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WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) has become the most crucial amenity in the past decade for every individual on the planet. In the UN agenda for 2030, which created 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), SDGs 3, 4, and 6 directly correlate with WASH practices and management for creating a good health hygiene environment for all. The dearth of WASH facilities has created barriers for averting the transmission of COVID-19, motivating the concept of WASH as the primary step of precaution and prevention, which includes WASH practices, communication for literacy, and positive behavioral changes primarily in developing and low-income countries. This Review deals with the complex concept of correlation of WASH and SDGs 3, 4, and 6 while defining elaborate WASH practices, including the prominence of clean water, the need for sanitation facilities, and health hygiene for good health and immunity for preparedness for and during epidemics and pandemics. Certain risk factors explain the sectors in which the gaps exist, creating a gap for implementation of WASH practices in epidemics and pandemics across the globe. Further, COVID-19 surge succession is presented along with data of different variants that have occurred. The need of WASH understanding is required using different tools (audio-visual, social media, print media, and mass media) and strategies (communication, advocacy, and positive behavioral changes) for every individual as an act to counter consequences during and after the COVID-19 pandemic and as a routine practice for future preparedness. This Review gives a detailed concept of WASH understanding for every sector from community to government agencies and research professionals to act immediately for the sustainable future of humanity.

Groundwater pollution of the watershed is mainly influenced by the multifaceted interactions of natural and anthropogenic process. To analyse the spatial-temporal variation and pollution source identification and apportionment, the dataset was subjected to a globally acknowledged coherent technique using water quality indices and chemometric techniques (principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis. The bulk of the samples tested were below the BIS's permissible levels. Groundwater samples from the pre- and post-monsoon seasons mostly contained the anions HCO

Uttarakhand being a mountainous state having maximum area under forest cover, about 65% and provides large amount of freshwater river for Ganga basin where habitation and agriculture are dominant. The rising demand of drinking water due to population growth also leads to the water scarcity in the terms of availability of quality drinking water. Contamination mentioned by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), 2009 and low per capita availability of quality drinking water reported by Department of Science and Technology (Government of India), 2010-2015, are the key issues of the state. To understand the availability of safe drinking water it is necessary to understand the overall hydrology of the basin in a spatial domain. The utilization of advance tools and techniques such as spatial models, geo statistical tools, high resolution remote sensing data and numerical hydrological model in the present study will enhance and ensure the water quality issue of Himalayan state of Uttarakhand which is expected to serve the society living along the river basin as well as in mountainous systems. The study will ensure the availability of sufficient quality drinking water to the communities in the selected watershed of each districts, considering the environmental aspects and human health while assessing 26 water quality parameters like color, odour,taste, turbidity, pH, total hardness, iron, chloride, chlorine, fluoride, total dissolved solids, calcium, magnesium, copper ,manganese, sulphate, nitrate, phenolic compound, arsenic, cadmium, lead, zinc, chromium, alkalinity and coliform bacteria etc. and also provide feasible solution of sustainable availability of water. Geospatial water quality and quantity model help to find out the spatio-temporal analysis of contamination and particles movement in the watersheds. Modern geo statistical simulation algorithms can produce multiple subsurface realizations that are in agreement with the conceptual geological models. The quality modeling and monitoring will help in providing portable surface and ground waters to the citizens.

Plants have been the basis of many traditional medicines throughout the world for thousands of years and continue to provide new remedies to mankind. They are one of the richest sources of compounds. Berberis aristata is one of the major plants used in Ayurveda for several remedies. It is used as a tonic, alternative, demulscent, diaphoretic and diuretic, and in the treatment of diarrhoea, jaundice, skin diseases, syphilis, chronic rheumatism and urinary disorders. Scientific evidence suggests its versatile biological functions that support its traditional use in the orient. Phytochemical studies shows that plant Berberis aristata contains mainly yellow colored alkaloids Berberine, oxyberberine, berbamine, aromoline, a protoberberine alkaloid karachine, palmatine, oxycanthine and taxilamine and tannins, sugar, starch. Among the several compounds Berberine is main constitute having various pharmacological actions. It is, a benzylisoquinoline alkaloid, occurs as an active constituent in numerous medicinal plants and has an array of pharmacological properties. It has been used in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine for its antimicrobial, antiprotozoal, antidiarrheal and antitrachoma activity. Moreover, several clinical and preclinical studies demonstrate ameliorative effect of berberine against several disorders including metabolic, neurological and cardiological problems. This review provides a summary regarding the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic features of berberine, with a focus on the different mechanisms underlying its multispectrum activity..

