and this is a problem with this change in the micro climate of many rivers.

We can even see how the micro climate in the air of India, has changed with all the particle pollution that did not exist a thousand years ago, or even a hundred years ago. Many parts of India used to have very fresh air, especially areas near the Himalayas. Now we can see how the air in India has drastically changed to become some of the most toxic air on the planet. This extreme change in the atmosphere over the course of just 70 years is alarming to many.

What would happen if India continued to pollute at this rate, we could see how many bodies of rivers and lakes would not be habitable for fish and animals.



------------------------

Indian media: Deforestation behind deadly Pune landslide

• 31 July 2014
  
  
  Environmentalists feel that deforestation may have triggered Wednesday's landslide in western India that killed at least 30 people and left up to 200 trapped, papers report.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-28578939

------------------

Development and deforestation: Indian forestry in perspective.

1993

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12286769

--------------------------------


 INDIA
NATION ACTION PROGRAMME TO COMBAT DESERTIFICATION

September, 2001

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-otherstates/river-pollution-caused-by-urban-waste-alarmingly-high-in-odisha/article6091576.ece

-----------------------------------------

India plans to spend $6.2 billion to create new forests

 

• 05/09/2016

 In the past century India has suffered rampant deforestation, which has destroyed wildlife habitats, rendered land less fertile, and reduced a major carbon sink – but the government has a plan to turn things around. India’s Minister of Environment, Forests and Climate Change Prakash Javadekar just announced plans to spend $6.2 billion to create new forests. He said, “Our forest cover will dramatically increase and it will result in achieving our target 33 percent of tree cover and most importantly 2.5 billion tonne of carbon sink.”

http://inhabitat.com/india-plans-to-spend-6-2-billion-to-create-new-forests/

-----------------------

India Plants 50 Million Trees in One Day, Smashing World Record

 

 July 18, 2016

 

More than 800,000 volunteers pitched in to help the country fight climate change.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/07/india-plants-50-million-trees-uttar-pradesh-reforestation/



------------------------------

The story of Mumbai's abused, polluted Mithi river is anything but sweet

  

 Dec 26, 2015 

 

Mumbai got well acquainted with the Mithi when the choked river overflowed onto its streets during the 2005 deluge. A decade later, the city is still trying to clean up the mess.

https://scroll.in/roving/750928/the-story-of-mumbais-abused-polluted-mithi-river-is-anything-but-sweet



-----------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------


Chapter 3: Illegal dumping

-------------------------------------------

-------------------------------------------

Notice issued to Centre, Uttarakhand government for illegal dumping of debris in Ganga

  
May 4, 2017

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Thursday issued a notice to the Centre, Uttarakhand Government and the Border Road Organisation in regard to the illegal dumping of debris into the Ganga river.
The court has also asked Uttarakhand's Additional Secretary forest to appear in person on May 31. The Uttarakhand Government admitted illegal dumping of road construction debris in the Gangotri range. It submitted before the green tribunal that they have found illegal dumping in Gangotri national park during inspection, in Bhairo Ghati...


http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-ngt-issues-notice-to-centre-u-khand-govt-for-illegal-dumping-in-ganga-2427117

---------------------------------------------

United Bengaluru files complaint against illegal dumping around Hormavu Agar lake

May 27, 2017

The United Bengaluru on Saturday filed a complaint against unknown persons for illegal dumping around Hormavu Agar lake periphery. The complaint said the illegal dumping is in violation of various High Court and Supreme Court order.

http://www.oneindia.com/india/united-bengaluru-files-complaint-against-illegal-dumping-around-hormavu-agar-lake-2446981.html

-----------------------------------------------

Exposure to chemicals used in jeans dyeing units can affect human health, says government

Aug 8, 2017

 NEW DELHI: The government on Tuesday told the Lok Sabha that the exposure to chemicals used in textile dyeing units can affect human health and the civic authorities would take action against any such industries operating in residential areas in the Capital.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/pollution/exposure-to-chemicals-used-in-jeans-dyeing-units-can-affect-human-health-says-government/articleshow/59973682.cms



 ----------------------------------

Massive Protests After Illegal Chemical Waste Dumped in Madhya Pradesh Villages

August 11, 2015

Jhabua, Madhya Pradesh:  More than 100 villagers in western Madhya Pradesh indulged in stone pelting and violence in the industrial area of Jhabua district last week, alleging that chemical factories are flouting pollution norms. The administration has arrested one person on Sunday, and shut down three factories.


After the protests on August 3, NDTV visited one of the plots belonging to the Kasta Bhanjan Chemical factory in Meghnagar area. The chemical waste allegedly dumped illegally by the factories could be seen seeping out of the land and flowing into a nearby pond.
According to local villagers, the factories have been dumping their waste in the area for the past six months. They claim that factory officials had dumped a heap of stones to cover the dumped waste after protests broke out...

https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/massive-protests-after-illegal-chemical-waste-dumped-in-madhya-pradesh-villages-1206193

---------------------------------------

The Burning Garbage Heap That Choked Mumbai

 February 29, 2016



 Last month, Mumbai’s Deonar landfill erupted in fires, blanketing the city in toxic smoke.

https://www.newyorker.com/tech/elements/the-burning-garbage-heap-that-choked-mumbai

---------------------------------------------

Illegal dumping killing Mulund mangroves... again

 06-Jun-2014



The huge mangrove belt in the Mulund-Thane area has once again fallen prey to greedy, ruthless builders and their contractors. Trucks filled with construction debris have been regularly going to the site to unload their rubble right next to them.

http://www.mid-day.com/articles/illegal-dumping-killing-mulund-mangroves-again/15358159

---------------------------------------------------

More than half of south Asia's groundwater too contaminated to use – study 

 

Salinity and arsenic affect 60% of underground supply across vast Indo-Gangetic Basin, according to research published in Nature Geoscience

 Fifteen to twenty million wells extract water from the Indo-Gangetic basin every year. Photograph: Rajesh Kumar Singh/AP


Sixty per cent of the groundwater in a river basin supporting more than 750 million people in Pakistan, India, Nepal and Bangladesh is not drinkable or usable for irrigation, researchers have said.
The biggest threat to groundwater in the Indo-Gangetic Basin, named after the Indus and Ganges rivers, is not depletion but contamination, they reported in the journal Nature Geoscience
“The two main concerns are salinity and arsenic,” the authors of the study wrote.
Up to a depth of 200m (650ft), some 23% of the groundwater stored in the basin is too salty, and about 37% “is affected by arsenic at toxic concentrations”, they said.

The Indo-Gangetic basin accounts for about a quarter of the global extraction of groundwater – freshwater which is stored underground in crevices and spaces in soil or rock, fed by rivers and rainfall.
Fifteen to twenty million wells extract water from the basin every year amid growing concerns about depletion.
The new study – based on local records of groundwater levels and quality from 2000 to 2012 – found that the water table was in fact stable or rising across about 70% of the aquifer.
It was found to be falling in the other 30%, mainly near highly populated areas.
Groundwater can become salty through natural and manmade causes, including inefficient farmland irrigation and poor drainage.
Arsenic, too, is naturally present, but levels are exacerbated by use of fertilisers and mining.
Arsenic poisoning of drinking water is a major problem in the region.



https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/aug/30/more-than-half-of-south-asias-groundwater-too-contaminated-to-use-study
---------------------------------------------------------

The World's Most Polluted River Revealed in Photos

 April 2017

A recent high court ruling in India that gives the Ganges personhood status may lead to environmental redemption. 

 

 Piles of laundry from hotels lay in the mud along the Yamuna River.
PHOTOGRAPH BY GIULIO DI STURCO, INSTITUTE



 

 A woman crosses a small channel of the Ganges on a submerged bridge made of waste.
PHOTOGRAPH BY GIULIO DI STURCO, INSTITUTE



 

 Chemicals spill out from one of the tanneries of Kanpur, where they pour into the Ganges.
PHOTOGRAPH BY GIULIO DI STURCO, INSTITUTE

http://www.nationalgeographic.com.au/nature/the-worlds-most-polluted-river-revealed-in-photos.aspx

---------------------

These Photos Show the Pollution That Kills One in Four Children

07 March 2017

A new report from the World Health Organization found that nearly a quarter of children under five die from preventable environmental conditions. 

 A girl wading through mountains of trash; a boy up to his neck in toxic waters—these photos show just some of the children exposed to potentially fatal environmental conditions.

 

 

 A girl looking for plastic. Recyclers in Bhalswa, on top of one of the giant open air garbage dump which burns 24/7, creating toxic fumes. PHOTOGRAPH BY MATTHIEU PALEY, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC

 

 Recyclers kids living below the old Iron Bridge, going through garbages thrown off the bridge, to find pieces that can be given to recycle shops - mostly from religious garbages. PHOTOGRAPH BY MATTHIEU PALEY, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC

 

 The Ghazipur open air garbage dump in Delhi. The constantly burning garbage creates toxic fumes that spread through the city.Garbage trucks can carry 3T and do about 800 trips a day. PHOTOGRAPH BY MATTHIEU PALEY, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC

 

 The area along the Shahadra open sewer is so polluted that it is inhabited by people who can't afford housing in other parts of delhi. Life in GG Colony, in sector 16 in Noida.PHOTOGRAPH BY MATTHIEU PALEY, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC

http://www.nationalgeographic.com.au/people/these-photos-show-the-pollution-that-kills-one-in-four-children.aspx

------------------------------------------

Undisposed toxic waste still haunts Bhopal’s groundwater

 07 August 2017

A report says that many locals in Bhopal are dealing with “high rates of birth defects, rapidly rising cancer rates, neurological damage, chaotic menstrual cycles and mental illness”.
“When cool air blows over the city and it rains in Bhopal bringing welcome respite to its people, I fear that toxic waste is spilling into its groundwater,” says Rajesh Kumar, who shows me around the 68-acre plant site of Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL). He drives an auto for a living and is just one more person from the neighbourhoods of Bhopal dealing with respiratory problems, an exposure-related illness. Forty tonnes of methyl isocyanate gas leaked on the fateful night of December 2-3, 1984 creating a toxic cloud. A backflow of water into a methyl isocyanate tank triggered the disaster, killing thousands and injuring over 5.58 lakh people. Contamination from that accident still hounds those who stay near the erstwhile pesticide plant site...

https://yourstory.com/2017/08/undisposed-toxic-groundwater/

--------------------------------------------------------

India: Ranbaxy, DSM India, Max India & others accused of poisoning ground water with toxic waste

https://business-humanrights.org/en/india-ranbaxy-dsm-india-max-india-others-accused-of-poisoning-ground-water-with-toxic-waste

------------------------------------------------------

India Finds Mutated DNA Where Water Is Toxic

DEC. 4, 2007

NEW DELHI, Dec. 3 — Toxic chemicals in the water in Punjab, India’s grain belt, could be causing genetic mutations in the population, a recent study suggests.

Preliminary results say a two-year study commissioned by the Punjab Pollution Control Board found mutated DNA in blood samples of 65 percent of the people tested. The study also found high levels of arsenic and mercury in the tap water.

Some villages in the landlocked state of Punjab are experiencing high rates of cancer and other diseases. Scientists and government officials are investigating links between those incidence levels and chemicals used in farming and industry...

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/04/world/asia/04water.html

--------------------------------------------------------

Arsenic Contamination of Ground Water and its Health Impact on Population of District of Nadia, West Bengal, India

 2010 Apr

Abstract

 

Background:

The global health impact and disease burden due to chronic arsenic toxicity has not been well studied in West Bengal.

Objective:

To ascertain these, a scientific epidemiological study was carried out in a district of the state.

Materials and Methods:

Epidemiological study was carried out by house-to-house survey of arsenic affected villages in the district of Nadia. A stratified multi-stage design has been adopted for this survey for the selection of the participants. A total number of 2297 households of 37 arsenic affected villages in all the 17 blocks were surveyed in the district.

Result:

Out of 10469 participants examined, prevalence rate of arsenicosis was found to be 15.43%. Out of 0.84 million people suspected to be exposed to arsenic, 0.14 million people are estimated to be suffering from arsenicosis in the district. Highest level of arsenic in drinking water sources was found to be 1362 μg/l, and in 23% cases it was above 100 μg/l. Majority of the population living in the arsenic affected villages were of low socio-economic condition, inadequate education and were farmers or doing physical labour. Chronic lung disease was found in 207 (12.81%) subjects among cases and 69 (0.78%) in controls. Peripheral neuropathy was found in 257 (15.9%) cases and 136 (1.5%) controls.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2940197/

-----------------------------------------------------

Heavy Metal Contamination in Groundwater around Industrial Estate vs Residential Areas in Coimbatore, India

 2016 Apr

Abstract

Introduction

Water is the vital resource, necessary for all aspects of human and ecosystem survival and health. Depending on the quality, bore water may be used for human consumption, irrigation purposes and livestock watering. The quality of bore water can vary widely depending on the quality of ground water that is its source. Pollutants are being added to the ground water system through human and natural processes. Solid waste from industrial units is being dumped near the factories, which react with percolating rainwater and reaches the ground water. The percolating water picks up a large number of heavy metals and reaches the aquifer system and contaminates the ground water. The usage of the contaminated bore water causes the diseases. Mercury, Arsenic and Cadmium are used or released by many industries.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4866086/

-------------------------------------------

Heavily polluting industries identified by Ministry of Environment & Forests 

 

 2009-05-21

 Ministry of Environment & Forests identifies 64 types of large, medium and small-scale industries and classifies them as "Red Category" on the basis of the emissions or hazardous waste they generate


http://www.indiawaterportal.org/articles/heavily-polluting-industries-identified-ministry-environment-forests

-------------------------------

Determination of toxicity of paper mill effluents - Saharanpur (Uttar Pradesh) - A study by People's Science Institute 

 

 2009-05-21

 The study aims at determining the threshold toxicity level of paper mill effluent in the receiving water body

http://www.indiawaterportal.org/articles/determination-toxicity-paper-mill-effluents-saharanpur-uttar-pradesh-study-peoples-science

-------------------------------

Maharashtra’s polluting factories are making its rivers the filthiest in India

 

May 2017

Understaffed and lacking teeth, the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board has been ineffective.

https://scroll.in/article/837225/maharashtras-polluting-factories-are-making-its-rivers-the-filthiest-in-india

-------------------------------

Rajasthan records maximum number of environmental crimes for two successive years 

 

 August 2016



For the second year in a row, Rajasthan recorded the highest number of environmental offences in India, according to data released by the National Crime Records Bureau. While the state had the maximum number (2,927) of environment-related offence in 2014, it retained its position again in 2015 with 2,075 cases, shows NCRB’s annual report, Crime in India- Statistics, 2015.
Released for the first time in 2014, the report compiles data from the state and Union Territory police with an aim to highlight trends in crime for future policy planning.


http://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/rajasthan-records-maximum-number-of-environmental-crimes-for-two-successive-years-55476


-------------------------------

Illegal dumping of toxic waste continues in Hyderabad

   

May 2017

 

Violating PCB norms, factories use tankers to dump hazardous waste in various parts of the city. 

 

 Hyderabad: Despite repeated warnings from the State Pollution Control Board (PCB) of stringent action against industries violating environmental laws, toxic effluents and hazardous chemical waste generated by factories are still being illegally discharged in various parts of the city and its adjoining areas.

https://telanganatoday.com/illegal-dumping-toxic-waste-continues

-----------------------------------------

Illegal dumping of construction waste

Aug 28, 2017

Mahim area is largely affected by dumping Mafia. Every week incidents are happening of dumping of construction waste on road. People are badly upset. There are 4 such cases seen on Sunday morning alone. 

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/citizen-reporter/stories/illegal-dumping-of-construction-waste/articleshow/60251429.cms

-------------------------------------------

Gurgaon: Residents move MCG against illegal dumping of construction waste near Ghata lake

 Sep 05, 2017

Residents said the area near Ghata lake and the Aravalli hills was turning into a landfill

http://www.hindustantimes.com/gurgaon/gurgaon-residents-move-mcg-against-illegal-dumping-of-construction-waste-near-ghata-lake/story-d6vXKGKvSkhjHfDB4wlzSM.html

---------------------------------------------

Up to 90% of world's electronic waste is illegally dumped, says UN

 May 2015

PCs and smartphones adding to ‘e-waste mountain’ that could reach 50m tonnes by 2017, much of it dumped and traded in developing countries, reports BusinessGreen

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/may/12/up-to-90-of-worlds-electronic-waste-is-illegally-dumped-says-un

---------------------------------------------

India, a victim of e-waste crime

 May 13, 2015

Much of the 40 million tonnes of electronic waste produced around the world — old smartphones, TVs, laptops and obsolete kitchen appliances — finds its way illegally to Asia and Africa every year, says a report by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
Close to 90 per cent of the world’s electronic waste — worth nearly $19 billion — is illegally traded or dumped each year, to destinations half way across the world. While the European Union the U.S. and Japan are the primary origins of e-waste shipments, China, India, Malaysia and Pakistan are the main destinations, says the report. In Africa, Ghana and Nigeria are the biggest recipients of e-waste.

http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/india-a-victim-of-ewaste-crime/article7202265.ece

---------------------------------------------

Review Article: Persistent organic pollutants and landfills - a review of past experiences and future challenges

January 11, 2011

http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0734242X10390730

---------------------------------------------

Will India Need a Landfill the Size of Bengaluru By 2030?

 01/02/2017
 

Forty-three million tonnes of solid waste are collected annually, out of which 11.9 million are treated and 31 million are dumped at landfill sites.

https://thewire.in/104770/landfill-solid-waste-cpcb/

----------------------------------------------

ELECTRONIC WASTE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA: ISSUES AND CONCERNS

http://ijlljs.in/electronic-waste-management-in-india-issues-and-concerns/

-----------------------------------------------

Landfills aren't the solution to Bangalore's 'waste' problem

Segregation of 'waste' at source is the only way forward

 17 July 2012

http://www.esgindia.org/campaigns/press/landfills-arent-solution-bangalores-wast.html

-----------------------------------------------




 Assessment of Municipal Solid Waste Landfill Leachate Treatment Efficiency by Leachate
Pollution Index

 Jan 2014

https://www.rroij.com/open-access/assessment-of-municipal-solid-waste-landfillleachate-treatment-efficiency-by-leachatepollution-index.pdf

--------------------------------------------

Disposing Waste Scientifically: How Scientific Landfills Can Change The Waste Disposal Scenario In India

2017

 With nearly 72 per cent of India’s garbage remaining untreated, scientific landfills are an option for urban India to ensure proper waste disposal

http://swachhindia.ndtv.com/disposing-waste-scientifically-how-scientific-landfills-can-change-the-waste-disposal-scenario-in-india-8159/

---------------------------------------------

Impact of leachate on groundwater pollution due to non-engineered municipal solid waste landfill sites of erode city, Tamil Nadu, India

 2012


https://jehse.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1735-2746-9-35

------------------------------------------

Hazardous Waste: A Threat to the Indian Ecosystem

 2010

http://theviewspaper.net/hazardous-waste-a-threat-to-the-indian-ecosystem/

------------------------------

India court bans waste dumping in Ganges

 

• 13 July 2017

India's top environment court has banned the dumping of waste within 500 metres of a heavily polluted stretch of the Ganges river.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-40591258

---------------------------------------------

Now, CCTVs to track illegal dumping of waste?

 May 2017

 HYDERABAD: To keep track of denizens who dump garbage in an unscrupulous and unauthorised dumping across the city, and especially at the 1,116 garbage vulnerable points (GVPs) which the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation had successfully eliminated last year, the corporation is to seek the support of city police and utilise the CCTV cameras installed in law and order (L&O) purpose. GVPs are the open dumps of garbage commonly seen on the roadside...

http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/hyderabad/2017/may/03/now-cctvs-to-track-illegal-dumping-of-waste-1600396.html

---------------------------------------------

Bareilly civic body to pay for unlawful dumping of city garbage

October 2013

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has penalised the Bareilly city  municipal corporation for dumping solid waste in an unscientific and unlawful manner near Razau Paraspur village in Bareilly district of Uttar Pradesh. In its order passed last Thursday, NGT observed the action of the municipal body has caused environmental damage and is a public health hazard. NGT slapped a penalty at the rate of Rs1 lakh per day on the municipal body for restoration of the site to its original condition as well as to prevent further damage to the environment.

http://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/bareilly-civic-body-to-pay-for-unlawful-dumping-of-city-garbage-42558

--------------------------------------------

Bengaluru: Illegal garbage dumping in Varthur lake caught on camera

India Today Television | April 25, 2017

The lakes of Bengaluru have remained the target of encroachment mafias for a long time now. What was once talked about has now been captured on camera by citizens in the city.
A citizen group residing near the Varthur lake, has caught the garbage dumping operation on camera.
The dumping into the lakes was in contravention to the NGT's recent order banning garbage dumping in Bengaluru's lakes.
Earlier in March, Karnataka chief secretary Subhash Chandra Kunthia visited the Varthur and Bellandur lakes. He was accompanied by the BDA Commissioner Rakesh Singh and a team of senior officials from various departments concerned with conservation and rejuvenation of lakes in the city.

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/video/bengaluru-illegal-dumping-varthur-lake-garbage-mafia/1/938141.html


---------------------------------

10 Major Environmental Challenges Faced by India

 

1. Growing Population:

2. Poverty:

3. Agricultural Growth:

4. Need to Ground Water:

5. Development and Forests:

6. Degradation of Land:

7. Reorientation of Institutions:

8. Reduction of Genetic Diversity:

9. Evil Consequences of Urbanization:

10. Air and Water Population:

 

http://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/environment/10-major-environmental-challenges-faced-by-india/9862/

-----------------------------------



-----------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------


Chapter 4: Corruption

-------------------------------------------

-------------------------------------------

-----------------------------

Study Finds India Is Asia's Most Corrupt Country, While Japan Comes In Last

 Mar 8, 2017

https://www.forbes.com/sites/suparnagoswami/2017/03/08/study-finds-india-is-asias-most-corrupt-country-while-japan-comes-in-last/#4e4ea0901201

 ----------------------------------

India most corrupt nation in Asia, most Indians believe PM Modi is checking it

 June 6, 2017

Going by a survey report of anti-corruption global civil society organisation Transparency International (TI), it is clear that PM Modi's efforts have started bearing fruit.

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/india-most-corrupt-nation-in-asia-pm-narendra-modi-bjp/1/972281.html

 ----------------------------------

8 Shameful Statistics That Prove How India Is The Most Corrupt Country In Asia

 

 Sep 02, 2017

1. 38% of land and property deals in India involve bribes

2. 62% of law enforcement officers take bribes

3. 60% of road stops  for truckers are for extorting money

4. 60% of people who got their driving license from an agent haven't taken the driving exam

5. 31% of members of parliament have criminal cases against them

6. The monetary value of petty corruption in 11 basic services in government like education, healthcare and the judiciary amounts to about Rs. 3,19,72,50,00,000 annually.

7. India’s telecom ministry siphoned approximately $30 billion

8. Just about 40% of grain intended for the poor reaches them

https://www.scoopwhoop.com/india-most-corrupt-country-in-asia-statistics/#.twebqqaqh



 ----------------------------------

Corruption in India: More Government Is Not the Solution

 Oct 2011

 Protesters took to the streets throughout India in the summer of 2011, demanding the establishment of a powerful new anti-corruption watchdog agency. In the aftermath of numerous high-profile corruption cases, the demonstrators’ wrath and intensity are understandable. Their demands, however, are misdirected.

http://www.heritage.org/asia/report/corruption-india-more-government-not-the-solution

 ----------------------------------

Corruption Is Still a Problem 10 Months After India's Cash Ban

 August 27, 2017

• Real estate, foreign trips replace cash as bribery payments
• Foreign investors worry about ease of exiting India business

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-08-27/ten-months-after-india-s-cash-ban-corruption-remains-endemic

 ----------------------------------

Corruption ruins the doctor-patient relationship in India

2014

Kickbacks and bribes oil every part of the country’s healthcare machinery, writes David Berger. If India’s authorities cannot make improvements, international agencies should act

http://www.bmj.com/content/348/bmj.g3169

 ----------------------------------

India's Black Market Organ Scandal

February 1, 2008

 Shocked but not surprised. That might be the best way to sum up India's reaction to the revelation this week that a black market organ transplant ring had been harvesting kidneys from poor Indian laborers, sometimes against their wishes, and using them in foreigners desperate for transplants. Police who busted the ring last week say doctors paid as little as $1000 for the kidneys and then sold them for as much as $37,500. The racket, based in Gurgaon, a business center close to the capital, New Delhi, drew victims from as many as eight Indian states and lasted for almost a decade. Police say the black market doctors may have illegally transplanted as many as 500 kidneys. The ring, according to the police, was run by two Indian brothers, neither of whom had any medical training but who oversaw the surgery. One of the brothers has been arrested in Mumbai, but the other, Amit Kumar, who police say was the racket's kingpin, is now the focus of an international manhunt and may have fled to Canada.

---------------------------------

The illegal organ trade thrives in India – and it isn't likely to end soon

 

  Aug 15, 2016

Kidney and liver diseases are growing in India. But the number of cadaver donations remains low. 

 

 https://scroll.in/pulse/813993/the-illegal-organ-trade-thrives-in-india-and-it-isnt-likely-to-end-soon

---------------------------------

Kidney trade racket busted at South Delhi Hospital

 June 03, 2016 

South East District Police have claimed to have busted a kidney trade racket with the arrest of six persons, including the personal staff of doctors at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital here.
Apollo Hospital has distanced itself from the racket and said they ensured full cooperation with the police. They said in a statement that they were a “victim of a well-orchestrated operation to cheat patients and the hospital”.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Delhi/Kidney-trade-racket-busted-at-South-Delhi-Hospital/article14382481.ece

---------------------------------

Inside the illegal hospitals performing thousands of black market organ transplants every year for $200,000 a time 

 9 April 2015

• Desperate and vulnerable donors sell organs to gangs for just $5,000 (£3k)
• Body parts sold for massive profits after risky surgeries in illegal hospitals
• Massive rise in kidney transplants driven by increase in diabetes globally 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3031784/Inside-illegal-hospitals-performing-thousands-black-market-organ-transplants-year-200-000-time.html

-----------------------------

India reviews state hospitals to end widespread corruption

August 23, 2014

 NEW DELHI (Reuters) - The Indian government on Saturday ordered a review of activities at all state-owned hospitals to end what the health minister called systemic corruption, as part of the new administration’s crackdown on malpractice in the healthcare sector.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has vowed to eradicate graft in India’s $74 billion healthcare industry, where doctors receiving extra payments for referring patients to a particular clinic or receiving gifts from companies for prescribing their drugs are common...

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-india-health-corruption/india-reviews-state-hospitals-to-end-widespread-corruption-idUSKBN0GN0HM20140823

 ----------------------------------

I paid a bribe: Using technology to fight corruption in India

 May 18, 2016

Ipaidabribe.com harnesses the collective energy of Indian citizens against corruption by enabling them to report anonymously on the nature, number, pattern, types, location, frequency and values of demands for bribes. Venkatesh Kannaiah discusses the I Paid A Bribe initiative and the value of technology in tackling corruption, not just in India but globally.

https://www.theigc.org/blog/i-paid-a-bribe-using-technology-to-fight-corruption-in-india/

 ----------------------------------

Capital Plight: What Drives Corruption in India?

 Dec 2010

http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/capital-plight-what-drives-corruption-in-india/

 ----------------------------------

The Indian Judiciary on Trial: Tackling Corruption in India’s Courts

 Feb 2016

https://globalanticorruptionblog.com/2016/02/12/the-indian-judiciary-on-trial-tackling-corruption-in-indias-courts/

 ----------------------------------

India corruption threatens foreign investment

  2011

Endemic corruption in India has grown in scale and represents billions of pounds, with the potential to discourage investors and derail growth prospects, consultancy firm KMPG said in a survey.

The survey of 100 leading domestic and foreign businesses was published as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's government struggles to defend itself against graft cases ranging from a £24 billion telecoms scandal to houses for war widows diverted to bureaucrats.

The scams, exposed in recent months, point to a pervasive culture of corruption in Singh's administration, prompting a man once seen as India's most honest politician to defend his leadership and scramble to keep the ruling coalition intact.

More than two-thirds of those surveyed said corruption prevented India from moving beyond the nine per cent growth expected in the next fiscal year starting April 1. Just over half said graft would make the country less attractive to foreign investors...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/expat-money/8385379/India-corruption-threatens-foreign-investment.html

 ----------------------------------

Anti-corruption & Bribery in India

  August 3 2017

Trends Have there been any recent changes in the enforcement of anti-corruption regulations? In the wake of numerous scams being unearthed in India over the past decade, the enforcement agencies have become increasingly proactive in terms of monitoring compliance under relevant anti-corruption and bribery laws and taking action against violations thereof. For instance, in 2015 the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) opened a suo moto (ie, of its own accord) inquiry against a private company (a subsidiary of a multinational corporation) for the first time, amid allegations that the company had bribed public servants in order to obtain certain clearances and permits in India.

https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=17185ebc-cfd3-4f76-a504-edf12b3361a3

 ----------------------------------

Police charge Indian high court judge with bribery

 2011

NEW DELHI, March 4 (Reuters) - Indian police charged a high court judge on Friday with taking a bribe of 1.5 million rupees ($333,333) in a rare move against a member of the higher judiciary. 

http://in.reuters.com/article/india-corruption-judge/police-charge-indian-high-court-judge-with-bribery-idINSGE72305J20110304

 ----------------------------------

‘Corruption Is Rampant In The Lower Courts’

July 2012

Former chief justice of India on corruption in judiciary

Yet another case of judicial corruption was exposed last month when the Andhra Pradesh High Court suspended additional special judge for CBI cases T. Pattabhi Rama Rao following allegations of corruption. Charged on the basis of a complaint filed by the CBI, the special judge had allegedly taken a bribe of Rs 5 crore to grant bail to former Karnataka minister Gali Janardhana Reddy in the illegal mining case. The vigilance wing of the high court found the allegation to hold merit. Former chief justice of India V.N. Khare told Chandrani Banerjee that such incidents are now rampant.

https://www.outlookindia.com/magazine/story/corruption-is-rampant-in-the-lower-courts/281457

 ----------------------------------

India’s costly culture of corruption

 April 2011

 Traffic lawlessness is a small problem for India. The much bigger one — the one everyone is talking about these days — is corruption...

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/indias-costly-culture-of-corruption/2011/03/28/AFXoUMPC_story.html?utm_term=.39dbca3d5099

 ----------------------------------

Corruption in India

Contents

• 1 Politics
• 2 Bureaucracy
  • 2.1 Land and property
  • 2.2 Tendering processes and awarding contracts
  • 2.3 Hospitals and health care
  • 2.4 Science and technology
  • 2.5 Income tax department
  • 2.6 Preferential award of mineral resources
  • 2.7 Driver licensing
  • 2.8 Trends
• 3 Black money
  • 3.1 Indian black money in Switzerland
  • 3.2 Domestic black money
    • 3.2.1 2016 Evasion attempts after note ban
• 4 Business and corruption
• 5 Judiciary
• 6 Anti-corruption efforts
  • 6.1 Right to Information Act
  • 6.2 Right to public services legislation
  • 6.3 Anti-corruption laws in India
  • 6.4 Anti-corruption police and courts
  • 6.5 Civic anti-corruption organisations
  • 6.6 Electoral Reforms
• 7 Factors contributing to corruption in India
• 8 Impact of corruption
  • 8.1 Loss of credibility
  • 8.2 Economic loss
  • 8.3 Lower corruption, higher growth rates
• 9 See also
• 10 References
• 11 Further reading
• 12 External links

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corruption_in_India


 ----------------------------------



 We should be cautions of groups such as the CFR.



-----------------------------------

Governance in India: Corruption

It remains unclear whether mounting public anger and flagging growth can catalyze India to address widespread official corruption.

https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/governance-india-corruption

 ----------------------------------

UK reprieve for Rolls-Royce in India bribery cases

 

 Jan 20, 2017

Rolls-Royce got a reprieve when a British court approved an agreement between the company and authorities to defer prosecution in connection with corrupt practices in India and six countries.

 Aerospace defence major Rolls-Royce got a reprieve this week when a British court approved a Deferred Prosecution Agreement (DPA) between the company and the Serious Fraud Office (SFO), which was investigating its corrupt practices in India and six countries.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/uk-reprieve-for-rolls-royce-in-india-bribery-cases/story-LqWCgxqemW3bVkDoocUAgO.html

 ----------------------------------

RECENT SUPREME COURT DECISIONS AND THE
INDIAN PREVENTION OF CORRUPTION ACT


https://www.allianceforintegrity.org/wAssets/docs/publications/Compliance-Bulletin/AfIn_ComplianceBulletin_05.pdf

 ----------------------------------

Rolls-Royce apologises in court after settling bribery case

Jan 2017

Settlement of £671m means engineering giant will avoid being prosecuted by anti-corruption investigators in UK, US or Brazil

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2017/jan/17/rolls-royce-apologises-bribery-671m-uk-us-brazil



 ----------------------------------

Bribery Cases

http://indianexpress.com/about/bribery-case/

 ----------------------------------

BCI corruption: CBI court sentences BCI trustee Rana, ex-vice-chair & ex-member to 5 years jail for law school ‘extortion’ racket

18 July 2016

http://www.legallyindia.com/the-bench-and-the-bar/bci-corruption-cbi-court-sentences-bci-s-rana-raj-dey-to-5-years-jail-for-taking-bribe-to-accredit-law-school-20160718-7847



---------

The bribery in India is so vast, that it would take weeks to read through all of the cases of political corruption in India.

View the website titled indiankanoon.org for more information on the list of cases of bribery in India. We can see there is a list of over 740 pages of the corruption going on in India.


-----

Corrupt practices bribery

1 - 10 of 741

https://indiankanoon.org/search/?formInput=corrupt%20practices%20bribery

---------------------

Debris dumping: Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation to hold residents directly responsible

 August 21, 2017

Revised monitoring system to initiate action against those unable to show proof they responsibly disposed of debris

http://indianexpress.com/article/india/debris-dumping-brihanmumbai-municipal-corporation-to-hold-residents-directly-responsible-4805880/

------------------------------------------

Asthma, acid rain: life in one of India's most polluted cities

April 19 2014


Chandrapur: Welcome to one of the most polluted cities in India. The air pollution is so bad that up to 70 per cent of children in Chandrapur are suffering from asthma or some other kind of respiratory disease, thanks to the ash being churned out from 12 coal-fired power stations in the district that produce a combined 5000 megawatts of electricity.
The same power stations also emit enough sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide to enable the formation of acid rain, adding to the pressure on the already shrinking Tadoba tiger reserve nearby – to say nothing of what it means for the district's 2.2 million residents.

 http://www.smh.com.au/world/asthma-acid-rain-life-in-one-of-indias-most-polluted-cities-20140419-zqwod.html

----------------------------

Loophole Lets Toxic Oil Water Flow Over Indian Land

Nov 2012

The air reeks so strongly of rotten eggs that tribal leader Wes Martel hesitates to get out of the car at an oil field on the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming. He already has a headache from the fumes he smelled at another oil field.
Martel is giving me a tour of one of a dozen oil and gas fields on the reservation. These operations have the federal government's permission to dump wastewater on the land — so much that it creates streams that flow into natural creeks and rivers. And this water contains toxic chemicals, including known carcinogens and radioactive material, according to documents obtained by NPR through Freedom of Information Act requests.
The fumes hitting Martel's nose are hydrogen sulfide, which can be deadly. So Martel makes sure the wind is at his back before walking over to a pit the size of several tennis courts. Pipes are emptying dirty brown water that came up from oil wells into the pit, which is completely covered in goopy black oil.
The oil is supposed to float to the surface, and then a truck will vacuum it up. Any solid stuff should fall on the bottom of the pit, before the water rushes out and forms a stream. But there are still chemicals in the water — some from the earth, some from the oil, and some the companies add to make the oil flow faster.

About a half-mile from the pit, Martel stops the car on a bridge over that stream of murky gray water. A shiny film covers the water in some places.

"I wish a lot of people could see this," says Martel, the vice chairman of the Eastern Shoshone Business Council, the tribal government. "This is something that's going on in the reservation: This don't look too cool."

http://www.npr.org/2012/11/15/164688735/loophole-lets-toxic-oil-water-flow-over-indian-land

 ------------------------------------------------

Stormwater drains missing in Delhi

 June 2015

A committee formed by the NGT surveyed the city using Delhi's drainage map of 1976 and found 44 of the 201 natural drains missing.

Many of Delhi's 200-odd natural storm drains are 'missing', feared to have been filled up to build shops and parking lots, a citywide survey has revealed. And those spared are being used to carry domestic sewage and industrial waste. These would save the Capital from floods by draining rainwater out to the Yamuna.

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/stormwater-drains-delhi-yamuna-river-monsoons/1/447664.html



-----------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------


Chapter 5: Coca Cola

-------------------------------------------

-------------------------------------------

People of a semi-arid Rajasthan village battle Coca Cola

2014-07-27

The story isn't new. It is about Coca Cola exploiting groundwater resources at its bottling plant in Kaladera. What will hopefully be new is how the story finally ends.

http://www.indiawaterportal.org/articles/people-semi-arid-rajasthan-village-battle-coca-cola


---------------------------

Coca-Cola, Pepsi emerge victorious in Tamil Nadu water war

 Mar 02, 2017

The Madurai bench of the high court dismissed two public interest litigations that sought to restrain the state administration from supplying water from the Thamirabarani river to Coca Cola and Pepsi units in Tirunelveli district

http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/madras-high-court-dismisses-pils-against-water-supply-to-pepsi-and-coca-cola/story-tK4x9QIdnvrrovmHXnB7sL.html

---------------------------------

Coca-Cola Company, The - Pollution & Toxics

New plant in South India refused due to environmental track record

http://www.ethicalconsumer.org/companystories.aspx?CompanyId=13247&CategoryId=288190


-----------------------

Groundwater hits bottom near Coke's plant in Rajasthan 

 

Groundwater hits bottom near Coca Cola's plant in Rajasthan
Farmers in Kaladera block of Jaipur claim that agriculture has become difficult due to rapid fall in ground water after the beverage giant entered the region in 2000.
Ammonia in Delhi's water rises yet again
Two water treatment plants in Delhi had to be shut down for the fourth time in a month due to excess ammonia in Yamuna's water thanks to discharge from upstream factories in Haryana.
Slum dwellers to pay up for water in Hyderabad
The Secundrabad Cantonment Board will charge water tariff at the rate of Rs 145 per connection from about 28,000 water connections in  slum areas.
Water-holding plastic degrading land
Clogs drains causing water logging which inturn affects soil quality and expansion of wasteland, said a study conducted by Guwahati-based NGO Environ.
Delhi Jal Board experiments with grey water recycling
Plans to supply treated water to residents for non-potable purposes with help from Japanese agency. New sewage treatment plants to be designed to ensure water reclaimation.
Himachal proposes power corridors to save forests
Hydel projects on same river basin would not be allowed separate transmission lines. Move came after 14,000 trees were cut to lay transmission lines for the recently commissioned Karcham Wangtoo project.
Century-old agreement prevents tank revival 
A proposal to revive 29 tanks in Hoskote town of Karnataka stalled after Tamil Nadu raised objections citing 1892 agreement between the then Mysore and Madras governments.
Seven water tankers seized for disobeying rules in Kochi
The District Medical Office impounds lorries not following guidelines like water chlorination to check rising cases of water-borne diseases.
This is the news roundup of January 23, 2014.

http://www.indiawaterportal.org/news/cola-giants-bottling-plant-causes-groundwater-decline-rajasthan

-------------------------------

Gujarat allocates 3 MLD of Narmada water to upcoming Coca Cola plant 

  2014-09-21

 

Gujarat Government allocates Narmada water to Coca Cola plant at Sanand
The Gujarat Government has allocated about 3 million litres per day (MLD) of water from the Narmada Canal to the Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages Pvt Ltd (HCCBPL) for its upcoming plant at Sanand. Along with this, the Government has also allocated 1.85 lakh square meters of land to the company for setting up the Rs 500 crore bottling plant. The plant is expected to produce 450 kilo litres of effluent discharge/day, although government officials say that the plant will have zero-effluent discharge.
Natural disaster displaced 22 million globally last year
Floods, earthquakes and storms have displaced nearly 22 million people across the world in 2013, according to the estimates by the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre of the Norwegian Refugee Council. 87% of these people are from Asian countries alone, with Philippines topping the list. In India, nearly 2.4 million people have been displaced due to flash floods in Uttarakhand, floods in other states and Cyclone Phailin in Odisha and Andhra Pradesh...

 

http://www.indiawaterportal.org/articles/gujarat-allocates-3-mld-narmada-water-upcoming-coca-cola-plant

--------------------------------------

Kerala's bill to penalise Coke - Relief and compensation for Plachimada factory victims

 2011-03-01

 The Kerala government's decision to bring in a bill: Plachimada Coca-Cola Victims — Relief and Compensation Claims Special Tribunal in the State Assembly yesterday is certainly an epic decision.

http://www.indiawaterportal.org/articles/keralas-bill-penalise-coke-relief-and-compensation-plachimada-factory-victims

--------------------------------------

Pesticide 'thali'

2014-01-20
 
A 2010 study by Consumer Voice found that Delhi's fruits and vegetables contain high levels of pesticide residue. Despite the high court getting involved, not much has changed since.

 One doesn't have to look far to find pesticide contamination in food and water in India. Remember the classic Pepsi case where Centre for Science and Environment, a Delhi based NGO, found high levels of toxic pesticides in soft drinks? It isn't just water alone but the entire food chain that is increasingly becoming the primary source of pesticide contamination putting the health and safety of people at risk.

http://www.indiawaterportal.org/articles/pesticide-thali

------------------------

Pesticides in soft drinks

 Adopting dual standards is a practice large multi national corporations follow especially when it comes to developing countries. Soft drinks industry is a classic case of this as the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) discovered way back in 2003.  A laboratory report prepared by CSE detailed some astonishing facts about the extent of pesticide contamination in soft drinks sold in India.

Adopting dual standards is a practice large multi national corporations follow especially when it comes to developing countries. Soft drinks industry is a classic case of this as the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) discovered way back in 2003.  A laboratory report prepared by CSE detailed some astonishing facts about the extent of pesticide contamination in soft drinks sold in India.
CSE found high levels of toxic pesticides and insecticides, high enough to cause cancer, damage to the nervous and reproductive systems, birth defects and severe disruption of the immune system. Market leaders Coca-Cola and Pepsi had almost similar concentrations of pesticide residues. At the same time CSE also tested two soft drink brands sold in the US, to see if they contained pesticides. They didn’t. This only goes to show the companies were following dual standards.
These startling facts forced the government constitute a Joint Parliamentary Committee, only the fourth in post independent India and the first on health and safety of Indians. The committee was tasked to find out whether the findings of the CSE regarding pesticide residues in soft drinks are correct or not and to suggest criteria for evolving suitable safety standards for soft drinks, fruit juice and other beverages where water is the main constituent. The JPC report vindicated CSEs findings and said it is prudent to seek complete freedom from pesticide residues in sweetened aerated water.
All this did not stop Coke and Pepsi from launching a vicious campaign to get discredit our findings. Cases were filed and threats issued. But these pressure tactics did not work. CSE stood its ground and the cases were withdrawn.
Fast forward to August, 2006. CSE undertook a nation wide study of nearly a dozen soft drink brands and found little had changed. The study found pesticide residues in all samples. This after JPC had asked for standards for carbonated beverages.
It took the health ministry a good three more years to notify standards for pesticides in carbonated water. Even these standards are meaningless as their is no methodology available to test for pesticides. CSE is currently engaged with Bureau of Indian Standards to put in place a methodology for testing pesticides.


 http://www.cseindia.org/node/527

------------------------

 A few problems with Coca Cola in third world countries, is that Coca Cola has high level of pesticides in India and Mexico, these pesticides are banned in other countries such as America. Coca Cola ingredients contain GMOs as well. Coca Cola also contains Sodium Benzoate, a chemical that turns into formaldehyde when combined with citric acid. Coca Cola uses artificial coloring and artificial flavoring in their products. Coca Cola has many harmful chemicals in their sodas, such as phosphoric acid, while many times different chemicals are not even labeled on the bottle. Coca Cola lacks ethical standards in third world countries, to properly clean their reused and recycled glass bottles sometimes. You can see these old bottles have been reused many times, and that some bottles are not properly cleaned, and even have debris and objects in the soda. This is why it is good to support and buy natural and organic sodas.

Colas and Sodas were originally used for medicinal reasons, as a type of cough syrup, headache medicine and to fortify the body.

Here are some medicinal ingredients found in soda.

Cane sugar; nutmeg; cloves; vanilla beans; orange peels; sweet birch; honey; molasses; caramel;  sarsaparilla; cherry tree bark; licorice root; ginger; basil; cinnamon; cassia oil (grown in India); dandelion root; burdock root; wintergreen; mint; cucumber; yucca extract; acacia; prickly ash bark; allspice; spicewood;  juniper; maple; anise; Balsam of Peru; salts; hops; English peas; spikenard; cactus; flower and rose petals; lavender; hemp seeds; guaiacum chips; pipsissewa; tea; all edible vegetables; all edible fruits; Lime; Lemon; Lemongrass; dog grass; yellow dock; mushrooms; vinegars, & live soda kombuchas.


Many people in history have treated "sodas," as being a form of medicine in many cases, if you do not add too much sugar and harmful additives.


We can see how many soda companies do not even use any of these ingredients, and just now add a synthetic sweeter with some filtered water, carbon, artificial coloring, artificial flavor extract and a harmful preservative. This includes a can, plastic bottle or glass bottle that contains harmful BPA and dyes on the bottle and bottle cap that come into contact with the soda. Many people now say that soda is one of the worst things for you, with no nutritional benefits. We can clearly see that there is a good and a bad way to make a soda. It seems a good potion of sodas these days just go on synthetic sweeteners and artificial flavors.


