Pollution in Water of Kasardi River Flowing along Taloja Industrial Area of Mumbai, India

The area of study selected in the present investigation was Kasardi River which receives heavy discharge of waste effluent from the nearby Taloja industrial belt which is one of the fastest developing industrial belt of Mumbai. The study was performed to investigate the concentration of toxic heavy metals like chromium (Cr), cadmium (Cd), nickel (Ni), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), lead (Pb) and iron (Fe) in river. It was observed that concentration of most of these heavy metals were much higher than the maximum permissible limits. These heavy metals have created threat to the aquatic life and through biomagnifications may enter the food chain thereby affecting the human beings as well. The research work was extended further to study the physico-chemical properties like temperature, pH, solid content, chloride, oil / grease content, BOD and COD values of the river water. The authors point out that as India moves towards stricter regulation of industrial effluents to control water pollution, there is a need to implement common objectives, compatible policies and programmes for improvement in the industrial waste water treatment methods.