Pollution levels in major state rivers on decline: GPCB survey

This comes even as the Board is yet to begin the quarterly monitoring of major rivers as directed by the Forest & Environment Department.

The Board had measured pollution levels in these rivers at various locations through its regional centers. The results showed reduction in pollution at many places and at permissible level at most of the surveyed spots.

Earlier,according to GPCB,pollution levels in these rivers were mostly found beyond permissible limits on all the key parameters of PH (level of acidic elements),dissolved oxygen (DO),biological oxygen demand (BOD) and chemical oxygen demand (COD).

Permissible limits for PH,DO,BOD and COD are 7 to 8.5 milligram/liter,3 to 5 mg/l,30 and 100 mg/l respectively.

According to GPCB data,in 2010-11,PH,DO,BOD and COD at critical Vasna-Narol bridge of the Sabarmati river was 7.5,3.2,40 and 114 respectively,while in 2011-12,it was recorded at 7.5,2.6,42 and 124 respectively.

GPCB member secretary Hardik Shah said the the pollution levels have come down in the last two-three years “due to various new initiatives”. “We have taken strong actions against the polluters and also created new infrastructure to control the pollution,” he said.

No agency yet for quarterly surveys

Shah,meanwhile,said the Board has not yet finalised an agency for the quarterly surveys of rivers Sabarmati,Tapi,Narmada,Mindhola and Kolak/Damanganga. The government had ordered to conduct the surveys in April 2011.

“We are in talks with some central agencies for the the survey and regular monitoring of these rivers,” he added.

The government had also ordered GPCB to submit quarterly survey reports to industries & mines,ports & transport,and forests & environment departments.