GUWAHATI, Dec 5 - The Brahmaputra water sample collected at the Tezpur Jahajghat on December 2, was found containing a turbidity of 162 NTU (nephelometric turbidity unit) per mililitre, against the Bureau of Indian Standard set range of normal level of zero to ten NTU for drinking water. The test on the sample was conducted by the scientists of the District Level Laboratory of the Tezpur Division of the Public Health Engineering Department on December 3.
The test to assess the pH value of the sample also led to the finding of 7.2 pH per mililitre. The tests were carried out in the wake of unnatural turbidity found in the Siang and Brahmaputra waters, which gave rise to speculations of some nefarious deeds by the Chinese authorities on the Yarlung Tsangpo, the Tibetan part of the Siang, the major contributing stem of the Brahmaputra, only to be dismissed by the Indian government yesterday.
The Indian government attributed the development to an earthquake in Tibet.
The scientists, who conducted the tests on the sample for 18 parameters, said that the sample of the water was contaminated with iron and bacteria and not fit for drinking.
Meanwhile, the State Water Resources Department has geared up to send two letters to the Union Ministry of Water Resources (MoWR) with the requests to take up the Siang/Brahmaputra-related matters with the Chinese Government and also to send the hydrometeorological data concerning the major rivers of the State.
It needs mention here that the Central Water Commission of the MoWR monitors the major rivers of the State.
State WRD Secretary RP Das told this newspaper that the above letters addressed to the MoWR Secretary, would be dispatched tomorrow.
