Selection of Strategic Sampling Sites for River Quality Assessments Near Mined Areas as a Policy Handle for Low-Impact Development and Biodiversity Conservation: A Case Study of River Godavari

Low-impact development (LID) synchronous with green infrastructure (GI) development is largely being perceived as a favoured approach for sustainable development and biodiversity conservation around mined out lands. While GI-based pathways can provide adequate insights for achieving the targets of land degradation neutrality in the case of mined lands, its crucial and apparent link to the water environment needs consideration to achieve LID in practical terms. The impacts of mining close to riverine environments are known to have spatially far-reaching effects. To detect the same, review the sampling strategy to arrive at the best-possible sampling strategy for effective restorative practices. Supporting this idea, the present study highlights the need of a geospatial modelling and visualization approach to review and design strategic sampling sites with case of River Godavari. The configuration facilitates the rapid investigation of adverse impacts of industrial pollution on land, in water or in air, and it directs the re-evaluation of distribution of the sampling locations to other land uses across the river. Such strategic sampling can provide data as policy handles to plan the nature of response (urgent, short or sustained) and spatial extent of eco-restoration of land and biodiversity.