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In 1991, the Public Liability Insurance Act (PLIA) came into force to provide interim
compensation to the victims in industrial disaster event. PLIA requires industry owners to
obtain insurance policies that shall not be less than the paid-up capital of the unit and
limit is up to Rs 50 Crore.

Figure: Post effect on pesticide plant where Bhopal gas tragedy occurred.
Source-https://www.downtoearth.org.in/coverage/environment/30-years-of-bhopal-gas-tragedy-a-continuing-disaster-
47634

3.5 WATER POLLUTION

The introduction any form of contaminants into the environment which is having
negative consequences on environment or on living organism referred as pollution. Water
pollution occurs when a water body contains high levels of pollutants (hazards) and is no
longer suitable for common human activities such as bathing, cooking, or drinking.
Pollution occurs when toxins are introduced into the natural environment, causing
negative changes. Pollution comes in many forms, including air pollution, water
pollution, noise contamination, and land pollution. The polluting of water bodies such as
lakes, rivers, seas, and oceans, as well as groundwater, is known as water pollution.

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Figure: Different sources of discharge point of water pollution, Source-Yousef, Mujtaba & Sayed Ali Ahmed,
Elmustafa. (2019). Internet of things in Smart Environment: Concept, Applications, Challenges, and Future Directions.

Sources of Water Pollution

There are two types of water pollution sources: point and nonpoint sources. Point sources
include municipal and industrial wastewater discharges, whereas nonpoint sources include
agricultural (defined as surface runoff from irrigation), storm runoff and a variety of others
runoff.

When the contaminated water collected and delivered to a single location for treating
process, it is much easier to control pollution. For example point sources of water pollution
are easier to control than non-point sources. Pollution from non-point sources is difficult to
control. Also after using significant advances technologies in the construction of modern
sewage-treatment plants methods, non-point sources still responsible for a significant
portion of water pollution issues. Below listed are few sources of water pollution.
 Industrial Discharges (Point Sources) - Depending on various
company/industries/factories discharge, the quality and volume of effluent varies.
The discharged effluent could be extremely biodegradable or might it could contain
components that are difficult to treat. Total organic carbon (TOC) and other
compounds includes nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus cause eutrophication in
water bodies, as well as heavy metals such as Cd, Pb, Hg, and Ni cause negative
effects on water bodies and human health.
 Sewage Discharge (Point Sources) –When sewage is partially cleaned before being
discharged into water body it contaminate the water body and cause negative
consequences on large number of living organisms. Diseases like e-coli, diarrhoea
and hepatitis A, E can spread if water supplies are contaminated.
 Agricultural Discharges (Non-point Sources) - Runoffs from agricultural land
cause water contamination due to excessive use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides. In

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a short period of time, these pollutants pollute water sources and degrade water
quality for aquatic organisms.
 Strom Runoff (Non-point Sources)- Rain and snowmelt that flows over land/
permeable surfaces, such as paved streets, parking lots, building rooftops collects
lots of waste or other material along with their runoff flow. Because of its non-
soaking mechanism back into ground it referred as storm water runoff. Trash,
chemicals and dirt/sediment can be picked up by runoff and deposited in streams,
lakes and groundwater. Storm water pollution also generated from construction
sites, lawns, inadequately stored hazardous wastes area and unlawful dumping area.

Water pollutants and their types

Water pollution occurs due to variety of reasons. Some of the reasons are directly
influenced while others are influenced indirectly. Direct water pollution generally
comes from companies and industries dumping contaminated water, chemicals and
heavy metals into nearby waterways. The employment of modern farming
techniques is another source of water contamination. Chemical fertilizers, manure
and sludge are used by farmers to apply nutrients including phosphorous, nitrogen,
and potassium into soil. But it causes significant release of agrochemicals, organic
debris into water bodies.

Figure: Causes and effect of water pollution

Source:https://www.pinterest.com/pin/causes-and-effects-of-water-pollution--634092822545375313/

Below listed are few types of water pollutants.

