23-Effect of Biological Parameters on Stream Water Quality-Indian Scenario

Abstract

Assessment of pollution has traditionally been made on chemically oriented methods and biological methods have been omitted or put into a subsidiary position. The reasons are/were mainly (i) physico-chemical data are amenable to numerical description but much of the biological information has been non-quantitative in nature and (ii) biological data collection have been tedious and expensive. However, in recent years all these drawbacks have been removed and biological monitoring has come to play a major role. Biological monitoring of water quality is an extremely important aspect and is used as a complimentary approach to physical and chemical monitoring. Biological monitoring examines the effects of freshwater communities and individuals, measuring processes such as primary production of algae, community structure or contaminant levels in individual organisms. In the present paper an attempt has been made to study the presence of biological pollution (primary producers such a Plankton, Epilithic Phyto-benthos and primary consumers such as Zooplankton, Zoobenthos and the Fish), in three rivers of India and its effect on stream water quality. The three chosen rivers are Ganga, Narmada and Kaveri covering almost the entire range of northern and southern representative rivers.

It is apparent from the study that biological pollution in Indian rivers has become more or less a limiting factor especially for human health. The problem is becoming acute in almost all rivers and suitable pollution control measures/technologies are required to control this situation. Long term pollution control measures should be implemented to avoid future detrimental effects. Based on the study it is recommended that (i) coordination among various government agencies undertaking pollution studies be improved to save costs and avoid duplication of efforts (ii) systematic monitoring survey of biological pollution and its effects on aquatic and human life in major rivers of the country should immediately be taken up on regular basis, (iii) impact assessment studies be taken up in right ernest and, (iv) a new look be made on environmental laws and regulations.