Population and Environment: Panchaganga River Water Pollution In Kolhapur District, India

India has rich water resources. The demand for water increases with the increasing population and developmental activities in cities and villages on the riverbanks which leads to environmental pollution. There is surface water as well as ground water pollution due to lack of or under capacity of Sewage Treatment Plants and it has adversely affected human health.

The Hindu Survey of Environment 1991 states that the river Panchaganga is one of the 12 polluted hotspots in India. Along with 39 villages, Kolhapur and Ichalkaranji are two cities located on the banks of Panchaganga River. According to Census 2011, Ichalkaranji Municipal Council had 287,570 population and Kolhapur Municipal Corporation had 549,283 population. The sewage generated from these cities is not treated properly and 39 villages also pour sewage water into the river. Panchaganga river water gets polluted due to domestic and drainage water, commercial and hospital establishments. It has influenced in the form of water borne diseases and claimed 24 people due to outbreak of jaundice in Ichalkaranji in May 2012.

The paper based on the secondary data focuses on the population growth and other factors responsible for Panchaganga river water pollution and how it influenced on human health.