Amid the nation-wide 21-day lockdown to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus, the water quality of Ganga river in Uttar Pradesh has seemingly improved. There were also signs of improved air quality in cities like Varanasi and Kanpur.



Speaking to India Today, Kalika Singh, regional officer of the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) in Varanasi said: "The dissolved oxygen level upstream in river Ganga is 8.9 mg per litre while in the downstream the dissolved oxygen level is 8.3 mg per litre. This clearly shows that water quality has improved significantly, and it is good for bathing. Healthy water should have a dissolved oxygen level of at least 7 mg/litre."

"Since the lockdown, the roads in Varanasi are completely deserted because people are inside their houses. Those engaged in essential services can only be seen in the city with their vehicles. Due to this air quality has improved in the city and has become satisfactory according to the Air Quality Index," added Singh.

Photo: Roshan Jaiswal/India Today

Rakesh Tiwari is a resident of Varanasi who lives near the Dashashwamedh Ghat said: "Ganga has become cleaner since the lockdown came into effect. Hundreds of people used to take a holy dip here. No waste or garbage is being secretly dumped. Under the Namami Gange project, major drains merging into the Ganga have also been tapped."



The Ganga enters Uttar Pradesh in Bijnor district and passes through major districts such as Meerut, Bulandshahar, Aligarh, Kanpur, Allahabad, Varanasi, among others.

In Kanpur as well Ganga has become cleaner in the last few days.



Speaking to India Today, priest of famous Parmat temple in Kanpur, Ajay Pujari said: "The major cause of water pollution in Kanpur is the toxic industrial waste which is discharged into the river. Since all the factories are closed due to the lockdown, the Ganga river has become cleaner. The priests at the temple earlier used to refrain from taking a holy dip because the water was highly contaminated. However, since the past week, we are bathing in the river."



"The Sisamau drain which used to discharged millions of litres of dirty water into the river was completely tapped last year under the Namami Gange project. This has also brought down the water pollution but the improvement we can witness at present is unprecedented. The lockdown has certainly improved the health of River Ganga which many projects of the government couldn't do," said the temple priest.

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