Arkajyoti Shome is currently pursuing his masters degree on Ecology and Environmental science from Pondicherry University .He his bachelor’s degree on Environmental Science from Asutosh College, University of Calcutta. He has attended several International and National Level conferences. He also has publications in International Journal and also in International conference proceedings.

Scientists have so far assembled substantial amount of evidences that can show the extent of change of the earth’s climate and the role of human activities behind it. Climate change is expected to have considerable impacts on natural resource systems, of which the water resources are in the prime list. It has been proved that global warming and decline in rainfall may reduce net recharge and can affect groundwater levels. Intense rain for few days will result increased frequency of floods and the monsoon rain would also be lost as direct run-off, thus can decrease the groundwater recharging potential. The countries like India, where the irrigation system is mostly dependent on groundwater (in India, 52% irrigation is groundwater dependent) can suffer severely because of these changes. Production of rice, maize and wheat in the past few decades has declined in many parts of Asia due to water shortage. The most irrigated areas in India would require more water around 2025 and global net irrigation requirement would increase relative to the situation without climate change about 3.5-5% by 2025. Climate change will affect the Indian river basins significantly. River basins of Mahi, Pennar, Sabarmati and Tapi shall face water shortage conditions, while Godavari, Brahmani and Mahanadi shall not face water shortages, but severity of flood shall increase in these areas. Additionally, rise in atmospheric temperature due to climate change will also lead to loss of glaciers in the Himalayas, which, in turn, may reduce water availability in the rivers of Indus – Ganga plains. As the Indian and South Asian irrigation systems are also dependent on canals, reservoirs and rivers, glacial retreat and changed pattern of water flow in the rivers can also threatened the water availability and irrigation potential. The melting of ice is changing the hydrological cycle, and the sea level is rising gradually. Many of India’s coastal aquifers are already experiencing salinity ingress because of sea level rise. Salt water intrusion can deteriorate surface and groundwater quality, agricultural productivity and salinization of irrigation water. Linking the concept of sustainable development to climate change can provide a deep insight into the proper methods of long term societal responses to global environmental change and can help to implement the methods like rainwater harvesting, watershed development and groundwater management systems.

Lead is one of the most hazardous heavy metal which is entering into the aquatic ecosystems through various anthropogenic activities. It causes many deleterious effects on aquatic organisms as well as human beings. To know more about the toxicity of Lead, the stock solution of Lead Nitrate was prepared and the toxicity test was conducted on the healthy fingerlings of Labeo rohita. The fingerlings of 10±1cm size and 10±2g in weight were brought to the laboratory and acclimatized in a dechlorinated tap water for 15 days. The water was changed after every 48 hours and the fishes were fed with pelleted feed. The 96hr LC50 of Lead Nitrate calculated was 34.20mg/l. Four sublethal concentrations of Lead Nitrate were taken on the basis of 1/3rd, 1/5th, 1/7th and 1/10th of LC50 value i.e, 11.4mg/l, 6.84mg/l, 4.88mg/l and 3.42mg/l. One group was kept as a control in which no solution was added. One fingerling from each tank was sacrificed after 15, 30, 45 and 60 days of exposure and dissected to remove the gill tissues. The gills were washed and fixed in 10% formalin and were processed for section cutting and staining. The slides were observed under light microscope and photomicrographs were taken. The histolpathological changes were observed and it was found that the damage increases with the increase in the dose of Lead Nitrate and the number of days of exposure to it.

