STUDY OF THE STATE OF THE ENVIRONMENT

& AROUND SURVEY PARK, SANTOSH PUR, KOLKATA

BY

MOUMITA ROY

Roll No. Pc/ ESM/ 1006 Registration No. 110965 of 2006-2007

A THESIS SUBMITTED AS A PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE

IN ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEM MANAGEMENT

PRESIDENCY COLLEGE, KOLKATA

The significance of urban and semi-urban waterbodies (ponds) is

being appreciated now as never before.

Increasing population in urban and semi-urban centers has put more

stress on water management of city administrations.

This has necessitated proper management of the ponds ecofriendly

for better water quality.

The ponds also have a great ecological importance in urban

environment – from microclimate control to biodiversity.

Kolkata, the second largest metropolis in the country, has about

3000 ponds of different dimentions.

These ponds have multiple uses : about a million people use it for

bathing, washing, performing religious rites, as city parks and

many also used for pisiculture.

The study is also on the impacts of ponds on a residencial area of

Kolkata (actually the study on ponds & its role ), to find its prime

uses and users.

The main observations of

the study are ------

The value contributed by a pond considering existence value, option value etc.

Sustainability from the viewpoint of human use and pisciculture may have some incompatibility.

Proper community management of the area

around the ponds can attain ecosustainability

of the ponds without compromising on quality of

life.

Local Name: Survey park, Santosh pur City: kolkata State: West bengal Country: India Continent: Asia Latitude: 22°31'48"N Longitude: 88°16'12"E Distance as the crow flies between Santoshpur and India's capital

New Delhi is approximately 1,298.9km. Survey Park is a wellknown livingplace.

LOCATION MAP

REASON OF SELECTION

The Study area : Survey Of India Cooperative housing colony has 3 large well known ponds, namely Narkelbagan Pond, Nil pond & VIP pond .

But the basic reason to choose the survey park area is

the intimate relationship between the housing colony & the ponds.

The ponds also constitute their resource base.

Increasing population in urban & semi-urban centers

has put more stress on water management of the area.

1. Resource Bathing : A large number of people from

lower economic background use them for bathing. Washing : Washing of clothes, utensils and

other domestic requirements. Rainwater Harvesting : Acts as rainwater storage.

2. Environment Climate Control : Ponds affect local micro-climate,

making it cooler & dust free. Open space: For recreational uses & room for

air movement. Trees : pond banks with tree plantations,

preserving greenary. Aquatic Ecology: Ponds support many aquatic and

other species, a receptacle of biodiversity in urban context.

USES OF PONDS IN SURVEY PARK

3. Economy Fish cultivation: Source for local employment

and good source of protein.

4. Social Community Gathering: People spend happy time sitting

around these ponds & communicating with others. Sports: provide opportunities for water

sports.

5. Culture Temples: supports religious activity being

sources of water temples by their sides.

6. Fire fighting: In congested urban areas of survey park, ponds are most

useful as a source of water supply for fire fighting.

Functions Wetland Urban Pond Location At the margin of human Human habitation

habitation Inside Users A specific group of people common people

Size Covers a wide area Small but many in no.

Ecological Importance Very Important significant

COMPARISION BETWEEN WETLAND & URBAN POND

METHODOLOGY

FIELD SURVEY SAMPLING

LABORATORY METHOD

DETERMINATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY

Ponds in survey park control the nature of the living place.

Habitants takes their relaxations daily at their homes with the sight of the waterbodies & coolness of the pond to set their mind for better performance in work place as office, school, colleges etc.

The parameter which influences the environment of the dwelling unit around the ponds where monitored.

RAINFALL & CLIMATE Four distinct climatological seasons eg. 1. Mild Winter, 2. Brief Spring, 3. Summer with occasional Norwesters and 4. Prolong Monsoon.

The mean temp in summer is 29.250 C and goes up to a maximum of 400 C in the month of April.

The climate during monsoon months is warm and humid.

The mean temp in winter is 22.50 C, which goes down to a minimum of 100 C in the months of December-January.

The normal annual rainfall is 1647mm.

The area forms a part of the lower deltaic plains of the Bengal basins.

It is a typical deltaic flat land with surface elevation ranging between 3.5 to 6m above mean seal level.

Several low lying depressions in the form of waterbodies occur within the city and most of these represent river scars of the post river channels of Bhagirathi.

The master slope of the land is towards south.

Younger levee, deltaic plain, inter distributory marsh, paleo channels and younger levee adjacent to river Hugli and older levee on both sides of the old Adi Ganga are the important geomorphological units present in the area.

The area is covered with younger alluvial soil mainly of silty & clayey loams.

