Introduction

Before India gained its independence in 1947, the performance of the indian economy was solely based on the agricultural aspect of India. It was after the independence when Indians decided to venture into a whole new path and delve into ways of acquiring income besides depending on agriculture. In the 80’s, the Indian government worked hand in hand with new start up firms by providing the necessary amenities and after hitting the 1991 economic liberalization, India attained a 6-7% average GDP growth annually. In the last 37 years, the tertiary and the industrial sectors have increased tremendously. Now in 2017, India is the 4th fastest growing economy in the world, surpassing China.

However great it may sound, the expeditious industrialization has led to intractable pollution. Indian pollution can be predominantly classified under 4 sub groups:

1. Water pollution
2. Air pollution
3. Land pollution
4. Noise pollution

Water Pollution And Its Effects

At this very moment, one of the biggest issues faced by India is Water pollution. It may seem like a wonted day-to-day problem that doesn’t require much heed, but that’s exactly where we start to dig our graves. As may be evident, industrial waste and untreated sewage contribute to most of the water pollution not to forget urbanization, improper agricultural practices and religious and social practices.

Urbanization:

In citified areas, water is usually obtained from water bodies for domestic and industrial purposes. Unfortunately, 80% of the water returns to the river as waste water which is responsible for for the scale pollution of water surfaces.

Industries:

Other means of freshwater are often polluted by effluents and detritus which are toxic to any living being that consumes this water. So, the state of any life forms, whose habitat is polluted thanks to the factories nearby, is self explanatory.

Improper Agricultural Practises:

It is a norm for traces of fertilisers and pesticides to be washed off to the nearest water bodies when there is a monsoon or a heavy rainfall. Although irrigation has increased considerably in the country, little has been done to address the problem of the high salinity return water.

Religious and Social Practices:

In River Ganges, carcasses of cattle and various other animals are discarded in the water. Dead bodies are cremated along the river banks and partially burnt bodies are flung into the river in the name of religion and faith.

India is a country that is filled with many wondrous accomplishments. Yet, all of these achievements come at a terrible cost. That is pollution. It is the breeding ground for numerous issues circulating around India. Polluted water causes several water-borne diseases. Dysentery, gastro-entities, cholera, etc. are all caused by polluted water. Pure water can save us from many ailments.The industrial wastes that vitiate the ponds, rivers and the seas ultimately do incalculable harm to human beings. Pollution affects the economy as well. According to a report presented by the world bank, pollution costs India $80 billion a year, 6% of gross domestic product.

The Blue Dogs Of Mumbai

A group of peculiar-looking canines were spotted a few weeks ago, resulting in the locals to bring their case to the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board about dyes being dumped into the Kasadi river. While the dogs roamed the streets with their newly acquired blue fur, it caused quite the stir among the public with regards to the water pollution in India.

“It was shocking to see how the dog’s white fur had turned completely blue,” said Arati Chauhan, head of the Navi Mumbai Animal Protection Cell. “We have spotted almost five such dogs here and have asked the pollution control board to act against such industries.”

The Navi Mumbai Animal Protection Cell posted a few images of the blue dogs on the group’s Facebook page, highlighting the fact that pollution does not just affect humans but animals too do fall victim to such atrocities. After further analysis, it was proven that the air pollution and the water pollution linked to the plant caused such nuisance. Eventually, the board shut the company down.

Is It Too Late To Eradicate Pollution?

Mahatma Gandhi once said “Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s needs, but not every man’s greed,” and this is something every indian should remember. It is true that India is miles away from being what it can be called a “developed nation” but that goal will soon be attained. However, with such determination for reaching for the stars, do we forget the most salient aspect of all: Mother Earth.

Earth has been providing us with sources for thousands of centuries, ever since the beginning of mankind. Now in the 21st century, instead of giving back, we are taking her for granted and this, is due to man’s selfish desires. What we are not aware of is that by doing such deeds, we are killing earth slowly. Maybe, we are aware of that but none of us are taking the circumstance seriously.The sad part is, the end of Earth maybe sooner than you think. Yet, besides the environmentalists, does anyone else care?

Before moving on to start up industries and factories, we need to realize that there is no point in bringing up such companies when there won’t be a future at all. At the current moment, the priority should be given to reviving earth back to its fullest potential. Unfortunately, our world is currently investing itself to compete with other nations to get the greatest glory. However, does glory really matter when there is no future?

It really lies in our hands, to stop for a while, and evaluate our choices and comprehend the fact that our earth needs saving. The first step for that is to eradicate pollution and that can be done and should be done soon..for time is ticking fast and we are running out of it.