The Ranjit Sagar wetland is situated on the Ravi river near Pathankot city, Punjab. This wetland falls into three states i.e. Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir and spread over an area of 87.60 sq.km. Water samples were collected on monthly basis from June, 2012 to May, 2014 and brought to laboratory for further analysis. Range, mean and standard deviation of physico-chemical parameter were estimated i.e. Air Temperature(ºC) 12-40(26.51±7.33), Water Temperature(ºC) 11.9-30.93(22.97±6.68), Conductivity(μs/cm) 124-340(214±64.09), Total dissolved solids(mg/l) 70-200(138.27±44.49), Turbidity(NTU) 1.5-21.5(8.14±7.68), Dissolved oxygen(mg/l) 6.9-8.7(7.79±0.57), Carbon dioxide(mg/l) 2-10(5.07±2.18), Hydrogen ion(pH) 7.2-9(8.08±0.52), Total alkalinity(mg/l) 12-284(111.70±73.65), Salinity(mg/l) 100-200(127.27±45.58), Chloride(mg/l) 2.98-24.85(13.63±6.34), Total Hardness(mg/l) 64-228(112.88±48.36), Calcium(mg/l) 14.12-60.55(26.86±11.57), Magnesium(mg/l) 1.3-25.4(10.52±6.26), Phosphate(mg/l) 0.09-2.163(0.34±0.51), Sulphates(mg/l) 0.50-3.90(1.75±0.86), Nitrates(mg/l) 0.045-1.80(0.31±0.48), Nitrites(mg/l) 0.01-0.24(0.07±0.059) and Silicates(mg/l) 4-9.5(6.73±1.67). All parameters were compared with standard values recommended by World Health Organization (WHO) and Indian Standard (IS) and it is noted that value of all parameter lies near permissible limits. The presence of nutrients likes Sulphates, Phosphates, Nitrates, Nitrites and Silicates in sufficient quantities, which are helpful to enhance the growth of aquatic flora and fauna in the wetland. Resultantly, the wetland become more productive and can attract wide array of migratory birds during the winter season annually. The regular data collection about physico-chemical parameters is highly required for the sustainable development of wetland because these fragile ecosystems are degrading drastically due to anthropogenic activities.

Wetlands are very productive ecosystems, which help in the regulation of biological cycles, maintenance of water quality, nutrient movement and provides support for food chains. Wetlands are areas where water is the primary factor controlling the environment and associated plant and animal life. So, the present study was carried out to evaluate the physico-chemical parameters of Nangal Wetland. This wetland is located in District Ropar, is a balancing reservoir situated over the Sutlej river at latitude 31°24’13.52”N and longitude 76°22’03.05”E with 1172 feet elevation. It spreads over an area of 700 acres. Water samples were collected once in every month from February 2013-January 2014. The range, mean and standard deviation of physico-chemical parameters were estimated as: Air Temperature(ºC) 16.2-40(26.29±8.19), Water Temperature(ºC) 15-22.4(18.4±2.92), pH 7-7.9(7.44±0.29), Conductivity(μs/cm) 170-355(280.05±58.56), Total Dissolved Solids(mg/l) 120-220(156.25±33.51), Turbidity(NTU) 1.2-6.5(11.27±8.33), Total alkalinity(mg/l) 42-200(87.91±49.42), Salinity(mg/l) 100-700(222.72±144.52), Chloride(mg/l) 5.42-25.84(15.51±6.29), Total Hardness(mg/l) 70-228(149.31±44.88), Calcium(mg/l) 16.82-58.02(39.06±10.64) and Magnesium(mg/l) 1.7-28.18(13.84±7.64). A significant variation in these parameters was observed throughout the study period and the values of the measured parameters were compared with World Health Organisation standards for water quality. The findings show that all the measured physico-chemical parameters lies within the tolerable limits. Hence, this wetland is very productive in nature and attracts thousands of migratory birds, fishes, reptiles, some important mammals and plants. Therefore, it is important to estimate the physico-chemical parameters of Nangal Wetland regularly due to its strategic importance.

The destruction and disappearance of lakes is a severe threat to Bangalore city since they are the only source of ground water, irrigation and potable water. In the present investigation, the water quality analysis of the few selected lakes and the exact nature, cause and levels of the pollutants was studied. The water samples were collected from different lakes, viz., Hebbal lake, Vengaiah lake, Yellamalappa Chetty lake, Madivala lake, Hulimavu lake, Arekere lake, Heelalige lake, Hebbagodi lake, Chandapura lake and Veerasandra lake which belong to different lake series of the three water-valley-systems of Bangalore city. The following water parameters viz. pH, turbidity, COD, BOD, DO, TSS, TDS, conductivity, total alkalinity, nitrate, sulphate, phosphate and calcium were analyzed along with morphometry, flora and fauna associated with the lake environment. Plankton diversity and anthropogenic activities affecting the lake-use patterns were analysed. Wide range of results in the parameters was seen depending upon the type of wastes and other effluents discharged into the water and its pollution level. High level of nutrients such as sulphates, phosphates and nitrates and dissolved phosphorous were the main cause of heavy eutrophication whereas high level of BOD and reduced levels of DO showed that the water quality was not good for the aquatic organisms to flourish. It was also noted that the bio-diversity of these lakes have been adversely affected due to its indiscriminate use. The decrease in number and water quality of lakes in Bangalore has the direct relation to urbanization and industrialization which is going at an immeasurable rate. It is a direct measure of the status of management of anthropogenic activities, management of land, solid waste collection and disposal, disposal of used water, and also the attitudes of people in general. Standard values for freshwater bodies given by BIS: 10500-1991 (revised 2003) were used for the comparison of water quality in general.

