11k litres of milk poured into Narmada river after religious event; environmentals see red

Sehore, Around 11,000 litres of milk were poured into Narmada river, often called the lifeline of Madhya Pradesh, in Sehore drict on the culmination of a 21-day religious event as part of a sanctification ritual, prompting environmentals to flag its negative impact on the ecosystem.11k litres of milk poured into Narmada river after religious event; environmentals see redThe event concluded at Satdev village in Bherunda area, located about 90 km from the drict headquarters, with a ‘mahayagna’ on Wednesday.The milk was offered to the river as part of rituals and prayers for the purity of the waters, the well-being of pilgrims and prosperity, organisers said.The milk was brought in tankers to the riverbank and later poured into the flowing water amid chanting of mantras in the presence of a crowd of devotees.However, environmentals raised concerns over the practice, warning of its potential ecological impact.”Such large quantities of organic matter can deplete dissolved oxygen in water, adversely affecting the river ecosystem. These impact local communities dependent on the river for drinking water and threaten aquatic life as well as domestic animals,” noted environmental and wildlife activ Ajay Dube said.Religious offerings should be symbolic and mindful, he asserted.Renowned environmental Subhash Pandey said 11,000 litres of milk acts as a significant organic pollutant.”It is highly oxygen-demanding and can lead to oxygen depletion, aquatic mortality, eutrophication and loss of potability. These effects are predictable from dairy-effluent chemry and have been documented in similar incidents worldwide,” Pandey pointed out.Narmada originates at Amarkantak in the state and traverses 1,312 km westward to Maharashtra and Gujarat, emptying into the Arabian Sea via the Gulf of Cambay.It is the largest west-flowing river in the peninsula, passing through a rift valley, and acts as a crucial water source for irrigation in MP, Gujarat and Maharashtra.This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.