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| Resilience and Restoration Pattern of Pushkar Lake after COVID19 | |||||||
| Paper Id :
15889 Submission Date :
2022-03-05 Acceptance Date :
2022-03-20 Publication Date :
2022-03-25
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| Abstract |
Water bodies are one of the most prolific systems on the planet. They supply people with a wide range of commodities and services, as well as recreational, aesthetic, and cultural value. The study took place in Pushkar Lake in 2019 and 2020 during the Pushkar fair. There was a total of ten physicochemical parameters measured. The correlation between all ten variables was examined, and significant values were discovered. In both years' investigations, a positive linear regression analysis was identified between EC and TDS. All parameters were compared graphically for each event, and there was some variation between them. Due to COVID19's lockdown constraint, all parameters have been improved 2020. Based on physicochemical investigation, it was determined that tight practices were required to halt anthropogenic operations in order to avert massive pollution of Pushkar Lake. Pollution monitoring should be done on a regular basis, and a water treatment facility should be built, to keep track of the state of the environment. Fish feeding should be discouraged and forbidden since it increases the amount of organic matter in the water, lowering dissolved oxygen levels. Strict ban on anthropogenic activities may help lake’s resilience and restoration.
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| Keywords | Pushkar, Pollution, Pushkar fair, COVID19, Lockdown. | ||||||
| Introduction |
Water is one of the most precious natural resources whose quality is essential to human survival and crucial components for life on Earth. The entire amount of water accessible on Earth is believed to be 1.4 billion cubic kilometers, constituting a layer of around 3 kilometres in depth. Because of its high salt content, 97.5% of the Earth's water (Shiklomanov, 1993) is unfit for human consumption. Nearly 68.6% of the accessible fresh water is in ice caps, glaciers, and frozen snow, out of a total of 2.5%. Groundwater (30.1%) and surface water make up the rest of the unfrozen fresh water (1.3%). Only 20.56% of the surface water available in Lakes is fit for human use. This emphasises how valuable freshwater resources are. Humans can drink both ground and surface water. Freshwater ecosystems cover around 0.5% of the Earth's surface area and have a volume of 2.84x105Km3 (Wetzel, 2001).
Physical, chemical, and biological factors are used to define the quality of water. To become aware of the consequences of pollution on water quality, physico-chemical approaches are applied. Water quality has declined and eutrophication has increased in recent years as a result of increasing personal effects in and around our aquatic systems and their catchment areas (Bhatt et al., 1999). Every natural system has the ability to self-decontaminate. The Biota of a water body is in charge of its natural repurification. In the field of water resource management, water is a critical topic that must be investigated. As a result, today's conservation of fresh water is a must (WHO, 1992).
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| Objective of study | The main objective of our study is to access the physicochemical parameters and to find out if the pushkar lake gets enough time ,the lake is able to resilient and restore itself as happened in the covid-19 lockdown |
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| Review of Literature |
The physico-chemical qualities of water determine the entire economy of every lake (Hutchinson, 1967). The overabundance of nutrients, particularly phosphorus, causes eutrophication of lakes (Schindler,1977).
Biological productivity is affected by temperature, free CO2, bicarbonate, calcium and magnesium hardness, biological oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, dissolved oxygen, dissolved solids, and EC (Sharma, 1980; Birge & Juday 1911). The capacity of a system to absorb change is defined as resilience (Holling 1973). Pollutants from a number of sources, particularly agriculture, are the most common causes of lake deterioration (National Research Council, 1993). Ecologists that investigated ecosystem dynamics that were connected with human activity came up with the idea of resilience as a nonlinear multiple domain, or ecological resilience, according to Holling (1996).
These physico-chemical characteristics are thus employed to determine the trophic status and biological nature of a water body (Meena & Sharma, 2004).
Aquatic ecosystems are severely impacted by anthropogenic nutrient loading (Ansari and Khan, 2006).Eutrophy is the result of nutrient enrichment in a lake (Saxena, 2007). Anthropogenic activities are the primary cause of nutrient increases such as phosphates, chlorides, and calcium, which eventually lead to eutrophication (Shashi Shekhar et al.2008). When it comes to defining and measuring water quality, physicochemical factors are crucial (Tank et al., 2010).
