Saraswati River pollution has triggered concern in Howrah’s Domjur area after residents reported unusual bubbling on the water surface and a foul odour beneath the Bhandardah Bridge. The bubbling continued for more than an hour on Saturday morning before gradually reducing and stopping, according to a report by Sangbad Pratidin – Bengal.
The incident drew local residents to the riverbank as the water appeared to be boiling. The report does not provide an official explanation from the district administration, irrigation department or pollution-control authorities, and the cause of the bubbling has not been independently established.
Local resident Puja Pal said this was the first time residents had seen the water behave in this way. She alleged that waste, garbage and acidic industrial discharge were entering the Saraswati River. Another resident, Barun Naskar, said the pollution could be producing gases and causing the bubbling and foul smell.
Bapi Thakur, secretary of the Saraswati River Bachao Committee in Domjur, attributed the phenomenon to gases generated in accumulated, decaying sludge. He said gases such as nitrogen and hydrogen may be forming in the polluted sediment, but the report does not cite any water-quality test or laboratory assessment confirming that explanation.
Thakur also said the river had not undergone regular restoration for a long period and that pollution levels were increasing. According to his account, the Saraswati extends for about 77 kilometres from Sankrail to Tribeni, with large sections having become silted up and reduced to drains or narrow channels. He further claimed that fish no longer breed in the river and that its water is no longer suitable for farming.
The reported incident points to the difficulty of managing a waterway that has both historical and present-day urban significance. The Saraswati is described in the report as older than the Bhagirathi and as a river associated with evidence of ancient settlements and architecture. The historic port of Saptagram was also located on its banks. Continued encroachment, sediment accumulation, untreated discharge and solid waste, if confirmed, would affect not only the river’s ecological condition but also the communities living alongside it.
The immediate public concern is whether the bubbling and odour indicate a hazardous release or gases from decomposing organic matter. That distinction cannot be made from visual observation alone. Water and sediment sampling, inspection of nearby drains and industrial outfalls, and an assessment by the competent pollution-control and irrigation authorities would be needed to establish the source and risk.
The bubbling reportedly subsided after more than an hour. The report does not state whether officials collected samples, inspected the site or issued public health guidance. Any formal response from the administration or relevant departments remains the next key development in determining whether the episode was an isolated occurrence or evidence of a continuing pollution problem.