For generations, the river Godavari has been the primary water source and a vital lifeline for Rajamahendravaram city in Andhra Pradesh. However, the vast river that passes through the city now faces a severe ecological crisis, leaving residents alarmed as the findings from a recent probe declared the water to be unsuitable for daily consumption and holy dips, taken by lakhs of devotees every year.

As part of the Krishna-Godavari Rejuvenation project, on May 25, Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Environment and Forest Pawan Kalyan, accompanied by Mission Director of the Mission for Clean Krishna, Godavari Canals G.C. Kishore Kumar, and Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board chairman P. Krishnaiah, inspected the pollution choke points along the eastern bank of the Akhanda Godavari – Turpulanka sand shoals of river Godavari and Nalla channel. Godavari Pushakarams, which is a once-in-12-years spiritual event to worship the sacred river, is scheduled to be conducted in 2027 on the eastern banks of the city.

The APPCB report released on June 8 indicates that the major parts of the river, flowing through the city, exceed permissible levels of coliform bacteria, biochemical oxygen demand, nitrate, phosphate, sulphide and biochemical oxygen.

Based on the report, Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Environment and Forest K. Pawan Kalyan says, “The Godavari river has been contaminated with various effluents and the current state of pollution in the river in Rajamahendravaram indicates that the water is neither suitable for drinking nor for bathing.”

Pointing out the effluents in the above permissible level, Mr. Kalyan says, “These pose a major threat to aquatic species and cannot be recommended for drinking.”

“Nitrate level is 119.6 mg /litre as against the normal level of 45 mg/litre in the water sample collected from the Andhra Paper Limited’s lagoon. This level of nitrate could pose severe health risks, including causing Blue Baby Syndrome among children. Such water is not suitable even for bathing,” he adds.

The report further names Andhra Paper Limited (APL) and sewage waste through the Nalla Channel as the major contributors to pollution in the river in Rajamahendravaram.

Major contributors

According to the report, APL generates 31,934 Kilo Litres per Day (KLD) effluents, including 400 KLD of plant domestic effluents, and is violating the rules by discharging the effluents into the Turpulanka sand shoals in the heart of the river after treatment. The APL has been discharging treated wastewater into lagoons through an open channel instead of the closed pipeline system recommended by various authorities, including APPCB.

“The analysis of grab samples collected from the ETP outlet discharging into the channel and storage lagoon at Turpulanka sand shoals revealed that the sample collected from the storage lagoon exceeded the prescribed standard for Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), recording 36 mg/l against the prescribed standard of 30 mg/l. The analysis further indicates Sulphides to be 3.4 mg/l against the prescribed standard of 2 mg/l and Phosphates of 5.3 mg/L against the prescribed standard of 5 mg/l,” says APPCB member secretary S. Srisaravanan.

The APPCB issued a show-cause notice to APL on June 12.

“The lease agreement for discharge of treated effluent into the Turuplanka sand shoals, covering 612.7 acres, expired in 1999, and it has not been renewed. However, the industry neither furnished further lease renewal of Turpulanka sand shoals in the River Godavari nor completed a dedicated drain to the Bay of Bengal despite the lapse of considerable time,” the pollution board states in the notice.

The APPCB has mandated the APL management to lay a dedicated pipeline connecting to the Bay of Bengal to continue further operations and conserve the river Godavari. The APL management was given a deadline of the end of June to respond with a permanent solution to prevent pollution of the River Godavari. Failing this, the APPCB would either decide to stop production or shut down operations and impose penalties.

Contacted several times by The Hindu, the APL management refused to speak or respond to their initiatives to prevent the river pollution.

The downstream of the APL factory lies the Nalla Channel, through which the Rajamahendravaram Municipal Corporation (RMC) discharges 29.6 MLD of sewage water into the river.

A few meters downstream of this channel, the RMC draws 65 MLD water from the river from two points – 55 MLD from Pushkar Ghat point and 10 MLD from La Hospin point – for purification for drinking water purposes in the city.

“The levels of BOD and Coliform bacteria and other pollutants will lead to water-borne diseases and skin diseases if exposed to the water near Nalla Channel,” reveals the APPCB report.

Impacting livelihoods

These pollutants not only prevent the river from being a source of potable water but also impact the livelihoods of the fisherfolk and endanger marine life.

Meanwhile, the fishermen in Yedurlamma island are complaining of a change of colour and a bad odour of the water.

“Our families who have been involved in the traditional fishing activities in the Godavari river between Dowleswaram and Kovvur have not been drinking water from the Eastern bank of the Akhanda Godavari due to a change in blend and colour in recent years. In the same stretch, the water on the East side of the river indicates an alarming level of pollution, as we could assess the change in the water quality,” a fisherman from Yedurlamma island, Naati Lakshmana Swamy says.

Sensing pollution of the river, those living on the islands and river bank area – Yedurlamma Lanka, Alkooru Thotha (Alcot Garden), Dowleswaram, Pushkar Ghat, Posamma Lanka – have already stopped consuming the water on the Eastern bank of the river for bathing and drinking.

Between Dowleswaram and Rajamahendravaram, at least 30 varieties of fish species were being caught by the traditional fisherfolk. The fisherfolk of the islands would spend the entire night on the river Godavari to catch fish with nearly 90 boats, earning a livelihood for generations in the Akhanda Godavari.

“The prime fish species of the Akhanda Godavari – Moju and Bommidayi – are being spotted with black spots, arguably due to water pollution. The catch of Chukka, the signature fish species of Akhanda Godavari, has already dwindled. The taste of the fish caught in the Akhanda Godavari up to the APL area has changed due to contamination of water with effluents,” a fisherman, Nagaraju Koppanthi says.

₹1,510-cr. plan to treat sewage

In the month of May, the APPCB announced the formation of a task force as a nodal agency to monitor and regulate water pollution in the river ahead of the 2027 Pushkarams.

“We have prepared a Detailed Project Report, seeking ₹1,510.92 crore aid from the Ministry of Jal Shakthi under the National River Conservation Plan (NRCP) for a permanent solution for treating and disposing of sewage generated in Rajamahendravaram city and 10 Gram Panchayats proposed to be merged with the RMC”, East Godavari District Collector Kirthi Chekuri says.

“The DPR includes a requirement of the 982-kilometre-long Under Ground Drainage (UGD) and six sewage treatment plants,” added Ms. Kirthi.

On being apprised about the DPR, the Deputy Chief Minister consented to convince the Ministry of Jal Shakthi to provide aid for the action plan. Additionally, he announced a ₹100 crore grant by the APPCB to tackle the ecological crisis.

Preparations for Pushkarams

The Andhra Pradesh government is creating additional infrastructure and developing ghats to support the footfall of an estimated eight crore during the 2027 Pushkarams.

The inauguration of the 2027 Pushkarams will be conducted at Pushkar Ghat, the most polluted point of the river Godavari. Meanwhile, the works of the ₹94-crore Akhanda Godavari project are in progress on the banks of the Godavari, with renovation of the 125-year-old Havelock bridge.