S. Basumatary

Evaluation of genetic toxicity caused by acid mine drainage of coal mines on fish fauna of Simsang River, Garohills, Meghalaya, India

Fishery ecology of the Simsang River, Meghalaya is being threatened by large scale environmental degradation due to acid mine drainage (AMD) of coal mines. In the present paper, effort has been made to evaluate the genotoxicity caused due to AMD of coal mines on Channa punctata under laboratory condition through comet assay, micronucleus and chromosome aberration tests. Water samples were collected seasonally from affected and unaffected sites of the River and physico-chemical quality of water indicated low pH (4.6), high concentration of sulphates (270mgL(-1)) and iron (7.2mgL(-1)) beyond permissible limits. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) showed highest concentration of 4-ring PAH and Benzo[a]anthracene was the most important pollutant in the water collected from affected sites. The highest and the lowest mean concentrations of PAHs were estimated in monsoon and winter season, respectively. The index of DNA damage assessed by comet assay, micronucleus and chromosome aberration tests demonstrated significant differences season wise in different sampling sites. Frequency of DNA-damaged cells was found highest in the water samples collected from affected site in monsoon season.

Cytotoxic and genotoxic affects of acid mine drainage on fish Channa punctata (Bloch)

The investigation deals with the effects of Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) of coal mine on fish Channa punctata (Bloch) by examining the incidence of haematological, morphological, histological changes and DNA fragmentation in tissues of C. punctata in laboratory condition. For this study fishes were exposed to 10% of AMD for a period of 30 days. The fusion of the primary and secondary gill lamellae, distortion, loss of alignment, deposition of worn out tissues and mucous on the surface of the lamella in the gills; degeneration of morphological architecture, loss of alignment of tubules, mucous deposition in the kidney; cellular damage, cellular necrosis, extraneous deposition on the surface, pore formation in the liver are some important changes detected by scanning electron microscopy. Fishes of AMD treated group showed gradual significant decrease in TEC, Hb and, increase in TLC and DLC as compared to that of the control. DNA fragmentation observed in kidney of fishes from treated group indicates an intricate pollutant present in the AMD. The high incidence of morphological and histological alterations, haematological changes along with DNA breakage in C. punctata is an evidence of the cytotoxic and genotoxic potential of AMD of coal mines.

Schistura larketensis , a new cavernicolous fish (Teleostei: Nemacheilidae) from Meghalaya, Northeast India

Schistura larketensis, a new species of cavernicolous loach, is described from Khung, a limestone cave in Meghalaya, India. The species differs from Schistura papulifera, its only troglomorphic congener from northeast India, in having a smooth ventral surface of the head, the presence of a small cylindrical axillary pelvic lobe, and the presence of three pores in the supratemporal canal of the cephalic lateral-line system. Apart from these differences, the species can be immediately distinguished from all other species of Schistura from the Brahmaputra River and neighboring basins by the complete absence (or only vestigial presence) of eyes.

Figure 6 In Schistura Larketensis, A New Cavernicolous Fish (Teleostei: Nemacheilidae) From Meghalaya, Northeast India

FIGURE 6. Lateral view of head showing gradual reduction and loss of eyes (black arrows) with increasing size in Schistura larketensis; a, paratype GUMF 0262/2, 45.1 mm SL; b, holotype, GUMF 0261, 54.5 mm SL; c, paratype GUMF 0263/2, 63.1 mm SL; d, paratype, GUMF 0263/2, 68.1 mm SL.Scale bar 1 mm; e,graphical representation of decreasing eye diameter (ED) with respect to increase in standard length (SL).

Impact of Open Cast Coal Mining on Fish and Fisheries of Simsang River,Meghalaya, India

Present paper deals with the impact of coal mining activities on the water quality and fish diversity of Simsang River from 2009 to 2015. Six sampling sites were selected on the basis of affected and unaffected areas of coal mining activities. Certain water quality attributes such as water colour, temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, free CO2, chloride, total alkalinity, total dissolved solids, nitrate, ammonia, phosphate and sulphate were analysed along with the assessment of relative abundance of fishes. The estimated value of studied water quality parameters such as pH, dissolved oxygen and total alkalinity indicates degradation of water quality due to the effect of acid mine drainage (AMD) of coal mining. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) showed highest concentration of 4-ring PAH and Benzo[a]anthracene was the most important pollutant in the water collected from affected sites. Relative abundance of fish diversity was also estimated less in affected area of the River. A total of 64 fish species under 20 families were collected with highest number in cyprinidae family. The calculated value of diversity indices reflected the declining trend of fish diversity in the coal mining affected areas of the river due to degradation of water quality.

Impact of Coal Mining on Soil Characteristics of Simsang River, Meghalaya, India

This paper deals with the studies on soil quality parameters of Simsang River, Meghalaya affected by acid mine drainage of coal mines from January 2014 to December 2015. It has been observed that the soil quality in mostly affected areas of the River have relatively low pH (4.6 ± 2.91), low nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium) content, organic carbon (0.77 ± 2.86) and which has decreased gradually from coalmine unaffected and affected areas of the river. Certain heavy metals in high concentration (Fe, Zn, Pb, Ni and Mn) were also detected from soil of the River.