VPE 511: Environment and Environmental Hygiene (2+1)

ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION

Pollution

• The world pollution is derived from latin word ‘pollutionem’, meaning ‘defile or make dirty’
• Pollution is defined as a deviation from the natural composition of a part of the environment resulting in adverse effect on life.
• Pollution is an unfavourable change in the physical or biological characteristics of our air, land and water (or basic amenities) causing harmful effect on our life or that of other desirable species and cultural assets. Therefore, it is defined as, “ The addition of the constituents to water, air, or land, which adversely alter the natural quality of the environment”.
• Natural pollution is the act of nature and man cannot control its occurrence that easily. Eg, natural forest fires, volcanic eruptions, earthquake, etc. Artificial pollution is due to the activities of man and is under his control. Eg, industrial effluents and emissions, thermal and radioactive emissions, etc.
• Environmental pollution is the result of urban- industrial technological revolution and speedy exploitation and completion for the same with the intention of grabbing every bit of natural resources without any empathy. The mad rat race among nations over the entire globe for development jeopardized the existence of man itself. The craze of progress in agriculture, industry, transportation and technology is taken as the general criterion of development of the nation. Such activities of man have created adverse effects on all living organisms in the biosphere. The splendid plentifulness of nature is a heritage that should never be spoiled but at least in paper.
• Today India occupies 7^th position among industrialized developing countries of the world. Rapid demand for energy leads the progress in the directions of thermal and nuclear energy sources, which generate enormous pollution to the environment.
• According to US President’s Science Advisory Committee, Environmental pollution is the unfavourable alteration of our surroundings, wholly or largely as a by-product of man’s actions, through direct or indirect effects of changes in the energy pattern, radiation level, chemical and physical constitution and abundance of organisms.

Pollutants

• The material, which causes the pollution of the environment is called pollutants. Pollutants are undesirable substances present in the wrong place, at the wrong time and in the wrong quantity.
• Pollutant is a harmful solid, liquid or gaseous substance present in such a concentration in the environment , which tends to be injurious for the whole living biota.
• Pollutant s need not be material substance. Noise, radiation, thermal energy etc are also pollutants.