----------------------------------

Half of India's interstate rivers plagued by pollution and poor water quality

2015-08-23

 While the Central Pollution Control Board's recent study highlights the problems with rivers today, it does not have clear cut recommendations or actions to resolve them.

 According to a recent study by the Central Pollution and Control Board (CPCB), almost half of India's interstate rivers are polluted and are of no use to anyone thus increasing the possibility of worsening of disputes over river sharing among states. Although India has a rich network of rivers with nine river systems spanning as high as 81% of the geographical area and a per capita water availability of 1720.29 cum per annum, water availability from rivers is increasingly being threatened due to rampant pollution from untreated domestic sewage and industrial effluents making it unfit for drinking or any other purpose.

http://www.indiawaterportal.org/articles/half-indias-interstate-rivers-plagued-pollution-and-poor-water-quality



-----------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------


Chapter 6: Miscellaneous

-------------------------------------------

-------------------------------------------




ENVIRONMENT-INDIA: DuPont Under Fire for Poor Safety Record - 

 By IPS Correspondents

By IPS Correspondents

 Mahesh Uniyal

NEW DELHI, Apr 9 1996 (IPS) - Forced by citizens groups to quit Goa on India’s east coast last year, the U.S.-based DuPont’s planned nylon factory is again in trouble over the transnational’s (TNC) alleged poor safety record.

Booted out of Goa a year ago, the giant TNC moved its proposed 183 million dollar nylon 6,6 plant to Tamil Nadu on the east coast. Activists groups there have been campaigning against the project, saying DuPont has done nothing to inspire confidence.

India goes to polls later this month and the Anti-Dupont Joint Action Committee, dubbed “eco-terrorists” by the TNC, announced last week that it would persuade candidates from the region to campaign for DuPont’s ouster.

A member of the Committee told IPS that they were waiting for the parties to announce their manifestoes. The regional Pattali Makkal Kathchi which translates as the Toiling People’s Party, has declared its commitment to protect the environment.

Last week a visiting U.S. rights activist Ward Morehouse while urging activists to continue their fight, warned that DuPont was giving assurances similar to those by Union Carbide when it set up its factory in Bhopal, the scene of the world’s worst industrial disaster in 1984.

“The company has so little confidence in its own ability to avoid another Bhopal disaster that it has demanded the Government of India grant it immunity from liability for industrial accidents,” he is quoted saying in newspaper reports from Madras.

DuPont which has tied up with a leading Indian business house Thapar for the project has denied this oft-repeated charge, maintaining such a clause does not exist in its contract.

Yet it has rejected protesters’ demand for a public hearing and review of the project, offering instead, a closed door debate between activists, experts and company officials.

The protests started soon after the joint venture was permitted last August by the Tamil Nadu government to set up the factory 50 kms from the state capital Madras.

The decision led to an immediate hunger protest by the Madras- based Institute for Social Education and Development and the Tamil Nadu Agricultural Labourers’ Movement in Madras.

The ranks of anti-Dupont activists swelled when some 40 green and human rights groups in the state banded together last year to form a Joint Action Committee against the project. Construction at the site in Gummidipoondi started in August 1995.

DuPont and its Indian partner Thapar were forced to move out of the original site in southwestern coastal Goa state after prolonged, popular anti-Dupont protests peaked in violence last January in which an activist was killed.

In Goa, Dupont had faced stiff opposition from villagers who alleged they had been cheated of their ancestral lands to make way for the factory.

Mahesh Uniyal

NEW DELHI, Apr 9 1996 (IPS) - Forced by citizens groups to quit Goa on India’s east coast last year, the U.S.-based DuPont’s planned nylon factory is again in trouble over the transnational’s (TNC) alleged poor safety record.

Booted out of Goa a year ago, the giant TNC moved its proposed 183 million dollar nylon 6,6 plant to Tamil Nadu on the east coast. Activists groups there have been campaigning against the project, saying DuPont has done nothing to inspire confidence.
India goes to polls later this month and the Anti-Dupont Joint Action Committee, dubbed “eco-terrorists” by the TNC, announced last week that it would persuade candidates from the region to campaign for DuPont’s ouster.
A member of the Committee told IPS that they were waiting for the parties to announce their manifestoes. The regional Pattali Makkal Kathchi which translates as the Toiling People’s Party, has declared its commitment to protect the environment.
Last week a visiting U.S. rights activist Ward Morehouse while urging activists to continue their fight, warned that DuPont was giving assurances similar to those by Union Carbide when it set up its factory in Bhopal, the scene of the world’s worst industrial disaster in 1984.
“The company has so little confidence in its own ability to avoid another Bhopal disaster that it has demanded the Government of India grant it immunity from liability for industrial accidents,” he is quoted saying in newspaper reports from Madras.

DuPont which has tied up with a leading Indian business house Thapar for the project has denied this oft-repeated charge, maintaining such a clause does not exist in its contract.
Yet it has rejected protesters’ demand for a public hearing and review of the project, offering instead, a closed door debate between activists, experts and company officials.
The protests started soon after the joint venture was permitted last August by the Tamil Nadu government to set up the factory 50 kms from the state capital Madras.
The decision led to an immediate hunger protest by the Madras- based Institute for Social Education and Development and the Tamil Nadu Agricultural Labourers’ Movement in Madras.
The ranks of anti-Dupont activists swelled when some 40 green and human rights groups in the state banded together last year to form a Joint Action Committee against the project. Construction at the site in Gummidipoondi started in August 1995.
DuPont and its Indian partner Thapar were forced to move out of the original site in southwestern coastal Goa state after prolonged, popular anti-Dupont protests peaked in violence last January in which an activist was killed.
In Goa, Dupont had faced stiff opposition from villagers who alleged they had been cheated of their ancestral lands to make way for the factory.
- See more at: http://ipsnews2.wpengine.com/1996/04/environment-india-dupont-under-fire-for-poor-safety-record/#sthash.6LBkndnB.dpuf

 Goa’s Anti-Nylon Citizen’s Action Committee had accused the nylon plant of lax environmental standards: its effluents would pollute waterbodies in the neighbourhood and air-borne emissions would corrode ancient temples nearby.

The controversial DuPont-Thapar plant, India’s first to make nylon 6,6, will on completion have an annual capacity of 18,000 tonnes. At present India imports more than 20,000 tonnes of this chemical which is more durable and has better adhesive qualities than ordinary nylon and is used in automobile and aircraft tyres.

A DuPont spokesman told IPS that the nylon factory being set up in India “will be the safest and cleanest nylon plant anywhere in the world.” The TNC, he said, would be installing the latest machinery after administrative delays forced it to give up earlier plans to import outdated second hand machinery.

Goa’s Anti-Nylon Citizen’s Action Committee had accused the nylon plant of lax environmental standards: its effluents would pollute waterbodies in the neighbourhood and air-borne emissions would corrode ancient temples nearby.
The controversial DuPont-Thapar plant, India’s first to make nylon 6,6, will on completion have an annual capacity of 18,000 tonnes. At present India imports more than 20,000 tonnes of this chemical which is more durable and has better adhesive qualities than ordinary nylon and is used in automobile and aircraft tyres.
A DuPont spokesman told IPS that the nylon factory being set up in India “will be the safest and cleanest nylon plant anywhere in the world.” The TNC, he said, would be installing the latest machinery after administrative delays forced it to give up earlier plans to import outdated second hand machinery.
- See more at: http://ipsnews2.wpengine.com/1996/04/environment-india-dupont-under-fire-for-poor-safety-record/#sthash.6LBkndnB.dpuf

 http://ipsnews2.wpengine.com/1996/04/environment-india-dupont-under-fire-for-poor-safety-record/#sthash.6LBkndnB.dpuf

ENVIRONMENT-INDIA: DuPont Under Fire for Poor Safety Record - See more at: http://ipsnews2.wpengine.com/1996/04/environment-india-dupont-under-fire-for-poor-safety-record/#sthash.6LBkndnB.dpuf

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Bhopal disaster and its aftermath: a review

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1142333/


---------------------------------------------------

Indian Coal Plant Standards Weaker on Pollution Than China

http://theenergycollective.com/guayjguay/238756/indian-coal-plant-standards-allow-four-twenty-times-more-deadly-pollution-china



-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CHARACTERIZATION OF FINE PARTICLE AIR POLLUTION IN

THE INDIAN SUBCONTINENT 

 https://smartech.gatech.edu/bitstream/handle/1853/5112/chowdhury_muhammed_z_200407_phd.pdf;jsessionid=8EDF

B0BB6B06C96E17173A35DDA148FF.smart1?sequence=1

---------------------------------


 Pesticide pollution of River Ghaggar in Haryana, India.

 Ghaggar, one of the major rivers of northern India originating in outer Himalayas and flowing through the state of Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan, is put to multiple uses. Along its course of 464 km, it receives discharge from various cities and runoff from agricultural lands. Punjab and Haryana are two predominantly agricultural states of India using substantial amounts of agrochemicals, yet there are no reports available in literature on the level of pesticides in the stretch of river Ghaggar through Punjab and Haryana. This is the first report on pesticide pollution of the river Ghaggar in Haryana. Water samples along the 230-km stretch of the river in Haryana were analyzed for the presence of organochlorine insecticide residues. While aldrin and dieldrin were below detection limits, both hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) were traceable in all the water samples. High concentration of beta-HCH among SigmaHCH indicates old pollution source whereas predominance of p,p'-DDT among SigmaDDT reflects its recent use in the catchment area of the river. The concentrations of HCH and DDT in all the samples were above the permissible limits prescribed by the European Commission Directive for drinking purposes.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19107563



-----------------------------------

Poisoned waters: Which Indian rivers contain trace and toxic metals?

2015-07-12 

 The Central Water Commission studied 355 water quality stations and 32 gauge stations covering all river basins in the country. Only mercury and zinc levels were within BIS acceptable standards.


Contamination of surface water sources such as rivers due to metals, can often make the water dangerous to drink because of the health hazards associated with consuming toxic metals. The report titled 'Status of trace and toxic metals in Indian rivers' published by the Central Water Commission (CWC), presents the findings of a study conducted by the CWC that evaluated the water quality of all the river basins of the country with regard to the status of trace and toxic metals present.
Type of toxic metals and sources of metal contamination
Primary metals considered to be toxic are lead, arsenic, copper, cadmium, mercury and nickel. These hazardous metals are also referred to as trace elements and are normally found in low concentrations in the environment and can create health problems if their concentration increases in the food and the water chain. Contamination of surface water sources due to metals can occur due to a number of industrial processes such as:

• Mining
• Discharge of industrial effluents containing metallic solutions into the water. These include effluents discharged from battery and paint manufacturing, electroplating, viscous-rayon manufacturing, copper picking and galvanizing & rubber processing industries.
• Dumping of solid wastes which contain metal salts
• Agricultural practices that introduce toxic metals to water

Health impacts of toxic metals
Heavy metals may enter the human body through food, water, and air, or even absorption through the skin. This may be due to the contact of humans with these metals in agriculture, manufacturing, pharmaceutical, industrial, or residential settings. Though several adverse health effects of heavy metals are known, people's exposure to these metals continues to increase in some parts of the world. Large amounts of any of these metals can cause:

• Acute or chronic toxicity/ poisoning resulting in damaged or reduced mental and central nervous functions
• Changes in the blood composition and damage to the lungs, kidneys, liver, and other vital organs
• Physical, muscular, and neurological degenerative processes that are similar to Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, muscular dystrophy, and multiple sclerosis
• Cancer
• Risk of allergies

Keeping these hazards in mind, agencies like the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) have formulated drinking water standards for trace and toxic metals for humans as well as for livestock and irrigation use in India.

Findings of the study

A total of 355 water quality stations and 32 gauge stations covering all the river basins from the East to the West and North to the South were studied. It found the following:

Arsenic

• Maximum arsenic concentration was observed at Sundergarh water quality monitoring station on Ib River, a tributary of the Mahanadi.
• Arsenic concentration in all the other rivers was within acceptable limits of the BIS and no toxicity was observed in the rivers during the study period.

Cadmium

• Cauvery, Pennar, Yamuna and Hindon rivers were found to be contaminated with cadmium at 7 water quality monitoring stations.
• The highest cadmium concentration was observed on the Delhi railway bridge and Mathura water quality monitoring station at the Yamuna river.

Chromium

• 11 major Indian rivers were found to have chromium concentration exceeding tolerance limits.

Copper

• Maximum copper concentration was observed at Regauli water quality station on Rapti river.
• Ganga, Gomti, Kwano, Ramganga, Rapti, Sarju were among the rivers where two or more water quality monitoring stations were contaminated with copper.

Iron

• Iron concentration was found to exceed limits at more than two water quality stations at the Barak, Brahamputra, Ganga, Mahi, Narmada, Ramganga, Rapti, Seonath, Subarnarekha, Teesta and Yamuna rivers.
• Iron concentration was reported to be maximum at Srikakulam water quality station on Nagavali River.

Lead

• Lead concentration was maximum in the water sample from Moradabad water quality station on Ramganga River.
• Many water quality monitoring stations were found to be contaminated with lead near the Brahamani, Ganga, Ghaghra, Gomti, Mahanadi, Ramganga, Rapti and Yamuna rivers.

Mercury

• Mercury concentration was within the acceptable limits of the BIS and no toxicity due to mercury was observed in the Indian rivers during the study period.

Nickel

• Nickel concentration at Fatehgarh water quality station on the Ganga was reported to be the maximum.
• Baitarni, Ganga, Gomti, Hasdeo, Mahanadi, Narmada, Purna, Seonath, Subarnarekha, Tel, Wainganga and Wardha were the rivers where 2 or more water quality monitoring stations were observed to be contaminated with Nickel.

Zinc

• In all the water samples, zinc concentration was well within the acceptable limits of the BIS and no toxicity was observed in the Indian rivers during the study period.

http://www.indiawaterportal.org/articles/poisoned-waters-which-indian-rivers-contain-trace-and-toxic-metals

------------------------------------

Water quality standards for pesticides and fertilizer limits

  2009-02-10

 Is there any IS Code for setting limits on the content of fertilizers,insecticides and pesticides in water? Are there varying standards as per the end use of water? Kindly provide information regarding standards and also regarding procurement of the same...

http://www.indiawaterportal.org/questions/water-quality-standards-pesticides-and-fertilizer-limits

-------------------------------

Centre allocates Rs.133 crore to conserve 115 wetlands

2014-08-05 


Centre identifies 115 wetlands for conservation and management
The government has identified 115 wetlands in 24 states and 2 Union Territories and has released Rs.133.64 crore for their conservation and management. Also, the two centrally sponsored schemes – National Wetland Conservation Programme and National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems – have been merged to have better synergy and to avoid overlapping. Although it has allocated funds to wetland conservatin, the Government feels that only a few of the 7, 57,060 wetlands have been impacted due to urbanisation and development activities.
Downstream of Rishikesh, Ganga water not potable
The Uttarakhand Government has informed the Supreme Court that the Ganga water from Gangotri to Laxman Jhula in Rishikesh is pure and drinkable while further downstream in Haridwar and Roorkee, the riverwater is graded as category B, which means that it is unfit for human consumption. The information has come following the apex court's direction to the state government to provide a status report on the water quality of the Ganga and the water purifying equipment that is being used.


http://www.indiawaterportal.org/articles/centre-allocates-rs133-crore-conserve-115-wetlands


----------------------------------

Delhi’s Bhalaswa landfill contaminates groundwater

  2015-08-17

The landfill, which was supposed to be shut down in 2010 once the trash reached a height of 22m still remains functional at a height of 41m, polluting groundwater and areas around it.

 With more than 8360 tons of trash created daily in Delhi, the city has three trash pile sites at Bhalaswa, Ghazipur and Okhla. In these sites technically known as landfills, garbage is buried between layers of earth to build up low-lying lands. Now, Delhi’s landfills have grown beyond big; they were once outside the city but as the city expanded, the piles rose higher and became wider within it.

http://www.indiawaterportal.org/articles/delhis-bhalaswa-landfill-contaminates-groundwater

---------------------------

Impact of mining on water availability and quality in Tikamgarh, MP and Rajasamand, Rajasthan - Need experiences and inputs

  2007-07-03

http://www.indiawaterportal.org/questions/impact-mining-water-availability-and-quality-tikamgarh-mp-and-rajasamand-rajasthan-need

----------------------------------

Nitrate/nitrite toxicity - case studies in environmental medicine by agency for toxic substances and disease registry (ATSDR)

  2009-05-19

The case study discusses the problem of nitrate/nitrite toxicity and helps in promotion of medical practices that aid in evaluation and care of potentially exposed patients


http://www.indiawaterportal.org/articles/nitratenitrite-toxicity-case-studies-environmental-medicine-agency-toxic-substances-and

----------------------------------------



 POLLUTION ASSESSMENT: RIVER GANGA


http://cpcb.nic.in/upload/NewItems/NewItem_203_Ganga_report.pdf

---------------------------------

Great Rann of Kutch

 The Great Rann of Kutch is a salt marsh located in the Thar Desert in the Kutch District of Gujarat, India and the Sindh province of Pakistan. It is about 7,505.22 square kilometres (2,897.78 sq mi) in size and is reputed to be one of the largest salt deserts in the world.^[1] This area has been inhabited by the Kutchi people.

Threats and preservation

Although most of the marsh is in protected areas, the habitats are vulnerable to cattle grazing, firewood collection and salt extraction operations, all of which may involve transportation that disturbs wildlife. There are several wildlife sanctuaries and protected reserves on the Indian side in the Rann of Kutch region. From the city of Bhuj, various ecologically rich and wildlife conservation areas of the Kutch/Kachchh district can be visited such as Indian Wild Ass Sanctuary, Kutch Desert Wildlife Sanctuary, Narayan Sarovar Sanctuary, Kutch Bustard Sanctuary, Banni Grasslands Reserve and Chari-Dhand Wetland Conservation Reserve.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Rann_of_Kutch

----------------------------------

The Threatened Biodiversity of Fascinating Kutch

January 12, 2016

http://corbettfoundation.org/articles/2016/01/12/the-threatened-biodiversity-of-fascinating-kutch/

-----------------------------------

Water quality evaluation of Himalayan Rivers of Kumaun region, Uttarakhand, India

 June 2016

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs13201-014-0213-7

-------------------------------------



Seasonal variation of bromine monoxide over the Rann of Kutch salt marsh seen from space

 2015

Abstract

Bromine monoxide (BrO) is an important catalyst in the depletion of tropospheric and stratospheric ozone (O3). In the troposphere, reactive bromine can be released from sea ice, volcanoes, sea-salt aerosol or salt lakes. For all of these natural sources enhanced BrO vertical column densities (VCDs) have been successfully observed from ground using Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (DOAS). Until now, satellite observations were only reported for polar regions during springtime and volcanic emissions (mostly for major eruptions). We present the first satellite observations of enhanced monthly mean BrO VCDs over a salt marsh, the Rann of Kutch (India/Pakistan), during 2004-2014 as seen by the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI). The Rann of Kutch is a so-called 'seasonal' salt marsh. During India's summer monsoon (June/July - September/October), the flat desert of salty clay and mudflats, which average 15 meters above sea level, fills with standing rain and sea water. With more than 7500 km2 it is the largest salt desert in the world and additionally one of the hottest areas of India with summer temperatures around 50 ° C and winter temperatures decreasing below 0 ° C. Probably due to these rather extreme conditions, the Rann of Kutch has not been yet investigated for atmospheric composition measurements by ground-based instruments. Satellite observations, however, provide the unique possibility to investigate the entire area remotely over a long-time period. The OMI data reveals recurring maximum BrO VCDs during April/May, but no enhanced column densities during the monsoon season while the area is flooded. In the following months the signal only recovers slowly while the salty surface dries up. We discuss the possible effects of temperature, precipitation and relative humidity on the release of enhanced reactive bromine concentrations. In order to investigate a possible diurnal cycle of the BrO concentration, the OMI results (at a local overflight time around ~13:30) are compared to corresponding results from the Global Ozone Monitoring Instrument (GOME-2, local overflight time at ~9:30).

http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2015EGUGA..1710652H

---------------------------------------


 Wetlands in India: Significance, Threats & Conservation

 June 2016

http://www.jagranjosh.com/current-affairs/wetlands-in-india-significance-threats-conservation-1466144262-1

---------------------------------------

Chir Batti

Chir Batti, Chhir Batti or Cheer batti is a ghost light reported in the Banni grasslands, a seasonal marshy wetlands^[1] and adjoining desert of the marshy salt flats of the Rann of Kutch^[2] near the India–Pakistan border in Kutch district, Gujarat State, India. Local villagers refer to the light as Chir Batti in their Kutchhi-Sindhi language, with Chir meaning ghost and Batti meaning light.^[1]
It is described as an unexplained light occurring on dark nights as bright as a mercury lamp that changes its colour to blue, red and yellow and resembles a moving ball (reported also pear shaped form) of fire, which may move as fast as an arrow but may also stop.^[3] As per local folklore, these lights have been a part of life in the Banni grasslands and the adjoining Rann of Kutch for centuries, but are little known beyond the immediate area and people continue to call them "ghost lights". Witnesses claim the lights at times appear to be playing hide and seek or following them.^[1] Some reports claim the light can only be seen after 8 pm on dark nights, are always two to ten feet above the ground, and if followed during the night, one could be misled from the road and lose their way in thorny jungles or desert of the salt flats of the Rann.^[1] A team of local and US ornithologists ^[1] and soldiers of the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) who patrol the adjoining Rann of Kutch international border area of India with Pakistan have allegedly seen the light.
In modern science, it is generally accepted that most ignes fatui are caused by the oxidation of phosphine (PH3), diphosphane (P2H4), and methane (CH4). These compounds, produced by organic decay, can cause photon emissions. Since phosphine and diphosphane mixtures spontaneously ignite on contact with the oxygen in air, only small quantities of it would be needed to ignite the much more abundant methane to create ephemeral fires. Furthermore, phosphine produces phosphorus pentoxide as a by-product, which forms phosphoric acid upon contact with water vapor.

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chir_Batti

--------------------------------------------

 Status of Trace and Toxic Metals in Indian Rivers

May 2014

http://www.cwc.nic.in/main/downloads
/Trace%20&%20Toxic%20Report%2025%20June%202014.pdf


---------------------------------------------

Why Toxic Foam Repeatedly Floods Neighborhoods in Bangalore, India

 

August 18 2017

At a Glance

• The southern Indian city of Bangalore frequently has bouts of toxic foam flooding city streets.
• The reasons for the foam are a combination of factors, including urban expansion, the release of untreated sewage into lakes and the seasonal monsoon.

https://weather.com/science/environment/news/bangalore-india-toxic-foam-lakes



-------------------------------------------

Horrifying fact: Almost all India’s water is contaminated by sewage

 

 Jul 01, 2015 

 

Eighty percent of our surface water is contaminated and 80% of the pollution comes from domestic sewage. 

 

https://scroll.in/article/737981/horrifying-fact-almost-all-indias-water-is-contaminated-by-sewage

----------------------------------------------

Untreated sewage flows in most of our rivers

 

  July 09, 2017

Domestic waste continues to be the single largest source of pollution, and if left untreated could choke the river flow

A popular Kannada adage says that drinking water from the Tunga is equal to taking a bath in the Ganga. However, the condition of the Tunga would make one balk at the idea of drinking its water, with untreated sewage from the Shivamogga City Corporation limits being discharged into it.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/untreated-sewage-flows-in-most-of-our-rivers/article19242836.ece

----------------------------------------------

Flammable foam hits the streets of Bangalore after river has so much sewage pumped into it that it creates a toxic 'clouds' of bubbles

 October 2015

• The foam comes from the vast and highly polluted Bellandur Lake
• It is caused by ammonia, phosphate and low dissolved oxygen in the water
• The white mixture has also been known to catch fire due to the grease in it
• Bangalore residents have started up a Facebook page to save the lake

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3266564/Flammable-foam-hits-streets-Bangalore-river-sewage-pumped-creates-toxic-clouds-bubbles.html



--------------------------------------------------

India's Flooded City, Toxic Air Make Clear Why Climate Action Needed at Paris COP21

 December 04, 2015



https://www.nrdc.org/experts/anjali-jaiswal/indias-flooded-city-toxic-air-make-clear-why-climate-action-needed-paris

-------------------------------------------------

We can see how there were many floods in ancient India.

Some people question that just because a city has a record high level of a flood, that this may have to do with climate change. Others question if many thousands of years ago, if there were floods similar to these record flood events that we see today.

------------------------------------------------

List of flood myths

 

• Manu and Matsya: The legend first appears in Shatapatha Brahmana (700–300 BCE), and is further detailed in Matsya Purana (250–500 CE). Matsya (the incarnation of Lord Vishnu as a fish) forewarns Manu (a human) about an impending catastrophic flood and orders him to collect all the grains of the world in a boat; in some forms of the story, all living creatures are also to be preserved in the boat. When the flood destroys the world, Manu – in some versions accompanied by the seven great sages – survives by boarding the ark, which Matsya pulls to safety.
• Puluga, the creator god in the religion of the indigenous inhabitants of the Andaman Islands, sends a devastating flood to punish people who have forgotten his commands. Only four people survive this flood: two men and two women.

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_flood_myths#India


--------------------------------------------

Toxic Pool Creeping Across India Kills Thousands of Kids Day by Day

2014-12-05

Death crept without warning to the mud huts of Jogaeal in central India.
One by one, children began to die, often in agony and exhibiting similar symptoms: convulsions, burning pain in the extremities, nausea, vomiting, fever and diarrhea. By the end of 2011, parents buried 53 of them in this forested hill country village occupied mostly by subsistence farmers and day laborers.
That scenario played out in three other villages in and around the contiguous coal-mining districts of Singrauli and Sonbhadra about 600 miles (965 kilometers) southeast of New Delhi. At least a dozen more kids with similar symptoms succumbed, along with several adults. Outrage at the deaths sparked an investigation by the chief medical officers of the Sonbhadra district regional government -- and the results only deepened the outrage.
Most were tied to drinking polluted water, according to reports obtained by Bloomberg News in October. They stopped short of identifying the pollutants but independent scientists who have conducted exhaustive toxicology tests in the region say they know the chief culprit: mercury.
An October 2012 study by the New Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment, a public-interest research group, found mercury levels in some village drinking water samples to be 26 times higher than the Bureau of Indian Standard’s safe limit for human consumption. Fish taken from a lake near villages where residents routinely catch and eat them showed mercury levels twice what the Indian government deems safe, according to that report.
The Indian government has long been aware of this. In a three-year study conducted in 1990s, the state-run Indian Institute of Toxicology Research found dangerous levels of mercury in blood, hair and nails of people in the Singrauli region. Yet pollution continues to grow. United Nations data show India is second only to China in annual mercury emissions.

Corporations First

All of this reinforces the criticism that India’s drive to modernize through extractive industries such as coal and uranium mining puts the priorities of corporations ahead of the health of its citizens.
India doesn’t yet “include the cost of the effects of pollution on human and ecosystem health at all” when it performs cost-benefit analysis for industrial projects, said Kritee, a Colorado-based senior scientist at the U.S. Environmental Defense Fund who has studied mercury pollution for years. Until that changes, “environmental and human health will come second,” according to Kritee, who uses only one name.
Statistics back this up. The World Bank estimates that environmental degradation costs India 5.7 percent of its gross domestic product every year -- and is responsible for about a quarter of the 1.6 million annual deaths among children.
How mercury and other pollutants got here is no mystery. What these victims shared was proximity to the sprawling Govind Ballabh Pant Sagar reservoir and the rivers that feed it. Flanked by mines, coal-burning power plants and heavy industry, these waters collect toxic effluent from plant discharges and absorb mercury that’s a residue from burning coal.
They are ranked by an Indian government report as among the most polluted waters in the nation -- and they serve as the region’s chief source of drinking water and fish. The reservoir is the region’s “main source of water” and “is seriously polluted with discharge of fly ash and other effluents from the industries,” according to the National Green Tribunal, created in 2010 by the Indian parliament to address environmental concerns. “There are thermal power plants and nearly 1,000 other polluting industries. This position is really not in dispute.”

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-12-05/amid-india-s-coal-fields-death-lurks-in-poisoned-water.html



----------------------------------------------

The Ganges River Is Dying Under the Weight of Modern India

 9/23/15

One day in January 2015, black crows began to fill the gray sky like wild brushstrokes, so a group of villagers decided to investigate. The birds were circling something, and as the villagers approached they heard the guttural growl of dogs, all teeth and rib cage, scrapping for the last tug of tendon. That’s when they found a floating mass grave of more than 100 corpses washed up in a canal that connects to the Ganges River.
The macabre event lent itself well to sensationalization; each headline that came out in the week following ferried me back to June 2013, when Raghvendra “Nandan” Upadhyay, a local journalist and tour guide, greeted me before leading me through his hometown by saying: “Welcome to the city of learning and burning, of light and death. Welcome to Varanasi.”

What’s flowing beneath the surface is much worse: Millions of gallons of industrial effluents and raw sewage drain into the Ganges each day. The results are devastating. Diarrhea, often caused by exposure to fecal matter, kills 600,000 Indians per year, and waterborne diseases throughout the Ganges River basin, many a result of the polluted waters, cost families $4 billion per year. Sanitation and water pollution issues cause 80 percent of the diseases that afflict rural Indians.
The pollution has also slowed down or made stagnant many once free-flowing areas of the Ganges. Stagnation is where the mosquitos thrive, and with mosquitos comes malaria. The deadliest form of malaria, Plasmodium falciparum, is on the rise in India, and the worst may be yet to come: Dr. François H. Nosten of the Shoklo Malaria Research Unit in Thailand believes the drug-resistant strain of the disease-causing parasite his team is struggling to combat in Southeast Asia is “bound to spill over into India.” This form of malaria is perhaps the world’s most pressing global health issue, and if India cannot clean up the Ganges the country could be setting itself up for a catastrophe. And this is to say nothing of dengue, which is endemic all over India, and of chikungunya, a viral disease of which India has had several outbreaks in the past few years.


http://www.newsweek.com/2015/10/02/ganges-river-dying-under-weight-modern-india-375347.html

------------------------------------------------

Toxic metals flood major Gujarat rivers

Jul 5, 2014

AHMEDABAD: The discharge of untreated toxic effluents and sewage into the state's rivers is taking a toll on the purity of these invaluable sources of water. One of the country's most comprehensive surveys covering 16 river basins carried out to measure toxic metal content in Indian rivers, has detected metal content above permitted limits in Sabarmati, Tapi, Narmada, Damanganga and Purna rivers and river basins of the state.

The survey that was carried out by the water quality monitoring network of the Central Water Commission (CWC), spanned three years. According to its findings, of the nine toxic metals, metal salts of copper, iron, lead and nickel have been detected in Gujarat's river basins above permissible limits.

For instance, the CWC found that the copper content in Sabarmati at a place downstream like Vautha was 62% higher than the permissible limit of 50 microgram per litre. Similarly the iron content was found to be 895 microgram a litre when ideally it should have been three times lower at 300 microgram a litre. At Burhanpur in the Tapi basin, for instance, the CWC found the presence of iron to be 11 times higher than the permissible limit. At the same place, even the presence of copper metal was over permissible limits.

The survey report blames flawed mining processes, discharge of industrial effluents containing metallic solutions, dumping of solid wastes which contain metal salts and some agricultural practices such as the use of metal-based biocides for the high toxicity of the river waters. The other culprits responsible for the pollution are battery manufacturing industries, paint manufacturing units, electroplating units, viscous-rayon manufacturing industries, copper picking units and galvanizing and rubber processing industries. All these produce effluents that contain high amounts of heavy metals.

A senior GPCB official said Vatva, Naroda and Narol areas are principally responsible for the discharge of chemical effluents in the Sabarmati. "We are keeping watch and have managed to curb this menace to a degree," said the official.


The metals considered toxic are lead, arsenic, copper, cadmium, mercury and nickel. Contamination of river water with toxic metals makes it harmful for further use not only for drinking purposes but also by industries. In particular, arsenic and lead make the water dangerous to drink.

These toxic metals are reported to cause chromosomal damage and lead to hereditary ailments. The report further says that an 80 microgram/dL arsenic concentration in human blood cause poisoning in adults. It has also been reported that lead concentrations above 40 microgram/dL in the blood causes brain damage in children.


Chief engineer, CWC, M P Singh says storm water runoff and discharge of sewage into rivers are two common ways that pollutants enter the aquatic ecosystems resulting in pollution. "The heavy metals are highly persistent and have the potential to bio-accumulate and bio-magnify in the food chain and become toxic for living organisms at higher tropic levels in nature," says Singh.


http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/Toxic-metals-flood-major-Gujarat-rivers/articleshow/37796020.cms

--------------------------------------------------

India’s toxic air is taking away three years from your life

 February 21, 2015

The life expectancy of more than half of India’s population could increase by 3.2 years if the country can meet its air quality standards, according to a new study by economists and public policy experts at the universities of Chicago, Yale and Harvard.

https://qz.com/347702/indias-toxic-air-is-taking-away-three-years-of-your-life/

---------------------------------------------------

India capital chokes on toxic smog after Diwali

October 31, 2016

It came on the same day that another United Nations body reported how some 300 million children live with outdoor air so polluted it can cause serious physical damage — including to their lungs, brains and other organs.

https://www.thenational.ae/world/india-capital-chokes-on-toxic-smog-after-diwali-1.167197

----------------------------------------------------

 DIFFUSE AGRICULTURAL WATER POLLUTION IN INDIA

 1999

https://www.ircwash.org/sites/default/files/244-99DI-15646.pdf

---------------------------------------------------

Crisis in the Indian River Lagoon: Solutions for an Imperiled Ecosystem

There is an ecological crisis in Indian River Lagoon.
There is an ecological crisis in Indian River Lagoon. Large quantities of water with high levels of nutrient pollution from Lake Okeechobee and the St. Lucie Basin are being discharged to tide, leading to toxic algae blooms in the Lagoon’s waters. There have been numerous, mysterious reports of deaths of Pelicans, manatees, and dolphins in the area. Harmful bacteria have also been detected in some areas, making the water dangerous for human contact.


A parallel story is taking place on Florida’s Southwest coast. Water from Lake Okeechobee and the Caloosahatchee Basin are being flushed into the Caloosahatchee River, and as with the Indian River Lagoon, the discharges are contributing to algae blooms in the Caloosahatchee Estuary’s ecosystem.
In its natural state, water in the northern Kissimmee Basin meandered south to Lake Okeechobee, flowing into Everglades National Park and eventually Florida Bay. This water had very low levels of phosphorus and nitrogen.
Before human alteration to the ecosystem, the Kissimmee Valley would take six to eight months to release wet season loads into Lake Okeechobee. Now this same water drainage takes place within one month, making the Lake rise at an unnaturally rapid pace.
Fertilizer and storm water add phosphorus and nitrogen to the Okeechobee watershed. The water moves so quickly that it cannot be naturally cleansed before flowing downstream. The Indian River Lagoon and the Caloosahatchee Estuary also receive local runoff, which contribute high flows of nutrient-laden water into the estuaries. 

http://fl.audubon.org/crisis-indian-river-lagoon-solutions-imperiled-ecosystem

----------------------------------------------------

India Now Has the World’s Worst Air Pollution

 February 14, 2017

Industrialization, coal-fired power plants, and a lack of regulation mean the problem is just going to get worse, even as richer nations clean up their air.

https://www.technologyreview.com/s/603649/india-now-has-the-worlds-worst-air-pollution/

---------------------------------------------------

India’s Toxic Trail of Tears

Circle of Blue – June 6, 2017

KODAIKANAL, India –In the dogged community of eco-activists, journalists, and artists that find common ground defending Tamil Nadu from rapacious development and rampant pollution, Nityanand Jayaraman stands out.

http://www.circleofblue.org/2017/world/indias-toxic-trail-tears/

--------------------------------------------------

Tackling India’s towering landfills takes cultural innovation

 April 3, 2017 


http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/tackling-indias-towering-landfills-takes-cultural-innovation/

-------------------------------------------------

What were the causes of fish kills in your lakes, rivers, coastal waters and oceans? 

 

Fish kills can be defined as any sudden and unexpected mass mortality of wild or cultured fish over a short period of time. It could be due to pollution or contamination of waters or a combination of natural and human-induced stresses in the environment. Climate change (rise in temperatures) and projected increase in the frequency of algal blooms may also increase fish kills.

Fish kills can occur due to a number of reasons including the following: abrupt change of temperatures (winter fish kills/summer fish kills), accidental spills; acid mine drainage (AMD), acid sulfate soils (wetlands and floodplains), algal blooms (cyanobacteria, dinoflagellates), ammonia (NH3) toxicity, anoxia, black water events, bush fire ash, crowding, climate change (rise of temperature), cold water pollution, cold stress, dam operation, dissolved solids, diseases, droughts, environmental stress, eutrophication, floods, herbicides, high temperature stress, hydrogen sulphide (H2S) toxicity, hypoxia, life cycle event, low temperature stress, metals (toxic), municipal sewage, oil spills, nutrient pollution, overturn of lakes, pesticides, pH (low), parasites, power generation water discharge, red tide, salinity, spawning activities, toxins, turbidity, underwater explosions and upwelling.

Fish kills are very visible events which cause considerable interest and concern to the public. Fish kills could be an indicator of environmental stress, a declining of aquatic ecosystems health or water quality problems or water pollution or contamination of water etc.

Question: What were the causes of fish kills in your lakes, rivers, coastal waters and oceans?

https://www.researchgate.net/post/What_were_the_causes_of_fish_kills_in_your_lakes_rivers_coastal_waters_and_oceans2

-----------------------------------------------------

 Water Quality of River Kosi and Rajera System at Rampur (India): Impact Assessment

 2013

https://www.hindawi.com/journals/jchem/2013/618612/

-----------------------------------------------------

UNICEF: 2 billion children breathe toxic air worldwide

 Oct 31, 2016

NEW DELHI -- As Indians wake Monday to smoke-filled skies from a weekend of festival fireworks, New Delhi’s worst season for air pollution begins - with dire consequences.
A new report from UNICEF says about a third of the 2 billion children in the world who are breathing toxic air live in northern India and neighboring countries, risking serious health effects including damage to their lungs, brains and other organs. Of that global total, 300 million kids are exposed to pollution levels more than six times higher than standards set by the World Health Organization, including 220 million in South Asia.

For the Indian capital, the alarming numbers are hardly a surprise. New Delhi’s air pollution, among the world’s worst, spikes every winter because of the season’s weak winds and countless garbage fires set alight to help people stay warm.
Even days before the city erupted in annual fireworks celebrations for the Hindu holiday of Diwali, recorded levels of tiny, lung-clogging particulate matter known as PM 2.5 were considered dangerous Friday at well above 300 micrograms per cubic meter. By Monday morning, the city was recording PM 2.5 levels above 900 mcg per cubic meter - more than 90 times higher than the WHO recommendation of no more than 10 mcg per cubic meter.
“My eyes are irritated, I’m coughing and I find it difficult to breathe,” said 18-year-old Delhi student Dharmendra, who uses only one name as is common in India. Because of the pollution, “I don’t go out so much nowadays.”
The Air Quality Index (AQI) was 999 near the US Embassy in New Delhi on Monday. Pollution levels are classified as “severe” if the AQI rating is between 401 and 500.
Beijing had “Good” air quality on Monday, with AQI at 25. Fresh Kills, New York had an AQI of just 1.
New Delhi residents were advised to stay indoors on Monday, with health warnings issued for the young, elderly and those with respiratory or heart conditions. Officials said the high pollution levels were made worse by the ongoing burning of spent crops in agricultural fields in the neighboring states of Punjab and Haryana.
“Pollution levels every winter gallop, and we are already beginning to see the signs of it,” said Anumita Roy Chowdhury, executive director of the Centre for Science and Environment, a Delhi-based research and lobbying organization. Some local studies indicate up to a third of Delhi’s children have impaired lung function and respiratory diseases like asthma, she said. “This really signals health disaster.”

Children face much higher health risks from air pollution than adults. Children breathe twice as quickly, taking in more air in relation to their body weight, while their brains and immune systems are still developing and vulnerable.
“The impact is commensurately shocking,” with 600,000 children younger than 5 across the world dying every year from air pollution-related diseases, UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake said in the report released Monday. “Millions more suffer from respiratory diseases that diminish their resilience and affect their physical and cognitive development.
Counting 2 billion children breathing unhealthy air - out of a total 2.26 billion world population of children - means the vast majority are being exposed to levels of pollution considered by the WHO to be unsafe...


https://www.cbsnews.com/news/unicef-says-2-billion-children-breathe-toxic-air-worldwide-third-near-northern-india/

-----------------------------------------------------

Pollution: 300 million children breathing toxic air - UNICEF report

 2016

UN Children’s Fund calls for urgent action at upcoming COP 22

NEW YORK 31 October 2016 – Almost one in seven of the world’s children, 300 million, live in areas with the most toxic levels of outdoor air pollution – six or more times higher than international guidelines – reveals a new UNICEF report.

https://www.unicef.org/media/media_92979.html


----------------------------------

Sticks, carrots and toxic carrots: clearing the air in China and India

 22.03.2017

Common problems often require common solutions and the need for a dialogue. This is true in the case of China and India when it comes to tackling air pollution and switching to clean energy.
Poor air quality has become a major political concern in both countries. It was a headline topic at the opening of the National People’s Congress in March, with China’s Prime Minister Li Keqiang reaffirming the government’s commitment to clearing the skies through increased investment in clean energy and implementing tougher sanctions for polluters...


https://www.chinadialogue.net/blog/9686-Sticks-carrots-and-toxic-carrots-clearing-the-air-in-China-and-India/en



-------------------------------------------------------

 A River about to Die: Yamuna

 2010

ABSTRACT

River Yamuna is one of the most polluted rivers of the India. It originates from Yamunotri glaciers in the lower Himalayas at an elevation of approximately 6387 meters. The barrages formed on the river are playing a major role in escalating the river pollution. River can be divided into five segments on the bases of hydrological and ecological conditions. Water quality of only one segment (Himalayan segment) meets the river water quality standards. Normally no water is allowed to flow downstream of the Himalayan segment (Tejewala barrage) especially in the summer and winter seasons to fulfill the demand of water of the surrounding area. Whatever water flows in the downstream of the Tajewala barrage is the untreated or partially treated domestic and Industrial wastewater contributed through various drains. The discharge of untreated domestic and industrial effluents have severely affected the quality of Yamuna River and now it falls under the category E, which makes it fit only for recreation and industrial cooling, completely ruling out the possibility for underwater life and domestic supply. Almost every year mass death of fishes is reported. Pollution levels in the Yamuna River have risen. Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) load has increased by 2.5 times between 1980 and 2005: From 117 tonnes per day (TDP) in 1980 to 276 TDP in 2005. The Yamuna has been reduced to a small stream, draining industrial effluents, sewage, dirt and other toxic substances. There is an urgent need to take stringent measures to alleviate these pollution loads and save an ailing river.

http://file.scirp.org/Html/12-9401064_1806.htm

------------------------------------------------------

This Map Shows the Severity of India’s Pollution Problem

Interactive map shows the average levels of dangerous particulate matter in the air that can lodge in lungs and cause diseases

 A new map from the World Health Organization shows just how bad India’s air pollution problem is.



 

https://blogs.wsj.com/indiarealtime/2016/09/28/this-map-shows-the-severity-of-indias-pollution-problem/

-------------------------------------------------------

77 animals died at Mumbai’s Byculla zoo in 2016-17, the most in 6 years

 

Mumbai zoo officials said majority of the deaths were owing to old-age

Oct 02, 2017


http://www.hindustantimes.com/mumbai-news/77-animals-died-at-mumbai-s-byculla-zoo-in-2016-17-the-most-in-6-years/story-GO5xH4ttEiWIX9wYYP7EmL.html

---------------------------------------------

Periyar river pollution in India

Kerala in South India is known worldwide as 'God's own country' because of the breathtakingly scenic and prosperous nature.
The backwaters are unique in the world, a network of lakes, canals and deltas of forty-four rivers that drain into the Arabian Sea. The backwaters of Kerela are a self- supporting eco-system teeming with aquatic life. The largest backwater stretch in Kerela is the Vembanad Lake, which flows through three districts and opens out into the sea at the Kochi Port.
Nobody seems to know, that only 15 Km away from Cochin, the “Queen of the Arabian Sea ”, there is Eloor Island, home to Kerala’s largest industrial cluster.
Eloor, an island of 11.21 sq/km, on the Periyar River is home to more than 247 chemical industries, including the only DDT-producing facility in India. Most of these units have been here for the last fifty years and use extremely obsolete and polluting technologies.
Toxic pollution from heavy metals to chemicals and radioactivity is found in air, soil and in the Periyar River, which spreads the contamination to the Vembanad Lake, Cochin and to the Arabian Sea.  This leads to a large-scale devastation of aquatic life in the backwaters, the agricultural land and it is also affecting the health of the population in the area.
The soil, water bodies and the wetlands in and around Eloor have been contaminated with heavy metals like zinc, lead, cadmium, chromium and persistent organic pollutants like DDT. Gas emissions let into the air include acid mists, ammonia and chlorine.
There is no pollution free area on Eloor Island, not only there is no clean air to breathe, but there is also no access to safe drinking water.
The inhabitants of the area suffer all kinds of maladies due to the contamination of the land, air and water by these cocktail of poisons. There is an overwhelming increase in most types of systemic disease, the organs affected are the neoplasm blood and the blood forming organs, the endocrine, nutritional and metabolic systems, mental and behavioural problems due to the affection of the nervous system and many more. Every organ in the body seems affected.
There is also another business, which causes serious and far- reaching repercussions on the ecosystem of the Periyar River, the longest river in the state, and it’s backwater.
The illegal and indiscriminate sand mining from the river basin cause destruction of the ecological niche and habitat of various biotic forms, stagnation and trapping of saline water in the regions of mining due to the artificial deepening of the river basin. Flooding during monsoon became a threat for the villages near the riverbanks and also to the population of the entire state.
In fact, the Indian Rare Earths Plant on Eloor, a Central Government of India Undertaking under the administrative control of the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), is storing radioactive waste, an estimated 20,000 tonnes of thorium, in six buildings on the riverbank of the Periyar.
The first of these buildings is only two meters away from the river and once used as a garage, it was converted into a storage place without safety measures. Actually the building has a one meter crack on the wall facing the river. The other storage buildings are within 100 meters from the Periyar River.
Once the fishery resources from this region were of major means for income for thousands of families belonging to this area. The heavy industrialization and the consequent effluent discharge made this part of the river almost lifeless or dead. Nowadays the river has become a sewage canal carrying a myriad of hazardous and toxic industry-borne pollutants.
At present, backwater fishing in this region is gradually vanishing; the different types of gears and crafts like the pitoresque Chinese nets, which were operating in this area have almost disappeared. Thousands of people are deprived of their conventional labourhood. Poor fishermen have no other choice than continue to fish in toxic water to survive.
The fishermen who can afford the legal and financial difficulties try to succeed in deep-sea fishing. But the situation is still difficult because of the over exploitation of marine wealth and the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) signed between India and Thailand. Since it became effective in January 2007, the fish sector in Kerala is experiencing a deep crisis because of the low prices competition in the export and the inland market.

http://marcobulgarelli.com/periyar-river-pollution-in-india/

-------------------------------------------

Endangered Animal Species of India

April 2015

Why Critically Endangered?

