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“Petition for Removal of Yamuna Constructions that Threaten Public Health” by Swami B.A. Paramadvaiti

Paramadvaiti, Swami B.A. “Petition for Removal of Yamuna Constructions that Threaten Public Health.” Vrindavan Today. 7 November 2010.

Petition for Removal of Yamuna Constructions that Threaten Public Health

By Swami B.A. Paramadvaiti

November 7, 2010

To:  All Doctors and People Concerned for the Health of the Brajwasis,

Subject: Petition for Removal of Yamuna Constructions that Threaten Public Health

On December 2nd, 2009, Ms. Chandi Duke Heffner, in the interest of improving the services of her medical charity Project Balaram, Vrindavan (Mathura), sent eight samples of local Yamuna water to a university microbiology laboratory for testing.  The test results revealed that the Yamuna water at Vrindavan is extremely poisoned.

Several antibiotic resistant bacteria were found, most notably Klebsiella, which can cause pneumonia and urinary tract infections and pathogenic (infectious) E. Coli, which causes gastrointestinal infection and can be fatal. Additionally, several samples tested positive for Mycobacterium Avium, which causes the fatal disease paratuberculosis in animals and for which there is currently no effective treatment.

Thus, Yamuna pollution at Vrindavan is not only endangering people’s lives, but it is doing so in ways that are difficult and sometimes impossible to remedy. This pollution is not limited to the riverbanks, where achman and vegetable washing have become obvious dangers that are nevertheless still practiced. The poisons in the river also seep into the ground, where they meet the water table from which all of Vrindavan draws its water.

Recent escalation of this public health tragedy is the result of pillars built in the river near Keshi ghat, which trap black water, or sewage, at the river’s banks and do not allow it to flow away as it did before.

We therefore request the Uttar Pradesh Government, Vrindavan municipality and all other concerned parties to take immediate steps to remove these pillars. Restoring the flow of the river where these pillars now sit is the first and most urgent task in saving the people and the Yamuna in Vrindavan.

We want to lovingly remind government institutions and servants they are guardians of public welfare and it is their duty to protect the people and lands entrusted to them.  In the case of Vrindavan, they are entrusted with a living treasure of Hindu faith and heritage, the home of Lord Krishna, which is being disrespected and abused.

They are also entrusted with several lakh people and animals that are being constantly endangered by increased pollution of the Yamuna. We are therefore simultaneously protesting construction in the Yamuna and crying for help as we suffer from its consequences.

Something must be done now to remove constructions trapping sewage near the Yamuna’s banks and you can help. Whether your motivation arises from a spiritual desire to protect the holy Dham or from a humanistic desire to stop the suffering of others, please find it in your heart to sign this letter, which will be sent to all authorities with jurisdiction and influence over the matter.

I. Screening of river Yamuna water from different region in Vrindaban load:

A. Report for Bacteriological contamination (Bacterial load) in Yamuna water:

A total of eight samples were submitted to Microbiology laboratory (J.S. Ghat (1), J.S. Ghat (2), Chir ghat (1), Chir ghat (2), Chir ghat (3), Keshi Ghat, sewage canal, Yamuna opposite on 2. 12. 2009.  Samples were processed for Total Aerobic and Facultative Anaerobic Bacterial count (Total count) on Brain Heart Infusion Agar medium and TotalColiform bacilli count (Coliform count) on Mc Conkey’s bile salt lactose agar (MLA) in primary culture of different samples of water.

Bacteriological contamination (Bacterial count) of Yamuna water from Vrindaban

Sn Samples Total Count (cfu/ml) Coliform count (cfu/ml)
1 J.S. Ghat (1) 3070 725
2 J.S. Ghat (2) 70, 000 6560
3 Chir ghat (1) 24600 8840
4 Chir ghat (2) 2,40,000 40,000
5 Chir ghat (3) 28800 5480
6 Keshi.Ghat 1600 600
7 Sewage canal 14250 5100
8 Yamuna opposite 2500 40

Cfu / ml – Colony forming units per milii liter of water

B. Types of Enteric bacterial colonies on Mc Conkey’s bile salt lactose agar (MLA):

J.S. Ghat (1) and Keshi Ghat water samples from river Yamuna were further analyzed for identifications of different types of colonies of enteric bacteria on MLA medium. Colonies were differentiated using Aldose test. Of the three types of colonies on Mc Conkey’s bile salt lactose agar (MLA); the pink small colonies of normal (non-pathogenic type) Eshcerichia coli colonies), pink bigger capsulated (mucoid) colonies of pathogenic Eshcerichia coli and big pale pink mucoid colonies of Klebsiella. Klebsiella was (Aldose negative) and E.coli were (Aldose positive). Capsule of capsulated E. coli was shown in Nigrosin staining.

Report on Bacteriological contamination of Yamuna water in Vrindavan

Sn Samples Total Count (cfu/ml) Coliform count (cfu/ml)
At 24 hrs At 72 hrs+ At 24 hrs At 72 hrs +
Pale pink largest colonies * Dark pink bigger colonies** Dark pink smaller colonies***
1 J.S. Ghat (1) 3070 3070 725 20 45 695
2 Keshi.Ghat 1600 1600 600 20 70 460

+ No change in the total count

* Pale pink largest size colonies were that of Klebsiella.

** Dark pink bigger colonies (mucoid) were that of capsulated Escherichia coli colonies. Earlier such colonies have been isolated from young kids at this farm.

