12-14 September, 2011, Lucknow - Earth Science India

National Conference on Science of Climate Change and Earth’s Sustainability: Issues and Challenges ‘A Scientist-People Partnership’
12-14 September, 2011, Lucknow
closer to the canal during rainy season. Present investigations have enabled identifying
four possible sites from where Gomti river could be fed with the Sarda river water.
This storage of additional water of Sarda river in Sarda Sagar and subsequently its
diversion into the Gomti river would have a two fold benefit. The large scale inundation
caused by over spilling of Sarda river banks could be mitigated to a certain extent, and
more importantly this excess ‘waste’ water of Sarda river could be meaningfully
utilized to save the life of the ‘little sister’ Gomti river.
Similar exercise of possibility of diverting, the excess water of Garra/Deoha river
into the upper reaches of Sai river have also been studied. The continuous chain of
abandoned river channels in the area between Garra/Deoha river and Sai river, could
again be activated through dredging and used as a conduit to carry the Garra river water
into Sai river.
The re-activation of these ‘dying’ smaller rivers would be a first step towards
attempting to salvage the entire network of river systems in the Ganga basin.
PROLIFICATION OF ARSENIC IN GROUND-WATER OF
DISTRICT BAREILLY, U.P. - CASE STUDY
M.A. Faruqi and K. Khan
Central Water Analysis Laboratory, U.P.Jal Nigam, Lucknow – 226001
It is a well known fact that the consumption of arsenic contaminated water leads
to chronic health effects. Signs of chronic arsenic-ailments include dermal lesions,
peripheral neuropathy, skin cancer etc.
The presence of Arsenic in ground-water has been reported from many parts of
the world particularly in the Bengal Delta and Bangladesh, China, Vietnam and Nepal.
In 1976 Arsenic contamination was reported from some states of Northern India
including U P. In 1984 groundwater Arsenic contamination was discovered in lower
Ganga Plain of West Bengal, in 2001 groundwater Arsenic contamination in the terai
area of Nepal came to notice. In June 2002 Chakraborti et al. discovered Arsenic
contamination in Bihar in middle Ganga plain and at the same time apprehended
contamination in U.P. lying in middle and upper Ganga plain.
Arsenic contamination was detected in U.P. in 2003 by the team from Jadavpur
University in three Blocks of Ballia district. In 22 villages, Arsenic was found at
concentrations of 50 ppb or higher. The highest concentration reported was 1000 ppb.
In 5 villages case of Arsenicosis was detected and skin lesions typical of Arsenicosis
were found in 53 of the 307 people screened.
Bareilly district borders Pilibhit and Shahjahanpur on east and Rampur on west,
Udham Singh Nagar in north, Budaon in south. It is a level terrain watered by many
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