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Human-Environment Interaction
India's Gnages river is were hundreds of millions of people bathe, dump waste, these people beleive the Ganges river is sacred to them, so itt is safe to drink from. Many people die from illnesses from drinking the Ganges water. It is so conatminated now that the amount of toxins, chemicals and other dangerous bacteria found in the river are now almost 3000 times over the limit suggested by the WHO as 'safe.' The river affects the largest population of any river in the world with over more than 400 million people who rely on it for food, water, bathing and agriculture, and spiritual needs. Here are some facts on the Gnages River polution from, http://www.all-about-india.com/Ganges-River-Pollution.html
1)Approximately 1 billion litres of raw, untreated sewage are dumped in the river on a daily basis. The amount has more than doubled in the last 20 years and experts predict another 100% increase in the following 20 years.
2)The rapid explosion of India's population in the last 25 years coupled with lax regulations on industry has put a huge strain on the river leading to an explosion in Ganges river pollution.
3)Thousands of bodies are cremated on the banks of the river yearly with many being released into the river with hopes that their souls may have a direct path to heaven.
4)Hundreds Unwanted or 'illegitimate' babies, cattle and other animal carcases are also dumped in the Ganges again with religious significance.
5)The levels of Coliform bacteria is over 2800 times the level considered safe by the W.H.O (world health organisation).
Ganges river pollution is getting seriously bad( as you may have now noticed) and something needs to be done now. But this river is just so contaminated at has found it self in such a giant unsanitary hole, how can India possibly clean this river? Well thanks to the World Banks's investment, they have given India's government almost one billion dollars to start this giant clean up. But won't Indians go right back to doing what they are doing with the Ganges right not? Perhaps the most logical way to clean this river, is to stop poluting in first, then clean, rather that to waste 1 billion dollars. Amazingly enough, The river also has a unique ability to hold and retain oxygen in record amounts. Although nobody knows why, this doe mean that things can still grow. We can send a shuttle into space, we can build the Delhi Metro. We can detonate nuclear weapons. So why can't we clean up our rivers?
—Rakesh Jaiswal, Ganges activist since 1993