According to IUCN Red List the critically endangered species are at a highest risk of extinction. There are basically five ways to determine whether the particular species are endangered or not.
• When the species have a limited geographical range.
• Very limited or small population of less than 50 adult individuals.
• Whether the population has decreased or will decrease by more than 80% for the last three generations or 10 years.
• If the population is less than 250 individuals and is continuously declining at 25% for the last one generation or three years.
• There is a high possibility of extinction in the wild.
Indian elephant, Bengal tiger, Indian lion, Indian Rhino, Gaur, lion tailed macaque, Tibetan Antelope, Ganga river dolphin, the Nilgiri Tahr, snow leopard, dhole, black buck, great Indian bustard, forest owlet, white – winged duck and many more are the most endangered animals in India.

https://www.mapsofindia.com/my-india/government/endangered-animal-species-of-india

 ------------------------------------------------

Endangered Animals of India - With Pictures

Contents

1. Big cats on the decrease
2. Royal Bengal Tiger
3. Asiatic Lion
4. Snow Leopard
5. Blackbuck
6. Western Red Panda
7. Indian Rhinoceros
8. Nilgiri Tahr
9. Nilgiri Langur
10. Kashmir Stag
11. Lion-tailed Macaque
12. Gaur
13. Ganges River Dolphin
14. Gharial
15. Indian Vulture
16. Indian Wild Ass
17. Phayre's Leaf Monkey
18. Four-horned antelope
19. Indian Pangolin
20. Barasingha
21. Asian Elephants

 https://www.animalwised.com/endangered-animals-of-india-with-pictures-1195.html

-------------------------------------------------

Critically endangered in India

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_endangered_animals_in_India

 ------------------------------------------------

Time is Running Out for These 16 Endangered Wildlife Species in India. Learn More About Them.

 2016

1. Sangai

2. Lion Tailed Macaque

3. Pangolin

4. Himalayan Wolf

5. Nilgiri Tahr

6. Fishing Cat

7. Chiru

8. Dhole

9. Dugong

10. Mishmi Takin

11. Indian Wild Ass

12. Clouded Leopard

13. Gangetic Dolphin

14. Hangul

15. Snow Leopard

16. Red Panda

https://www.thebetterindia.com/55649/endangered-wildlife-india-animals-survival-save/


 ------------------------------------------------

India is spending 100 cr to save 4 critically endangered species

On World Biodiversity Day a look at what India is doing to save some of its most endangered species.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/health/india-is-spending-100-cr-to-save-4-critically-endangered-species/story-EnsoGIqu841L9KraeGWMgM.html

 ------------------------------------------------

India’s endangered species nobody wants to save, or talk about

 Mar 13, 2016

Pangolin, slender loris, dugong. If you’ve never heard of these animals, it’s because within the world of endangered species, discrimination persists. A look at why this is bad news for you and your world.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/more-lifestyle/india-s-endangered-species-nobody-wants-to-save-or-talk-about/story-1uc9mAcSh1BjdCPC5PVg2M.html


 ------------------------------------------------

China's Expanding Middle Class Fuels Poaching, Decadence in Myanmar

December 04, 2014

In the remote jungle city of Mong La, endangered animals are sold as aphrodisiacs, traditional medicines, and gastronomic delicacies.

 http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/special-features/2014/12/141205-myanmar-burma-poachers-endangered-animals/

______________________________________________

Poaching for Chinese Markets Pushes Tigers to the Brink

12/05/2014

Tiger Deaths Increase Inside Protected Areas
Inflamed By Poaching, Record-High Tiger Deaths Reported In India
What You Don't Know About the Tiger Trade Is Killing Them
Tiger Poaching On The Rise With 73 Established Trade Hubs In India
Forest Dept Tries To Explain Away Missing Tigers
Malayan Tiger 'Critically Endangered'

These are just a few of this fall's tiger headlines. It's been a barrage of bad news.
Legions of dedicated individuals are deep in the fight to save this majestic creature, the largest of the world's cats. It's an animal that faces myriad threats, as all carnivores do, but one factor is largely responsible for their current slide: poaching, driven by the Chinese demand for tiger products.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sharon-guynup/poaching-for-chinese-mark_b_6276984.html

______________________________________________

Tigers in Traditional Chinese Medicine

 April 29, 2014

 http://voices.nationalgeographic.com/2014/04/29/tigers-in-traditional-chinese-medicine-a-universal-apothecary/

______________________________________________


 Tigers in China Massacred to Make Bone Wine | China Uncensored


May 30, 2013

Sorry Poppins, a spoon full of sugar may make the medicine go down, but if it's medicinal tiger wine tonic, that stuff's not getting into my stomach. There are only 3500 tigers left in the wild but over 5000 in captivity in China. But these tiger farms are serving up tiger steaks and starving tigers to death so their bones can be used to brew wine. Classical and traditional Chinese medicine is cool, acupuncture, qigong, tai chi, all that stuff. But please, let's leave these tigers alone before they're extinct.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjmDVbYXDbk


-------------------------------------------------

List of Rare and Endangered Indian Plants

 August 4, 2016

Endangered Plants in India

Plant	Also Known As	Region (Status)
Polygala irregularis	Milkwort	Gujarat (rare)
Lotus corniculatus	Bird's foot	Gujarat (rare)
Amentotaxus assamica	Assam catkin yew	Arunachal Pradesh (threatened)
Psilotum nudum	Moa, skeleton, fork fern, and whisk fern	Karnataka (rare)
Diospyros celibica	Ebony tree	Karnataka (threatened)
Actinodaphne lawsonii		Kerala (threatened)
Acacia planifrons	Umbrella tree, kudai vel (Tamil)	Tamil Nadu (rare)
Abutilon indicum	Indian mallow, thuthi (Tamil) and athibalaa (Sanskrit)	Tamil Nadu (rare)
Chlorophytum tuberosum	Musli	Tamil Nadu
Chlorophytum malabaricum	Malabar lily	Tamil Nadu (threatened)
Nymphaea tetragona		Jammu (endangered), Kashmir (threatened)
Belosynapsis vivipara	Spider wort	Madhya Pradesh (rare and endangered)
Colchicum luteum		Himachal Pradesh (rare and threatened)
Pterospermum reticulatum	Malayuram, Malavuram	Kerala (rare), Tamil Nadu (threatened)
Ceropegia odorata	Jeemikanda (Gujarat)	Gujarat, Melghat Tiger, Rajasthan, and Salsette Island, (endangered)

https://owlcation.com/stem/Rare-and-Endangered-plants-of-India

 ------------------------------------------------

Endangered Plant Species in India

 June 2016

https://www.mapsofindia.com/my-india/india/endangered-plant-species-in-india

 ------------------------------------------------

List of endangered plants

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_endangered_plants

 ------------------------------------------------

Endangered Plant Species of India

By Melody Lee; Updated September 21, 2017 
 
India is home to approximately 49,000 plant species – equating to about 12 percent of the known species in the world. At least 20 percent of India’s plant species are threatened or endangered. The main causes of the reduction in the population of plants are destruction of their natural habitats, commercial harvesting and exploitation, and low reproduction rates.

http://www.gardenguides.com/87327-endangered-plant-species-india.html

 ------------------------------------------------

Red list has 132 species of plants, animals from India

June 21, 2012

http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/red-list-has-132-species-of-plants-animals-from-india/article3551664.ece

 ------------------------------------------------

40 endangered plant species battle to survive amid growing tourists footfall, agriculture: MSU study

 

 April 2015

 

Among these plants is a rare finding: the only insectivorous plant ever sighted in Gujarat which is also the only one of its kind in the world.

http://indianexpress.com/article/cities/ahmedabad/40-endangered-plant-species-battle-to-survive-amid-growing-tourists-footfall-agriculture-msu-study/

 ------------------------------------------------

India’s wild medicinal plants threatened by over-exploitation

Nov 2008

India is a hub of the wild-collected plant medicine industry in Asia, but key species have declined due to over-collection to supply domestic and foreign medicinal markets, according to IUCN and TRAFFIC researchers.

https://www.iucn.org/content/india%E2%80%99s-wild-medicinal-plants-threatened-over-exploitation

 ------------------------------------------------

Deadly wheat blast symptoms enters India through the Bangladesh border, Bengal govt burning crops on war footing

 

 March 2017

 

Wheat on nearly 1,000 hectares in two districts bordering Bangladesh have already been affected by the symptoms of wheat blast disease, forcing Bengal government to burning standing crops.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/kolkata/deadly-wheat-blast-symptoms-enters-india-through-the-bangladesh-border-bengal-govt-burning-crops-on-war-footing/story-3zoWQ0H7sdMU4HxQyzWUsN.html

---------------------------------------------

Bangladeshi scientists offer to help India combat wheat blast

 March 31, 2017

 Warning that wheat blast could be "catastrophic" for South Asia, scientists from Bangladesh, which was ravaged by an outbreak of the disease in 2016, have offered to help their Indian counterparts tackle the deadly fungal foe, reported here for the first time this year.

http://www.thedailystar.net/country/bangladeshi-scientists-offer-help-india-combat-wheat-blast-1384315

 ------------------------------------------------

Deadly Fungal Infection Sneaks Into US

A deadly fungal infection has emerged in the U.S. after health officials warned American doctor’s to beware of this spreading pathogen.
This fungus, known as Candida auris, started circulating throughout the globe in 2009, according to The Washington Post.


It was reportedly first detected in an ear infection in Japan, and has since then been discovered in nine other countries, including Columbia, India, South Korea, and the United Kingdom.
The infection, which is reportedly resistant to drugs used to treat fungal infections, is said to cause severe infections in the bloodstream and can survive on a person’s skin for months.

http://www.newsmax.com/TheWire/deadly-fungal-infection-candida/2017/03/10/id/778100/

 ------------------------------------------------

Impact of Conservation and Development on the Vicinity of Nanda Devi National Park in the North India

2015

https://rga.revues.org/3100


---------------------------------------------

India: Toxic Tanneries

  
March 09, 2017

http://pulitzercenter.org/reporting/india-toxic-tanneries

 ------------------------------------------------

The martyr who cleans your drains

 Mar 2016

Thousands of sanitation workers die every year in India while cleaning sewers. Are their deaths any less than the sacrifices of our armed forces?

http://www.livemint.com/Leisure/iRAUAZaERyPnr9rNqVBviI/The-martyr-who-cleans-your-drains.html

 ------------------------------------------------

Sanitation Worker Dies After Inhaling Toxic Gas While Cleaning Sewer at Delhi Hospital

 8/2017

At least nine such deaths have occurred in Delhi in the past 45 days.

https://thewire.in/169539/sanitation-worker-dies-inhaling-toxic-gas-cleaning-sewer-delhi-hospital/

 ------------------------------------------------

Top 10 Most Polluted Cities in India 2017 – Based On Pollution Index

10. Ludhiana (Punjab) India

9. Agra (Uttar Pradesh) India

8. Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh) India

7. Amritsar (Punjab) India

6. Firozabad (Uttar Pradesh) India

5. Ahmedabad (Gujarat) India

4. Raipur (Chattisgarh) India

3. Gwalior (Madhya Pradesh) India

2. Patna (Bihar) India

1. Delhi India

http://top10wala.in/top-10-most-polluted-cities-in-india/

 ------------------------------------------------

Thirteen of the 20 most polluted cities in the world are Indian

Dec 2014


Delhi is the reigning king of polluted cities in the world, of that there is little doubt. So grimy is its air today that there are calls for closure of schools when pollution levels are particularly harmful. According to a recent World Health Organization report, the capital has six times the levels of airborne particulate matter than are considered safe. Other cities in the country are only slightly better off.
The same WHO report reveals that 13 of the 20 most polluted cities in the world are in India.
The report ranked cities after studying their air for the presence of harmful gases, such as nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide and sulphur dioxide, besides particulate matter 10 and 2.5.

Smaller particles

The WHO advises that fine particles of less than 2.5 micrometres in diameter (PM2.5) should not exceed 10 micrograms per cubic metre. At the top of the WHO ranking, Delhi had 153 micrograms of PM2.5 per cubic metre. Not far behind were Patna with 149 micrograms, Gwalior with 144 micrograms and Raipur with 134 micrograms. The other Indian cities in the list included Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Kanpur, Firozabad, Amritsar and Ludhiana.

Of the seven non-Indian cities in the rankings, three were from Pakistan. Karachi had 117 micrograms of PM2.5 per cubic metre, Peshawar had 111 micrograms, and Rawalpindi had 107 micrograms.

Bigger particles

Though airborne particulate matter between 2.5 and 10 micrometers in diameter (called PM10) are less hazardous than their smaller cousins, they are nevertheless harmful. In Delhi, according to the WHO report released in May, PM10 levels stood at 486 micrograms per cubic metre. In Gwalior, the levels were 329 micrograms and in Raipur 305 micrograms.
Lucknow (219 micrograms), Firozabad (219 micrograms), Kanpur (212 micrograms), Amritsar (210 micrograms) and Ludhiana (207 micrograms) also feature on the list.

https://qz.com/307176/thirteen-of-the-20-most-polluted-cities-in-the-world-are-indian/

 ------------------------------------------------

Air pollution in India

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_pollution_in_India

-----------------------------------------

Unraveling the Myriad Causes Of North India’s Pollution Pall

  February 9, 2017

A brown cloud of pollution now frequently shrouds much of northern India. It’s a growing health and environmental problem, and scientists are working to understand its many causes, which range from burning agricultural waste to auto emissions.

https://e360.yale.edu/features/origins-of-north-indias-air-pollution



-------------------------------------------

How indoor air pollution is leading to stunted growth in India’s children

 

 Sep 18, 2017

India has 61 million stunted children and there is evidence that exposure to indoor air pollution from burning solid fuels increases the probability of stunting among children

http://www.hindustantimes.com/analysis/how-indoor-air-pollution-is-leading-to-stunted-growth-in-india-s-children/story-2LrX34JQjgMJvzMLptkSrJ.html


-------------------------------------------

Air Quality Of Delhi Better Than Last Year, Says Government

Delhi News | Press Trust of India | Thursday September 21, 2017

http://www.ndtv.com/topic/india-air-pollution

---------------------------------------------

How one Indian city is taking on air pollution

 March 8, 2017

 Cities are the incubators of change. I had the opportunity to see city leadership in action during my recent visit to Ahmedabad, a rapidly urbanizing city in western India grappling with rising air pollution levels. In an innovative step, the city, along with NRDC and other partners, unveiled the draft Ahmedabad Air Information and Response (AIR) Plan. The first of its kind, the AIR Plan is a decisive step by Ahmedabad to protect local residents from the debilitating effects of bad air.

https://www.greenbiz.com/article/how-one-indian-city-taking-air-pollution

------------------------------------------------

Around 2.2 million deaths in India and China from air pollution: Study

  14 Feb 2017

Air pollution is the leading environmental cause of death on the planet and 92 percent of the global population is living in areas where the air is unhealthy, according to a new report.

https://www.cnbc.com/2017/02/14/around-22-million-deaths-in-india-and-china-from-air-pollution-study.html

 ------------------------------------------------

Don’t Blame the Middle Class for India’s Air Pollution Mess

Feb 2017

And this is the argument that India justifiably makes: It cannot ask its citizens to live in austerity just as their lives are improving. But the problem of Delhi’s pollution is not as simple as consumer preference for luxuries like cars and air conditioners. It is part of the problem, but there is more at play.

For example, highly polluting coal makes up the bulk of India’s power plants. Diesel-based vehicles, which emit more pollution than standard fuel, have been a popular choice for consumers until recently due to lower operating costs. Furthermore, many vehicles in India run on outdated emissions standards that lag behind global international benchmarks. Finally, infrastructure is inadequate, resulting in traffic jams filled with idle cars polluting the air. Urban mass transit systems (like subways) have only recently come on line.

Then there is the issue of old habits. Farmers north of Delhi find it more cost effective to burn their crops every October/November to clear the fields for the next harvest rather than paying employees to do it by hand. This is responsible for the notorious “smoke” that often hovers over Delhi.


http://fortune.com/2017/02/16/india-narendra-modi-air-pollution/


 ------------------------------------------------

Air Pollution Forces People Out Of India's Capital

Dec 2016

New Delhi's citizens are increasingly voting with their feet and leaving the city in search for less polluted air. India's capital is thought to have some of the world's most polluted air.

http://www.npr.org/2016/12/21/506401405/air-pollution-forces-people-out-of-indias-capital

 ------------------------------------------------

Air pollution in India is so bad, you  can't see the Taj Mahal

 Nov 2016

https://www.cntraveler.com/story/air-pollution-in-india-is-so-bad-you-cant-see-the-taj-mahal

 ------------------------------------------------

Air pollution in India rises 13% in 5 years

The world is becoming cleaner even as India, almost as a whole, is getting a lot filthier, a new report by Greenpeace India shows.

China, which was roundly criticised across the globe for being its infamous haze and air pollution, has been steadily getting cleaner, with air pollution levels having dipped by about 17 per cent between 2010 and 2015.

The same goes for the largest greenhouse gas emitter, the US — which has seen a dip by 15 per cent — as well as the European Union, which has seen a 20 per cent decrease in air pollution between 2005 and 2013.

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/air-pollution-in-india-rises-13-in-5-years/article9474165.ece

 ------------------------------------------------

Air Pollution In China, India Shortens Life By Two Years: IEA

 June 2016

Air pollution reduces life expectancy in the world's two most populous countries by around two years – 25 months in China and 23 months in India, according to a report by the International Energy Agency (IEA).

https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnkang/2016/06/30/air-pollution-in-china-india-shortens-life-by-two-years-study-finds/#329397233586

 ------------------------------------------------

Air pollution in New Delhi is literally off the charts

 November 8, 2016

The most polluted city on Earth scored 999 on an index that maxes out at 500

http://www.popsci.com/air-pollution-new-delhi

 ------------------------------------------------

Air pollution fifth biggest killer in India: EPCA

 

Nov 2014

Residents of Delhi and Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh have more reasons to worry as the two are among the five critically polluted cities.

 It is time to sit up and take note of the dangerous effect of pollution on our health. The worsening menace has been identified by the Supreme Court-appointed Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority as the fifth biggest killer in India after high blood pressure, indoor air pollution from cooking fuels, tobacco smoking and poor nutrition.

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/air-pollution-epca-supreme-court-delhi-ghaziabad-particulate-matter-10-sunita-narain/1/404425.html

 ------------------------------------------------

India Is Not Doing Enough To Tackle Air Pollution

 2016

A recent report by the World Health Organization found that air pollution is the biggest environmental threat to health. Air pollution is responsible for one in every nine deaths, killing almost three million people in a year. The report has declared a public health emergency based on data used from across the world.

https://thewire.in/69268/air-pollution-who-india/



 ------------------------------------------------

An Interactive Air-Pollution Map

 June 2014

One quarter of the global population is breathing unsafe air. Where is it worst?

https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/06/the-air-we-breathe/372411/


---------------------------------------

India has the most people without clean water, report says

March 22, 2016

 India has the world's highest number of people without access to clean water—imposing a major financial burden for some of the country's poorest people, according to a report released Tuesday.


https://phys.org/news/2016-03-india-people.html

 ------------------------------------------------

Environmental issues in Delhi

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_issues_in_Delhi



------------------------------------------------

Characterization of ambient PM_2.5 at a pollution hotspot in New Delhi, India and inference of sources

 May 2015

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1352231015002034

 ------------------------------------------------

Chemical pneumonia strikes Delhi

 

 Nov 8, 2016

Due to the harmful fumes from firecrackers, centre-run hospitals in the national capital have seen several cases of chemical pneumonitis post Diwali.

Along with worsened environmental conditions as a consequence, this Diwali also left officials of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare concerned over cases of chemical pneumonitis emerging post festival.
Chemical pneumonitis is also known as chemical pneumonia which means inflammation of the lungs caused by inhaling irritants. "We have reports from Centre-run hospitals such as Ram Manohar Lohia, Safdarjung hospital and All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) that there have been several cases of Chemical Pneumonitis post Diwali," said Dr TK Joshi, Advisor, Occupational and Environmental Health and Chemical Safety, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.
"This is for the first time in previous many years that hospitals have reported cases of Chemical Pneumonitis. This is alarming and indicates that firecrackers have caused hazardous levels of pollution. The environment ministry is convening several meetings on air pollution. We soon are going to have a discussion on how to tackle with the situation," Dr Joshi said.
While guidelines for air pollution are underway under the program of prevention and control of non-communicable diseases, the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has constituted a Steering Committee chaired by Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, to look into the health aspect of Air Pollution. Two Expert Groups have also been formed to look into the Ambient and Household Air Pollution and its Health Effects.
Doctors have said that the health effects of hazardous firecrackers can be irreversible and this is high time that we need to care for health and environment. "As we know, heavy smog has covered up various cities and this smog contains dangerous chemicals like carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, manganese dioxide, zinc oxide, nitrates etc. Chemical pneumonitis is the irritation of the lungs. Inhalation of such chemical fumes makes breathing difficult," said Dr Vikas Goswami, Senior Consultant Oncologist, Fortis Hospital.
"Chemicals from firecrackers and present in the smog will penetrate deeper into the lungs which further may lead to stiffness of the lungs, which decreases the ability of the lungs to provide oxygen to the body. If left untreated, this condition may ultimately lead to respiratory failure, lung cancer or even death," he said.
Diwali Crackers contain heavy toxic metals such as Sodium, Mercury, Barium, Cadmium, Nitrate and Nitrite like Air pollutants, which cause fever, skin irritation, vomiting, insomnia, heart, asthma, and bronchitis and effects lungs. "Several cases of Chemical Pneumonitis were reported in our hospital after Diwali. Majorly, two forms of chemical pneumonitis i.e. acute and chronic. In acute form, people suffer from cough, face breathing issues, abnormal lung sounds (wet, gurgling sounding breaths), chest pain, tightness or burning. In chronic, there is persistent cough, shortness of breath and increased susceptibility to respiratory illness," said Dr Amandeep Kaur, Medical Director, Amandeep Hospital.
"Not to forget, these symptoms of chronic chemical pneumonitis may or may not be present at times, and can take months to develop to be noticed. The level of pollutants in the air of national capital is alarming, and not just Delhi, other major metropolitan cities across India were also hit with alarmingly high levels of pollution, with air quality levels reaching hazardous levels," he said.

http://www.dnaindia.com/health/report-chemical-pneumonia-strikes-delhi-2271161

 ------------------------------------------------


STRATEGIES TO REDUCE AIR POLLUTION IN INDIA

March 2009

http://www.jari.or.jp/Portals/0/resource/pdf/india_2009/Session4-3_E.pdf

--------------------------------------

Chemical waste and other pollutants dumped in River Yamuna

 Jun 23, 2014

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzGDpRum6_s

 ------------------------------------------------



Macrobenthic fauna as bioindicator of water quality in  Kishore Sagar Lake, Kota (Rajasthan) India


http://wldb.ilec.or.jp/data/ilec/WLC13_Papers/others/4.pdf

 ------------------------------------------------

PHYSICO-CHEMICAL ASSESSMENT OF WATER QUALITY OF RIVER CHAMBAL IN KOTA CITY AREA OF RAJASTHAN
STATE (INDIA) 



http://rasayanjournal.co.in/vol-4/issue-3/31.pdf

 ------------------------------------------------

Physico-chemical qualities of water in high altitude rice fish farming system of Ziro valley, Arunachal Pradesh, India.

2015

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26521560

 ------------------------------------------------

Water quality and pollution status of Chambal river in National Chambal Sanctuary, Madhya Pradesh.

2008

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19295068

 ------------------------------------------------

Phytoplankton as index of water quality with reference to industrial pollution.

2008

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18831381

 ------------------------------------------------

Dynamics of phytoplankton in relation to physico-chemical factors of Almatti reservoir of Bijapur District, Karnataka State.

 2008

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18622712

-------------------------------------------

The relationships between certain physical and chemical variables and the seasonal dynamics of phytoplankton assemblages of two inlets of a shallow hypertrophic lake with different nutrient inputs.

 2006

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16897515

-------------------------------------

Macrozoobenthic Community as Biological Indicators

of Pollution in river Jhelum, Kashmir

2012

http://www.environmentaljournal.org/2-4/ujert-2-4-12.pdf

--------------------------------------

Water quality and conservation management of Ramsagar reservoir, Datia, Madhya Pradesh.

 2009

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20143728

 ------------------------------------------------

Water quality and pollution status of Chambal river in National Chambal Sanctuary, Madhya Pradesh.

2008

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19295068

 ------------------------------------------------

Groundwater quality assessment in the village of Lutfullapur Nawada, Loni, District Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, India.

 2011

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21870214

 ------------------------------------------------

Chemistry of groundwater in Gulbarga district, Karnataka, India.

 2007

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17380415

 ------------------------------------------------

Concentration of heavy metals in Karanja reservoir, Bidar district, Karnataka, India.

 2007

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17566865

 ------------------------------------------------

Lead, arsenic, fluoride, and iron contamination of drinking water in the tea garden belt of Darrang district, Assam, India.

 2009

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19809882

 ------------------------------------------------

Ecology of Baskandi anua, an oxbow lake of South Assam, North East India.

 2014

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25522512

 ------------------------------------------------

Seasonal variations in physico-chemical characteristics of River Yamuna in Haryana and its ecological best-designated use.

 2003

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12833985

 ------------------------------------------------

Water quality and conservation management of Ramsagar reservoir, Datia, Madhya Pradesh.

2009

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20143728


-------------------------------------

Bicchadi, India Water Pollution

 

The problem

 

Bicchadi is a small town located roughly fifteen kilometers east of Udaipur of the Rajasthan region, India. This site, which was a small industrial estate (791 acres) manufacturing dyes and dye intermediaries, was ordered closed by the government in 1990, though manufacturing appears to have continued in some plants till 1995. It remains a significantly polluted place due to inadequate remediation post-closure. Indiscriminate surface dumping of sludge, along with irrigation with contaminated groundwater since 1989-90, has contributed to devastating soil contamination.

http://www.blacksmithinstitute.org/projects/display/169

--------------------------------------



 Contemporary Groundwater Pollution Studies in India

 September 2012

http://www.insa.nic.in/writereaddata/UpLoadedFiles/PINSA/Vol78_2012_3_Art09_333_342.pdf


---------------------------------------

The groundwater beneath their feet

 

 February 18, 2017

 

In 1995, a chromium factory in Tamil Nadu’s Vellore district shut shop leaving behind a legacy of contaminated soil and water. Two decades later, agriculture remains unviable and people continue to flock to hospitals with health issues. Serena Josephine M. reports

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/the-groundwater-beneath-their-feet/article17321183.ece

--------------------------------------



  Concept Note On GEOGENIC CONTAMINATION OF
GROUND WATER IN INDIA


https://www.researchgate.net/publication
 /264546513_Concept_Note_On_GEOGENIC_CONTAMINATION_OF_GROUND_WATER_IN_INDIA

 -----------------------------------

Organochlorine Pesticide Contamination in the Kaveri (Cauvery) River, India: A Review on Distribution Profile, Status, and Trends

 December 3, 2015

Abstract

Numerous studies have reported organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in water resources such as rivers and lakes, etc. Agricultural and vector control activities contribute significantly to the contamination of persistent OCPs in rivers. In India, monitoring studies on rivers are limited. This chapter deals with OCPs contamination profile, status and trends in the Kaveri River, which is one of the longest rivers in southern India that serves as a water source for agriculture, drinking water and industrial purposes for centuries. The reported OCPs in this river includes hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH), dichloro-diphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), endosulfan, aldrin, dieldrin, heptachlor epoxide etc. The concentrations of HCHs, DDTs and endosulfan residues in Kaveri River water were observed up to 2,300 ng/L, 3,600 ng/L and 15,400 ng/L, respectively, while in sediment, HCHs and DDTs were reported with the maximum concentration of 158 ng/g dw and 9.15 ng/g dw, respectively. Biota (fish, shrimp) samples collected from the river were found to contain significant levels of HCHs (228 ng/g) and DDTs (2,805 ng/g). The levels of some OCPs in the Kaveri River environment exceeded safety guideline values, therefore we cannot rule out the threat to resident organisms because of continuous exposure. Future monitoring studies are warranted to understand the contamination status, effects on biota, and to design control measures to protect the Kaveri River ecosystem.

http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/bk-2015-1206.ch007

-------------------------------------

 HAZARDOUS  METALS  AND
MINERALS  POLLUTION  IN  INDIA:
SOURCES,  TOXICITY  AND  MANAGEMENT

August 2011

https://insaindia.res.in/pdf/Hazardous_Metals.pdf

-----------------------------------

Status of water quality in India

2011

http://cpcb.nic.in/upload/NewItems/NewItem_198_Status_of_WQ_in_India_2011.pdf

------------------------------------

Concept Note On GEOGENIC CONTAMINATION OF

                 GROUND WATER IN INDIA

                  With a special note on Nitrate

 February 2014

http://www.cgwb.gov.in/WQ/Geogenic%20Final.pdf

-----------------------------

Ranipet

 

The problem

Ranipet is a medium-sized community located about 100 miles from Chennai, the fourth largest urban area in India. A factory in Ranipet manufactures sodium chromate, chromium salts and Basic Chromium Sulfate Tanning Powder used locally in the leather tanning process. The raw materials used in the process include chromate ore, limestone soda ash, sulfuric acid and soldium chlorate.

The Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) estimates that about 150,000 tons of solid wastes accumulated over two decades of plant operation are stacked in an open yard (three to five meters high and on 2 hectares of land) on the facility premises.

Current Activity

Site visited. This site will be pursued for remediation as it poses significant health risks to the population

http://www.blacksmithinstitute.org/projects/display/52

----------------------------


IMPACTS OF PHARMACEUTICAL POLLUTION ON COMMUNITIES AND ENVIRONMENT IN INDIA


https://www.nordea.com/Images/35-107206/impacts%201-20.pdf


--------------------


 Plastic Pollution in Cities of Mumbai and Thane

http://www.rhimrj.com/admin/upload/-upload-NOV14010419.pdf

------------------

India Just Took a Major Step Toward Protecting the Environment

Everything from plastic cups to bags are covered by the ban.
“We direct that use of disposable plastic is prohibited in entire [National Capital Territory] of Delhi," the country's National Green Tribunal said in January. "The Delhi government shall take steps for storage and use of plastic materials with effect from January 1, 2017."

https://www.attn.com/stories/14956/india-takes-major-step-toward-protecting-environment


--------------------------------------

Poisoned Water Haunts Bhopal 25 Years after Chemical Accident

 2009

A new report says water contamination is worsening as chemicals leach through soil into the aquifer

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/groundwater-contamination-india-pesticide-factory/



--------------------------

Antibiotics-Laden Chickens May be Pushing up India's Resistance to Drugs, Warns Report

July 31, 2014

New Delhi:  An 18-month-long investigation by Delhi based non-profit organisation the Centre for Science and Environment or CSE has revealed some worrying news for non-vegetarians.

The CSE study has found considerable amount of antibiotics in the tissues, muscles, kidneys and liver of over 40 per cent of chickens it tested.

"What's alarming is that the poultry industry, which is largely unregulated, is using regular doses of antibiotics as a growth-feed to ensure the chickens quickly gain weight and size," said Director General of CSE Sunita Narain.

These antibiotics are used to treat diarrhea, pneumonia and urinary tract infection.

The consumption of antibiotic-laden chicken may further accelerate the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which are then transmitted to humans.

 https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/antibiotics-laden-chickens-may-be-pushing-up-indias-resistance-to-drugs-warns-report-599677


--------------------------


 Pollution in the Mahanadi: Urban sewage, Industrial effluents and Biomedical Waste

 May 2008

The discharge of municipal sewage, industrial effluents and biomedical waste into

the Mahanadi has raised concerns about environmental sustainability and also posed

a serious threat to the health of people living on the banks. This article critically examines the river pollution caused by the spiralling urbanisation and industrialisation along with dumping of waste by many medical facilities. There is an urgent need to address this enormous challenge which is a direct outcome of inefficient

planning and management.

http://www.cseindia.org/userfiles/Pollution%20in%20the%20Mahanadi--Urban%20Sewage,%20Industrial%20Effluents%20and%20Biomedical%20Waste,%20Economic%20and%20Political%20Weekly,%20May%2017,%202008.pdf

-------------------------------

Studies on Ground Water pollution due to Iron Content in Cuttack City, Odisha, India

 Feb 2014


http://ijmcr.com/studies-on-ground-water-pollution-due-to-iron-content-in-cuttack-city-odisha-india/


--------------------------------

Urban Ground Water Pollution: A Case Study in Cuttack City, India

 August 2002

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1745-6592.2002.tb00758.x/abstract

---------------------------------''

India’s dirtiest rivers in Odisha

July 22 , 2012

- Panel names Brahmani, Kathajodi, Kuakhai & Mahanadi

 Four rivers of Odisha have figured among the most polluted in the country in a recent report of the Central Pollution Control Board.

The Brahmani, Kathajodi, Kuakhai and the Mahanadi river have been found to be carrying great amount of pollutants in certain stretches.

While the Kathajodi and Mahanadi rivers are badly polluted downstream of Cuttack city, the Brahmani has been found to be carrying a large amount of municipal waste near Panposh and Rourkela. Kuakhai is polluted along its stretch in Bhubaneswar.

https://www.telegraphindia.com/1120722/jsp/odisha/story_15755658.jsp

-----------------------------------

Assessment of Water Quality Index of River Salandi at Hadagada Dam and Its Down Stream upto Akhandalmani, Bhadrak, Odisha, India

 2016

 http://pubs.sciepub.com/ajwr/4/2/3/

-----------------------------------


Ambient Air Quality Status in Choudwar Area of Cuttack
District

2010

http://www.ipublishing.co.in/jesvol1no12010/EIJES1032.pdf

---------------------------------

Air pollution level in Kolkata among country's highest

 Jan 3, 2017

KOLKATA: New Delhi may be reeling under severe air pollution, but Kolkata has not only touched the country's capital city but have also surpassed the city quite a few days in terms of air pollution.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/air-pollution-level-in-kolkata-among-countrys-highest/articleshow/56310086.cms

-----------------------------------

Environmental issues in Kolkata

Kolkata, historically known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. There are many environmental issues in Kolkata, severely affecting its biophysical environment as well as human health. Air pollution, water pollution, garbage, and pollution of the natural environment are prevalent in Kolkata.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_issues_in_Kolkata

------------------------------------

Andhra ground water too dangerous to drink

Apr 16, 2013

 HYDERABAD: Ground water in most districts of Andhra Pradesh has become unsuitable for drinking due to high content of fluoride, nitrate and iron, according to a new Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) report, which scientists said could be linked to the spike in cases of cancer, birth defects, miscarriages and fluorosis in the state.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/Andhra-ground-water-too-dangerous-to-drink/articleshow/19570520.cms

-------------------------------------

Nitrate pollution and its distribution in the groundwater of Srikakulam district, Andhra Pradesh, India

December 2006

 The complex depositional pattern of clay and sand in most of the areas controlled the vertical and lateral movement of nitrate in groundwater. The variation of nitrate concentration at different groundwater levels and the lateral distribution of nitrate in the groundwater at two sites indicated the filtration of nitrate by clayey formations. A rural agricultural district located in the Vamsadhara river basin, India was selected for studying the lateral and vertical distribution of nitrate in the groundwater and the association of nitrate with other chemical constituents. The nitrate concentrations in the groundwater are observed to vary between below detectable limit and 450 mg NO₃/L. The sources for nitrate are mainly point sources (poultry farms, cattleshed and leakages from septic tanks) and non-point sources (nitrogenous fertilisers). The nitrate concentrations are increased after fertiliser applications. However, very high concentrations of nitrate are derived from animal wastes. Relatively better correlations between nitrate and potassium are observed (R = 0.74 to 0.82). The better relationship between these two chemical constituents in the groundwater may be due to the release of potassium and nitrate from both point and non-point sources. The nitrate and potassium concentrations are high in the groundwater from clayey formations.

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00254-006-0358-2

-------------------------------------

Industrial pollution turns out to be a bane of Srikakulam district

 August 21, 2011

PCB to blame, say CPI(M) and Lok Satta Party 

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-andhrapradesh/industrial-pollution-turns-out-to-be-a-bane-of-srikakulam-district/article2378269.ece

---------------------------------------


Status of ground water quality over the years in Cuttack city, Odisha, India

2014

http://www.jocpr.com/articles/status-of-ground-water-quality-over-the-years-in-cuttack-city-odisha-india.pdf

 -------

Trace element concentration in groundwater of Pesarlanka Island, Krishna Delta, India.

 2010 Apr

 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19267209

------------------------

Visakhapatnam is sitting on a pollution bomb

  June 05, 2017

With no check on industrial accidents which occur at regular intervals, Visakhapatnam, the largest industrial hub in Andhra Pradesh, is sitting on a powder keg.
Pollution, be it water, air or land has reached alarming proportions notwithstanding denial by the official machinery due to apparent reasons. Social audit and third party inspection of new facilities, promised by the powers-that-be has remained an empty rhetoric.
Located with industries spread over on three sides and the sea at one side, the city has spoon-shaped topography leaving no scope for people escape in the event of a major catastrophe.
When the worst-ever industrial accident occurred at HPCL Visakh Refinery following a vapour cloud explosion on September 14, 1997 killing at least 60 persons, an estimated one million people fled to far-off places due to fear for their lives. After that there is no let-up in fatal accidents worsening the quality of life due to deteriorating air ambient quality, noise pollution as well as water contamination.

Four threats

Noted social activist and former IAS officer E.A.S. Sarma said Vizagites have four threats to worry about.
First, as a result of shrinkage in the capacity of the local reservoirs due to widespread damage to the catchments and extensive damage and contamination of the surface and groundwater sources, with Polavaram water not in immediate sight, there is an impending water crisis.
Second, industrial and traffic pollution is rapidly spreading far and wide into air and water entering the food chain and causing wide ranging diseases including cancer.
Third, the city is generating so much of organic/ inorganic garbage and bio-medical waste that GVMC is unable to handle it except dumping it irresponsibly at Kapulauppada to spread infection all around.
Mr. Sarma said finally, in the absence of sound urban planning approaches, more and more auxiliary population is being forced to live in slums where the environment is vitiated and the living conditions are literally sub-Saharan.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Visakhapatnam/pollution-vizag-sits-on-a-powder-keg/article18719476.ece


-------------------------

Industrial pollution hits critical mass in Visakhapatnam

  June 07, 2013

http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/industrial-pollution-hits-critical-mass-in-visakhapatnam/article4790959.ece

------------------------

Pollution levels high around pharma hub in Visakhapatnam

  May 23, 2017

Pollution in and around the pharma hub in Vizag where bulk drug manufacturing units are located is very high due to the effluents released by pharmaceutical manufacturing companies.

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/current-affairs/230517/pollution-levels-high-around-pharma-hub-in-visakhapatnam.html

--------------------------

Pollution effects in Visakhapatnam harbour, India: An overview of 23 years of investigations and monitoring

 March 1995 

Abstract

Visakhapatnam Harbour, a semi-enclosed water body on the east coast of India, is subject to a high degree of pollution caused by industrial and urban wastes. Studies carried out during the last twenty years or so at 6 selected stations in the harbour revealed appreciable hydrographic and biotic changes. Over the years, the concentration of nitrites (max. 5 mg/l) and phosphates (9.6 mg/l) has increased. Dissolved oxygen registered all-time-high values (max. 21.6 mg/l) caused by periodic outbursts of phytoplankton, notably,Skeletonema costatum and other species. Benthic conditions have also changed and only certain pollution-tolerant species (e.g.Capitella capitata) inhabited the bottom sediments that contained a heavy load (2.5%) of organic matter. In the harbour, increased pollution led to the disappearence of stenoecious species and their replacement with other forms known for their tolerance to pollution. The paper describes the major changes which have occurred in water quality and organisms in the harbour as a result of pollution increase during the last two decades.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/226576751_Pollution_effects_in_Visakhapatnam_harbour_India_An_overview_of_23_years_of_investigations_and_monitoring

 --------------------------

Health hazards due to pollution of waters along the coast of Visakhapatnam, east coast of India.

 2003 Nov

Abstract

Environmental pollution that renders waters along the coastline and beaches unsatisfactory for use by the general public has become a global health problem. This study was conducted to examine the effects of pollution of beach waters and sediment at seven selected locations receiving land drainage along a 45-km stretch of the east coast near Visakhapatnam, India. Pathogenic bacteria were identified using standard methods of culturing on selective media. The Pollution Index (PI) was determined as the ratio of fecal coliform/fecal streptococci. Protozoan cysts and helminth ova were also identified by microscopic examination of water after appropriate staining. The results suggested that the beach waters in Visakhapatnam are hygienically poor. A high PI of the water in Lawson's Bay indicated that the water was unsuitable even for noncontact recreation (boating, etc.). Pathogen densities dissipated considerably from the source to the low tide mark. Sediments had significantly higher bacterial and protozoan populations but pathogen concentrations were low except in heavily used areas. The general distribution pattern suggests that the nature of the sediment has a significant role in the retention of bacteria, protozoan cysts, and soil-transmitted helminths.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14575679


-----------------------------

Noise pollution reaches deafening levels in Visakhapatnam

 20th March 2017

http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/andhra-pradesh/2017/mar/20/noise-pollution-reaches-deafening-levels-in-visakhapatnam-1583428--1.html

------------------------------

Metal pollution in harbor and coastal sediments of Visakhapatnam, east coast of India

 Extent of metal pollution in harbour sediments and its impact on the coastal region of Visakhapatnam have been evaluated using pollution load index (PLI). High PLI values of inner harbour (4.5) indicates a highly polluted zone which can be attributed to the discharge of untreated domestic sewage and industrial effluents. Further, decreasing trend of pollution load index values from harbour to coastal region suggests dispersion and dilution of metal pollutants.

http://nopr.niscair.res.in/handle/123456789/37525

--------------------------------

 IMPACTS OF PHARMACEUTICAL POLLUTION ON COMMUNITIES AND ENVIRONMENT IN INDIA

 2016

http://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Impacts-of-pharmaceutical-pollution-on-communities-and-environment-in-India-WEB-light.pdf

--------------------------------

The quality of air you breathe in Chennai is worse than in Delhi

  July 15, 2015

Chennai had the highest proportion of ‘severe’ days based on AQI

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/the-quality-of-air-you-breathe-in-chennai-is-worse-than-in-delhi/article7422559.ece

--------------------------------

Rain washes down pollutants, keeps air in Chennai clean

Nov 7, 2016

 CHENNAI: Though winter arrives in Chennai just as in Delhi, Chennai's air is much cleaner than that in Delhi in terms of particulate matter count.

 The air in Anand Vihar, Delhi, recorded a PM10 count of 1635 microgram per cubic metre (standard: 100) on November 6. In comparison, Anna Nagar, Chennai, averages only about 80 microgram per cubic metre.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/Rain-washes-down-pollutants-keeps-air-in-Chennai-clean/articleshow/55282525.cms

---------------------------------

Track pollution in your city with this real-time air quality map

 Oct 04, 2016

Monitoring the pollution data will aid you to spot any sudden changes in air quality, and follow up with action - putting on a certified mask, turning up your air purifier, or demanding action from authorities.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/india/hindustan-times-brings-you-a-real-time-air-quality-map/story-QhUkWpGxyu4zt6Rtp5SCmI.html

--------------------------------

India's doctors blame air pollution for sharp rise in respiratory diseases

Cases are up 30% since 2010 in country where decline in air quality is shifting from acute to chronic in more than just Delhi

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/sep/23/india-doctors-air-pollution-rise-respiratory-diseases-delhi

---------------------------------

Chennai oil spill: India Today's drone camera shows the damage caused

 

India Today Television | February 3, 2017

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/video/chennai-oil-spill-ship-collision-beaches-choked-environment-pollution-disaster/1/874441.html


---------------------------------

Here’s why Punjab state has India’s worst cancer crisis

  
July 17, 2014 

 A farmer sprays a field of growing vegetables with pesticide in Punjab state. India's breadbasket has the country's highest rate of cancer.

https://www.pri.org/stories/2014-07-17/here-s-why-punjab-state-has-india-s-worst-cancer-crisis

----------------------------------

Vapi (Update: Removed from 2007 list of Worst Polluted Places)

 

 UPDATE: AUGUST 2009

 

The problem

 

The town of Vapi (population 71,000) marks the southern end of India's "Golden Corridor", a 400km belt of industrial estates in the state of Gujarat. Propelled by the development of these specialized economic zones, Gujarat is among the most industrialized states in India. Despite this, about two-thirds of the Gujarat's population is still involved in agriculture, tending to crops varying from wheat, millet, and rice to cotton, tobacco, and peanuts. Most of the local population living in or near Vapi relies on agriculture or fishing for subsistence.

http://www.blacksmithinstitute.org/projects/display/61

----------------------------------


Studies on the quality of groundwater in Madurai, Tamilnadu, India

2012

http://www.jocpr.com/articles/studies-on-the-quality-of-groundwater-in-madurai-tamilnadu-india.pdf


----------------------------------

Plastic roads: India’s radical plan to bury its garbage beneath the streets

  June 2016



Jambulingam Street, Chennai, is a local legend. The tar road in the bustling Nungambakkam area has weathered a major flood, several monsoons, recurring heat waves and a steady stream of cars, trucks and auto rickshaws without showing the usual signs of wear and tear. Built in 2002, it has not developed the mosaic of cracks, potholes or craters that typically make their appearance after it rains. Holding the road together is an unremarkable material: a cheap, polymer glue made from shredded waste plastic.


