Groundwater arsenic contamination in Manipur,one of the seven North-Eastern Hill states of India: a future danger

Manipur State, with a population of 2.29 million, is one of the seven North-Eastern Hill states in India, and is severely affected by groundwater arsenic contamination. Manipur has nine districts out of which four are in Manipur Valley where 59% of the people live on 10% of the land. These four districts are all arsenic contaminated. We analysed water samples from 628 tubewells for arsenic out of an expected total 2,014 tubewells in the Manipur Valley. Analyzed samples, 63.3%, contained >10 μg/l of arsenic, 23.2% between 10 and 50 μg/l, and 40% >50 μg/l. The percentages of contaminated wells above 10 and 50 μg/l are higher than in other arsenic affected states and countries of the Ganga–Meghna–Brahmaputra (GMB) Plain. Unlike on the GMB plains, in Manipur there is no systematic relation between arsenic concentration and the depth of tubewells. The source of arsenic in GMB Plain is sediments derived from the Himalaya and surrounding mountains. North-Eastern Hill states were formed at late phase of Himalaya orogeny, and so it will be found in the future that groundwater arsenic contamination in the valleys of other North-Eastern Hill states. Arsenic contaminated aquifers in Manipur Valley are mainly located within the Newer Alluvium. In Manipur, the high rainfall and abundant surface water resources can be exploited to avoid repeating the mass arsenic poisoning that has occurred on the GMB plains.     

Solubility of platinum and palladium in silicate melts under high water pressure as a function of redox conditions

The solubility of platinum and palladium in a silicate melt of the composition Di ₅₅ An ₃₅ Ab ₁₀ was determined at 1200°C and 2 kbar pressure in the presence of H₂O-H₂ fluid at an oxygen fugacity ranging from the HM to WI buffer equilibria. The influence of sulfur on the solubility of platinum in fluid-bearing silicate melt was investigated at a sulfur fugacity controlled by the Pt-PtS equilibrium at 1200°C and a pressure defined in such a way that the \(f_{H_2 O} \) and \(f_{O_2 } \) values were identical to those of the experiments without sulfur. The experiments were conducted in a high pressure gas vessel with controlled hydrogen content in the fluid. Oxygen fugacity values above the NNO buffer were controlled by solid-phase buffer mixtures using the two-capsule technique. Under more reducing conditions, the contents of H₂O and H₂ were directly controlled by the argon to hydrogen ratio in a special chamber. The hydrogen fugacity varied from 5.2 × 10^?2 bar (HM buffer) to 1230 bar (\(X_{H_2 } \) = 0.5). Pt and Pd contents were measured in quenched glass samples by neutron activation analysis. The results of these investigations showed that the solubility of Pt and Pd increases significantly in the presence of water compared with experiments in dry systems. The content of Pd within the whole range of redox conditions and that of Pt at an oxygen fugacity between the HM to MW buffer reactions are weakly dependent on \(f_{O_2 } \) and controlled mainly by water fugacity. This suggests that, in addition to oxide Pt and Pd species soluble at the ppb level in haplobasaltic melts, much more soluble (ppm level) hydroxide complexes of these metals are formed under fluid-excess conditions. Despite a decrease in water fugacity under reducing conditions, Pt solubility increases sharply near the MW buffer. It was shown by electron paramagnetic resonance spectrometry that, in contrast to dry melts, fluid-saturated silicate melts do not contain a pure metal phase (micronuggets). Therefore, the increase in Pt solubility under reducing conditions can be explained by the formation of Pt hydride complexes or Pt-fluid-silicate clusters. At a sulfur fugacity controlled by the Pt-PtS equilibrium, the solubility of Pt in iron-free silicate melts as a function of redox conditions is almost identical to that obtained in the experiments without sulfur at the same water and oxygen fugacity values. These observations also support Pt dissolution in iron-free silicate melts as hydroxide species.     