The water quality of six drinking surface water sources of Pithoragarh district of hilly state Uttarakhand has been accessed. The spatial and temporal variations of water quality parameters have been explained with the help of Box and Whisker plots. The selected surface water sources of Pithoragarh district were evaluated on pre-monsoon and post monsoon basis for two consecutive years of 2010 and 2011. The analyzed water quality data was interpreted through various statistical tools and softwares viz. Box and Whisker Plots, Piper and Trilinear Diagram, Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), Pearson Correlation Coefficient and Water Quality Index (WQI). The seasonal variation in water quality parameters in surface water might be ascribed mainly due to anthropogenic and hydro-geological activities. Further, Pearson Correlation Coefficient revealed positive and negative correlations, which indicated the interrelationships and interactions between certain water quality parameters. The WQI values pointed out th...

The seasonal variation in surface water quality of district Bageshwar, Uttarakhand (India) has been evaluated for 3 years from 2010 to 2012 for determining the suitability of water for drinking and irrigation needs. Water samples collected from different drinking water sources during pre-monsoon and post-monsoon seasons in each year were analysed for 23 water quality parameters including physico-chemical and metal analyses. The analysed water quality parameters show seasonal variation and low concentration in post-monsoon season compared to pre-monsoon season due to dilution effects. The Box and Whisker plots indicated the dominance of major cations and anions in order of Ca2+ > Mg2+ > Na+ > K+ and HCO3− > SO42− > Cl− in both seasons, respectively. Piper trilinear diagram showed that most of the water samples fall in Ca–Mg–HCO3 hydrogeochemical facies. The water quality index revealed deteriorated water quality at some of the sources during pre- and post-monsoon seasons. The Wilcox diagram and calculated sodium adsorption ratio, residual sodium carbonate and sodium percent values indicate that the water was suitable for irrigation purposes in both the seasons. The results concluded that water quality at some of the locations is deteriorating and needs proper monitoring to preserve and maintain its quality to reduce hazards to local population.

Bacteriological monitoring is a valuable assessment key for water quality analyses besides the physico-chemical parameters. The present study compared the water quality for total coliform and fecal coliform bacteria in raw and supply (after treatment) major drinking water sources of all 13 districts of Uttarakhand state and also highlights the potential of treatment being adopted. The results of this bacteriological analysis have clearly indicated that the raw water sources in both Garhwal and Kumaun regions were more contaminated as compared to supply water sources. However, supply water sources of Kumaun region are less contaminated with respect to Garhwal region. It reveals that the adequate treatment is being applied before the municipal water supply in Kumaun region and significant disparity is found in the efficiency of water treatment processes in Garhwal region. The drinking water sources of Haridwar and Bageshwar districts were found less contaminated among all the districts of Garhwal and Kumaun regions, respectively. Moreover, the percentage distribution of raw and supply water sources at selected sites affected by coliform contamination has also been reported herein.

The poor water quality, bacterial contamination, seasonal variation, uncertainty in monsoon, lack of sustainability etc. are some major challenges of the water sector in the Himalayan region of India. To tackle the major problem of water quality, River Bank Filtration (RBF) has been applied in Uttarakhand as a domestic water pre-treatment technology. This technique is found to be effective for removal of turbidity and bacterial contamination present in surface water of four rivers of Uttarakhand, namely Alaknanda, Mandakini, East Nayar, and Pinder. The present paper reveals the improved water quality of rivers produced through RBF in a sustainable manner as compared to surface river water being supplied for drinking purpose. The classification of water quality using Pearson correlation followed by Piper trilinear and Chadha’s diagrams further provide support to the better water quality through RBF. Moreover, the results of Water Quality Index (WQI) also reflect the excellent water quality with ‘A-Grade’ of all river water samples obtained after RBF process in comparison to normal river water samples having good water quality with ‘B-Grade’ except the Srinagar site, where the river water sample was found to be unsuitable for drinking purpose with ‘E-Grade’. Alluvial deposits of RBF sites along the banks of the four rivers show the potential of replication of RBF at large scale in the hill state of Uttarakhand.

