Guwahati's Bharalu River tops list of most polluted water bodies in Assam         

Guwahati, Dec 6: Five of the nine most polluted water bodies in Assam are located in Guwahati, and the river Bharalu topped the list as the most polluted water body in the state.

Sources in the central laboratory of the Pollution Control Board, Assam, said that the Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) in a water body should be below three mg per litre, and if it is above that level, the water body is termed as a polluted one. The polluted water bodies are categorised into five categories. The priority I water body is one where the BOD is more than 30 mg per litre; the water bodies with BOD of 20 to 30 mg per litre are in priority II, BOD of 10 to 20 mg per litre are in priority III, BOD of 6 to 10 mg per litre are in priority IV, and BOD of 3 to 6 mg per litre are in priority V.

Five of the nine most polluted water bodies in Assam are located in Guwahati alone, and industrial activity cannot be termed as one of the main reasons for the present condition of the water bodies. The main reason for pollution in the water bodies in the state is sewage discharge on them, and the people of Guwahati are also responsible for the same as they dump their garbage in the water bodies.

Sources said that in 2018, as many as 44 water bodies of the state were termed as polluted water bodies, and a detailed action plan was prepared for improving the water condition of the same. The Pollution Control Board also ordered the closure of some of the industries located near the water bodies. Some of the municipal bodies took necessary action to improve the water quality of the water bodies, but unfortunately, the condition of the polluted water bodies in Guwahati remained more or less the same.

In 2018, the Bharalu River was in the priority I category, and it remains in the same position. At present, the BOD of the river hovers between 26.8 and 30 mg per litre, which is very dangerous. The Borsola beel was in the priority I list in 2018, and the condition of the same improved marginally to priority III. The Sarusola Beel water quality has remained the same in the last five years without any improvement. The condition of Silsako Beel showed marginal improvement. Deepor Beel water quality also showed marginal improvement. Now it is in priority V. The other water bodies on the list of polluted include Kamalpur Beel, which is now in the priority II category. The condition of the Beel dipped since 2018 when it was in the priority III category.

Digboi River and Mora Bharali River are now in the priority V category.

By-

R Dutta Choudhury