AI-generated practice question — model-generated for extra practice, not a previous-year CBSE board question.
Answer: B — Thermal pollution
Thermal pollution occurs when hot water from factories and thermal plants is discharged into rivers and ponds without being cooled first.
Source: Industrial Pollution and Environmental Degradation, Chapter 6
The textbook explicitly defines thermal pollution as discharge of hot water from factories/thermal plants into water bodies before cooling. Examiners expect students to recall the correct term and its definition. The key distinguishing factor here is hot water → thermal pollution.