A Comparative Study of Some Chemical and Biological Characteristics of Coastal and Estuarine Waters of Three Regions Along Coastal Maharashtra

The 720 km long indented coastline of Maharashtra, that comprises the coastal districts of Thane, Raigad, Greater Bombay, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg, is marked by the presence of major estuaries and narrow creeks. These coastal waters receive huge volumes of treated and untreated industrial waste, sewage, etc., thus depleting the water quality along the stretches. In the present study carried out at Mumbai, Dharamtar and Guhagar coast, it was observed that the Mumbai coast is highly affected showing low values of dissolved oxygen and high total dissolved content thereby affecting the productivity of the region.