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Kanhan River Pollution Threatens Vidarbha’s Water Supply

A Thermal power plant built on the banks of the Kanhan River which pollutes the river
Kanhan River Pollution Threatens Vidarbha’s Water Supply

The Kanhan River, a 275 km tributary of the Wainganga River, originates in the highlands of Chhindwara district in Madhya Pradesh and flows southeast into Maharashtra, serving as a critical water source for the Vidarbha region.


The river’s pollution issues began to escalate in the early 2000s, driven by rapid industrialisation and urbanisation. In 2001, the river was not included in Maharashtra’s list of notified rivers, allowing unrestricted activities such as sand mining along its banks. Large-scale coal mining in the catchment area further degraded water quality, introducing heavy metals and other contaminants.


The river receives significant effluent waste from Nagpur through the Nag River, a heavily polluted tributary carrying untreated sewage and industrial waste.

A 2004-2005 study conducted near Nagpur revealed a progressive increase in pollution levels from upstream to downstream sites, with the highest contamination at the confluence with the Nag River.


The study noted an increase in pollution-tolerant phytoplankton species and a decline in clear-water species, indicating significant ecological stress. The establishment of thermal power stations, including the Mauda, Koradi, and Khaparkheda plants, along the river’s banks has also contributed to pollution through ash discharge and other effluents.


By 2013, concerns were raised about the environmental impact of power plants in Vidarbha, with reports highlighting fly ash and toxic waste being released into the river through its tributaries.


These early developments set the stage for the river’s ongoing pollution crisis, which has persisted due to inadequate regulatory measures and continued industrial activity.


Current State of the Kanhan River


Recent investigations underscore the severe pollution plaguing the Kanhan River. A 2024 report from the Environment Surveillance Centre (ESC) and the Central Laboratory of the Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board (MPPCB) detailed alarming groundwater contamination in the Borgaon region of Chhindwara district, approximately 65 km from the district headquarters.


The report, titled “Status Report on Influence of Borgaon Industrial Wastes on Nearby Areas and the Catchment of River Kanhan,” identified distilleries, chemical plants, textile mills, alloy processing units, fabrication units, and plastic product manufacturers as key pollution sources.

The contamination has rendered wells and tubewells unfit for human consumption, leading to mass deaths of cattle and fish in villages such as Khairitaygaon, Tinkheda, Paradsinga, Kabarpipla, Satnoor, and Sangam.


In Maharashtra, the river’s condition remains critical, particularly near Nagpur in the Vidarbha region.

A 2025 article reported that industrial effluents, ash discharge from the Koradi Thermal Power Station, and algal blooms continue to degrade the river, which has been a primary drinking water source for Nagpur since 1951.


Water quality data from 2017 to 2019, collected by the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), provides a detailed picture of the river’s state:

Infographics showing MPCB Water Quality Data of Kanhan River (2019)
MPCB Water Quality Data of Kanhan River (2019)

The data, collected at sites such as upstream and downstream of Vidarbha Paper Mills in Sinora and near Agargaon village, shows that BOD levels frequently exceeded the 3 mg/L threshold for bathing water, while low DO levels and high coliform counts indicate significant sewage contamination. The river’s failure to meet bathing water standards underscores its unsuitability for human use and the ongoing ecological damage.


Scale of the Problem


The pollution of the Kanhan River affects a vast area across Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, impacting millions of people and local ecosystems. In Madhya Pradesh, villages like Khairitaygaon, Tinkheda, and Sangam face severe groundwater contamination, with water intake wells located just 500 meters downstream from pollution sources, posing direct health risks to residents.


In Maharashtra, the river supplies water to Nagpur, a city of over 2.5 million people in the Vidarbha region, where contaminated water threatens public health and disrupts daily life.

The ecological impact is equally significant. The river, once perennial, now dries up by February each year, likely due to over-extraction and pollution, exacerbating water scarcity in the region. The decline in dissolved oxygen and the proliferation of pollution-tolerant phytoplankton species indicate a loss of aquatic biodiversity, with fish deaths reported in both states.


