Effects of Physico-Chemical Characterization of Sugar Factory Effluent Pollution on the fresh River Water Fish Channa punctata (Bloch): A Case Study of the Chambal River Basin, Rajasthan

Abstract

Sugar factories rank among the largest contributors to agro-industrial pollution in freshwater river systems in India and their effluents also come under extremely high biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total dissolved solids (TDS), suspended solids and heavy metals. all these physicochemical parameters severely degrade the water body and its aquatic biodiversity. In this research, case study of the Chambal River Basin of Rajasthan is selected for study purpose as despite its ecological significance as a National Sanctuary, it is facing the challenge of industrial discharge, especially from sugar factories. Channa punctata (Bloch) is widely distributed teleost in the Chambal which is both economically important as a food fish and ecologically appreciated as a bioindicator species. However, increasing physicochemical characterization of sugar factory effluent is creating risk on their survival.
Hence, in this paper, secondary data-based case study analysis is conducted while utilizing single-case study design framework of Yin (2018). Findings from this research allows confirming that sugar factory effluent drastically reduces dissolved oxygen, upraises BOD and COD far beyond BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards) permitted limits. It also introduces heavy metals, specifically Cr and Ni into the aquatic environment. This study also offers recommendations for effluent treatment, river monitoring and policy enforcement to the Chambal Basin, Rajasthan so that negative impact of sugar factories on Channa Punctata can be decreased.