Sirsa River flows through the central part of the Nalagarh valley, belongs to the rapid industrial belt of Baddi, Barotiwala and Nalagarh (BBN). The appraisal of surface water quality to ascertain its utility in such ecologically sensitive areas is need of the hour. The present study envisages the application of multivariate analysis, water utility class and conventional graphical representation to reveal the hidden factor responsible for deterioration of water quality and determine the hydrochemical facies and its evolution processes of water types in Nalagarh valley, India. The quality assessment is made by estimating pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), total hardness, major ions (Na ? and K ? ions for pre monsoon and EC during pre and post monsoon at few sites and approx 40% samples of BOD and TC for both seasons exceeds the permissible limits indicate organic contamination from human activities. Water quality classification for designated use indicates that maximum surface water samples are not suitable for drinking water source without conventional treatment. The result of piper trillinear and Chadha's diagram classified majority of surface water samples for both seasons fall in the fields of Ca 2? -Mg 2? -HCO 3 -water type indicating temporary hardness. PCA and CA reveal that the surface water chemistry is influenced by natural factors such as weathering of minerals, ion exchange processes and anthropogenic factors. Thus, the present paper illustrates the importance of multivariate techniques for reliable quality characterization of surface water quality to develop effective pollution reduction strategies and maintain a fine balance between the industrialization and ecological integrity.,

Groundwater as a resource of wide-spectrum use, especially in the tourism sector, has evolved as the prime most source of water in Leh town in recent years. Unfortunately, the regulation on groundwater use and monitoring as well as scientific management of this resource is almost zero so the resource is over-exploited as well as ill managed. The skewed balance of technology required versus that already available in order to manage this fast urbanizing town is massive, and the place is already showing initial signs of management issues of waste, traffic, air and water pollution. The town is in dire need of innovative and cost-effective solutions for keeping alive its environmental sustainability quotient as it is undergoing a paradigm shift from an agricultural society into a class III urban agglomeration as per Indian Census. In the absence of constant monitoring of this resource, there is a wide data gap related with groundwater resources in Leh town, and so it is very difficult to derive an exact estimation of the water table all over the town. This paper thus gives an elaborate description of the status of groundwater resources in Leh town in dearth of baseline data. Further the risks posed by various factors which are threatening the proper management of this resource are mentioned, and the way forward for sustainable management of Leh town keeping groundwater as a focal point is rightly covered.

Construction and operation of HEPs have always been associated with changes in the social