The contamination also affects agriculture in Vidarbha, where farmers rely on the river for irrigation, leading to potential economic losses due to reduced crop yields and livestock mortality.

The river’s role as a tributary to the Wainganga River extends its impact beyond local communities, affecting downstream water quality and ecosystems. The scale of the problem is compounded by the river’s critical role in supplying drinking water to Nagpur, making its pollution a public health crisis with far-reaching consequences.


The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) developed a comprehensive action plan in 2019 to address the Kanhan River’s pollution, classified as a priority III polluted stretch. The plan outlined several measures to restore water quality by 2022, with a budget of Rs. 461.42 crore. Key initiatives included:


  • Sewage Treatment: Proposals for sewage treatment plants (STPs) in Kanhan Pipri (8 MLD, Rs. 32.42 crore), Kamptee (12.5 MLD), and Mouda (two 0.5 MLD STPs). The plan noted a 10.8 MLD gap in sewage treatment, with no STPs in three towns. Recycling of 60% of treated sewage was mandated, with 100 MLD allocated to the Koradi Thermal Power Station.

  • Waste Management: Nagpur generates 1100 MT/day of solid waste, with only 200 MT/day treated through composting or refuse-derived fuel (RDF). Biomedical waste (3660 kg/day) and e-waste (646,509 MT in 2015) are treated, but 922 MT/day of solid waste remains untreated. Hazardous waste from 299 industries (20,552.1 MT in 2017-18) is managed through common facilities.

  • Industrial Effluent: Four industries along the river have effluent treatment plants (ETPs), consuming 260.9 MLD of water and generating 63.72 MLD of effluent, all reportedly treated and recycled.

  • Environmental Measures: The plan mandated rainwater harvesting for projects over 20,000 sq.m, plantation programs by the Forest Department (targeting 33 crore trees by 2019), and in-situ treatment of nallahs to prevent untreated sewage discharge.


The action plan aimed to achieve 100% sewage and solid waste treatment, with specific water quality goals (BOD <3.0 mg/L, DO >5.0 mg/L, fecal coliform <500 MPN/100ml) by 2022. The Nag River Pollution Abatement Project, funded with Rs. 2500 crore in 2024, also aims to reduce pollution in the Nag River, indirectly benefiting the Kanhan River.


Despite the outlined measures, environmental experts and local communities have voiced significant concerns about the slow progress in addressing the Kanhan River’s pollution.

Dr. Pawan Labhasetwar, a former scientist at the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), along with experts like Dr. Mukund Patrikar, Chandrakant Bhoyar, Shriram Kavle, and Ramesh Lakhmapure, warned in 2025 that the river faces a severe threat from unchecked pollution. They emphasized the need for innovative solutions, traditional knowledge, and grassroots action, suggesting that current efforts are insufficient (Severe Threat).


The persistence of high pollution levels, as evidenced by 2024 and 2025 reports, indicates potential failures in implementing the 2019 action plan. The proposed construction of a barrage on the river has drawn criticism for potentially exacerbating environmental damage rather than mitigating it.


In 2013, Sudhir Paliwal of the Vidarbha Environmental Action Group criticized the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board for inadequate regulation, particularly regarding power plants that pollute rivers in Vidarbha. Local residents in affected villages have also filed complaints against polluting industries, highlighting a lack of effective enforcement.


The gap in sewage treatment (10.8 MLD untreated) and untreated solid waste (922 MT/day) as of 2019 suggests ongoing challenges in infrastructure development and regulatory oversight.


Critics argue that without stricter enforcement, continuous monitoring, and accountability, the action plans risk remaining ineffective, leaving the Kanhan River and its dependent communities vulnerable.

The Kanhan River’s pollution remains a critical challenge for both Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, demanding urgent and coordinated action.


The river’s role as a lifeline for millions underscores the importance of effective restoration efforts. Collaboration between governments, industries, and local communities is essential to ensure a sustainable future for this vital water source in Vidarbha and beyond.


References



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