WWF to keep vigil on polluting Pune rivers

The project envisages detecting the quality of water in terms of human consumption and support for bio-diversity. Six different locations have been identified in Pune where regular tests of the Mula and Mutha rivers will be conducted by local volunteers of River Watch group. These spots have been selected to detect the changing chemical equations in the water, from the point of entry of the rivers into Pune to their point of exit, thereby determining the cumulative increase in water pollution during their course through the city.

Disclosing details of the programme to The Indian Express, Dr Sandeep Behera, Senior Project Officer-Pollution Monitoring, WWF-India said: “Altogether 14 parameters will be taken into consideration while estimating the quality of water in Mula and Mutha rivers. Some of these parameters include diversity index, dissolved oxygen content, fecal coliform test, ammonium and chloride content and estimation of water quality using Benthics method.”

Although the main aim is to determine the pollution level status of these two rivers, emphasis will be laid on ascertaining its quality factor in terms of human consumption and the bio-diversity, Behera said.

During the River Watch Project, regular sample testing of river water will be carried out in four quarters throughout the year. All the observations and the collective data will be compiled in River Quality Observation Sheets which will be later assimilated in the form of an elaborate assessment report on the pollution status of the two rivers in Pune.

These reports will be handed over to the Ministry of Environment and other concerned government agencies including the State Water Pollution Control Board for the necessary action, Behera said.

A special water sample detection kit devised by WWF-India is also being made available at subsidised rate for the project. The kit, costing Rs 2,000, has been fabricated as a self-contained, fully-portable, laboratory equipped with apparatus and reagents required for field testing of selected water quality parameters.

Meanwhile, as the project kicks off next month, attempts are being made to involve local schools in the project. Said Behera: “As the programme is very simple and the main aim is to create awareness about the increasing water pollution in the rivers.”