Status of River Water Quality in Goa: A Geographical Review

Abstract

Increasing demand of water for human consumption, irrigation and growing industrial activities has tremendous impact on water quality of rivers. Therefore, an attempt has been made to focus on the causes and consequences of decline in the quality of river water of Goa state. Goa, being the smallest state of India, is located in the west coast region of India. The total geographical area of the state is 3702 km2. As per 2011 Census, the total population of Goa was 1,458,545. Since it is located in the Western Ghats, it is quite natural that the rivers are active in the study area. Goa is known as tourist paradise, Kashi of the Konkan, Rome of the East, and known for its aesthetic beauty and attract not only the domestic tourists but also foreign tourist. It is also treated as an industrial hub, particularly the pharmaceutical and chemical industries. The mining activities have been responsible for the pollution of river waters. River Mondovi and River Zuari are the major rivers along with the tributaries flowing in the study area and are estuarine waterbodies. Most of the scientists and researchers carried out studies based on the water samples and biochemical oxygen demand, and this resulted in studying the amount of dissolved oxygen used by micro-organisms, which basically help to decompose and mix with water. This biochemical oxygen is basically responsible for increased pollution levels. After liberation of the state, i.e., in 1961, many studies were conducted, especially by the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB). Accordingly, many rivers of the state are polluted severely and are not fit for human and animal consumptions also. Hence, the data related to water quality of one decade is taken into consideration for the analysis, and the statistical figures of 2015–2016 have witnessed that the pH value of river water is decreasing. Therefore, the proposed study is intended to study the causes for the quality of Goa rivers and proposed to suggest the planning strategies to improve the quality of river water.