SPCB raises serious concern over pollution in Jeera River

Jeera water not even suitable for bathing: SPCB tells NGT

- PNN & AGENCIES

The State Pollution Control Board (SPCB), Odisha, has flagged alarmingly high levels of pollution in the Jeera River, a tributary of the Mahanadi River.

The SPCB, in its affidavit submitted to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) also revealed that the water of the Jeera River is not even suitable for bathing.

Following the instructions of the NGT in connection with a plea filed by one Ramakanta Rout, the SPCB had collected surface water samples from upstream (near Bargarh Law College) and downstream (near PHED Pada at the old water intake point) of Bargarh town from Jeera River.

The test report disclosed that the sample collected from the river upstream at Bargarh Law College contained 790 MPN/100 ml, which increased to 54,000 MPN/100 ml in the sample collected from the downstream at PHED Pada, Bargarh.