Dineshbabu G is a Master degree holder in Biotechnology from Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli, India. At present he is a Doctoral student of Dr. L. Uma at National Facility for Marine Cyanobacteria, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli. His doctoral research is on carbon sequestering abilities of marine cyanobacteria and various modes of sequestering carbon in an industrial viewpoint

Ossein is the proteinaceous substance of the animal bone left after the mineral part is dissolved by acid treatment during gelatin production. The ossein effluent with strong odour and high calcium (30,000 mg L-1 and chloride 18,000 mg L-1) is of major concern in its disposal. The calcium of the ossein effluent can be converted to calcium carbonate efficiently only by biological process. Cyanobacteria the oxygenic photosynthetic autotrophs are the most successful and primitive life forms that can mediate biological calcification and carbon sequestration. Among cyanobacteria, marine forms have varied applications because of their ability to thrive in wide range of environmental regimes including the hazardous habitats. Our preliminary studies have shown two potent marine cyanobacteria, Oscillatoria willei and Phormidium valderianum capable of growing in ossein effluent in field conditions. Hence a study was planned to evaluate their potential in calcification. Of the various seawater dilutions of ossein effluent studied (1:1, 2:1, 3:1) the half strength low total dissolved solids (LTDS) and high total dissolved solids (HTDS) effluent with added cost effective nutrients proved to be suitable for marine cyanobacteria. Of the two organisms O.willei showed appreciable growth in LTDS effluent with a biomass productivity of 0.15 g d-1 and P.valderianum revealed a productivity of 0.06 g d-1 in HTDS effluent. The characteristic peak at 855.83 cm-1 in LTDS effluent by O.willei and 875 cm-1 by P.valderianum in HTDS identified from the IR spectrum of dried biomass augments the calcification potential of both the organisms. It is evident that both calcium and CO2 could be alleviated and the resulting biomass could be valued as a feedstock for production of feed and fuel.

Uma V.S. pursued her masters in Marine Biotechnology from Bharathidasan University and she is now a Doctoral degree student of Dr. D. Prabaharan at National Facility for Marine Cyanobacteria, Bharathidasan University. She is investigating the potentials of marine cyanobacteria as the feedstock for biodiesel. Her other research interests include phycoremediation, mass cultivation of marine cyanobacteria, diversity and molecular characterization of cyanobacteria.

Ossein is the proteinaceous substance of the animal bone left after the mineral part is dissolved by acid treatment during gelatin production. The ossein effluent with strong odour and high calcium (30,000 mg L-1 and chloride 18,000 mg L-1) is of major concern in its disposal. The calcium of the ossein effluent can be converted to calcium carbonate efficiently only by biological process. Cyanobacteria the oxygenic photosynthetic autotrophs are the most successful and primitive life forms that can mediate biological calcification and carbon sequestration. Among cyanobacteria, marine forms have varied applications because of their ability to thrive in wide range of environmental regimes including the hazardous habitats. Our preliminary studies have shown two potent marine cyanobacteria, Oscillatoria willei and Phormidium valderianum capable of growing in ossein effluent in field conditions. Hence a study was planned to evaluate their potential in calcification. Of the various seawater dilutions of ossein effluent studied (1:1, 2:1, 3:1) the half strength low total dissolved solids (LTDS) and high total dissolved solids (HTDS) effluent with added cost effective nutrients proved to be suitable for marine cyanobacteria. Of the two organisms O.willei showed appreciable growth in LTDS effluent with a biomass productivity of 0.15 g d-1 and P.valderianum revealed a productivity of 0.06 g d-1 in HTDS effluent. The characteristic peak at 855.83 cm-1 in LTDS effluent by O.willei and 875 cm-1 by P.valderianum in HTDS identified from the IR spectrum of dried biomass augments the calcification potential of both the organisms. It is evident that both calcium and CO2 could be alleviated and the resulting biomass could be valued as a feedstock for production of feed and fuel.

