Patna: There is no trace of Coronavirus found in Ganga after the body of the victim Covid-19 was restored from Buxar, Kathar and several districts in neighboring Uttar Pradesh, according to recent studies carried out by the National Mission for Union Jal Shakti.
The ministry collaborated with the Institute of Institute of Indian Toxicology (IITR), Lucknow, the Central Pollution Control Agency (CPCB) and Bihar State Pollution Control Agency (BSPCB).
BSPCB Chairman Ashok Ghosh said water samples were collected after the bodies were found floating in Ganga during the peak of the second wave of Pandemic Covid in May and June this year.
“Leans that no samples collected have traces of SARS-COV2.
This means that water is not contaminated by the victim’s body Covid-19.
However, there is dirt on the Ganges river for other human-made reasons,” added Ghosh.
“The team collected ganga water samples in two phases from several Bihar and Uttar Pradesh districts.
Samples were sent to CSIR-IITR Lucknow for tests because we did not have facilities like in our lab.
The research report will be officially released in a few days by CPCB.
However, The main findings are the water has not been contaminated because of the restoration of the body, “said Ghosh.
According to officials, the panel formed by the central government collected samples from Ganga in Buxar on June 1 and in Patna, Bhojpur and suggestions on June 5.
On Patna, the sample was collected from Dighsa Ghat and Gai Ghat.
This study was conducted in two phases by scientists.
The RT-PCR test is carried out to determine the viral load on the body of the water after extraction of ribonucleut acid (RNA) from the virus of the water samples collected.
The study also examined the biological characteristics of the river.
D K Paul, Associate Professor Department of Zoology and Post Science Coordinator and MSc Environmental Management, Patna University (PU), said Coronavirus usually affected the respiratory system.
“If people don’t take water in their mouths and nose, they don’t need to be afraid.
Even if the water is contaminated at the permitted limit, it won’t affect people,” he said.
Arbind Kumar, Head of the Department of Zoology PG, PU, said a little water contamination would occur on the banks of the river when the bodies of victims of Covid-19 were left without burial.
“The concentration of viruses in water is diluted due to the continuous flow of the Ganges River,” he said.
There are no traces of Covid at Waters, finding studies
