4.1 Water Supply & Sewerage

Water is a key driver and is vital to development of Biodiversity, Agriculture, Humans as well as the Economy. With recent experiences across the world and in India, the water scarcity and security is emerging issues. The state of Maharashtra has also faced severe impact of the water scarcity in the recent past. Therefore water management is a crucial step of sustainable development and it also has been made an integral part of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Unplanned urban growth and economic development has placed unprecedented pressures on natural resources especially on water. Increasing demand for the water in urban areas such as Nashik highlights the necessity of the overall water management.

4.1.1 Water supply and quality in the campus

There are about 12 water storage tanks within the campus, the capacities are shown below: 

  Water Storage Capacity at the campus

  Water supply requirements as per National Building Code, 2005 

Note:  This requirement is inclusive of drinking water.

Based on the available data and benchmarking for water supply as per National Building Code (NBC), it can be seen that the campus receives about 18.67 m³ of excess fresh water every day.

  Drinking water quality in the campus

Note:

  MPN count of Drinking water quality in the campus

It is informed that water supply is taken either from Nashik Municipal Corporation or water is extracted from 2 dug wells within the campus. However due to probable mixing of both the water sources the quality of fresh water has been deteriorated. Therefore it is necessary to have a fresh water treatment system before use including disinfection. Similarly, periodical cleaning of water tanks is very essential. Table No.5 and Table No. 6 suggest that many of the locations the quality of water is NON POTABLE. Therefore immediate actions are required.

4.1.2 Rain water harvesting potential of the campus

The campus buildings possess large terrace areas and paved as well as non paved areas. Currently, none of the buildings have Rain Water Harvesting (RWH) System implemented. The campus has huge potential for RWH (Table No. 7). However, due to close proximity of the river Godawari, the ground water table may be very high and therefore it is necessary to undertake detailed Hydrogeology Survey and then the RWH system should be implemented.

The campus buildings possess large terrace areas and paved as well as non paved areas. Currently, none of the buildings have Rain Water Harvesting (RWH) System implemented. The campus has huge potential for RWH (Table No. 7). However, due to close proximity of the river Godawari, the ground water table may be very high and therefore it is necessary to undertake detailed Hydrogeology Survey and then the RWH system should be implemented.

Figure 2: Schematics of ground water recharge and storage

  Rain Water Harvesting potential of the campus

Note: Avg. Annual Rainfall of 620mm at Nashik city is considered for the calculations

4.1.3 Sewerage Management

Based on the water consumption data and considering about 90% of the water supplied is converted in to the waste water either through the washrooms, chemical laboratories, etc. the campus generated about 522.00 m³ of waste water every day.

It was observed that there is no separate drainage system for collecting and transporting sewage and liquids from chemical laboratories. Currently, a combined drainage systems is placed which carries all the liquid effluent to a sewerage system to the north provided by the Nashik Municipal Corporation.

4.2 Noise Environment

Noise pollution is one of the major environmental issues in India today and most of us are unaware of the hazards it can cause. In India, we all are subjected to some form of loud noises for a considerable amount of time on daily basis as well across the year based on the festive season such as Ganesh Festival, Diwali and others.

Unwarranted sounds such as honking, other vehicular noise, the loudspeakers and not to forget about household noise such as television and music system sounds on daily basis are inevitable. In our country it’s a major perception that happiness can only be expressed by creating loud noises.

Table No. 8 shows implications of Noise on Human Body. Exposure to high levels of noise may cause permanent hearing loss. The repeated exposures to loud noise can lead to permanent tinnitus and/or hearing loss. Furthermore, it may create physical and psychological stress, reduce productivity, and interfere with communication and concentration. The effects of noise induced hearing loss can be profound & can be limiting your ability to hear high frequency sounds, understand speech, and seriously impairing your ability to communicate.

  Considerable Implications of Noise on the Human Body

  Noise monitoring observations

Note:

The observations show that all the locations monitored show high level of noise pollution. The causes of noise pollution may be proximity of the main road with high traffic volumes, other buildings such as Abhinav school where variety of noisy activities are conducted the school building and other areas experience high noise levels (max. noise levels observed) as compared to the silent zone standards (day time requirements).
 

