Impact assessment of idol immersion on water quality

Abstract

Water quality is one of the important parameters to decide the proper uses of water resources which are possibly affected by natural (flood, landslides and surface runoff) as well as anthropogenic (agriculture wastage, industrial discharges, dumping and religious) activities. India is a culturally diversified country where a great number of festivals are celebrated along the bank of holy rivers every year. The present study focused on the water quality assessment of the Tapi River concerning Idol immersion. Water samples were collected during the Ganesh festival (pre-immersion, immersion and post-immersion) during the years 2010, 2014 & 2019 and analyzed for important water quality parameters. Results indicated that during all the studied years DO was found to decrease during the immersion period whereas COD and BOD increased during the same period. In 2014, BOD was comparatively higher than in the years 2010 and 2019. Higher fluctuation in COD was observed in the years 2010 and 2014 compared to the year 2019. Significant fluctuations in water quality parameters during all the studied years indicate the polluted status of River water due to idol immersion activities. Ecofriendly religious activities can help to solve the pollution level to some extent caused due to idol immersion in the water bodies.