The report revealed decrease in the level of DO after immersion of idols while there was significant rise in the level of BOD.
A recent study conducted by the Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board (MPPCB) on the special ponds created for immersion has revealed that this year's Durga idol immersion was more than sufficient to kill aquatic life in large scale.
Following the guidelines of the Central pollution Control Board (CPCB), the MPPCB this year for the first time carried out water testing of the pond at Jawahar Tekri in three levels: first a few days before the Durga immersion, second on the day of Durga immersion and third after a week of Durga immersion.
The report of these testing has revealed a wide difference in the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and dissolved oxygen (DO) levels of the water stored in the special pond.
The first level of testing carried out on October 11 gave high DO levels at 7.4 Mg/l which gradually plummeted to 5.2 in the second level on October 14 and further to 5 on October 21. Aquatic creatures like fishes require high DO levels to survive in water.
Similarly, the first level of testing of BOD showed 4.4 Mg/l which rose to 5.5 in the second level and further to 5.2 in the final level.
For fishes to survive in water, the BOD level should be less than 3.
MPPCB chief chemist Aparna Bapat said, "If this immersion was to take place in a natural water body then it would have adversely affected aquatic life by killing several fishes and other creatures".
In addition to the above, the post immersion testing also revealed the presence of heavy metal copper which wasn't existent in the first level.
The conductivity of water which refers to the flow of charges rose to 15 units in the final stage from 10 in the first stage.
The special ponds were lined with poly vinyl chloride that checks the penetration of toxic substances into the ground. The sludge of this pond is then treated in incinerators or is left to evaporate. The total solids present in water also increased after the immersion.
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