Bio-leaching offers an economic and environment-friendly alternative to the conventional processes of leaching by acid or alkali under normal or elevated pressures and temperatures for metal extraction from low grade ores. There is a growing interest on bio-related processes both for metal extraction and also for mines-remediation.In this study, the recovery of nickel was attempted employing two fungal strains, namely Aspergillusniger and Aspergillusfumigatus, and a mixed culture of mesophilicacidophiles (predominantly Acidithiobacillusferrooxidans), drawn from the mine water.The bacterial strains collected from the mines water were isolated, cultured and fully activated in the laboratory by using standard procedures. The yields of nickel under different variable settings were determined by analyzing the feed and product samples and by subsequent computations. It was found that theA.ferrooxidansculture solubilized nickel effectively at temperatures ranging from 30 °C to 37°C, whereas the organism was not able to solubilize nickel at higher temperatures. It was also observed that the percentage of nickel extraction decreases with increase in pulp densities for a particular residence time and the percentage of nickel extracted increases with increase in residence time for a particular pulp density. The percentage of nickel extracted also depends a lot on the type of ore used, modifications made on the ore as well as on the activity of the bacteria. Higher is the activity of the bacteria, more is the extraction of nickel. The adapted fungal strain showed better leaching results as compared to the other strains.

Chittar stream is a major stream flanking Kanjirapally which flows west to join the Manimala river at Karimbukayam. In this study the physio-chemical water quality of Chittar stream, Kanjirapally, Kerala, is determined for various seasons. A total stretch of about 17.2 km is considered for study and the flow along two routes are considered: Route 1( Thottumukam-Karimbukayam, 8.3 km) and Route 2 ( 26th mile-Karimbukayam, 8.8 km). The Chittar stream is the major source of water for domestic purposes in and around Kanjirapally. There is a surfeit discharge of organic and inorganic matter to the stream system. This leads to bio contamination with bacteria and viruses and physical and chemical contamination due to decomposition of various inorganic matter expelled into the stream. This assessment of water quality focuses on indicators that integrate the effects of physical and chemical contamination. Therefore, in this study the pH, TDS, COD, BOD, DO, turbidity, chloride content at eleven points are measured during various seasons to determine and specify the level of pollution in the river. The samples are collected at an interval of two weeks. Two prominent sources of pollution were identified. The CPCB classification of the river was done to assess the suitability of water throughout the season.

Pipe network analysis is the analysis of the fluid flow through hydraulics network containing several or interconnected branches. The project deals with the analysis of pipe network in Nariyanganam in Thalappalam Gram Panchayat proposed by Jalanidhi Department of Kerala Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency. The analysis of the water distribution network is done using EPANET, software which performs extended period simulation of hydraulic behaviour within pressurized pipe networks. The head variation at nodes, flow in pipes, and height of water in tank for four different scenarios are simulated and studied. The pumping strategy decided by the Jalanidhi authority was verified in the model and was found to be satisfactory. An economic pumping strategy with less pumping duration but continuous flow of water throughout the day was also suggested. The decay and transport of the residual chlorine in the network was also modeled and studied. Suitable suggestions were given to the pipe network layout for the efficient functioning of network.

Weekly rainfall data for the period from 1990-2005 was used to estimate weekly runoff of a micro watershed in Canning- I Block of Sundarban, using curve number method. The relationship between weekly runoff and rainfall for 23-45 weeks were analysed and found significantly linear. Further analysis revealed the similar trend at 5.88, 17.64, 47.05, 76.47 and 88.23 per cent levels of probability. However the best fit linear regression equations were emerged to predict runoff successfully from weekly total rainfall and most of the equations were found to explain more than 90% of the variables. Ultimately a nomographhas been developed to predict weekly runoff for Sundarban delta.

Debayan Purkait is a third year B.Sc. (Hons.) student in the Department of Environmental Science, Asutosh College, Kolkata, India. He has attended several International and National Conferences and has published research paper in peer reviewed international journal.

