GUWAHATI, Dec 11 - The mighty Brahmaputra is one of the major rivers of Asia, a trans-boundary river which flows through China, India and Bangladesh and the lifeline of Assam and the Assamese people. The lives of many thousands of Assamese people is dependent on the river. The unnatural change in the water quality of the river has created a fear psychosis.
The Nowgong College Science Society, (a unit of Assam Science Society) initiated preliminary investigation of the polluted Brahmaputra water. Under the instruction of Principal, Dr Sarat Borkataki, a six-member team guided by Dr Bhuban Ch Chutia, general secretary, Nowgong College Science Society and Assistant Professor, Department of Zoology, Dr RSK Singh, working president of the unit & HoD, Department of Chemistry, Dr LJ Borthakur, Principal Investigator & Assistant Professor, Advanced Material Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry with the active involvement of Pranjal Saikia, JRF, Department of Chemistry, Himanghsu Bora and Ujjal Bordoloi, BSc 3rd Semester students, Department of Zoology examined the water samples collected from three different sites of Brahmaputra, viz., Hatimura, Silghat and Sulung-Kalia Bhomora and also two different sites of Kolong, viz., Kalibor and Bheleuguri.
Different parameters viz., turbidity, pH, iron, nitrate, fluoride, chloride, total dissolved solids and manganese content and also water hardness were analysed at the Advanced Material Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry and PG & Research Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Nowgong College. Among the analysed parameters, turbidity (209-302 NTU), iron (0.17-0.94 mg/l) and manganese (0.62-91 mg/l) level were found to be higher than permissible limits. The result of experiment also indicated the alarming increase of manganese content both Brahmaputra and Kolong water which will directly or indirectly affect humans, biodiversity and specially the endangered river dolphin. The team also appealed to the concerned department to take up further higher studies to solve the recent crisis. This was stated in a press release.