A study by Punjab-based environmental researchers has exposed alarming levels of pollution in the Satluj that pose a significant threat to water quality and aquatic life. The investigation revealed stark contrasts in water chemistry between upstream and downstream sites, painting a worrying picture of the river’s health.
While upstream areas remain relatively unpolluted, downstream sites are plagued by moderate to severe pollution. The most disturbing finding is the excessive presence of heavy metals at downstream sites, which surpass critical thresholds and endanger the river’s ecosystem, underscoring the urgent need for action to mitigate pollution and protect the Satluj’s water quality.
River pollution has reached crisis levels in recent decades, with harmful chemicals, heavy metals, excess nutrients, and household waste contaminating waterways at an alarming rate. The Satluj in Punjab is particularly vulnerable, suffering from pollution caused by domestic and industrial effluents and agricultural runoff.
A comprehensive study was conducted to analyse physicochemical parameters along the river’s course in Punjab during different seasons. The research focused on identifying seasonal distribution patterns of cyanobacteria, their relationships with water chemistry variations, and informing continuous monitoring efforts to ensure water quality.
The Satluj originates in Himachal Pradesh and flows into Punjab near Nangal town, passing through Ropar, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, and Kapurthala districts before converging with the Beas at Harike and entering Pakistani territory. For this study, the focus was on the portion of the river within Punjab. A thorough survey of the Satluj in Punjab identified eight strategic sampling sites: Nangal, Jol Village, Miani village, Katli, Ropar, Saidpur, Chak Dango, Chuharwal, and Talwandi Kalan.
The findings of the study, “Spatiotemporal Distribution of Cyanobacteria in Relation to Water Chemistry of Satluj River, Punjab (India),” conducted by Gurdarshan Singh Rangra, Yadvinder Singh, Komal Thapa and Jasvir Inder Singh Khat- tar and Davinder Pal Singh has been published in the International Journal “Environmental Monitoring and Assessment”.
The River Pollution Index (RPI) of various sampling sites along the river revealed significant varia- tions in water quality. Sites with minimal human impact, like Nangal, boasted an RPI of 1.5, indicating unpolluted conditions. Conversely, areas like Jol village exhibited moderate pollution, with RPI values ranging from 3.3 in summer and winter to 4 during monsoons, primarily due to sewage waste from Nangal City and the National Fertilizer Limited. Miani village and Katli, Ropar, recorded RPI values of 2.3 and 2.8, respectively, categorising them as negligibly polluted. Saidpur, Ropar, with an RPI of 3.3, faced contamination from agricultural runoff and Ropar City sewage. In stark contrast, Chuharwal, Ludhiana, and Talwandi Kalan exhibited alarming RPI increases, denoting severe pollution. Notably, Chuharwal marks the confluence of Buddha Nullah with the Satluj river, while Talwandi Kalan lies downstream. The substantial pollution spike at these sites underscores Buddha Nullah's significant contribution to pollutant levels.
The study revealed a disturbing trend of increasing heavy metal concentrations along the Satluj River's course. Upstream sites (1-4) showed significantly lower levels of heavy metals, whereas downstream sites (5-8) exhibited substantially higher concentrations. This suggests cumulative additions of heavy metals and other pollutants as the river flows downstream from site 1 to site 8. Arsenic levels ranged from a low of 1.2±0.1 µg L ¹ at site 1 during summer to an alarming high of 41.8±2.1 µg L ¹ at site 8 during winter. Similar patterns were observed for other heavy metals, including cobalt, chromium, cadmium, lead, copper, nickel, iron, manganese, and zinc, underscoring the escalating pollution threat downstream.
The heavy metal pollution index (HPI), a key metric for assessing aquatic heavy metal contamination, revealed alarming spatial and temporal variations across the Satluj river. HPI values ranged from 53.02 (site 2, summer) to 2820.18 (site 8, winter), exceeding critical thresholds at downstream sites. Upstream sites (1-4) showed relatively low contamination, with HPI values below 100 (53.02-147.04) across all seasons, indicating reduced heavy metal pollution and better water quality. This suggests minimal anthropogenic impact and effective natural filtration in these areas. Downstream sites exceeded critical HPI thresholds (103.08-2820.18) across all three seasons, signalling severe heavy metal pollution.
