Research Scholar Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee
Pollutant source identification is essential to manage river health in the long run. The Yamuna River is a major tributary of the River Ganges in India's northern plains. Discharge of untreated or partially treated sewage and wastewater from densely populated cities diminishes this river's assimilative and self-purification capacity. The land use and land cover (LULC) map indicates the significantly degraded river water quality due to the presence of total coliform, Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), cadmium, chromium, and nickel in the built-up areas. Intense agricultural activities are responsible for the existence of Electrical Conductivity (EC), Magnesium, and arsenic pollution in the river. This study focuses on identifying major sources of pollution in this river using principal components analysis (PCA) that needs concurrent monitoring and evaluation. The study uses a dataset of 15 hydro-chemical parameters monitored over the past few years and are prioritised using the PCA that contributes significantly to the Yamuna River health status. PCA revealed that the heavy metals contributed through the various industrial activities and agricultural runoff with high pesticides are the primary pollutant sources that are threatening the river's ecosystem. Further, the impact of changes in LULC on the river's water quality is also investigated. It is hoped that the research findings will enable the decision and policy makers to implement measures to improve the Yamuna River water quality on a sustenance basis.
.jpg "Mitthan Lal Kansal (he/him/his) photo")
