Water Quality and Restoration of Jhelum river in Kashmir

The Jhelum river, one of the major himalayan rivers found in Kashmir plays significant role in sustaining biodiversity and agriculture of the region, However, in recent days the river is polluted due to anthropogenic activities, exerting negative impact on its ecological status. Present study was undertaken on water quality assessment, to find out causes of pollution. It was observed that the dissolved oxygen (DO) level and fish diversity significantly declined, as a result of which the fish diversity has been restricted to few species. In addition, presence of heavy metals represents direct threat to biodiversity. The results obtained during this study indicated that immediate and suitable strategy is needed to prevent further damage to the river.