*** Dark pink small colonies belonged to Escherichia coli (non-pathogenic) colonies

C. Screening of the bacterial colonies for antibiotic/drug sensitivity (Anti-biogram):

Three types of colonies obtained from Yamuna river (Keshi Ghat–1), Vrindavan on Mc Conkey’s bile salt lactose agar; pink small colonies of normal (non-pathogenic type) of Eshcerichia coli, pink bigger capsulated (mucoid) colonies of pathogenic Eshcerichia coli and big pale pink mucoid colonies of Klebsiella were screened for drug sensitivity on Brain Heart Infusion (BHI) agar. The zone of inhibition was read in milli meters (mm)

Ci. Drug sensitivity (zone of inhibiton) report of the small (non-mucoid) colonies of E. coli on BHI medium: All colonies were of Gram negative bacteria, E.coli

Antibiotic sensitivity discs Optimum zone of inhibition (mm) Zone of inhibition (mm) Results
1 Ampicillin (A) 17 19 – 24 Resistant
2 Ceproparzone (CS) 25 28 – 34 Resistant
3 Chloramphenicol ( C ) 20 21 – 27 Resistant
4 Ciprofloxacin (CF) 34 30 – 40 Sensitive
5 Cloxacillin (CS) 07 Resistant
6 Doxycycline hydrochloride (DO) 15 18-24 Resistant
7 Kanamycin (K) 11 11 – 25 Resistant

Cii. Drug sensitivity report of big mucoid (capsulated) pink colonies of E. coli on BHI medium

All colonies were of Gram negative bacteria surrounded by capsular wall.

Antibiotic sensitivity discs tested Optimum zone of inhibition in mm Zone of inhibition in  mm Results
1 Ampicillin (A) 00 19 – 24 Resistant
2 Ceproparzone (CS) 00 28 – 34 Resistant
3 Chloramphenicol ( C ) 14 21 – 27 Resistant
4 Ciprofloxacin (CF) 00 30 – 40 Resistant
5 Cloxacillin (CS) 00 Resistant
6 Doxycycline hydrochloride (DO) 00 18-24 Resistant
7 Kanamycin (K) 00 11 – 25 Resistant

Ciii. Drug sensitivity report of the big mucoid pale pink colonies of Klebsiella on BHI medium

All colonies were of Gram negative bacteria (Klebsiella)

Antibiotic sensitivity discs tested Optimum zone of inhibition in mm Zone of inhibition in  mm Results
1 Ampicillin (A) 00 19 – 24 Resistant
2 Ceproparzone (CS) 00 28 – 34 Resistant
3 Chloramphenicol ( C ) 19 Upto 18 Sensitive
4 Ciprofloxacin (CF) 12 >21 Sensitive
5 Cloxacillin (CS) 00 Resistant
6 Doxycycline hydrochloride (DO) 13 >16 Resistant
7 Kanamycin (K) 00 11 – 25 Resistant

vi. Consolidated results of drug sensitivity of the three colonies were documented using Ampicillin, Cefoperazone, Chloramphenicol, Ciprofloxacin, Cloxacillin, Doxycycline hydrochloride, Kanamycin.

Sn Antibiotic sensitivity discs tested Pale pink largest colonies *Klebsiella Dark pink bigger colonies**

E.coli pathogenic

Dark pink smaller colonies***

E.coli non-pathogenic

1 Ampicillin resistant resistant Resistant
2 Cefoperazone resistant resistant sensitive
3 Chloramphenicol sensitive resistant resistant
4 Ciprofloxacin resistant resistant resistant
5 Cloxacillin resistant resistant resistant
6 Doxycycline hydrochloride resistant resistant resistant
7 Kanamycin resistant resistant resistant

1. Pathogenic Klebsiella: Sensitive only to chloramphenicol. Resistance to Kanamycin, Ampicillin, Cloxacillin, Cefaperazone, Doxycycline, Ciprofloxacin.

2. Pathogenic E. coli: Resistance to all antibiotics, Chloramphenicol, kanamycin, doxacycline, Ampicillin, Cloxacillin, Cefaperazone, Doxycycline, Ciprofloxacin.

3. Non-pathogenic E. coli: Sensitive to Cefaperazone and resistant to all other antibiotics.

D. Screening of the water samples (Yamuna and sewage draining into Yamuna) for presence of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis by microscopic examination:

Of the 8 water samples from Vrindaban processed for the presence of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis, the cause of Johne’s disease in animals and Crohn’s disease in human beings, 3 water samples (one each from sewage water, Chir ghat 2 and J.S. Ghat 2) were positive (moderately, ++ to +++) by microscopic examination for the presence of acid fast bacilli morphologically indistinguishable to MAP bacilli. In view of the presence of typical acid fast bacilli similar to MAP showed that Yamuna river water was potentially dangerous for animal and human consumption.

Conclusions:

Water samples contained pathogenic E. coli and Klebsiella, and presence of a single pathogenic E. coli in accessible water makes it unfit for potability and other domestic uses, because both these bacteria were found to be highly resistant to commonly used groups of antibiotics like broad spectrum- penicillin, aminoglycosides, chloramphenicols, semi-synthetic penicillin, cephalosporin, fluro-quinolones and tetracyclines. In view of the presence of typical acid fast bacilli similar to MAP showed that Yamuna river water was potentially dangerous for animal and human consumption.

Click here to read this petition in its original location.


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Subjects: Environmental Issues, Vrindavan, What Has Been Done & Current Activism