Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

ANALYSES OF ABANDONED COAL MINE PIT WATER QUALITYCOMPARED TO THE WATER OF REGULAR, CONVENTIONALSOURCESIN RESPECT OF ITS UTILITARIAN PERSPECTIVES: ASPECIAL REFERENCE TO SELECTED ABANDONED OPEN CASTMINE PITS OF SATGRAM AREA, RANIGANJ COALFIELD, WESTBENGAL

Dibyendu Saha, Jai Prakash Keshri and Nimai Chandra Saha

Abstract

The present study was conducted to investigate the status of water quality and to determine the WaterQuality Index (WQI) of three abandoned open cast coal mine pits named HarabangaO.C.P., Damalia O.C.P.and Ratibati O.C.P. of Satgram area, Raniganj coalfield, West Bengal, India for three consecutive seasonalphases. These are pre-monsoon, monsoon and post-monsoon from 2019 to 2020. This paper deals with thestudy of the most commonly used water quality parameters as per IS 10500: 1991 Drinking Water-Specification and developed Water Quality Index (WQI) from the mean value of the season-wise Analysisof the said selected O.C.P.s water samples. The WQI of Harabanga O.C.P., Damalia O.C.P. and RatibatiO.C.P. are 90.3243, 82.8558 and 92.9864 respectively. The results indicate that all the O.C.P.s show verypoor water quality. Compared to the water of regular, conventional sources in Raniganj coalfield withrespect to its utilitarian perspectives. Simultaneously during the investigatory phase voting technique wasalso applied to determine or understand the ground reality related to the said abandoned O.C.P.s. An idealquestionnaire was prepared on the basis of associated issues and problems like pollution, water quality,fishing activity, agricultural activity and domestic activity among selected respondents, like Local people,Mining workers, Local administrators, Environmentalists, Policymakers and Researchers. From the surveyit is clearly revealed that local people are utilizing the O.C.P.s water only for agricultural activity andfishing activity etc. not for drinking and domestic purposes. Therefore the implementation of suitable watertreatment and sustainable management plans are needed from the competent authorities for utilitarianperspectives of the O.C.P.s.