A hazard is anything with the potential to cause harm. We deduced that nearly 6.4 tons of arsenic could seep into agricultural land through 3200 arsenic contaminated irrigation tube wells in the Deganga block, covering a total area of 200 km2 in the North 24-Parganas district of West Bengal, India (Table 1) [66]. Despite being considered purifying and healing by millions of Hindus, the truth is that the waters of the Gange are so polluted that they have caused more than 50,000 cases of pancreatic cancer, among other diseases, in the population of northern India. Covid-19: India's holiest river is swollen with bodies - BBC After this study, it was concluded that, on average, 62.5% of patients suffering from arsenical keratosis were affected by pre-malignancy (Figure 3) after ten years. But it's also devastating for the environment. 5.1. Geo - India Flashcards | Quizlet Bangladesh alone has about 11,000 m3 of surface water available per capita. Flooding can be caused by 2016 Apr;38(2):315-37. doi: 10.1007/s10653-015-9730-z. Would you like email updates of new search results? A majority (96%) of the tested shallow tube wells contained arsenic above 10 g/L with an average concentration of 71 g/L. It is believed to be a goddess from heaven, and many Hindus believe that it has incredible healing powers. "Hinduism is inextricably linked to caring for animals, plants, the natural world," Sadhviji says. These symptoms were positively correlated with arsenic concentrations in drinking water that ranged from <3 to 3400 g/L, among the studied 7683 chronically exposed individuals in West Bengal, India [47]. The Borgen Project is an incredible nonprofit organization that is addressing poverty and hunger and working towards ending them., https://borgenproject.org/wp-content/uploads/logo.jpg, Efforts to Reduce Pollution in the Ganges River, Progress: The 2020 Global Hunger Index Results. Current status of groundwater arsenic contamination in the GRB. Arsenic epidemiology and drinking water standards. There was a set idea that the water of the river Ganga could never become polluted. Chakraborti D., Rahman M.M., Das B., Murrill M., Dey S., Chandra Mukherjee S., Dhar R.K., Biswas B.K., Chowdhury U.K., Roy S. Status of groundwater arsenic contamination in Bangladesh: A 14-year study report. reported the arsenic concentration (195 g/L) in a dug well (groundwater) at Xungba, Tibet, arsenic levels up to 5985 g/L in hot springs, and 10,626 g/L in alkaline salt lakes in western Tibet [26]. Spotted pigmentation (spotted melanosis) commonly appears on the chest, back, or the limbs and is considered the second stage (Figure 2b). In the past, he could make approximately 700800 bricks per day, monthly earning about $100 on average, sufficient to provide a comfortable life for his family. Over 450 million people rely on the Ganga. The Ganga River basin (GRB) is a part of the Ganga-Brahmaputra-Meghna (GBM) river basin, draining 1.08 million km2 in Tibet, Nepal, India, and Bangladesh; it covers nearly 26% of Indias land mass and is home to a population of over 500 million [1]. River-born natural hazards are classified into two types: (a) flooding and (b) lateral erosion. The river, which is severely polluted with human waste and industrial contaminants, provides water to about 40% of India's population across 11 states, serving an estimated population of 500 million people, which is more than any other river in the world. WebWe performed extensive review of sources and level of organic, inorganic pollution and microbial contamination in Ganga water to evaluate changes in the level of various Many people actually feel disrespected when such an idea is presented," Sadhviji says. We feel that after 29 years of arsenic research in the GRB, we have seen the tip of the iceberg with respect to the actual magnitude of the catastrophe; thus, a reduced arsenic standard for drinking water, testing all available drinking water sources, and sustainable and cost-effective arsenic mitigation programs that include the participation of the people are urgently needed. Although the change from 10 g/L to 50 g/L was suggested in 2003 to last a short period, it remained unchanged by the BIS after 6 years (a unique example of negligence); thus, in 2009, drinking water standards were finally revised [81], listing 10 g/L for arsenic as the desirable level. Figure 5 shows a group of children suffering from arsenical skin lesions in Bangladesh. Why do Indians pollute the Ganges 2. While working in various arsenic-affected areas of West Bengal, we observed that women who had migrated from the bordering areas of Bangladesh to West Bengal after marriage had arsenical skin lesions [21]. River-born natural hazards are classified into two types: (a) flooding and (b) lateral erosion. flood and its possible solution in Bangladesh Unauthorized use of these marks is strictly prohibited. Before Fifty-nine of 64 districts exceeded the WHO limit for arsenic in drinking water, and 50 of 64 districts exceeded the Bangladeshi safe limit of 50 g/L of arsenic in drinking water with the highest concentration being 4730 