Mercury, cancer-causing pesticide found in Arkavathy river water samples
Bengaluru: Alarming new findings reveal the presence of hazardous substances, including mercury, the banned pesticide DDT, cancer-causing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and fluoride, in the Arkavathy river. This vital water source, crucial for agriculture and horticulture in Karnataka, has been severely impacted by domestic and industrial pollution.
Recent tests on water and sediment samples collected from the river have exposed the disturbing levels of contamination. The samples were collected by volunteers from Paani Earth, a Bengaluru-based environmental organisation, from three locations: upstream and downstream of the Thippagondanahalli (TG Halli) reservoir, and the Dodda Mudavadi bridge, located 10 km upstream of where the Arkavathy meets the Vrishabhavathi river.
Among the alarming discoveries, DDT contamination was found at shockingly high levels—75 times above the European Union’s water quality standards—at a site 1 km upstream of the TG Halli reservoir, as cited by Deccan Herald on Friday. The analysis also revealed the presence of hexavalent chromium along with mercury and PAHs, harmful hydrocarbons known to cause various health issues, including skin irritation and cancer.
The water and sediment samples were analysed at the International Centre for Clean Water at IIT Madras. These findings underscore the significant gaps in India's water quality monitoring system.
The findings are particularly concerning as they come over two decades after the Karnataka High Court mandated measures to protect the Arkavathy river from pollution. The river, which originates near Nandi Hills, remains vulnerable to contamination until it merges with Vrishabhavathi, a waterbody tainted by Bengaluru’s sewage.
Meanwhile, the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board does not monitor heavy metals or PAHs in the Arkavathy waters, leaving a crucial gap in pollution oversight.
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Congress leader Harish Rawat files FIR against BJP over 'misinformation' campaign against him
Dehradun (PTI) Senior Congress leader and former Uttarakhand chief minister Harish Rawat on Tuesday filed a police complaint here against the alleged misinformation campaign being carried out against him by BJP on social media.
Rawat, who reached the Nehru Colony police station with his supporters, handed over a written complaint along with a pen drive and other evidence to the police.
Based on this, an FIR was registered under relevant sections of the Information Technology (Amendment) Act, 2008 and relevant sections of law.
After filing the FIR, Rawat alleged that the police took four hours to register his complaint. He added that if it takes so long for a former CM to file an FIR, one can easily imagine the plight of a common man.
"Finally, after four hours, the police registered the FIR with trembling hands. Their hands were trembling because we have accused the BJP president and his associates, with factual evidence, of misusing AI to tarnish our and our party's image and trying to disrupt social harmony by targeting a particular community," Rawat said.
He expressed hope that after the registration of the FIR, the police would bring the culprits to justice.
Rawat also said, "Just imagine, if the police take so much time to register an FIR of a former CM, what will be the condition of a common man in this state?"
Later, he also handed over a copy of the FIR to the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) of Dehradun and the SSP of the Special Task Force. Rawat also said that he would meet the District Magistrate of Dehradun and the State Election Officer with his complaint on Wednesday.
Recently, an AI-generated reel was uploaded on the official social media page of the BJP, which portrayed Rawat as a supporter of appeasement.
In the reel, a Congress leader is heard saying, "I take refuge in Muslims, I take refuge in dargahs (shrines), I take refuge in love jihad." The subsequent images show the construction of a dargah and some people smiling and talking about turning Devbhoomi (the land of gods) into a land of dargahs.
At the end of the reel, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami is seen walking with police forces and bulldozers.
Rawat also claimed that another AI-generated video was uploaded from a 'fake' BJP platform, depicting him as a 'traitorous Pakistani agent' engaged in espionage. However, the BJP has denied any connection to this video.
