The Ganges is a sacred and terrifying river. The dirtiest rivers in the world How many polluted water bodies are there in Africa
Technological progress, which benefits humanity, often greatly harms nature. Most people are accustomed to a carefree existence and hardly think about how hard it is for our common home. River pollution is one of the scourges of our time. Which of the rivers is considered the most polluted on our planet?
Chitarum
The dirtiest river in the world flows on the Indonesian island of Java. It is the longest river in the western part of the island. It plays an important role in agriculture, water and electricity supply, fisheries, industry and sewerage.
The river has an ancient history: as early as the 4th century, pottery flourished at its mouth. Along the river, three power hydroelectric power plants have been installed, providing energy to a large area around Jakarta. The waters from the dams are also used to irrigate rice fields, making the northern lowlands leading in rice production.
80% of the river water is actively used, and this has led to such severe pollution that some farmers have been forced to sell their fields at a low cost. Water is polluted mainly by textile factories that dump their toxic waste (lead, mercury, arsenic, etc.). In 2008, an Asian bank approved a $500 million loan for water treatment.
Sacred to the people of India, the river, sadly, is also one of the dirtiest rivers in the world. The waters of the Ganges pose a danger to the health of five hundred million people living in its vicinity and in one way or another in contact with it. The Ganges becomes dirty due to the numerous effluents discharged into the water by the inhabitants, as well as due to the large number of factories and plants.
One section of the river contains 200 times the norm for faecal bacteria
The cities along the riverbed are overpopulated and the population is increasing every year. A lot of human waste and sewage gets into the river, because of which you can not only use water for drinking and cooking, but even just touch it, this is fraught with intestinal infections. The authorities have repeatedly discussed the possibility of cleaning the river, but almost nothing has been done for this.
One of the dirtiest rivers in the world is the Buriganga, which flows in Bangladesh. It is extremely important for the economy of the city of Dhaka in terms of water communication.
Since ancient times, Dhaka has been an important trading port due to its convenient location on the banks of the river. Today, Buriganga suffers from deadly pollution, in particular, chemical waste, sewage, plastics, oil, animal carcasses.
Dhaka generates about 4,500 tons of waste daily, and most of it is released into the river. Most coastal businesses do not have a wastewater treatment system. These are mainly textile, pharmaceutical and printing factories.
Due to the fact that Dhaka is highly dependent on shipping, a lot of food waste also gets into the water - rotten fruits, vegetables, fish. More than four million people are exposed to the harmful effects of pollution every day. The government has been criticized for its inability or unwillingness to make a difference.
One newspaper article in 2004 reported that 80% of all wastewater is untreated
Another Indian river, one of the dirtiest rivers in the world. It is noteworthy that in 1909 its waters were described as "pure blue" (compared to the yellowness of the Ganges). But due to the high growth in population density and the high rate of industrialization, the Yamuna became rapidly polluted.
The capital New Delhi dumps more than half of all its waste into this river. The Government of India spent five hundred million dollars to clean up the river, but it did not give much results. Perhaps this is due to the fact that most wastewater treatment plants are underfunded or incorrectly funded.
Money for purification continues to be allocated, for example, in 2007 a plan was developed according to which water was supposed to be 90% cleaner by 2010, but this has not quite been done.
The water level does not change for almost nine months of the year, which exacerbates the process of cleaning the river
The degradation of this Chinese river began in the 1950s, when thousands of kilometers of dams were built for land reclamation, irrigation and to control floods and disease-carrying microbes. Thus, more than a hundred lakes became cut off from the main river. Gates were installed that can be opened in case of floods.
However, despite the prohibitions, many farmers began to settle on land near the lakes. When the threat of a flood came, the gates were not opened, because this would bring significant destruction. Thus, almost all lakes have dried up, fishing in this area has halved, and the biological diversity of fish has also decreased. Pollution is exacerbated by the discharge of waste from the pig farm, as well as untreated sewage.
Many animals have lost their natural habitat. In 2006, the world lost the last member of the Chinese river dolphin species.
