Study reveals Ganga's self-purifying ability amid CPCB water quality concerns at Maha Kumbh

Study reveals Ganga's self-purifying ability amid CPCB water quality concerns at Maha Kumbh

A study conducted by a prominent scientist has discovered that the Ganga is the only freshwater river in the world where 1,100 types of bacteriophages naturally cleanse the water, removing pollution and eliminating 50 times more germs than their own count, even altering the RNA of the bacteria, reports ANI.

Padma Shri Dr. Ajay Sonkar, who was once praised by APJ Abdul Kalam, has made a groundbreaking discovery about Ganga water during the Mahakumbh.

Dr. Sonkar attributes the Ganga's unique ability to eliminate harmful bacteria and pollution to the presence of these bacteriophages, which act as security guards to purify the water. These bacteriophages, despite being 50 times smaller than bacteria, possess remarkable power.

Dr. Sonkar, an esteemed global researcher in cancer, genetic code, cell biology, and autophagy, has collaborated with institutions such as Wageningen University, Rice University, Tokyo Institute of Technology, and Harvard Medical School.

The study reveals that Ganga water contains 1,100 types of bacteriophages, which target and destroy harmful bacteria by infiltrating and hacking their RNA. During the Maha Kumbh, when millions bathe in the sacred waters, these bacteriophages activate and neutralize germs released from the body.

The bacteriophages in the Ganga infiltrate and destroy harmful bacteria by hacking their RNA. During the Maha Kumbh, when millions take a holy dip, the river detects germs released from the body and treats them as a threat. According to the study, the bacteriophages quickly activate to neutralize these harmful germs.

According to the study, the specialty of bacteriophages is that they destroy only harmful bacteria. Ganga's 1,100 types of bacteriophages target and destroy various germs. Each phage rapidly produces 100- 300 new ones, which continue the attack, eliminating harmful bacteria. Ganga's bacteriophages are host-specific, targeting only bacteria introduced during bathing.

This self-cleaning process mirrors the oceanic activity that purifies seawater. Dr. Ajay Sonkar highlights the medical potential of bacteriophages, which can target harmful bacteria without affecting beneficial ones.

He sees Ganga's unique self-purification as a message from nature-- just as the river safeguards its existence, humanity must live in harmony with nature, or risk nature taking its own course of action.

Dr Ajay has worked extensively on cell biology and autophagy with 2016 Nobel laureate Japanese scientist Dr. Yoshinori Ohsumi from Tokyo Institute of Technology. He has also worked twice on cognitive fitness and sensitive guts at Harvard Medical School.

Earlier, the Uttar Pradesh government issued a statement quoting Dr. Sonkar to refute concerns about the purity of Ganga water at the Maha Kumbh, asserting the water's purity as "alkaline water",  according to PTI. Over 58 crore people have bathed in the sacred Triveni Sangam since the Maha Kumbh began on January 13 in Prayagraj.

The statement responded to concerns raised by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) regarding the water quality.

"Padma Shri Dr. Ajay Kumar Sonkar, a renowned scientist, has challenged sceptics and debunked doubts about Ganga's purity with scientific evidence," stated the government release.

(With agency inputs)