Read the passage and answer the questions:
Pollution
Water pollution is a source of various water-borne diseases like diarrhoea, intestinal worms, hepatitis. Air pollution also causes various diseases related to respiratory, nervous and circulatory systems. Smoky fog over cities called as urban smog is caused by atmospheric pollution. Rainwater analysis of urban environment has indicated that pH value of the first rain after summer is always lower than the subsequent rains. Urban waste disposal is a serious problem in India. In metropolitan cities like Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, etc., about 90 per cent of the solid waste is collected and disposed. But in most of other cities and towns in the country, about 30 to 50 per cent of the waste generated are left uncollected which accumulate on streets, in open spaces between houses and in wastelands leading to serious health hazards. These wastes should be treated as resource and utilised for generating energy and compost. Untreated wastes ferment slowly and release toxic biogas to the atmosphere, including methane. Based on the universal law ‘Polluter pays’ effort to restore the ecology and safeguard the human health with people’s participation has taken place in Daurala near Meerut. At national level the first major legislative provision to address pollution was the Water Prevention and Control of Pollution Act 1974 followed by Environment Protection Act, 1986.
Among the following which was the first legislative to address pollution?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act
The first major law to address pollution was the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, followed by the Environment Protection Act, 1986.
Note: The case study is taken from the chapter ‘Geographical Perspective on Selected Issues and Problems’, but this question is based on the chapter ‘Water Resources’. However, since it is a case-study based question, all the questions on this case study are tagged to the chapter the case study is taken from.
NCERT (2025-26): “Prevention of Water Pollution … Groundwater pollution has occurred due to high concentrations of heavy/toxic metals, fluoride and nitrates at different parts of the country. The legislative provisions such as the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 1974, and Environment Protection Act 1986 have not been implemented effectively. The result is that in 1997, 251 polluting industries were located along the rivers and lakes.…” |