Asian Journal of Microbiology, Biotechnology & Environmental Sciences Paper

Vol 24, Issue 2, 2022; Page No.(392-396)

IMPACT ASSESSMENT OF MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONCAMPAIGNING ON PUBLIC AWARENESS TO CONSERVE THE TAPIRIVER WITH REFERENCE TO IDOL IMMERSION: A STATISTICALEVALUATION

BENGANI R., GADHIA M. AND N.C. UJJANIA

Abstract

India is the culturally diversified country where large numbers of festivals are celebrated everyyear. Among these festivals, Ganesh Chaturthi is one of the important festivals and during this festivaldifferent sized Ganesh idols are worshiped for few days and later on immersed in nearby water body. Theidol immersion process is the major cause of water quality deterioration and ultimate increase the pollutionin water resources. The present study focused on evaluation of the municipal corporation campaigning andpublic awareness to conserve the Tapi river which gets polluted due to idol immersion. To fulfill the objectiveof the present study, water samples were collected during the Ganesh festivals of 2010, 2014 & 2019 andwere analyzed for important water quality parameters including temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, totalhardness, total alkalinity, bio-chemical oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, oil & grease and totalcalcium. Results showed that the water quality parameters were more fluctuated during the idol immersionof 2010 and 2014 compared to 2019. These results were statistically verified and observed that temperatureand BOD had significant changes in the year 2014 whereas total alkalinity, COD and oil & grease exhibitedsignificant changes during the year 2010 and 2014. Insignificant changes in temperature, BOD, totalhardness and significant changes in COD were noted during immersion and post immersion period of 2019.The outcome of present study clearly indicated that campaigning of municipal corporation is effectivelywork to aware the public to use of ecofriendly idols, idol immersion in artificial small water holdings etc.to conserve the Tapi River during the idol immersion.