Environmental pollution: Our environment is a precious gift of nature. It consists of the air we breathe, the water which we drink, the earth on which we live. 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 energy patterns, radiation levels, chemical and physical constitution.

Pollution can occur in water, soil or air when substances released into them are beyond their capacity of assimilation. Water is required in large quantities for industrial purposes while the waste is later dumped in rivers or into the sea. Community wastes such as sewage and garbage from urban settlements are discharged into watercourses.

Water that flows on the surface of cultivated fields where fertilisers, pesticides, insecticides and other agrochemicals are used, contributes much to the pollution of water.

The pollution of air is largely due to the discharge of wastes in the form of smoke from industry, power plants, automobiles and houses; and also due to burning of fossil fuels. Soil pollution inevitably follows the pollution of air and water.

Besides, the solid residuals from industries, commercial concerns and households contribute to it. Deforestation at an unprecedented scale is causing soil erosion, floods, droughts and siltation. In addition to the above there is the problem of noise pollution.

Noise is unwanted sound that is usually unpleasant. Noise pollution is caused by industries, automobiles, explosions, and public address systems. Fall out from nuclear explosions and emissions from industrial use of nuclear energy cause radioactive pollution. In most of the cases pollution is caused by careless and non-judicious human activities, without caring for their harmful effects on nature.