Assessment of Water Quality of Indian Rivers

Abstract

Magh Mela, held from 14th Jan. to 11th Mar. 2021, is an important yearly ritual held on the bank of river Ganga in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. River Ganga is the longest and most sacred river of India. It originates in the Western Himalayas in the State of Uttarakhand and traverses a distance of approximately 2525 km through the states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand before meeting the Bay of Bengal in West Bengal. Magh Mela involves a holy dip (bathing) by pilgrims in the River Ganga at Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. To maintain the water quality of River Ganga during Magh Mela, the water quality of its tributaries/sub-tributaries was assessed. Among monitored rivers, Dhela was found to be the most polluted. Rivers Dhela and Bahela impacted the water quality of rivers Ramganga and Kosi, respectively. Moreover, the discharge of wastewater from drains, namely Pachhana drain and Dhandi drain (discharged into river Dhela) and Rampur drain (discharged into river Kosi), impacted the water quality of rivers.