Geography 3 Marks Question

Increasing population and industrial expansion are responsible for water pollution:

• Domestic and sewage waste water remains untreated.
• Excessive use of fertilizers and pesticides in farming results in water pollution.
• Cultural activities: fairs, tourism, pilgrimage, etc.
• Industries produce many undesirable substances which pollutes water.
• Chemical residues and toxins pollute water.
• Major polluting industries are leather, pulp, paper, textiles, chemicals, etc.

Values which can help in maintaining pollution free air:

• Air pollution is harmful for environment and mankind, therefore, it is our responsibility to save air from pollution.
• People should be aware of the harmful effects of air pollution.
• People should feel duty bound to save air.
• People must follow rules for saving air.
• We must use eco friendly non-conventional sources of energy (Solar, Biogas and Wind energy) as conventional sources (Coal, oil and gas) are harmful.
• People should feel duty bound to use public transport.
  (Any three points to be explained)

Industrial expansion has led degradation of the quality of water considerably. Industry is the most significant contributor of pollution. Industries produce several undesirable products including industrial waste, polluted waste water, poisonous gases, chemical residuals, numerous heavy metals, dust smoke etc. Most of the industrial wastes are disposed off in running water or lakes. As a result, poisonous elements reach the reservoirs, rivers and other water bodies. Major water polluting industries are leather, pulp and paper, textiles and chemicals.

The main source of noise pollution are:

• Traffic noise is the biggest sources of air pollution as its intensity and nature depend upon the type of aircraft, vehicle, train and the condition of road.
• In sea traffic, the noise pollution is confined to the harbour due to loading and unloading of goods being carried, (in) Noise pollution’s intensity declines with increase in distance from the source of pollution, i.e., industrial areas, arteries of transportation, airport, etc.

Two major sources of air pollution in India are: Combustion of coal, petrol and diesel, mining, solid waste disposal, sewage, vehicles etc.
Effect of air pollution on human are:

• It causes various disease related to respiratory system, nervous and circulatory systems.
• It causes smoky fog over cities called as urban smog which is very harmful to us.
• It causes acid rain etc.

Causes:

• Water gets polluted by foreign matters like chemicals, industrial waste etc.
• Various types of chemicals used in modern agriculture such as inorganic fertilisers, pesticides, etc. are also pollution generating components.
• Cultural activities such as pilgrimage, religious fairs also cause water pollution.

“Slums”, jhuggi-jhopari” are clusters and colonies of shanty structures. These are inhabited by those people who were forced to migrate from the rural areas to these urban centers in search of livelihood but could not afford proper housing due to high rent and high costs of land. They occupy environmentally unfriendly areas.

Water pollutants are created by natural sources like soil erosion, landslides, decay and decomposition of plants and animals,
etc. But the main pollutants come from human sources which includes polluting the water through industrial, agricultural and cultural activities. Human causes are the real causes of concern.

About 90% of the solid waste is collected and disposed in some metropolitan cities. But in most of their cities and towns in the country, about 30 to 50% of the waste generated are left uncollected which accumulate on streets, in open spaces between houses and in wastelands leading to serious health hazards. These waste should be treated as resource and utilised for generating energy and compost. Untreated wastes ferment slowly and release toxic biogas to the atmosphere, including methane.

A study by Scripps Institute of Oceanography has revealed that oceanic noise has increased tenfold since the 1960’s. The reasons are as:

• It is due to the vast increase in the volume of global shipping trade.
• The higher speed of vessels.
• The population has increased around the globe in recent decades.
• Increase in marine activity (exploration of petroleum and natural gas etc.; collection of marine food).
• Increase in naval activities.

Positive Impacts:

• Availability of cheap labour
• Widening of outlook
• Improvement in standard of living
• Improved level of consumption
• Development in their working skill Negative Impacts:
• Rapid population growth in Mega cities,
• Excessive pressure on land, housing and other amenities
• Deterioration in civic amenities
• Increase in anti-social activities
• Environmental degradation

Rural areas are important for urban areas because they provide labour for industrial development and for tertiary activities. At present, 47 per cent of the world’s six billion population lives in cities and more will join them in near future. This proportion is estimated to go up to 50 per cent by 2008. By 2050, an estimated two-thirds of the world’s population will live in urban areas, imposing even more pressure on the space infrastructure and resources of cities, which are manifested in terms of sanitary, health, crime problems and urban poverty.

The main sources of noise pollution are various factories, mechanized construction and demolition works, automobiles and aircraft’s, etc. There may be added periodical but polluting noise from sirens, loudspeakers used in various festivals, programmes associated with community activities.
In sea traffic, the noise pollution is confined to the harbour due to loading and unloading activities being carried. Industries cause noise pollution but with varying intensity depending upon the type of industry.

Slums are residential areas of the least choice, dilapidated houses, poor hygienic conditions, poor ventilation, lack of basic amenities like drinking water, light and toilet facilities, etc. Most of the slum population works in low paid, high risk- prone, unorganized sectors of the urban economy. Consequently, they are the undernourished, prone to different types of diseases and illness and can ill afford to give proper education to their children. The poverty makes them vulnerable to drug abuse, alcoholism, crime, vandalism, escapism, apathy and ultimately social exclusion.

In metropolitan cities like Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, etc. about 90 per cent of the solid waste is collected and disposed. But in most of other cities and towns in the country, about 30 to 50 per cent of the waste generated are left uncollected which accumulate on streets, in open spaces between houses and in wastelands leading to serious health hazards. These wastes should be treated as resource and utilized for generating energy and compost. Untreated wastes ferment slowly and release toxic biogas to the atmosphere, including methane.

Some problems have arisen due to increasing urban population:

• Congestion
• Overcrowding
• Inadequate facilities to support the fast growing population and consequent poor sanitary conditions and foul air.
• Environmental pollution by solid wastes has now got significance because of enormous growth in the quantity of wastes generated from various sources,
• Urban waste disposal.
• Increasing number of slums.

Sources of pollution in Ganga and Yamuna:

• Domestic and industrial effluents.
• Dumping and carcasses in the river.
• Domestic waste from urban centres.
• Agricultural run-off.
• Extraction of water for irrigation purpose.
• Industrial pollution in the cities like Kanpur, Agra, Mathura, Varanasi and Delhi. The polluted stretch of the river Ganga: Downstream of Kanpur, Varanasi, Farakka barrage. The polluted stretch of the riVer Yamuna: Delhi, Mathura and Agra.

Air Pollution: Increased concentration of contaminants like dust, fumes, gas, odour and smoke in the air causes pollution. This concentration may be harmful to flora, fauna and to property.
Sources of Air Pollution:

• Increased use of variety of fuels such as coal, petrol and diesel.
• Increased emission of toxic gases from industrial activities into the atmosphere.
• Mining activities release the dusts which pollute the air.
• Important pollutants are oxide of sulphur and nitrogen, hydrocarbons, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, lead andasbestos

Air pollution is taken as addition of contaminants like dust, fumes, gas, fog, odour, smoke or vapour to the air in substantial proportion and duration that may be.harmful to flora and fauna and to property. It causes various diseases related to respiratory, nervous and circulatory systems. Smoky fog over cities called as urban smog is caused by atmospheric pollution. It proves very harmful to human health. It can also cause acid rain.

Combustion of coal, petrol and diesel, industrial processes, solid waste disposal, sewage disposal, etc. are the major sources of air pollution because they add oxides of sulfur, oxides of nitrogen, carbon monoxide, hydro-carbons, ammonia, lead aldehydes, asbestos and helium in the atmosphere.