Effective data convergence, mapping, and pollution categorization of ghats at Ganga River Front in Varanasi

Rivers support life of Indian population but water pollution threatens human health. There is no consensus data for water quality (WQ) of rivers in India including River Ganga. For robust stakeholder participation and community involvement and governance, a consolidation of WQ parameters for River Ganga from different data sources is essentially needed. The priority to combat environmental, economic, and social dislocations due to river pollution also necessitates WQ data convergence, its availability in public domain for policy makers, citizens, researchers, etc, and mapping with respect to the flowing river. Lack of real-time data limits civic involvement in river management. This paper is a novel attempt to consolidate the WQ data available in literature for River Ganga at Varanasi during 1992-2016. Results indicate water of River Ganga to have high coliform and BOD levels due to direct discharge of sewage waste from Varuna and that from Varanasi city. Categorization of ghats based on WQ parameters reveal pollution status of ghats to vary from low to highly polluted (coliform data excluded as it changes the category of all the ghats to highly polluted). More urban population with lack of readiness of authorities to follow the law appear to be major contributors towards failure of river management strategies. The consolidated information mapped with demographic data can be used as data management tools for sustenance of River Ganga. A need for change in policy framework and publicizing the real-time data seem key solutions for improving water quality of River Ganga at Varanasi.