EDITORIAL

The concept of Bio-mapping water quality of rivers in the country has been establishment by Central Pollution Control Board using Biological Water Quality Criteria (BWQC). The information from Bio-mapping helps in collection of baseline data on taxonomical distribution of benthic macro-invertebrates, which are natural indicator for water quality assessment of various rivers in a river basin. Such information can be utilized for classification and zoning of water bodies according to their level of ecological sustenance and degradation.

Bio-mapping of rivers in Meghalaya among North-Eastern states has been accomplished earlier. The findings of the studies of Bio-mapping of perennial rivers of Assam have been compared with the studies undertaken for Meghalaya State in the present issue of `Parivesh' Newsletter.

The information for the issue of Parivesh has been collected, collated and compiled by Dr. (Mrs.) Pratima Akolkar in collaboration with Mrs. Gayatri Devi and Mr. Manoj Saikia, Scientists of Assam State Pollution Control Board. The project has been coordinated at Central Pollution Control Board by Dr. C. S. Sharma under the supervision of Dr. S. D. Makhijani and Dr. B. Sengupta. The manuscript has been typed by Sh. K. P. Shrivastava.

The bio-map of perennial rivers of Assam has been prepared by Mrs. Bonya Basu and Sh. Surajmal.

(V. Rajagopalan)
Chairman, CPCB