Not only does pollution of any kind damage the environment, but it can also pose a danger to everything and everyone living in it.
Recently, an Indian chief minister demonstrated this when his plan to prove how clean a river was apparently backfired.
After drinking water from a holy river to show that it’s safe for consumption, he ended up in the hospital with a stomach illness.
The minister has since been discharged from the hospital.
According to The Indian Express, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann travelled to Kali Bein, a holy river in Sultanpur Lodhi, on Sunday (17 Jul).
Source: Indian Express
His visit was to commemorate the 22nd anniversary of the cleaning of the river.
During his time there, Mr Bhagwant announced a statewide campaign to clean all the rivers and drains in the state.
The Government of Punjab also released an official photo of the minister drinking water from the river to prove that it was safe for consumption.
Source: Government of Punjab on Twitter
A video shows Mr Bhagwant scooping a glass of water from the river and gulping it down confidently.
While he didn’t appear to display any adverse effects right away, things took a turn about two days later.
The Indian Express reports that on Tuesday (19 Jul), Mr Bhagwant started experiencing a severe stomachache at his residence in Chandigarh.
He was then airlifted to a hospital in Delhi. The government tried to keep news of his illness a secret, rushing him for emergency treatment without all of his security staff.
The Chief Minister’s Office did not confirm his hospitalisation. An official even said that Mr Bhagwant was healthy, with a busy schedule ahead of him.
However, sources claimed that his ailment had something to do with the water that he drank from the Kali Bein.
Thankfully, Mr Bhagwant’s ordeal did not last long.
Last Thursday (21 Jul), The New Indian Express reported that the minister has been discharged from the hospital.
The report states that doctors diagnosed Mr Bhagwant with an infection. He had stayed in a private ward under the care of a team of medical experts and remained in stable condition.
No matter how clear a river looks, there’s a good reason why most of us are encouraged to drink treated water instead.
Environmentalists have shared that river water can contain bacteria, parasites, and even chemical pollutants, making it unsafe for drinking.
So even when you’re overseas and feel tempted to drink from clear rivers or lakes, don’t. Let’s all stick to bottled or filtered water for good.
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Featured image adapted from YouTube.
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