g/L [22]. Mr. Roy committed suicide as he could not run his business and could not repay a bank loan. "We average anywhere from 30 to 100 bodies per day. The Ganges is one of the most sacred rivers in India, and its pollution is a major environmental and health concern. In 2015, I visited the city of Rishikesh in the lap of the Himalayas just in time to celebrate the Ganga Dussehra, a countrywide recognition of the exact day Ganga came down from heaven to earth. Terrestrial gamma radiation dose measurement and health hazard along river Alaknanda and Ganges in India. Webto education, health, drinking water, and sanitation facilities. While this did prove to be a step in the right direction, the Ganges still saw a rise in pollution. Arsenic Contamination in the Ganga River Despite the countrywide respect for cows and the laws in some regions that carry a seven-year prison term for those caught killing them, India is home to an estimated 3,100 illegal slaughterhouses that export cow meat under the guise of buffalo meat to hide the sacrilege. The act detailed how there are both natural environmental and human rights on the line with the continued pollution of the Ganges River. FOIA Maybe, they said, his Cabinet's declaration of 2015-2016 as Jal Kranti Varsh, or Water Revolution Year, was more than just a clever political move. Fate of over 480 million inhabitants living in arsenic and fluoride endemic Indian districts: Magnitude, health, socio-economic effects and mitigation approaches. (2014). Rice is the staple food of most Southeast Asian populations. Later, high arsenic concentrations (up to 170 g/L) in tested samples were reported in the Nawalparasi, Rautahat, Bara, and Bardia districts. Workplace psychosocial hazards can be devastating, but we might Recent studies of 301 and 201 children in age groups of 10 and 6 years exposed to arsenic through drinking water in Araihazar Thana of Bangladesh indicated that arsenic consumption can reduce intellectual function, subject to the dosage [64,65]. In another study in West Bengal, India, individuals in the surveyed communities, chronically exposed to arsenic-contaminated water between 30 and 3400 g/L, had persistent abdominal pain when compared to the control population exposed to <50 g/L of arsenic [16]. Cancer risks from arsenic in drinking water. Chakraborti D., Rahman M.M., Ahamed S., Dutta R.N., Pati S., Mukherjee S.C. Arsenic groundwater contamination and its health effects in Patna district (capital of Bihar) in the middle Ganga plain, India. This ritual might have been an effort to prevent bacterial growth. WebThe ganges river is a pilgrim hotspot, especially in Varanasi, India. Figure 7 shows an example from our study. Arsenic poisoning in the Ganges delta. Jiang X, Zhang H, Wang X, Zhang X, Ding K. Int J Environ Res Public Health. Can you swim in the river Ganges? It covers topics such as the OSHA standards, the types and sources of hazards, the methods and tools for hazard assessment, and the strategies and solutions for hazard control. WebThe state wise level of contamination was tabulated along the Ganga river. and transmitted securely. Shrestha R.R., Shrestha M.P., Upadhyay N.P., Pradhan R., Khadka R., Maskey A., Maharjan M., Tuladhar S., Dahal B.M., Shrestha K. Groundwater arsenic contamination, its health impact and mitigation program in Nepal. Over the last 75 years, however, the Ganga has become so polluted that now even a devout Hindu may not believe that Ganga water is safe to drink [3]. Different skin symptoms due to arsenic toxicity: (a) diffuse melanosis; (b) spotted melanosis; (c) leucomelanosis; (d) tongue melanosis; (e) diffused and nodular keratosis on the palm; (f) spotted keratosis on the sole; and (g) dorsal keratosis. Study on arsenic level in ground water of Delhi using hydride generator accessory coupled with atomic absorption spectrophotometer. In June 2020, the Second Ganga River Basin Project received approval from World Bank directors despite the bank focusing on COVID-19, proving how dire the situation at the basin truly is. [(accessed on 21 January 2018)]; Mazumder D.G., Chakraborty A., Ghose A., Gupta J.D., Chakraborty D., Dey S., Chattopadhyay N. Chronic arsenic toxicity from drinking tubewell water in rural West Bengal. A small percentage reveals arsenic above 100 g/L. "I had to make the very challenging decision to resign and leave that role," she tells ABC All the victims were exposed to arsenic levels up to 1474 g/L in their drinking water for at least five years. Consequently, groundwater resources are used recklessly. The country is also the world's largest exporter of leather. About twenty years ago, the corresponding author of this manuscript requested an arsenic-affected college student from the Sarkarpara village of Baruipur block, South 24-Parganas, to appear for a television interview. Silt accumulation is decreasing the carrying capacity of all rivers, increasingly resulting in pockets of stagnant waste in most rivers for some portions of the year as can currently be observed in the Yamuna River. The health ministry had tried to designate a special