GEOMORPHOLOGY & SOIL TYPES

GROUND WATER QUALITY Ground water in KMC area may be classified under

two principal types viz. a) Bicarbonate type and b) Chloride type.

The anionic types may further be subdivided into two

types on the basis of predominance of cation concentration.:

i) Calcium- Magnesium bicarbonate, ii) Sodium bicarbonate and iii) Calcium- Magnesium chloride and iv) Sodium chloride.

Ground water of the Survey park is of Chloride type.

Since the partition of Bengal in 1947 & also huge migration of Hindu population of East Pakistan ( now Bangladesh from 1971) all these areas have harboursed many refugees who started changing the landcover & landuse by clearing shrubberies, depending waterpools, raising paddy field ground levels by filling up them with earth from the pools.

DYNAMIC CHANGES IN LAND USE

These areas afforded the foothold of numerous marsh species

like Sphenodea, Hydrolea, Ammonia, Enhydra, Wedelia, Sesbonia

etc. The ponds & ditches harbour many submerged & floating

water plants like Utricularia, Pistia, Hydrilla, Lagarosiphus, Ceratophyllum, Ohelia & valliseneria etc.

The natural vegetation along Downstream towards Haltu

Kalikapur & separating Santosh pur proper from Survey park,

included village Shorubberies of semispontaneous species like

Odina, Zigphus, Acacia, Glycosmis, Trema often interspersed with

chumps of planted Bamboos, grooves of Areca, Coconut, Maringa,

Mangifera etc.

Wayrides & waste dump areas other than those spoiled by heaps

of non biodegradable materials are filled with grasses & weeds.

The rice fields were, thus, converted to semi urban settlement by replacing marsh species with ‘ kuchu Garden ᾽ & land trees dominated by coconut, Areca nuts, Mango, Banana etc. wood species were few the Bamboo grasses.

BOTANICAL DIVERSITY OF THE STUDY AREA

BOTANICAL DIVERSITY OF THE STUDY AREA

PHYTOPLANKTONIC DIVERSITY

IN WATERBODY COMMON FLORA

COMMON FLORA PHYTOPLANKTONIC DIVERSITY IN WATERBODY

ZOOLOGICAL DIVERSITY OF THE STUDY AREA THE FAUNAL POPULATION HAS ALSO UNDERGONE CHANGES DUE TO CHANGES IN LAND USE &

RELATED ELEMENTS OF ECOLOGY.

IN THESE AREAS PRIOR TO 1947 THERE WERE FISHING CAT, CIVIC CAT, MONGOOSE,

MONKEY, JACKALS, FOX, REPTILES OF VARIOUS DESCRIPTION, RODENTS.

WITH VARIOUS STAGES OF URBANIZATION RESULTED IN DWENDLING OF THE POPULATION OF

LARGE VERTEBRATES & MUCH OF REPTILES POPULATION & AVERIANS. AT PRESENT ONLY

HOUSEHOLD DOGS , CATS RODENTS, COMMON REPTILES, RARELY JACKELS & BIRDS ARE

SEEN IN THE AREA.

IN THE PRESENT DAY URBANIZED ENVIRONMENT, WHICH IS THE WATERBODIES HOST SMALL

VERTEBRATES LIKE RODENTS, JACKEL & COMMON SERPENTS. IN THESE BODIES SOME MIGRATORY DUCKS & OTHER COMMON BIRDS HAWKS, GOLDEN ORIDLES,

SANDPIPERS,PELICANS, OWLS, DOVES, CROWS, SPARROWS, JAYS ETC. THE BIRD POPULATION

IS THINNER IN THIS WATERBODIES.

SINCE THE STUDIED WATER BODIES IN SURVEY PARK AREA ARE BEING UTILIZED FOR

PISICULTURE. ALMOST ALL THE LOCAL VARIETIES OF FRESH WATER FISH ARE GROWN IN

THESE WATER BODIES. IT PROVIDE SOME OCCUPATION & ECONOMIC SUSTAINANCE TO A GROUP

OF PEOPLE. THEREBY PROVIDES A SOCIAL HERMONY & PEACE

DIFFERENT BENTHOS IN WATERBODY: FISHES, INSECT LARVAE, BEETLES, MITES,

MOLLUSCS, CRUSTACEANS ETC.

