The findings of a recent survey by the Adityapur-based regional office of Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board (JSPCB) has revealed that Subarnarekha, the lifeline river of the state, is getting polluted in areas in and around Jamshedpur. The board has expressed concern over rising industrial effluents being dumped.The findings suggested a rise in pH value, dissolved Oxygen content and lead content.
Subarnarekha is one of the principal rivers of Jamshedpur. Subarnarekha is the smallest of the inter-state river basins of India. The river covers a drainage area of 1.93 million hectares. Raru, Kharkai, Sankh, Garra, Kanchi and Karkari are some of the tributaries of Subarnarekha which drain the region of Jamshedpur.
Subarnarekha is a rain-fed river that originates about 15 kilometers from the southern part of Ranchi. Before entering the Bay of Bengal, Subarnarekha flows through the states of Jharkhand, West Bengal and Odisha. The total length of Subarnarekha is estimated to be about 450 kilometers.