 Sewage- Domestic sewage from homes contains various forms of pathogens which
can cause several water borne diseases. Sewage treatment reduces the risk of
pathogens, but still the total risk cannot be eliminated on whole term. Domestic
sewage majorly contains nitrates and phosphates. Excess of these substances allows
algae to grow on the surface of water bodies. Due to this, the clean water bodies
become nutrient-rich water bodies and then slowly, the oxygen level of water bodies
reduces. This is called eutrophication (natural process) or cultural eutrophication

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(through the activities of humans). This leads to the early death of water bodies and
species living in those water bodies.
 Dumping of solid waste- Human litter is another important source of water
contamination. Solid garbage such as plastics, cardboard and other pollutes the water
and makes it unfit for further human consumption. Solid garbage is being dumped in
large quantities. It clogs waterways and pollutes them.
 Industrial waste-Before treating the effluent, many industries are dumping industrial
waste such as harmful chemicals into water bodies. It results in water pollution. The
oxygen levels in the water body decline cause mortality of aquatic species.
 Thermal- Heated industrial water discharge is harmful to water body because it
reduces the capacity of water to maintain the dissolved oxygen in water. It raises the
rate of metabolism in fish. Many fish and aquatic organisms are unable to survive
because of very low dissolved oxygen levels.
 Petroleum oil - Petroleum/oil spill makes water inconsumable. It can seep in water
supply for human use and also contaminate some parts of ocean water. It will cause
health issues like weaken the immune system, heart damage which is sometime fatal.
Oil spill react with oxygen and water in the atmosphere to form acid rain sometime.
That acid rain comes back down in the form of precipitation and harms the plants and
animals.
 Sediments- are the by-products of soil erosion finally end up as sediment runoff into
water body. The sediments cause ecological imbalances in the water bodies. They also
disrupt the reproductive cycles of various aquatic animals that live in that water body.

Effects of water pollution on animals

When water is contaminated because of different reasons animals, particularly aquatic

species die when they comes in contact with those contaminated water. In a recent
incidence of marine pollution, an oil leak impacted 16000 miles of the US coastline. This
water pollution resulted in extensive harm and the deaths of several creatures. Just six
months after the leak, over 8,000 animals (birds, turtles, and mammals) were reported
dead. The dead list of those animals includes several which are already listed in the
endangered species list. Solid trash dumping also leading to the dead of many aquatic
species. Some being trap and some ingest the trash.

Effects of water pollution on plants

Plants are like human being requires water to survive. Water makes about 95 percent of the
plant's body. Throughout a plant's life, water transports nutrients to various body cells of a
plant (and is also essential for maintaining cell structure) and helps in photosynthesis.

When plants did not receive enough water, their leaves curl and let the plant dies. When
plants receive too much water may die as a result of lack of oxygen in their roots, which
causes them to rot earlier. Plants require the suitable pH (5.5 to 7.5) to grow.

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Sometimes there is an overabundance of nutrients in the water, such as in agricultural run-
off which results in high nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations, leads in rapid plant
growth. Plants grow too many leaves and thin branches rapidly, but their root systems
remain underdeveloped. This makes a plant unable to deliver adequate nutrients for the
maturing and reproduce properly. Plants become more sensitive to disease or weather

Intake of iron can decline if the pH is more than 7.5. Iron chlorosis is a condition that cause
iron deficiency in plants. This deficiency cause yellowing of leaves with dark green veins.
Leaves may turn white over time.

Control of Water Pollution

Let look at some of the measures employed to combat water pollution. Water
contamination can be prevented and controlled in a variety of ways. It begins with
planting more and more trees around water bodies because they naturally help to ingest
and recycle contaminants. A few key points are mentioned below.
 Stop dumping garbage straight into any water body.
 Implement a penalty for all forms of industries on dumping of any
rubbish/untreated effluents into natural water.
 Always use suitable procedures to safeguard rivers, lakes, and seas.
 People should be educated on how to create a responsible culture in order to
reduce garbage dumping in water bodies.
 Introduction of 'Water Hyacinth' plant is required as it absorbs dissolved
hazardous compounds like cadmium and mercury from water bodies, thereby
eliminating contaminants from the environment.
 Before direct disposing of untreated chemicals/effluents and other items into
water bodies, industries should handle their wastes carefully. Industries develop
sewage treatment plants and wastewater treatment plants to treat the waste.
 Natural fertilizers and pesticides are better for plants and water than chemical
fertilizers and pesticides.
 Coagulation, ion exchange, reverse osmosis, and other chemical procedures will
significantly reduce water contamination.
 Finally, to reduce overall pollution, it is preferable to reduce water use in our
regular activities and reuse water whenever possible.

