World Water Day 2013 : Nambul water unfit for human use, poses health hazards
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, March 21 2013: With just 0.6 mg of oxygen in one litre, water of Nambul river flowing through Imphal city after it is joined by Naga Nullah is unfit for human use in any form.

Apart from being unfit for human use, the Nambul water is stinky and its colour blackish in colour.

As such, people residing close to the river are facing certain difficulties including health risks.

In the past, Nambul river was a reliable source of water for human consumption like drinking, washing, cleaning and agriculture.

But today, Nambul river water has become obnoxiously polluted.

Moreover, waste material including non-degradable plastic substances, effluents, bio-medical wastes carried down by Naga Nullah and Nambul river have become a major factor of polluting Loktak lake, which incidentally is one of the largest fresh water lakes in Eastern India.

In accordance with a resolution adopted by the UN General Assembly on December 22, 1992, March 22 is celebrated as Water Day every year.

Ahead of Water Day, a team of Manipur Pollution Control Board (MPCB) led by its Principal Scientific Officer Dr M Gonchandra tested the water of Nambul river using Winkler Method.

Waste dumped at Nambul river

It revealed that Nambul river, after it is joined by Naga Nullah, has just 0.6 mg of oxygen in one litre of water.

The oxygen content recorded 5.6 mg per litre at Naoremthong where Nambul river is yet to be joined by Naga Nullah.

At this point, colour of the water is similar to that of a clear pond and people along the river bank are using its water and they are also fishing in the river.

Talking to The Sangai Express, Dr M Gonchandra observed that Nambul water becomes extremely polluted after it is joined by Naga Nullah.

Natural process is unable to reverse the level of contamination.

Coupled with the fall in the volume of water flowing down from Kangchup hill range, the dry season, the high level of contamination and because of consumption of oxygen by aerobic bacteria, oxygen content of Nambul river has declined to a drastic level.

Under the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), MPCB has been testing ground water and surface water twice a year and every month using Winkler Method as part of the National Water Monitoring Programme.

Reports collected in the States are sent to CPCB, New Delhi.

Dr Gonchandra said that reports of water quality test conducted today would be sent to CPCB.

For reversing the contamination level of Nambul river, it is crucial to make the Municipality's Solid Waste Management Programme functional.

Water having at least 4 gm of oxygen per litre is fit for human use and survival of fishes.

But oxygen content of Nambul river after it is joined by Naga nullah does not even reach 1 mg.

The water was disgustingly stinky when the team stationed themselves at Heirangoithong on the river bed to conduct a similar test.

The river current is also blocked or impeded by piles of garbage and waste materials piled up at different points in the course of the river.

It is now a history that people used to catch fishes like Pengba, Ngashep, Shareng, Ngakra, Ngamu, Ngarin etc from Nambul river.

For reversing the contamination level of Nambul river, it is imperative to create extensive awareness among the people not to discharge or dispose waste materials into the river.

Along with it, Government need to take up some concrete actions, said some residents of the river bank.