cemetery near Baghdad for some of those early victims, but tribal leaders actually refused, so there's a lot of opposition to this. Floods East, West, and South Where is the Indo-Gangetic Plain? Webhealth hazard: Etymology: AS, haelth + OFr, hasard a danger to health resulting from exposure to environmental pollutants, such as asbestos or ionizing radiation, or to a life-style choice, such as cigarette smoking or chemical abuse. WebGanges River - Ganges River - Irrigation, Fishing, Trade: Use of the Ganges water for irrigation, either when the river is in flood or by means of gravity canals, has been common since ancient times. Mark Twain, upon visiting in the 1890s, quipped that it's "older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend, and looks twice as old as all of them put together!" In the 1950s, India took a step forward by pursuing a green revolution using chemicals and underground water. Natural hazards in the Ghaghara River area, Ganga Plain, India Regular direct or indirect utilization of contaminated Ganga water and/or consumption of contaminated fish form Ganga may cause various health hazards, such as gastrointestinal diseases, skin lesions, respiratory problem and even cancer. The irony is that to date, no known medicine can cure chronic arsenic toxicity. WebPollution of the Ganges, the largest river in India, poses significant threats to human health and the larger environment. A significant amount of arsenic was detected in the livers of these patients. Millions of Hindus make the pilgrimage here at least once in their lifetime to pay respect to Ganga before she makes her way into the ocean. A unique sound, the cough of arsenicosis, is another chronic respiratory effect that creates an unusual atmosphere in a neighborhood, especially at night. Despite being considered purifying and healing by millions of Hindus, the truth is that the waters of the PLoS One. Glacial change and hydrological implications in the Himalaya and Mortality rates are low, and those affected may not be in grave danger. However, currently available scientific literature reveals that the Ganga is considered to be one of the worlds most polluted rivers, containing a number of toxins Garai R., Chakraborty A., Dey S., Saha K. Chronic arsenic poisoning from tube-well water. Ganga water pollution: A potential health threat to Alaknanda river (length 190 km) is the left bank tributary of Ganges. Pollution of the Ganges And though India is in the midst of a tech revolution, bolstered by a population set to surpass China by 2028 and developments such as its impressive space program, there has been little investment in technology to save the country's 5,219 miles of water that are, according to environmental journalist Chetan Chauhan of Hindustan Times, "not fit to support aquatic life" due to pollution. Rahman M.M., Ng J.C., Naidu R. Chronic exposure of arsenic via drinking water and its adverse health impacts on humans. These problems will only continue to worsen. contact@pulitzercenter.org, Stories by Campus Consortium Reporting Fellows, Deep Dives: Ocean and Fisheries Reporting, Underreported Stories in Sub-Saharan Africa, Science Misinformation: Journalism in the Age of Truth Decay, Bringing Stories Home: Local Reporting Grants, COVID-19, Vaccines, and Global Health Inequities, OPPORTUNITIES FOR CAMPUS CONSORTIUM MEMBERS, according to Colorado State University fluvial geoscientist Ellen Wohl, According to India's National Green Tribunal, Going Dry: The Ganges River Needs a New Story, The Ganges River Is Dying Under the Weight of Modern India, Saving the Ganges River Is Saving Humanity. The appearance of arsenical skin lesions depends on various factors including the concentration of arsenic in the drinking water, amount of water consumption, exposure period, and the nutritional and health status of the person exposed to arsenic. Nayak B., Das B., Chandra Mukherjee S., Pal A., Ahamed S., Amir Hossain M., Maity P., Dutta R.N., Dutta S., Chakraborti D. Groundwater arsenic contamination in the Sahibganj district of Jharkhand state, India in the middle Ganga plain and adverse health effects. Efforts to Reduce Pollution in the Ganges River 7, No. 2020 Oct 31;192(11):742. doi: 10.1007/s10661-020-08701-8. Creating a natural rights act helps to ensure that action will mobilize to protect the water resource and that is exactly what the GAP has set out to do. One scientific reason might be that the minerals present in the Gangas water prevent bacterial growth. This study highlights the severity of arsenic contamination in the Ganga River basin (GRB), which encompasses significant geographic portions of India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Tibet. Figure 6b shows his letter to us, sent before his death. Little data is available demonstrating an exposure concentration below a few hundred micrograms per liter. Rahman M.M., Asaduzzaman M., Naidu R. Consumption of arsenic and other elements from vegetables and drinking water from an arsenic-contaminated area of Bangladesh. However, the WHO, UNICEF, and other international scientific organizations overlooked the possibility that other chemicals/toxins present in groundwater, such as arsenic and fluoride, could serve as mass killers. Oxidative, biochemical and histopathological alterations in fishes from pesticide contaminated river Ganga, India. However, individuals suffering from arsenic toxicity may not always develop diffuse melanosis symptoms [43]. By Geeta Pandey BBC News, Delhi India's holiest river, the Ganges, has been swollen with bodies in recent days. Sanitation and water pollution issues cause 80 percent of the diseases that afflict rural Indians. 