Jambulingam Street was one of India’s first plastic roads . The environmentally conscious approach to road construction was developed in India around 15 years ago in response to the growing problem of plastic litter. As time wore on, polymer roads proved to be surprisingly durable, winning support among scientists and policymakers in India as well as neighboring countries like Bhutan. “The plastic tar roads have not developed any potholes, rutting, raveling or edge flaw, even though these roads are more than four years of age,” observed an early performance report by India’s Central Pollution Control Board. Today, there are more than 21,000 miles of plastic road in India, and roughly half are in the southern state of Tamil Nadu. Most are rural roads, but a small number have also been built in cities such as Chennai and Mumbai.

Adding flexible materials to strengthen tar roads is not a new idea. Commercially made polymer-modified asphalts first became popular in the 1970s in Europe. Now, North America claims 35% of the global market. Modified asphalts are made from virgin polymers and sometimes crumb rubber (ground tires). They are highly versatile: Illinois uses them to build high-traffic truck roads, Washington State uses them for noise reduction and in rural Ontario they are used to prevent roads from cracking after a harsh winter. Polymerized asphalts also tend not to buckle in extreme heat the way conventional roads do – plastic roads will not melt unless the temperature goes beyond 66C (150F), compared to 50.2C (122.5F) for ordinary roads – and are frequently used on roads in the Middle East.

 But even in the US, cost is a significant barrier. The most widely used polymer, styrene-butadiene-styrene, can increase the price of a road by 30-50%. In India, high-stress roads like runways and expressways are increasingly using polymer modified asphalts made by manufacturers like DuPont.

https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2016/jun/30/plastic-road-india-tar-plastic-transport-environment-pollution-waste

----------------------------------


Cadmium Contamination in Green Leaves Grown in Madurai District, India

2015

https://www.ijcmas.com/vol-4-2/N.Sasirekha%20and%20P.S.Navaraj.pdf

-----------------------------------

Studies on the Pollution Potential of Vaigai River at Madurai, India.

Sep 2012

Abstract: Water plays a vital role for all the existence of life on the earth. Water sources available for drinking and other domestic purposes must possess high degree of purity, free from chemical contamination and microorganisms. The rapid growth of urban areas has affected the water quality due to over exploitation and improper waste disposal practices. In the present study various water samples were collected from different places in Vaigai River at Madurai, Tamilnadu, India during May, 2011. The physicochemical parameters such as temperature, colour, turbidity, total dissolved solids, total alkalinity, electrical conductivity, total hardness, calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, chloride, sulphate, nitrate, fluoride, dissolved oxygen, COD., etc. were determined using standard procedures. The results were compared with the standard permissible limits prescribed by BIS and WHO. From the analysis, some of the water samples have all the common chemical parameters like TDS, total hardness, calcium, magnesium, etc, alarmingly above the acceptable limits. The consumption of water having high total dissolved solids and hardness may cause harmful effects like kidney stone formation and other related diseases. In few sampling stations water quality is not suitable for any uses; it is because of pollution by agricultural runoff, by addition of urban waste and domestic sewage. Even though some of the parameters analyzed are all within the safe limits it would be better to treat the sewage before discharging into rivers from the human highly populated area.

http://web.b.ebscohost.com/abstract?direct=true&profile=ehost&scope=site&authtype=crawler&jrnl=09744169&AN=90625538&h=zXzmHeNz3kwCz2nKA7w%2bDcLcMMJi1tiuP8PSBPio8DQV9IWK5K6%2br%2baCgIRFcUIxbm8%2fsCTZ3IEyrzboWkf6ug%3d%3d&crl=f&resultNs=AdminWebAuth&resultLocal=ErrCrlNotAuth&crlhashurl=login.aspx%3fdirect%3dtrue%26profile%3dehost%26scope%3dsite%26authtype%3dcrawler%26jrnl%3d09744169%26AN%3d90625538

 -------------------------

Assessment Of Heavy Metal Pollution And Contaminants In The Cattle Meat

Abstract

The present study was conducted to quantitatively measure the levels of Cr, Pb, Cd, As, Ni and Hg in soil, fodder and meat samples.The study area chosen for the present study is sewage polluted River Vaigai flowing sites. Two sites were chosen for this work, Site 1 (Vaigai vadakarai) and Site 2 (Aarapalayam). Fresh samples were collected from the study area. Heavy metals like Cr, Cd, Pb, As, Ni and Hg were analysed using atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS). In the present study Pb, Cr, Cd, Ni and Hg concentration in Site 1 was high when compare with Site 2, except As which shows high concentration in Site 2. This result indicates Site 1 in heavily polluted than Site 2. Results of meat sample shows that Pb, Cd, Cr and Hg values are higher than the permissible limit, especially Ni. In the same way the results of soil sample shows Cd, Pb, Cr, Hg and Ni levels were higher than the allowed limits. Pb concentration was very higher than other metals. In fodder sample the levels of Cd, As and Hg are higher than the permissible limit.


http://www.icontrolpollution.com/articles/assessment-of-heavy-metal-pollution-and-contaminants-in-the-cattle-meat-.php?aid=75164



---------------------------

Eureka! Minister’s thermo-cool project to prevent water loss

April 2017

http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-nadu/2017/apr/22/eureka-ministers-thermo-cool-project-to-prevent-water-loss-1596467--1.html


--------------------------

Quantification of benzene in groundwater sources and risk analysis in a popular South Indian Pilgrimage City – A GIS based approach

 2013

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1878535213003201


--------------------------

Measurement and modeling of respirable particulate (PM₁₀) and lead pollution over Madurai, India

2008

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11869-008-0004-0

-------------------------


Comparitive Analysis of Soil Contamination in Various Land
Uses of Madurai City using GIS

2015

http://sphinxsai.com/2015/ch_vol8_no1/4/(216-222)%20V8N1.pdf

------------------------

Coimbatore air dirtier than that of Chennai, finds study

http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOINEW&BaseHref=TOICH/2013/03/28&PageLabel=1&EntityId=Ar00105&ViewMode=HTML

------------------------

Pollution status of wetlands in urban Coimbatore, Tamilnadu, India

June 2000

Abstract

Although people do not use the water from these wetlands / lakes for drinking purposes, livestock and other aquatic species consuming these waters may get affected on a long term exposure. Moreover the water from these wetlands used for irrigation purposes may lead to bioaccumulation of heavy metals in cultivated plants and may have toxic impact on aquatic fauna. Many of these wetlands serve to recharge the ground water aquifer. Hence, contamination of the wetlands might lead to the contamination of ground water, which is getting depleted at a fast rate in Coimbatore. Moreover, the qualities of the groundwater in the environs of the city, in recent years, are also known to have become unacceptable by public for consumption. It is widely hinted at that the ecological degradation of the wetlands and their filling up are highly responsible for the low quality of the groundwater. Stoppage of dumping industrial effluents, sewage and garbage may help in conserving the wetlands in the city which apparently function as ground water recharge sites, provide habitats for a large number of flora and fauna including migratory birds, and is a major source of freshwater fish in the city.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/12462107_Pollution_status_of_wetlands_in_urban_Coimbatore_Tamilnadu_India

------------------------

Pollution due to Heavy Metals in Coimbatore Wetlands, India

June 2015

http://www.isca.in/AGRI_FORESTRY/Archive/v3/i6/1.ISCA-RJAFS-2015-026.pdf


------------------------

From Evidence to Policy in India’s Groundwater Crisis

 July 22, 2017

India has a serious problem with its groundwater. Can it act?

http://thediplomat.com/2017/07/from-evidence-to-policy-in-indias-groundwater-crisis/

------------------------------------------

Environmental issues in India

http://www.wikiwand.com/en/Environmental_issues_in_India


-------------------------------------

Environmental strategies to replace DDT and control malaria

http://www.pan-germany.org/download/ddt/ddt_alternatives_2_edition.pdf

-----------------------

Pesticides in Agriculture – A Boon or a Curse?

A Case Study of Kerala

 June 2010

http://www.environmentportal.in/files
/Pesticides%20in%20Agriculture%20A%20Boon%20or%20a%20Curse.pdf

-------------------


About 50 percent of south Indian cities reeling from high particulate pollution, says joint
CSE-KSPCB meet on air pollution

Bengaluru among 14 cities which are in the ‘high’ bracket. May slip into the ‘critical’
category if immediate steps are not taken


http://www.cseindia.org/userfiles/mbriefing_note.pdf

------------------------

Hyderabad's air quality index worse than Delhi’s

Feb 23, 2017

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/in-other-news/230217/hyderabads-air-quality-index-worse-than-delhis.html

----------------------

Pharma pollution fuels resistance to antibiotics, bacteria turns super bug

 April 30, 2017

HYDERABAD: Blighted by a high level of pharmaceutical pollution, Hyderabad has emerged as a virtual factory churning out bacteria that have developed resistance to over 90% of known antibiotics. These bacteria, which otherwise are tame, have now become dangerous enough to resist even the most powerful of antibiotics. They have gained the ability to produce enzymes like 'extended-spectrum beta-lactamase' and 'carbapenemase' to become super bugs. Bombarded by a heavy dose of pharma wastes by different drug companies into water, the bacteria have in fact become habituated to a wide spectrum of antibiotics. When these bacteria enter human bodies, they do not react to drugs and continue surviving causing health issues including death.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/pharma-pollution-fuels-resistance-to-antibiotics-bacteria-turns-super-bug/articleshow/58442061.cms

-------------------

Environmental pollution with antimicrobial agents from bulk drug manufacturing industries in Hyderabad, South India, is associated with dissemination of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase and carbapenemase-producing pathogens.

 August 2017

Abstract

 

PURPOSE:

High antibiotic and antifungal concentrations in wastewater from anti-infective drug production may exert selection pressure for multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens. We investigated the environmental presence of active pharmaceutical ingredients and their association with MDR Gram-negative bacteria in Hyderabad, South India, a major production area for the global bulk drug market.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28444620

-----------------

Pollution in Indore, India

 May 2017

Air pollution data from World Health Organization
PM10	143
PM2.5	76
PM10 Pollution Level:	Very High

https://www.numbeo.com/pollution/in/Indore

-----------------

41 Indian cities have bad air quality, CPCB survey finds

Varanasi, Gwalior and Allahabad top the list for worst air quality among the 41 cities with a million-plus population; Coimbatore and Rajkot are best performers 

New Delhi: Is India’s pollution spiraling out of control?

In 2015, 41 Indian cities with a million-plus population faced bad air quality in nearly 60% of the total days monitored, said a latest analysis released by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
As per CPCB’s data, which is India’s nodal pollution watchdog, Coimbatore and Rajkot had highest number of good quality days, while Varanasi, Gwalior and Allahabad didn’t have even one good air quality day among all the days when their air quality was monitored.
Days wherein all monitored parameters like sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and particulate matter are within the prescribed norms were considered good days while remaining monitoring days when value of one or the other parameter exceeds the norms were categorised as bad days.
The analysis said that, as per the monitored air quality data of 41 million plus cities during 2015, 58% of the total monitoring days were bad days while 42% were categorised as good days.

http://www.livemint.com/Science/Pru06soFtZXF5bipbF4axI/41-Indian-cities-have-bad-air-quality-survey-finds.html

------------------------

Review of Indore's pollution level begins

Jan 12, 2014

 Environment officers from Hyderabad collect water samples from Khan River and other water bodies to study pollution level.

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-review-of-indore-s-pollution-level-begins-1949631


-------------------------

Pollution studies of River Khan (INDORE) India—I. Biological assessment of pollution

1978

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/004313547890132X


------------------------

Kahn River

 The river Khan or Kahn as it is now known is a river flowing through Indore, the commercial capital of the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. It doesn't contain freshwater but instead has become polluted over the course of time carries sewage due to pollution.

 For the past few years efforts are being done to revive the dying river by the means of projects.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kahn_River

-----------------------

Air you breathe claims 1,800 lives every year

 Jul 15, 2014

INDORE: Air pollution in city claims 1,800 lives every year with around 2,500 others ending up being admitted to hospitals. The shocking revelation has come from transport minister Bhupendra Singh while replying to a query from MLA Sudharshan Gupta over increasing air pollution in the commercial hub of the state. And the primary source of air pollution in the city is the increasing number of vehicles every year.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/indore/Air-you-breathe-claims-1800-lives-every-year/articleshow/38410059.cms

------------------------

Indore, Bhopal pollutes its water resources, heavily dependent on Narmada

 Jul 9, 2012

INDORE: Indore, the state's commercial capital, once dependent on the Bilawali and Limbodi water tanks, as well as from the Yashwant Sagar dam is now heavily dependent on the Narmada River (70 km away) for its ware supply. Any break in the pipeline or interruption in power supply deprives Indore of its water supply. The city gets over 200 MLD of water, but is heavily dependent on groundwater and generates nearly 240 MLD of sewage. The story is bleak with barely one-fourth being treated. The rest flows untreated into the Khan river, that meets the Kshipra river and pollutes it. This river is Ujjain's main source of water.
These and other facts about how Indore manages its water and sewage came to light in the course of the release of a two-volume study done by New Delhi-based research and advocacy body, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). Titled Excreta Matters, the study provides details about the water and sewage situation in urban India, with statistics and stories from 71 cities across the country. Several cities of Madhya Pradesh including Indore, Bhopal, Ujjain, Gwalior and Jabalpur feature in this study.


http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/pollution/Indore-Bhopal-pollutes-its-water-resources-heavily-dependent-on-Narmada/articleshow/14772006.cms

-------------------

Pollution in Ahmedabad, India

Air pollution data from World Health Organization
PM10	83
PM2.5	100
PM10 Pollution Level:	High

https://www.numbeo.com/pollution/in/Ahmedabad

-------------------

Ahmedabad gets air quality monitors to battle pollution

May 11, 2017

http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/ahmedabad-gets-air-quality-monitors-to-battle-pollution/article18429564.ece

----------------------

 Ahmedabad air: India's 5th most polluted

 May 10, 2014

Against the accepted level of 40 micrograms of particulate matter (2.5 microns), the city has 100. Delhi on top with 153, followed by Patna and Gwalior 

http://www.dnaindia.com/ahmedabad/report-ahmedabad-air-india-s-5th-most-polluted-1986938

-----------------------

Limnology of a Sewage Polluted Tank in Central India

 First published: 1984

Abstract

The limnology of a sewage polluted pond was studied from 1978 to 1981. Stratification of temperature, dissolved, oxygen, conductivity, pH, alkalinity and chloride was recorded. The surface stratum down to 0.5 m was supersaturated throughout the year. The pond recorded a permanent water bloom dominated by Anacystis during the summer months. This was followed by Anabaena and Anabaenopsis during winter. The growth of Chlorococcales was retarded due to intraspecific competition, self-shading and low carbon dioxide levels though the waters were nutrient rich. Before the summer overturn, accumulation of calcium bicarbonate produced temporal meromixis. In general, a reduction in the number of zooplankters was recorded.


Http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/iroh.19840690411/abstract

-----------------------

HEAVY METALS CONTAMINATION ASSESMENT OF KANHARGAON
DAM WATER NEAR CHHINDWARA CITY 

 2011

http://www.tsijournals.com/articles/heavy-metals-contamination-assesment-of-kanhargaon-dam-water-near-chhindwara-city.pdf

---------------------

Fluoride Contamination in Ground Water in a part of The Tribal Belt in Chhindwara District. Madhya Pradesh, India

 Dec 2012

ABSTRACT

Hydrogeochemical study of ground water samples from tube/bore-wells in the pre- and post-monsoon periods, in five-blocks of the Chhindwara district, Madhya Pradesh points to noticeable health problems in peoples due to higher/lower fluoride values than the desirable World Health Organization (WHO) limits. The geological reasons for high fluoride release in the ground water in the deep tube wells in granites and basalts in pre- and post-monsoon periods has been discussed.
http://hindi.indiawaterportal.org/node/53230

----------------------

Adsorption of lead and zinc ions on sediments - A research report by National Institute of Hydrology

 2010-06-29

 The study deals with adsorption of lead and zinc ions on the bed sediments of river Kali in western Uttar Pradesh.The process influences the transport of pollutants in aquatic environment.

The study deals with adsorption of lead and zinc ions on the bed sediments of river Kali in western Uttar Pradesh. Adsorption is one of the most important processes in water quality control, which influences the transport of pollutants in aquatic environment.

The role of coarser sediment fraction (210 to 250 micro metre) has been elucidated and compared to those of the clay and silt fractions. The parameters controlling the uptake, viz initial metal ion concentration, solution pH, sediment dose, contact time and particle size have been evaluated. The adsorption of metal ions increases with increasing initial metal ion concentration.

The optimum contact time in which equilibrium is attained was found to be 45 min for both the metal ions. The extent of adsorption increases with an increase of pH. The adsorption of metal ions on the sediments follows two phases, a linear phase of adsorption followed by a flat plateau section.

Further the adsorption of metal ions increases with increasing adsorbent doses and decreases with adsorbent particle size. The two geochemical phases, namely iron and manganese oxide, act as the active support material for the adsorption of the two metal ions.

http://www.indiawaterportal.org/articles/adsorption-lead-and-zinc-ions-sediments-research-report-national-institute-hydrology

-----------------------

Acceptable Levels of strontium and silica in drinking water - Need applicable regulations and other comments

 2009-10-11


I wish to consult the forum regarding the presence & acceptable levels of Strontium and Silica. The norms/standards for drinking water contained in IS 10500 (Bureau of Indian Standards)  do not prescribe any permissible or derired limit for these two elements.  Some pockets in Andhra Pradesh and Punjab reported presence of silica upto 150 ppm and strontium upto 3500 ppb. Can any of the esteemed experts, participating in the discussion here on the portal, comment on this please?
Information regarding the acceptable levels, applicable regulation & any related comments would be helpful.

http://www.indiawaterportal.org/questions/acceptable-levels-strontium-and-silica-drinking-water-need-applicable-regulations-and

------------------------------

Water contamination due to arsenic and nitrates and their health implications - research studies

 Nitrate can cause severe health implications like cancer and it contaminates water by mixing with fertiliser run-off and sewage

Water contamination due to arsenic

Protective effects of B-vitamins and antioxidants on the risk of arsenic-related skin lesions in Bangladesh is a research study published in the Environmental Health Perspectives Journal, that reveals that the intake of B-vitamins and anti-oxidants, can reduce the risk to arsenic-related skin lesions in Bangladesh. The study is relevant to India as well, as the major arsenic-affected region in the country is West Bengal, adjacent to Bangladesh.

Water contamination due to nitrates

Nitrate/nitrite contamination is a potentially serious problem for India today, after flouride and arsenic. Nitrate/nitrite contamination occurs largely through the mixing of fertiliser run-off and sewage with water meant for human use. New research reveals that nitrate/nitrite contamination can cause severe human health problems including cancer.

Below are two research papers from the Environment Health Perspectives (EHP) Journal, written in the context of the United States, that give an idea of nitrate/nitrite contamination and their impact on human health.

http://www.indiawaterportal.org/articles/water-contamination-due-arsenic-and-nitrates-and-their-health-implications-research-studies


----------------------------------------------

Impact Of Textiles And Clothing Industry On Environment: Approach Towards Eco-Friendly Textiles

ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS OF TEXTILE FIBRES

Natural fibres have their problems, too:

Cotton is the most pesticide intensive crop in the world: these pesticides injure and kill many people every year. It also takes up a large proportion of agricultural land, much of which is needed by local people to grow their own food. Herbicides, and also the chemical defoliants which are sometimes used to aid mechanical cotton harvesting, add to the toll on both the environment and human health. These chemicals typically remain in the fabric after finishing, and are released during the lifetime of the garments. The development of genetically modified cotton adds environmental problems at another level. Growing cotton uses 22.5 percent of all the insecticides used globally? Growing enough cotton for one t-shirt requires 257 gallons of water. On top of that, bleaching and then dyeing the resulting fabric creates toxins that flow into our ecosystem. �

First of all, the cotton must be grown; this entails vast amounts of chemical fertilizers and pesticides that pollute and deplete the soil. Despite mecha�nized harvesting, the cotton industry is still largely dependent on cheap labour. The raw cotton is then dyed, meaning chemicals and heavy metals with harmful effects on the envi�ronment. Finally bands of cotton are assem�bled in factories to be sown into a T-shirt. From wastewater emissions to air pollution and energy consumption, the textile industry weighs heavily on the environment.

Wool pollution: both agricultural and craft workers in the UK suffer from exposure to organophosphate sheep dip problem. Getting from fibre to cloth - bleaching, dyeing, and finishing - uses yet more energy and water, and causes yet more pollution.

Nylon and polyester - made from petrochemicals, these synthetics are also non-biodegradable, and so they are inherently unsustainable on two counts. Nylon manufacture creates nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas 310 times more potent than carbon dioxide. Making polyester uses large amounts of water for cooling, along with lubricants which can become a source of contamination. Both processes are also very energy-hungry.

Rayon (viscose), another artificial fibre, is made from wood pulp, which on the face of it seems more sustainable. However, old growth forest is often cleared and/or subsistence farmers are displaced to make way for pulpwood plantations. Often the tree planted is eucalyptus, which draws up phenomenal amounts of water, causing problems in sensitive regions. To make rayon, the wood pulp is treated with hazardous chemicals such as caustic soda and sulphuric acid. The use of rayon for clothing is contributing to the rapid depletion of the world's forests. Petroleum-based products are detrimental to the environment on many levels.

http://www.fibre2fashion.com/industry-article/1709/impact-of-textiles-and-clothing-industry-on-environment?page=2

---------------------------------------

How ‘Silent Spring’ Ignited the Environmental Movement

 SEPT. 21, 2012

On June 4, 1963, less than a year after the controversial environmental classic “Silent Spring” was published, its author, Rachel Carson, testified before a Senate subcommittee on pesticides. She was 56 and dying of breast cancer. She told almost no one. She’d already survived a radical mastectomy. Her pelvis was so riddled with fractures that it was nearly impossible for her to walk to her seat at the wooden table before the Congressional panel. To hide her baldness, she wore a dark brown wig.

“Every once in a while in the history of mankind, a book has appeared which has substantially altered the course of history,” Senator Ernest Gruen­ing, a Democrat from Alaska, told Carson at the time.

“Silent Spring” was published 50 years ago this month. Though she did not set out to do so, Carson influenced the environmental movement as no one had since the 19th century’s most celebrated hermit, Henry David Thoreau, wrote about Walden Pond. “Silent Spring” presents a view of nature compromised by synthetic pesticides, especially DDT. Once these pesticides entered the biosphere, Carson argued, they not only killed bugs but also made their way up the food chain to threaten bird and fish populations and could eventually sicken children. Much of the data and case studies that Carson drew from weren’t new; the scientific community had known of these findings for some time, but Carson was the first to put them all together for the general public and to draw stark and far-reaching conclusions. In doing so, Carson, the citizen-scientist, spawned a revolution.

“Silent Spring,” which has sold more than two million copies, made a powerful case for the idea that if humankind poisoned nature, nature would in turn poison humankind. “Our heedless and destructive acts enter into the vast cycles of the earth and in time return to bring hazard to ourselves,” she told the subcommittee. We still see the effects of unfettered human intervention through Carson’s eyes: she popularized modern ecology.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/23/magazine/how-silent-spring-ignited-the-environmental-movement.html


--------------------

Study of Characteristics and Treatments of Dairy Industry Waste Water

 2013

http://pubs.sciepub.com/jaem/2/1/4/

--------------------


Effect of Toxic Metal Water Pollution on Humans in Central India

 2013

http://jairjp.com/SEPTEMBER%202013/10%20DEEPAK.pdf


---------------------

Degradation of water quality due to heavy pollution

in industrial area of Korba,

Chhattisgarh

2013

http://www.indiawaterportal.org/sites/indiawaterportal.org/files/korba.pdf

----------------------

Study of Fluorides in Different Water Sources around Bilaspur City (C’garh) and its Effect on Surrounding areas

Abstract:
 

Water is essential for life on earth. A study was made on surface and ground water of different locations of six major villages around Bilaspur city, Chattishgarh. Samples were collected in the month of April, 2010 and concentrations of Fluorides were analyzed in the laboratory of PHE department, Bilaspur city. A comparative graph was plotted. Fluoride concentrations were found to be less than 1.5 mg/L, which is permissible limit, no harmful effect were found in this area.

http://www.cwejournal.org/abstract/vol6no1/study-of-fluorides-in-different-water-sources-around-bilaspur-city-cgarh-and-its-effect-on-surrounding-areas/

------------------------

Tvocs Concentration Status and its Correlation with Ozone Concentration in different seasons at GGU campus, Bilaspur (C.G.) India

 February 20, 2017

https://www.omicsonline.org/open-access/tvocs-concentration-status-and-its-correlation-with-ozone-concentrationin-different-seasons-at-ggu-campus-bilaspur-cg-india-2375-4397-1000182.php?aid=85831&view=mobile

-----------------------

Chhattisgarh capital Raipur 7th most polluted in world: WHO

 May 13, 2016

 Raipur: Chhattisgarh capital Raipur has earned the dubious distinction of being among seventh top polluted cities in the world—relegating Delhi to the eleventh spot—but the only solace is that the situation of air pollution here is better than Gwalior, Allahabad and Patna as per a World Health Organisation (WHO) report...

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/raipur/Chhattisgarh-capital-Raipur-7th-most-polluted-in-world-WHO/articleshow/52252399.cms

--------------------------

Cadmium level 169 times higher than is safe found in Chhattisgarh’s Raigarh district, says study

  

Aug 07, 2017

 

Samples collected from the highly industrialised Tamnar coal block were examined for the report.

 Cadmium level are 169 times higher than the safety level defined by Canada in the soil around coal mines, thermal power plants and coal ash ponds in Chhattisgarh, according to a study released on Monday.

https://scroll.in/latest/846331/cadmium-level-169-times-higher-than-is-safe-found-in-chhattisgarhs-raigarh-district-says-study

-------------------------

 ANALYSIS OF WATER OF RAIGARH AREA WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO HEAVY METALS

 2015

http://www.ijtra.com/view/analysis-of-water-of-raigarh-area-with-special-reference-to-heavy-metals.pdf

------------------------

Bioremediation, its applications to contaminated sites in India - A state of the art report by Ministry of Environment and Forests

  2011-05-17

 This report by the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) deals with the applications of bioremediation to contaminated sites in India.

http://www.indiawaterportal.org/articles/bioremediation-its-applications-contaminated-sites-india-state-art-report-ministry

----------------------------

"A rock and a hard place" and "Tackling the P problem" - Dependence of agriculture on phosphate fertiliser - Issues and the way out - Papers by Soil Association and J Venkateswarlu

 2011-04-13

 Two reports discussing the dependency of agriculture on phosphorous and the ways to mitigate the problem, the need for finding alternatives to obtaining phosphorous and eliminate mining.


http://www.indiawaterportal.org/articles/rock-and-hard-place-and-tackling-p-problem-dependence-agriculture-phosphate-fertiliser

-----------------------

Institutionalization of users' level - Water quality monitoring and surveillance in Gujarat - A report by WASMO

 2011-09-26

 This report by the WASMO presents the impact of the Water Quality Monitoring and Surveillance (WQM&S) Programme implemented in Gujarat.

http://www.indiawaterportal.org/articles/institutionalization-users-level-water-quality-monitoring-and-surveillance-gujarat-report



-----------------------------

Water quality status of rivers in India – Report of Central Water Commission

2011

http://www.indiawaterportal.org/articles/water-quality-status-rivers-india-report-central-water-commission

-----------------------------

Multi-district assessment of water safety (M-DAWS) in Gujarat - A study by Water and Sanitation Management Organisation

 2011-06-15

 This report survey assesses the condition of drinking water quality in the Gujarat in the context of severe water shortages.

http://www.indiawaterportal.org/articles/multi-district-assessment-water-safety-m-daws-gujarat-study-water-and-sanitation-management

----------------------

Encephalitis deaths in India - The same story of poverty, neglect, disaster and disease, how long will this continue ?

 2011-12-02

 Providing temporary fixes to deal with situations such as this epidemic in Gorakhpur cannot help in finding long term solutions.

http://www.indiawaterportal.org/articles/encephalitis-deaths-india-same-story-poverty-neglect-disaster-and-disease-how-long-will

-------------------------

Status of groundwater quality in India - Report of the survey conducted in metropolitan areas by the CPCB

 2011-11-24

The report presents the results of a detailed survey of groundwater quality in metropolitan areas (population >100,000) in India. 

http://www.indiawaterportal.org/articles/status-groundwater-quality-india-report-survey-conducted-metropolitan-areas-cpcb

--------------------------

Karnataka High Court Committee strongly discourages commercial involvement in lake management and rejuvenation

 2011-11-23

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.

http://www.indiawaterportal.org/articles/karnataka-high-court-committee-strongly-discourages-commercial-involvement-lake-management

-----------------------------

Status of water treatment plants in India - A report on their operational status by the Central Pollution Control Board

  2011-11-23

Sludge and filter back wash water needs to be treated and properly disposed, the study suggests.

http://www.indiawaterportal.org/articles/status-water-treatment-plants-india-report-their-operational-status-central-pollution

----------------------------

Environmental monitoring programme on water quality in Kerala – A report by KSCSTE and CWRDM

 2011-11-03

 Streams receive stress from sewage and organic effluents, as per this study.

http://www.indiawaterportal.org/articles/environmental-monitoring-programme-water-quality-kerala-report-kscste-and-cwrdm

------------------------------

Water quality hot-spots in rivers of India – A report by Central Water Commission

2011-11-08

 This report by the Central Water Commission (CWC) attempts to provide the water quality scenario of our rivers.

http://www.indiawaterportal.org/articles/water-quality-hot-spots-rivers-india-report-central-water-commission

---------------------------

Lakes in Mumbai – A draft report by WWF India

 2011-11-01 

 Need to conserve and protect the lakes from further degradation, the study says.

http://www.indiawaterportal.org/articles/lakes-mumbai-draft-report-wwf-india


---------------------

Performance audit of water pollution in India – A report by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India

  2012-01-03

 This report of the CAG deals with the results of the performance audit of water pollution in India for the year ended March 2011.

http://www.indiawaterportal.org/articles/performance-audit-water-pollution-india-report-comptroller-and-auditor-general-india

------------------

Stress of urban pollution on largest natural wetland ecosystem in East Kolkata - Causes, consequences and improvement

 This paper looks at the impact of urban pollution on the Eastern Kolkata wetlands where fish farming is carried out.

The impact of sewage pollution on these fish ponds and on the ecosystem is evaluated. Similarly, remedial measures to maintain water quality and to improve resource recovery efficiency are suggested.

http://www.indiawaterportal.org/articles/stress-urban-pollution-largest-natural-wetland-ecosystem-east-kolkata-causes-consequences

---------------------

"Excreta Matters" - A profile of the water and sewage situation in 71 Indian cities - A report by the Centre for Science and Environment

2012-05-02


http://www.indiawaterportal.org/articles/understanding-governance-wash-sector-andhra-pradesh-study-wassan

-------------------

Pollution Crisis in Chhattisgarh, India

https://www.elaw.org/pollution-crisis-chhattisgarh-india-0

-----------------------

 POISONED
Report on the Environmental Sampling around the Coal Mines,
Thermal Power Plants and Ash Ponds in Tamnar & Gharghoda Blocks of Raigarh, Chhattisgarh

 http://www.sipcotcuddalore.com/downloads/Poisoned_English_Version_Aug2017.pdf

------------------------

Alarming water crises and pollution in Chhattisgarh

 April 18, 2010

http://indiacsr.in/alarming-water-crises-and-pollution-in-chhattisgarh/

------------------------

 Out of Sight: How coal burning  advances India’s Air Pollution Crisis

http://m.greenpeace.org/india/Global/india/cleanairnation/Reports/Out%20of%20Sight.pdf

-------------------------

Vedanta to buy 200 Mw in Odisha after pollution board crackdown

 

 September 14, 2017

Odisha Pollution Control Board orders temporary closure of 3 units of 1215 Mw

http://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/vedanta-to-buy-200-mw-in-odisha-after-pollution-board-crackdown-117091401284_1.html

------------------------

Black life: Impact of coal mining in Jharsuguda

 2014




 Agricultural lands of thousands of people have been destroyed in Odisha and the growing need for power is trumping over the environment. Better regulation can help but it needs to happen soon.

http://www.indiawaterportal.org/articles/black-life-impact-coal-mining-jharsuguda

-------------------------

After breach in ash pond, five power units of Vedanta ordered shut

 September 14, 2017

 BHUBANESHWAR: The Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) in Jharsuguda has ordered shut five power units of Vedanta's smelter after major breach in its ash pond dyke wall last month...

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/indl-goods/svs/metals-mining/after-breach-in-ash-pond-five-power-units-of-vedanta-ordered-shut/articleshow/60517305.cms


----------------------------

Vedanta ash pipe sprays toxic waste over farm land in Jharsuguda

 November 7, 2012

On Monday 5th November a fly ash pipe burst, pouring toxic ash over more than 15 acres of farm land at Vedanta Aluminium’s Jharsuguda aluminium complex in Odisha. In response women and local farmers from Kurebaga Panchayat gathered outside the gates of the factory demanding compensation for the land that had been destroyed. 38 were later arrested after the police were called by the company and evicted them from the spot. Many of those affected are displaced people moved from their farms and villages by the giant factory complex which is estimated to have displaced 10,000 people without compensation or rehabilitation.


http://www.foilvedanta.org/news/vedanta-ash-pipe-burst-sprays-toxic-waste-over-farm-land-in-jharsuguda/


-------------------------------

Vedanta declines 1% on plant shut down notice by OSPCB

 Sep 15, 2017

The Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) in Jharsuguda has ordered temporary shut-down of its five units following a breach in its ash pond dyke wall in August.

http://www.moneycontrol.com/news/business/stocks-business/vedanta-declines-1-on-plant-closure-notice-by-ospcb-2388509.html

-----------------------

Talcher, Angul, Ib valley ‘critically polluted’ zones

 February 2017


While the Talcher, Angul and Ib valley areas have been declared as “critically polluted”, Paradip has been categorised as “severely polluted”, according to senior officials.
These areas in Odisha have been identified as severely and critically polluted regions on the basis of the Comprehensive Environmental Pollution Index (CEPI) of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)...


http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/talcher-angul-ib-valley-critically-polluted-zones.html

-----------------------------

Dust pollution in stone crusher units in and around Balasore, Orissa, INDIA

 December 2011

Abstract

The study area is in and around Balasore town where several stone crusher units are running without following CPC B (Central Pollution Control Board, India) norms to feed crushed stone for various health problems. To monitor the dust pollution level 5 monitoring stations were chosen and dust sample inside the unit and 100m away of the unit were monitored. In all the crusher units the concentration of SPM were much more than the permissible standard i.e., 500 μg/m3, where as 100m away the concentration level fall down and were within the norm. However, a residential zone is 100 m away and this cause health problem to the residents.

http://www.icontrolpollution.com/articles/dust-pollution-in-stone-crusher-units-in-andaround-balasore-orissa-india-.php?aid=45682

---------------------------

Distribution of Fluoride in the Environment of Balasore District, Odisha, India

 2013

http://content.iospress.com/articles/asian-journal-of-water-environment-and-pollution/ajw10-2-12

-------------------------

Assessment of Water Quality of Subarnarekha River in Balasore Region, Odisha, India

http://www.cwejournal.org/vol9no2/assessment-of-water-quality-of-subarnarekha-river-in-balasore-region-odisha-india/

----------------------

Subarnarekha River

Pollution

The Subarnarekha passes through areas with extensive mining of copper and uranium ores. As a result of the unplanned mining activities, the river is polluted. The Subarnarekha has been the lifeline of tribal communities inhabiting the Chhotanagpur region and water pollution affects their livelihood.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subarnarekha_River

------------------------

 Idol Immersion Activities Cause Heavy Metal Contamination in River Budhabalanga, Balasore, Odisha, India

 Dec 2012

http://www.ijmer.com/papers/Vol2_Issue6/DY2645404542.pdf

------------------------


10 Chinese nationals served 'Leave India' notice by Odisha

  Jun 13, 2016


BHUBANESWAR: Odisha government today issued "Leave India" notices to ten Chinese nationals who were working on an expansion project of the Adani Group-controlled Dhamra Port Company Limited in Bhadrak district of the state, a government official said.

"The state government has asked the Director of Intelligence and the Superintendent of Police, Bhadrak district to execute Leave India notices on the Chinese nationals," Home Secretary Asit Tripathy told reporters here.

Jun 13, 2016

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/10-chinese-nationals-served-leave-india-notice-by-odisha/articleshow/52732030.cms

----------------------

Exceeding limits: Increasing noise pollution, particulate matter in Delhi creating havoc

April 10, 2017

The report added that the values of SO2 (sulphur dioxide) are within permissible limits for all locations monitored.

http://zeenews.india.com/environment/exceeding-limits-increasing-noise-pollution-particulate-matter-in-delhi-creating-havoc-1994856.html

---------------------

River water in state not safe for drinking: Arukha

 Apr 27, 2016

Bhubaneswar: State forest and environment minister Bikram Keshari Arukha on Tuesday told the assembly that water in none of 11 major rivers or their tributaries in the state were suitable for drinking.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bhubaneswar/River-water-in-state-not-safe-for-drinking-Arukha/articleshow/52002885.cms

-------------------

Odisha's story about pollution, mining and the environment

  Jun 05, 2015

Odisha has been ranked as the fourth most polluted place in the world in a report. This high level of degradation is due to the heavy tapping of mineral resources from a dozen open cast mines in the area over 70 years.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/india/odisha-s-story-about-pollution-mining-and-the-environment/story-Y3t9TxTCqh3M8EBGhmBfXL.html

---------------------

 Indian Environment portal

http://www.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/category/5120/thesaurus/mayurbhanj/
------------------------



Virus Pollution of Indian Surface Water: Health Risk Estimation and Issues Identification


http://qmrawiki.canr.msu.edu/images/VirusPollutionofIndianSurfaceWater_Divya_IITDelhi_Aug24_12_1.pdf

------------------------

Hold your breath: These startups are thriving on air pollution

 

 Nov 04, 2016

Pollution experts attribute the declining air quality to various reasons such as burning of agricultural waste, vehicular emissions, burning of crackers and factory emissions.

http://www.moneycontrol.com/news/business/startup/hold-your-breath-these-startupsthrivingair-pollution-951162.html



--------------------------

Physico Chemical Properties of Water Sample Collected From Mangrove Ecosystem of Mahanadi River Delta, Odisha, India

2013

Abstract

 

In the present study, physico-chemical parameters of water samples were compared with the water quality standard of Bureau of Indian standard and the state pollution control board. Variations of different parameters investigated were as follows: Temperature (24.2-30.9°C), dissolved oxygen (2.9-10.9 mg/L), pH (6.05-8.6), electrical conductivity (5.16–17.33 mS/cm), TDS (4510–11900 mg/L), chloride content (4389-12575 mg/l), nitrate (13.03-24.01 mg/l), phosphate (0.55-2.59 mg/l), calcium (125.4-400.8 mg/l), magnesium (153.16-474.13 mg/l) and total hardness (800-2090 mg/l). The significant variations of p among different study sites with high load of calcium, chloride, nitrate and phosphate in most of the study sites indicating the pollution status of the estuarine water.

http://pubs.sciepub.com/marine/2/1/3/

-----------------------------

EVALUATION OF GROUND WATER POLLUTION POTENTIAL USING DRASTIC MODEL: A CASE

STUDY IN BERHAMPUR CITY, ORISSA

 2015

http://www.cibtech.org/J-GEOLOGY-EARTH-ENVIRONMENT/PUBLICATIONS/2015/VOL_5_No_3/07-JGEE-007-SAHU%20-EVALUATION.pdf

------------------------------

 AQUATIC AND SEDIMENTOLOGICAL ANALYSIS
OF THE DAMODAR RIVER WITHIN THE STRETCH
OF ASANSOL TO DURGAPUR


http://www.icontrolpollution.com/articles/aquatic-and-sedimentological-analysisof-the-damodar-river-within-the-stretchof-asansol-to-durgapur-.pdf

-------------------------------

Indians exposed to higher levels of pollutants than Chinese: study

 Feb 23 2016

The study, based on Nasa’s satellite data on PM, shows that in 2005, although both India and China had a serious pollution problem, the PM level in India was a lot lower

http://www.livemint.com/Politics/rDDvszborXdZWYQt9U5ioK/Indians-exposed-to-higher-levels-of-pollutants-than-Chinese.html

------------------------------

Country Choking: 2015 most polluted year for India, says Greenpeace


26 February 2016



 Air Pollution has been causing massive trouble to several countries in the world. However, India and China have been the top contributors when it comes to high pollution levels.

And last year, India left its counterpart China behind in being more polluted.

As per a report by Greenpeace India, since the year 2011, when China had its most polluted year, conditions have significantly improved. At the same time, India has suffered a setback regarding pollution levels.

https://www.skymetweather.com/content/weather-news-and-analysis/country-choking-2015-most-polluted-year-for-india-says-greenpeace/

----------------------------------

Variation in groundwater levels and water quality in Chhatna Block, Bankura district, West Bengal — a GIS approach

 06 March 2013

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12594-013-0029-3

-----------------------------------

Assessment of groundwater quality from Bankura I and II Blocks, Bankura District, West Bengal, India

 Feb 2017

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13201-017-0530-8



----------------------------

 Fluoride Contamination on Aquatic organisms and human body at
Purulia and Bankura District of West Bengal, India

 2014

http://bepls.com/june2015bepls/18.pdf


-----------------------

Bankura India pollution

https://www.google.com/search?source=hp&q=bankura+india+pollution&oq=bankura+india+pollution&gs_l=psy-ab.12...6573.6573.0.8098.2.1.0.0.0.0.125.125.0j1.1.0.dummy_maps_web_fallback...0...1.1.64.psy-ab..1.0.0.0...0.QCGiDq2qUxQ


-----------------------

  Assessment by multivariate statistical analysis of ground water
geochemical data of Bankura, India

 2012

ABSTRACT

Pearson correlation matrix and multiple linear regresson analysis have been applied to a total number of 58 ground water samples, collected during pre and post monsoon seasons in 2009-2010 from north-eastern part of Bankura District, West Bengal, India. These samples were

analyzed for various parameters such as pH,Total dissolved solids (TDS), Electrical Conductivity (EC), Total Hardness (TH), Nitrate (NO3), Sulphate (SO4), Sodium (Na), Potassium (K), Calcium (Ca), Magnesium (Mg), Chloride (Cl). The interactions between the different components of ground water and their relationship with TDS have been determined

by computing Pearson correlation coefficients. It is revealed in this study that TDS and EC are important physicochemical water quality parameters, as they are strongly correlated with most of the constituents in the ground water. Statistical data analysis suggests that there is

strong positive relationship (r=0.9 to1.0) between Mg-TH, Ca-TH, Cl-TH, Cl-Ca, Cl-Mg during pre monsoon period. However, exactly similar

association is observed between Cl-Ca during post-monsoon seasons.

http://www.ipublishing.co.in/ijesarticles/twelve/articles/volthree/EIJES31086.pdf


-----------------------

 Groundwater quality and its suitability to agriculture – GIS based case study
of Chhatna block, Bankura district, West Bengal, India

 2011

http://www.ipublishing.co.in/jesvol1no12010/EIJES2123.pdf



-------------------------------------------------




MARINE POLLUTION IN THE INDIAN OCEAN -  PROBLEMS, PROSPECTS
AND PERSPECTIVES

 1988

http://aquaticcommons.org/15985/1/JIFA18_333.pdf

--------------------------------------------

Marine Ecosystem Diversity in the Arabian Gulf: Threats and Conservation

 May 14, 2014

https://www.intechopen.com/books/biodiversity-the-dynamic-balance-of-the-planet/marine-ecosystem-diversity-in-the-arabian-gulf-threats-and-conservation

------------------------

In India Pollution Kills Two People A Minute: Delhi & Patna Are The Worst Hit

Feb 20, 2017

Air pollution has been a universal issue for quite some time and India seems to be one of the worst nations affected by it. As per the recent Lancet Study, at least two people are killed every minute due to the air pollution in India.
According to The Times of India, some of the world's worst affected cities due to air pollution are in India. The study, based on 2010 data, released earlier this week, has revealed that globally, an estimated 2.7-3.4 million preterm births can be associated with exposure to PM 2.5, a fine particulate that affects the human body. With 1.6 million Preterm births, South Asia is the worst hit, says the study.


http://www.sciencetimes.com/articles/9027/20170220/in-india-pollution-kills-two-people-a-minute-delhi-patna-are-the-worst-hit.htm


-------------------------

Pollution in Patna, India

Air pollution data from World Health Organization
PM10	167
PM2.5	149
PM10 Pollution Level:	Extremely High

https://www.numbeo.com/pollution/in/Patna

------------------------

What are the main causes for pollution in Patna?

