Rajesh Kumar Mishra’s research while affiliated with Montana State University and other places

The River Ganga in India is one of the most polluted large rivers of the world. Improvements in wastewater and sewage treatment infrastructure have not kept pace with the rapid population and industrial growth occurring over the past several decades. The Sankat Mochan Foundation (SMF) was founded in 1982 in response to public concern about sewage pollution of the River Ganga in Varanasi. The Government of India initiated the Ganga Action Plan (GAP) in 1985 to address water pollution issues affecting the Ganga in Varanasi and a small number of other large cities. Surveillance and water quality testing conducted by the SMF quickly revealed many shortcomings of the GAP program. Since its completion, GAP has widely been acknowledged as a failure. Some thirty years later, the SMF continues its education and lobbying efforts to promote truly effective planning and action, and a site-specifi c technical solution, to remedy Ganga pollution. In this article, a summary of water quality monitoring data compiled by the Foundation beginning in 1992 is presented to highlight the magnitude of the sewage pollution problem in Varanasi.

Escherichia coli serotype O157:H7 was detected among bacteria collected from the Ganges River. O157:H7 isolates tested positive for stx1, stx2, and eae gene sequences. Identification of potentially pathogenic isolates from extensively used source water indicates that O157:H7 may be a significant but as yet underacknowledged public health concern in India.

In Varanasi, India, an estimated 200 million liters daily or more of untreated human sewage is discharged into the Ganges River. River water monitoring over the past 12 years has demonstrated faecal coliform counts up to 10(8) MPN (most probable number) per 100 ml and biological oxygen demand levels averaging over 40 mg/l in the most polluted part of the river in Varanasi. A questionnaire-based survey was used to estimate water-borne and enteric disease incidence and study river use among resident users of the Ganges River in Varanasi. The overall rate of water-borne/enteric disease incidence, including acute gastrointestinal disease, cholera, dysentery, hepatitis-A, and typhoid, was estimated to be about 66% during the one-year period prior to the survey. Logistic regression analysis revealed significant associations between water-borne/enteric disease occurrence and the use of the river for bathing, laundry, washing eating utensils, and brushing teeth. Thirty-three cases of cholera were identified among families exposed to washing clothing or bathing in the Ganges while no cholera cases occurred in unexposed families. Other exposure factors such as lack of sewerage and toilets at residence, children defecating outdoors, poor sanitation, low income and low education levels also showed significant associations with enteric disease outcome. This study provides an estimate of water-borne/enteric disease incidence and identifies possible risk factors for residents who live by and use the Ganges River in Varanasi.