Sundarbans are the largest mangrove ecosystems in the world and is a part of Ganga-Brahmaputra-Meghna delta spanning about 350 km in width in southern Bangladesh and the state of West Bengal in India. This unique ecotonal zone is exposed to both saline and fresh water and harbours a great floral and faunal diversity. Scientists have recently gathered enough evidences which can prove that the Sundarbans mangrove area is one of the most severely affected ecological zones by climate change. Some of the warning signs of the adverse effects of climate change such as sea level rise, water logging, poor drainage, siltation and seawater intrusion are already visible in the Sundarbans region. The sea levels of Sundarbans are rising faster than global average because of glacier meltdown in Himalayan region. Already, Lohachara Island and New Moore Island/South Talpatti Island have disappeared under the sea, and Ghoramara Island is half submerged. The probability of extreme flood events is found to have increased upto 3 times in recent decades in this area. From the year 1958 to 2006, the monsoon rain fall has increased as 2.65mm/year in this region. Changing rainfall patterns are making conventional cultivation of crops difficult for farmers. The surface water temperature has been increased at the rate of 0.5 degree Celsius per decade over the past three decades in the Sundarbans, eight times the rate of global warming rate of 0.06 degree Celsius per decade. The surface water pH over the past 30 years has reduced in the region, thus increasing acidification. The variations in salinity and increased temperature are thought to be the reasons for observed variation in pH and dissolved oxygen. The concentration of dissolved oxygen in some parts of the Sundarbans showed a decreasing trend. Depletion in dissolved oxygen can cause major shifts in the ecological habitation in the region. Rising temperature could also be one of the reasons for decreasing dissolved oxygen in the Sundarbans. Intensive investigations should be done and interdisciplinary mitigation measures should be adapted for preserving this precious ecosystem of Bengal.

Dr. Sayan Bhattacharya completed his M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Environmental Science from University of Calcutta. He has been engaged in Post Doctoral Research in Dept. of Chemistry, Presidency University from September, 2012 to present. He has published 18 International Journal Papers, 10 Book Chapters, 30 International Conference proceedings and many National Conference proceedings. He received Young Researcher Award from Govt. of India International Conference. He is in the reviewers’ committee of many International journals and in the editorial boards of International journals with high impact factors. He has over 7 years of teaching experiences in 5 colleges and universities of West Bengal.

India is a rich cultural country in which diverse cultural and religious festivals are organized. Idol is an image of a god which is used as an object of worship. After worshipped, these idols are immersed into water bodies. Idols are constructed by plaster of paris, clay, cloths, small iron rods, bamboo and decorated with different paints such as varnish, water colors etc. which can lead to significant alteration in the water quality after immersion. Paints which are used to colour these idols contains various heavy metals such as Mercury, Cadmium, Arsenic, Zinc, Chromium and Lead. Particularly, red, blue, orange and green colours contain mercury, zinc oxide, chromium and lead, which are potent carcinogens. Two heavy metals such as Lead and Chromium also add in the water bodies through Sindoor (a traditional red colored cosmetic powder, usually worn by married women and often used in the festivals). The floating materials released through idol in the river and lake after decomposition result in eutrophication, increase in acidity and heavy metal concentration. Heavy metal pollution caused by idol immersion can damage the ecosystem as it kills fishes, damages plants, blocks the natural flow of the water, causing stagnation. The effects of idol immersion on various water bodies of India like Bhoj wetland, Budhabalanga river, Ganges river, Hussainsagar lake, Kolar river, Sarayu river, Tapi river, Chhatri lake, north and west lakes of Bangalore and Yamuna river have been observed so far. Investigations were carried out to find out the effects of immersion of idols on water quality by collecting and analyzing the water samples from the immersion sites of the rivers. The samplings were done before the immersion, on the day of immersion and after the event and several parameters like Temperature, pH, Dissolved Oxygen, BOD, Dissolved CO2, Conductivity, Salinity, Alkalinity, TDS, Total Hardness, Chlorides etc. are estimated. Most of the studies found significant changes in the water quality parameters during and after immersions. Central Pollution Control Board has formulated guidelines on the practice of idol immersion in water bodies, which should be followed for controlling pollution.

Dr. Sayan Bhattacharya completed his M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Environmental Science from University of Calcutta. He has been engaged in Post Doctoral Research in Dept. of Chemistry, Presidency University from September, 2012 to present. He has published 18 International Journal Papers, 10 Book Chapters, 30 International Conference proceedings and many National Conference proceedings. He received Young Researcher Award from Govt. of India International Conference. He is in the reviewers’ committee of many International journals and in the editorial boards of International journals with high impact factors. He has over 7 years of teaching experiences in 5 colleges and universities of West Bengal.