While upstream areas remain relatively unpolluted, downstream sites are plagued by moderate to severe pollution. The most disturbing finding is the excessive presence of heavy metals at downstream sites, which surpass critical thresholds and endanger the river’s ecosystem, underscoring the urgent need for action to mitigate pollution and protect the Satluj’s water quality.
River pollution has reached crisis levels in recent decades, with harmful chemicals, heavy metals, excess nutrients, and household waste contaminating waterways at an alarming rate. The Satluj in Punjab is particularly vulnerable, suffering from pollution caused by domestic and industrial effluents and agricultural runoff.
A comprehensive study was conducted to analyse physicochemical parameters along the river’s course in Punjab during different seasons. The research focused on identifying seasonal distribution patterns of cyanobacteria, their relationships with water chemistry variations, and informing continuous monitoring efforts to ensure water quality.
The Satluj originates in Himachal Pradesh and flows into Punjab near Nangal town, passing through Ropar, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, and Kapurthala districts before converging with the Beas at Harike and entering Pakistani territory. For this study, the focus was on the portion of the river within Punjab. A thorough survey of the Satluj in Punjab identified eight strategic sampling sites: Nangal, Jol Village, Miani village, Katli, Ropar, Saidpur, Chak Dango, Chuharwal, and Talwandi Kalan.
The findings of the study, “Spatiotemporal Distribution of Cyanobacteria in Relation to Water Chemistry of Satluj River, Punjab (India),” conducted by Gurdarshan Singh Rangra, Yadvinder Singh, Komal Thapa and Jasvir Inder Singh Khat- tar and Davinder Pal Singh has been published in the International Journal “Environmental Monitoring and Assessment”.
The River Pollution Index (RPI) of various sampling sites along the river revealed significant varia- tions in water quality. Sites with minimal human impact, like Nangal, boasted an RPI of 1.5, indicating unpolluted conditions. Conversely, areas like Jol village exhibited moderate pollution, with RPI values ranging from 3.3 in summer and winter to 4 during monsoons, primarily due to sewage waste from Nangal City and the National Fertilizer Limited. Miani village and Katli, Ropar, recorded RPI values of 2.3 and 2.8, respectively, categorising them as negligibly polluted. Saidpur, Ropar, with an RPI of 3.3, faced contamination from agricultural runoff and Ropar City sewage. In stark contrast, Chuharwal, Ludhiana, and Talwandi Kalan exhibited alarming RPI increases, denoting severe pollution. Notably, Chuharwal marks the confluence of Buddha Nullah with the Satluj river, while Talwandi Kalan lies downstream. The substantial pollution spike at these sites underscores Buddha Nullah's significant contribution to pollutant levels.
The study revealed a disturbing trend of increasing heavy metal concentrations along the Satluj River's course. Upstream sites (1-4) showed significantly lower levels of heavy metals, whereas downstream sites (5-8) exhibited substantially higher concentrations. This suggests cumulative additions of heavy metals and other pollutants as the river flows downstream from site 1 to site 8. Arsenic levels ranged from a low of 1.2±0.1 µg L ¹ at site 1 during summer to an alarming high of 41.8±2.1 µg L ¹ at site 8 during winter. Similar patterns were observed for other heavy metals, including cobalt, chromium, cadmium, lead, copper, nickel, iron, manganese, and zinc, underscoring the escalating pollution threat downstream.
The heavy metal pollution index (HPI), a key metric for assessing aquatic heavy metal contamination, revealed alarming spatial and temporal variations across the Satluj river. HPI values ranged from 53.02 (site 2, summer) to 2820.18 (site 8, winter), exceeding critical thresholds at downstream sites. Upstream sites (1-4) showed relatively low contamination, with HPI values below 100 (53.02-147.04) across all seasons, indicating reduced heavy metal pollution and better water quality. This suggests minimal anthropogenic impact and effective natural filtration in these areas. Downstream sites exceeded critical HPI thresholds (103.08-2820.18) across all three seasons, signalling severe heavy metal pollution.
