Varanasi: Varanasi is a city of religion and spirituality, where one attains salvation after death. It is believed that if a person who has not died here, is cremated in Varanasi then he or she attains salvation.
Because of this popular belief, people get the bodies of their loved ones to Kaashi for cremation. People pray for the salvation of their loved ones after cremating them at one of the two mahashamshaans of the city.
Hundreds of bodies are cremated daily at the Manikarnika Ghat and the Harishchandra Ghat.
Daily half-burnt bodies, wood, and the ashes are immersed in the river, which in turn is polluting it.
These facts have been revealed in the survey done by the scientist, who was also a member of the National Ganga River Basin Authority.
Professor BD Tripathi, a professor at the Banaras Hindu University and a river scientist told that several surveys have been done which have clearly stated that because of the two crematoriums in Kaashi, the condition of the river is not getting any better.
No arrangements have been made to check the immersion of residue of cremations into the river.
Unclaimed bodies are also being directly immersed in Ganga, which is polluting the river. Professor Tripathi said that, due to pollution, diseases spreading bacteria are also developing in the river leading to a drop in oxygen level.
Though a gas-operated crematorium has been built at the Harishchandra Ghat, it is not sufficient enough to help in addressing the issue.
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