The discharge of municipal wastewater, sewage, and agricultural runoff has boosted the lake's physico-chemical values and primary productivity resulting in eutrophication (Koli & Ranga, 2011). By integrating the architecture of the city into the ecosystem landscape at a regional scale in order to create positive feedbacks between both human and environmental systems, resilience theory allows intricate trade-offs to be considered in decision-making (Moglia et al. 2018). Water scarcity and nutrient pollution plague the lake as a result of regional climate change consequences and extensive human activity in the drainage basin (Yang et al., 2019).
As a result, regular management in the form of human-provided inputs is required to maintain feedbacks, despite the fact that such waterscapes may be vulnerable to undesired management side-effects or indirect social dynamics (Angeler et al., 2020).
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| Methodology | The water samples were collected from four different sites (S1, S2, S3, S4) depending upon the nature of disturbance viz pollution load, pilgrims and human activities, sewage in the lake. These sites covered almost all four directions of the lake, which was helpful for the analysis of lake as a whole.
The samples were collected before 15 days, same day and after 15 days of various festivals to be held on Pushkar lake. The samples were promptly examined for parameters that needed to be determined right away, and the remainder of the sample was refrigerated at 4°C to be analyzed later. Water samples were fixed at the sites for the determination of DO and BOD. All of the analysis methodologies followed the procedures outlined in the APHA publication "Standard Methods for Examination of Water and Wastewater 20th Edition (1998) and “Chemical and Biological Methods for Water Pollution Studies” by Trivedi and Goel (1984). The main parameters analyzed for nutrient sector assessment included temperature, total dissolved solids (TDS), pH, Electrical conductivity, dissolved oxygen (DO), chloride, alkalinity, chemical oxygen demand (COD), biological oxygen demand (BOD) and Chlorophyll.
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| Sampling |
The area under investigation, Pushkar is situated 12 Km North West of Ajmer, which is centrally situated city of Rajasthan. It is located at latitude 26º29'14"N and longitude 74º 33'18"E, at an elevation of 530m above mean sea level. Aravalli hillocks, sand dunes, agricultural fields, and tourist's facilities and fresh water bodies like Pushkar and Budha Pushkar, represent diversity of the region. The total catchment area of Pushkar lake is 36.71 sq. Km. Map of the study area shown in Figure 1.
Fig
1: Satellite view of Pushkar Lake The
study was conducted during the period of October-November month of 2019 and
2020. The water samples were collected from four different sites. For
our study 4 ghat were chosen (Figure 1) for measurement of the various
parameters. These
are: 1. Braham
Ghat 2. Gau
ghat 3. Jaipur
ghat 4. Kota
ghat
During the Pushkar fair, three times samples were
collected in triplicates. These stations covered nearly all four directions of
the lake, which was beneficial to the overall investigation. The samples were
taken 15 days before, on the same day, and 15 days after events on Pushkar
Lake. |
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| Result and Discussion |
The
results obtained by physicochemical analysis of all samples are given in table
differences in various parameters were observed during different festival times
from different ghats of Pushkar lake. Temperature During
the investigation, the temperature varied from 24°C to 24.3°C during 2019’s and
was almost same in 2020’s study, that was 24.2°C to 24.4°C. This may be due to
environmental conditions of October-November months. pH The
majority of biological processes and biochemical reactions are regulated by pH.