In the present study, seasonal variation in hydrochemical characters of Kosi River water has been evaluated and assessed the suitability of water for human consumption and irrigation purposes. Water samples were collected during pre-monsoon (PRM) and post-monsoon (POM) seasons of the years 2010 and 2011 and analysed for various physico-chemical, metals and bacteriological parameters according to national drinking water standard of India i.e. BIS:10500. Kosi River raw water and its supply water (water after treatment for domestic) were analysed. The dominance of major cations was in order of Ca2+>Mg2+>Na+>K+ and anions in order of HCO3−> Cl-> SO42− in water. No metal contamination was observed in water except, iron which exceeded the desirable and permissible limits. Total and fecal coliform counts were high in raw water than supply water. Piper diagram indicates that the water samples fall in Ca-Mg-HCO3− hydrochemical facies. Water quality index quantified for raw water was very high and found as ...

Developmental activities, geological reasons and mixing of industrial wastes are responsible for the deteriorating quality of surface and ground water in the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand. The drinking water sources of 13 districts of Uttarakhand have been assessed for the presence of four toxic metal ions (arsenic, cadmium, chromium and lead). The health aspects of the four metal ions have also been reviewed according to the prescribed limits set up by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and World Health Organization (WHO). The present study reveals the absence of arsenic at almost all stations. Cadmium has been found only at Rudrapur, whereas chromium is found to be present in more than prescribed limits, in Kolti, Mussoorie and Dehradun. Significant presence of lead in the six districts of the state is indicative of the fact that proper management strategy of toxic metal ion remediation is required. Chromium and lead have exceeded the prescribed limit in 1.3 and 4.5% samples, respectively. However, as per BIS standard, cadmium is higher than the prescribed limit in 0.6% samples but according to the WHO standard, cadmium has exceeded in about 26% samples. Out of the total 156 samples analyzed, 6.4 and 33.3% samples have been found to possess the toxic metal ions in more than the prescribed limits as per BIS and WHO guidelines, respectively.

Arsenic is present in environment in trace amounts in rocks, soil, water and air but its toxicity effects are highly dependent on its chemical forms; inorganic and organic. There is a direct association between elevated arsenic exposure through drinking water and prevalence of different types of cancers. Present review describes the brief account of arsenic chemistry with reference to water and environment which is relevant to its toxicity arising out of different arsenic species and finally its remediation technologies. The quantification of arsenic species is difficult owing to the low concentration of arsenic in drinking water which is relatively lower than detection limits of modern analytical methods. New hyphenated techniques with more advanced tools have therefore, been discussed in the present paper which are being used in arsenic speciation analysis. The present review also highlights the importance to identify and quantify each chemical species of arsenic as more than 20 arsenic compoun...

The present study on dynamic flow of River Ganga was undertaken for a period of one year from October 2012 to September 2013 to assess the species diversity and impact of pollution on limnological conditions of River Ganga in Uttarakhand, India. In the present study water samples were collected from two important sampling sites Shivpuri and Pashulok barrage of River Ganga in Rishikesh. A total of three groups were identified, total diatoms, green algae and blue green algae, including six major species belonging to diatoms. Higher concentration of phytoplankton species at site 2 indicates polluted nature of river water and can be used as an indicator of organic pollution in the river for domestic use but having positive effect on the growth of these ecological indicators of aquatic ecosystem.

Seeds of kail collected from 10 localities in the western Himalaya were germinated at 4 temperatures viz 20°, 28°, 34° and 40°C after storage in dry cold conditions in freezer. The seed lots representing different localities differed in the capacity and rate of germination. At lower temperature of incubation (20°C) most of the seed lots exhibited varying degree of dormancy. This dormancy could be revoked by chilling imbibed seeds for 2 weeks at 3–5°C. At higher temperatures of incubation the seed lots did not exhibit dormancy, although the optimum conditions for germination were provided by a combination of prechilling and higher temperatures of incubation (28° and 34°C). Treatments such as prolonging the stratification period up to 38 days, soaking in GA 100 mg/litre, with or without prechilling, and in 1% H2O2, did not have any significant effect on germination. The study revealed seed source variation in the degree of dormancy at low temperature of incubation.