Impact Assessment of Gomti River Water Quality after Immersion of Idols During Durga Utsav

In present study, an attempt has been made to assess the deterioration of water quality of river Gomti after the immersion of idols in Lucknow city. Water samples were collected (pre, during and post-idol immersion) from 4 selected locations (1 upstream and 3 downstream) during the festival month. All samples were analyzed for physico-chemical and metallic characteristics. The mean concentrations of TSS, TDS, alkalinity, hardness, DO and BOD5 were 29 ± 7, 183 ± 9, 159 ± 20, 130 ± 5, 6.40 ± 0.18, 20.50 ± 2.38 mg/L and EC was 0.35 ± 0.02 μS/cm (before idol immersion); 61 ± 13, 260 ± 47, 202 ± 11, 162 ± 14, 5.90 ± 0.41, 29 ± 7 mg/L and EC was 0.41 ± 0.02 μS/cm (after 6 hr of idol immersion) and 25 ± 4, 205 ± 17, 206 ± 14, 137 ± 8, 6.00 ± 0.26, 22.0 ± 3.6 mg/L and EC was 0.40 ± 0.02 μS/cm (postidol immersion) respectively. The mean concentration of metals like Pb, Cr, Cd and Zn were 0.007 ± 0.013, 0.021 ± 0.023, 0.001 ± 0.000 and 0.021 ± 0.013 mg/L (before idol immersion), 0.070 ± 0.013, 0.127 ± 0.035, 0.013 ± 0.014 and 0.038 ± 0.028 mg/L (after 6 hr of idol immersion) and 0.008 ± 0.004, 0.267 ± 0.304, 0.013 ± 0.014 and 0.031 ± 0.009 mg/L (post-idol immersion) respectively. All physico-chemical and metallic parameters of water samples drawn after idol immersion was found increased to measurable levels as compared to the samples collected before idol immersion. The analysis results confirmed the presumed hypothesis that water quality of river Gomti is adversely affected due to the immersion of idols during festival season