Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

PILGRIMAGE AND DEPLETING WATER QUALITY: A PRELIMINARY STUDY FROM RIVER PAMBA

P.A. Sajudeen, K. Jayachandran and Mohammed Ashiq

Abstract

The indiscriminate anthropogenic activities coincident with unabated pollution severely affected water resources worldwide. The shift from pilgrimage to tourism pilgrimage aggravates the scenario. The rites and rituals around Sabarimala shrine along with the holy dip in river Pamba are obligatory to devotees. Thus, the physico-chemical and biological parameters of Pamba river water was compared for one year covering pre pilgrimage, pilgrimage and post pilgrimage seasons to find out the extent of pollution. Different parameters such as temperature, pH, turbidity, conductivity, hardness, TS, TDS, DO, BOD, COD, total coliforms and faecal coliforms were analyzed. An overall increase in majority of the parameters tested indicates that the Pamba river water is highly polluted due to pilgrimage activities.