A Comprehensive Assessment of the Daya River: Pollution Dynamics and the Post-Pandemic Trajectory (2000-2025)

Authors

  • Amar Kumar Sahoo Author
  • Nirmal Chandra Biswal Author
  • Ram Prasad Panda Author

Abstract

The Daya River, a historically significant and ecologically vital waterway in Odisha, India, is in a state of severe and persistent environmental degradation. This expert-level report provides a detailed analysis of the river's water quality and pollution dynamics from 2000 to 2025, with a particular focus on the unique changes observed before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic. This research provides a comprehensive assessment of the Daya River's pollution from 2000-2025, revealing a complex model of systemic degradation. The river's water quality showed no significant improvement during the COVID-19 lockdown, a paradoxical finding attributed to the continuous operation of major industrial polluters This chronic pollution represents a clear case of environmental injustice, with urban waste disproportionately affecting the health of vulnerable downstream communities .The persistent degradation stems from a Regulatory Laxity Trap where legal standards are insufficient for ecological health, and a profound Bureaucratic Implementation Failure marked by stalled sewage treatment plant projects . A Super-Pollutant Nexus of heavy metals and antimicrobial resistance further complicates public health risks Ultimately, the Daya River's decline acts as a chronic counterforce, eroding the hard-won conservation gains of the ecologically vital Chilika Lake necessitating urgent and integrated management.. The long-term health of the Daya River and the ecologically sensitive Chilika Lake, into which it flows, is now at a critical juncture, requiring immediate and comprehensive intervention.

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Published

2025-10-14

How to Cite

A Comprehensive Assessment of the Daya River: Pollution Dynamics and the Post-Pandemic Trajectory (2000-2025). (2025). FishTaxa - Journal of Fish Taxonomy, 36(1s), 178-191. https://fishtaxa.com/index.php/FishTaxa/article/view/174