4.3 Plant diversity:

Various manmade activities have wide range of impacts on the surrounding ecosphere, both negative as well as positive. Over the years, KTHM College has undertaken various activities like plantation and beautification of campus through various drives. The campus has good plantations along with well-maintained medicinal plants’ garden; and landscaping. It’s a positive step to reduce its environmental impact. This section provides a detailed list of plant species observed within the campus.

The campus attempts to maintain ecofriendly atmosphere on the campus; the number and variety of plant species helps to maintain eco-friendly ambience. Further, to create eco-friendly awareness among the students college arranges special programmes through which the students get clear idea and importance of trees in life. There are more than 60 perennial plant species have been observed.  

Though, the college campus represents good plant diversity, there is large scope to plant more trees, particularly along the fence line of main road where high to very high traffic was noticed.

  List of plant species observed in the campus during the field visit

  List of plant species in the campus provided by Botany Department

  List of bird species observed in the campus

4.4 Waste Management

The committee constituted by the Union Ministry of Urban Development (1998 - 2000) had reported that “Solid Waste Management has been one of the neglected areas of urban management activities in India. By and large, in cities and towns; hardly 50% of the solid waste generated is collected, transported and disposed off, giving rise to unhygienic conditions and diseases, especially amongst the urban poor who constitute about 35% of the urban population.” Even after 15 years of this report, the solid waste management systems in India are still the same.

World Health Organization (WHO) has observed that 22 types of diseases can be prevented/ controlled in India by improving Municipal Solid Waste Management (MSWM) system. The Planning Commission Task Force (2014) identifies that “principal reasons for the prevailing unhygienic conditions in our cities is the casual attitude of the citizens as well as the municipal authorities towards managing solid waste, lack of priority to this essential service, inadequate and inappropriate institutional structure, lack of technical know how and paucity of financial resources”.

4.4.1 Municipal Solid Waste

Based on the total population of the campus the Municipal Solid Waste is calculated. Table no.13 shows total quantity of MSW generated on the campus per day.

  MSW generated on the campus per day

Observations:

4.4.2 E - Waste

It was observed that the campus has storage a lot of E-waste for last 4 - 5 years which has piled up. It will be useful to discard the e-waste. Table No. 14 shows the approximate quantities that may be disposed off. It is informed that generally a tender procedure is implemented for any scrap material in this case e-waste, it is advised that these e-waste should be disposed off  through an authorised e-waste recycler/ vendor duly authorised by Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB).

  E-waste for disposal

Other Observations:

4.5 Air Environment

Air pollution has also become a critical issue in India. Most of the urban conglomerations in India are highly polluted with recent case of Delhi air pollution. In 2014, the World Health Organisation (WHO) had assessed 1,622 cities worldwide for PM2.5 and found that 13 of the 20 cities in India that WHO assessed are with the most polluted air.  

The air pollution is mainly caused by vehicle emissions, fuel, industrial activities and coal fired power plants. The WHO further suggests that the vast majority of Indians breathe unsafe air. Air pollution causes asthma which is now soaring, even amongst the children. PM2.5 contributes to cancer and it kills by triggering heart attacks and strokes.  

 Air quality in the academic institute is very important for health of the students, faculty and staff of the institute. The air pollution sources in the college campus are wind storm, pollen grains, natural dust, vehicular emissions, generators, fires and laboratory fumes etc. All the pollutants were measured by the CPCB installed continuous air monitoring station. The air pollutants monitored on regular basis are Sulphur dioxide (SO2), Oxides of Nitrogen as NO2, Suspended Particulate Matter (SPM) and Repairable Suspended Particulate Matter (RSPM) etc.
The chief sources of air pollution in the study area are mainly due to continuous vehicular activities and domestic firewood burning, fuel burning etc and natural dust. The major pollutants released in the atmosphere will be PM10, PM2.5. SO2 NOx and CO etc. All the air quality parameters are within standard limits of CPCB, New Delhi, suggesting ambient air quality at K.T.H.M College campus. College has green campus of 39 acres; efforts have been made on to planting more trees on the peripheral boundary of the campus through NSS, NCC students, senior students, teaching and nonteaching staff in college. Hence, the greenery around the institute helps to neutralize whatever carbon and its byproducts generated. The campus has total 67plant species which includes trees, shrubs, herbs and climbers.

Figure 3: Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Locations

Legends:

1.   Campus Boundary
2.   Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Location – which covers an area on 2 km

Observations:

  Ambient Air Quality Observations

Note:

Figure 4: 24 hourly variation of air pollutants