Comparative water quality assessment of a tropical and a temperate lake of India

Abstract

Two urban lakes were selected for this investigation, Dal lake Srinagar Kashmir and Bellunder lake Bangalore. The two lakes are having a greater importance in their respective cities or we can say that they are the main water bodies in these cities providing water for irrigation, recreation, sports events, domestic use, commercial use, and tourism also. The study is based on physico chemical parameters of both lakes and then comparison of both lakes and intend outcome. The Dal lake is a Himalayan urban lake which is mostly used for tourism, it is India’s most beautiful and second largest lake in state of Jammu and Kashmir. Secondly the Bellunder lake providing water for irrigation, recreation, sports events, domestic use, commercial use, also situated on the extreme eastern part of Bangalore city located in Deccan plateau of south Indian peninsula, the terrain of region is relatively flat and sloping towards south of Bangalore city. Three water samples were collected at three locations from the three basins of the Dal Lake and Bellunder Lake respectively. An water quality analysis was carried out according by adopting universally accepted standards. The present investigation of both lakes reveals that the both lakes are under extreme environmental stress, the main stress is due to the unplanned developmental activities in the catchment area which directly have negative affect on the respective lakes because both lakes are urban and have greater importance in their respective cities he Dal lake Kashmir and Bellunder Lake Bangalore, The lakes need proper planning for rejunavation and for the survival of ecosystem and ecological balance. The study reveals that sewage is the main source of pollution of this water body.