VARIOUS POLLUTIONS Pollution means making things dirty. It is one of the evils brought about by the growth of science and technology.

Industries empty their wastes into the river. These wastes contain harmful chemicals. They not only kill the living

things in the river but also spread a number of diseases. People who drink this water or bathe in the river become

easy prey to deadly diseases.

Factories and industries keep throwing out smoke. These smokes contain toxic gases. They pollute the air. Peopl e

breathing this impure air get disease affecting the lungs and respiratory system. Owing to this pollution, the ozone

layer in the atmosphere is becoming thinner and thinner. As a result the solar radiation hits us directly and causes

diseases like skin cancer.

Acid rain is one of the threats of pollution. We burn coal, petrol and diesel in vehicles and power stations. The fumes

given out contain oxides of nitrogen, carbon and sulfur. They react with water vapor and produce acids. The acid rain

that falls to the earth corrodes houses and ancient buildings of historical value. The acidity in the water destroys fish

and other aquatic life. Forest begins to die. The oxides of carbon and nitrogen trap the heat of the sun. As a result the

atmospheric heat increases. That is called global warming.

Noise pollution in cities is another menace. Loud speakers keep blaring out day and night. Vehicles in the roads and

the jet planes in the air send out unbearable noise. The air horns in the busses give out ear -splitting noise. The noise

tells on our nerves. One who is exposed to this noise becomes tense and agitated. The sick and the old are unable to

rest peacefully. Students are unable to concentrate on their studies. It is high time we took steps to control the

pollution of air, water and our eco system.

Water is essential for plants and animals. Without water nothing on earth can live. We get fresh water by means of

rainfall. The rain water goes into the soil and accumulates as ground water. We make use of this ground water by

digging wells and bore wells. Recently the ground water level is going down at an alarming rate. The decline in

ground water causes dry wells. This leads to water scarcity. People have to suffer a lot to get drinking water.

India receives good rainfall during the rainy season. But most of the water runs off into gutter and rivers. The flooded

rivers empty the water into the seas. As a result the earth goes dry during summer season. The ground water levels

sinks deeper and deeper.