One particular reason which catch my mind and  not already mentioned it's auto drivers using Petrol mixed with kerosene  causing huge irritation in eyes.


https://www.quora.com/What-are-the-main-causes-for-pollution-in-Patna

----------------------

Patna’s Air 5 Times Above Safe Levels, 2.5 Times Worse Than Delhi’s

 June 20, 2016

 In 2016, the air in Bihar’s capital, Patna, was classified the world’s sixth-most polluted in a World Health Organisation (WHO) ranking of 3,000 cities in 103 countries. There are 10 Indian cities among 20 globally with the most polluted air.

http://www.indiaspend.com/cover-story/patnas-air-5-times-above-safe-levels-2-5-times-worse-than-delhis-37729

---------------------

Air pollution data from World Health Organization
PM10	99
PM2.5	53
PM10 Pollution Level:	High

https://www.numbeo.com/pollution/in/Rajkot


------------------------

Pollution-hit villagers near Rajkot to get compensation

 

NGT Cracks Whip On Private Firm Managing Landfill

Rajkot: In a major victory for nearly 8,000 people of six villages near Rajkot, the National Green Tribunal, (NGT), Pune has ordered the private firm managing the municipal solid waste of the city to pay a compensation of Rs 25 lakh for improper handling of the waste.
    The villagers have been fighting the severe air, water and land pollution caused by the mismanaged solid waste site set up in Nakrawadi village in 2004.
    NGT has also directed the state government’s urban development department to submit a report on the enforcement on municipal solid waste (MSW) rules across the state within three months.
    Voluntary organization Paryavaran Mitra and the villagers had filed a petition with NGT complaining about the degradation and its detrimental effect due to improper handling of the waste. Everyday, RMC dumps 300 metric tonnes of garbage at the landfill site in Nakravadi village that is managed by Hanjer Biotech Energies Pvt Ltd...

 

(The villagers have been fighting air, water and land pollution caused by the mismanaged solid waste site set up in Nakrawadi village.)

http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOINEW&BaseHref=TOIA/2013/12/24&PageLabel=5&EntityId=Ar00500&ViewMode=HTML

-----------------------

Cursed by greed: The Falgu river

 2015

The Falgu river, supposedly cursed by Sita to run below the ground, is today threatened by encroachment and pollution. Can she be saved by her defenders?

http://www.indiawaterportal.org/articles/cursed-greed-falgu-river

------------------------

Bihar’s toxic textile industry

The textile industry of Patwa Toli is polluting rivers and groundwater in the Indian state of Bihar, but businesses have failed to clean up their act claiming they provide essential jobs

 Waste water from dyeing plants flowing into the shallow Falgu river [image by Alok Gupta]

https://www.thethirdpole.net/2017/02/28/bihars-toxic-textile-industry/

-------------------------

Water Pollution-III
Gurdaspur district’s stone crushers killing rivers
Most of the municipal councils in the border belt are functioning without a sewage treatment plant
Ravi Dhaliwal/TNS

Gurdaspur, October 15

When things get bad, they really do. This, in essence, sums up the pollution scenario in the border district of Gurdaspur where two lifelines, Ravi and Beas, are being choked by stone crushers. Officially, Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) officials may paint a rosy picture and claim the rivers are pollution-free. Unofficially, they admit that despite the stringent mechanism put in place by the board, things will not improve till industrialists, particularly those owing stone-crushing units, ‘discipline’ themselves.
“Till that happens, which is highly unlikely, pollutants will continue to flow into the Ravi and Beas," said Manjit Singh Dala, a Gurdaspur resident who lives near a polluted drain that flows in front of Abul Khair gurdwara.

 http://www.tribuneindia.com/2013/20131016/punjab.htm#3

-----------------------

Goa river waters contains high content of feacal coliform: Study

2015-06-08


Goa rivers water unfit for human consumption: GSPCB
In a recent study by the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB), the rivers in the state are polluted to such an extent that their waters are unfit for human consumption. Presence of faecal coliform bacteria, nearly 1,300 to 7,900 colonies per 100 mililitre of water in the average rivers, has made the water dangerous for human health. Sal and Bicholim rivers are the most polluted while Mhadei and Khandepar rivers are the least contaminated.
600 million litres of sewage makes its way to Varthur lake everyday: CPC
http://www.indiawaterportal.org/articles/goa-river-waters-contains-high-content-feacal-coliform-study

----------------------------------------------

Government clears 170 eco-zones across the country

2015-06-02


Centre gives nod to 170 eco- sensitive zones in the country
The Environment Ministry has cleared 170 eco-sensitive zones in the country and by the end of the year plans to wrap up the entire business of such zones. With the completion of the mandatory 60-day period of public comments that were displayed on the MoEFCC website, the Governement is all set to issue the final notification. Also, among the states in the Western Ghats, only Kerala has submitted its report on the recommendations made by the Kasturirangan Committee while the others are expected to submit their reports by June 15.
NGT allows Kanpur tanneries to run on a trial basis
The National Green Tribunal has given consent to the closed tanneries located on the banks of the Ganga at Kanpur to operate on a trial basis for 19 days in June. During this period -- from June 7 to June 25 -- the levels of effluents discharged from these units will be checked by a team of experts. Also, these units have been asked to submit the details of steps undertaken by them to reduce pollution level to the inspection team by June 6.
NGT wraps up MP Government for illegal mining in Narmada & Ken rivers

http://www.indiawaterportal.org/articles/government-clears-170-eco-zones-across-country

---------------------------------------------

Lakes of urban India under threat: CSE

2015-05-05


Toxic foam observed in Bengaluru lakes
Three major lakes in Bengaluru -- Bellandur, Varthur, and Yemalur -- look like a giant pool of foam these days. Some residents even thought that it resembled snow! The foam has been formed due to high content of ammonia and phosphate coupled with very low dissolved oxygen. This occurs when untreated sewage flow into the lakes. Per the Centre for Science and Environment, the phenomenon is a serious threat to wetlands in urban India.

http://www.indiawaterportal.org/articles/lakes-urban-india-under-threat-cse


-------------------

Gujarat High Court orders 12 industries in the Mundra port to shut down 

 

HC directs shutting operations in Mundra Port and SEZ
The Gujarat High Court has directed 12 industrial units in the Mundra Port and SEZ in Kutch district to stop operations unless the industrial complex gets environmental clearance.
Tribal Ministry dilutes laws to clear Thoubal multi-purpose project
After opposing it for weeks, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs has recommended forest clearance for the Thoubal multi-purpose project in Manipur that involved diversion of about 600 hectares of forest land.
Review of 500 water related laws
The Ministry of Water Resources is planning a review of about 500 Central and state laws on water to bring them in line with the National water Policy. The laws are related to irrigation, drinking water needs and industrial use of water.
West Bengal surpasses rainwater harvesting target
More than one lakh water bodies have been dug in the past two and a half years in West Bengal against a target of 50,000, claimed the State Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
24*7 water supply for Lutyen's Delhi even as the rest of the city faces water scarcity
The New Delhi zone of the Capital, also known as Lutyen's Delhi, where most of the ministers and bureaucrats stay are being supplied water 24*7 even as the rest of the city struggles even for an hour's supply.
Fishermen seek NGT intervention over POSCO's port
About 50,000 fishermen of Kendrapara and Jagatsinghpur districts have petitioned the National Green Tribunal to stop the port construction by steel jiant POSCO at the Jatadhari river mouth, one of their main sources of fish catch.
Activists collect in Dakshin Kannada to protest Netravati river diversion
More than 300 activists gathered in this Karnataka district to protest against diversion of the Netravati river which is the main source of drinking water for Mangalore town and irrigation of 35,000 hectares of land.
Two fishing projects in Chennai worth Rs 117 crore
A project to improve the Chennai fishing harbour and another for sports fishing and an eco park at Chetpat lake in Chennai are the Tamil Nadu administration's two new projects.
An industry friendly forest clearance system
Environment Minister Veerappa Moily has released a new draft policy for the forest clearance system that includes self-monitoring by industry as a key component.
NGT asks for a detailed map of the Puri sewerage system
The National Green Tribunal has directed the temple town's administration to submit a detailed sewage management plan of the city and prove if the entire sewage is being treated before dumping into the sea.

This is a news roundup of January 15, 2014

http://www.indiawaterportal.org/news/gujarat-high-court-orders-12-industries-mundra-port-shut-down


----------------------

Chromium contaminates Bangalore's drinking water

 

News this week - Chromium contaminates drinking water in Peenya industrial area, NEERI develops new technology to treat effluents and water crisis hits 22 big cities in India.


Chromium afflicts borewells in India's largest industrial area

A survey by the Karnataka Pollution Control Board in Bangalore's Peenya industrial area has found chromium contamination in 20 out of 72 borewells. A carcinogenic metal, the extent of chromium in some wells was found to be 600 to 700 times above the national permissible limit of 0.05 mg/litre. The informal electroplating industry is the main reason behind this contamination.

NEERI develops technology to clean effluents

The National Environmental Engineering Research Institute has developed an "Electro-oxidation" technology to clean water of chemical effluent from industries. A new plant with this technology, which will treat 50 lakh litres of effluent daily, has been set up in the Nandesari Industries' Association's premises in Gujarat's Vadodra district. The main advantage of the technology is that it operates at room temperature and reduces organic load in water.

Water crisis in 22 big cities

According to the Urban Development Ministry, 22 out of the 32 big cities in India are facing severe water crisis. With 70% gap between demand and supply, Jamshedpur faces the worst situation. In Kanpur, Asansol, Dhanbad, Meerut, Faridabad, Visakhapatnam, Madurai and Hyderabad, the gap between demand and supply is 30%. The shortfall in Delhi and Mumbai is 24% and 17% respectively.

CAG slams Farakka barrage authorities

The Comptroller and Auditor General of India has slammed the management of Farakka barrage on the Ganga in West Bengal for inadequate maintenance of the project, which had six major gate failures from 1985 to 2011. The CAG report tabled in the monsoon session of the Parliament states that the barrage gates' remote control systems and navigational locks have remained inoperative for nearly three decades. The management did not have enough spare gates and bed protection because of which they didn't undertake maintenance work on the feeder canal.

Gates' Foundation to fund sanitation programmes in South Asia

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is collaborating with the Asian Development Bank to fund santitation programmes in Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam. The Foundation will invest USD 15 million into a trust fund that will focus on non-sewered sanitation expansions and sewage management solutions. This will be complemented by an investment of USD 28 million from ADB.
This is a weekly roundup of important news from September 9-15
 http://www.indiawaterportal.org/articles/chromium-contaminates-bangalores-drinking-water

-------------------

The missing water bodies of Western Uttar Pradesh

 2013-09-01

Over 3000 water bodies which once existed in Meerut district alone are now in a pitiable state. Will returning to a community-based water management system help revive these?

 http://www.indiawaterportal.org/articles/missing-water-bodies-western-uttar-pradesh

-----------------------

Blue technologies to fight the water crisis

 2013-08-23

Industry experts, water purifier companies and civil society groups talk about buyers expectations, market-centric strategies and future trends in household water purifiers for rural areas.

 http://www.indiawaterportal.org/articles/blue-technologies-fight-water-crisis

----------------------

Country's biggest iron-ore produce pollutes rivers in Chattisgarh

 http://www.indiawaterportal.org/news/countrys-biggest-iron-ore-produce-pollutes-rivers-chattisgarh

----------------------

Industrial effluents contaminate ground water in Jammu: Research

 http://www.indiawaterportal.org/news/industrial-effluents-contaminate-ground-water-jammu-research

----------------------

Children falling victims to air pollution in City, says study

  April 2013

The rising pollution in the City has led to drastic increase in asthma among children during summer, according to a study conducted by Centre for Infrastructure, Sustainable Transportation and Urban Planning (CiSTUP) of Indian Institute of Science (IISc).

According to the study report, the incidence of asthma has gone up by 10 times in the last 16 years - from 2.8 per cent in 1994 to 28.8 per cent in 2010. Construction works, road widening, tree felling and increasing vehicular population have contributed in making Bangalore the asthma capital, said Mahesh Kashyap, a research fellow with CiSTUP. He was delivering a lecture at a workshop on fuel efficiency on Tuesday.

 http://www.deccanherald.com/content/326518/children-falling-victims-air-pollution.html

---------------------

Pollution levels dipped since mining closure in Goa: Data

Apr 11, 2013, 

 PANAJI: Pollution levels in the iron ore belts of Goa dropped considerably after mining activity was banned in September last, bringing them within the permissible limits, according to the data placed before the Legislative Assembly.

 http://www.indiawaterportal.org/news/no-mining-goa-reduces-pollution

---------------


Naqi status of Indian cities in 2015-2016


http://www.cpcb.nic.in/upload/Latest/Latest_119_NAQI-StatusIndianCities-2015-16.pdf

----------------------------

Choking Over Pollution: Delhi’s Toxic Air Truth

 Feb 2017

https://www.mapsofindia.com/my-india/government/delhi-once-again-amongst-the-most-polluted-capital-in-the-world


-----------------------

Varanasi, Allahabad air most polluted: Study

 Updated: Dec 13, 2016

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/varanasi/Varanasi-Allahabad-air-most-polluted-Study/articleshow/55952226.cms


----------------------

The most polluted cities in the world, ranked

3. Allahabad, India

The residents of Allahabad deal with the perfect storm of pollution. Changing wind patterns, coal-burning power plants, vehicular emissions, and deforestation all leave this city, quite literally, in the dust.

https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/the-most-polluted-cities-in-the-world-ranked/29/

---------------------

Gwalior, Allahabad, Patna, Raipur among world’s most polluted cities

 

 May 13, 2016 

 

Gwalior, among the top five cities globally in terms of PM 2.5 levels, recorded an annual average of 176 micrograms per cubic metre (ug/m3) and Allahabad 170.

http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/gwalior-allahabad-patna-raipur-among-worlds-most-polluted-cities-2797627/

---------------------

Air quality in holy city of Varanasi 'most toxic in India'

Levels of airborne pollution across north Indian plains routinely higher than in the capital, Delhi, researchers warn

 Air quality in the Indian holy city of Varanasi is “the most toxic in the country” according to research that reveals the extent of the pollution crisis across northern India.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/dec/12/air-quality-holy-city-varanasi-most-toxic-in-india-report

-------------------

Heavy metal pollution due to coal washery effluent and its decontamination using a macrofungus, Pleurotus ostreatus.

 

Abstract

 

Release of the effluent generated during washing of coal became a major problem for coal industries due to presence of many toxic metals and other pollutants. These effluents are the main source of pollution in rivers and other water bodies. Therefore in this study, we tried to analyse the toxicity of coal washery effluent (CWE) collected from one of the washery plant situated in Dhanbad, India. CWE was found to be very toxic containing large amount of suspended particles and many heavy metals above than their permissible limits. Mycoremediation of CWE was also performed to decontaminate heavy metals from the CWE using a macrofungi Pleurotus ostreatus. Efficiency of Pleurotus for remediation of heavy metals was found to be highest in the 50% diluted effluent (57.2% Mn, 82.6% Zn, 98.0% Ni, 99.9% Cu, 99.3% Co, 99.1% Cr, 89.2% Fe and 35.6% Pb) followed by 25% diluted effluent (33.0% Mn, 55.1% Zn, 97.8% Ni, 99.7% Cu, 97% Co, 84.4% Cr, 87.1% Fe and 73.4% Pb) and raw effluent (23.3% Mn, 73.1% Zn, 78.7% Ni, 87.5% Cu, 59.3% Co, 64.6% Cr, 34.6% Fe and 11.3% Pb) respectively. Increased activity of antioxidant enzymes, lipid peroxidation, concentration of metallothionein proteins and changes in peaks of FTIR spectra were also observed in fungal mycelia grown on the CWE containing media due to accumulation of different metals. Overall this study suggests that Pleurotus can be used as promising option for removal of heavy metals from the effluent released from washery plants and dilution of effluent could increase the efficiency of remediation.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28704692

-----------------------

Yamuna pollution: Allahabad High Court summons Mathura District Magistrate on August 28

 

 August 9, 2017 

 

Taking a grim view on the pollution in river Yamuna, the Allahabad High Court has summoned the District Magistrate of Mathura to appear before it on August 28.

Taking a grim view on the pollution in river Yamuna, the Allahabad High Court has summoned the District Magistrate of Mathura to appear before it on August 28. The court in Uttar Pradesh while hearing a PIL on the pollution of the river on Tuesday also expressed its displeasure over the non-submission of reports by the District Magistrate despite several directives. The court had asked for colored photographs of the river and also a report on the state of pollution. But it has not been given to the court as yet.

http://www.financialexpress.com/india-news/yamuna-pollution-allahabad-high-court-summons-mathura-district-magistrate-on-august-28/800094/

----------------------

Studies on chemical composition and energy transformation in river Ganga at Kanpur and Varanasi due to environmental degradation.

 

Abstract

 

Impact of effluents discharged in Ganga through various sources on chemical composition, energy transformation rate and level of heavy metals was studied at Kanpur and Varanasi. The effluents were found to be nil in oxygen with acidic in oxygen with acidic to neutral pH (6.8-7.0) and having very high values of free CO2 (40-68 mg l(-1)), alkalinity (300.0-412.0 mg l(-1)), conductance (1082.0-1824.0 micromhos), total dissolved solids (542.0-912.0 mg l(-1)), hardness (228.0-330.0 mg l(-1)), chloride (42.0-60.0 mg l(-1)), organic matter (8.4-18.2 mg l(-1)) and BOD load (98.0-248.0 mg l(-1)). The heavy metals Cu, Cr, Cd, Pb and Zn were also quite high in the effluents (48.6-78.4, 54.0-84.6, 9.8-12.4, 72.4-84.0 and 148.6-284.0 microg l(-1) respectively). The discharged effluents induced severe reduction in oxygen (av. 0.82-3.4 mg l(-1)) and sharp increase in the level of free CO2 (av. 10.8-24.8 mg l(-1)), alkalinity (182.4-288.4 mg l(-1)), conductance (480.0- 628.0 mmhos), total dissolved solids (254.0-315.0 mg l(-1)), hardness (170.0-259.0 mg l(-1)), chloride (36.0-52.0 mg l(-1)), organic matter (4.8-6.8 mg l(-1)) and BOD load (36.4-58.4 mg l(-1)) at the discharge point (OF zones) from their comparatively much lower values before discharge (AOF zone). The rate of energy transformation and photosynthetic efficiency also reduced considerably at the discharge point (av. 1060-2101 calm(-2)day(-1) and 0.09-0.18%) from high values before discharged point (av. 4045-4733 calm(-2)day(-1) and 0.34-0.42%). The level of Cu, Cr, Cd, Pb and Zn also showed higher values at the discharged point (20.4-38.0, 22.4-54.8, 5.2-7.8, 30.8-72.0 and 64.8-120.8 microg l(-1) respectively). Considerable improvement was observed below the discharge (BOF zone). Comparison with earlier observation revealed that the magnitude of impact has reduced considerably after the regulation in the discharge both in he respect of chemical composition and energy transformation rates.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20120476

----------------------



Water quality of river Ganga along Ghats in Allahab
ad City, U. P., India

http://www.imedpub.com/articles/water-quality-of-river-ganga-along-ghats-in-allahabad-city-u-p-india.pdf

-------------------

Pollution of the Ganges

 

Causes

The main causes of water pollution in the Ganga river are: the increase in the population density, various human activities (such as bathing, washing clothes, and the bathing of animals), and dumping of various harmful industrial waste into the river.

Human waste

The river flows through 29 cities with population over 100,000; 23 cities with population between 50,000 and 100,000, and about 48 towns. A large proportion of the sewage water with higher organic load in the Ganges is from this population through domestic water usage.

Industrial waste

Because of the establishment of a large number of industrial cities on the bank of river Ganga like Kanpur, Allahabad, Varanasi and Patna, countless tanneries, chemical plants, textile mills, distilleries, slaughterhouses, and hospitals prosper and grow along this and contribute to the pollution of the Ganga by dumping untreated waste into it. One coal-based power plant on the banks of the Pandu River, a Ganges tributary near the city of Kanpur, burns 600,000 tons of coal each year and produces 210,000 tons of fly ash. The ash is dumped into ponds from which a slurry is filtered, mixed with domestic wastewater, and then released into the Pandu River. Fly ash contains toxic heavy metals such as lead and copper. The amount of parts per million of copper released in the Pandu before it even reaches the Ganges is a thousand times higher than in uncontaminated water. Industrial effluents are about 12% of the total volume of effluent reaching the Ganga. Although a relatively low proportion, they are a cause for major concern because they are often toxic and non-biodegradable


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pollution_of_the_Ganges


----------------------


 Water Pollution with Special Reference to Pesticide Contamination in India

ABSTRACT

The pesticides belong to a category of chemicals used worldwide as herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, rodenticides, molluscicides, nematicides, and plant growth regulators in order to control weeds, pests and diseases in crops as well as for health care of humans and animals. The positive aspect of application of pesticides renders enhanced crop/food productivity and drastic reduction of vector-borne diseases. However, their unregulated and indiscriminate applications have raised serious concerns about the entire environment in general and the health of humans, birds and animals in particular. Despite ban on application of some of the environmentally persistent and least biodegradable pesticides (like organochlorines) in many countries, their use is ever on rise. Pesticides cause serious health hazards to living systems because of their rapid fat solubility and bioaccumulation in non-target organisms. Even at low concentration, pesticides may exert several adverse effects, which could be monitored at biochemical, molecular or behavioral levels. The factors affecting water pollution with pesticides and their residues include drainage, rainfall, microbial activity, soil temperature, treatment surface, application rate as well as the solubility, mobility and half life of pesticides. In India organochlorine insecticides such as DDT and HCH constitute more than 70% of the pesticides used at present. Reports from Delhi, Bhopal and other cities and some rural areas have indicated presence of significant level of pesticides in fresh water systems as well as bottled drinking mineral water samples. The effects of pesticides pollution in riverine systems and drinking water in India has been discussed in this review.

http://file.scirp.org/Html/6-9401050_1793.htm

---------------------


Assessment of Physico-Chemical Parameters of River Ganga at Allahabad With Respect To WQI

 2014

https://www.ijirset.com/upload/2014/september/76_Assessment.pdf


----------------------------------

Ganges hit by alarming pollution levels during Kumbh Mela

 

  Feb 2013

 

The Kumbh Mela, the Hindu religious festival described as the largest gathering of mankind in history, is contributing to the alarming levels of pollution which is killing the Ganges, the faith's holiest river, environmentalists have warned.

Campaigners called on the government and worshippers to take action to save them from chemical pollution and human sewage as millions of devotees immerse themselves on Monday at the confluence of the Ganges and the Yamuna river.

Despite government measures to reduce the human and industrial waste from leather factories upstream, the impact of more than 80 million worshippers bathing in the river and camping on its banks had dramatically raised organic pollution to dangerous levels.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/india/9891059/Ganges-hit-by-alarming-pollution-levels-during-Kumbh-Mela.html

-----------------------

Pollution worsens in the lower Ganga

 August 19, 2016

The river is toxic in West Bengal, where it collects almost half its total waste from towns and factories along its banks

https://www.thethirdpole.net/2016/08/19/pollution-worsens-in-the-lower-ganga/

----------------------

Water Quality Analysis of River Ganga and Yamuna during Mass Bathing, Allahabad, India

2015

Abstract:

The present study was carried out to analyze water quality of river Ganga and Yamuna during Mass bathing at Allahabad. Water samples were collected from eight

selected bathing sites of the Ganga and Yamuna. The physico-chemical parameter such as Alkalinity, Biological oxygen demand, Chloride, Calcium hardness, Electric conductivity, Magnesium hardness, pH, Temperature, Turbidity and Total hardness were increased whereas decline in the level of Dissolve oxygen was observed at selected sites of Ganga and Yamuna. All parameters were highly affected at Daraganj and Ramghat. These sites were used frequently for the pilgrims and hence found highest affected zones. At all sites water samples were observed poor and showing that the Ganga has moderately polluted as compared to the Yamuna. The present study indicated an increase in water pollution

levels of the Ganga and Yamuna.

http://www.environmentaljournal.org/5-5/ujert-5-5-4.pdf

------------------------

Immersion Of Idols Increasing Ganga’s Pollution Level In Bihar

 September 22, 2017

The immersion of hundreds of idols of Goddess Durga in the Ganga River here and other parts of Bihar, disregarding the Bihar State Pollution Control Board's appeal and is set to increase the pollution level in the river, officials said on Wednesday.

http://swachhindia.ndtv.com/immersion-idols-increasing-gangas-pollution-level-bihar-3384/

--------------------

Physico-Chemical Properties and Correlation Co-Efficient 

of River Ganga at Allahabad

 2014


http://www.bepls.com/feb_2014/36.pdf

------------------------

Polluted Water: Blue Dogs Expose Chemical Firm Over Contamination of Indian River

 8/22/17


Bright blue stray dogs were spotted roaming the Navi Mumbai’s Taloja industrial area earlier this month, raising concern for the level of pollution in the Kasadi River.
After pictures of blue dogs and birds were published by local activists and reported in the Indian and international press, an investigation from the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board found that a chemical manufacturer of dye and colorants was responsible for releasing the dye into the water and air.

http://www.newsweek.com/polluted-water-blue-dogs-raise-alarm-environmental-damages-india-653316

------------------------

Groundwater arsenic contamination in the Sahibganj district of Jharkhand state, India in the middle Ganga plain and adverse health effects

 Jul 2007

Abstract

http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02772240701655486


-------------------------

Arsenic contamination: a potential hazard to the affected areas of West Bengal, India.

 2013 Feb

Abstract

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22618763

-------------------------

Assessing aquifer vulnerability to arsenic pollution using DRASTIC and GIS of North Bengal Plain: A case study of English Bazar Block, Malda District, West Bengal, India

March 2007

Abstract

Geographic Information System (GIS) was utilized to apply a modified DRASTIC method to assess the aquifer vulnerability to pollution of English Bazar Block of Malda District, West Bengal, India. In the western, central and southern parts of the study area the aquifer is prone to contamination. Therefore, in these regions pesticides, which may contain arsenic or arsenic rich groundwater, should not be used in irrigated land or mango orchards. In order to understand the reliability of the aquifer vulnerability, sensitivity analysis was carried out. This analysis indicates that in 62% of the area the vulnerability classes correspond to the present arsenic concentration in groundwater.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication
/228372917_Assessing_aquifer_vulnerability_to_arsenic_pollution_using_DRASTIC_and_GIS_of_
North_Bengal_Plain_A_case_study_of_English_Bazar_Block_Malda_District_West_Bengal_India


-----------------------

STATUS AND MITIGATION OF ARSENIC CONTAMINATION IN GROUNDWATER IN INDIA

June 16, 2015

http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.707.3952&rep=rep1&type=pdf

----------------------

Arsenic Distribution in Groundwater and its Effect

on Health of People of Kishanganj, Bihar, India

 May 2015

http://www.isca.in/IJENS/Archive/v4/i5/8.ISCA-IRJEvS-2015-064.pdf

---------------------

Health effects of groundwater fluoride contamination.

April 2009

Abstract

INTRODUCTION:

The people in Berhait block, Sahibganj district, Jharkhand state, India, have been exposed chronically to fluoridecontaminated groundwater. Hereby, we report the clinical effects of chronic exposure to fluoride.

METHODS:

The study population was a convenience sample of 342 adults and 258 children living in the affected area. All volunteers filled out questionnaires and were examined. Well water from the six affected villages and urine samples were analyzed for fluoride using an ion-sensitive electrode.

RESULTS:

Twenty nine percent of 89 well water samples had fluoride concentrations above the Indian permissible limit of fluoride in drinking water. Eighty-five children and 72 adults had clinical fluorosis. Urine fluoride concentrations in children were 0.758-2.88 mg/L whereas in adults they were 0.331-10.36 mg/L.

DISCUSSION:

Clinical effects of fluoride included abnormal tooth enamel in children; adults had joint pain and deformity of the limbs and spine, along with ligamentous calcifications and exostosis formations in seven patients. Elevated urine fluoride concentrations supported the clinical diagnosis of fluorosis. Owing to insufficient fluoride-safe wells and lack of awareness of the danger of fluoride toxicity, villagers often drink fluoride-contaminated water.

CONCLUSION:

Villagers of Berhait block, including children, are at risk from chronic fluoride toxicity. To combat the situation, villagers need fluoride-safe water, education, and awareness of the danger about fluoride toxicity.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19274500


--------------------------

 GROUND WATER STATUS- A CASE STUDY OF ALLAHABAD, UP, INDIA

 July 2014

http://www.e-ijaet.org/media/21I21-IJAET0721261_v7_iss3_838-844.pdf

-------------------------

Beluha river of Malda polluted by nearby paper mills

The 8,000 people of Malda district in West Bengal, have their daily life and local economy disrupted by Behula river’s toxic waters. The lifeline of villages like Jalangi and Molpur, Behula has been dying a slow, poisonous death due to the paper mills at its banks. “The waters are so polluted, that the river has no fish anymore,” says Soriya Banu, Malda community’s correspondent. Women and children of the community approached Soriya for help since she has reported on many issues of the area in the past, and has been able to bring about change through community engagement.

The miscreant behind the havoc, according to the community members is one Rampal Paper Mills Ltd. The river is polluted by the waste-water of a paper mill which does not have proper infrastructure to purify the wastewater. Several toxic chemicals are used in the production process, especially toxic solvents and chlorine compounds used to bleach and delignify pulp which is released in water. The waste water also contains solids, nutrients and dissolved organic matter such as lignin as well as transition metal compounds such as lead.
The main occupation of the region is farming. The farms fed by this polluted river water kill the crops, leaving farmers helpless as their crops don’t sell in the market at the market rates. The residents can’t use the water for any purpose, like cooking, bathing, or catching fish, the region’s staple diet.


https://www.videovolunteers.org/beluha-river-of-malda-polluted-by-nearby-paper-mills/

------------------------

Geostatistical analysis of arsenic concentration in the groundwater of Malda district of West Bengal, India

September 2008

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11707-008-0023-z

------------------------------

Drinking water is still harmful of reopened Chamurc hi tea garden; West Bengal, India

 2012

http://www.scholarsresearchlibrary.com/articles/drinking-water-is-still-harmful-of-reopened-chamurchi-tea-garden-west-bengal-india.pdf

------------------------------

Statistical appraisal of fluoride enrichment in areas of malda and south Dinajpur district, West Bengal, India

 Dec 2015

Abstract

The present study was conducted in some randomly selected area of Malda and South Dinajpur district of West Bengal to find out the level of fluoride in groundwater and its association with other inorganic constituents through statistical modeling and chemical indices. Results revealed that the considerable variation of different parameters, among them 7.90% sample showed F- levels beyond the WHO recommended value. Moreover, F- shows positive correlation with Na+ (p < 0.467*) and negative correlation with Ca2+ (p < -0.289) which is again well supported by factor analysis study. From the results of Multiple linear regression model and piper diagram revealed the significant relationship of F- with Na+, alkaline pH and Ca2+ and dominancy of F- due to high Na-HCO3 enrichment respectively. The higher level of F- in groundwater is the consequence of fluoride containing sedimentary rock weathering.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/291392825_Statistical_appraisal_of_fluoride_enrichment_in_areas_of_malda_and_south_Dinajpur_district_West_Bengal_India

 -------------------------------

Fluoride induced water pollution issue and its health efficacy in India - A review

2015

http://pnrsolution.org/Datacenter/Vol3/Issue5/45.pdf


----------------------------------------


Bangladesh


Introduction 

General Facts   
Marine Habitats  
Estuaries
Mangroves
Coral reefs
Seagrass
Beaches
Islands
Offshore waters
Fishery Resources   
Estuaries and nearshore fishery 
Offshore fishery  
Culture fishery  
Endangering the Marine Habitats  
Water resources development activities 
Destruction of mangrove forests 
Overfishing
Marine Pollution  
Industrial centres 
Industrial wastes 
The Karnaphuli River  
Industrial  pollution control measures  
Municipal wastes 
Agricultural wastes  
Oil   pollution  
Shipbreaking operations  
Plastic  products 
Natural Disasters  
Siltation
Climatic Change and Sea Level Rise

ftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/007/ad894e/AD894E04.pdf

-----------------------

Bay of Bengal 

Contents

• 13 Environmental hazards
  • 13.1 Pollution
• 14 Transboundary issues affecting the marine ecosystem
  • 14.1 Overexploitation of fisheries
  • 14.2 Degradation of critical habitats
  • 14.3 Pollution and water quality

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bay_of_Bengal


-----------------------

 Pollution in the Bay of Bengal: Impact on Marine Ecosystem

ABSTRACT

The study focused on heavy metal concentration in sea water, sea sediment and their toxic effect on sea shells, and on oyster along the east coast of the Bay of Bengal. The hierarchy of heavy metals in sea sediment of the bay showed as: Fe > Zn > Ni > Cr > Pb > Cd. The average concentration of nickel exceeded ERL (20.9 μg·g^-1) value and the incidence of adverse effects on biological components exceeded 16.7%. The present study showed that the concentration of Cd, Fe, Pb and Cu in sea water were relatively higher than the standard concentration. The study showed a considerable amount of heavy metals (0.035%) such as Zn, Pb, Cu, Fe, and Mg in sea shells, and oyster which may make them toxic. The toxic effect of Pb and Zn may reduce their growth which is a great threat to marine ecosystem.

https://www.scirp.org/Journal/PaperInformation.aspx?PaperID=53127


-----------------------------

Marine biodiversity under threat from high
levels of heavy metal pollution in Bay of Bengal 

Bangladesh’s economy is heavily dependent on ship recycling.
However, the shipbreaking  industry  is  polluting  the  Bay  of  Bengal,  an  area  of  high
biodiversity.  This  study  measured  trace  metals  in  sediments  around  the  area,
concluding  that  heavy  metal  pollution  is  at  an  alarming  stage  and  an  urgent
threat to marine life.

  In 2012, over 1250 ocean-going ships reached the end of their useful life and were
broken  down  for  parts 1.
However,  very  few  were recycled  sustainably.  Due  to  lower health  and  safety  standards  and  less  stringent  environmental  regulations,  countries  with developing economies host the majority of the shipbreaking industry. Asia demolished over 90% of vessels by weight in 2013, with major ship recycling centres in Bangladesh, China, India and Pakistan.
The Chittagong ship recycling industry was born in the 1960s and today this coastal area in
Bangladesh is a major ship recycling centre. The industry, which scraps a large proportion of
the world’s ships, is of huge importance to poverty-stricken Bangladesh, employing around
25 000 people and offering indirect employment to a further 200 000.
However,  in  recent  years,  Bangladesh  has  come  under  criticism  due  to  its
shipbreaking practices, which are causing harm to the environment and human health. Ships are broken down directly on the beach (a practice known as ‘beaching’), allowing harmful contaminants
to enter the coastal environment.

http://ec.europa.eu/environment/integration/research/newsalert/pdf/marine_biodiversity_threat_high_levels_heavy_metal_pollution_bay_bengal_55si7_en.pdf



-------------------------------

Distribution of Heavy Metals in Surface Sediments of the Bay of Bengal Coast

 The concentrations of major (Si, Al, Ca, Fe, and K) and minor (Cd, Mn, Ni, Pb, U, Zn, Co, Cr, As, Cu, Rb, Sr, and Zr,) elements in the surficial sediments were studied in an attempt to establish their concentration in the Bengal coast. It was revealed that the majority of the trace elements have been introduced into the Bengal marine from the riverine inflows that are also affected by the impact of industrial, ship breaking yard, gas production plant, and urban wastes. The concentration of heavy metals was measured using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy and Energy Dispersive X-ray fluorescence instruments. The highest concentrations for several trace elements were thus recorded which generally decrease with distance from the coast. It was observed that the heavy metal concentrations in the sediments generally met the criteria of international marine sediment quality. However, both the contamination factor and pollution load index values suggested the elevation of some metals' concentrations in the region. Constant monitoring of the Bengal coast water quality needs to be recorded with a view to minimizing the risk of health of the population and the detrimental impacts on the aquatic ecosystem.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5307244/

------------------------------


Environmental Pollution in Coastal Areas of India

 1989

https://dge.carnegiescience.edu/SCOPE/SCOPE_38/SCOPE_38_5.1_Gupta_235-246.pdf




----------------------------------

National Report of Bangladesh On Coastal Pollution Loading and Water Quality Criteria
of the  Bay of Bengal Large Marine Ecosystem

2010

http://www.boblme.org/documentRepository/BOBLME-2011-Ecology-01.pdf

 ----------------------------------


The Bay of Bengal: A Forgotten Sea

 February 2016

http://rcj.o.oo7.jp/english/2016_myanmar_mission/BOB%20Symposium%20Report.pdf


----------------------------------

Combating the Pollution Threat from Micro plastic Litter to Save Marine Health in the Bay of Bengal

2016

Environment and Social Development Organization-ESDO has initiated policy advocacy and public awareness campaign on microbeads in 2015. As part of this initiative conducted an extensive study  titled “Study Report on Microbeads! Unfold Health Risk and Environmental Pollutant“ which revealed that Bangladesh is at a great risk of micro plastic pollution by both primary (e.g. Exfoliating Personal Care Products) and secondary sources (e.g. natural defragmenting of macro plastic debris in the sea). Study finding shows that the microbeads are the growing problem in Bangladesh, estimated release of microplastic or microbeads in three major cities i.e, Dhaka, Chittagong and Sylhet is around 7928.02 billion. In Dhaka city 6628.48 billion, in Chittagong city 1087.17 billion and in Sylhet city 212.3 billion of microbes dumped into the water bodies and landfill.

Activities:

ESDO proposes following interventions to address the micro plastic pollution:

• Mass awareness to empower consumers, producers to participate in processes and decisions associated with curbing expanding micro-bead bans /micro-plastic pollution
• Policy advocacy involving different ministries and stakeholders to create pressure on global consumer product companies transitioning their business in line reducing use of microbeads containing products
• Regulation to stop indiscriminate use of micro plastics and proper disposal / waste management
• Partnership among trans-boundary waters and same coastline sharing countries to joint actions to reduce marine pollutions by micro plastic litters
• Project will also create a ‘model zero waste’ that can be replicated in country and Asian region.

http://esdo.org/combat-plastic-pollution-protect-marine-life/

----------------------------------

Depositional and ecological environments of the Bay of Bengal coast of northeast India

 01 May 2012

Dr. Asok Kumar Bhattacharya summarises his work at the University of Calcutta on the Sundarban wetlands in India, including work on coastal sedimentology, impact of anthropogenic pollution and coastal zone management.

http://www.segh.net/articles/Depositional_and_ecological_environments_of_the_Bay_of_Bengal_coast_of_northeast_India/


-------------------------------------

India: Choke Point Kolkata

December 14, 2013

http://pulitzercenter.org/reporting/india-choke-point-kolkata

---------------------------------------

Impact of Coastal Pollution on Childhood

Disabilities and Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes:

The Case of Bangladesh

 The objective of this review was to explore the situation of coastal water pollution and its impact on child health  and pregnancy  outcomes  in  Bangladesh.

Background: Globally coastal pollution is of greater significance than  inland’s for its huge resources and contribution to livelihood. As a result it has been a source of increased Global Burden
of  Disease  by  means  of  consumption  of  seafood,  involvement  in  risky  jobs,  and  exposure  to  water  related  disastrous  events. Almost sixty percent of the world’s population is at risk of costal contamination and developing countries like Bangladesh, geographically located at the tip of the Bay of Bengal, are facing significant challenges by this form of pollution.

http://www.ijmedph.org/sites/default/files/IntJMedPublicHealth_2012_2_3_12_108380.pdf

----------------------------------------

Some people debate if the following article is true or not.

-----------

Climate Change & its Impacts on Bangladesh

03-04-2012

https://www.ncdo.nl/artikel/climate-change-its-impacts-bangladesh

---------------------------------------

Pollution effects in Visakhapatnam harbour, India: An overview of 23 years of investigations and monitoring

March 1995

Visakhapatnam Harbour, a semi-enclosed water body on the east coast of India, is subject to a high degree of pollution caused by industrial and urban wastes. Studies carried out during the last twenty years or so at 6 selected stations in the harbour revealed appreciable hydrographic and biotic changes. Over the years, the concentration of nitrites (max. 5 mg/l) and phosphates (9.6 mg/l) has increased. Dissolved oxygen registered all-time-high values (max. 21.6 mg/l) caused by periodic outbursts of phytoplankton, notably,Skeletonema costatum and other species. Benthic conditions have also changed and only certain pollution-tolerant species (e.g.Capitella capitata) inhabited the bottom sediments that contained a heavy load (2.5%) of organic matter. In the harbour, increased pollution led to the disappearence of stenoecious species and their replacement with other forms known for their tolerance to pollution. The paper describes the major changes which have occurred in water quality and organisms in the harbour as a result of pollution increase during the last two decades.


https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF02368388

---------------------------------------

Protecting the marine environment from land-based sources of marine pollution: 
towards an effective cooperative International arrangement

http://ro.uow.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2859&context=theses

------------------------------------------

It’s Time to Deepen Integration Around the Bay of Bengal

 The Sagarmala Program is still at an early stage. Detailed project reports and feasibility studies are now under way. In July 2016, the Indian government announced the creation of the Sagarmala Development Company, charged with identifying port-led projects, assessing risks, structuring the bidding process, and providing equity support to states and regions. Plans include issuing contracts and starting work on three major greenfield ports in the coming year. A Dubai-based company, DP World, is among those expressing interest in major investments in India’s port infrastructure. If the Sagarmala Program shows early signs of success, its example will send a strong signal to other governments and potential investors, but delays are almost inevitable.

Other countries bordering the Bay of Bengal also have plans to enhance maritime and associated transport connections. In a 2015 study, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) identified several illustrative priority projects. In addition to the Kaladan project linking Myanmar with northeastern India discussed above, they include:

• India: a new deepwater port (Kolkata/Haldia), with road and rail access.
• Bangladesh: a new container terminal in Chittagong and a new deepwater port serving Chittagong.
• Myanmar: improved road connections to the Thilawa Port, improved port connectivity in East Dagon Township of greater Yangon, and the development of a new port at Dawei, as well as a deepwater port at Kyaukpyu.
• Sri Lanka: the expansion of South Harbor in Colombo and an expansion of the deepwater port of Hambantota.

Other sources of outside public funding include the AIIB and other China-sponsored sources. Bangladesh was the locus of one of the first four projects that the AIIB approved (a $165 million loan for expansion of the electricity grid), and a maritime project may be on the horizon. A Chinese state-owned enterprise, the China Merchants Port Holdings Company, is trying again to acquire an 80 percent stake in Sri Lanka’s southern port of Hambantota. In short, major funds can be raised if political and commercial conditions are favorable.

http://carnegieindia.org/2017/05/31/it-s-time-to-deepen-integration-around-bay-of-bengal-pub-70128


-------------------------------------

Harmful metals concentration in sediments and fishes of biologically important estuary, Bay of Bengal

 Abstract

Study on the accumulation level of heavy metals was conducted on sediment and fishes from estuaries of Bay of Bengal. Heavy metals were determined by using Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometer (ICP-OES) and the results were compared to permissible limits of WHO/USEPA. The accumulation patterns of Fe and Cd were found predominantly in all samples tested when correlated with other metals. It was found that the concentration of metals such as Cd (3.90 ± 0.25 μg/g), Cr (0.44 ± 0.05 μg/g), Ni (0.33 ± 0.01 μg/g), and Mn (1.1 ± 0.11 μg/g) were exceeding the permissible limit, whereas Fe, Co, Pb, and Zn were found within the limit of WHO/USEPA at station 1. In station 2, Cd (16.5 ± 0.4 μg/g), Mn (0.67 ± 0.11 μg/g), and Cr (0.80 ± 0.01 μg/g) were exceeding the permissible limit, whereas Fe, Co, Pb, Ni, and Zn were found within the limit. This study emphasizes that Cd and Mn levels in both stations, are far higher than the acceptable values set by WHO/USEPA and may therefore present human health hazards. It is therefore mandatory to carry out extensive research to evaluate the possible environmental risk factors in the vicinity of both estuaries with respect to heavy metalss. 

Https://jehse.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/2052-336X-11-33

--------------------------------------

Andaman and Nicobar Islands

 Location; Bay of Bengal

Pollution & Industries

Coastal Pollution

Environmental Issues Hotspots Water Pollution There is no water based industry in the A & N Islands.  The water pollution level is very much below the limits.  Port Blair is the only thickly populated town in these islands.  The Municipal Council is responsible to maintain cleanliness in the town.  In absence of a sewerage system in the town, the sewage goes to sea through the drains and gutters. Development of a sewerage system for Port Blair Town is under active consideration.  Hazardous substances Management In A & N Islands no industrial unit producing hazardous substances exist.  However, there are three plywood industries which use hazardous chemicals.  Regular inspections by the local Pollution Control Committee are carried out.  All of them have prepared the Emergency Plan and Safety Report as stipulated in the Hazardous Wastes (Management and Handling) Rules, 1989. Costal Erosion Over the years the destructive on sequences of sand mining for construction is readily visible in the disappearance of several beaches, with its effects on wildlife on that region, as well as steadily increasing Coastal erosion that even newly installed sea walls are not sufficient to control. Coastal erosion islands are South Andaman, Peel, North, Bartang islands. Water Pollution/Sedimentation Sedimentation appears to be the major cause for the decline of most coral reefs which is also associated with large-scale mortality in reefs, reduced coral growth, reduced fertility, and increased mortality of coral planulae and abnormal changes in polyp behaviour (Rogers, 1990). It is also important to establish the extent to which marine protected areas like MGNP are being damaged by murky or polluted water coming from upstream in South Andamans. A pointer towards the shape of things to come is the observation that mud deposits have been found on the reef area at few places near Port Blair, Navy Bay, Flat Bay, Reef Island, etc. Sedimentation in the recent past in the AN I and elsewhere triggered off infestation of the crown-of-thorns starfish Acanthaster planci which has the potential to destroy whole reefs in a short period (Wood, 1989). Adding to further reefs problem is disease and bleaching imputed to rising turbidity. Protracted bleaching brings down growth rates and could be fatal. Corals particularly the branching types are prone to breakage, especially in the areas open to tourist or fisherfolks and others. Over-collection for construction or for sale as curios and ornamental and edible shellfish is proving to be a bane for the corals.

http://iomenvis.nic.in/index2.aspx?slid=60&sublinkid=25&langid=1&mid=1

--------------------------------------

Vulnerability of the Bay of Bengal

to Ocean Acidification

2015


https://portals.iucn.org/library/sites/library/files/documents/2015-049.pdf

---------------------------------------

Waste dump threatens Arabian Gulf

June 2009

Marine life in danger as desalination plants from the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Iran pour chemicals into the sea.