Water dynamics and population pressure in the Nepalese Himalayas

Water is rapidly becoming a critical factor in the development of Nepal despite the fact that it has one of the greatest hydro-power potentials in the world. The country is faced with three key water issues: hazardous hydro-power development, problems with community water supply and pollution, and shortages of irrigation water. Both the environmental settings and the socio-economic conditions have contributed to these problems which are now widespread and alarming. Environmental factors have not been taken seriously as shown in the largest existing hydropower reservoir, which has recently lost much of its storage capacity in a single unusual storm. Shortages in water supplies in the capital city are also reaching crisis proportions both in terms of quantity and quality. The widespread lack of irrigation water in the Middle Mountains during the dry season has serious implications for the future food supplies of the largely rural population. Some of these problems result from a rapidly expanding population living in a very marginal environment, an ineffective government organization and an international community that is mostly self-serving, focussing on large projects with little concern for local needs. The degradation of water resources is putting the food supplies and health of a large part of the population at risk.     

Stabilization of fuel oil contaminated soil—A case study

Fuel oil contamination brings adverse effect on basic geotechnical properties of foundation soil. The present study pertains to one such case, from the petrochemical complex near Vadodara City in Gujarat State, India. Here, the fuel oil contaminated soil samples exhibit drastic changes in their geotechnical parameters. Noteworthy among such deleterious changes are: decrease in maximum dry density (–4%), cohesion (–66%), angle of internal friction (–23%) and unconfined compressive strength (UCS) (–35%) and increase in liquid limit (+11%). An attempt has been made to stabilize the contaminated soil using various additives viz., lime, fly ash and cement independently as well as an admixture of different combinations. It is apparent from the test results that the stabilization agents improved the geo-technical properties of the soil by way of cation exchange, agglomeration, and pozzuolanic actions. The best results were observed when a combination of 10% lime, 5% fly ash and 5% cement was added to the contaminated soil. The improvement in unconfined compressive strength (UCS), cohesion and angle of internal friction can be attributed to neo-formations such as Calcium Silicate Hydrates (CSH, CSH-1) that coats and binds the soil particles. Formation of stable complex between oil and metallic cations, results in reduction of leachableoil.     

Groundwater resource development in Jamui District,Bihar, India: an overview

Because agriculture is the main source of livelihood for the bulk of the population in Jamui District, the importance of developing irrigation facilities in any programme of economic regeneration can hardly be over emphasized. It is, therefore, imperative that groundwater development be considered as an important step to drought mitigation in the Jamui district. The present study was carried out in such a way that technical and economic viability of any groundwater development plan can be thoroughly scrutinized. In this paper the hydrogeological framework of the district was established based on aquifer disposition, orientation of potential fracture systems and their hydraulic characteristics. Considering the aquifer geometry and yield potential of different structures, a blueprint for a groundwater development plan was prepared. An economic analysis of the development plan also was attempted. The analysis yielded results that made it possible to evaluate parameters such as cost–benefit ratio, incremental benefits and internal rate of return used to assess the economic viability of the groundwater development plan. Electronic Publication     

Climates of urbanization: local experiences of water security,conflict and cooperation in peri-urban South-Asia

ABSTRACT

This article explores changing water (in)securities in a context of urbanization and climate change in the peri-urban spaces of four South-Asian cities: Khulna (Bangladesh), Gurugram and Hyderabad (India), and Kathmandu (Nepal). As awareness of water challenges like intensifying use, deteriorating quality and climate change is growing, water security gets more scientific and policy attention. However, in peri-urban areas, the dynamic zones between the urban and the rural, it remains under-researched, despite the specific characteristics of these spaces: intensifying flows of goods, resources, people, and technologies; diversifying uses of, and growing pressures on land and water; and complex and often contradictory governance and jurisdictional institutions. This article analyses local experiences of water (in-)security, conflict and cooperation in relation to existing policies. It uses insights from the analysis of the case studies as a point of departure for a critical reflection on whether a ‘community resilience’ discourse contributes to better understanding these cases of water insecurity and conflict, and to better policy solutions. The authors argue that a community resilience focus risks neglecting important insights about how peri-urban water insecurity problems are experienced by peri-urban populations and produced or reproduced in specific socio-economic, political and policy contexts. Unless supported by in-depth hydro-social research, such a focus may depoliticize basically political questions of water (re) allocation, prioritization, and access for marginalized groups. Therefore, the authors plead for more critical awareness among researchers and policy-makers of the consequences of using a ‘community resilience’ discourse for making sense of peri-urban water (in-)security.

Key policy insights

• There is an urgent need for more (critical) policy and scientific attention to peri-urban water insecurity, conflict, and climate change.

• Although a changing climate will likely play a role, more attention is needed to how water insecurities and vulnerabilities in South Asia are socially produced.

