Comparative Study Of River Water Quality at Different Ghats in Kanpur Region

Abstract

   In India, the river Ganga is believed as a goddess, and people worship it. Despite all the respect for the river, the river’s condition is worsening, and we Indians are unable to maintain the purity of the river. The Ganga is a river of faith, devotion, and worship. Indians accept its water as “holy,” which is known for its “curative” properties. The river is not limited to these beliefs but is also a significant water source, working as the life-supporting system for Indians since ancient times. The Ganga River and its tributaries come from cold, Himalayan-glacier-fed springs, which are pure and unpolluted. But when the river flows downgradient, it meets the highly populated cities before merging into the Bay of Bengal.

Nowadays, with the increasing urbanization, the Ganges basin sustains more than 40 percent of the population. Due to the significant contribution of the growing population and rapid industrialization along its banks, river Ganga has reached an alarming pollution level.

the present analysis, seasonal variation of Physio-chemical parameters of river Ganga at Kanpur, Indiawere studied. Samples for one year study (2021-22) were collected from six ghats of the river Ganga located in Kanpur city. The collected samples were analyzed for different Physio-chemical parameters viz.; temperature, pH, Dissolved Oxygen (DO), Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD), Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), Chlorides, Nitrate, Phosphate, Magnesium and with respect to Chromium metal contamination. The maximum water temperature was recorded in summer season and lowest in winter season.

The deterioration in water quality of the river, majorly due to Industry effluent and immersion of idol and disposal of waste, can be observed from Bithoor ghat upstream of Kanpur city to Siddhnath ghat at Jajmau downstream of Kanpur. The results were compared with the WHO water quality standards. The observed values of major parameters were slightly higher than the WHO limits. Therefore, the observed water quality suggests that the water could not be used for drinking and bathing purposes. It could only be used for irrigation after suitable treatment.

Key Words: Physio-chemical Analysis, BOD, Hardness, COD,DO, GroundWater, Nitrate, Kanpur