The study focuses on the parameters for dissolved oxygen, (DO), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and faecal coliforms (FC) as these indicate the biological health of the river. The period of study for the river Ganga is 1999-2008. The study finds that most of the water quality parameters studied do not meet the standards.
There are 13 chapters with many annexures. The annexures give details on the position of monitoring stations via maps, water quality trends at various monitoring stations using graphs and tables. The chapters are -
The Ganga basin is the largest river basin in the country and accounts for one-fourth of the geographical area of the country and is spread across 4 states. There are 33.78 crore people living in this river basin of which 6.78 crore live in urban areas. A table provides the population in various states in this river basin. The work of monitoring the water quality along the river is divided between the Central Pollution Control Board and the state pollution control boards through which the river passes. Besides site specific water quality monitoring, the parameters checked are temperature, pH, conductivity, dissolved oxygen (DO), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), nitrate, nitrite, total coliforms (TC), and faecal coliforms (FC).
The report notes that the problems besetting the river in each state is different. In Uttar Pradesh it is the need for treatment of sewage and minimum flow of river resulting in high BOD. But, in Bihar BOD meets standards but FC is high; and so on. Thus an assessment of flow and waste water is necessary to ensure a minimum flow is present in the river at all times. Therefore it is recommended that water storage facilities be created upstream of the Ganga riverine system which can be released in the lean period.