Festivals and deterioration of aquatic environment: A case study of Idol immersion in Tapi River, India

Abstract

In the civil society different festivals are celebrated, these are the integral part of human life and many of festivals are religious, seasonal change and culturally important. The present study elucidated environmental impact of Ganesh idol immersion on water quality of Tapi River and for this purpose water samples were collected during different durations (pre immersion, during immersion and post immersion) from selected sampling stations or idol immersion points of Tapi River. The important water quality parameters like pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, free carbon dioxide, total hardness, total alkalinity, biological oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, oil & grease and total calcium were analysed for the study. Result shows that dissolved oxygen was depleted while remaining parameter were increased during the idol immersion and it was concluded that aquatic ecosystem of Tapi river was deteriorated and pollution and nutrient load were increased due to these religious activities. The celebration of festivals and these religious activities can’t stop but pollution can reduce to save the river.

Impact Assessment of Municipal Corporation Campaigning on Public Awareness to Conserve the Tapi River With Reference to Idol Immersion: A Statistical Evaluation

“…Idol immersion and pollution load assessment in different water bodies including rivers were studied in different parts of India by Gorain and Paul (2019) in urban lakes (Karnataka), Lokhande (2019) in Gorai Jetty (Maharashtra), Rakshit and Sarkar (2018) in Hooghly River (West Bengal), Sorte et al (2018) in Gandhisagar Lake (Maharashtra), Joshi et al (2017) in Narmada River (Madhya Pradesh), Belsare et al (2017) in Futala Lake (Maharashtra), Sarbari and Pande (2015) in Yamuna River (Delhi), Billore and Dandawate (2015) in Kakerpura Lake (Madhya Pradesh), Patil et al (2014) in Futala Telangkhedi Lake (Maharashtra) and Kaur (2012) in marine and freshwater body (Maharashtra). Similarly, notable study in Tapi River were reported by Bengani et al (2020), Ujjania et al (2018), Jain et al(2018), Sangani and Manoj (2017), Malvia and Vaghani(2016), Ekhalak et al (2015), Gadhia et al (2014) and Malik et al (2012).…”

“…Therefore, it is considered diversified country for the rituals and cultures where every year different religious activities are gratified at the bank of water resources like ponds, lakes, rivers etc. The Ganesh Chaturthi is the important festival during which idols are worshiped and immersed in nearby water resources that play an important role to deteriorate the water quality and add the pollutant in water resources (Ujjania et al, 2018). People are always excited to celebrate the religious activities and large number of different sized idols 27000 (2010), 30000 (2017) and 60000 (2018) were immersed in Tapi river (Surat) during Ganesh festival (Anon, 1018).…”

“…People are always excited to celebrate the religious activities and large number of different sized idols 27000 (2010), 30000 (2017) and 60000 (2018) were immersed in Tapi river (Surat) during Ganesh festival (Anon, 1018). These idols are being made up of various degradable and nondegradable components viz., clay, plaster of Paris (POP), hay, cloth, paper, wood, bamboo, Thermocol, adhesive material and decorated by different colors, paints and pigments ( Joshi et al, 2017) which contain a wide range of organic and inorganic pollutants including oil, grease, plastics, plasticizer, phenol, heavy metals, pesticides and suspended solids that leads to toxicities and significant deterioration in water quality of aquatic ecosystem (Bengani et al, 2020 andUjjania et al, 2018). For the idol preparation, POP is preferable material because it is cheap and lighter but contains calcium sulfate hemihydrates which takes lot of time to assimilate and release toxic components that are responsible for oxygen reduction into the water body and mortality of aquatic organisms including fishes (Malvia and Vaghani, 2016).…”