289-292Total bacterial population in the sediments widely fluctuated from 2.1x 103 to 3.7 x 106. There was no significant correlation between organic carbon values and heterotrophic activity. Ratio of gram positive to gram negative bacteria was 1:15.4 and the majority of isolates (51.11%) were coccobacilli followed by pleomorphic forms (26.26%). Most of these isolates utilised sugars, alcohols and carboxylic acids for their growth
