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Dirty states

Dirty states the top five states in India that have major discharges of untreated domestic wastewater are Maharashtra, Gujarat, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. According to a recent survey by the Union ministry of environment and forests, these five states generated more than 63 per cent of the total wastewater and did not have proper treatment facilities.

The survey was carried out in 299 class-I cities and 345 class-II towns and analysed the water supply, wastewater generation and treatment. It concluded that the country produced 18,422 million litres per day (mld) of wastewater which amounts to 80 per cent of its water supply. Of this 12,785 mld wastewater was collected but only 409 mld (20 per cent) was finally treated, said the study.

Urban areas were responsible for maximum discharge of untreated domestic wastewater which is a predominant source of pollution of aquatic resources in India. It was also responsible for over 25 per cent of sewage generation.

Interestingly, the smaller towns and rural areas did not generate any significant amount of sewage due to the low per capita water supply, the report said. In such areas, the wastewater percolated the soil or evaporated and thus did not cause any contamination.

The report added that almost none of the towns surveyed had adequate sewage conveyance systems. It added that due to the inadequate arrangements for collection and disposal of garbage in urban areas, the waste found its way into the sewage drains blocking them.

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