HYDERABAD: The Krishna, India’s third longest river, is severely polluted due to unchecked sewage and industrial effluent being dumped into it by Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra, according to a preliminary report by the National Institute of Technology (NIT), Warangal. Spanning around 1,400 km between Mahabaleshwar in Maharashtra and Krishnapatnam in AP, Krishna is the lifeline for the four states, which use it as a key source for power generation, irrigation, and drinking water.
The institute, along with NIT Surathkal, was appointed to study the Krishna river basin by the Union Jal Shakti ministry which sanctioned Rs 6.3 crore for the project. Apart from identifying the source of pollution in Krishna, the two premier institutes were also asked to suggest remedial measures.
Their findings show that 427 industries, mainly in chemicals, metallurgy, engineering and food processing, are discharging waste into the Krishna. Chemical and metallurgical industries are the biggest culprits, responsible for 31.38% of the pollutants, followed by engineering industries at 22%. Textiles, mining, sugar mills, and other plants also contribute to the contamination.
The river is contaminated with muck, diesel, synthetic chemicals, and industrial effluents. Human activities such as bathing and washing clothes have also compounded the situation.
Action plan to address Krishna river pollution
Industrial contamination along with human activities such as bathing and washing clothes have caused significant harm to the river’s aquatic ecosystem, with fish species such as the ‘golden mahseer’ (or Tor) and ‘neilli’ disappearing. Only species such ‘gambusia’, which can tolerate polluted conditions, are surviving.
A detailed analysis reveals specific instances of river pollution. The river basin in Telangana, for instance, suffers from contamination by pharmaceutical and synthetic chemical industries, that’s impacted Nagarjunasagar which supports irrigation projects and power generation. In AP, organic contamination is high, with biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) reaching 3.3 lakh kg per day in urban areas. BOD is a vital indicator of water quality, measuring the oxygen needed to decompose organic materials.
“Adding to these concerns, a paper manufacturing unit in Kurnool releases treated waste into the river, with daily discharge volumes ranging from 35,000 to 40,000 cubic metres. The Maharashtra section of the basin shows high pollution levels at several locations, including Wai, Haripur ghat in Sangli town, and Bhima at Pandharpur. This is mainly attributed to urban sewage and oil discharge,” the study stated.
These conclusions were drawn based on assessments conducted over the last six months, researchers said.
“The situation extends to Karnataka, where a polyfibre manufacturing facility, situated 54 km downstream, utilises 35,000 cubic metres of water daily and discharges 33,000 cubic metres of wastewater into the river,” the study added.
According to Prof N V Umamahesh, principal investigator, Centre for Krishna River Basin Management and Studies, NIT Warangal, a comprehensive action plan focusing on river rejuvenation and water quality enhancement will be formulated after compilation of the final report.
“More experts from NIT will be engaged to determine the water flow patterns and identify their sources in the river. The entire process, including the submission of the final report to the National River Conservation Directorate, will span three years,” he said.
