RIVER POLLUTION

3.6 RIVER POLLUTION

Description

Quick Overview

This section addresses river pollution caused by increasing domestic, municipal, industrial, and agricultural demands on water sources.

Standard

The section elaborates on how the rising demand for water, coupled with the discharge of untreated sewage and industrial effluents, is adversely affecting river water quality. It also discusses initiatives, like the National River Conservation Plan, aimed at alleviating the situation.

Detailed

River Pollution: An Overview

The challenge of river pollution is significant, stemming from several sources including domestic, municipal, industrial, and agricultural water requirements. As more water is extracted from rivers to satisfy these needs, the overall volume of water diminishes, leading to untreated sewage and waste being discharged directly into water bodies. This pollution reduces water quality and impairs the rivers' natural self-cleansing abilities.

For instance, although the Ganga can dilute and manage pollution within 20 km of its major cities under ideal streamflow conditions, ongoing urbanization and industrialization hinder this process, resulting in higher pollution levels. In light of these issues, various initiatives have been launched to restore and clean the rivers, including the Ganga Action Plan initiated in 1985, which expanded into the National River Conservation Plan (NRCP) in 1995 with aims to improve water quality across major rivers in the country.

Key Concepts

  • Self-Cleansing Capacity: The ability of rivers to naturally purify themselves under optimal conditions.

  • Pollution Sources: Various contributors to river pollution, including domestic waste, industrial effluents, and agricultural runoff.

Memory Aids

🎵 Rhymes Time

  • When rivers drown in waste and grime, our health will not stand the test of time.

📖 Fascinating Stories

  • Once upon a time, rivers sparkled and flowed, but humans dumped waste, and their beauty erode.

🧠 Other Memory Gems

  • Remember DRAW: Domestic, Runoff, Agricultural waste leads to River pollution.

🎯 Super Acronyms

NRCP stands for National River Conservation Plan, focusing on cleaning major rivers.

Examples

  • The Ganga River can dilute pollution loads within 20 km of major cities if conditions allow.

  • Initiatives like the Ganga Action Plan are examples of governmental efforts to combat river pollution.

Glossary of Terms

  • Term: River Pollution

    Definition:

    The contamination of river water by harmful substances, such as sewage and industrial waste.

  • Term: Ganga Action Plan

    Definition:

    A program launched in 1985 aimed at cleaning and restoring the Ganga River.

  • Term: National River Conservation Plan (NRCP)

    Definition:

    An initiative established in 1995 to improve the water quality of India's major rivers.

  • Term: SelfCleansing Capacity

    Definition:

    The ability of a river to dilute and assimilate pollutants naturally.