POLLUTION STUDIES ON RIVER RAMGANGA AT MORADABAD

Abstract

The river water pollution in the country is assuming dangerous proportions and pollution abatement programmes in various river basins have become a necessity of the day. The river Ramganga is a tributary of Ganga. The first phase of ambitious Ganga Action Plan (GAP) to clean river Ganga initiated by Government of India (G01) has been • executed. The impact of various steps undertaken in GAP on Ganga river water quality is being evaluated at different places. Since, river Ramganga ultimately confluences to river Ganga near Kannauj, its importance cannot be neglected. The river Ramganga is likely to River included in Nations River Action Plan (NRAP) being mooted up by GO1 to deal with the pollution of remaining rivers of the country. Pollutional aspects of River Ramganga at Moradabad in rainy and winter seasons were studied by determining various physico-chemical and biological parameters. Three river water sampling stations at and around Moradabad, a typical drain and a specific industry were selected for sampling. Three sets of samples were collected over a period of .0/.1.0...fernIROARWIPW,e, ■■•swee.....• Ithree months from Aug'96 to Nov'96. The analysis of various pollutants variables has shown that river water quality in the city area, where combined wastewaters of city were being discharged into the river, had maximum pollution. The MPN index was found to be 2400+ for river water at all the sampling stations. To evaluate pollutional level of a river, Water Quality Indices (WQI) have come in practice. In this study three mostly used WQI i.e. NSF WQI, River Pollution Index (RPI), and Walski & Parker's Recreational Water Quality Index (WPR WQI) were used to express pollutional levels of river water before, at and after Moradabad city. The values of NSF WQI and RPI indicate that the river is maximum olluted in the city area. The value of NSF WQI, mostly used in USA, were in the range of 51 to 70 indicating quality of river water as "Medium" in descriptive language. Main thrust of study was to assess pollutional level vis-a-vis recreational standards. The WPR WQI was used to evaluate the pollutional level as far as recreational use is concerned. On the scale varying from 0 (worst quality) to 1 (best quality), WPR WQI was found to be below 0.75 at all the three sampling stations at Moradabad without iii considering total coliform density implying 'moderate' water quality. The study for metallic pollution in river water was also carried out. It indicates that city wastes add considerable concentration of lead to the river which makes river water quality considerably poorer. The self purification capacity of the river is clearly indicated by the result for downstream sampling station (MD). Due to high coliform density river is not safe for primary contacts like swimming, bathing etc.