Recently a video shared by Jeremy Wade, a British biologist and TV presenter known for the show River Monsters, went viral online. In the clip, he collects water from the Ganga and performs a very basic water quality test using a small chemical indicator. He explains that in his test, a certain colour change would show clean water. When he tests the river water, it does not show the colour expected for clean water and instead turns a brownish shade. Wade says this suggests the presence of faecal bacteria and waste in the sample he tested, indicating contamination rather than purity.

In the video he also acknowledges that talking about the cleanliness of the Ganga can be sensitive because the river is considered sacred by millions of people. He even shows a moment where he participates in a ritual bath offered by a local holy man, but he doesn’t drink the water himself. His comments and the test results sparked strong reactions on social media, with people debating pollution, religious beliefs, and environmental responsibility. Some expressed concern about pollution in the river, while others discussed cultural and emotional reactions to his statements.

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