With India under a national lockdown following the outbreak of coronavirus in the country, the water of the river Ganga has become so clean at Haridwar and Rishikesh that it is now fit for drinking, according to a report by Times of India.

The report states that according to BD Joshi, an environmental scientist, the waters of Ganga have become fit for 'achaman', which means ritual sipping, after a long time. Joshi, according to the report, has said the quality of the water has improved because there is a "500 percent" decrease in industrial effluent and sewage from hotels and lodges.

State Pollution Control Board regional officer RK Kathait told the newspaper that there is a visible difference in the quality of the river water.

SS Pal, an officer in the PCB, told the newspaper that the water in both Haridwar and Ganga is fit for drinking and bathing after disinfection.

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The Central Pollution Control Board had last year observed that most of the Ganga River water in the Uttar Pradesh-West Bengal stretch is unfit for drinking and bathing.