Dubai: Every time desalination plants dump tons of brine carrying chemicals into the Arabian Gulf, sea temperatures rise by 10 degrees Celsius, according to researchers.

This is having life-threatening effects on the marine ecosystem in the region.
More than 12 million cubic metres of sea water, equivalent to 4,800 Olympic swimming pools, are desalinated daily in this region.
The UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Iran have 120 desalination plants between them. These plants flush nearly 24 tons of chlorine, 65 tons of algae-harming antiscalants used to descale pipes, and around 300kg of copper into the Arabian Gulf every day.
This chemical mixture is affecting seabed organisms and making its way up the food chain. Researchers say the Arabian Gulf is the water body most threatened by desalination.


https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF03179939

---------------------------------

MARINE POLLUTION IN THE INDIAN OCEAN -  PROBLEMS, PROSPECTS
AND PERSPECTIVES

 1988

http://aquaticcommons.org/15985/1/JIFA18_333.pdf

--------------------------------------------

Marine Ecosystem Diversity in the Arabian Gulf: Threats and Conservation

 May 14, 2014

https://www.intechopen.com/books/biodiversity-the-dynamic-balance-of-the-planet/marine-ecosystem-diversity-in-the-arabian-gulf-threats-and-conservation

---------------

Chemical pollution linked to infection, bladder cancer

 Jan 14, 2014

NEW DELHI: The unchecked discharge of chemical waste into Yamuna from industries in Haryana is threatening to wash away the gains made by Delhi over a decade after industrial units in the city were closed or relocated. Experts say the pollutants are causing water toxicity and illnesses associated with it.

Gastrointestinal infections, typhoid, anemia, kidney and liver damage are some of the common health problems associated with chemical pollutants. Doctors say high levels of amine, a derivative of ammonia, is known to cause urinary bladder cancer.

"There is no anecdotal evidence or data to prove this. But clinical experience shows there has been increase in gastrointestinal infections and nerve issues that are caused due to ingestion of chemicals such as ammonia, lead and arsenic," said Dr Suranjit Chatterjee, senior consultant internal medicine at Apollo hospitals. He said urgent measures are required to check the discharge of chemical pollutants in the supply chain, including municipal waste.

Dr P K Julka, clinical oncologist at AIIMS, said, "Chemicals such as amines are considered carcinogenic. High levels of these toxins in drinking water can cause urinary bladder cancer in users."


Doctors say boiling water before drinking can reduce infection risk but industrial waste contains harmful chemicals which cannot be removed even by treatment plants.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Chemical-pollution-linked-to-infection-bladder-cancer/articleshow/28803967.cms

------------------------------

Cutting Out Textile Pollution

 October 19, 2015

Cleaning up one of the world’s dirtiest industries will require new technology and more

2012, more than half of India’s $1.25 billion worth of textile exports to the U.S. came from the southern city of Tiruppur. While the business has brought economic benefits, its environmental and social costs are many. Downstream of Tiruppur and its more than 300 textile factories, the Noyyal River has become foamy and discolored. Pollution from this industry is blamed for causing illness among local people and sapping the productivity of nearby farms.

http://cen.acs.org/articles/93/i41/Cutting-Textile-Pollution.html

------------------------------

The legal framework to manage chemical pollution in India and the lesson from the Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs).

 2014 Aug

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24907609

--------------------------------

ISRO’s New Nano Satellite Will Monitor Air Pollution in Indian Cities

 2015

https://www.thebetterindia.com/46789/scientists-isro-satellite-pollution-delhi-lucknow-amritsar-allahabad/


---------------------------------

IIT-Roorkee study says odd-even didn’t dent Delhi’s air pollution

February 20, 2016


https://epic.uchicago.edu/news-events/news/iit-roorkee-study-says-odd-even-didn%E2%80%99t-dent-delhi%E2%80%99s-air-pollution

---------------------------------

Mumbai is the fifth most polluted megacity in the world, says WHO

 May 13, 2016

Mumbai: In an indication of the very poor health of the city's air, Mumbai has been declared by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as the fifth most polluted megacity in the world in terms of PM 10 (coarse pollution particles) levels. The city is 39 on the list of most polluted in terms of PM 2.5 (fine, particulate matter) among 122 Indian cities monitored by the WHO. Navi Mumbai and Thane are 36th and 87th.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/Mumbai-is-the-fifth-most-polluted-megacity-in-the-world-says-WHO/articleshow/52248695.cms

----------------------------------

Municipal solid waste management in India: From waste disposal to recovery of resources?

 March 2009

Abstract

Unlike that of western countries, the solid waste of Asian cities is often comprised of 70-80% organic matter, dirt and dust. Composting is considered to be the best option to deal with the waste generated. Composting helps reduce the waste transported to and disposed of in landfills. During the course of the research, the author learned that several developing countries established large-scale composting plants that eventually failed for various reasons. The main flaw that led to the unsuccessful establishment of the plants was the lack of application of simple scientific methods to select the material to be composted. Landfills have also been widely unsuccessful in countries like India because the landfill sites have a very limited time frame of usage. The population of the developing countries is another factor that detrimentally impacts the function of landfill sites. As the population keeps increasing, the garbage quantity also increases, which, in turn, exhausts the landfill sites. Landfills are also becoming increasingly expensive because of the rising costs of construction and operation. Incineration, which can greatly reduce the amount of incoming municipal solid waste, is the second most common method for disposal in developed countries. However, incinerator ash may contain hazardous materials including heavy metals and organic compounds such as dioxins, etc. Recycling plays a large role in solid waste management, especially in cities in developing countries. None of the three methods mentioned here are free from problems. The aim of this study is thus to compare the three methods, keeping in mind the costs that would be incurred by the respective governments, and identify the most economical and best option possible to combat the waste disposal problem.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18829290

---------------------------- 

Garbage mafia gives rise to 100 illegal dumping sites in Bengaluru
 
The city has at least 100 illegal garbage dumping sites, thanks to the flourishing contractor mafia that has subverted all efforts towards effective management of solid waste, a study by the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (Atree) has revealed.

http://integratedwasteresources.net/garbage-mafia-gives-rise-to100-illegal-dumping-sites-in-bengaluru/


------------------------------------------------

India Says No to Apple’s Plan of “Dumping” Used iPhones in the Country

 May 30, 2016

Tim Cook made a long trip to India to make the country approve of some of Apple’s growth plans in India. However, despite Cook’s meeting with the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the government has officially rejected Apple’s application to sell refurbished iPhones in the country.

http://wccftech.com/india-says-no-to-apple-dumping-used-phones-in-the-country/

-----------------------------------------------

Illegal dumping of waste by oil tanker causes untold environmental damage in Fujairah

 March 15, 2017

Tanker crews are known to surreptitiously clear out their fuel areas at night in international waters to avoid charges in port, a shipping industry source said, while an environmentalist said the spill came at the worst possible time.

https://www.thenational.ae/uae/environment/illegal-dumping-of-waste-by-oil-tanker-causes-untold-environmental-damage-in-fujairah-1.86991

--------------------------------------------------



E-waste in India


http://rajyasabha.nic.in/rsnew/publication_electronic/E-Waste_in_india.pdf

---------------------------------------------

Environmental Management of Industrial Hazardous

Wastes in India

 2006

http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc
/download;jsessionid=0648D8EA46DA6F4966EA01DEC6A36A94?doi=10.1.1.602.1784&rep=rep1&type=pdf

--------------------------------------------

By Order of the Court: Environmental Cleanup in India

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1257623/

----------------------------------------------

e-waste, an environmental, health hazard

 Jul 31, 2015


 VISAKHAPATNAM: Walk into any home, office or warehouse and you can be sure to come across electronic junk or old, disused electronic gadgets such as cell phones, electric lamps, tape-recorders, radios, iPods and stereos, CDs, DVDs, batteries, even old TV and computers, fax machines and so on. Unlike kitchen and household waste, which is discarded daily, e-waste accumulates and clutters homes and offices till they are improperly disposed of, harming and polluting the environment.

With the IT revolution as well as industrial and technological advancements, e-waste began being generated mostly in the last two-three decades, especially in India, which has emerged as one of the major hubs of e-waste next to China.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/visakhapatnam/e-waste-an-environmental-health-hazard/articleshow/48289599.cms

---------------------------------------------

How burning rubbish at garbage landfills are injurious to health

 February 8, 2016

Garbage dumped here is often mixed waste – with paper, plastic containers, bottles, cans and at times electronic goods.

 


Just why managing waste efficiently needs immediate answers and lasting solutions is evident from the fire at Mumbai’s Deonar dumping ground that took nearly 10 days to be controlled. Days after the blaze, the smoke billowing from the mounds of trash has been a health hazard with the civic body shutting down 74 schools and the Out Patient Department of several private and government dispensaries witnessing a rise in the number of patients suffering from throat irritation and other respiratory issues.
Garbage dumped here is often mixed waste – with paper, plastic containers, bottles, cans and at times electronic goods. Moreover when it accumulates with decomposable wastes from food, dead animals, construction debris and even industrial waste then it is definitely a serious health concern.
Burning even small amounts of plastic and rubber releases chemicals that are unsafe, reveals Dr Hemant Purohit, Deputy Director of National Environment Engineering Research Institute (NEERI). Open burning is an inefficient combustion process that releases significant amounts of air pollutants and ash, and dense white or black smoke, the scientist explained.
The air contaminants released depend on the material being burned and the conditions of the fire. The smoke may include aldehydes, acids, nitrogen oxides, sulphur oxides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), dioxins, furans, other organics and volatilised heavy metals. For example, treated wood wastes may release arsenic, PVC plastics may release hydrogen chloride, wood painted with lead-based paints may release lead and such, adds Pradeep Mulay, founder of PASSCO Environmental Solutions Limited.
The ash from the waste may be contaminated with toxic chemicals such as dioxins and furans, PAH’s, heavy metals and other potentially carcinogenic compounds. Some of the ash will be carried off into the atmosphere with the smoke plume while the rest will remain behind after the fire has been extinguished. The air quality is largely affected and pollutants like particulate matter PM 10 and PM 2.5 remain suspended in the air. Inhaling particulate matter 2.5 (very fine particles) are even more dangerous than PM 10 as they directly enter the lungs, NEERI scientists explained.
The greatest health risk from the open burning of garbage at a waste disposal ground is for those closest to the fire who may inhale the smoke.
Other individuals on-site and off-site may also be affected, depending on factors such as the distance to the fire, exposure duration, amount and type of material burned, individual sensitivity, points Dr Dilip Sarda, former President of Indian Medical Association (IMA), Maharashtra.
The pollutants are all toxic to humans depending on their concentration and may cause irritation, skin and respiratory problems. Some are carcinogenic. Those individuals with respiratory problems such as asthma or with allergies may be even more sensitive to the smoke, he explained.


http://indianexpress.com/article/explained/how-burning-rubbish-at-garbage-landfills-are-injurious-to-health/

---------------------------------------------

Environmental issues in India

Contents

• 1 Law and policies
• 2 Possible causes
• 3 Major issues
  • 3.1 Population growth and environmental quality
  • 3.2 Water pollution
    • 3.2.1 Water resources
  • 3.3 Air pollution
  • 3.4 Solid waste pollution
  • 3.5 Noise pollution
  • 3.6 Land or Soil pollution
  • 3.7 Greenhouse gas emissions
• 4 See also
• 5 References
• 6 Further reading
• 7 External links

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_issues_in_India

---------------------------------------------

Paradise lost on Maldives' rubbish island

2 January 2009

It may be known as a tropical paradise, an archipelago of 1,200 coral islands in the Indian Ocean. But the traditional image of the Maldives hides a dirty secret: the world's biggest rubbish island.
A few miles and a short boat ride from the Maldivian capital, Malé, Thilafushi began life as a reclamation project in 1992. The artificial island was built to solve Malé's refuse problem. But today, with more than 10,000 tourists a week in the Maldives adding their waste, the rubbish island now covers 50 hectares (124 acres).
So much is being deposited that the island is growing at a square metre a day. There are more than three dozen factories, a mosque and homes for 150 Bangladeshi migrants who sift through the mounds of refuse beneath palm-fringed streets.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2009/jan/03/maldives-thilafushi-rubbish-landfill-pollution

------------------------------------------------

Challenges and opportunities associated with waste management in India

22 March 2017


http://rsos.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/4/3/160764

-------------------------------------------------

Hospital Waste Management and Environmental Problems in India

 January 2011

Abstract

 The main purpose of this paper is to give a view of the hospital waste management and environmental problem in India. The objective of this study is to analyze the health care waste management system, including practices and compliances. Most countries of the world, especially the developing countries, are facing the grim situation arising out of environmental pollution due to pathological waste arising from increasing populations and the consequent rapid growth in the number of hospital units. In India, there are about 6 lakhs hospital beds, over 23,000 primary health centers, more than 15,000 small and private hospitals. In India, the Biomedical Waste (Management and Handling) Rules 1998 make it mandatory for hospitals, clinics, and other medical and veterinary institutes to dispose of bio medical wastes strictly according to the rules. The few studies on bio medical waste management from India have established that hospitals did not manage health care waste properly. The hospital waste management sector market revenue (2008) is 8% of the total waste management revenue in India expected growth in next 5-6 years is around 20%.There are many institutions which pollute the environment but recently the ignored field which produce the pollution by way of hospital wastes and attracts the attention of the environmentalists are the hospitals, dispensaries, medical shops, medical clinics of doctors and other paramedical staff. Safe handling, segregation, storage, subsequent destruction and disposal of hospital waste ensure mitigation and minimization of the concerned health risks involved through contact with the potentially hazardous material, and also in the prevention of environmental contamination. Mismanagement of health care waste disposal cause dangerous infection and posses a potential threat to the surrounding environment, persons handling it and to the public. In the past, medical waste was often mixed with household waste and disposed of in municipal solid waste landfills. In recent years, increased public concerns over the improper disposal of health care waste have led to a movement to regulate the waste more systematically and stringently by the Indian government. Waste minimization and recycling are still not well promoted, which results in significant amounts.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/268433469_Hospital_Waste_Management_and_Environmental_Problems_in_India

------------------------------------------------

Observations from India’s Crisis

December 2012

http://www.d-waste.com/new-infographics/item/135-observations-from-india-s-crisis.html

----------------------------------

Targeting Illegal Mining in India’s Forests

 November 6, 2014

Namati’s Kanchi Kohli explains how public interest litigation finally forced the authorities to act against illegal iron ore mines in the forests of Odisha.

https://namati.org/news/targeting-illegal-mining-in-indias-forests/

--------------------------------------------------

Groundwater turning toxic with sewage

 Sep 19, 2015

 HYDERABAD: The recent spate of moderate to heavy rains in the city may have boosted the groundwater levels by at least half a metre, but a new report reveals that the water thus recharged is highly contaminated with fluorides, nitrates and large quantities of iron.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/pollution/Groundwater-turning-toxic-with-sewage/articleshow/49020804.cms


--------------------------

Groundwater quality problems due to underground petrol tank leakage 

  

2008-02-08

 

We are trying to determine how ground water quality is affected by underground petrol tank leakage in India, particularly MBTE leakage.  Any information on regulation of petrol tanks  at petrol stations and frequency of insepection would be appreciated

http://www.indiawaterportal.org/questions/groundwater-quality-problems-due-underground-petrol-tank-leakage


---------------------------------

Bottled water for Rs. 12/ : Can the environment afford it ?

 2008-11-15


An average trekker leaves behind approximately 100,000 kgs of water bottles per year. During average trekking of a week , trekker drinks up to 50 litres of water. Each trekker leaves behind 50 PET bottles along the track. PET bottles can take 1,000 years to biodegrade. Nine out of 10 water bottles end up as garbage or litter, and that means millions per day. PET bottles require massive amounts of fossil fuels to manufacture and transport, leaving behind carbon foot prints. Billions of bottles show up at landfills every year. The entire energy costs of the lifecycle of a bottle of water are equivalent, on average, to filling up 250 ml of each bottle with oil. "Making bottles to meet Americans' demand for bottled water requires more than 1.5 million barrels of oil annually, enough to fuel some 100,000 US cars for a year," according to the study. "Worldwide, some 2.7 million tons of plastic are used to bottle water each year." 

http://www.indiawaterportal.org/articles/bottled-water-rs-12-can-environment-afford-it

---------------------------------


India Water Portal


http://www.indiawaterportal.org/news?page=1061

-----------------

Water quality assessment of Chenab river and its tributaries in Jammu Kashmir (India) based on WQI

 June 2016

An assessment of the water quality has been carried out to explore the water quality index (WQI) of Chenab river and its tributaries in Jammu Kashmir (India). Fourteen water samples from Chenab river and its tributaries at various locations were collected and analyzed for physico-chemical and bacteriological parameters. Nine parameters i.e. BOD, DO, fecal coliforms, nitrate, pH, temperature change, TDS, total phosphate and turbidity were considered for calculating the WQI based on National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) information system. The WQI showed good water quality, except Bichleri stream water indicating that water of Chenab river and its tributaries are least polluted and is suitable for drinking after conventional treatment. The WQI rating of Bichleri stream water is medium as it carries wastewater and may not be useful for domestic use without treatment.

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40899-016-0046-7


 ----------------------------------

Impact of sewage on physico-chemical water quality of Tawi River in Jammu city.

 May 27, 2017

http://www.alliedacademies.org/articles/impact-of-sewage-on-physicochemical-water-quality-of-tawi-river-in-jammu-city.html



 ----------------------------------

Changes in Physico-chemical Parameters at different Sites of Manasbal Lake of Kashmir, India

2015

https://www.omicsonline.org/open-access/changes-in-physicochemical-parameters-at-different-sites-of-manasballake-of-kashmir-india-2150-3508-1000148.php?aid=65486

 ---------------------------------


Global invasive species database (India)

242 invasive species found

http://issg.org/database/species/search.asp?st=sss&sn=&rn=India&ri=19429&hci=-1&ei=-1&fr=1&sts=&lang=EN

--------------------------------

India Knows Its Invasive Species Problem But This Is Why Nobody Can Deal With it Properly

In 2001, economists pegged the costs of damages caused by invasive species to agriculture and forestry at about $91 billion a year in India alone.

 https://thewire.in/86078/invasive-species-prosopis-lantana/

---------------------------------

Jammu and Kashmir High Court orders removal of Russian poplar trees

08 June 2015

 The Jammu and Kashmir High Court has recently issued another order asking for removal ofRussian poplars across the Kashmir valley. Responding to the order, the state government, on June 7, said that "the order will take time to be implemented".The pollen seeds of these trees are said to cause respiratory problems.

 Russian poplars

During summers, populous deltoids—female poplar—sheds a cotton-like material carrying seeds that cause allergy and aggravate respiratory disorders. This cotton has become an irritant in the recent past for the locals as well as tourists.

The name “Russian poplar” is a misnomer and has nothing to do with Russia. The variety of poplar trees was introduced in Kashmir in 1982from the US. Locally called as Russi Frass, the species takes less time (10-15 years) to grow, as compared to the Kashmir poplar that takes 30-40 years. However, experts say that the Kashmiri Poplar is harmless.

Due to their high yield, poplars are intensively used inthe timber and construction industry. However, due to cotton-like seeds that the species produces, it has become a pressing problem for the Valley. “It certainly aggravates respiratory diseases, the cotton-like substance is an irritant that causes allergies,” says Parvaiz Sajjad Shah, a doctor who treats lung patients in north Kashmir. “The irritation caused by the pollen results in running nose, red and watery eyes,” he adds.

http://www.indiawaterportal.org/articles/groundwater-quality-studies-jammu-and-kathua-districts-jammu-and-kashmir-research-report

 ----------------------------------


 Soil microbiological indices of polluted soils of industrial belts of Jammu, India

2014

https://www.ijcmas.com/vol-3-1/Mansoor%20Ali%20and%20A.K.%20Bhat.pdf

 ----------------------------------

The US Has Indicted a Ukrainian Oligarch for Bribing Indian Officials. Why is Modi’s CBI Not Acting?

 2017

Dmytro Firtash, accused of orchestrating bribes worth $18.5 million to Indian officials, has argued that the charges against him should be dismissed because the Indian government is not pursuing criminal charges.

 https://thewire.in/148764/firtash-asks-court-dismiss-charges-andhra-pradesh-mining-scam/



 ----------------------------------

Clays and clay minerals in Bikaner: Sources, environment pollution and management

 May 2016

 http://aip.scitation.org/doi/pdf/10.1063/1.4946628

 ----------------------------------

GROUND WATER INFORMATION BIKANER DISTRICT RAJASTHAN

2013

 http://www.cgwb.gov.in/District_Profile/Rajasthan/Bikaner.pdf



 ----------------------------------

Chemical analysis of ground water of Sanganer area, Jaipur in Rajasthan.

2004

 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16649596

 ----------------------------------

A study of physico-chemical characteristics of lakes around Jaipur, India.

 2009

 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20143724



 ----------------------------------

Emission of Atmospheric Pollutants during IOCL-Sitapur, Jaipur fire 2009, India

2013

 http://www.isca.in/rjcs/Archives/v3/i7/11.ISCA-RJCS-2013-104.pdf

 ----------------------------------

Monitoring of Heavy Metal in Textile Waste Water of
Sanganer, Jaipur (Rajasthan)

2014

 http://www.ijsrp.org/research-paper-0314/ijsrp-p2792.pdf


 ----------------------------------

Study of bio-physico-chemical parameters of Mothron

wala swamp, Dehradun (Uttarakhand)

2007

http://jeb.co.in/journal_issues/200805_may08/paper_20.pdf

 ----------------------------------

Bacterial contamination in water affects more than half of Chennai

 2012-10-09

First, water tax and now, water purifiers - how will the lower income group afford quality drinking water?

 http://www.indiawaterportal.org/articles/bacterial-contamination-water-affects-more-half-chennai

----------------------------------

Environmental Impacts of Tourism in Kullu-Manali complex in North Western Himalaya, India. Part 1: The Adverse Impacts

January 2003 

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/237448071_Environmental_Impacts_of_Tourism_in_Kullu-Manali_complex_in_North_Western_Himalaya_India_Part_1_The_Adverse_Impacts

 ----------------------------------

Top 10 polluted cities of India

https://www.mapsofindia.com/top-ten/polluted-cities-in-india.html


--------------------------

The Nanda Devi mystery

Fifty years after deadly plutonium was lost on India’s second highest mountain, the enigma continues

http://www.livemint.com/Leisure/3QfYqLadggrbnrn41H0mAJ/The-Nanda-Devi-mystery.html

----------------------

Chemical Characteristics of Rain Water at an Industrial City of Western India

https://www.rroij.com/open-access/chemical-characteristics-of-rain-water-at-anindustrial-city-of-western-india-.php?aid=47930

 ----------------------------------

Why the Indian Ocean’s little-known humpback dolphins need protection

 Apr, 2016

There are fewer than 1,000 Indian Ocean humpback dolphins left off South Africa’s coast. This makes it one of south and east Africa’s most endangered marine mammals. Research on how fast this species has declined in the past decade is still ongoing.

The Indian Ocean humpback dolphin is listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as vulnerable. The total population is estimated to be 10,000. This is very low compared with, for example, the population size of the long-beaked common dolphin (Delphinus capensis), which ranges into the hundreds of thousands. 

https://theconversation.com/why-the-indian-oceans-little-known-humpback-dolphins-need-protection-57908



-------------------------

After 400 Million Years, Coelacanth at Risk of Extinction

 March 4, 2015

 

It may have hidden in the ocean for millions of years, but life today poses numerous challenges for the West Indian Ocean coelacanth (Latimeria chalumnae), the "living fossil" fish that was famously rediscovered off the coast of South Africa in 1938.

 It may have hidden in the ocean for millions of years, but life today poses numerous challenges for the West Indian Ocean coelacanth (Latimeria chalumnae), the “living fossil” fish that was famously rediscovered off the coast of South Africa in 1938. The few areas in which the fish still swim face destruction from new port construction while the coelacanths themselves risk being caught up in fishing nets intended for sharks. Even climate change poses a new risk for the species.

https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/extinction-countdown/after-400-million-years-coelacanth-at-risk-of-extinction/

-------------------------------------

 Marine turtle status and conservation in the Indian Ocean



 Abstract

This  paper  reviews  the  status  and  distribution  of  sea  turtles  in  the  Indian  Ocean  and
Southeast Asia, with a brief account of populations and stocks. There is a summary of threats,
legal instruments and conservation approaches, principally in south and Southeast Asia. The
paper  also  provides  a  series  of annexes  on  fishing  effort  primarily  in  south  Asia,  as  an
indicator of fishing effort in the region. Lack of complete data sets for the region is identified
as a major lacuna that has to be addressed to enable informed management decisions.

INTRODUCTION

Six species of marine turtle are found in the Indian Ocean: the green turtle (Chelonia mydas),  the  hawksbill  (Eretmochelys  imbricata),  the  loggerhead  (Caretta  caretta),  the  olive  ridley  (Lepidochelys  olivacea),  the  leatherback  (Dermochelys  coriacea) and  the  flatback
(Natator depressus). The olive ridley, green turtle and loggerhead are listed as endangered in
the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, while the hawksbill and the leatherback are listed
as  critically  endangered  at  a  global  level,  and  the  flatback  is  listed  as  data  deficient.  Marine
turtle populations in the Indian Ocean have been depleted through long-term exploitation of
eggs and adults, incidental capture (fisheries bycatch) and many other sources of mortality.

ftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/007/y5750e/Y5750E02.pdf

----------------------------------

Indian Ocean yellow-nosed mollymawk

Thalassarche carteri (Rothschild, 1903)

 

 This small black-and-white mollymawk is one of the most endangered albatross species due to the number of birds caught and drowned on hooks set in commercial longline fisheries, globally. It has an estimated global population of 41,580 pairs, equating to perhaps more than 160,000 individuals in all age classes. One or two pairs breed in the New Zealand region, at The Pyramid in the Chatham Islands. Solitary or gregarious at sea in the Indian Ocean, they follow fishing vessels in large numbers to scavenge discarded fish offal, and feed on fish, squid and crustaceans. Outside the breeding season most birds disperse to seas off southern Africa and Australia, as far east as the Tasman Sea and north-eastern New Zealand waters.

http://nzbirdsonline.org.nz/species/indian-ocean-yellow-nosed-mollymawk

------------------------------------

OFFSHORE FISHERIES OF THE SOUTHWEST INDIAN OCEAN: their status and the impact on vulnerable species

http://www.seaworld.org.za/uploads/files/Ch12-vulnerable_teleosts.pdf


----------------------------------------

A new critically endangered species of Angraecum (Orchidaceae) endemic to the island of Mauritius, Indian Ocean

 

 Angraecum jeannineanum, a new species endemic to Mauritius, is described and its ecology and conservation status are discussed. Angraecum jeannineanum differs from A. cadetii, which is the morphologically most closely related species, as follows: (i) leaves are smaller, thicker and darker green, (ii) inflorescences and flowers are thinner and smaller, (iii) flowers are more greenish and non-fleshy. Angraecum jeannineanum belongs to Angraecum section Hadrangis, endemic to the Mascarenes, which also includes A. bracteosum, A. cadetii and A. striatum. An updated key for the section is provided. The species should be considered as Critically Endangered (CR) according to the Red List Criteria of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). This assessment is based on the highly restricted species distribution, small population size, and habitat sustaining degradation by invasive alien plants and animals.

https://biotaxa.org/Phytotaxa/article/view/phytotaxa.222.3.4


----------------------------------------

Shocking Undercover Scenes: Illegal Animal Trade - Indian Ocean With Simon Reeve - BBC

May, 2014

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BodUHLH_UcY

----------------------------------------

Endangered medicinal species of the Indian Ocean: radical need for conservation.

 July 2009

Life originated in the Oceans, which are also the most fertile source of chemically distinctive natural products that are mainly accumulated in living organisms. Several of these compounds show pharmacological activities, and are helpful for the invention and discovery of bioactive compounds, primarily for several fatal diseases. The Indian Ocean is home to several exotic species of flora and fauna. Several environmental and man-made factors are responsible for deterioration of several precious biodiversity areas of the Ocean. The author, while highlighting the medicinal importance of these organisms, underlines the need for comprehensive conservatory measures on the part of the international community to be taken in order to maintain the rich Oceanic biodiversity.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19623561

----------------------------------------

Impacts of mass coral die-off on Indian Ocean reefs revealed

 February 20, 2017

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/02/170220190632.htm


-----------------------------------------------

Saving Endangered Dugongs of the Western Indian Ocean

http://www.cms.int/dugong/en/news/saving-endangered-dugongs-western-indian-ocean

------------------------------------------------

Scalloped hammerhead shark

The scalloped hammerhead (Sphyrna lewini) is a globally endangered shark species that

has been seriously overfished, primarily for its fins, in targeted and incidental fisheries

throughout its range. Great hammerheads (Sphyrna mokarran) and smooth hammerheads

(Sphyrna zygaena) resemble scalloped hammerheads and face similar threats. The fins

of these three species are often combined in the international shark fin trade. Strong

demand for fins continues to drive targeted and incidental take of hammerheads that is

largely unregulated. CITES Appendix II listing is warranted to facilitate compliance with

relevant fishing restrictions and establishment of science-based export limits, thereby

complementing national and regional efforts toward recovery and sustainable use.

           Distribution

The scalloped hammerhead shark occurs in coastal

warm, temperate, and tropical seas around the world. [India]

http://www.sharkadvocates.org/cites_4sharks_hammerhead_fact_sheet.pdf



----------------------------------------------

Introduced mammals on Western Indian Ocean islands

April 2016

Highlights

•

The distribution of introduced mammals was reviewed on the 28 Western Indian Ocean island groups.

•

All island groups have been invaded by mammals, and invasive cats and rats in particular are ubiquitous.

•

Introduced mammal eradications have occurred on 45 islands in the WIO region.

•

Predator management has contributed to the recovery of 24 threatened species in the WIO region.

•

Greater investment and prioritisation in island conservation in the region is warranted.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2351989415300469



------------------------------------------------

25 Endangered Marine Species Activists Are Too Busy To Care About

http://awesomeocean.com/top-stories/25-endangered-marine-species/


------------------------------------------------



THE BRITISH INDIAN OCEAN TERRITORY
MARINE PROTECTED AREA (BIOT MPA)

Created  in  2010,  the  BIOT  MPA  is  one  of  the 
largest  MPAs  in  the  world  and  protects  over 
1% of all the world’s coral reefs.
Commercial fishing is forbidden over this area
of 640,000 km2 of the Indian Ocean and the
MPA provides a safe haven for some 310 coral
species, 821 fish, and 355 species of molluscs.
It is a home for species found no-where else in
the world, such as the Chagos brain coral and
the Chagos anemone fish.
It  safeguards  endangered  species,  including 
important populations of green and hawksbill
turtles, sharks, rays and rare reef fish.
It protects critical seabird populations, including
the  only  increasing  populations  of  red-footed 
and brown booby in the Indian Ocean.
Reef  fish  here  are  on  average  six  times  more 
abundant  than  at  any  other  location  in  the 
Indian Ocean.

http://biot.gov.io/wp-content/uploads/BIOT-Invasive-Species-Leaflet.pdf



---------------------

Insects - India's endangered

http://indiasendangered.com/tag/insects-2/

---------------------

Red list has 132 species of plants, animals from India

  June 21, 2012

The Red list of threatened species, prepared by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), has listed 132 species of plants and animals as Critically Endangered, the most threatened category, from India.
Plants seemed to be the most threatened life form with 60 species being listed as Critically Endangered and 141 as Endangered.
The Critically Endangered list included 18 species of amphibians, 14 fishes and 10 mammals. There are also 15 bird species in the category. The agency listed 310 species as Endangered ones, including 69 fishes, 38 mammals and 32 amphibians. Two plant species were reported to be extinct in the wild, including the Euphorbia mayuranthanii of Kerala. A leaf frog species and six plants were recorded as extinct, according to the latest assessment.
Of the total 63,837 species globally assessed, the IUCN classified 3,947 as Critically Endangered, 81 as Extinct, 63 as Extinct in the Wild. In the lower risk categories, there were 5766 species in Endangered, 10,104 in Vulnerable and 4,467 in Near Threatened categories. Scientific data regarding 10,497 species was not available and hence classified as Data Deficient, the report said.
The threat level of as many as seven Indian bird species had increased in the last one year, say experts.
According to the latest figures, 15 species of Indian birds, including the great Indian bustard, Siberian crane and sociable lapwing are there in the list of Critically Endangered birds. In the lower risk categories, the agency included 14 bird species as Endangered and 51 as vulnerable ones.
Compared to the previous year, the conservation status of Baer's Pochard had been uplisted to the Critically Endangered from the Endangered and the Long-tailed Duck to Vulnerable from the Least Concerned, said P.O. Nameer, South Asian coordinator, in situ, Conservation Breeding Specialist Group, Species Survival Commission of the IUCN.
This year, Saker Falcon has been listed as Endangered against the previous year's rating of Vulnerable. The threat perspective faced by the River Lapwing resulted in its classification as the Near-Threatened from the earlier Least Concerned. River Tern, a wetland-dependent species found in Kerala among other places has been moved to the Near-Threatened category from the Least concern and Black-bellied Tern to the Endangered from the Near-threatened in the latest list, Dr. Nameer said.
Sinhoe's Storm-petrel, which was first sighted in India in Chavakad last year, has also been classified as the Near-Threatened. Last year, the species was classified as the Least concerned, he said.

Fishes of Kerala
 
Four fish species from Kerala, including the Pookode Lake Barb and Nilgiri Mystus, are included in the Critically Endangered fishes of India. The agency listed 39 species from Kerala as endangered, including the Periyar Latia, Nilgiri Danio, Cardamom Garra, Periyar Garra and Anamalai Sucker Catfish.
The Imperial White Collared Yellow Catfish, Santhampara Loach, Nilgiri Barb, Hump Backed Mahseer, Periyar Barb and Peninsular Hill Trout are among the endangered fish species of Kerala, according to C.P. Shaji, Principal Scientific Officer of the Kerala State Biodiversity Board.
The number of Critically Endangered species from Kerala has dropped to four from seven of last year whereas the endangered list had gone up to 39 from the 37 of the previous assessment, said Dr. Shaji.

 http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/red-list-has-132-species-of-plants-animals-from-india/article3551664.ece



----------------------------------

Okhla Bird Sanctuary- safe or under threat

 http://www.indiawaterportal.org/news/okhla-bird-sanctuary-safe-or-under-threat

-------------------------------


  MONITORING OF RIVER RAM GANGA:PHYSICO-CHEMICALCHARACTERISTIC AT
BAREILLY

2011


http://www.scienceflora.org/journals/index.php/rrst/article/viewFile/708/694

 ----------------------------------

CORRELATION ANALYSIS OF GROUND WATER QUALITY IN AND AROUND SHAHZAD NAGAR BLOCK OF RAMPUR DISTRICT, UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA

2011

http://www.tsijournals.com/articles/correlation-analysis-of-ground-water-quality-in-and-around-shahzad-nagar-block-of-rampur-district-uttar-pradesh-india.pdf

 ----------------------------------

Spatial-Temporal Monitoring of Groundwater Using Multivariate Statistical Techniques in Bareilly District of Uttar Pradesh, India

2009

https://www.degruyter.com/view/j/johh.2009.57.issue-1/v10098-009-0005-1/v10098-009-0005-1.xml

 ----------------------------------

    Physico-Chemical Studies on the Pollution Potential

               of River Kosi at Rampur (India)

2009

http://www.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/files/Kosi_2.pdf

 ----------------------------------

Pollution in Ramganga: NGT orders central, Uttar Pradesh PCBs to inspect 2 units

May 14, 2017

BAREILLY: Untreated effluents are allegedly being discharged into the Ramganga river through local drains, posing a risk to public health and environment. Hearing a petition, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Friday directed Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) to conduct joint inspection of two plants — Marya Frozen Agro Foods, a slaughterhouse and Camphor & Allied Products, which manufactures fine chemicals.

A Moradabad-based businessman, Anil Kumar Singhal, had filed a petition with the NGT in 2015 claiming that 23 big drains in Moradabad and 10 in Bareilly were discharging untreated sewage into Ramganga. 

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bareilly/pollution-in-ramganga-ngt-orders-central-state-pcbs-to-inspect-2-units/articleshow/58649820.cms

 ----------------------------------


 STATUS OF GROUND WATER AND MUNICIPAL WATER SUPPLY OF LUCKNOW REGION-
U.P.

2012

http://www.ijpaes.com/admin/php/uploads/246_pdf.pdf

 ----------------------------------

Delhi gas leak: Pollution body starts probe, container corp put on notice

 

May 08, 2017

DPCC collects samples to confirm leaked chemical, prepares report. Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal too orders a magisterial probe.

The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) is probing the Saturday’s chemical leak in Tughlakabad, which triggered toxic fumes that left 475 schoolchildren sick with breathlessness, eye irritation, nausea and severe headache.
According to a Delhi environment department official, DPCC officials have already collected samples from the spill site on Saturday night and they are being tested.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/delhi-news/delhi-chemical-spill-pollution-body-starts-probe-container-corp-put-on-notice/story-JpgEysCrIrhgxJ42FJUR0N.html


----------------------------

Indian political parties gloss over environment

 May 9, 2014 

 

WHO confirmed that New Delhi has most polluted air in world, according to data reported by 1,600 cities in 91 countries.

As India faces certain water scarcity and ecological decline, the country’s main political parties campaigning for elections have all but ignored environmental issues seen as crucial to India’s vast rural majority, policy analysts say.
Environmentalists say the omission is alarming given the problems India faces. The World Bank estimates that environmental degradation costs India 5.7 percent of its annual gross domestic product, and causes a quarter of the country’s 1.6 million deaths among children each year.
On Wednesday, the World Health Organization confirmed that India’s capital, New Delhi, has the most polluted air in the world, according to data reported by 1,600 cities in 91 countries.

 http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/indian-political-parties-gloss-over-environment/

-------------------------------------------------

10 Most Threatened Rivers for Your World Travel Bucket List

Indus River (Pakistan, India and China)
It’s been well-documented how pollution of this 450,000-mile river is negatively affecting the local wildlife, particularly the dwindling number of endangered Indus River dolphins. What hasn’t been quite so greatly publicized is the fact that, even though the source of the Indus, the Tibetan Plateau, is melting at an alarming rate, many traditional Pakistani farmers are facing historically low levels of irrigated water. Local government suggests that the best way to adjust to the ongoing climate changes is by adopting water-smart farming techniques.

 https://greenglobaltravel.com/10_most_threatened_rivers_world_travel_bucket_list/


-------------------------------------------------------------

Up to their necks in it

Despite good laws and even better intentions, India causes as much pollution as any rapidly industrialising poor country

 

Jul 17th 2008

http://www.economist.com/node/11751397

-----------------------------------------

What It Takes to Clean the Ganges

 

July 25, 2016 

More than a billion gallons of waste enter the river every day. Can India’s controversial Prime Minister save it?

Indian governments have been trying to clean up the Ganges for thirty years. Official estimates of the amount spent on this effort vary widely, from six hundred million dollars to as much as three billion dollars; every attempt has been undone by corruption and apathy. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, elected in May of 2014, is the latest to try. Modi and his Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, or B.J.P., campaigned on promises of transforming India into a prosperous, vibrant modern society, a nation of bullet trains, solar farms, “smart cities,” and transparent government. Central to Modi’s vision is the Clean India Mission—Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. He insists that rapid economic development and raising millions of people out of poverty need not come at the cost of dead rivers and polluted air. So far, however, the most striking feature of his energy policy has been the rapid acceleration of coal mining and of coal-fired power plants. In many cities, the air quality is hazardous, causing half a million premature deaths each year.


https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/07/25/what-it-takes-to-clean-the-ganges



----------------------------------------------

Barak on list of most polluted rivers 

Silchar, June 28: Barak river, the second largest river in Assam, has earned a dubious distinction: it is one of the 37 most polluted rivers in the country. And Silchar has been identified as the single-largest source of the pollutants draining into the river.

The river ' which springs from the Saramati Hills at a point south of Mao on Kohima-Imphal highway and winds its way through its 902 km course till it merges with the Meghna in Bangladesh ' has been found to be highly polluted by the Central Pollution Control Board during a recent survey on on behalf of the Ganga Project Directorate.

Water samples were collected from select sites on the highly polluted 20-km stretch of the river near this town and scrutinised against 20 basic parametres to test the quality of water.

The tests revealed the presence of an alarming level of bacteriological contaminants in the water samples.

The survey traced the presence of the lethal coliform bacteria (both total and faecal) in the samples between 1,500 maximum possible number (MPN) per 100 ml and 1,10,000 MPN per 100 ml in June. The excess coliform spawns a wide spectrum of ailments such as diarrhoea, cholera and hepatitis.

Kamal Kalyan Dutta, an enviromental engineer with the state Pollution Control Board, said such high presence of coliform was a cause for alarm as the tolerance limit of such pollutants is 50 MPN per 100 ml.

The 93-page report on the level of pollution in the Barak river system has identified this burgeoning town in south Assam as the biggest single source of pollutants disgorged into the river by way of the multifarious human activities and human metabolism system. The report has found the untreated sewage, household wastes, commercial solid wastes and untreated water to be the most active contaminants.

The report holds the absence of underground or covered drainage and sewerage system at this town responsible for the high level of pollution of the Barak river.

According to an official document, as much as 50 tonnes of both organic and inorganic garbage is generated each day in this town alone, and much of these flow into the river. Added to this is nearly 8,000 kilolitres of urban wastewater which drain into the river daily.

The PCB has recommended setting up a network of underground sewerage pipelines in the urban and populated areas along the severely-polluted stretch of the Barak for collecting the garbage in a centralised system and then subjecting it to proper treatment. 

https://www.telegraphindia.com/1050629/asp/northeast/story_4925931.asp



------------------------------------------------------

Western Uttar Pradesh rivers among most polluted in India

 January 10, 2010

Six rivers in western Uttar Pradesh figure among the most polluted in India.

A study conducted by the World Water Monitoring Day Organisation (WWMDO) has termed the condition in Hindon, Krishni, Kali East, Kali West, Dhamola and Yamuna as "deadly alarming". The WWMDO was jointly set up by the World Environment Federation (WEF), USA, and the International Water Association (IWA) of the Netherlands.
The WEF and IWA are analysing the purity of water in rivers across the world under a project started in 2007. The project is likely to be completed by 2012.
In western UP, the study was conducted in Meerut, Ghaziabad, Bulandshahr, Muzaffarnagar, Baghpat, Gautam Budh Nagar, Etah, Aligarh and Agra.
Children from 800 schools were roped in for the project.

"We collected more than 70 samples from the rivers between June and November 2009. The results were alarming and eye-opening. We never expected pollution at such levels," said Raman Tyagi, project coordinator of Neer Foundation, the NGO that the WWMD entrusted with the study.
Turbidity, dissolved oxygen, temperature and pH value of water from the rivers were analysed. While turbidity in the rivers was found to be about 100, the Jackson Turbidity Units (JTU), a standard set by the US agencies, was recorded as zero to 40.

The dissolved oxygen at many places along the rivers was found to be nil as per US standards (ideally it should be 0-8 parts per million (ppm).
The pH value was also found to be between 9 and 10 (the US standard is between 6.5 and 7.5).

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/Western+Uttar+Pradesh+rivers+among+most+polluted+in+India/1/78476.html

-----------------------------------------

Forget Bellandur Lake, Rivers in Karnataka are the Most Polluted in South India

Just as it's getting its head around solving the problem that is the polluted Bellandur Lake, the Karnataka government has received another body blow, this time from the Central government.

A report tabled by the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) in the Lok Sabha last week, revealed that as many as 15 rivers that drain into Karnataka are among the nation's most polluted. That number is the highest for any South Indian state.

All majors rivers polluted in Karnataka

"The Arkavathi, Bhadra, Bhima, Cauvery, Ghataprabha, Kabini, Kagina, Kali, Krishna, Lakshmanatirtha, Malaprabha, Manjra, Shimsha, Tunabhadra and Tunga rivers in Karnataka have been polluted on various stretches," the report tabled by Prakash Javadekar, minister for MoEF, revealed.

Rivers like Cauvery, Kabini, Krishna, Tungabhadra, Tunga, Ghataprabha, Malaprabha and Bhima supply a major share of potable water to towns and cities including Bengaluru, Mysuru, Belagavi, Hubballi-Dharawad, Shivamogga and other towns, according to sources in the irrigation department of the state government.

Polluting towns are the villains

Painting a bleak picture of the rivers in Karnataka and other parts of India, Javadekar said in his statement that untreated or partially treated sewage from cities and towns and industrial effluents constitute a major source of pollution in rivers.

