Sir,
Devika is one of the most holy rivers for the people of Udhampur. The sanctity of Devika has also been mentioned in Vedas. But, today the sanctity of this sacred river is diminishing because of its pollution. It is mostly covered with toxic foam which is originating from the untreated sewage and other wastes. If it is not treated properly, a day will come when it will be like the Varthur Lake of Bangalore which is covered entirely with the toxic foam.
Many parts of the city like Housing Colony, Hospital Road, Shiv Nagar and the hotels on the National highway are releasing sewage into the holy river. This untreated sewage has high content of ammonia and phosphates which promotes the growth of some aquatic plants and algae. Moreover, high level of E Coli bacteria found in untreated sewage percolates the ground water table and causes water borne diseases. According to the study of Pollution Control Board, the level of Coliform bacteria in the river is high which is very harmful for drinking purposes.
Second, major cause of water pollution in Devika river is lack of garbage disposal mechanism. Now -a-days it is observed that people are washing the clothes near the bank with detergent, which is another cause of foam in the river. Now if river Devika has to be preserved, both people and authority are requested to follow the necessary steps.
Yours etc…
Anshika Mahajan (Miranda House, DU)
Anish Kumar (VIT University, Vellore)
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