By September 2012, the water in the Yangtze turned scarlet from pollution.
Huanghe
China's Yellow River, according to a 2006 report, is one-third unusable for agriculture or industry as a result of wastewater from factories and the rapid growth of coastal cities. When examining the river, 33% received the fifth level, according to the UN classification, the water of the fifth level becomes unsuitable for drinking, fishing and industrial needs.
The most polluted of all the rivers in Russia is the Volga, the largest body of water in Europe.
In 2009, according to a study by the University of California, they compiled statistics from which it turned out that the coastal zones of the river are extremely affected by both industrial and domestic pollution.
At the moment, almost half of the industrial and agricultural production of the country is concentrated in the river basin. And almost 38% of all sewage waste is dumped here. According to statistics produced by experts, the load on the Volga's water resources exceeds the average load in Russia by eight times. Moreover, organized drains, that is, industrial ones, are not the main threat, since they can at least be controlled. The main pollution is the fault of orphan wastewater.
Storm flows also play a significant role, through the fault of which oil products, for example, oils, enter the river.
king
The dirtiest river in Australia. In the 1880s, active copper mining began there and, accordingly, wastewater was discharged. Between 1922 and 1995, low-grade mining residues and sulphide waste, as well as huge amounts of acidic enriched metals, were also released into the water. As a result, acid rains followed in the immediate area.
In 1995, the mine was closed and waste no longer entered the river. However, acidic waters continue to flow into it from the mountains. Thus, the river is still toxic to aquatic organisms to this day.
In the summer of 2013, the Greenpeace water patrol collected 10 water samples from this reservoir and conducted a laboratory analysis with them. Absolutely all the results revealed a significant excess of the amount of heavy metal, as well as oil products.
As you know, an excessive amount of strontium can cause bone disease, and an excess of aluminum can cause nervous system disorders. Near the oil refinery, a 120-fold excess of manganese was found, and this is a serious risk factor for blood diseases and impaired immunity.
The results of the analyzes were sent to Rosprirodnadzor and the Moscow Prosecutor's Office to solve the problem of pollution of the Moskva River
This Philippine body of water is full of plastic wraps, rubber slippers and other household waste. In addition, water is extremely dangerous due to the content of pesticides such as cadmium and arsenic. Both factories and ordinary people continue to dump their garbage and sewage into the water, despite hefty fines and the activity of environmentalists.
Workers do not have time to clean the reservoir from pollution
This is not a complete list of heavily polluted rivers of the Earth. We can also mention the Matanza River, which flows through the capital of Argentina, and the sacred Jordan River. There is no justification for the irresponsible attitude of mankind towards the cleanliness of rivers, because it was near them that our ancestors settled from time immemorial, fish were caught in them, navigation was organized along them, and drinking water was taken from them. Taking into account all this significance, the authorities should throw their efforts into eradicating the barbaric attitude to such important water resources.
Technological progress does not spare nature. People are too accustomed to a comfortable existence and rarely think about the harm that is constantly being done to our common home. Every second, dozens of tons of garbage are thrown around the world, industry poisons nature with hazardous waste, and plastic and other artificial materials are even more widely used. Especially clearly the surrounding nature can be seen in the example of rivers. Historically, settlements were founded near them, they were used as navigation channels and sources of drinking water. Despite their importance in human life, there are many examples of barbaric attitudes towards rivers. This ranking includes dirtiest rivers in the world.
10. King (Tasmania, Australia)
The fate of this river changed with the discovery of the Copper Mine on its banks in the first half of the 19th century. During this time, from the largest source of fresh water in Tasmania, it has turned into a real swamp and for this reason is one of the ten most polluted rivers in the world. Moreover, almost all animals die from contact with its yellow water. There is nothing royal left in the river, the old name today sounds like a mockery of nature. Every year, the Copper Mine poisons the river with sulfides in huge quantities. Approximately half a million tons of waste gets there with the rains, often due to the large amount of harmful substances. In total, over 100 million tons of sulfides, as well as a large number of other dangerous compounds, entered the river.
