Maharashtra has most no. of dirty river stretches

That the Mithi has been reduced to a filthy nullah is well-known. However, now a report of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) shows that Maharashtra has the largest number of polluted river water stretches in the country.

The CPCB draws up a list on the basis of what it calls "water quality monitoring." It has identified 26 such rivers in Maharashtra with 28 polluted stretches. The Mula and Mutha in Pune, Kalu and Bhatsa in Thane and the Mithi in Mumbai are among such rivers.

Environmental experts are worried that it's not only industrial pollution which is responsible for degrading the quality of water in the state's rivers. Rapid urbanization across the state is a major culprit as well. "Domestic sewage is a source of pollution, besides industrial and other sources," said an official from the Union ministry of environment and forests.

So even a river like Kundalika, which flows through the Sahyadris in Raigad district and is popular with river rafters, now houses a polluted stretch. Similarly, Nira, a small tributary of Bhima in Solapur, and Kanhan, a river flowing through Nagpur have been polluted because of industrial as well as domestic waste.

The CPCB has marked 150 polluted river stretches in India, which includes almost all the major rivers flowing in the country. After Maharashtra, Gujarat has the most polluted rivers, showing that industrial activity remains a major source of pollution.

The National River Conservation Programme (NRCP) is the nodal central government plan to fight river water pollution. However, it covers only 38 rivers in 20 states.