Evaluation of Water Quality Using Water Quality Index: Case Study of SacredPonds in the Imphal Valley, India
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53550/Keywords:
Sacred groves,, Meitei ethnic group, Umang lai, Lai Pukhri, . Water Quality Index, Imphal valleyAbstract
Sacred ponds in the sacred groves of the Imphal valley, northeast India, are an integral part of the Meitei ethnic group’s culture, religion and social fabric. Till date, the cultural linkages have protected the groves. However, population growth and modernization have impacted the groves at present, with most of the sacred sites and its associated ponds threatened. In the present study, physico-chemical characteristics of water from 10 sacred ponds were analysed during 2023-24. The analysis showed pH ranging from 7.01±0.02 to 8.68 ±0.23 for post monsoon (PoM) and 7.50±0.04 to 8.82±0.10 for pre monsoon (PM), electrical conductivity (EC) ranging from 109± 1.53 to 269±2.65 µS cm-1 for PoM and 331±1.46 to 681±7.43 µS cm-1 for PM, and dissolved oxygen (DO) ranging from 2.9±1.56 to 4.7±2.69 mg L-1 for PoM and 2.1±0.14 to 2.9±0.14 mg L-1 for PM, respectively. In addition, the Water Quality Index (WQI) calculated showed that the ponds are in the very bad or unsuitable category for drinking. The WQI ranges from 107.31 to 211.91 during PoM and 87.46 to 239.51 during PM seasons, respectively. However, locals unaware of the ecological health still consider the ponds as safe, which in today’s conditions have become a source of threat to health. Hence, restoration of the sacred sites is an urgent need of the hour.
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