9. Sarno (Italy)
The activity of people has led to the fact that this river is called the dirtiest in Europe. This happened due to the fault of agricultural enterprises. Dozens of such objects constantly release waste containing various harmful substances into it. They are not stopped even by the fact that the river flows into the Gulf of Naples. It is one of the most visited places in Italy and its poisoning could harm thousands of tourists. Hundreds of organizations are fighting for the cleanliness of the Sarno River, and the authorities are making serious efforts to resolve this situation.
8. Marilao (Philippines)
In previous cases, pollution was caused by the activities of industrial facilities. Near the Marilao River there are also about a hundred factories that poison it. Due to the large number of various sources of pollution, hundreds of tons of substances from the entire periodic table enter the water every year. The situation is aggravated by the fact that the local population actually uses the river instead of a trash can. All waste is simply dumped along the banks of the river.
7. Huang He, "Yellow River" (China)
This river is one of the largest in the world and serves as a source of drinking water for much of Northern China. Despite this, many businesses and settlements are constantly poisoning her. The level of pollution of the Yellow River is quite high, which makes it one of the dirtiest rivers in the world. Heavy metals, oil industry waste and other harmful substances are found in it in such large quantities that this water is not suitable for some production facilities. The situation is aggravated by the fact that impurities from the erosion of local soils are constantly present in the river. Because of them, the water has a yellow color. The number of people poisoned by drinking water from this river is in the thousands.
6. Mississippi (United States of America)
America occupies one of the leading places in terms of development and is a fully formed state. But at the same time, the ecological situation in it, in some places, is more similar to the situation in rapidly developing countries. The Mississippi River is a clear illustration of this. The amount of municipal, industrial and agricultural waste in it is so great that “dead zones” are formed in places. Water from them cannot be used in any way, even for industrial needs. Not to mention bathing, fishing or drinking it. Dozens of organizations are fighting to protect the river from pollution, but this does not bring visible results. Therefore, the Mississippi is ranked 6th in the ranking of the dirtiest rivers on the planet.
5. Yangtze (China)
The Chinese are known for their neglect of the environment. The Yangtze River is a prime example of this. The water in it usually has a dark gray color. But at times, due to hazardous waste emissions, it takes on shades of almost any color, which the locals are no longer surprised at. In 2012, the river temporarily turned blood red. The length of its channel is the longest among the rivers throughout Eurasia. Therefore, about 20 thousand industrial facilities are located on the shore. Almost all of them get rid of waste with the help of the river, without bothering to install filters or treatment facilities.
4. Jamna, "Yamuna" (India)
The Jumna is one of the dirtiest rivers in India. This is largely due to the fact that for most people living in the capital, it is the only way to get rid of waste. Many enterprises and factories also contribute. The state spends huge amounts on attempts to clean up the river, but the large amount of harmful substances that come in greatly hinders this. Simply put, this river has turned into one big trash can for a huge city.
3. Buriganga (Bangladesh)
Water of an incomprehensible hue, from which a strong smell reeks from afar, heaps of plastic garbage and the absence of signs of any living creatures nearby - this is what the Buriganga River looks like. This does not alarm the local population, who manages to wash and wash their things in such conditions. The river is officially declared dead, since only the simplest can survive in it. I think that this is a good reason to place the Buriganga on the 3rd line in the ranking of the dirtiest rivers in the world. Every year, dozens of tons of garbage are dumped into it, and the bottom is mostly covered with a layer of dangerous and long-decomposing substances. The sheer volume of pollution and the lack of understanding from industry and locals is preventing the authorities from fixing the problem.
2. Ganges (India)
If in other cases the local population tries to limit contact with polluted water as much as possible, then here they climb into it themselves. This is due to the old superstition that bathing in this river relieves all diseases. If you cynically look at the result of contact with water, then we can say that this custom today works one hundred percent. A huge amount of pathogenic microbes, toxins and heavy metals can kill a person who plunges into the river for a moment. Official figures indicate that about one and a half million people die every year from this "healing" procedure. This statistic does not stop new applicants.
