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Bathing in Polluted water for celestial gains Negation of Science
Date: 04.03.2025
Bathing in Polluted water for celestial gains
Negation of Science
Dr Arun Mitra
After the reports of high-level pollution in the river water at the Kumbh site now the Bihar economic Survey has come out with a report that the water in Ganges river is not fit for bathing at most places in Bihar because of high bacteriological content. The study has been carried out by the Bihar state pollution control board which monitors the pollution level in Ganga river regularly. Taking cognizance of the large gathering at Praygraj, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) had earlier warned that the water at the Prayagraj, the site of Kumbh is highly polluted. They pointed out the pollution content to be far above the permissible limit and that the pollutants included high level of foecal matter. On February 16, 2025, NGT reprimanded the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) for its poor action which made 50 crore people not only to bathe in highly polluted water which could be cause of several diseases but even worse the people had to drink that water. The NGT also expressed fear that perhaps the UPPCB has been under some kind of pressure. No wonder after NGT’s observations the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Aditya Nath Yogi said that the water at Prayagraj is fit to drink.
This is even when the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) observed that the water quality at several monitoring sites was found to be sub-standard during inspections on January 12 and subsequently on January 23, 2025. A CPCB report stated that the Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) levels were found to be higher than the normal standard of three milligrams (mg) per litre at multiple locations. A high BOD indicates a high level of pollution, as microorganisms require more oxygen to decompose the organic waste in the water. There were excessively high levels of faecal coliform bacteria, which mainly come from human and animal excreta. The presence of these bacteria indicates that the water is contaminated with sewage, leading to the potential spread of waterborne diseases such as typhoid, diarrhoea, and cholera.
It was observed that untreated waste water from drains was flowing directly into the Ganges at several locations. While some drains were being tapped and treated, the treatment process was either partial or ineffective.
The NGT report was a warning to the people to be cautious before they take a dip in that polluted water. It is a paradox that despite the scientific warning people thronged to take bath and drink in the highly polluted water. But for the faith that taking dip during the Kumbh, they will get blessings of gods, most of these people would not even stand near such polluted water bodies.
Such faith and belief which used to be a personal affair is now being perpetuated by the state. Such events were managed by the religious bodies till date with state offering only supportive services. But in the past decade the state is not only involved in the promoting these affairs but also building narrative to strengthen them. So much so that many times it becomes difficult for the constitutional bodies to act against the defaulters.
In a news item published in Times of India on 12 April 2017 a four-member committee had recommended that Art of Living (AOL) Foundation of the so-called godman Sri Sri Ravi Shankar should pay Rs 100-120 crore as restoration cost for "extensive and severe damage" to the floodplains of Yamuna river. This damaged was caused by the mass festival organised by the AOL at the banks of Yamuna in Delhi in 2016. But the AOL paid to hoots to this order as they had the patronage of the government at the centre.
There is a subtle effort by the government in power to keep the people involved in the myths by repeatedly building unscientific narrative. For example the Cow urine is promoted as the cure of various illnesses including the cancer. The BJP Member of Parliament Pragya Thakur had said that her Breast Cancer was cured by the Cow Urine. Cow Dung and the Panchgavya are said to be the treatment of choice for many illnesses. Also that Cow Dung has the power to protect from the nuclear radiations in event of a nuclear exchange.
Uttarakhand CM Trivendra Singh Rawat said in July 2019 that cow is only animal that inhales and exhales oxygen and that by inhaling this air people can be cured of their breathing problems as the cow gives 'Pran Vayu'.
A judge of the Rajasthan High court had said that the Pea Hen gives birth to off springs when it licks the tears of the peacock. The Vice chancellor of the Andhra Pradesh University Dr Nageshwar Rao in Indian Science Congress held at Jalandhar had said that 100 Kauravs were born because we had the science advanced so much that we used stem cells for transplantation in ancient India. The Arogya Bharti has been promoting birth of customised babies by chanting specific shlokas by the couple during mating.
In fact such unscientific narrative was built by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi immediately after the BJP came to power at the center. At the inauguration of a Mumbai hospital in October 2014, he claimed that the elephant-headed Hindu god Ganesh was proof of ancient India's knowledge of plastic surgery. This was a hint to his band wagon to glorify false narratives. All this persistent effort is to keep the people away from rational thinking.
But such myths and falsehood have always been challenged from time to time. Charwaak, a rishi in ancient India challenged the prevailing concept of creation of universe and social relations. He was burnt to death for his views. Galileo challenged the myth of sun revolving around the earth even though he was persecuted for that. The Sufi saints also spoke against the myths. Guru Nanak Dev challenged the myths during that time when it was so difficult to do that. Now when we have much scientific evidence of the happenings around, it is our duty to come forward fearlessly to expose the nefarious designs of those who want to take all benefits of science but promote irrational and obscurantist ideas in the society.
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Date: 05.03.2025
Bathing in Polluted water at Kumbh
https://ipanewspack.com/bathing-in-polluted-water-of-ganges-for-celestial-gains-negation-of-science/
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