The discovery of a dead Ganges River Dolphin near the Jajmau Ganga Bridge has intensified concerns over the river’s health, indicating dangerously low dissolved oxygen levels. The dolphin, a freshwater species and India’s national aquatic animal since 2009, may have died due to toxic water conditions, even as authorities claim the river is clean.

While the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) insists that Ganga water meets safety standards, the reality on the ground is starkly different. Over 10 drains and hundreds of homes discharge untreated sewage directly into the river, and pollutants from nearly 200 tanneries in Jajmau add chromium and other heavy metals, further degrading water quality.

Kanpur authorities have invested crores in river cleanup plans, including bioremediation projects at key ghats. Officials from the Municipal Corporation and Jal Nigam claim that treatment plants, including a CETP and a 210 MLD sewage treatment plant, are operational, but experts argue these measures are insufficient, operating at partial capacity and failing to stop pollution from smaller drains.

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The incident has also exposed departmental conflicts, with Forest Department and UPPCB officials at odds over responsibility. Divisional Forest Officer Divya stated that while the exact cause of death will be revealed in the pending IVRI report, river contamination is undeniable. Local residents and former councillors have long highlighted the blackened water and persistent pollution issues.

Authorities maintain that bioremediation efforts aim to reduce pollutants such as BOD and COD by up to 40%, but critics claim these measures are slow and ineffective. The National Green Tribunal has repeatedly ordered that no untreated waste enter the Ganga, yet lax enforcement continues to threaten aquatic life and public health.

Environmentalists and citizens are demanding independent water testing from institutions like IIT Kanpur, public access to results, and stricter action against polluting tanneries and officials. Calls have also been made to install warning boards at highly polluted ghats to prevent human exposure, underscoring the urgent need for accountability in the Namami Gange Mission.

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