1. Chitarum (Java Island)
The first, far from honorable place in the ranking belongs to the Tsitarum River, which means that it dirtiest river in the world. The number of various wastes in it is so great that in some places it becomes unclear whether there is water in it. From the side, the river looks like just a large stream of garbage moving sluggishly in one direction. Such volumes of pollution arose due to the large concentration of industrial facilities on its shore. There are about five hundred textile, plastic and other plants and factories per 300 kilometers of the channel.
It is also worth noting that there are much more than a dozen heavily polluted rivers on our planet. For example, through the Argentine capital of Buenos Aires, the Matanza River flows. Its waters contain a high concentration of toluene and other harmful chemicals. This river is officially recognized as the site of an ecological disaster. The most polluted rivers in the world include the sacred Jordan River, located in Israel. Swimming in it is prohibited by the country's Ministry of Health. This is because the waters of the river are used by many enterprises, including agricultural ones, and therefore it contains a high content of toxic waste hazardous to human health.
The dirtiest river in the world | Video
Now it’s hard to believe, but once the most polluted rivers in the world were clean, people swam in them, fished and even drank water from them. But now the situation has changed dramatically.
Once clean rivers have turned into dumps. And although it is dangerous to swim in such rivers, people living on them not only perform ablutions, but also use their water as a drink.
Watching such a picture, you understand that humanity is one step away from a water crisis and something needs to be done about it.
Citarum River, Indonesia
The river is located in West Java, Indonesia. This is the dirtiest river in the world. However, water is used as a water supply, to support agriculture, for industrial purposes, etc.
The Citarum River is not very big. The width is only 10 m maximum, the depth is even less - 5 m, but its length reaches 300 km. It originates in Indonesia, stretches along the entire western Java, and also flows near the capital Jakarta. The river flows into the Java Sea.
Not so long ago, the river was rich in fish, trills and singing birds, flowering gardens grew on the banks. Now you can see only polyethylene trash. The fish has long since died. This is where bacteria thrive.The reason for such a sad environmental situation was industrialization, which began in 1980. Now more than 500 organizations dump their waste into the rivers.
In addition, all household waste and sewage ends up in Citarum. This is the waste of more than 9 million people!
In 2008, funds were allocated to clean up the river, but this did little to help. It will take more than one decade to completely clean up the river.
Jumna River, India
The Jumna River comes second on the list. In fact, Jumna is a huge dumping ground for the capital of India.
The length of the river is 1376 km. The basin area is 359 thousand km². In spring and summer, the width of the river reaches 1-2 km. As a rule, in winter, the water level drops.
The average water consumption is 3 thousand m³/s. The depth of the river is 10-12 m. The tributaries of the Jamna are Tons, Chambal, Ken and others. Jumna begins on the southern slopes of the Himalayas, flows from the Yamunotri spring, its height is 3255 m. It flows through some states of India, as well as through Delhi. Falls into the Ganges.
The Jumna River has practically no living creatures. Occasionally you can find swimming fish, but you can not eat it. Near the river there are still flowering trees and birds, but every day there are fewer of them.The cause of river pollution is the same human factor. Tons of garbage from residential areas and businesses flow straight into the river.
Local authorities have allocated huge amounts of money for cleanup, but nothing has changed.
Now the river is just a convenient place for waste.
Ganges River, India
The Ganges is the most famous Indian river. It is a sacred place for Indians. The total length is 2700 km.
It is the deepest and longest in South Asia. The basin area is 1,060,000 km².
In the dry season, the width of the river ranges from 430–440 m, the depth is about 12 m.
In rainy weather, 900 m, and a depth of 20 m. The average amount of water is 12 thousand m³ / s.
The river begins high in the western Himalayas, from the Gangotori glacier, has many tributaries and branches. The Ganges flows into the Bay of Bengal.
