Yogesh Murkute^1*, Mamta Jaunjalkar¹, Soumya Ranjan Hota², Rabindra Nath Hota³ and Shreerup Goswami⁴

¹P. G. Department of Geology, RTM Nagpur University, Nagpur- 440 001, Maharashtra, India

²Geo Consultants Pvt. Ltd., Bhubaneswar – 751 006, Odisha, India

³P. G. Department of Geology, Fakir Mohan University, Balasore – 756 089, Odisha, India

⁴P. G. Department of Geology, Utkal University, Bhubaneswar – 751 004, Odisha, India (*Corresponding author E-mail: yogmurkute@rediffmail.com)

Abstract

The study area, signifying the rural part from Central India, has the groundwater as the only source for all water-utilities. Here, the Neoproterozoic Penganga limestone forms the main groundwater-bearing aquifer systems. The three factors are resulted from geostatistical analysis; wherein the 47.334% has been regarded as the geogenic factor, 24.298% represents anthropogenic input and 14.374% is alkalinity factor. The phenon line at r = 0.55 value illustrates three distinct clusters as an outcome of factor analysis responsible for above mentioned factors. The high values of EC and TDS (1016 to 2519 µS/cm and 650.2 – 1612.2 mg/l, respectively) signify the involvement of multiple combinations of cations and anions, undoubtedly from the both geogenic and non-geogenic sources. Silicate weathering is found to be a major geogenic reason responsible for the release of solute; while the non-geogenic inputs are introduced through the household waste, irrigation-return-flow, animal wastes and the use of agricultural and soil nourishments.

Keywords: Geostatistical Analyses, Hydrogeochemical Behaviour, Groundwater, Neoproterozoic Aquifers, Chandrapur District, Central India