Seasonal Variations in Physicochemical Characteristics of Ram Mandir Pond, Vasai, Dist. - Palghar, Maharashtra (INDIA)

Abstract

Ponds remain importantresources of water from ancient time. Vasai - Virar city is suburban part of Mumbai city comes under district Palghar. In the city there are more than 100 pounds on record. Of these ponds ‘Ram Mandir Pond’ situated in the heart of city.20 physicochemical parameters selected for studying pond water were Temperature, pH, Conductivity, Turbidity, Total solids, DS, TSS Dissolved Oxygen, Acidity, Alkalinity, BOD, COD, Nitrate, Nitrite, Total Phosphorus, Silica as SiO2, Sulphate, H2S, Chlorides as Cl, and Total hardness as CaCO3 Physicochemical study of this pond reveals seasonal variation of pH of water ranging from 6.65 to the higher as 8.93. Seasonal variation in Total hardness ranging from 470 to 860 mg/l of carbonates. Nitrate values in water found highest during winter i.e. 1.11mg/l and lowest during Monsoon i.e. 0.377 mg/. Total phosphorus recorded in three seasons was 0.27, 0.16 and 0.12 mg/l in monsoon winter and summer respectively. Most of the parameters are in and around standard values. Physicochemical studies indicate pond is of mesotrophic category. Remedies for its conservation and maintenance are suggested.

Introduction

Temple ponds, also known as temple tanks, are an ancient and culturally significant feature of Indian Hindu temples. They serve both religious and ecological functions—devotees use these ponds for ritual purification before worship, symbolizing cleansing of body and mind. Ecologically, temple ponds act as rainwater reservoirs, help recharge groundwater, and support biodiversity by providing habitats for aquatic life.

The text focuses on a study of the Ram Mandir Pond in Bolinj, Vasai Virar, Maharashtra, India. This pond, associated with an ancient temple, relies solely on rainwater and has recently been protected by concrete walls and iron bars.

A detailed physicochemical analysis of the pond’s water was conducted in 2020-21 across monsoon, winter, and summer seasons, measuring 20 parameters such as temperature, pH, conductivity, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, biological oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), nitrates, phosphates, and others.

Key findings include:

• Water temperature ranged between 27°C to 29°C with minor seasonal variation.

• pH varied from slightly acidic to slightly basic (6.65 to 8.93), with summer showing slightly higher pH than the permissible range.

• Conductivity, turbidity, total dissolved solids (TDS), and total suspended solids (TSS) fluctuated seasonally, with highest turbidity in summer likely due to evaporation and phytoplankton growth.

• Dissolved oxygen levels were low in monsoon and winter but improved in summer.

• Nutrient levels such as nitrate, nitrite, phosphorus, and sulfate showed seasonal variation, with higher values mostly during monsoon.

• Parameters like acidity, alkalinity, hardness, and chlorides were within ranges supporting aquatic life.

Conclusion

Most of Studied parameter are in good range indicating suitability for aquatic life. pH range is within permissible limit. Total Solids showed higher values. BOD, Phosphorus Nitrate nitrates are within permissible limit. Total hardness surpassed the limit during winter only. From above study it is concluded that it is suitable for the aquaculture, agriculture andotheruses.However, suitability for drinking purpose must be depended on the further study of water sample for microbial content and presence of heavy metals.

References

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Copyright

Copyright © 2025 Supriya Nitin Ghadi, Chandrakant Marathe. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.