Assam has the most number of polluted rivers in India after Maharashtra

River pollution in Assam has now reached to a point of crisis. Prakash Javadekar, Minister of environment, forest and climate change revealed the alarming issue of river pollution in Assam, at the Lok Sabha. According to the stats provided by Javadekar, after Maharashtra, the state of Assam has the most polluted number of rivers. The minister submitted a list of 44 rivers in Assam that got polluted over the past few years.

List of some of the rivers and water bodies affected by pollution

In the year 2017, Mahesh Sharma, the then minister of environment, forest and climate change, had submitted a report stating that 28 rivers in Assam were polluted.

Rivers such as Kundali, Kathakal, Baginadi, Dhanashiri, , Barak, Palgladiya, Beki ,Barabil, Bhogdoi, Desang, Digaru, Dihing, Haruchala,  Kalioni, Puthimari, Ranga, Chamgudi, Tengapukuri etc were marked as polluted in the 2017 report.

Interestingly, in the latest list provided by Javadekar, two rivers, Kundali and Kathakal are omitted. These two were in the 2017 list provided by Mahesh Sharma. The latest figures show that within a very short period of time the list has included 18 rivers of Assam. This is definitely alarming and dangerous for the large number of people and livestock sustaining on river water. The untreated waste coming out from the industries and released to the rivers is the main reason for this kind of pollution.

According to the report a total of 351 rivers in India have been polluted by disposal and release of untreated waste matter. The government has taken some steps as per the 1978 water law, to control water pollution. At present, the Central Government has taken major steps to clean river Ganga. After this recent revelation on the state of rivers in Assam, it is high time that the state and central governments should take strong measures to save the mighty Brahmaputra and its tributaries from pollution.