Mountains are essential sources of freshwater for our world, but their role in global water resources could well be significantly altered by climate change. Over the last few years, global temperature has increased rapidly and continuously at around 0.2°C per decade. Rise in atmospheric temperature due to climate change will lead to loss of glaciers in the Himalayas, changes in the ice caps due to melting, thinning, shrinking, retreating, freezing and disappearing. The Greater Himalayas hold the largest mass of ice outside Polar Regions and are the source of the ten largest rivers in Asia. The high Himalayan and Inner Asian ranges have 116,180 km2 of glacial ice, the largest area outside polar regions. Various studies suggest that warming in the Himalayas has been much greater than the global average of 0.74°C over the last 100 years. During the twentieth century, majority of the Himalayan glaciers have shown recession in their frontal parts, besides thinning of the ice mass. The melting of ice is changing the hydrological cycle and is also affecting the ocean currents. Recent measurements suggest that the mass budget over large parts of the Himalaya has been negative over the past five decades, which the rate of loss increased after roughly 1995. Monsoon-affected glaciers are more affected by climate change than winter-accumulation type glaciers. As a result of climate change, snowmelt begins earlier and winter is shorter; this affects river regimes, natural hazards, water supplies, and people’s livelihoods and infrastructure. Retreat in glaciers can destabilize surrounding slopes and may give rise to catastrophic landslides, which can sometimes lead to outbreak floods. Excessive meltwaters, often in combination with liquid precipitation, may trigger flash floods or debris flows. Initially, increased melting will result in increased discharge. With time, however, as glaciers completely disappear or approach new equilibrium, long-term effects will be increasing water shortages and limited supplies for downstream communities, particularly during the dry season. The cascading effects of rising temperatures and loss of ice and snow in the Himalayan region are affecting water availability (amounts, seasonality), biodiversity (endemic species, predator–prey relations), ecosystem boundary shifts (tree-line movements, high-elevation ecosystem changes), and global feedbacks (monsoonal shifts, loss of soil carbon).

Ayantika Banerjee has completed her B.Sc. (Hons.) in Environmental science from University of Kalyani. Currently she is a final year M.Sc. student in Department of Environmental science, Asutosh College, Kolkata, India. She has research interest in ecotoxicology, environmental chemistry and water pollution.

Over the last twenty years, human-induced climate change and global warming have become areas of growing concern for scientists, environmentalists, and public policy makers. It is becoming increasingly clear that coral reefs are among those environments most threatened by climate change. These “tropical rain forests of the ocean”, are estimated to provide benefits worth approximately US$ 30 billion in goods and services on an annual basis, including income from and resources for tourism, fishing, building materials and coastal protection. Although reefs cover only 0.2 per cent of the world’s ocean, they contain about 25 per cent of marine species and are renowned for their biological diversity and high productivity. Almost 50% of all the anthropogenic CO2 emitted over the last 250 years has been taken up by the world's oceans. Increasing concentrations of CO2 lower the pH of seawater (ocean acidification) with a coincident decrease in the concentration of carbonate ions. This reduces the capacity of corals and other calcifying organisms to make calcium carbonate skeletons. Ocean acidification also may increase the susceptibility of corals to bleaching during thermal stress. Bleaching and mortality become progressively worse as thermal anomalies intensify and lengthen. Calcification of coral reefs appears to be highly sensitive to the concentration of carbonate ions. Doubling the partial pressure of CO2 above seawater leads to a decrease in calcification of 9–59% for reef-building corals. Water temperatures over the past century have risen on coral reefs in all global regions. The largest increases have been in the Indian Ocean, symbolized by the massive coral bleaching there in 1998. Bleaching is the loss of algal symbionts and a reduction in the coral’s energy producing systems; severe stress often results in coral mortality or reduces reproduction and their ability to stave off infectious disease. Three general types of high temperature bleaching are defined: physiological bleaching, algal stress bleaching and animal stress bleaching. Increased ocean temperature will also affect the physiological performance and behaviour of coral reef fishes, especially during their early life history. Climate change will impact coral-reef fishes through effects on individual performance, trophic linkages, recruitment dynamics, population connectivity and other ecosystem processes. An immediate global response to reduce anthropogenic drivers of climate change is imperative to ensure the survival of these invaluable and diverse ecosystems.