"As per the survey carried out by the Central Pollution Control Board in 2015, 302 polluted river stretches have been identified on 275 rivers based on Bio-chemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) levels, a key indicator of organic pollution," the minister revealed.

Javadekar also explained that it was the duty of respective state governments to lower the pollution in rivers by setting up proper facilities for collection, treatment and transportation of sewage being generated in towns. Supplementing the state's efforts, the Centre has been funding the National River Conservation Plan (NRCP) programme and helping states set up sewage treatment plants.

http://www.cpreecenvis.nic.in/KidsCentre/ForgetBellandurLakeRiversinKarnatakaaretheMostPollutedinSouthIndia_3418.aspx

-----------------------------

India’s plan to clean up the Ganga River is flawed, say experts

 16.10.2014

https://www.chinadialogue.net/article/show/single/en/7395-India-s-plan-to-clean-up-the-Ganga-River-is-flawed-say-experts

-----------------------------


 Studies on Physico-Chemical Aspects and Plankton of Unkal Lake at Hubli (Karnataka, India)


 2008

http://wldb.ilec.or.jp/data/ilec/wlc12/P%20-%20World%20Case%20Studies/P-48.pdf


----------------------------------------

Ground Water Pollution Scenario

http://nihroorkee.gov.in/rbis/india_information/ground%20water%20pollution.htm

---------------------------------------

India Environment Portal

http://www.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/category/36392/name_of_the_newspaper/times-of-india-patna/


------------------------------------

India has banned all forms of disposable plastic in its capital

13 Mar 2017

https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2017/03/india-bans-disposable-plastic-in-delhi/


----------------------------------

Different towns in India have banned plastic bags. Many people would dump their trash, including plastic bags in rivers, just to get rid of the sight of all the garbage. Many plastic bags that were being dumped in the rivers, would end up being carried downstream in the river of the next town, where there would be piles of garbage just showing up in other the rivers of other villages.


------------------------------

Do Plastic Bag Bans Work?

Can such initiatives make a dent in the amount of plastic litter?

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/do-plastic-bag-bans-work/

-------------------------------


Assessment of water quality of Betwa River, Madhya Pradesh, India

April 2013

 The present paper deals with the monthly interval variation of physico-chemical characteristics of River Betwa during October  2011 to August 2012.  Five  major  sampling  station  (10  sites)  were  selected:  station-I  Jhirri  (1  to  2  sites),  station-II  Nayapura  (3  to  4  sites),  station-III Mandideep  (5  to  6  sites), station-IV  Bhojpur  (7  to  8  sites)  and  station-V  Vidisha  (9  to  10  sites).  Various  physico-chemical parameters  like  temperature,  pH,  hardness,  dissolved  oxygen  (DO),  biological  oxygen  demand  (BOD) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) and correlation co-efficient were measured, and standard methods were applied in the present work. Studies revealed high values of hardness, BOD and COD at station II Nayapura  and  station  III  Mandideep,  and  low  values  of  DO  and  pH  at  the  station - station  I  Jhirri,  IV Bhojpur,  and  Vidisha  low  values  of  hardness,  BOD  and  COD.  High  value  of  hardness,  BOD  and  COD
indicate the river water polluted at station II Nayapura and station III Mandideep.


http://www.academicjournals.org/article/article1379593031_Vishwakarma%20et%20al.pdf



------------------------------------

Managing Natural Resources -A report by IDSAsr

 2011-01-18

Managing the scare natural resources better and how space programme plays a role in this, a seminar of country's brilliant minds take the issue head on.

http://www.indiawaterportal.org/articles/managing-natural-resources-report-idsasr

----------------------------

48% industrial clusters in India are critically polluted: CPCB

  
2010-08-10

CPCB's comprehensive environmental assessment of industrial clusters finds only 16% spots with normal pollution levels. Ankleshwar in Gujarat is the worst, while Digboi in Assam is the best. 

http://www.indiawaterportal.org/articles/48-industrial-clusters-india-are-critically-polluted-cpcb


----------------

60% rural homes get contaminated drinking water

Drinking water in more than half rural homes contaminated
Even as 99% of urban and 97% rural households in India have drinking water access, 41% urban and 60% rural homes still get contaminated water, says the latest study published in Lancet, a British medical journal
Manganese in Goa's prime reservoir
The level of manganese in Selaulim reservoir, which has several ore heaps piled on its banks, has gone up considerably. Officials say this is normal because of less water in the reservoir which supplies water to the entire south Goa
Pilgrims pollute water bodies in Ganjam
Open defecation is common during pilgrimage season in this water scarce Odisha district, especially by Danda Nach troupes who perform ritualistic penance near water bodies for 21 days
Delhi HC tells Centre to solve water dispute with Haryana
Haryana is supposed to supply 80 million gallons of water per day to Delhi through Munak canal which can bring relief to the parched Dwarka locality
240 Srikakulam villages get contaminated water
Consumption of contaminated water is leading to diseases in this Andhra district, revealed a survey by UNICEF and Dr. B.R.Ambedkar Univesity-Etcherla
Groundwater in India depleting faster than nature's speed to replenish
The World Bank has predicted that India only has 20 years before its aquifers will reach critical condition and about 114 million people will face desperate domestic, agricultural and industrial shortages
To make the idea of green cities a reality
The theme for this year's Earth Day celebrations is green cities. The Earth Day Network-India has published a book that tells the tale of 13 Indian cities which adopted innovative technologies to lower their water and waste footprint
Reinventing toilets for the poor
The 'Reinvent the Toilet Fair' recently held in New Delhi, saw enthusiastic participants with innovative toilet technologies like fecal sludge treatment plants that can process several tons of human waste into biochar, energy recovery, hygienic recycling and much more.

 This is the news roundup of April 19, 2014.

http://www.indiawaterportal.org/news/drinking-water-more-half-rural-homes-contaminated

------------------------------------

764 industries behind Ganga pollution

764 industries behind Ganga pollution
In a survey conducted between 2011 and 2013, the Central Pollution Control Board identified the polluting industries in five states on the main stem of the river and its tributaries
Ineffective chlorination behind railway stations' contaminated water
About seven lakh passengers at Delhi station exposed to bacteria laden water. Malpractice in awarding contracts for chlorination plant the reason behind bad water quality
Committee submits Maha irrigation scam report
The report, prepared by a team under water expert Madhav Chitale, is said to have put the onus on the irrigation department officials and not on political leaders. The Government has not yet made the report public
Dying lakes of Delhi
Of the 611 water bodies in the Capital, 274 have dried up and 190 have been lost forever and cannot be revived, says a survey by the Delhi Parks and Gardens Society that works under the Delhi govt's Environment Department
Groundwater low at the confluence of three rivers
Groundwater in Allahabad is going down by 62 cm every year, revealed the latest report of the groundwater department. The number of handpumps in the district went up from 28,517 in 2001 to 2.23 lakh in 2011
Madurai residents unhappy with borewell plan
The administration's decision to dig borewells in villages on the city's periphery to solve drinking water crisis in the city has invited opposition from concerned villagers who fear depletion of groundwater in their region
Dam plans but no knowledge of water in the river
MoU for another 1850 MW hydel project on the Subansiri river in Arunachal Pradesh has been signed even as there is no site-specific scientific study or that about the water flow, a prerequisite for any dam
No water tax for lower, middle income group in U'khand
As a sop before the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, water tax exemption has been announced for these groups in rural areas besides urban poor. Middle-income group in urban areas will get 50% exemption
Panel to check pollution in Ulhas river
The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board has set up a five member committee to survey industries discharging untreated effluents in the Ulhas and Waldhuni rivers


This is the daily news roundup of March 1, 2014

http://www.indiawaterportal.org/news/764-industries-behind-ganga-pollution


--------------------------------------

Find source of uranium contamination in Punjab: Experts

Need to find source of uranium contamination in Punjab: Experts 
Doctors in Patiala say Centre should support the state government to find out how uranium is constantly contaminating water in the state, especially in the Malwa belt. Excessive use of pesticides over the years is said to be a possible reason.
Water purifiers by Atomic Energy Commission
The new technology, to be released soon all over India by the nuclear energy authority, claims to even purify fluoride-laden water.
A camera and a ball to monitor water leaks in Kochi
The Kerala Water Authority has devised two new technologies, a smart ball and a sensor with a camera, that will roll inside pipelines to detect leaks. The smart ball works by detecting acoustic pulses which can locate even very small leaks and air pockets in the pipeline.
80% textile units in Pali to shut operations
Following orders of the National Green Tribunal, around 480 of the 600 textile and dying units in this Rajasthan district running without consent to operate, will shut down. The units released their chemical effluent into the river Bandi despite High Court orders.
After disease outbreak, illegal toilets found in Panchkula
Water from the sewage pipeline of 135 illegal toilets got mixed with the drinking water supply line causing the outbreak. A young girl had died while several others fell ill at a housing society of this Chandigarh suburb.
Rs 5,000 crore Kerala port under green scanner
Activists allege that the clearance was granted to the Vizhinjam port without considering the impact of artificial structures built by reclaiming the sea on marine ecology. NGT issues notice to the Central and state governments and the developer company.
Yettinahole figures manipulated: environmentalist
The Karnataka Neeravari Nigam Limited, nodal agency for the project, has manipulated the statistics about water available for diversion from Yettinahole and the annual average rainfall data in its catchment, said activist Ravindranath Shanbhag
Hyderabad residents against lake fencing 
Accuse authorities of fencing Yellama Cheruvu lake without due consideration to the actual full tank level. In 2011, residents had filed a petition against construction in the lake which reduced its area from 41 acres to the present 23 acres
Bangalore plans water recycling plant
The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board has prepared a detailed project report of the 140 MLD Vrishabhavathi valley recycle and reuse project. Half of this water will be released into the Arkavathi river and the rest will be supplied to the nearby industrial area.
Two international weather updates confirm El Nino fear
While the Australian Bureau of Meteorology said that factors leading to an El Nino are now increasingly visible, the US based National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Climate Prediction Center said temperature anomalies associated with El Nino had strongly increased since the end of January
This is the news roundup of March 15 and 16, 2014.

http://www.indiawaterportal.org/news/find-source-uranium-contamination-punjab-experts

-------------------------

Toxic metals in water affect human life in Central India

http://www.indiawaterportal.org/news/toxic-metals-water-affect-human-life-central-india

---------------------

110 countries pledge to phase out mercury 

 

 Policy Matters this week: 110 countries sign Minamata convention, railways to have bio-toilets and Water Bill to include sewerage charges in Ahmedabad.

 110 countries sign Minamata convention to ban mercury


This is a weekly roundup of policy matters from October 7-13.

http://www.indiawaterportal.org/articles/110-countries-pledge-phase-out-mercury



-------------------

Railways shift officer who checked dirty water

Railways transfer officer who revealed water contamination
Alok Verma , the Northern Railways chief engineer who conducted the survey on water contamination at railway stations has been transferred out of Delhi. Out of 1000 water samples tested, many were found contaminated with coliform bacteria
River linking will recharge groundwater: officials
The recently inaugurated Narmada-Kshipra project in Madhya Pradesh will help replenish ground water in Malwa region that has reached alarming level besides providing irrigation to 17 lakh ha of agricultural land, say the officials of the Narmada Valley Development Authority
500 borewells to quench Madurai's thirst
The Authorities is digging borwells in the City's periphery at a cost of Rs 2.7 crores. Drought has reduced the level in Vaigai dam, the city's main source of water
NEERI to study sea water contamination in Mumbai
Mumbai generates 2,671.30 million litres sewage per day and about 45% of the untreated human waste is flushed into two creeks and the Arabian Sea, contaminating the marine environment


This is the news roundup of February 28, 2014.

http://www.indiawaterportal.org/news/indian-railways-whistle-blower-transferred

---------------------------------

Railway stations serve contaminated water

Drinking water at railway stations highly contaminated: Report
50 lakh passengers using Northern Railways drink extremely polluted water. Of the samples tested for coliform bacteria, all in the Lucknow division were found contaminated while 59% were found contaminated in the Moradabad division and 94% in the Ambala division
Govt prepared for El Nino: Pawar
Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar says the Govt has put in place a contigency plan for 500 districts if the weather phenomenon that disturbs formation of clouds and thus monsoon, hits India this year
Water-borne diseases hit Chandigarh suburb
30 residents of a locality in Haryana's Panchkula district fell ill due to contaminated water supply in last 15 days. One died due to Typhoid
SC notice to Centre and states for minimum flow in the Yamuna
Notices to Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Uttarakhand on a petition to maintain a minimum flow of 352 cusecs in the river to ensure adequate supply of drinking water to Delhiites
Court tells the DJB to stop using metal pipes
Metal pipes are prone to corrosion, thereby contaminating water and causing health hazards. Presently, Delhi Jal Board has around 6,000-7,000 kms of cast iron pipes
Worms in Jamshedpur's piped water
Creepy-crawlies coming out of taps along with water in a Jamshedpur locality for a week now. 12,000 people affected as pipelines haven't been cleaned for more than nine months


This is the news roundup of February 25 and 27, 2014.

http://www.indiawaterportal.org/news/drinking-water-railway-stations-highly-contaminated-report

---------------------------------

Metal plant contaminates groundwater in Kollam

Metal plant contaminates groundwater in Kollam
Groundwater has turned acidic and agricultural fields gone waste within 500 metres radius of Kerala Minerals and Metal Limited in Chittoor village, affecting 300 familes. Tankers supply water only once a week
Maha Irrigation Scam report ready
A Committee headed by water expert Madhav Chitale had been looking into the Rs 70,000 crore scam for the past six months. Report likely to create furore if the State Govt releases it before elections
Together, techies and farmers revive a river stretch
Techies from Bangalore and farmers from 278 villages joined hands to desilt riverbed and wells, restored dead tanks and planted saplings along the 54 kms stretch of the Kumudvathi river. Plan to rejuvenate the entire riverbed now
Latest project to clean the Yamuna suffers delay
Only 35% progress on the JNNURM project that envisages putting an interceptor on all the major drains falling into the Yamuna. The interceptor sewers will divert the polluted water and treat it before discharging it again into the river
Half of Thane's STPs unoperational
A survey by the Thane Municipal Corporation finds sewage treatment plant in major residential and commercial complexes are either not working or crossing the prescribed limits in treated sewage discharge. Violaters include malls and a hospital
Andhra town in grip of water crisis
People of Chittoor town, that recently got corporation status, have to shell out Rs 1000 per month to buy water for domestic needs. Civic officials admit that they are not able to meet even 30% of the requirement
Bottled water plant for tourists in Kolkata
The first Government owned plant in the New Town of Kolkata will supply packaged water on subsidized rates at tourist hotspots. The West Bengal Govt also contemplating selling 15% of water from about 20 treatment plants across the state to bottled water manufacturers


This is the news roundup of February 23, 2014.

http://www.indiawaterportal.org/news/metal-plant-contaminates-groundwater-kollam

----------------------------------

India's dykes on Kaliganga cause misery to Nepal

India builds dykes on Kaliganga, causes misery to Nepal
Floods wreaked havoc in Nepal's Darchula district in June 2013. The affected residents in the region blame this on the construction of dykes and embankments on the Kaliganga river in India. The Indian government has unilaterally taken up flood protection measures in the Indo-Nepal border, resulting in the river changing its course and flooding Nepal.
'Ganga loaded with Superbugs'
UK's Newcastle University and the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi have found that the Ganga river is filled with multi-drug resistant superbugs, including the deadly NDM-1 virus. The levels of the superbugs in the Upper Ganga basin were about 60 times higher during the annual pilgrimage season in May and June. The likely cause for the environmental transmission of the bugs and their genes is the discharge of untreated sewage into the river.
Economic slowdown affects industrial water usage in Pune
The water quota of industries in Pune district remains unutlised during the financial year 2012-13 due to economic slowdown. Only 29.89 million litres per day (MLD) of water was utilised for industrial purposes from Pavana dam, against the earmarked total of 31.1 MLD. Irrigation officials report a 10% dip in the number of applications received for this year for utilising water from Khadakwasla and Pavana dams for industrial purposes.
Wells found contaminated near ISRO unit 
Around 40 wells near the unit of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in Keezhmadu, Kerala have been found polluted with ammonium perchlorate used in rocket fuel. The contaminated water could affect the production of thyroid in the person consuming it. The cause of contamination and its extent is yet to be known. However, the District Collector has announced that 500 litres of water will be supplied every day to the residents of Keezhmadu for their domestic requirements.
100 nilgais died in Agra drinking toxic river water
Nearly 100 nilgais died in Saurai in Agra after drinking contaminated water from the Karvan river. Villagers living around the river blame factories in Hathras and Aligarh for discharging effluents in the river and turning it poisonous. Dissolved oxygen levels in the river samples were 1.5 mg/l as against the prescribed limit of 0.5 mg/l. The river water was enveloped in pink scum, indicating the presence of toxicants.

This is a weekly roundup of important news from February 16-22, 2014

http://www.indiawaterportal.org/articles/indias-dykes-kaliganga-cause-misery-nepal

---------------------------------

Ganga full of Superbugs

Ganga full of Superbugs
Level of multi-drug resistant viruses in the river goes up by 60 times during the pilgrimage season of May-June, say researchers.
Wells around ISRO unit contaminated with rocket fuel chemical
Around 40 wells found contaminated with ammonium perchlorate that affects iodine absorption. Authorities ask 176 families not to use the water for domestic purpose.
HC warns Tamil Nadu govt against water privatisation
The judge questions the ambitious Tirupur water supply and sewage disposal scheme which involves an MNC that raised water prices by over 200 per cent in Bolivia and dragged the country into international arbitration after being thrown out.
Bhoj wetland is shrinking
Solid waste and sewage dumping from 22 nullahs affect Bhopal's famous upper lake. A study by Barkatullah University finds presence of heavy metals in the lake
AAP rule improved water supply to Sangam Vihar
The frequency of supply from borewells went up from once in two months to once in 15 days in the biggest unauthorised colony of South Delhi.
25% Bangaloreans do not pay water bills
People in newly added areas not accustomed to paying bills. Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board still manages to collect around 90% of the billed money because of 2% interest on unpaid bills
Reservoirs full, no water worries for Mysore
Thanks to good rainfall in its catchment area, both Krishnaraja Sagar and Kabini reservoir full to their capacity as against last year when the KRS reached its dead storage level.
River conservation scheme for Maharashtra
Scheme to reuse treated water for industrial and agricultural use will be implemented in towns and villages situated along rivers and with a population of less than 15,000
100 Nilgais die from contaminated water in Agra
Water of Karwan river in Agra's Saurai contaminated by industries from Hathras and Aligarh. Farmers irrigating their crop with river water also complain of burnt feet.
CRZ clearance for Adyar creek restoration in Chennai
Eco-restoration in 300 acres of the coastal water body only after diversion of all sewage outfalls to the existing sewage treatment plants. No permanent structure allowed in the creek.

This is the news roundup of February 16 and 18, 2014.

http://www.indiawaterportal.org/news/ganga-full-superbugs

--------------------------------

India's embankments flood Nepal

Uninformed construction on the Indian side floods Nepal
Construction of embankments and dykes along Kaliganga river in Uttarakhand results in floods in Nepal's Dharchula district downstream.
Slow economy reduced water uptake by Pune industries
Of the 31.19 million litres per day earmarked for industrial usage from the Pavana dam, only 29.89 MLD used in 2012-13.
HC tells Gujarat to stop illegal mining
Cites Supreme Court's ruling that states can grant leases (or renew them) for mining minor minerals in less than five hectares area only after prior approval from the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest.
Proposed power line a threat to Cauvery basin
Over 1 lakh trees have to be cut to make way for high tension ower supply line from Kaiga atomic power station in Uttar Kannada district of Karnataka to Kozhikode in Kerala. This will impact the catchment area of Cauvery's tributaries, says Cauvery Bachao Andolan
Bangalore to get 108 mini sewage treatment plants
Plants will have capacity to treat 1-2 million litres of water per day; Water board will sell treated water for construction, watering gardens and other non-potable purposes
Gujarat takes well to the horse 
Around 100 farmers in Ahmedabad were affected when state's Irrigation department stopped diverting water into Sabarmati river since the dry riverbed was to be used for a horse show.
Kerala to relax regulations on sand and rock mining
Relaxations subject to environment clearances or approval of regulatory bodies, court directives and guidelines; move to ease hurdles in the way of the construction sector
Surat industries to get treated water
The Rs 85 crore plant can treat upto 80 million litres per day; treatment includes sand filtration, ultra filtration, reverse osmosis and activated carbon filtration
Toilets for 1.5 lakh rural families in Karnataka
A new scheme 'Gaurav Yojane' will fund toilets-cum-batchrooms under the Centre's programmes of National Rural Employment Guarantee Act and Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan
Tamil Nadu CM inaugurates irrigation projects worth Rs 50 crore
Will cover 11 districts of the state and includes construction of a lake at a cost of Rs 14.15 crore

This is a news roundup of February 14 and 15, 2014

http://www.indiawaterportal.org/news/indias-embankments-spell-disaster-nepal

----------------------------------

Sikkim is 'toilet state' of India

Sikkim only state in the country with 100% sanitation
All 6,10,577 rural and urban families in Sikkim have latrines with high sanitation and hygiene standard. It's mandatory for gram sabhas in the state to take up sanitation at top priority
Land near Tehri reservoir sinking
As many as 80 villages exposed to danger of frequent landslips; Differences over place of rehabilitation between the Uttarakhand administration and the dam company delays relocation.
UP threatens to cut water supply to Delhi over Yamuna pollution
Demands treatment of waste water before release into the river. Uttar Pradesh provides 400 cusecs of clean drinking water to Delhi but gets only polluted water in return, leading to water scarcity in Agra and Mathura
Three more rivers to be linked with Narmada
The Madhya Pradesh government has decided to link Gambhir, Kalisindh and Parvati rivers with Narmada after succesful trial run of Narmada and Kshipra river interlinking
Hydel projects in Uttarakhand cleared despite SC order
Union Ministry of Environment and Forests clears the 300 mega watt Lakhwar project in Dehradun despite Supreme Court's order of August 2013 against granting any clearance. Ministry says project not new
Goa pollution control board to take up remediation of contaminated Sal river
Japanese International Cooperation Agency to help with reversal of environmental damage and groundwater monitoring
$500 mn World Bank loan for water supply and sanitation
Will support the ongoing National Rural Drinking Water Programme and Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan in Assam, Jharkhand, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.
Meghalaya's story of toilets
Rural Meghalaya's achieves toilet coverage went up to 71% from almost nil in 2004-05 by focussing on change in habit at community level than individual houses.
Plastic trap for turtles
Green sea turtle, an endangered species, was found trapped in a mesh of plastic threads, bags and other garbage near Thiruvananthapuram.
Solar energy to draw out water in Ranchi villages
A pilot project will supply power to houses and help run submersible pumps to draw groundwater in Madar block of the district.

This is a news roundup of February 8 and 9, 2014

http://www.indiawaterportal.org/news/sikkim-only-state-country-100-sanitation


---------------------------------------------------------------------

Contaminated water caused 13,000 deaths in 4 years

Contaminated water killed 13,000 in last four years
Uttar Pradesh had maximum 3,382 deaths followed by West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha, reveals data from the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Diarrhoea claimed most number of lives.
Woman slaps AAP MLA over water supply issue in Delhi
Woman from Sangam Vihar, the biggest colony in Delhi with unmetered water connection, slapped the area MLA, Dinesh Mohaniya over the issue of free water. The state government's free water scheme is not for unmetered connections
Tourism dept outsources Puri beach cleaning
Department hires an NGO that would use mechanised sweeping machines. Environmentalists fear the machines will flatten sand dunes besides violating the coastal regulation zone norms.
Water board not to dump sewage in Bangalore lakes
Promise came after the Karnataka Upayukta ordered the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board nto to dump raw sewage in Allasandra lake and Puttenahalli lake.
No toilets, drinking water for Mumbai's swanky monorail
Management says toilets and water not provided at stations as monorail is equivalent to bus transport system. Promises vending machines for bottled water
Shrimp and paddy give way to fish farming in Andhra's Krishna district
More than a lakh acres are under fish farming in the district as shrimp farming declined due to a virus attack in 2000. 
Crop insurance in TN district
Weather-based crop insurance scheme and coconut palm insurance scheme will be implemented at revenue village level in all 13 blocks of the drought-hit Puddukotai district
Madurai to get drinking water once in four days
Measure will help conserve water in Vaigai dam for summers. Around 125 new borewells to come up and 44 private wells identified to tackle water shortage.
Researchers allay fears of Uranium contamination in Andhra district
Thummalapalle region in Kadapa district has one of the largest uranium reserves in the world, but researchers say level of uranium in water is below the maximum limit prescribed by WHO.


This is a roundup of news on February 3, 2014

http://www.indiawaterportal.org/news/13000-people-died-country-last-four-years-due-contaminated-water

--------------------------------

Bangalore water mafia goes innovative to evade law

Bangalore water mafia goes innovative to evade law
The water mafia, with the help of local political leaders, has taken to digging borewells in rented premises in localities closer to lakes. This started after the government started monitoring borewells in the city

Toxic veggies on Navi Mumbai's railway tracks
A Mumbai NGO has filed a PIL on the issue of vegetables grown on railway tracks that use sewage water or even industrial effluent for irrigation. Lab tests conducted in 2009 found the presence of heavy metals like zinc, arsenic and lead in these vegetables
Some good water news for Kollam
A natural sand bar has developed across an estuary in this Kerala district, as a result of which, water from the local Paravur lake stopped flowing into the sea, maintaining its level and also boosting the water level of two more lakes
Udupi villages pleasantly surprised as water rises in wells
Water level in the wells and ponds of Baidarbettu village in Karnataka, which normally go dry in December and fill up only after monsoon, has gone up in the last 10 days. Geologists have attributed this to fault zone readjustment in the layers of earth
NGT committee wants Yamuna riverbed projects scrapped
The plans to beautify the riverfront will jeopardize the river's health, says the Environment Ministry committee appointed on the orders of the National Green Tribunal. Declare the 52 km stretch of the river in UP and Delhi conservation zone, it recommends
Lukewarm response to water ATM in Delhi
Six months after they were installed in a resettlement colony in the Capital, kiosks supplying filtered water at the rate of Rs 3 for 20 litres have not yet  picked up in terms of buyers. Free water tankers from the Delhi Jal Board is partly the reason
Taming of a river
The Beas river that originates in Manali in Himachal Pradesh, is being trapped in dams to tap its 6000 mega watt of power generation potential. Only the last stretch of the river remains free but only for a few more days. A photo essay
El Nino might not impact agriculture so much
Agriculture's dependence on summer monsoon has reduced considerably over the years, with Kharif and Rabi crop contributing equally to overall food production, say economists
Combining Govt schemes to achieve the sanitation goal
The LEAF Society, an NGO in Tamil Nadu, targets to construct 8000 toilets in Namakkal district by sourcing money both from the Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan and the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme.

 This is the news roundup of April 26, 2014.

http://www.indiawaterportal.org/news/bangalore-water-mafia-goes-innovative-evade-law

------------------------------

Ecologists don't buy new Ganga rejuvenation plan

2014-06-04

There is no clear mandate for the new 'Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation' set up by the Modi government.

http://www.indiawaterportal.org/articles/ecologists-dont-buy-new-ganga-rejuvenation-plan

-----------------------------

Solutions to Indore's water problems don't have to be so expensive!

 2014-08-02

 The use of decentralized systems puts the onus on individuals more than the government or central bodies to provide Indore proper water and sanitation according to Rahul Banerjee.

 http://www.indiawaterportal.org/articles/solutions-indores-water-problems-dont-have-be-so-expensive


----------------------------

Govt to increase irrigation potential by 10%

Govt to increase irrigation potential by 10%
The move is cut down reliance on monsoon rain which sustains agriculture on 50% of the farmland in the country, says A B Pandya, chairman of the Central Water Commission. As of now, 97 million hectares of land is under irrigation
Himachal dam protesters charged with 'inciting communal riots'
31 women from the Gaddi tribe in Chamba district were arrested when they were protesting against the shifting of a 15 km long tunnel for the 180 megawatt Bajoli Holi hydel project. The dam will affect the forest rights and livelihood of four villages
Water a sop for voting in Pune villages
A businessman from Shirur Taluka Martand Bhimrao Dhamdhere announced three days of free bottled water for those who cast their votes these elections. Dhamdhere, who runs a mineral water business, claims he does not support any political party
Too much fertilizer drives fish away from India's coastline
Excess chemical fertilizers applied on crops gets washed away in water bodies, eventually mixing with sea water. The organic carbon thus produced uses up the oxygen in coastal waters, driving the fish away, said SWA Naqwi, the director of the National Institute of Oceanography
River conservation plan for Maharashtra
The plan, on the lines of the National River Conservation Plan, will fund schemes to clean up rivers, set up sewage treatment and water recycling plants. It will cover villages and towns located on the banks of rivers and with a minimum population of 15,000
Agra's free water scheme
For 30 years, the Sri Nath Ji Nishulk Jal Sewa has been running 70 water kiosks at all busy crossings of the city. The group, not a formal NGO, is run by 75 old men and women
A disastrous idea called river interlinking
Narendra Modi's claim that linking 20 rivers in Gujarat has increased agricultural growth by 10% demands scrutiny since most of the farming in the state is groundwater dependent: an analysis
This is the news roundup of April 14, 2014.

http://www.indiawaterportal.org/news/govt-increase-irrigation-potential-10

-------------------------

Deltas sinking, thanks to dams

Deltas sinking, thanks to dams
Major Indian deltas like the Ganga-Brahmaputra and the Krishna-Godavari are sinking because of proliferation of large dams that starve deltas of sediment, groundwater mining that causes land compaction and artificial embankments that affect river courses
Political parties have zero concern for rivers
Except for BJP's river interlinking plan, which itself is being condemned for its unscientific nature, there is no mention in political parties' manifestos about cleaning or reviving rivers
SC committee for shutting 23 out of 24 Uttarakhand hydel projects
Committee set up in October 2013 after the Supreme Court took note of a Wildlife Institute of India report that talked about extensive threat to biodiversity because of these proposed projects worth about 2683 Megawatt
Delhi govt faces flak over Najafgarh drain
The High Court slammed the Government for not cleaning one of the biggest storm water drains of the capital that merges with the Yamuna, resulting in emission of toxic gases, thanks to sewage from various small drains falling into it
Water in the way of environment minister Moily
Moily's 2009 electoral promise of a permanent solution to water woes in his constituency in Karnataka's Chikkaballpur remains unfulfilled even as he has laid the foundation of the controversial Yettinahole river diversion project
Chennai wants more packaged water
Packaged drinking water sale in the city expected to touch one crore litres per day in May. People believe bottled water to be better in quality as compared to piped water and like it for its taste
Dakshin Kannada village irked at water supply to IT industry
Three families in Kairangala village of this Karnataka district supply about 25 tankers of water from their borewells to industries in Mangalore including Infosys. Nearby residents suffering due to over-exploitation of groundwater but all pleas have fallen on deaf ears
Loan for toilet and clean water

GUARDIAN, an NGO based in Tamil Nadu, provides small loans to households to construct sanitation and water facilities within the house besides technical support to build low-cost toilets

This is the news roundup of April 9 and 10, 2014.

http://www.indiawaterportal.org/news/deltas-sinking-thanks-dams

--------------------------

Mining - An increasing threat to our rivers - Article by Nitya Jacob

2010-12-20

 Mining constitutes a major, and largely unrecognized, threat to our rivers. It takes away what we have and also destroys whatever is left of it.

http://www.indiawaterportal.org/articles/mining-increasing-threat-our-rivers-article-nitya-jacob

--------------------------

Marathwada on a suicide spree, again

Marathwada on a suicide spree, again

 After last year's drought, it is the hailstorm in February this year which led to large scale crop destruction. 73 farmers have committed suicide since then even as the numbers keep growing
World Bank rejects loan for Himachal hydro project
The Bank dropped the loan request for the Luhri hydropower project on the Sutlej river in upper Shimla, follwing a social and environmental impact assessment of the dam and its 38-km long tunnel by USAID
Kerala tribals boycott polls over Athirappilly dam
About 340 people from the Kadar tribe, living inside the forest zone of Chalakudy, refused to cast their vote to register their protest against the 163 mega watt dam project that will submerge their entire village
Implement 'Sujalam Sufalam' completely by 2015: Gujarat HC
The High Court has ordered the state govt to implement the scheme of water supply to North Gujarat's canals in full capacity of 2,000 cusecs before 2015 monsoon
Parched and dejected: villages in Ahmednagar
Water scarcity in this Maharashtra district force people clamour for even a pot of water from the tanker that comes only once in five days, making them lose hope in the elected government
Meet Ramakrishnappa, Bangalore's water harvester
Ramakrishnappa from Devanahalli began rainwater harvesting in 2001 when his borewell went dry and he couldn't continue farming. Since then, he has been building rainwater harvesting systems for people in and around his village
Pollution in Cuttack rivers of no concern to politicians
The two rivers Kathajodi and Mahanadi, considered the lifeline for Cuttack are dying from pollution even as the city reels under severe drinking water shortage and locals agitate against diversion of river water to industries



This is the news roundup of April 11, 2014.


http://www.indiawaterportal.org/news/marathwada-suicide-spree-again

-------------------------

No toilets for 52% Delhi slum kids

No toilets for 52% Delhi slum kids
Open defecation and lack of drinking water in the slums of Delhi leads to frequent instances of water-borne diseases, says a study conducted by the NGO Child Relief and You
Dams contribute to climate change: IPCC
The working group report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says reservoir of dams trap silt, increasing the impact of sea level rise besides affecting local options and increased flow fluctuations
Yamuna needs more water
The flow in the river in Delhi is around 30% during monsoon while it is just 16% during the rest of the year, says a study published in the journal Current Science. A river needs about 50-60% of the total monsoon flow to carry out its ecological functions, says the study
RO water at 10 paisa per litre in Rajasthan
The state government plans to set up 1000 plants with reverse osmosis water treatment system in rural areas. Villages with high level of fluoride in groundwater will be given priority in the first phase
Water biggest poll issue in Tamil Nadu
Be it water supply from the Cauvery river or pollution in the Noyyal and Cooum rivers, lack of clean drinking water is on everybody's mind when it comes to electing leaders
Politicians get a clean chit in Maharashtra irrigation scam
The Chitale Committee, which looked into the Rs 70,000 crore Maharashtra Irrigation scam, spent 14 months and Rs 2 crores on the probe but failed to address the issue of malpractices in the award of irrigation projects
Goa ranks No 9 on toilets
20% of the households in the state still lack toilets while 18% do not have access to treated water, according to a Planning commission statistics
Irrigation projects in Bihar district in limbo since 1972
Two unfinished reservoirs in the state's Jamui district have become a big poll issue, thanks to the farmers in the drought prone region who have now come together to fight the political apathy
Ban on manual scavenging, with a caveat
The SC ruling to abolish manual scavenging also talks about a compensation of Rs 10 lakhs for the families of those who die cleaning sewer lines, which in effect, means that the practise will continue
The importance of understanding rainfall
Understanding a region's rainfall pattern for the year in advance, helps to plan water requirements and sources to fulfill them. A case study from Bangalore
This is the news roundup of April 3 and 4, 2014.

http://www.indiawaterportal.org/news/no-toilets-52-delhi-slum-kids



-------------------------

Despite government funding, only 30% urban slums have toilets

 

 Toilet-less in urban slums (Source: bbc.co.uk)

News this week: Toilets in only 30% urban slums, pipeline being laid close to Golconda fort and 99 illegal dyeing units unearthed in Tirupur

 Welfare schemes not of much use to urban slums

A survey by the National Sample Survey Organisation has revealed that over 30% urban slums across India have no toilets or drainage facilities. This is inspite of fund allocation for the same from Central government welfare schemes such as the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission, Rajiv Awas Yojana and other state government schemes. The good news however is that 71% of all slums in the country have taps as a major source of drinking water.

Trench construction in close proximity of the historic Golconda fort

The Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board has been digging a trench within the prohibited precincts of the Golconda Fort, the city's main tourist attraction. The Board intends to lay a pipeline close to the monument protected by the Archaeological Survey of India. The pipeline is intended to improve water supply in the Golconda area as and when the Krishna Phase III materialises. The ASI, however, has not objected so far.

99 illegal dyeing units in Tirupur

The Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board unearthed 99 illegally operating dyeing and bleaching units in the industrial town of Tirupur. A High Court order in 2011 had directed closure of all knitwear units in Tirupur for discharging untreated effluents and polluting the river Noyyal. According to the Board officials, these units were operating in violation of the High Court order. A farmers’ body that filed the application in the Court asked that the common effluent treatment plants and individual effluent treatment plants should not be allowed to operate unless they achieved zero liquid discharge in the treatment process.  

Capital's regional planning board identifies only 12 lakes in its regional plan

The National Capital Region's Planning Board has listed only 12 lakes in the city as against thousands identified in the National Wetland Inventory and Assessment of the Environment Ministry. Environmentalists fear that if the draft plan is approved, it would mean that all these wetlands will no longer be protected and will become open to land sharks. The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage has raised objection to the Plan citing that it does not mention steps to demarcate water bodies and their catchments, groundwater recharge zones and floodplains.

Whale shark radio-collared in Gujarat

World's biggest fish, the whale shark, which is an annual visitor to the Gujarat coast, was succesfully satellite tagged in the coastal town of Sutrapada. The fish migrates to Gujarat in winters, travelling thousands of miles from Australia. The tagging was done when a female whale shark was accidently caught in a fishing net by members of a wildlife NGO. According to experts, tagging the fish will help explore new facts and data on whale shark habitats and provide precise information on migratory patterns, breeding and survival of the fish off the Gujarat coast

This is a weekly roundup of important news from December 29, 2013- January 4, 2014

http://www.indiawaterportal.org/articles/despite-government-funding-only-30-urban-slums-have-toilets

------------------------

Drinking water quality worst in Kerala: Report

 News this week: NSSO says drinking water quality worst in Kerala, migratory birds desert flooded wetland and villagers protest against hydel project in Uttarakhand.


Kerala scores worst in access to potable water: NSSO

According to a report by the National Sample Survey Organisation, only 29.5% rural households in Kerala have access to safe drinking water as compared to the national average of 88.5%. The survey counts bottled water, piped water into dwellings, piped water to plots, public taps, tube wells, protected wells, protected springs and rainwater collection as improved sources of drinking water. It does not cover individual wells in people's houses- prevalent in many parts of Kerala- as a source of clean drinking water. According to experts, only the rich can afford bottled water therefore its inclusion as one of the survey parameters is not justified.
First salt pans and now migratory birds affected by Narmada waters in Gujarat
Migratory birds have deserted Vadhvana wetlands near Vadodra following the release of excess water from the Narmada canals. In mid-December, salt pans in the Little Rann of Kutch were flooded by the Canal water, resulting in a huge loss for salt workers. The water level in the wetland, which usually remains at 12 feet, has gone up to 17 feet. The Forest Department's last bird count on December 20 was 36,700 migratory birds at the Vadhvana eco-site which has come down to 30,300 now. With 65 species of migratory birds visiting the area, Vadhvana is a tourist hotspot in winters.
Protests against hydel project in Uttarakhand

Villagers near Joshimath are protesting against a 171 MW hydropower project of the National Thermal Power Corporation. The people of Juagad and Jugju villages in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand say that the land in their village is sinking due to blasting and other work on the tunnel of the Lata Tapovan hydel project. According to the villagers, their objections at the public hearing for the project in 2009 were not taken into account. The locals fear flash floods following the rise in the level of the Dhauliganga river due to muck dumping from the dam.
Bangalore harvesting rain water but not using it

The Bangalore Municipal Corporation has found that not more than 10% of the buildings in Bangalore that have a rain water harvesting system are using the conserved water. Of the 38,000 buildings in the city that have a rain water harvesting system, only 3,800 building owners use the harvested water for drinking while the rest still depend on the Corporation. According to the residents, since the water is collected from the terrace and other areas where they usually walk, they feel that it is not fit for drinking. However, experts say that rain water is softer than groundwater which is hard and only needs to be disinfected before drinking.
Tourists' toilet practices reducing groundwater levels in Leh

The eco-friendly toilets used in the cold desert region of Ladakh have suffered a decline, thanks to the tourist influx in Leh, the region's main town. The Town that had dry pit toilets a few years back, the compost from which is used in agricultural fields, has water flush toilets in almost all its guest houses and hotels now. This has resulted in dirty streams and scarce groundwater. According to a study, 375 hotels in Leh are extracting 852,100 litres of water a day, a huge volume in this water scarce region. Leh recieved 2 lakh tourists this year, four times the town's native population.
This is a weekly roundup of important news from December 22-28
http://www.indiawaterportal.org/articles/drinking-water-quality-worst-kerala-report

------------------------

40% of Delhi houses not connected with sewerage network: Census

  2013-12-01

News this week: 40% people in Delhi live in houses without sewerage, cyclone Leher passes off peacefully and farmers affected by erosion in Tripura sell land. Share


40% people in the National capital live in houses not connected to sewerage network
According to the Census 2011, two in every five houses in Delhi are not connected to the sewerage network. 73% people in Northeast Delhi live in houses that use septic tanks or open drains for disposal of wastewater while 40% people in South Delhi do not have proper drainage. Only in Central Delhi, which is home to ministers and contains government buildings, is there a proper drainage network in place. According to the National Capital Region Planning Board, 65% of the urban population of Delhi was covered under sewerage network in 2001, which declined to 55% in 2011.
A weakened Lehar crossed Andhra coast peacefully
Cyclone Lehar, a third in line expected to hit the Andhra Pradesh coast last week after Phailin and Helen, weakened considerably before forming a depression in the sea and crossing the coastline. Lehar, which was predicted to be as severe as Phailin with a wind speed of 200 kms per hour, crossed the coastline at 30-40 kms per hour only. According to scientists, winds blowing from central India, the low winter temperature of water near the coast and wind shear resulted in Lehar weakening. More than 45,000 people were evacuated from Machillipatnam, where the cyclone was to hit the coast.

Fearing erosion, farmers in Tripura sell land
Facing soil erosion and the resultant loss in agriculture, farmers in the north-eastern state of Tripura have been selling land at low prices. As a result, brick kilns abound along the 10 rivers in the State where very few stood a decade ago. A major reason for the erosion is the changing course of rivers in the State. Over 40 villages have disappeared in one river valley alone. The phenomenon started in the 1980s when the State Government constructed embankments as part of flood control measures.

Salt pans render drinking water unpotable in Tuticorin
Salt pans dug on the riverbed of the Vembar river in Tuticorin have rendered the district's groundwater saline. The river, which is the drinking water source to villages in Tuticorin and Ramanathapuram districts, has many encroachments on its floodplains. Salt pans in over 12 acres of land are operating without proper clearances on the Vembar riverbed. Environment activists have written to the District Collector to take action against these salt pans that have changed the river course and thus pose danger of flooding to the agricultural land on the other side of the river.

Common effluent treatment plants in Maharashtra exceed standards

A weekly inspection conducted by the State Pollution Control Board has found only seven out of 23 common effluent treatment plants (CETPs) functioning in the state. Environment standards include Biological Oxygen Demand, pH and Chemical Oxygen Demand. The Pollution Control Board is required to conduct weekly inspection of all CETPs after the Bombay High Court order of November last year. The Court order was in response to a petition that asked the Court to ban all new industries in the State till the CETPs start functioning properly.
This is a weekly roundup of important news from November 24-30


http://www.indiawaterportal.org/articles/40-delhi-houses-not-connected-sewerage-network-census

------------------------

Gulf of Kutch is India's first marine eco-sensitive zone

 Policy Matters this week - Gulf of Kutch is India's first marine eco zone, Environment Ministry wants cess for shale gas exploration and NGT directs waste-to-energy plant to control emissions.


Gulf of Kutch will be India's first marine eco-sensitive zone
The 313 square km area around the marine national park of the Gulf of Kutch will be India's first marine eco-sensitive zone. 208 sq km of this is on the landward side while the remainder is on the seaside. The eco-zone will cover 32 billages and 31 rivers, which means no developmental activity except for residential purposes can take place there. Mining, including fresh water extraction as well as the release of polluted water and waste will be prohibited in the rivers of the eco-zone.
NGT tells waste treatment plant in Delhi to mend its ways
The National Green Tribunal has directed the waste-to-energy plant in the southern part of the capital to control its emissions and segregate waste. The tribunal has given three weeks' time to the project proponent Jindal Urban Infrastructure Ltd. They are to bring down the emission level of particulate matter, dioxins and furans within prescribed limits or face closure. A joint team of the Central Pollution Control Board and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee visited the plant in July this year and found emissions beyond limit. The plant started operation in 2012 only.
Chattisgarh on an organic mission
The Chattisgarh government launched its 'organic mission farming' last week in the districtsof Bastar, Bilaspur and Ambikapur. The state government proposes to provide infrastructure, knowledge and certification to farmers who opt for organic farming to help them get the best price for their produce.
MoEF wants water cess for shale gas explorers
Given the large amount of water used and polluted in shale gas extraction, the environment ministry has suggested that the Petroleum Ministry include water cess in its new policy on shale gas exploration. Shale gas is extracted from the sedimentary rocks below the earth surface. The major basins in India to be taken up during the first round of auctions for shale gas recovery will be Cambay, Krishna Godavari and Ranigunj.
Goa to increase area under SRI
Enthused by a bumper paddy crop last season thanks to the system of rice intensification (SRI), the Goa government is planning another one thousand hectares under SRI this year. In SRI, the yield is a minimum of one-and-half times to two times while using lesser seeds. While conventional paddy sowing requires 20 kg of seed per acre, the requirement is 16 kgs per acre for SRI. The state department of agriculture is aiming to bring 31,500 hectares under paddy cultivation this khareef and 15,700 hectares in the coming rabi season.

