HYDRO-GEOLOGICAL SETTING AND IMPACT OF SUGAR INDUSTRY EFFLUENT ON QUALITY OF AQUIFERS OF PANCHAGANGA RIVER BASIN, KOLHAPUR, MAHARASHTRAA.R. KULKARNIAbstract Panchanganga river basin is dominated by basaltic rocks which are altered to laterite and bauxite at higher altitudes and black cotton soil in flat areas. NE-SW and NW-SE trending lineaments have controlled drainage net work and moment of ground water of the area. Well inventory carried out during summer season shows different lithounits alluvial soil, fractured / weathered basalt, jointed basalt are good aquifers at different locations with moderate to good yield. Vertical Electric Sounding taken to a depth of 100 to 150 m, indicated that ground water in the entire river basin occur at four different depth level in the ground depending the topographical conditions with an average yield of 3000 to 10000 liters per hour. Efforts are made to correlate resistivity values of litho units with electric conductivity of ground water. Resistivity values supported by electric conductivity of ground water showed that shallow aquifers in the vicinity of sugar industries are polluted due to seepage of effluents to a confirmed depth of 8 to 10m and there is good evidence of pollution of ground water upto a depth of 35 m to 45 m. in the vicinity of sugar factories. Unlined dug wells are more polluted as compared to the lined dug wells. Utilization of such water has reduced the yield of sugar cane. |