With millions of people across India and abroad believing water of the Ganga river to be pure, holy and beneficial, the Haridwar district administration’s proposal to install water dispensers providing reverse osmosis-treated water has elicited criticism from members of the scientific fraternity. Citing studies ascertaining the detrimental effects of RO water on human health and the environment, scientists and activists including the ‘water-man of India’- Rajendra Singh questioned the need for executing the proposal to set up RO water dispensers at Har ki Pauri and other locations in Haridwar which they state will also not be in accordance with the aim of the National Mission for Clean Ganga.
In order to provide clean drinking water at reasonable price to pilgrims and visitors, the Haridwar district administration proposes to install kiosks akin to ATMs at Har ki Pauri and the bus stands of Haridwar and Roorkee. The proposed RO water dispensers each costing about Rs five lakh, would provide one to 20 litres per user depositing Rs one or Rs five coins in the slot or using the purchased ‘ATM’ card.
When asked by this correspondent about his opinion on the proposed installation of RO-treated water dispensers along the Ganga in Haridwar, the ‘water-man of India’- Rajendra Singh referred to it as one of the results of a ‘contract-driven system’. He also questioned the need for installing RO water dispensers.
Former IIT-Roorkee professor also noted for his research on the Ganga, DS Bhargava said that such proposals are more of an eyewash. He said,“There has been a debate going on regarding RO-treated water. It is also a costly way of providing water and more of an eyewash by the authorities to impress the general public. Concern has already been raised by some pointing at contamination of ground water by the concentrated toxics contained in the water discharged by RO machines though it needs to be studied further, ” he said, while dismissing the need for using such costly means.
Society of Pollution and Environmental Conservation Scientists (SPECS) secretary Brij Mohan Sharma said, Various studies have been conducted at the international level which have established that in the long term, RO water is detrimental to human health and to ground water resources. One of the studies conducted around the world on the quality of RO treated water by Zoltan P Roma states that ‘disease and early death is more likely to be seen with the long term drinking of reverse osmosis water’. Such water is not good for human health due to lack of micro-nutrients and directly affects the digestion process, apart from which it can also contaminate ground water,” he added.