The cause of the ecological catastrophe is population growth, production waste and the lack of a good sewerage system. Having bathed in the Ganges, you can catch typhus, cholera, dysentery. The population is dying due to poor water conditions. If no action is taken, the river will simply die.
Yellow River, China
It is also called the Yellow River. It is the second longest in China (5464 km). The basin is 752 thousand km². Water consumption - 2571 m³ / s. The average width of the river is 100 m.
The source of the Yellow River is in Tibet. It flows into the Yellow Sea, forming a delta.
The animal and plant world used to be very rich. Now the flora and fauna have changed. There are practically no living creatures in the waters of the Yellow River.The river is heavily polluted with oil products. It dumps toxic waste from various factories and enterprises.
In addition, farmers pour wastewater into it. The authorities allocated money for water purification, but this did not produce results. The local population continues to use water for agriculture.
The Mississippi River is the longest river artery in North America. It ranks 3rd in the world in terms of length (3734 km), the basin is 2,981,000 km². The average width is 2000 km, the average depth is 10 m. The annual water discharge fluctuates between 7-20 thousand m³/s.
The source of the Mississippi is Nicolette Creek, located in Minnesota. It flows into the Gulf of Mexico.
According to statistics, the Mississippi River pours 600 million tons of waste into the Gulf of Mexico every year. The main cause of river pollution is shipping and hydroelectric power plants. Refineries are also located on this site. Every year, 30 million cubic meters / m³ of wastewater enters the water.
Situation in Russia
And this is not the whole list of rivers. In fact, there are many more of them, and in Russia river pollution is a big environmental problem. The most unfavorable is the ecological situation. The Volga passes through the central part of the country, where the population is the largest, on its banks there are many industrial cities, whose enterprises dump waste. Following are the Siberian rivers, which also experience the load of the country's industrial complex, these are the Ob, Irtysh, Yenisei. The list continues with Iset, Lena, Pechora, Oka, Tom. It turns out that most of the rivers that pass through ours are mercilessly polluted.
The irresponsible attitude of man to water resources has led to sad consequences: vast expanses, once full of life, have turned into a waste dump. It is in the interests of everyone to stop this inexorable destruction of all life. Our goal is to preserve water resources in their original form, because they are the source of human life and home to millions of flora and fauna. Be conscious and take care of nature!
The problem of water pollution in fresh and salt water bodies of Russia is relevant and urgent. Vacationers and residents of coastal cities are very concerned about the state of the water and beaches, some of which are so polluted with garbage and waste that it is visible to the naked eye without any research. Due to the amount of mud, some beaches are unsuitable for swimming. Many reservoirs have areas with particular pollution, and some seas, lakes and rivers are so dirty that they can safely be included in the list of the most polluted reservoirs in Russia.
The most polluted rivers in Russia
Running fresh water, which should serve as the main source of supply to Russian taps, is becoming increasingly dirty and less suitable for consumption. And in some reservoirs, the situation is so critical that even swimming in them is not recommended, and we are not talking about drinking at all.
Since the main source of pollution in the rivers of Russia are industrial emissions, sewage and household waste, not properly disposed of, small rivers suffer the most. Emissions in them are as plentiful as in large canals, but due to the small amount of water and less flow, the concentration of harmful substances in small rivers reaches critical levels.
Rivers' pollution
Both medium and even the largest rivers suffer:
- Tom and Oka in some areas are so dirty that fish die out en masse in them, and mountains of garbage have accumulated on the banks.
- The waters of the Pechora and Lena are spoiled not so much by utilities and household waste, but by the extraction of gold and diamonds, the gas pipeline, and shipping.
- Iset suffers from several sources of dirt at once. Here, oil products, metals, and sewage have a negative impact on water.
- The Irtysh “comes” to us already dirty. Unfortunately, it is not possible to influence the purity of its waters even with a strong desire, since the main dirt gets into the river at its sources, which are outside the territory of Russia.
