IMPACT OF IDOL IMMERSION ON WATER AND SEDIMENT QUALITY IN THE RIVER MAYURAKSHI AT SAINTHIA, DIST. BIRBHUM, WEST BENGAL, INDIA

The country of India is the unique where different cultural heritage as well as festivals were found. Mainly the West Bengal state is known as various religious festivals, but Durga Puja is one of the biggest and end of this festival idol are immersed in the water bodies. Sainthia town found in the district of Birbhun, West Bengal, India which is present in the south bank of the Mayurakshi river. The idol immersion mainly effect on water as well as sediment quality of this river Mayurakshi near railway bridge at Sainthia. The study will be discussed for immersion effect of this sampling station, because in this point totally Sainthia town Durga idols were immersed. The water and sediment samples were collected at 7:30 am on 9th October 2019 during pre-immersion (before immersion) and 7:30am on 10th October 2019 during the post immersion (after immersion) in this time of periods. Mainly, the Durga idols are been made up by non-biodegrable substances such as clay, plaster of paris, cloths, paper woods, thermocols, jutes and synthetic paints etc. these are mainly toxic substances. Over all the used materials in making of idol, the thermocol is nonbiodegradable while paints contained highly toxic heavy metals like Cr, Cd and Pb. In this study has been made to analysis the physicochemical parameters like temperature, pH, TS, TDS, TSS, EC and three heavy metals like Cr, Cd and Pb on the collected water and sediment samples of the Mayurakshi river on before and after idol immersion periods of near railway bridge sampling station. The analysed results by based on various physicochemical parameters showed that the after immersion in the river Mayurakshi increases concentration of heavy metals and changes other physicochemical parameters of the both water and sediment samples. Finally concluded that, these changes of different parameters are harmful for aquatic life and human beings as well as the level of water pollution highly increases in this Mayurakshi river. So, the huge religious activities mainly causes of the water pollution where huge disturbing aquatic ecosystem.

Effect of idol immersion activities on the water quality of urban lakes in Bengaluru, Karnataka

Immersion of painted idols and dumping of organic wastes in the lakes, as a part of religious activities, are immensely adding to water quality deterioration. Incorporation of alkaline, alkali-earth metals and heavy metals through the idol-making paints are likely to promote the hardness and heavy metal concentration of water in these surface water bodies, and therefore, deteriorate the water quality. In this purview, periodic analysis of Nagavara and Ulsoor lake water was carried out to investigate the effect of idol immersion activities on the lake water quality. Water samples were collected before and after immersion activities randomly from different points of these lakes. In Nagavara lake, the maximum concentrations of calcium and magnesium were recorded to be 6.6 and 3.02 ppm, respectively after one month of immersion. The maximum concentrations of Na and K were 19.3and 42.8 ppm, respectively after seven days of immersion. In Ulsoor lake water, the EC had increased from 0.36 dSm-1 before immersion to1.22 dSm-1 after 14 days of immersion. The nitrate content of water before immersion was 1.51 ppm which increased to4.7 ppm, after 14 days of immersion in Ulsoor lake water. Higher BOD and COD values were recorded in lake water seven days after immersion activities. The concentrations of different inorganic ions including heavy metals (Cr, Cd and Pb) were found to increase in the post-immersion period. The water of these lakes is used for irrigation as well as other purposes. Thus, proper measures have to be adopted to restore and maintain water quality in these lakes.

Festivals and deterioration of aquatic environment: A case study of Idol immersion in Tapi River, India

In the civil society different festivals are celebrated, these are the integral part of human life and many of festivals are religious, seasonal change and culturally important. The present study elucidated environmental impact of Ganesh idol immersion on water quality of Tapi River and for this purpose water samples were collected during different durations (pre immersion, during immersion and post immersion) from selected sampling stations or idol immersion points of Tapi River. The important water quality parameters like pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, free carbon dioxide, total hardness, total alkalinity, biological oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, oil & grease and total calcium were analysed for the study. Result shows that dissolved oxygen was depleted while remaining parameter were increased during the idol immersion and it was concluded that aquatic ecosystem of Tapi river was deteriorated and pollution and nutrient load were increased due to these religious activities. The celebration of festivals and these religious activities can’t stop but pollution can reduce to save the river.

PHYSICO-CHEMICAL MONITORING OF LAKE WATER DURING IDOL IMMERSION

The present study concerns on physicochemical monitoring of the water quality nature and the extent of pollution in lake due to idol immersion. Pre-immersion and post immersion samples were collected from lake and analyzed for various water quality parameters such as pH, turbidity, total dissolve solid (TDS), total solid (TS) total suspended solid (TSS), conductivity phosphate, dissolved oxygen (DO), BOD, COD and oil & grease. The results were compared with standards prescribed by WHO and ISI. From the study, it has been found that the values of these parameters significantly increased during the immersion period and the declined in post immersion period. However the general trend observed was: immersion> Post immersion> pre immersion.The article focused on the main pollution which is caused by plaster of Paris idols and chemical paints by idol immersion during Ganesh festival.