Godavari river is said to have more disease-dispelling medicaments besides the magic of rare herbs and healing balms than any other river, thanks to the largely forested tracts it traverses through right from Nashik to the Bay of Bengal. But, the threat faced by Godavari is as serious as Ganga so far as the deterioration of water quality is concerned.
The flow of industrial effluents is menacingly increasing. There is a rapid growth in the beverage industries, pharmaceutical and agro-based units in the cities and towns on its banks including Nashik, Aurangabad, Bhadrachalam and Rajahmundry. The disposal of domestic wastes into the river is adding to its misery.
Though it is a matter religious sentiment to be respected by all means, how safe is the river water to bathe and to drink this season is a big question to be addressed by systematic studies with respect to parameters like the CO2 and PH. Thousands of makeshift toilets are arranged in the pushakar ghats, but they are woefully inadequate and majority of the pilgrims are resorting to open defecation posing a health hazard.
Salvage of huge quantities of waste generated by the rituals of the occasion, dumping of flowers, garlands and puja material in the river has been a tough task. True devotees of the river god from the plains should help preserve its sanctity by emulating the simple religious rituals observed by hill Koya tribesmen who are now descending in hordes on the river banks for the occasion- nothing to discard and nothing to take back, except for the divine blessings.
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