Anamika Shrivastava is pursuing her Ph.D. under the supervision of Dr. Sutapa Bose at IISER Kolkata. Dr. Sutapa Bose has completed her M.Phill and Ph.D. in 2003 and 2005 respectively from School of Environmental Sciences, JNU, New Delhi, India. After Ph.D. submission she worked as Assistant Professor and received DST-Young Scientist FAST- Track grant in 2007. Further, in career advancement she went to U.S.A to join the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University, New York, as Senior Researcher in 2009, further she joined New York University, New York as a Post-Doctoral Researcher in 2010. She moved back to India at IISER Kolkata, Department of Earth Sciences as Ramanujan Fellow in December 2011. Recently, she was selected for “Rashtriya Gaurav Award” for her present research work from Indian International Friendship Society, New Delhi. She has published more than 25 research papers in reputed journals and has been serving as an editorial board members of many committee and journals.

The study area comes in one of the eight districts in West Bengal where groundwater contains arsenic above the prescribed limit by WHO (10μg/l). Each day groundwater is being withdrawn by the village people for the fulfillment of their basic needs and for agricultural purposes. With the groundwater along with high concentration of arsenic (As), many other heavy metals are also getting introduced in the environment. In the areas with a long history of use of such groundwater, the agricultural lands have been affected severely. The extent of contamination has increased to a level where the crops grown in those lands are becoming a major source for arsenic and other heavy metals poisoning and subsequently transfer to different trophic levels. Based on this concern a somewhat detailed study was carried out to obtain an idea about the magnitude of water contamination in the area taking the rain-fed pond as control. In case of the pond water, the mean concentration (μg/l) of As (32.63), Fe (57.21), Mn (30.25), Cu (0.82). Whereas in case of shallow groundwater there was more increase in the case of As (76.43), Fe (5493.22), Mn (253.63), and Cu (1.825). Other heavy metals in groundwater were high enough to pose threats but surprisingly the concentration of arsenic even in the pond water was above than the safety standards (32.63±0.88 μg/l) given by WHO (10 ppb) though below than ISI (Indian Standard of Bureau) standard (50ppb). Thus there is a serious immediate concern for the people and other life forms living in this area regarding the poisoning through crops and drinking water as well.

The Ranjit Sagar wetland is situated on the Ravi river near Pathankot city, Punjab. This wetland falls into three states i.e. Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir and spread over an area of 87.60 sq.km. Water samples were collected on monthly basis from June, 2012 to May, 2014 and brought to laboratory for further analysis. Range, mean and standard deviation of physico-chemical parameter were estimated i.e. Air Temperature(ºC) 12-40(26.51±7.33), Water Temperature(ºC) 11.9-30.93(22.97±6.68), Conductivity(μs/cm) 124-340(214±64.09), Total dissolved solids(mg/l) 70-200(138.27±44.49), Turbidity(NTU) 1.5-21.5(8.14±7.68), Dissolved oxygen(mg/l) 6.9-8.7(7.79±0.57), Carbon dioxide(mg/l) 2-10(5.07±2.18), Hydrogen ion(pH) 7.2-9(8.08±0.52), Total alkalinity(mg/l) 12-284(111.70±73.65), Salinity(mg/l) 100-200(127.27±45.58), Chloride(mg/l) 2.98-24.85(13.63±6.34), Total Hardness(mg/l) 64-228(112.88±48.36), Calcium(mg/l) 14.12-60.55(26.86±11.57), Magnesium(mg/l) 1.3-25.4(10.52±6.26), Phosphate(mg/l) 0.09-2.163(0.34±0.51), Sulphates(mg/l) 0.50-3.90(1.75±0.86), Nitrates(mg/l) 0.045-1.80(0.31±0.48), Nitrites(mg/l) 0.01-0.24(0.07±0.059) and Silicates(mg/l) 4-9.5(6.73±1.67). All parameters were compared with standard values recommended by World Health Organization (WHO) and Indian Standard (IS) and it is noted that value of all parameter lies near permissible limits. The presence of nutrients likes Sulphates, Phosphates, Nitrates, Nitrites and Silicates in sufficient quantities, which are helpful to enhance the growth of aquatic flora and fauna in the wetland. Resultantly, the wetland become more productive and can attract wide array of migratory birds during the winter season annually. The regular data collection about physico-chemical parameters is highly required for the sustainable development of wetland because these fragile ecosystems are degrading drastically due to anthropogenic activities.

