PINAKI MAJUMDAR
Jamshedpur, Aug 8: River Subernarekha is getting polluted in areas in and around Jamshedpur, findings of the latest survey by the Adityapur-based regional office of Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board (JSPCB) revealed, indicating industrial effluents were getting dumped despite laws against the practice.
The survey indicated rising pH value, dissolved oxygen content and lead content.
The pollution watchdog collected water samples near Domuhani and Mango (Jamshedpur) and Moubhandar (Ghatshila) to rate them on pollution parameters.
The pH value of water was on the higher side in Mango and Moubhandar. While the pH of natural water ranges between 4 and 9, these two places showed values between 8.4 and 9.6.
Dissolved oxygen (DO), which helps in the dissolution of inorganic substances in water, was low near Domuhani, Mango and Bhuiyandih. Against a desirable limit of 5mg/litre, DO in these places was from 3.07mg/ litre to 4.03mg/ litre.
Lead content was high in the water at two points Moubhandar and Galudih in the Ghatshila stretch of the river. The prescribed limit of lead in river water is 0.05mg/ litre. But, samples collected from these two points had anything between 0.52mg/ litre and 2.15mg/litre.
Notably, industrial effluents are being dumped in the river resulting in lead contamination.
According to medical practitioners exposure to high doses of lead can result in abdominal pain and anaemia.
JSPCB officials said that the latest survey report would be sent to the Ranchi headquarters.
Local environment activists pointed out that the unmindful discharge of industrial effluents and domestic wastes is choking the river.
“The twin rivers – Subernarekha and Kharkai – were facing the same threat. The pollution control board must devise strict measures to check the rising pollution in rivers, ” said Raja Ghosh, an environmentalist.
He went on to say that the Water Prevention and Control of Pollution Act, 1974, The Water Prevention and Control of Pollution Cess Act, 2003, Section 277 of the IPC are some laws to protect water bodies from pollution.
