Polluted Mutha cries out for help

PUNE, JUNE 21: Untreated sewage, domestic waste and chemical detergents - all are choking the city's Mutha river to death. Not only that,...

PUNE, JUNE 21: Untreated sewage, domestic waste and chemical detergents 8211; all are choking the city8217;s Mutha river to death. Not only that, the river, at the same time, is turning a drain of infectious microbes posing threat to public health.

The statistics of the regular study of river conducted by the School of Health Sciences, University of Pune reveal that the river has nearly lost its potential to sustain aquatic life in its course through the city after Khadakwasla.

The study statistics for the period February to May, released in the Environmental Pollution Bulletin EPB, show a very high-level of biological oxygen demand BOD in the water and low levels or absence of dissolved oxygen DO in the course of river at Garware, Sangam and Bundgarden.

Khadwasala, Vitthalwadi, Garware bridge, Samgam bridge, Bundgarden, Aundh and Holkar bridge were the sites from where samples of river water for physicochemical analysis were taken.

Except Khadakwasla all the sites show high level of water pollution much beyond the permissible limits. 8220;A high level of BOD and low levels or absence of DO at Garware, Sangam and Bund garden reflects the addition of heavy oxygen demanding waste,8221; the bulletin says. This is mainly due to the untreated sewage released in the river water in the city. The micro organisms in the sewage consume a substantial amount from whatever little dissolved oxygen remains in the river. Thus, the chances of survival of aquatic life become even more thinner, explained Dr Bhushan Patwardhan, head of the project being carried out jointly by University of Pune and Pune Municipal Corporation. Further, the phosphate levels at Garware bridge have been found to be very high due to use of river water by washermen.

On the other hand, in the microbial analysis of the river water, all the sites, except Khadakwasla, more than 10,000 fecal colioforms per 100 ml were observed indicating a possibility of recovering pathogens. As per Maharashtra Pollution Control Board guidelines, river water for public consumption should not have more than 250 colioforms MPN/100ml for class A-I to 5,000 colioform MPN/100ml for class A-II.

Excepting Khadakwasla, the counts at all the sites exceed the limit. This indicates that all the downstream towns and villages will face public health threat in future if they continue to use this polluted water for drinking purpose, the report says.