<p>Several regions in the catchment area of Amarja river are highly affected by microbial pathogens which could affect public health, according to a study.</p>.<p>Syed Shams Ahmad Rizvi from the Geology Department of the Central University of Karnataka conducted a study on the quality of Amarja water for his thesis, which revealed the presence of bacterium groups such as total coliform and Escherichia coli, pseudomonas aeruginosa and sulphite-reducing bacteria. These pathogens are responsible for food poisoning, intestinal infection, dysentery and other dangerous<br />diseases.</p>.<p>Tests were conducted to ascertain whether the water is potable. The drinking suitability of groundwater around the catchment was not good except in a few places. The pH was close to the permissible limit and higher at some places.</p>.<p>Higher concentrations of total dissolved solids (TDS), Calcium, Magnesium, Bicarbonate, Chloride, Nitrate and hardness were recorded except in a few<br />cases.</p>.<p>“Of the 32 samples collected from several villages of the river catchment area, half of the samples are unfit for drinking. Fluoride content at three locations was found to be much higher than the permissible limit. Several cases of diseases caused by fluoride were noticed during the field work,” explained<br />Rizvi.</p>.<p>The irrigational suitability of groundwater was within the limit for irrigation except in a few locations. There is a higher chance of an increase in fluoride contamination level in the study area as it is a semi-arid region with a low precipitation zone.</p>.<p>Rizvi, in his study, advised water authority agencies to focus on immediate measures to reduce the sources of fluoride content. Community awareness programmes can help for capacity building to minimise the effect on human beings, he said.</p>.<p>Amarja river joins Bhima River at Ganagapura village in Kalaburagi district. Apart from irrigation purposes, Amarja river water is being utilised for drinking purposes in several villages in Aland taluk where a dam has been constructed across the river near Sangolgi village.</p>
<p>Several regions in the catchment area of Amarja river are highly affected by microbial pathogens which could affect public health, according to a study.</p>.<p>Syed Shams Ahmad Rizvi from the Geology Department of the Central University of Karnataka conducted a study on the quality of Amarja water for his thesis, which revealed the presence of bacterium groups such as total coliform and Escherichia coli, pseudomonas aeruginosa and sulphite-reducing bacteria. These pathogens are responsible for food poisoning, intestinal infection, dysentery and other dangerous<br />diseases.</p>.<p>Tests were conducted to ascertain whether the water is potable. The drinking suitability of groundwater around the catchment was not good except in a few places. The pH was close to the permissible limit and higher at some places.</p>.<p>Higher concentrations of total dissolved solids (TDS), Calcium, Magnesium, Bicarbonate, Chloride, Nitrate and hardness were recorded except in a few<br />cases.</p>.<p>“Of the 32 samples collected from several villages of the river catchment area, half of the samples are unfit for drinking. Fluoride content at three locations was found to be much higher than the permissible limit. Several cases of diseases caused by fluoride were noticed during the field work,” explained<br />Rizvi.</p>.<p>The irrigational suitability of groundwater was within the limit for irrigation except in a few locations. There is a higher chance of an increase in fluoride contamination level in the study area as it is a semi-arid region with a low precipitation zone.</p>.<p>Rizvi, in his study, advised water authority agencies to focus on immediate measures to reduce the sources of fluoride content. Community awareness programmes can help for capacity building to minimise the effect on human beings, he said.</p>.<p>Amarja river joins Bhima River at Ganagapura village in Kalaburagi district. Apart from irrigation purposes, Amarja river water is being utilised for drinking purposes in several villages in Aland taluk where a dam has been constructed across the river near Sangolgi village.</p>
