URBANIZATION

WHAT IS URBANIZATION ?

• Urbanization is the physical

growth of urban areas as a result

of rural migration and even

suburban concentration into

cities, particularly the very large

ones.

• Large scale emigrations from rural areas to urban

areas and population growth have been

uninterrupted and accelerating phenomena in

parts of Ganga basin, where urbanization is

increasing at an unprecedented rate. Urban

agglomeration is causing radical changes in

groundwater recharge and modifying the existing

mechanisms.

• Majority of the cities are sited on unconfined or semi

confined aquifers depend upon river water and

groundwater for most of their water supply and

disposal of most of their liquid effluents and solid

residues to the rivers and ground. There has also

been an inevitable rise in waste production.

Drainage of surface water has been disrupted as

the small natural channels and low lying areas have

been in filled, often with municipal waste

• Total water potential of the Ganga basin including

surface water potential and ground water potential

is around 525.02 km3 and 170.00 km3 respectively.

Basin supports approximately 42% of the total

population in India. Water tables are declining at

approximately an average of 0.20 m per year in

many parts of the basin and there is a trend of

deteriorating groundwater quality.

• The demand of water has been increased many

folds and most of the areas are highly reliant upon

the groundwater to meet this increasing demand

for water, but unfortunately degradation of

groundwater both in terms of quantity and quality

has deteriorated the situation. Studies shows that

change in climate may increase temperature by 2

to 6°C and can reduce precipitation up to 16%,

which could reduce the groundwater recharge by

50%.

• In densely populated Ganga basin urban drainage

consumes a high proportion of the investments into

urban infrastructure and needs integrated

approach for the sustainable development of

water management, water education regarding

conservation and pollution caused by urbanization.

• Studies shows that change in climate may increase

temperature by 2 to 6°C and can reduce

precipitation up to 16%, which could reduce the

groundwater recharge by 50%. In densely

populated Ganga basin urban drainage consumes

a high proportion of the investments into urban

infrastructure and needs integrated approach for

the sustainable development of water

management, water education regarding

conservation and pollution caused by urbanization.

The pollution of

the river Ganga

• Safe drinking water and sanitation services are

common issues in most rapidly growing developing

cities. Varanasi is no exception; however, the

situation in Varanasi is different compared to the

ones of other cities at a similar development stage.

Varanasi’s water supply is highly dependent on the

Ganga, which is considered to be sacred and

purifying by the Hindus. Immersion and ablution in its

water are daily procedures for the inhabitants as

well for the numerous pilgrims.

• During the last century the city spread in a rather unplanned way. The lack of a strong coordinating body resulted in serious deficits in the field of large infrastructures such as drainage and sewerage systems. Consequently, the capacity of the old sewers exceeded and the city’s sewage and industrial waste flow into the Ganga, polluting the river heavily. Today, the largest part of the sewage, industrial effluent, run-off from chemical fertilizers and pesticides used in agriculture and huge quantities of solid waste are dumped in the Ganga untreated.

• The pollution of the Ganga presents a severe health

hazard, in particular for those who bathe in the river

and drink its water. In their study, Pandey et al.

(2005) found out that the Ganga water pollution

has a very significant effect on occurrence of

enteric diseases in Varanasi city. In particular the

concentration of Nitrate, Chloride and Faecal

coliforms in the river water has a major effect on

water-borne diseases.

• The result of this study indicates that the drinking water may cause enteric diseases even if the raw Ganga water is treated properly. One possible explanation is that contamination could take place due to seepage of old supply pipelines . Many efforts to clean-up the holy Ganga were undertaken during the last decades. The most comprehensive was The Ganga Action Plan (GAP). The GAP was an ambitious program, prepared by the Department of Environment and approved by the Cabinet in 1985, in order to reduce the pollution of the Ganga.

Bibliography:

• Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) (2000): Ganga Action Plan. http://www.cag.gov.in/reports/scientific/2000_book2/gangaactionplan.htm (23.09.2011)

• Jaiswal, R. K. (2007): Ganga Action Plan – A critical analysis, Working paper, 49 p.

• Mishra, V. B. (2005): The Ganga at Varanasi and a travail to stop her abuse. In: Current Science. Vol. 89, No. 5. pp. 755-763.

• Pandey, J. et al. (2005): Ganga Water Pollution and Occurrence of Enteric Diseases in Varanasi City. Indian Journal of Community Medicine: Vol. 30, No. 4.. pp. 115-120.

• Sankat Mochan Foundation (SMF) (2011): The struggle to save Ganga. http://www.sankatmochanfoundationonline.org/save_ganga.html (23.09.2011)