Wetland ecosystems are being degraded due to discharge of toxic effluents from industries. Pollutants are posing serious threats to the variety of flora and fauna existing there. Fish fauna which is important from ecological as well as economical point of view is facing threat due to the discharge of these pollutants. Harike wetland (Ramsar site) is known for its commercial fishery resources as many commercially important fishes are existing there. It is situated at the confluence of the two major rivers Sutlej and Beas. It is an important source of water supply for drinking and irrigation purposes to the states of Punjab and Rajasthan. The river Sutlej routinely receives contaminated water from Budha Nallah which ia a tributary of this river. Various industrial effluents and heavy metals from Ludhiana city are released into Budha Nallah which ultimately reaches at Harike wetland through the river Sutlej. They pose a serious threat to the fauna existing in this wetland by bioaccumulation in the food chain. During the present investigations the most common heavy metals detected in water of Harike wetland are cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), zinc (Zn), iron (Fe) and aluminum (Al). Some other pollutants like carbon(C), Sulphur (S) and silicon (Si) were also detected in scales. The occurrence of these metals is different in different fish species. The purpose of this study was to investigate the presence of heavy metal (Cu, Zn, Pb, Ni, Cd, Cr, Fe and Al) concentration in the scales of five fish species (Labeo rohita, Catla catla, Cirrhinus mrigala, Labeo calbasu and Cyprinus carpio) of Harike wetland. These heavy metals were assayed from the scales by employing energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis (EDX) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) of the surface structures of scales. The damage was in the form of uprooting of lepidonts from the anterior side of the scale and disruption of circulies, thus resulted in the loosening of the scales from the body of the fish. Presence of these metal pollutants caused alterations in calcareous structure of the scales and elemental composition of scales, thus appointing fish scales as reliable pollution indicators in the waters of Harike wetland.

The present paper focuses on the hydrological issues facing in the Manipur valley. The valley which is situated at 24°16′ and 25°2′ north latitudes and 93°41′ and 94°9′ east longitudes covers an area of ~1900 km2. Geologically, the valley is made up of clay, silt and sand of fluvio-lacustrine origin. This fertile valley which has been serving as the main contributor of agricultural products is inhabited by more than 60% of the total population of the state. However, seasonal vagaries restricted the resource utilization of this valley, like shortage of water in lean season results minimum agricultural production while availability of water during wet season render optimum production. The valley exists amidst series of thrusts, faults, lineaments and other geological structures which will affect on subsurface aquifer geometry, hydraulic yield and other aquifer parameters. Further, the valley has been reported for its arsenic, iron, fluoride, phosphate and nitrate contaminations owing to water table fluctuation and improper use of fertilizers, pesticides and insecticides. Moreover, the Loktak lake, the largest fresh water lake in the NE India endowed with Keibul Lamjao National Park, the home of endangered deer species locally named “Sangai” (Brow-antelered deer or Cervus eldi eldi) in its catchment area is located in the valley. The fluctuation of water level of this lake causes significant effect on the surrounding ecology. Therefore, immediate attention on hydrogeomorphic studies, surface and groundwater interaction studies, hydro-morphotectonic studies and hydrogeochemical evaluation are highly essential for proper water resource management of the valley.

B,Shanthi Saravana is doing her Ph.D. in SSN College of Engineering,Anna University,Tamil Nadu .She has completed her Masters degree in business Administration in Madurai Kamaraj University Masters degree in Engineering Power electronics and Drives in anna university Coimbatore ,TamilNadu. She has 12 years of teaching experience and 2 years of industrial experience. She has published more than 10 papers in international conferences and published 3 papers in reputed journals (Up to 100 words)

The problem of fresh water shortage faced by most countries as a result of increase in consumption and growth in population .water consumption per person is in the order of 50 litres in the developing countries and exceeds 500litres in certain western countries. About 97.5 percentage of worlds water resources is salt water . The desalination units are using conventional sources but not very common in INDIA because of the very high power requirement.RO based desalination is the only method having low power consumption, hence suitable for using wind power. The remote places where there is no grid connection, standalone renewable energy based applications plays vital role. Availbility of wind energy in abundance and lower efficiency of grid connected wind power could be overcome by implementing non grid connected wind power, to large scale applications which also increases the utilization of wind power to 100% by overcoming the restrictions with grid.Also the cost per unit power for windpowerequipment in India is twice that of coal power while the capacity factor of wind turbines is generally 0.21 – 0.25, which is less that 1/3 of that of fossil fuel power .The cost of power could be reduced by simplifying the design of equipment without grid connection and so the water production cost is reduced.This paper analyses the possibility of efficient method of desalination process using Nongrid wind power.