• Researchers and policy-makers should avoid using depoliticized (community) resilience approaches for basically socio-political problems.

     

Riverine flood mapping and impact assessment using remote sensing technique: a case study of Chenab flood-2014 in Multan district,Punjab, Pakistan

The Multan district is mainly prone to riverine floods but has remained understudied. Chenab flood-2014 was the worst flood that this district experienced in recorded history. This study applies remote sensing (RS) techniques to estimate the extent, calculate duration, assess the major causes and resulting impacts of the flood-2014, using Landsat-8 OLI images. These images were obtained for pre-flood, during-flood and post-flood instances. Secondary data of flood causing factors were obtained for comprehensive analysis. Spatially trained and validated datasets were obtained through Google Earth platform and Global positioning system. The supervised classification with maximum likelihood algorithm was used to classify land use and land cover of the study area. The Modified Normalized Difference Water Index was utilized to detect flood inundation extent and duration, and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index was utilized to monitor vegetation coverage and changes. The analysis allowed us to assess flood causes, and calculate the extent of the flooded areas with duration and recession, as well as damages to standing crops and built-up areas. The results revealed that the flood-2014 occurred due to heavy rains in early September in upper Chenab catchment. The flood inundation continued for around two months, which heavily affected agriculture and built-up areas. The present study introduces practical use of RS techniques to provide basis for effective flood inundation mapping and impact assessment, as an application for early flood response and recovery in the world.

     

GIS-based spatial landslide distribution analysis of district Neelum,AJ&K,Pakistan

Natural Hazards - The Landslide happens in mountainous regions due to the catastrophe of slope through intensive rain and seismicity. The Himalayas is one of the susceptible parts of the world in...     

Riverine flood assessment in Jhang district in connection with ENSO and summer monsoon rainfall over Upper Indus Basin for 2010

Pakistan has experienced severe floods over the past decades due to climate variability. Among all the floods, the flood of 2010 was the worst in history. This study focuses on the assessment of (1) riverine flooding in the district Jhang (where Jhelum and Chenab rivers join, and the district was severely flood affected) and (2) south Asiatic summer monsoon rainfall patterns and anomalies considering the case of 2010 flood in Pakistan. The land use/cover change has been analyzed by using Landsat TM 30 m resolution satellite imageries for supervised classification, and three instances have been compared, i.e., pre-flooding, flooding, and post-flooding. The water flow accumulation, drainage density and pattern, and river catchment areas have been calculated by using Shutter Radar Topography Mission digital elevation model 90 m resolution. The standard deviation of south Asiatic summer monsoon rainfall patterns, anomalies and normal (1979–2008) has been calculated for July, August, and September by using rainfall data set of Era interim (0.75° × 0.75° resolution). El Niño Southern Oscillation has also been considered for its role in prevailing rainfall anomalies during the year 2010 over Upper Indus Basin region. Results show the considerable changing of land cover during the three instances in the Jhang district and water content in the rivers. Abnormal rainfall patterns over Upper Indus Basin region prevailed during summer monsoon months in the year 2010 and 2011. The El Niño (2009–2010) and its rapid phase transition to La Niña (2011–2012) may be the cause of severity and disturbances in rainfall patterns during the year 2010. The Geographical Information System techniques and model based simulated climate data sets have been used in this study which can be helpful in developing a monitoring tool for flood management.     

A PETROLOGICAL OVERVIEW OF THE KOHISTAN MAGMATIC ARC, NW HIMALAYA, N. PAKISTAN

A PETROLOGICAL OVERVIEW OF THE KOHISTAN MAGMATIC ARC, NW HIMALAYA, N. PAKISTAN1　TahirkheliRAK ,MattauerM .ProustF ,etal.1979.In :GeodynamicsofPakistan[C].FarahA ,DeJongKA ,eds.GeolSurvPakistan ,Quetta ,1979.12 5～ 130 . 2　CowardMP ,WindleyBF ,BroughtonRD ,etal.In :CollisionTectonics[C]..CowardMP ,RiesAC ,eds.GeolSoc,London ,SpecPub ,1986 ,19:2 0 3～ 2 19. 3　BardJP ,MaluskiH ,MattePh ,etal.GeolBull ,PeshawarUniversity ,1980 ,13:87～ 93. …