Water quality dips during Ganesh idol immersions in Hussain Sagar: TGPCB report

The findings from this year’s analysis indicate an increase in Total Suspended Solids (TSS) and turbidity during the immersion process at all locations.

Hyderabad: The Telangana State Pollution Control Board (TGPCB) has monitored the water quality of Hussain Sagar lake during the Ganesh Chaturthi festivities last month and carried out water quality checks at six locations around the lake before, during, and after the immersion of idols.

The findings from this year’s analysis indicate an increase in Total Suspended Solids (TSS) and turbidity during the immersion process at all locations. While there was a reduction in these values after the immersion, the post-immersion levels did not return to those observed before the event.

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Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) saw an upward trend at four of the monitored locations, including the platforms opposite NTR Park and near Lumbini Park. However, the increase in TDS levels was more pronounced opposite to NTR Park at platform no 1 and 2 and opposite to NTR Park at platform no. 2, while other sites showed minimal changes.

Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) and Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) levels were elevated across all sites, followed by a decrease in both parameters post-immersion. Dissolved Oxygen (DO), which dropped during the immersion period, returned to near-normal levels after the immersion activities concluded.

The study also noted an increase in the total Coliform count from before to during the immersion, with a slight decrease afterward at most locations. Lepakshi Handicrafts was an exception, where the Coliform levels continued to rise post-immersion.

Additionally, Chromium, a heavy metal, was detected at five of the six locations, with concentrations ranging from 0.017 to 0.041 mg/L. The location at Lepakshi Handicrafts was the only one where chromium was not detected.

However, compared to the year 2023, the data revealed a general decrease in TDS values in 2024, except at Platform No.1 opposite NTR Park, where the levels remained consistent with last year.

The COD values showed a decline at three locations, while DO and BOD levels were largely consistent between both years.

While total Coliform counts remained steady across both years, Fecal Coliform levels decreased in 2024 compared to the previous year. No significant changes were observed in heavy metal concentrations.