Geographical Perspective on Selected Issues and Problems Notes in English Class 12 Geography Chapter-9 Book-India-People And Economy

 

The meaning of pollution 

The entry of unwanted and harmful elements into the environment disturbs the natural balance and has a negative impact on the lives of animals, plants and humans. These harmful elements can be in air, water, soil. Pollution causes serious problems like health problems, environmental crisis and climate change.

Types of pollution 

• water pollution

• Air Pollution

• Noise Pollution

• Ground Pollution

water pollution

• Due to rapid growth of population and development of industrialization and indiscriminate use of water, the quality of water has deteriorated considerably.

• At present, the water available in rivers, canals, lakes and ponds etc. is no longer pure.

• It contains small amounts of suspended particles, organic and inorganic substances.

• When these substances increase in water, the water gets polluted and thus becomes unfit for use.

• In such a situation, the self-purification capacity of water is not able to purify it.

Natural sources of water pollution 

1. Erosion

2. Landslides 

3. Decay of plants and dead animals 

• Pollutants generated from these also occur, pollutants generated from human activities are a real cause of concern.

• Humans pollute water through industries, agriculture and cultural activities.

• Industry is the most important support in these activities.

• Industries produce a number of unwanted products which include industrial waste, polluted waste water, poisonous gases, chemical residues, various heavy metals, dust, smoke, etc.

• Most of the industrial waste is immersed in flowing water or lakes etc.

• As a result, toxic chemicals reach reservoirs, rivers and other water reserves which destroy the biological systems living in these waters. The industries that pollute water the most are leather, pulp and paper, textiles and chemicals.

• Water pollution is a major source of various water borne diseases.

• Diarrhoea, intestinal worms, hepatitis World Health Organisation reports show that about one-fourth of communicable diseases in India are water-borne.

• River pollution concerns all rivers, but the pollution of River Ganga which flows through the densely populated areas of India is a matter of concern for all.

• To improve the condition of River Ganga, Ganga Cleanliness National Mission was launched at national level.

• The current 'Namami Gange' programme is related to this.

Namami Gange Programme

Ganga as a river has national importance, but there is a need to clean the entire course of the river by controlling pollution. The central government has launched the 'Namami Gange' program with the following objectives -

• To arrange for sewer treatment in cities.

• Industrial effluent monitoring.

• Development of rivers.

• Afforestation on river banks to increase biodiversity.

• Cleaning of river beds.

• To develop 'Ganga Gram' in Uttarakhand, U.P., Bihar, Jharkhand.

• Do not throw any kind of substances in the river even if they are related to any ritual, this promotes pollution. Create awareness among people regarding this.

Air Pollution

• When contaminants like dust, smoke, gases, haze, odor and vapor increase in the air, then air pollution occurs which is harmful for humans and animals.

• This pollution is caused by fuel and smoke in the environment. Combustion of fossil fuels, mining and industry are the major sources of air pollution.

• These processes release oxides of sulphur and nitrogen, hydrocarbons, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, lead and asbestos into the air.

• Due to air pollution, various diseases related to respiratory system, nervous system and circulatory system occur.

Sound

Noise pollution is the sound produced from various sources which is beyond the human tolerable limit and is uncomfortable. Due to various technological inventions, it has emerged as a serious problem in the recent years.

major sources of noise pollution 

• Industry

• mechanized construction and demolition work

• Automotive aerators

• Siren Loudspeaker 

Municipal Waste Disposal

• The population in urban areas is increasing very rapidly, due to which there is overcrowding in the cities. There are inadequate facilities for this increased population, as a result of which poor sanitation conditions are seen.

• Environmental pollution caused by solid waste has become very important because the amount of waste generated from various sources is increasing a lot. Various types of old and used materials are included in solid waste.

As - 

• rusted pins, 

• like broken glass, 

• plastic bins, 

• polythene bags, 

• waste paper, 

• ash, 

• Floppies, 

• C D etc 

This discarded material is called garbage, waste, dirt, junk etc. 

Which are disposed of from two sources- 

(1) From domestic establishments 

(2) From commercial establishments.

• Domestic waste is dumped either on public land or at private contractors' sites while waste from industrial/commercial units is collected and disposed of by public utilities (municipalities) on low-lying public land (pits).

• Large amounts of ash or debris released from factories, power plants and building construction or demolition have caused serious problems.

• Solid waste causes foul smell, flies and rodents (like rats) which cause health hazards like typhoid, diphtheria, diarrhoea and cholera etc.

• Concentration of industrial units around urban areas also leads to increase in industrial waste. Discharging of industrial waste into rivers causes water pollution.

• Pollution of rivers due to city-based industries and untreated sewage causes serious health problems downstream.

• Urban waste disposal is a serious problem in India. In metro cities like Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai and Bengaluru, 90% of the solid waste is collected and disposed of.

• But in most other cities of the country, 30% to 50% of the waste is left uncollected. It accumulates in streets, open spaces behind houses and fallow lands, causing serious health risks.

• These wastes should be treated as resources and used to produce energy and make compost.

• Untreated waste slowly decays and releases toxic gases into the atmosphere including methane gas.

Rural-urban migration

• Population flow from rural to cities is influenced by many factors such as high demand for labour in urban areas, low employment opportunities in rural areas, unbalanced pattern of development between urban and rural areas, etc.

• In India, the population of cities is increasing rapidly. There are less employment opportunities available in small and medium towns, poor people generally leave these cities and go directly to the metros for their livelihood.

Problems of slums

• Slums, slums, huts and structures built along the railway tracks are standing.

• These are inhabited by people who were forced to migrate from rural areas to urban areas in search of livelihood or who are unable to live in good housing because of high rents and expensive land prices.

• They occupy environmentally unsuitable and degraded areas.

• Slums are the least desired residential areas

• Where dilapidated houses, poor health facilities, lack of open air and lack of basic necessities like drinking water, light and toilet facilities are found.

• Open defecation, irregular drainage system, crowded narrow roads are health and social problems.

land degradation 

• The pressure on cultivable land is not only due to its limited availability but also due to its deteriorating quality.

• Land degradation occurs due to soil erosion, salinity (waterlogging) and soil alkalinity.

• Land degradation refers to the reduction in productivity of land, either permanently or temporarily.

• Land degradation occurs rapidly through two processes.

• These processes are natural and man-made.

Such as natural ravines, desert or coastal sandy land, barren rocky areas, steep slopes and glacial areas. These are mainly caused by natural factors.