According to Sculthorpe (1967), pH, free CO2, and ammonia are more important
elements in aquatic plant and animal viability than oxygen delivery. pH values
fluctuate mostly as a result of component input into water bodies. The pH of
the Pushkar lake water was found to be ranging from 7.1 to 7.2 during 2019’s
study and was found lower in 2020’s study that was ranging from 6.8 and 6.9. In
2020 due to lockwon conditions the overall pH of the lake decreased due to less
anthropogenic activities. The pH of a typical eutrophic lake, according to
Spence (1967), ranges from 7.7 to 9.6. The current findings support Spence's
(1967) statement that the Pushkar lake is eutrophic based on its pH range. The
high pH level during the festival trek could be attributed to a variety of
anthropogenic activities. Total
Alkalinity The
quality and types of components found in water, such as bicarbonate, carbonate,
and hydroxide, are referred to as total alkalinity. According to Durrani
(1993), algae may raise total alkalinity by removing CO2 from bicarbonates for
photosynthesis. Total alkalinity is a technique that can be used to measure
productivity. Spence (1967) divided the lakes into three categories based on
alkalinity: nutrient low (1-15 mg/L), moderately nutrient rich (16-60 mg/L),
and nutrient rich > 60 mg/L. Pushkar Lake might be classified as a
nutrient-rich lake based on this categorization, as total alkalinity ranged
from 131.2 to 137.3 mg/L during 2019’s study. But, in 2020’s study it decreased
and ranged from 125 to 126.6 mg/L. It was high in 2019, which could be
attributed to increased nutrient input into water from human activities. Chloride Chloride,
in the form of sodium, potassium, and calcium salts, is widely dispersed
throughout nature. The presence of chloride in water indicates contamination,
particularly of animal origin. During the Pushkar fair of 2019 at Braham ghat,
the chloride concentration in Pushkar Lake was discovered to be excessive. In
2020’s study, it decreased and down to 32 mg/L at Kota ghat. It was high in non
COVID19 conditions, suggesting that the increase is related to a huge volume of
organic matter, mass bathing activities, urination, and animal faeces. These
findings are consistent with the study of Zutshi and Khan (1988). The excessive
chloride levels were linked to swimming and urine in the Dal Lake. Electrical
conductivity The
major determinants of electrical conductivity are ionic concentration and
dissolved inorganic compounds. The electrical conductivity of Pushkar Lake
varied between 0.7 and 0.8 mhos/m in the 2019’s investigation but in 2020 it
decreased to 0.4 mhos/m same at all ghats. The study of COVID lockdown’s
conditions clearly indicates that, if long time anthropogenic activities may
applied may help the lakes in its restoration naturally. Total
dissolved solids Total
dissolved solids (TDS) are simply the sum of cation and anion concentrations in
milligrams per litre (mg/L). A high concentration of dissolved solids raises
the density of water, affects freshwater organisms' osmoregulation, reduces the
solubility of gases (such as O2), diminishes the usefulness of water for
drinking, and leads to eutrophication of the aquatic ecosystem. During the 2019
study, TDS levels in this lake ranged from 463.7 to 492.7 mg/L, while in 2020
it reduced to 239.8 mg/L at Braham ghat. The ghats fluctuate owing to mass
bathing, presenting food, flowers, garlands, lamps, and other religious items,
among other things. Dissolved
oxygen All
aquatic species rely on dissolved oxygen in water, and it is thought to be the
factor that represents the physical and biological processes occurring in a
water body. It is necessary for the development and maintenance of life. It has
a significant impact on the nature of an entire aquatic environment. The oxygen
that a water body obtains comes mostly from two sources: the atmosphere and the
photosynthetic activity of chlorophyll-bearing plants. The concentration of
dissolved oxygen is also affected by surface agitation caused by temperature,
the rate of respiration of living organisms, and the rate of decomposition of
dead organic matter. During 2019 and 2020’s study, dissolved oxygen
concentrations were measured 5.1 mg/l and 7.3 mg/l (mean), respectively, in the
current study. The dissolved oxygen increased in 2020 due to less human made
activities. Biochemical
Oxygen demand The
amount of oxygen required for biological oxidation of organic matter with the
help of microbial activity is determined by biochemical oxygen demand. During
2019, the value of biochemical oxygen demand ranged from 15 to 15.8 mg/L, while
during 2020, it ranged from 13.1 to 13.2 mg/L. The variations could be caused
by an excess of organic materials introduced by human activities such as gifting
flowers, garlands, and other religious items, providing food for fish, birds,
and other animals, mass bathing, and so on in 2019. But in 2020 conditions
improved due to lockdown conditions. Chemical
oxygen demand The
amount of oxygen required for chemical oxidation of most organic matter and
oxidizable inorganic compounds with the help of a strong chemical oxidant is
determined by chemical oxygen demand. During 2019, COD levels varied from 65.3
to 67.4 mg/L, whereas during 2020, COD levels ranged from 53.3 to 57 mg/L. The
intake of home drains and the use of soap and detergents for washing and
bathing by the ordinary man and pilgrims during the Pushkar fair may be the
causes of COD in Pushkar Lake. Though the lake is considered sacred, human
activities such as cleaning and sewage disposal are legally prohibited, however
controlling these activities during festivals and religious fairs is extremely
difficult. Total
Chlorophyll
Any aquatic body's total chlorophyll is a direct indicator of plant (algal) growth. Nutrient enrichment, primarily owing to increases in phosphate and nitrate concentrations, is the most important factor affecting algal growth in aquatic ecosystems. The total chlorophyll was found to be 425.3 and 440.3 in 2020 and in 2020’s it increased to 500.9 to 516.1.