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Case Study on water pollution- Ganga Pollution

Figure: Post effect of water pollution after a mass bathing on Chhath Pooja
Figure Source-https://www.pinterest.com/pin/causes-and-effects-of-water-pollution—634092822545375313/

The case study examines the Ganga contamination issue and looks into the causes of the
pollution. The Ganga river have been exposed to many forms of deterioration due to the
rapidly increasing population, rising dependency on water supply, disposal of industrial
waste, disposal of human sewage, animal waste, rising standards of living, exponential rise
of industrialization and urbanization. The degradation of Ganga river water quality has an
immediate impact on people.

Water pollution has turned into a global issue. Because of the uncontrolled and uneven
expansion from linked sectors like industries and agriculture, water crisis is intensifying
day by day. According to NITI Aayog research and studies, 21 major Indian cities,
including Delhi, may run out of groundwater totally. This article covers the causes of river
Ganga pollution, government's effective responses, responsibilities, penalties, rules and
regulations. It also advises measures to speed up the river's cleaning procedure.

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Figure: Ganga Pollution

Source: http://cganga.org/gangapedia/

Sources of Pollution in Ganga Pollution matter

 Industries
In Uttarakhand, there are 4600 industries, 298 of which are significantly polluting the
nearby water bodies. Many factories/industries have started their unit operations without
having authorization from the Uttarakhand pollution control board.

 Ghats
The Ghats are also one of the river's significant pollutant sources. Different sorts of pujas
and other religious duties are conducted on the ghats and after that the items used in that
process end up dumped in the river. The materials are non-decomposable and extremely
poisonous, polluting the river. For example the addition of ash from Manikarnika Ghat's
cremation ground dumped into the river. It raises BOD and COD levels, as well as nitrate

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and fluoride level. All are very harmful to the aquatic ecology. Manikarnika Ghat is
responsible for surface water contamination. 45% of the city water supply is drawn from
this ghat which ultimately leads to various water borne diseases in human being.

 Plastics
The widespread usage of plastic and its inappropriate disposal eventually end up in the
river. One of the major causes of pollution in the river has been identified as plastic
contamination. Many aquatic species are getting dead by ingesting those small micro and
macro plastic pieces.

 Agriculture
Sediments, fertilizers and animal wastes etc. all contribute to water contamination from
agricultural sources. Water pollution severely impacted by the un-balanced use of
inorganic and other fertilizers. To increase the productivity of the land, nitrate-rich
fertilizers are being over used. This resulted in pollution and accumulation of chemical
across the food chain. When these fertilizers are washed away by rain or other
circumstances as surface run-off, they pollute the river.

 Sewage
The Ganges provides water, transportation-sales and food to millions of people who live
within its catchment. During the Hindu pilgrimage known as Kumbh Mela, hosts the
world's largest human gathering, with 120 million people arriving over 49 days to bath in
the holy river. The Kumbh Mela observance always chose between four pilgrimage places
like Haridwar on the Ganges River, at Ujjain on the Shipra River, at Nashik on the
Godavari River and at Prayagraj at Sangam (confluence of the Ganges, the Jamuna, and the
Sarasvati). The same water used for agriculture irrigation and human consumption which
will cause various water borne diseases. Urban residents who are living near Ganges basin
contribute 100 times more pollution per person than rural residents. This means that
untreated sewage discharged from an urban area has a higher negative impact on river
water quality than sewage discharged where sewers do not exist.

3.6 SOIL POLLUTION

Soil is an essential component of the natural world, its supports plants, animals, rocks,
landforms, glacial lakes and rivers. It is a true habitat for a wide variety of species. It
serves as a bridge between the environment and the rest of the world to get all resources,
essential items for living purpose like the climate, water, air, land, mountain, micro-
organism etc. Soil contamination is a major concern for everyone as it causing harm to
humans. Food is getting grown in that contaminated soil. It helps to pass contamination in
food chain.

Soil is a natural bio-active and permeable material that has formed within the Earth's top
layer of covering. The biosphere, atmosphere, and hydrosphere all rely on soil for their

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