parameters NIL PUKUR POND

NARKEL BAGAN POND VIP LAKE POND

TEMPERATURE 26.5° C 25° C 25° C

Ph 8 7.5 8

TURBIDITY( ntu) 1.2 1.8 1.8

TOTAL DISSOLVESOLIDS 632 mg/lit 776 mg/lit 1088 mg/lit

CONDUCTIVITY 790 970 1360

FREE DCO2 16.72 mg/lit 10.04 mg/lit 14.2 mg/lit

DO AT 26°C TEMP 3 mg/lit 4.4 mg/lit 4.6 mg/lit

BOD 3 DAYSAT 27°C TEM

(1% dilution) 280 mg/lit 460 mg/lit 560 mg/lit

CALCIUM 36 mg/lit 72 mg/lit 80 mg/lit

MAGNESSIUM 214 mg/lit 118 mg/lit 130 mg/lit

CALCIUM CARBONATE 72 mg/lit 110 mg/lit 80 mg/lit

CALCIUM BICARBONATE 87.84 mg/lit 134.2 mg/lit 97.6 mg/lit

HARDNESS AS CaCO3 250 mg/lit 190 mg/lit 210 mg/lit

CHLORIDE 134 mg/lit 158 mg/lit 290 mg/lit

IRON 2.96 mg/lit 1.97 mg/lit 2.85 mg/lit

SULPHATE 332.724 mg/lit 504.848 mg/lit

368.484 mg/lit

PHOSPHATE 1.39 mg/lit 1.424 mg/lit 3.14 mg/lit

NITRATE 1.002 mg/lit 0.894 mg/lit 2.319 mg/lit

OIL & GREASE 0.34 mg/lit 0.45 mg/lit 0.64 mg/lit

ANALYSIS OF POND WATER Analysis of pond water from 3 different locations during december, 2010. Faecal Bacteria are presents in all water samples.

SAMPLING OF POND WATER

Sample 1 Narkel bagan pond Sample 2 Nil pukur pond

Sample 3 VIP pond

Nature of waste water flowing through the canals in

the area Sampling of sewage canals done from 2 different locations

during December, 2010. The results are given below.

Sample 1: from concreate bridge across the Rajapur canal at a

point of 20 mt. upstream of waste water discharge outfall from

the Hyland park complex.

The dumping of solid waste, plastic & biodegradable &

nonbiodegradable wastes are seen in the bank.

Sample 2: from Rajapur – Dhapa waste water channel to be

downstream of waste water discharge from Calcutta green &

Ambuja housing Complex away 100 mt.

ANALYSIS OF SEWAGE CANALS Analysis of sewage canals down stream & up stream from 2

different locations during december, 2010. The results of

sewage silt analysis are given.

Faecal Bacteria are presents in all water samples.

PARAMETERS Sample 2 Sample 1

TEMPERATURE °C 28° C 26° C

Ph 7.5 7.5

DO AT 26°C TEMP nil. nil

BOD 3 DAYSAT 27°C TEM (1%

dilution) 320 mg/lit 380 mg/lit

CALCIUM 136 mg/lit 98 mg/lit

MAGNESSIUM 324 mg/lit 252 mg/lit

HARDNESS AS CaCO3 460 mg/lit 350 mg/lit

CALCIUM CARBONATE 132 mg/lit 84 mg/lit

CALCIUM BICARBONATE 161.04 mg/lit 102.48 mg/lit

CHLORIDE 435 mg/lit 640 mg/lit

NITRATE 9.31 mg/lit 6.092 mg/lit

PHOSPHATE 6.92 mg/lit 6.33 mg/lit

SULPHATE 833.332 mg/lit 473.936 mg/lit

parameters

Tube well

TEMPERATURE 26.5° C

Ph 7.7

TURBIDITY 57.2 NTU

TOTAL DISSOLVESOLIDS 2480 mg/lit

CONDUCTIVITY 3100

FREE DCO2 22 mg/lit

Arsenic Below detection level

CALCIUM 52 mg/lit

MAGNESSIUM 118 mg/lit

CALCIUM CARBONATE 90 mg/lit

CALCIUM BICARBONATE 109.80 mg/lit

HARDNESS AS CaCO3 170 mg/lit

CHLORIDe

fluoride

840 mg/lit

Below detection level

IRON 7.97 mg/lit

SULPHATE 201.212 mg/lit

PHOSPHATE Below detection level

NITRATE 0.0 mg/lit

QUALITY OF GROUND WATER Tubewell water from the Survey Park Matri Mandir

LOCATION DATE TIME IN DAYTIME

MINIMUM TEMP IN °C MAXIMUM TEMP IN °C

A1 7/12/2010 9:45 AM 13.1 26.9

8/12/2010 9:45 AM 22.3 31

9/12/2010 9:45 AM 26.5 38.2

10/12/2010 9:45 AM 13.2 26.9

11/12/2010 9:45 AM 12.4 25.9

12/12/2010 9:45 AM 12.1 25.6

13/12/2010 9:45 AM 12.4 25.8

14/12/2010 9:45 AM 11.7 24

TEMPERATURE & RAINFALL MEASURE MENT Station code:

A1 = Nearer area of Narkel bagan pond ( in Matri mandir),

A2 = Nearer area of nil pukur pond( C 225, Survey Park ),

A3 = nearer area of VIP pukur Pond ( A 119, Survey Park ).