"Leaders" in the rating of the most polluted rivers in Russia
Ob and Yenisei can open the list of "leaders". If earlier they served as a source of clean drinking water, now it is strictly not recommended to use this water without proper filtration or prolonged boiling. This can cause intestinal infections and more serious illnesses. They suffer from dumped industrial waste.
Volga pollution
One of the largest and most important rivers in Russia, the Volga, occupies an unhonorable first place. In addition to industrial waste, a huge amount of wastewater is also dumped into it.
The most polluted seas in Russia.
Studies conducted on the subject of the dirtiest seas have shown that the beaches of the Azov and Black Seas, the Baltic, the Caspian and Primorye will not be the best places for a sea holiday.
Fourth place - Azov and Black Sea waters
On the western sea borders, rather large film pollution was found. There are beaches suitable for swimming on the Azov and Black Seas, but shipping and other human activities have led to the fact that these waters still fell into the rating of the dirtiest seas in Russia.
Third place - Baltic Sea
The Baltics have disappointing results in terms of monitoring compliance with sanitary standards. While relaxing on local beaches, you can get intestinal infections if you swallow sea water. Pollution is caused by dumping of waste products. Treatment of sewage and industrial emissions into the water is not established, the observance of sanitary standards on the beaches and in the coastal zone, where many people rest, is not monitored.
Second place - Caspian
The situation in the Caspian is also quite critical. Here, too, the authorities are not particularly active in controlling emissions, and the owners of factories and industrial enterprises do not care about filtering waste dumped into the sea. The result of this was an unfavorable situation.
Disappointing first place - the waters of the Far East
Primorye suffers mainly from abundant shipping activity. Due to the huge number of seaports and the very plentiful circulation of ships in these waters, critical indicators of pollution are noted. Waste oil products and other emissions from maritime transport have been polluting water regularly for many years.
The most polluted lakes in Russia
With the purity of the waters in the lakes of Russia, the situation is also not very favorable. And if some reservoirs are polluted only in places or have acceptable indicators and only strive for the unpleasant title of “the dirtiest”, then some lakes are so dirty that they can hardly be called lakes.
Ganges - the sacred river is considered by the Hindus to be a continuation of the highest power, the embodiment of Ganges, the goddess who is the source of all earthly waters and reservoirs. If tourists call the river a familiar male name, then the Indians will certainly correct it: not the Ganges, but the Ganges, and she, like Versailles (see) for the French, is one of the symbols of the country. It is so clean in the mountains, you can still swim in it, however, everything looks terrible downstream.
Ganga is a woman who sent cleansing from the filth of dead people so that they could go to another life with pure karma. Sending water to the Himalayan mountains, the Ganges collects them in the river, which the Hindus called by her bright name.
Ganges and the city of the dead - Varanasi
Lovers of traveling and discovering the world as it really is, come for special experiences to the city of Varanasi, which stands on the banks of the Ganges River. Wanting to see this "city of the dead", as many people call it, tourists are already aware of what they will see with their own eyes.
The civilized world is rich not only with wonderful sights, but also with sometimes surprising traditions and rituals incomprehensible to foreigners. Meanwhile, for Hindus, ordinary life is their religion, culture and just a way of thinking and behavior.
Living in Kerala, I asked an Indian friend why I didn't see the cemeteries and what they do with their dead. It should be noted that it is considered the most educated state in India. The answer struck me, quite cheerfully he answered: “Fry”, this word, as far as I know, refers to the process of toasting. That is, he answered me with a laugh that they roast their dead.
Varanasi - a city of contrasts
Varanasi is a center of pilgrimage. There is an opinion that this city appeared more than 1000 years BC. e. and developed as a civilized city. Over the millennia of the existence of the city, many religious temples were erected here, universities appeared and libraries were opened.
The Muslims who attacked the city destroyed almost everything that had been built. Library books burned down. And most importantly, the inhabitants of the city, who were the bearers of culture and knowledge, were destroyed. The city was restored for a long time, but it failed to return to its former greatness. Today, this city of a million inhabitants lives its usual life.
