Passage Based Questions: Water Resources | Geography Class 12 - Humanities/Arts PDF Download

Passage - 1

Passage: Available water resources are degrading rapidly. The major rivers of the country generally retain better water quality in less densely populated upper stretches in hilly areas. In plains, river water is used intensively for irrigation, drinking, domestic, and industrial purposes. The drains carrying agricultural (fertilizers and insecticides), domestic (solid and liquid wastes), and industrial effluents join the rivers. The concentration of pollutants in rivers, especially remains very high during the summer season when the flow of water is low. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in collaboration with State Pollution Control Boards has been monitoring water quality of national aquatic resources at 507 stations. The data obtained from these stations show that organic and bacterial contamination continues to be the main source of pollution in rivers. The Yamuna river is the most polluted river in the country between Delhi and Etawah. Other severely polluted rivers are: the Sabarmati at Ahmedabad, the Gomti at Lucknow, the Kali, the Adyar, the Cooum (entire stretches), the Vaigai at Madurai and the Musi of Hyderabad and the Ganga at Kanpur and Varanasi.
Groundwater pollution has occurred due to high concentrations of heavy/toxic metals, fluoride, and nitrates at different parts of the country.

Q1: What causes the rapid degradation of available water resources?
Ans: Water pollution happens when toxic substances enter water bodies such as lakes, rivers, oceans, etc., getting dissolved in them, lying suspended in the water, or depositing on the bed. This degrades the quality of water.

Q2: What is the main function of the CPCB?
Ans: The primary objective/goal of the CPCB is to promote cleanliness and restore wholesomeness of water in wells and streams.

Q3: When was the CPCB established?
Ans: The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), a statutory organization, was constituted in September 1974.

Q4: Why is the concentration of pollutants in rivers particularly high during the summer season?
Ans: The drains carrying agricultural (fertilizers and insecticides), domestic (solid and liquid wastes), and industrial effluents join the rivers. The concentration of pollutants in rivers, especially remains very high during the summer season when the flow of water is low.