Pollution and Degradation
Gomti river is under 'assault' at various points of its journey as it meanders through the 900-km stretch of rich alluvial plains of Uttar Pradesh. From industrial effluents to domestic discharge, the river becomes more of a flowing dumping yard for the 15 smaller and bigger towns, including Lakhimpur Kheri, Sitapur, Lucknow, Sultanpur and Jaunpur, in its catchment area.
The major sources of pollution in the Gomti are:
- Industrial waste and effluent from sugar factories and distilleries.
- Domestic waste water and sewage from habitations.
The river collects large amounts of human and industrial pollutants as it flows through the highly populous areas (18 million approx) of Uttar Pradesh. High pollution levels in the river have negative effects on the ecosystem of the Gomti, threatening its aquatic life. On 25 July 2008, foundation stone for a sewage treatment plant was laid, which would have a capacity of 345 million litre effluents per day.
Read more about this topic: Gomti River
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