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. hazard Country Ganges Brahmaputra Area (km2) Contribution to ow (%) Tibet 292,670 Nepal 69,930 45 54,390 India 880,600 55 186,480 Bangladesh 3,885 72,520 Source: Based on Upreti (1993, From the annals of history, until 1940, drinking water in India-except in a few major cities-came from streams, ponds, dugwells, lakes, and rainwater. Early available history also makes it clear that Indians preferred Ganga water, if available, for drinking. Although these initiatives have had a significant impact on the reduction of arsenic-induced health risks, 13 out of 1000 individuals may be susceptible to a lifetime risk of dying from various cancers including lung, liver, kidney, or bladder, if they consume 1 L of water per day that is contaminated with 50 g/L of arsenic [53]. IARC Monograph on the Evaluation of the Carcinogenic Risk of Chemicals to Man. Each takes about three hours." Ganga water pollution: Ganga is now a source of cancer. Figure 1 shows arsenic-contaminated areas in the GRB. In 2016, the GAP launched the National Ganga Rights Act and began asking for support for it. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (, arsenic, Ganga River basin, drinking water, health effects, cancerous, social issues, mitigation. HHS Vulnerability Disclosure, Help DW The current waste disposal rate has almost doubled over the last 20 years and is expected to increase by 100 percent in the next two decades. It is evident that liver enlargement is a common symptom among arsenic-exposed communities in most GRB regions including West Bengal, India, and Bangladesh [16]. But understanding the impact of religion is key. "People will starve themselves. That's why saving the Ganges is not about convincing people to care, it's about convincing them to care differently. The PubMed wordmark and PubMed logo are registered trademarks of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Workers may also be affected by ergonomic hazards, such as those posed by body positioning and repetitive strain when performing one'd duties. Bethesda, MD 20894, Web Policies [1] The entry of arsenic into the food chain, therefore, can cause further damage to human health. Uma Bharti, Modi's "Ganga rejuvenation minister," has even set a goal that the Ganges will be clean within two years. "This same fire has been going for 3,000 years," said a worker at Manikarnika Ghat, the most famous riverside cremation site in Varanasi. It is the most widespread of all the natural hazards. Das D., Samanta G., Mandal B.K., Chowdhury T.R., Chanda C.R., Chowdhury P.P., Basu G.K., Chakraborti D. Arsenic in groundwater in six districts of West Bengal, India. Evaluating Hydrogeological and Topographic Controls on Groundwater Arsenic Contamination in the Mid-Gangetic Plain in India: Towards Developing Sustainable Arsenic Mitigation Models. 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. PMC Your support ensures great journalism and education on underreported and systemic global issues, 2000 Pennsylvania Ave NW From time immemorial it has been the holy river of Hinduism.For most of its course it is a wide "The carrying capacity of Sagar Island is exceeded several thousand times during this brief period, and the resultant pollution causes environmental degradation. Approximately 2 billion people benefit in some way Singh S.K., Ghosh A.K. It's also where many Indians told me to visit if I wanted to see Ganga at her finest. Kanpur's dirty little secret is its underground cow-slaughtering market. government site. (202) 332-0982 Terrestrial gamma radiation dose measurement 11/21/2013 The Ganges is India's holiest river, considered a source of spiritual purification for devout Hindus. ganges Wasserman G.A., Liu X., Parvez F., Ahsan H., Factor-Litvak P., Kline J., Van Geen A., Slavkovich V., Lolacono N.J., Levy D. Water arsenic exposure and intellectual function in 6-year-old children in Araihazar, Bangladesh. By Geeta Pandey BBC News, Delhi India's holiest river, the Ganges, has been swollen with bodies in recent days. 3.1. Under continued depletion of the deeper aquifer due to increasing irrigation demands, the current rigorous effort to provide deep tube wells for arsenic-safe drinking water may not achieve sustainability. Background: Professor B.D. 1). sacred but polluted Ganga River Geo - India Flashcards | Quizlet
France Pension Protests,
17620 Ne 69th Ct, Redmond, Wa 98052,
What Is Big Book Awakening,
Mental Health Springfield Il,
Caldwell University Soccer Field,
Articles I