The most famous place in the city is now the ghats - the steps of the Ganges embankment. It is these steps that are considered to be the most important place for Hindus who dream of being burned right here, on the banks of the sacred river.
Not everything is so sad on the ghats. In addition to burning corpses, pilgrims and residents of the city communicate, have fun, pray, wash, wash, walk and even talk on mobile phones. People just live here. They consider themselves the happiest being near the waters of the great Ganges.
Varanasi is a unique city that connects life and death together. Hindus who are getting old and infirm tend to come here from everywhere. It is an honor to meet here in prayers the last dawn and break away from the vanity of the earth.
The Hindu city of Varanasi is the center of the universe. Here the contrasts of the existence of mankind are manifested so strongly that it is beyond the power of a foreigner to fully understand what is happening around.
But, according to the Hindus themselves, Varanasi is the city of eternity.
Ganga - an unusual temple
The embankment of the Ganges here is a kind of temple. Here they do not stop praying, meditating or doing yoga. According to an ancient legend, this city was founded by the god Shiva (read here -), and that is why it is defined as a place of honor for pilgrimage in India.
Everything that happens here makes an indelible impression on visiting foreigners. The most desperate ones try to see and understand what is happening at least a little, because you will not find anything like this anywhere else.
One of the traditional prayers, performed on the banks of the Ganges River in the first rays of the sun, is the most impressive sight in the world. A huge number of tourists come here to look at it.
The Ganga River as a cemetery
Many people know that it is customary for Indians to cremate corpses and scatter the ashes over the water. The Ganges in this case is the most honorable shelter of the burnt bodies of the Hindus. One can, of course, be surprised that not only numerous crematoria in the district are engaged in cremation, which do not stop their work even for an hour.
Right on the shore at the most famous place in Varanasi, on the ghats, corpses lie in rows, waiting for their turn to be burned right there. Bonfires burn here day and night. The sight is not for the faint of heart.
And the Indians are just doing their job, observing the traditions and rituals, as it all happened for many centuries in a row.
However, the Hindu religion does not allow burning the corpses of sacred cows, monks, children and pregnant women. Their "burial" takes place in a different way: a stone is tied and the body of the deceased is immersed in the river. The waters accept the bodies of the dead in any form, as commanded by the heavenly Ganges.
The Ganges is the dirtiest river in the world
The fact that all industrial waste and sewage flows into the Ganges without passing through cleaning filters, this, as they say, is not a problem. The fact is that, in fact, an incredible number of corpses descend into the river for a variety of reasons.
One of the main reasons is the poverty of the Indian population. They drag out such a miserable existence that there is not enough money even for the cremation of corpses on ordinary fires, since the burning of corpses in India is a real business, and firewood is expensive and not every family can afford it.
So they send the bodies of the dead down the river, which float until they are eaten by fish, or they are thrown ashore by a wave. In these places there is even such a profession: a raker of corpses. In narrow places on the river, so many dead bodies accumulate that their accumulation forms a “plug”, and the bodies keep swimming up and swimming up.
Despite floating corpses, life is in full swing on the banks of the Ganges. The most amazing thing is that Hindus drink water directly from the river. European researchers took a water analysis and were simply horrified by the presence of dirt and harmful substances in it. And the inhabitants of India believe that the water in the Ganges River is sacred, they drink it from birth.
The Ganges could purify itself for many centuries. The development of industry has added problems and for several decades there have been attempts by the authorities to purify the sacred waters. However, no success has yet been achieved in resolving this issue.
Enormous money is being allocated for work to clean up water from ashes, garbage, industrial waste, sewage, and to clean up corpses from the banks of the Ganges River. Money is allocated, but dirt and a terrible smell remain. The reason for this, most likely, is the way of life of many millions of inhabitants who inhabit the country and who want to commit their body to the waters of the Ganges, as well as corruption, which is also invincible so far.
And this is a half-hour shocking film about the Ganges