This is a weekly roundup of policy matters from September 9-15.

http://www.indiawaterportal.org/articles/gulf-kutch-indias-first-marine-eco-sensitive-zone


--------------------------------

20 canals cause 90% pollution in Hooghly

 Jul 15, 2017

KOLKATA: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) order that has banned dumping of garbage within half a kilometre of Ganga is most relevant for Kolkata and Howrah, say green activists and river experts, as untreated municipal waste discharged into the Hooghly makes it the most polluted stretch in its course.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/20-canals-cause-90-pollution-in-hooghly/articleshow/59604266.cms

-----------------------------

Damodar river pollution and health hazards.

Feb 2003

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12841494

-------------------------

India's polluted Ganges River threatens people's livelihoods

 2013

 The Ganges is India's holiest river, considered a source of spiritual purification for devout Hindus. But today the river is among the world's most polluted, struggling under the pressures of modern India.

http://www.dw.com/en/indias-polluted-ganges-river-threatens-peoples-livelihoods/a-17237276



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

River Ganga Named India's First Living Entity, Court Names Parents Too

 March 20, 2017

The river Ganga, said to be the cradle of Indian civilization, has been given the status of the "first living entity of India" by the Uttarakhand high court. The landmark judgment of the court gives Ganga rights similar to a living person, and is expected to have a positive bearing on efforts to clean up the polluted and much abused river. Similar status has been given to Yamuna, the tributary of Ganga, which, to the despair of courts, has practically become a sewer owing to dumping of untreated sewage and industrial pollutants. 

http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/river-ganga-named-indias-first-living-entity-court-names-parents-too-1671581

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dying "Mother Ganga": India's holy river succumbs to pollution

 July 10, 2017

DEVPRAYAG/VARANASI/SAGAR ISLAND, India (Reuters) - India’s holy Ganges begins as a crystal clear river high in the icy Himalayas but pollution and excessive usage transforms it into toxic sludge on its journey through burgeoning cities, industrial hubs and past millions of devotees.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-india-ganges/dying-mother-ganga-indias-holy-river-succumbs-to-pollution-idUSKBN19V0OG


--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Can India's Sacred But 'Dead' Yamuna River Be Saved?

 May 11, 2016

A fire crackles along the banks of the Yamuna River: a cremation of a young mother, struck by a car while she was fetching water.
The stench of the river engulfs the sad assembly.
Before the hissing funeral pyre, floating down the river, white blocks of what looks like detergent appear like icebergs. It is 95 degrees in Delhi this night. This is chemical waste from factories that have sprung up across the city, manufacturing leather goods, dyes and other goods.

Delhi is about a third of the way down the 855-mile Yamuna River. Its source is the Yamunotri glacier, crystal-clear water from the Himalayas. But by the time it moves down the eastern edge of India's capital, it exits as the dirtiest river in the country.

For the past 18 years, Mohammad Zamir, a laundry man and father of four, has beaten rags against rocks. Washing remnants used on factory assembly lines, he stands up to his knees in the filthy water from dawn to dusk.

Mishra walks along the banks, explaining that upstream, huge amounts of water are channeled off to irrigate farmlands, drastically reducing the river's flow. Just before the Yamuna enters Delhi, millions more gallons are siphoned off for Delhi's drinking water, shrinking the flow even further.
"A river that does not flow is no river," Mishra says. He sweeps an arm toward the stagnant water. "And as you can clearly see, there is no flow here. It's a toxic cocktail of sewage, industrial waste and surface runoff. Absolutely unfit for any use whatsoever."
Architect Pankaj Vir Gupta says no fresh water replenishes the entire 13-mile stretch through Delhi. Gupta runs a project with the University of Virginia to rejuvenate the Yamuna, and says only waste flows into this span of the river.
 "In fact," he says, "the only time in the year when the river is moderately clean is during the monsoon when fresh rainfall falls directly into the river."

Unbridled urbanization is partly to blame. Over the past two to three decades, new arrivals, drawn to the capital by a liberalized economy and a dearth of opportunities in their own villages, settled wherever they could. About a third of Delhi's 17 million residents live in settlements that are officially illegal — and are not connected to any municipal sewer service.
When this underserved population openly defecates, Delhi Water Board CEO Keshav Chandra says the waste finds its way into drains that dump directly into the river. "The infrastructure to take care of this incoming population could not cope up with this," he says.
But that's not the only thing that hasn't kept up. The Yamuna is a dumping ground because polluters get away with it.

"You will find every law in Delhi, but no enforcement," says Delhi Water Board member R.S. Tyagi, with a wry laugh. He says there's lax enforcement of laws against illegal dumping of arsenic, zinc and mercury, against pouring raw sewage into storm drains and against the illegal cultivation of crops on the contaminated floodplain.
The Yamuna is administered by no fewer than two dozen different local, state and national government agencies, Tyagi says, and that in itself is a problem. "In this way," he says, "nobody can be accountable."
The Yamuna supplies about a third of Delhi's drinking water, which gets channeled to a reservoir in the northernmost corner of the city before the river becomes toxic.

An experiment funded by the Delhi Development Authority and overseen by a team of scientists has a small section of the Yamuna floodplain thriving. Concrete high-rises loom on the periphery of this nature reserve, an oasis on the north edge of a noisy and polluted city.
This butterfly- and bird-filled wetland replicates the flora and fauna of what was here 100 years ago, according to field biologist Mohammad Faisal. He says thousands of migratory birds, 20 species of fish and 35 species of dragonflies have returned as a result of nurturing this conservation habitat over the past five years.

"Wetlands act as a nursery for the river itself," he says.
Artist and activist Ravi Agarwal says this 450-acre biodiversity park in the floodplain is the beginning of an overdue healing.
"Nature and the city become two oxymoronic words — they don't sit with each other. Earlier, they used to flow into each other, and there was a beautiful coexistence," he says.
Coexistence can revive the Yamuna, he says, but the residents of Delhi must want it.


http://www.npr.org/2016/05/11/477415686/can-indias-sacred-but-dead-yamuna-river-be-saved


---------------------------------------------

Toxic Air From Industrial Units Set up Away From Chennai’s Affluent Is Literally Blowing Back

 

 11/05/2017

 

Chennai can never dream of clean air as long as it considers the city’s edges – be it Ennore and Manali in the north or Alathur to the south – to be industrial sacrifice zones.

https://thewire.in/134553/ennore-air-pollution-fly-ash/

 ----------------------------------

North Chennai residents gasp for breath at fertiliser plant's discharges of ammonia gas

 

  Dec 19, 2016 

 

The Manali industrial enclave is a severely polluted industrial cluster in Tamil Nadu.

https://scroll.in/pulse/820023/in-north-chennai-residents-gasp-for-breath-at-a-fertiliser-plants-frequent-discharges-ofammonia-ga

--------------------------------------

5 Major Causes of Water Pollution in India

 

1. Urbanisation:

2. Industries:

3. Agricultural runoff and improper agricultural practices: 

4. Withdrawal of Water:

5. Religious and Social Practices:

Religious faith and social practices also add to pollution of our river waters. Carcasses of cattle and other animals are disposed in the rivers. Dead bodies are cremated on the river banks. Partially burnt bodies are also flung into the river. All this is done as a matter of religious faith and in keeping with ancient rituals. These practices pollute the river water and adversely affect the water quality.
Mass bathing in a river during religious festivals is another environmentally harmful practice. Studies have revealed that the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) goes up drastically when thousands of people simultaneously take a ‘holy dip’. Religious practices also demand that offerings from a puja be immersed in a river. It is now common to see people immersing offerings in plastic bags. Plastic bags are very dangerous and further add to the pollution load of the river.

 

http://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/water-pollution/5-major-causes-of-water-pollution-in-india/19764/



--------------------------------------------------------------------------


Poop Trouble: India to Fine Airlines for Mid-Air Dumping of Human Excreta

 21.12.2016

Alarmed by disgorging of human excreta by airlines while landing, the India’s `Green Tribunal’ has ordered surprise checks of waste tanks of aircraft. The airlines will be levied a fine of $ 750 if the waste tank is found empty on landing. It has fined the Environment Ministry for not addressing citizen complaints in this respect.

https://sputniknews.com/asia/201612211048839927-india-airlines-excreta/


---------------------------

The Yamuna River – Case Study of a Polluted River in India

 2016

 Though the Yamuna starts getting polluted by pesticides and fertilisers as it enters Haryana, most of the pollution occurs in Delhi. More than 10 million people live in Delhi. Yet it does not have a proper sewage disposal system.

Nineteen drains from Delhi open into the Yamuna. At one time, these carried rainwater. But because of the poor sewage disposal system, water carrying sewage is discharged into these drains, from where it finds its way to the river.
In Delhi, along a stretch, the Yamuna is choked by water hyacinth—a weed. This is an example of eutrophication. Dead fish are also found in the river as soon as the monsoon begins. This is due to the sudden increase in pesticide and other pollutant levels.
Industrial wastes also find their way into the river from large industrial units (22 in Haryana, 42 in Delhi and 17 in Uttar Pradesh) and many small industrial units. Surprisingly, though Delhi constitutes only 2% of the catchment area, it is responsible for 80% of the pollution of the river.


http://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/rivers/the-yamuna-river-case-study-of-a-polluted-river-in-india/31894/

-----------------------

STUDIES ON WATER QUALITY AND MACROPHYTE COMPOSITION IN WETLANDS OF BANKURA DISTRICT, WEST BENGAL, INDIA

 December 2013

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/257956947_STUDIES_ON_WATER_QUALITY_AND_MACROPHYTE_COMPOSITION_IN_WETLANDS_OF_BANKURA_DISTRICT_WEST_BENGAL_INDIA

--------------------------

 An Analysis on the Sanitation Condition and Suitable Measures to Achieve the Goal, A Case Study on Bankura District, West Bengal

 2017

http://www.theijes.com/papers/vol6-issue2/A0602010105.pdf

-------------------------

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS FOR PRESENCE OF CHLORIDE IN WATER AT DIFFERENT LOCATIONS OF UPPER LAKE IN MADHAYA PRADESH STATE OF INDIA

 2015

Abstract

In this article, we discuss about the recently collected sample of water at different locations in Madhya Pradesh State of India and its experimental analysis in laboratory for the presence of Chloride. Also, we represents the data graphically and interpreted the data using the method called analysis of variance. Further, we capare our findings with the established results. Lastly we concluded that there is no significant different between the samples of various areas.

 http://www.indiawaterportal.org/news/water-analysis-chloride-presence


--------------------

Kitchen Air Pollution in India

2015

http://content.iospress.com/articles/asian-journal-of-water-environment-and-pollution/ajw12-2-11

------------------------

Harmful Impact of ZnS Nanoparticles on Daphnia sp. in the Western Part (Districts of Bankura and Purulia) of West Bengal, India

 2013

 Abstract

ZnS nanoparticles of different sizes are synthesized employing a simple wet chemical method. These nanoparticles are used to study their impact on the Daphnia sp. through traditional toxicity tests. The percentage of mortality is found to increase initially with increasing nanoparticle concentration or exposure time and is finally found to saturate for higher concentrations or exposure times. Mortality is found to be higher for smaller particles. Hopping frequency and heart rate are also found to increase with increasing nanoparticle exposure time for a fixed nanoparticle concentration. These observations can be attributed to the enhanced surface photooxidation property of the ZnS nanoparticles. Thus the present study will help people to understand the hitherto unknown harmful impact of ZnS nanoparticles on aquatic organisms in the western part of West Bengal (Bankura and Purulia districts), India.

https://www.hindawi.com/journals/isrn/2013/207239/

---------------------------

IGSC Planetarium Complex, Patna Air Pollution: Real-time Air Quality Index (AQI)

http://aqicn.org/city/india/patna/igsc-planetarium-complex/


------------------------------


 Top 10 Most Polluted Places 2007

• Sumgayit, Azerbaijan

• Linfen, China

• Tianying, China

• Sukinda, India

• Vapi, India (Update: Removed from list due to significant improvements)

• La Oroya, Peru

• Dzerzinsk, Russia

• Norilsk, Russia

• Chernobyl, Ukraine

• Kabwe, Zambia

http://www.worstpolluted.org/




 ----------------------------------------

Lead levels in rice imported from Taiwan and China are up to 60 TIMES higher than recommended 'safe' levels for children

 11 April 201
  
 Czech Republic, Bhutan, Italy, India and Thailand rice also caused alarm

Children are particularly vulnerable to lead poisoning

Rice imported from some countries contains high levels of lead that could pose a health risk to children, researchers have claimed.
US experts detected concentrations of lead ranging from six to 12 milligrams per kilogram in rice from several sources.

The highest amounts were seen in rice originating from China and Taiwan.
Significantly high levels were also found in samples from the Czech Republic, Bhutan, Italy, India and Thailand.
All these countries export rice to the UK.
Infants and children consuming the rice would be exposed to lead levels 30 to 60 times higher than the tolerable safety limits set by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), said the study authors.

 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2307444/Lead-levels-rice-imported-U-S-Taiwan-China-60-TIMES-higher-recommended-safe-levels.html

 ------------------------------------------


 Toxin Found in Most U.S. Rice Causes Genetic Damage

 August 2, 2013


Researchers from the University of Manchester and the CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology studied 400 people living in the West Bengal region of India for whom rice was a dietary staple but who were not exposed to arsenic through other sources, such as drinking water.
They collected subjects’ urine and screened thousands of cells shed from the lining of the urinary tract (found floating in urine). They focused on these cells because they can be acquired through a simple non-invasive procedure and because arsenic has been linked to diseases of the gastrointestinal system.

The researchers were specifically looking for micronuclei, aberrant nucleus-like growths that form in damaged cells. Micronuclei testing is a standard screening measure for compounds that cause genetic damage (sometimes referred to as genotoxic), and which are thus considered a cancer risk. Arsenic is linked to a host of human cancers, including malignancies of both bladder and lungs.

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/crux/?p=3361#.UiwKoT-wU99



 ---------------------------------------------

What are some of the rarest natural phenomena that occur in India?

https://www.quora.com/What-are-some-of-the-rarest-natural-phenomena-that-occur-in-India

------------------------------------------

Bird myth busted, but mystery continues

   
March 18 , 2013

Dima Hasao administration wants to cash in on Jatinga puzzle to attract tourists

Haflong, March 17: His eyes light up at the mention of the birds. Last year, he alone killed 30 of them.

Bansaindr Suchiang, a Class X student and resident of Jatinga village, about 9km from here, is not alone. Other residents of the village, too, wait for the time when the birds flock to Jatinga, never to return as they fall prey to waiting sticks and other instruments of death.

“They taste nice,” Suchiang recalled, the glint in his eyes clear.

The myth about Jatinga’s bird suicide is long exploded, but the mystery of the winged visitors said to arrive only at nights at a certain time of the year — between August and October — in certain weather conditions and drawn to light remains; It is when these birds drop to the ground near the lights that they are captured or clubbed to death. “We switch on lights or light lanterns to attract the birds,” Suchiang said.

It is this mystery that the Dima Hasao Autonmous Council seeks to promote as a means to lure tourists.

https://www.telegraphindia.com/1130318/jsp/northeast/story_16684585.jsp

---------------------------------------------

Birds decreasing in ‘suicide spot’ of Jatinga

  July 20, 2015 

Assam’s Jatinga village, known the world over as the “suicide spot” of birds, may lose the misnomer as the number of winged guests flying into the place has reduced drastically over the past few years.
“Bird arrival is very scarce these days at Jatinga and the number of birds being killed by villagers has also come down,” eminent ornithologist Anwaruddin Choudhury told PTI.
Choudhury, dubbed the “Birdman of Assam”, has done field surveys to understand the mysterious behaviour of the avian species in the tiny hamlet nestled in the North Cachar Hills near Haflong.
Bikash Brahma, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests of Dima Hasao, also agreed, saying not only killings but also the number of birds arriving at the village has been declining gradually since the last few years.
“Earlier birds were killed but due to the awareness campaign run by the forest department such incidents have reduced substantially now,” he said.
The birds are drawn by lights at houses and floodlight of watchtowers during certain times when fog, drizzle and south-westerly winds come together on a moonless night in the months of September-October.
After reaching the village they get disoriented and unable to fly they hit the walls and fall easy prey to hunters who attack them with bamboo poles.
This phenomenon is often wrongly known as suicide by birds.

 http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/birds-decreasing-in-suicide-spot-of-jatinga/article7443733.ece

 --------------------------------------------

10 of world's 20 most polluted cities in India : List inside

 May 15, 2017

 http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/health-news/10-of-worlds-20-most-polluted-cities-in-india-list-inside/articleshow/52249911.cms

 ----------------------------------------

Gwalior is the most polluted Indian city, not Delhi: WHO report

 

 Sep 2016

Comparing between Indian cities on levels of particulate matter PM10 and the more harmful PM2.5, Delhi features in the top lists in India. In terms of pollution levels, Delhi ranks fourth in PM10 list and and fifth in the PM2.5 list.

 http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/gwalior-is-the-most-polluted-indian-city-not-delhi-who-report-3052946/

-----------------------------------------

China and India ignore UN watercourses convention

  18.08.2014

As the UN Convention on International Watercourses comes into force, we ask experts if it can lower regional frictions over access to water

 https://www.chinadialogue.net/blog/7229-China-and-India-ignore-UN-watercourses-convention/en

  ----------------------------------------

List of most polluted cities by particulate matter concentration

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_most_polluted_cities_by_particulate_matter_concentration

This list contains the top 500 cities by PM2.5 annual mean concentration measurement whose measurement is greater than or equal to the air quality guideline (AQG) of 10 as documented by the World Health Organization covering the period from 2008 to 2015, with the majority of values being more recent than 2013. The 2016 version of the WHO database contains results of ambient (outdoor) air pollution monitoring from almost 3000 towns and cities in 103 countries. Air quality in the database is represented by the annual mean concentration of particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5, i.e. particles smaller than 10 or 2.5 micrometres, respectively).

Position	Country	Town/City	PM2.5	PM2.5 Year	PM10	PM10 Year
1	Iran	Zabol	217	2012	527	2012
2	India	Gwalior	176	2012	329	2012
3	India	Allahabad	170	2012	317	2012
4	Saudi Arabia	Riyadh	156	2014	368	2014
5	Saudi Arabia	Al Jubail	152	2014	359	2014
6	India	Patna	149	2013	167	2012
7	India	Raipur	144	2012	268	2012
8	Cameroon	Bamenda	132	2012	141	2012
9	China	Xingtai	128	2014	193	2014
10	China	Baoding	126	2014	190	2014
11	India	Delhi	122	2013	229	2012
12	India	Ludhiana	122	2012	228	2012
13	China	Shijiazhuang	121	2014	305	2013
14	Saudi Arabia	Dammam	121	2014	286	2014
15	India	Kanpur	115	2012	215	2012
16	India	Khanna	114	2012	213	2012
17	India	Firozabad	113	2012	212	2012
18	India	Lucknow	113	2012	211	2012
19	China	Handan	112	2014	169	2014
20	Pakistan	Lahore	111	2010	540	2010
21	India	Amritsar	108	2012	202	2012
22	India	Gobindgarh	108	2012	201	2012
23	Pakistan	Rawalpindi	107	2010	448	2010
24	China	Hengshui	107	2014	161	2014
25	Bangladesh	Narayangonj	106	2014	191	2014
26	Iran	Bushehr	105	2010	255	2010
27	India	Agra	105	2012	196	2012
28	Uganda	Kampala	104	2013	170	2013
29	China	Tangshan	102	2014	153	2014
30	India	Jodhpur	101	2012	189	2012
31	India	Dehradun	100	2012	188	2012
32	India	Jaipur	100	2012	187	2012
33	India	Howrah	100	2012	186	2012
34	India	Ahmedabad	100	2013	83	2012
35	India	Faridabad	98	2012	184	2012
36	Saudi Arabia	Yanbu	97	2014	230	2014
37	China	Langfang	96	2014	144	2014
38	Iran	Ahvaz	95	2010	231	2010
39	India	Dhanbad	95	2012	178	2012
40	Bangladesh	Chittagong	95	2014	135	2014
41	India	Bhopal	93	2012	173	2012
42	Qatar	Doha	93	2012	168	2012
43	Nigeria	Kaduna	90	2013	423	2013
44	India	Khurja	90	2012	168	2012
45	Bangladesh	Dhaka	90	2014	158	2014
46	Bangladesh	Gazipur	89	2014	155	2014
47	Pakistan	Karachi	88	2009	290	2009
48	Kuwait	Al Shuwaikh	88	2014	212	2014
49	Iraq	Baghdad	88	2015	208	2015
50	China	Cangzhou	88	2014	133	2014
51	India	Raebareli	87	2012	163	2012
52	China	Tianjin	87	2014	150	2013
53	Afghanistan	Kabul	86	2009	260	2009
54	China	Zhengzhou	86	2014	171	2013
55	Qatar	Al Wakrah	85	2012	152	2012
56	Bangladesh	Barisal	85	2014	142	2014
57	China	Beijing	85	2014	108	2013
58	India	Kota	84	2012	156	2012
59	India	Udaipur	83	2012	155	2012
60	India	Alwar	81	2012	152	2012
61	Republic of Macedonia	Tetovo	81	2013	140	2013
62	China	Wuhan	80	2014	124	2013
63	India	Chandrapur	79	2012	148	2012
64	China	Anyang	79	2014	119	2014
65	China	Hefei	79	2014	115	2013
66	Myanmar	Pyin Oo Lwin	78	2012	140	2012
67	China	Shouguang	78	2014	117	2014
68	Egypt	Greater Cairo	76	2013	179	2013
69	India	Indore	76	2012	143	2012
70	Myanmar	Taungoo	76	2013	137	2013
71	Myanmar	Kyaukphyu	76	2009	136	2009
72	Mongolia	Ulaanbaatar	75	2010	165	2010
73	India	Jalandhar	75	2012	140	2012
74	Kuwait	Ali Subah Al-Salem	74	2014	179	2014
75	Saudi Arabia	Makkah	74	2014	176	2014
76	India	Akola	74	2012	139	2012
77	India	Varanasi	74	2012	138	2012
78	China	Jingzhou	74	2014	112	2014
79	China	Changsha	74	2014	94	2013
80	India	Noida	73	2012	136	2012
81	China	Nanjing	72	2014	137	2013
82	China	Shenyang	72	2014	129	2013
83	Egypt	Delta region	71	2013	167	2013
84	China	Chengdu	71	2014	150	2013
85	Myanmar	Namkham	71	2012	127	2012
86	China	Harbin	71	2014	119	2013
87	China	Xi'an	70	2014	189	2013
88	India	Jalgaon	70	2012	130	2012
89	China	Kaifeng	70	2014	106	2014
90	China	Yichang	70	2014	106	2014
91	China	Pingdingshan	70	2014	105	2014
92	China	Xiangtan	70	2014	105	2014
93	China	Yangquan	70	2014	105	2014
94	India	Meerut	69	2012	129	2012
95	Myanmar	Mawlamyaing	69	2012	124	2012
96	China	Zhuzhou	69	2014	105	2014
97	Afghanistan	Mazar-e Sharif	68	2009	334	2009
98	Pakistan	Lahore	68	2010	198	2010
99	Kuwait	Al-Mansouriya	68	2014	165	2014
100	Saudi Arabia	Jeddah	68	2014	161	2014
101	China	Jiaozuo	68	2014	103	2014
102	China	Laiwu	68	2014	103	2014
103	China	Jiangyin	68	2014	102	2014
104	China	Suqian	68	2014	102	2014
105	China	Weinan	68	2014	102	2014
106	China	Taiyuan	67	2014	157	2013
107	Mauritius	Beau Bassin/Rose Hill, Coromandel	67	2011	131	2011
108	India	Raniganj	67	2012	126	2012
109	Myanmar	Yenanchaung	67	2009	120	2009
110	Turkey	Batman	67	2012	109	2012
111	Turkey	Hakkari	67	2012	109	2012
112	Cameroon	Bafoussam	67	2012	105	2012
113	China	Changzhi	67	2014	101	2014
114	China	Wuxi	67	2014	101	2014
115	Nigeria	Onitsha	66	2009	594	2009
116	Bahrain	Hamad Town	66	2012	318	2012
117	Pakistan	Islamabad	66	2011	217	2011
118	Turkey	Gaziantep	66	2012	108	2012
119	China	Xuzhou	66	2014	100	2014
120	China	Zhenjiang	66	2014	99	2014
121	Saudi Arabia	Medina	65	2014	153	2014
122	Bosnia and Herzegovina	Tuzla	65	2010	106	2010
123	China	Changzhou	65	2014	99	2014
124	China	Anshan	65	2014	98	2014
125	China	Baoji	65	2014	98	2014
126	China	Huai'an	65	2014	98	2014
127	China	Liuzhou	65	2014	98	2014
128	China	Xianyang	65	2014	98	2014
129	China	Jurong	65	2014	97	2014
130	China	Yangzhou	65	2014	97	2014
131	Bahrain	Ma'ameer	64	2012	257	2012
132	Kuwait	Al-Ahmadi	64	2014	168	2014
133	Kuwait	Al-Salam	64	2014	153	2014
134	China	Urumqi	64	2014	146	2013
135	China	Changchun	64	2014	130	2013
136	India	Navi Mumbai	64	2012	120	2012
137	India	Jammu	64	2012	119	2012
138	China	Shaoxing	64	2014	105	2013
139	China	Suzhou	64	2014	97	2014
140	China	Tongchuan	64	2014	97	2014
141	China	Zigong	64	2014	97	2014
142	China	Sanmenxia	64	2014	96	2014
143	Chile	Coyhaique	64	2014	75	2014
144	India	Bangalore	63	2012	118	2012
145	India	Mumbai	63	2013	117	2012
146	China	Huzhou	63	2014	111	2013
147	China	Jinhua	63	2014	99	2013
148	China	Liaocheng	63	2014	96	2014
149	China	Xining	62	2014	163	2013
150	United Arab Emirates	Al Gharbia - Bida Zayed	62	2013	146	2013
151	China	Linfen	62	2014	94	2014
152	Bangladesh	Sylhet	61	2014	170	2014
153	United Arab Emirates	Al Gharbia - Gayathi	61	2013	145	2013
154	India	Kolkata	61	2014	135	2012
155	Bangladesh	Khulna	61	2014	109	2014
156	China	Chongqing	61	2014	106	2013
157	China	Hangzhou	61	2014	106	2013
158	Turkey	Siirt	61	2012	101	2012
159	China	Lianyungang	61	2014	92	2014
160	China	Wuhu	61	2014	92	2014
161	China	Taizhou	61	2014	82	2013
162	South Africa	Hartebeespoort	60	2014	119	2014
163	Turkey	Afyon	60	2012	98	2012
164	China	Heze	60	2014	91	2014
165	China	Qinhuangdao	60	2014	91	2014
166	China	Zhangjiagang	60	2014	91	2014
167	China	Fuyang	60	2014	90	2014
168	China	Nantong	60	2014	90	2014
169	India	Chandigarh	59	2012	110	2012
170	India	Jhansi	59	2012	110	2012
171	India	Kolhapur	59	2012	110	2012
172	China	Dezhou	59	2014	90	2014
173	China	Wafangdian	59	2014	88	2014
174	China	Yiwu	59	2014	88	2014
175	China	Zhuji	59	2014	88	2014
176	India	Hyderabad	59	2014	79	2012
177	Bahrain	Nabih Saleh	58	2012	244	2012
178	China	Lanzhou	58	2014	153	2013
179	Kuwait	Al-Rumaithyia	58	2014	141	2014
180	India	Rishikesh	58	2012	109	2012
181	India	Sibsagar	58	2012	109	2012
182	India	Durgapur	58	2012	108	2012
183	China	Pingdu	58	2014	88	2014
184	China	Korla	58	2014	87	2014
185	China	Lin'an	58	2014	87	2014
186	India	Angul	57	2012	106	2012
187	China	Quzhou	57	2014	94	2013
188	Turkey	Karaman	57	2012	93	2012
189	China	Maanshan	57	2014	87	2014
190	China	Nanchong	57	2014	86	2014
191	China	Yancheng	57	2014	86	2014
192	United Arab Emirates	Al Gharbia - Liwa Oasis	56	2013	133	2013
193	United Arab Emirates	Abu Dhabi	56	2013	132	2013
194	China	Jiaxing	56	2014	94	2013
195	China	Luoyang	56	2014	85	2014
196	China	Panjin	56	2014	85	2014
197	China	Wujiang	56	2014	85	2014
198	China	Dalian	56	2014	84	2014
199	China	Huludao	56	2014	84	2014
200	China	Laixi	56	2014	84	2014
201	China	Laizhou	56	2014	84	2014
202	China	Linyi	56	2014	84	2014
203	India	Bhilai	55	2012	103	2012
204	India	Nagda	55	2012	103	2012
205	India	Nagpur	55	2012	103	2012
206	India	Vadodara	55	2012	102	2012
207	China	Zhaoqing	55	2014	85	2013
208	China	Jinzhou	55	2014	84	2014
209	China	Guilin	55	2014	83	2014
210	China	Taian	55	2014	83	2014
211	China	Taicang	55	2014	82	2014
212	China	Zhaoyuan	55	2014	82	2014
213	China	Zibo	55	2014	82	2014
214	Jordan	Al-Zarqa	54	2015	128	2015
215	India	Jamnagar	54	2012	101	2012
216	India	Amravati	54	2012	100	2012
217	India	Vapi	54	2012	100	2012
218	Turkey	Igdir	54	2012	88	2012
219	China	Benxi	54	2014	81	2014
220	China	Dongying	54	2014	81	2014
221	China	Jining	54	2014	81	2014
222	China	Yixing	54	2014	81	2014
223	Iran	Kermanshah	53	2011	130	2011
224	India	Anklesvar	53	2012	100	2012
225	India	Baddi	53	2012	99	2012
226	India	Rajkot	53	2012	99	2012
227	China	Binzhou	53	2014	80	2014
228	China	Changde	53	2014	80	2014
229	China	Chengde	53	2014	80	2014
230	China	Fushun	53	2014	80	2014
231	China	Jiaonan	53	2014	79	2014
232	China	Jiaozhou	53	2014	79	2014
233	China	Jinan	52	2014	199	2013
234	United Arab Emirates	Al Ain	52	2013	123	2013
235	India	Rourkela	52	2012	98	2012
236	India	Surat	52	2012	97	2012
237	Turkey	Isparta	52	2012	86	2012
238	Turkey	Duzce	52	2012	85	2012
239	China	Shanghai	52	2014	84	2013
240	China	Liyang	52	2014	78	2014
241	China	Yibin	52	2014	78	2014
242	India	Nashik	51	2012	95	2012
243	Myanmar	Nyaung Oo	51	2013	91	2013
244	Turkey	Bitlis	51	2012	84	2012
245	China	Baotou	51	2014	77	2014
246	China	Haimen	51	2014	77	2014
247	China	Jimo	51	2014	77	2014
248	South Africa	Pretoria]	51	2014	63	2014
249	Myanmar	Kyauk Pa Taung	50	2013	89	2013
250	Turkey	Cankiri	50	2012	83	2012
251	Turkey	Muş	50	2012	83	2012
252	Turkey	Osmaniye	50	2012	82	2012
253	Turkey	Sakarya	50	2012	82	2012
254	China	Jilin	50	2014	76	2014
255	China	Luzhou	50	2014	75	2014
256	China	Mudanjiang	50	2014	75	2014
257	Nigeria	Aba	49	2009	373	2009
258	Kuwait	Al-Jahra	49	2014	117	2014
259	China	Nanchang	49	2014	116	2013
260	India	Dewas	49	2012	92	2012
261	India	Guwahati	49	2012	92	2012
262	India	Pune	49	2012	92	2012
263	Nepal	Kathmandu	49	2013	88	2013
264	China	Guiyang	49	2014	85	2013
265	Turkey	Bolu	49	2012	80	2012
266	Turkey	Nigde	49	2012	80	2012
267	China	Changshu	49	2014	74	2014
268	China	Dandong	49	2014	74	2014
269	China	Zunyi	49	2014	74	2014
270	China	Weifang	49	2014	73	2014
271	China	Yueyang	49	2014	73	2014
272	Cameroon	Yaoundé	49	2012	65	2012
273	India	Silchar	48	2012	91	2012
274	India	Dimapur	48	2012	90	2012
275	Peru	Lima	48	2013	88	2013
276	China	Shaoguan	48	2014	73	2014
277	China	Yan'an	48	2014	73	2014
278	China	Zaozhuang	48	2014	73	2014
279	China	Guangzhou	48	2014	72	2013
280	China	Jintan	48	2014	72	2014
281	China	Rushan	48	2014	72	2014
282	China	Yinchuan	47	2014	118	2013
283	Kuwait	Al-Mutla	47	2014	114	2014
284	Iran	Hamadan	47	2013	114	2013
285	Iran	Pakdasht	47	2013	113	2013
286	China	Nanning	47	2014	90	2013
287	India	Naya Nangal	47	2012	89	2012
288	Turkey	Burdur	47	2012	78	2012
289	Turkey	Ankara	47	2012	77	2012
290	Turkey	Kayseri	47	2012	77	2012
291	Turkey	Kutahya	47	2012	77	2012
292	China	Zhangjiajie	47	2014	71	2014
293	China	Zhangqiu	47	2014	71	2014
294	Kuwait	Saad Al-Abdullah	46	2014	112	2014
295	Iran	Isfahan	46	2012	111	2012
296	China	Qingdao	46	2014	106	2013
297	China	Wenzhou	46	2014	94	2013
298	China	Kunshan	46	2014	69	2014
299	China	Penglai	46	2014	69	2014
300	China	Wendeng	46	2014	69	2014
301	Iran	Yasuj	45	2013	109	2013
302	Iran	Shiraz	45	2012	108	2012
303	China	Ningbo	45	2014	86	2013
304	Turkey	Edirne	45	2012	74	2012
305	Republic of Macedonia	Skopje	45	2013	74	2013
306	Turkey	Çorum	45	2012	73	2012
307	Turkey	Denizli	45	2012	73	2012
308	China	Deyang	45	2014	68	2014
309	Bahrain	Ras Hayan	44	2012	250	2012
310	Nigeria	Owerri	44	2009	158	2009
311	Kuwait	Al-Fahaheel	44	2014	107	2014
312	Brazil	Santa Gertrudes	44	2014	95	2014
313	Philippines	Baguio City	44	2013	84	2013
314	China	Foshan	44	2014	83	2013
315	India	Solapur	44	2012	83	2012
316	India	Balasore	44	2012	82	2012
317	India	Kohima	44	2012	82	2012
318	Bolivia	La Paz	44	2013	82	2013
319	India	Nalbari	44	2012	82	2012
320	India	Ramagundam	44	2012	82	2012
321	Myanmar	Sintgaing	44	2009	80	2009
322	Myanmar	Thaungtha	44	2009	80	2009
323	Turkey	Urfa	44	2012	72	2012
324	Turkey	Adiyaman	44	2012	71	2012
325	China	Mianyang	44	2014	66	2014
326	India	Chennai	44	2014	57	2012
327	China	Hohhot	43	2014	146	2013
328	Iran	Robatkarim	43	2013	105	2013
329	India	Bhubaneswar	43	2012	81	2012
330	India	Korba	43	2012	81	2012
331	India	Aurangabad	43	2012	80	2012
332	India	Berhampur	43	2012	80	2012
333	India	Parwanoo	43	2012	80	2012
334	India	Sangli	43	2012	80	2012
335	India	Ujjain	43	2012	80	2012
336	Bhutan	Thimphu	43	2012	78	2012
337	China	Jiangmen	43	2014	77	2013
338	Turkey	Aydin	43	2012	71	2012
339	Turkey	Kahramanmaras	43	2012	71	2012
340	Turkey	Mugla	43	2012	71	2012
341	Turkey	Zonguldak	43	2012	71	2012
342	China	Lishui	43	2014	69	2013
343	China	Chaozhou	43	2014	65	2014
344	China	Dongguan	43	2014	65	2013
345	Poland	Pszczyna	43	2013	58	2013
346	Poland	Zywiec	43	2013	58	2013
347	Iran	Varamin	42	2013	102	2013
348	India	Nagaon	42	2012	79	2012
349	India	Nalgonda	42	2012	79	2012
350	Montenegro	Pljevlja	42	2014	77	2014
351	El Salvador	San Salvador	42	2014	77	2014
352	Myanmar	Kathar	42	2013	76	2013
353	Turkey	Diyarbakir	42	2012	69	2012
354	Turkey	Gumushane	42	2012	69	2012
355	Turkey	Tekirdag	42	2012	69	2012
356	Turkey	Uşak	42	2012	69	2012
357	Turkey	Malatya	42	2012	68	2012
358	China	Datong	42	2014	63	2014
359	China	Qingyuan	42	2014	63	2014
360	Bulgaria	Dimitrovgad	42	2013	59	2013
361	Bahrain	Hidd	41	2012	178	2012
362	Iran	Sanandaj	41	2010	100	2010
363	South Africa	Johannesburg	41	2011	85	2010
364	Turkey	Aksaray	41	2012	68	2012
365	Turkey	Kirikkale	41	2012	67	2012
366	China	Shizuishan	41	2014	62	2014
367	Guatemala	Guatemala	41	2013	56	2013
368	Colombia	La Estrella	41	2014	47	2014
369	Nigeria	Umuahia	40	2009	274	2009
370	India	Davanagere	40	2012	75	2012
371	India	Guntur	40	2012	75	2012
372	India	Trichy	40	2012	75	2012
373	India	Kurnool	40	2012	74	2012
374	Republic of Macedonia	Bitola	40	2013	69	2013
375	Iran	Tabriz	40	2013	68	2012
376	Turkey	Van	40	2012	65	2012
377	China	Yingkou	40	2014	61	2014
378	China	Beihai	40	2014	60	2014
379	China	Chifeng	40	2014	60	2014
380	China	Heyuan	40	2014	60	2014
381	China	Jieyang	40	2014	60	2014
382	China	Jiujiang	40	2014	60	2014
383	Poland	Rybnik	40	2013	53	2013
384	India	Thane	39	2012	73	2012
385	Turkey	Bayburt	39	2012	65	2012
386	Turkey	Konya	39	2012	65	2012
387	Poland	Opoczno	39	2013	53	2013
388	Poland	Sucha Beskidzka	39	2013	53	2013
389	Poland	Wodzislaw Slaski	39	2013	53	2013
390	Tunisia	Tunis	38	2010	90	2010
391	India	Kochi	38	2012	70	2012
392	China	Zhongshan	38	2014	66	2013
393	China	Rizhao	38	2014	57	2014
394	China	Rongcheng	38	2014	57	2014
395	China	Shantou	38	2014	57	2014
396	Bulgaria	Dolny Voden	38	2013	54	2013
397	Poland	Godow[disambiguation needed]	38	2013	51	2013
398	Iran	Shahryar	37	2013	91	2013
399	Iran	Urmia	37	2011	91	2011
400	Iran	Sari	37	2012	90	2012
401	Tunisia	Sfax	37	2010	87	2010
402	Bangladesh	Rajshahi	37	2014	64	2014
403	Turkey	Ardahan	37	2012	61	2012
404	Madagascar	Antananarivo	37	2008	60	2008
405	Turkey	Bartin	37	2012	60	2012
406	Bulgaria	Montana	37	2013	52	2013
407	Poland	Krakow	37	2013	51	2013
408	Poland	Skawina	37	2013	50	2013
409	Mexico	Monterrey	36	2011	86	2011
410	Jordan	Amman	36	2015	68	2015
411	India	Coimbatore	36	2012	68	2012
412	India	Cuttack	36	2012	68	2012
413	India	Panaji	36	2012	67	2012
414	Sri Lanka	Colombo	36	2011	64	2011
415	China	Xiamen	36	2014	62	2013
416	Honduras	Tegucigalpa	36	2013	59	2013
417	Turkey	Kilis	36	2012	58	2012
418	China	Daqing	36	2014	54	2014
419	Bulgaria	Varna	36	2013	51	2013
420	Poland	Knurow	36	2013	48	2013
421	Poland	Niepolomice	36	2013	48	2013
422	Poland	Tuchow	36	2013	48	2013
423	Poland	Nowy Sacz	36	2013	45	2013
424	Oman	Muscat	35	2009	82	2009
425	India	Shillong	35	2012	65	2012
426	India	Vishakhapatnam	35	2012	65	2012
427	Chile	Padre las Casas	35	2014	64	2014
428	China	Huizhou	35	2014	59	2013
429	China	Zhuhai	35	2014	59	2013
430	Turkey	Trabzon	35	2012	58	2012
431	Turkey	Erzurum	35	2012	57	2012
432	Chile	Osorno	35	2014	54	2014
433	China	Qiqihar	35	2014	52	2014
434	Poland	Nowa Ruda	35	2013	47	2013
435	Poland	Wadowice	35	2013	47	2013
436	Poland	Zabrze	35	2013	47	2013
437	Poland	Gliwice	35	2013	46	2013
438	Poland	Katowice	35	2013	45	2013
439	Senegal	Dakar	34	2013	141	2013
440	China	Kunming	34	2014	82	2013
441	Tunisia	Bizerte	34	2010	80	2010
442	India	Singrauli	34	2012	64	2012
443	India	Kothagudem	34	2012	63	2012
444	China	Shenzhen	34	2014	61	2013
445	Bulgaria	Plovdiv	34	2013	59	2013
446	South Africa	Vereeniging	34	2014	58	2014
447	Turkey	Kocaeli	34	2012	55	2012
448	China	Meizhou	34	2014	51	2014
449	China	Nantou	34	2014	51	2014
450	China	Zhangjiakou	34	2014	51	2014
451	Poland	Brzeziny	34	2013	46	2013
452	Poland	Proszowice	34	2013	46	2013
453	Italy	Soresina	34	2013	42	2013
454	Poland	Bielsko Biala	34	2013	41	2013
455	Mexico	Toluca	33	2011	80	2011
456	Ecuador	Santo Domingo	33	2012	69	2012
457	India	Patiala	33	2012	63	2012
458	India	Nellore	33	2012	62	2012
459	Indonesia	Bandung	33	2014	59	2014
460	Myanmar	Meikhtilar	33	2013	59	2013
461	Turkey	Istanbul	33	2012	53	2012
462	China	Karamay	33	2014	50	2014
463	Bulgaria	Ruse	33	2013	47	2013
464	Bulgaria	Haskovo	33	2013	46	2013
465	Bulgaria	Pazardzhik	33	2013	46	2013
466	Czech Republic	Cesky Tesin	33	2013	45	2013
467	Czech Republic	Havirov	33	2013	45	2013
468	Poland	Zdunska Wola	33	2013	45	2013
469	Czech Republic	Orlová	33	2013	44	2013
470	Poland	Rawa Mazowiecka	33	2013	44	2013
471	Poland	Sosnowiec	33	2013	44	2013
472	Lebanon	Zahle	33	2014	40	2014
473	Poland	Kędzierzyn-Koźle	33	2013	39	2013
474	Italy	Settimo Torinese	33	2013	39	2013
475	Iran	Bojnord	32	2010	78	2010
476	Iran	Mashhad	32	2011	78	2011
477	Iran	Tehran	32	2014	77	2014
478	Ecuador	Milagro	32	2012	66	2012
479	Philippines	San Carlos City	32	2013	61	2013
480	Bolivia	Cochabamba	32	2014	60	2014
481	India	Salem	32	2012	60	2012
482	Thailand	Nakhon Sawan	32	2014	57	2014
483	Turkey	İçel	32	2012	53	2012
484	Turkey	Nevsehir	32	2012	53	2012
485	Turkey	Ordu	32	2012	53	2012
486	Turkey	Kars	32	2012	52	2012
487	China	Maoming	32	2014	49	2014
488	China	Changhua	32	2014	48	2014
489	China	Jinchang	32	2014	48	2014
490	China	Kinmen	32	2014	48	2014
491	China	Panzhihua	32	2014	48	2014
492	China	Quanzhou	32	2014	48	2014
493	China	Qujing	32	2014	48	2014
494	China	Yangjiang	32	2014	48	2014
495	Poland	Naklo[disambiguation needed]	32	2013	44	2013
496	Poland	Dabrowa Gornicza	32	2013	43	2013
497	Poland	Jaroslaw	32	2013	43	2013
498	Czech Republic	Karvina	32	2013	43	2013
499	Poland	Tomaszow Mazowiecki	32	2013	43	2013
500	Poland	Tychy	32	2013	43	2013

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Some people debate what is the best way to solve the pollution crisis in India and around the world.
We can see that too many people are using harmful and banned pesticides, instead we should be using natural and organic methods for pest control. Here are some good alternatives that you can use against pests, these alternative will pass organic testing standards.

 Peppermint oil, Lemongrass oil, Eucalyptus oil and Neem Oil when combined, seems to take care of most pest problems, and bugs will not want to stay on your plants. When it rains however, it is good to re-apply these natural oils, when the rain washes them off.

Tobacco, absorbic acid and coffee can be used together as well.

Cayenne Pepper, Coriander oil and potassium silicate are good options as well.

What we are doing is changing the PH level on the leaves, so that the pests do not eat the plant, and to get rid of any mold that may form on the plant. These natural oils also irritate bugs, and will make them want to eat plants that are not sprayed with these oils.

If you are growing indoors, you can pump c02 into the room to kill many bugs that cannot breathe, because there is too much c02 in the room for the bugs to survive. You can also increase your crop yield indoors by using c02.


--------------------------------------------------------

To read an additional article about the pollution going on in India, click on the following link. This link is considered an additional section to this article.

Uranium Trade 101 - India & Pakistan 

Pollution Science 101 - India 

( UraniumTrade101india.Blogspot.com .)


------------------------------------------------------


                                             TheInvestigations@Email.com

----------------------------------------