Fig 2: Graphical comparision of various parameters during Puahkar fair time in 2019 and 2020’s study.
Pearson’s correlation matrix: The
data obtained from the physicochemical analysis was subjected to pearson’s
correlation matrix and clusters of parameters were derived. This is useful to
have a comprehensive and comparative account of the different parameters. The
pearson’s correlation matrices are presented in tables. Correlation statistical
analysis was carried out between all parameters studied i.e., pH, Alkalinity,
Chloride Content, TDS, Electrical Conductivity, Dissolved O2, Temperature, BOD,
COD, and Chlorophyll mentioned in various correlation matrix’s tables. Some
important paraments we have discussed here in this article. The correlation
study showed strong correlation between TDS and Electrical conductivity in all
studied sites in both events’ studies which is similar with the study of Patil
and Patil (2010). Scatter diagrams were created once the correlation coefficient matrix was developed, and they are shown in several figures here. The EC was displayed on the X-axis and the TDS was plotted on the Y-axis in these figures, with the Y-interception and corrected R2 of each linear best fit shown in the inset of each figure. The better the fit of data points and the more helpful the regression variables, the higher the adjusted R value. The adjusted R2 between TDS and EC is the closest to 1, indicating that all data points fit precisely into the specified regression line and significance of the equations. Regression analysis shows positive linear relationship in EC and TDS in this study of both events. For associating different factors, statistical regression analysis has proven to be a very valuable method. The closeness of the relationship between chosen independent and dependent variables is measured using correlation analysis. The probability of a linear relationship between the variables x and y is higher if the correlation coefficient is closer to +1 or –1. This kind of analysis aims to determine the nature of the relationship between the variables and, as a result, provides a system for forecasting or prediction (Mulla et al., 2007, Snedecor1967, Kumar et al., 2005).
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| Conclusion |
By means of resilience, and according to the study of 2019, the water in Pushkar Lake contains low DO, high BOD, COD, turbidity, and chloride. The pH value in the 2020 study indicates that the water is of good quality, however the rest of the metrics in the 2019 study are not up to grade. The fact that pollution levels are substantially greater during festival seasons, especially during Pushkar fair, is noteworthy, as a result of the Hindu community's excessive religious activities on that day in 2019, although circumstances improved in 2020 owing to lockdown. One of the main causes of the lake's degradation has been recognized as anthropogenic activities and these activities stops lake’s resilience. For lake restoration, canalization of streams carrying run-off is required so that the inflow is diverted towards the lake. Furthermore, to decrease seepage and run-off leaks, a portion of streams must be completely lined. Construction of Check Dams in strategic areas, as well as regular removal of collected items to a remote region where they will not infiltrate streams. Groundwater withdrawals that are too high should be curtailed. Draining the water should be done with considerable caution. A set of rules for tube and bore wells should be established. A specific location in the Ghat must be designated each year for the immersion of ashes and dead bones, and the number of ashes should be kept to a minimal (10-50 grammes). To maintain track of the state of the environment, pollution monitoring should be done on a regular basis, and a water treatment facility should be created. Fish feeding should be discouraged and outlawed since it increases the amount of organic material in the water, lowering the level of dissolved oxygen. In conclusion, we can state that practically all metrics improved in the 2020’s research. Longer periods of time with fewer anthropogenic activity may help the lake's resilience and restoration over time. |
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