LOCATION DATE TIME IN DAYTIME MINIMUM TEMP IN °C MAXIMUM TEMP IN °C

A2 22/12/10 8:10 AM 11.7 23

23/12/2010 8:00 AM 11.4 22.6

24/12/2010 8:10 AM 11.2 22.3

25/12/2010 8:20 AM 11 21.9

26/12/2010 8:00 AM 10.5 21.6

27/12/2010 8:10 AM 10.5 21.5

28/12/2010 8:05 AM 10.5 21.6

29/12/2010 7:50 AM 10 21

LOCATION DATE TIME IN NIGHTTIME MAXIMUM TEMP IN °C MINIMUM TEMP IN °C

A2 22/12/2010 4:55 PM 21.9 10.5

23/12/2010 4:45 PM 20.9 10.2

24/12/2010 5:05 PM 21.5 10.3

25/12/2010 5:10 PM 23.5 11.5

26/12/2010 5:00 PM 22.4 10.5

27/12/2010 5:05 PM 22.4 10.8

28/12/2010 5:00 PM 21.8 10.6

29/12/2010 4:45 PM 24 11

LOCATION DATE TIME IN DAYTIME MINIMUM TEMP IN °C MAXIMUM TEMP IN °C

A3 14/12/2010 8:40 AM 21.2 10.5

17/12/2010 9:45 AM 27.9 14.3

18/12/2010 10:05 AM 27.2 18.1

19/12/2010 10:15 AM 26.5 12.9

20/12/2010 10:00 AM 28.6 18.9

21/12/2010 9:40 AM 27.2 14

LOCATION DATE TIME IN NIGHTTIME MAXIMUM TEMP IN °C MINIMUM TEMP IN °C

A3 14/12/2010 8:45 PM 20.9 10.2

15/12/2010 9:00 PM 20.6 10

16/12/2010 8:50 PM 20.3 10

17/12/2010 8:45 PM 20.9 10.2

18/12/2010 8:50 PM 20 9.9

19/12/2010 8:45 PM 19 9.8

20/12/2010 8:40 PM 19 9.8

21/12/2010 8:30 PM 21.2 10.5

YEAR MONTHLY ( FOR DECEMBER) ANNUALLY

1945 0 133.7

1970 0 169.37

1980 0 139.01

1990 1.6 197.07

2000 0 129.05

2005 0.2 161.29

REPORT OF RAINFALL ON MONTHLY ( DECEMBER) & YEARLY BASIS

YEAR MONTHLY ( FOR DECEMBER) ANNUALLY

MAXIMUM IN °C MINIMUM IN °C MAXIMUM IN °C MINIMUM IN °C

1945 25.8 12.8 31.4 21.6

1970 26.7 12.7 31.6 22.2

1980 27.7 14.9 32 22.5

1990 27.3 15 31.1 22.4

2000 27.2 14.8 31.4 22.8

2005 27 15.2 31.7 22.9

REPORT OF TEMPERATURE ON MONTHLY ( DECEMBER) & YEARLY BASIS

PARAMETERS

AREA NO2 ( μG/M3 ) PM 10 ( μG/M3 ) SO2 ( μG/M3 )

KOLKATA 80.08 175.54 10.05

SOUTH 24 PARGANA 74.05 192.38 9.27

COMPARISION OF AIR QUALITY DATA BETWEEN DISTRICT KOLKATA

& SOUTH 24 PARGANA DURING DECEMBER , 2010.

NOISE LEVEL MEASUREMENT

Ambient noise levels in study area were measured. The noise levels

although exceeding the norm for residential area exceed only by a

few decibals they are acceptable taking in to consideration that

average noise level in Kolkata is relatively high.

Date of 12.4.2010 Monitoring Location Santoshpur pumping station Mean noise level in dB(A) 54.9 Site activity Vehicles were plying

CONCLUSION I) Urban and peri-urban ponds are the main sources of water for a

large number of people.

ii) Most of the users come from the poorer section of the society.

iii) If the ponds are not maintained there will be a possibility of

water crisis including fire hazard management.

iv) The pond water is within the prescribe quality for human uses.

Except for bacterial impurities.

vi) The upkeep of the ponds & maintenance 0f water quality over

time is prim importance for environmental conservation. Even

now the ponds impart a salubrious effect on the climatic

condition & air pollution in the area.

v) Sustainability from the viewpoint of human use and that from

the viewpoint of pisiculture may have some transient

incompatibility which needs to be taken care off. So that water

quality , bank protection , waste disposal & pisiculture do not

cause adverse impacts. & there by lead to social &

environmental conflicts.