Cooum most polluted river in the country, says CPCB report

CHENNAI: A report released by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has revealed that the Cooum River in Chennai is the most polluted in the whole country as the number of polluted river stretches in Tamil Nadu has increased to 10 in four years.

“Water quality of 12 rivers in Tamil Nadu was monitored at 73 locations during the year 2019 and 2021, of which, 53 locations on 10 rivers were found non-complying to the prescribed water quality criteria for BOD (biochemical oxygen demand),” said the report titled ‘Polluted River Stretches for Restoration of Water Quality, 2022’.

As per the report released recently, the 10 rivers in which polluted stretches were identified are Adyar, Amravati, Bhavani, Cauvery, Cooum, Palar, Sarabanga, Tambiraparani, Tirumanimuthar and Vasishta.

The report added that BOD in the Cooum between Avadi to Sathya Nagar was 345 mg per litre, which is the highest among 603 rivers in the country.

Sabarmati in Gujarat and Bahela in Uttar Pradesh are also the most polluted rivers in the country with a BOD value of 292 mg per litre and 287 mg per litre respectively.

Among the 10 polluted rivers in the state, Vasishta in Salem has a BOD value of 230 mg per litre. Adyar river - between Tambaram to Nandanam - has a BOD value of 40 mg per litre.