Q1. [5] medium exam-ready
Explain the various ways in which industries pollute land, air and water. Suggest measures that can be adopted to control industrial pollution. (2+3=5)
Generated by claude-sonnet-4-6 · 2026-06-26 13:33 · grounding rag
Model Answer
How Industries Pollute Land, Air and Water:
- Air: Factories emit sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide and particulate matter (dust, smoke, mist). Chemical plants, brick kilns, refineries and smelting plants burn fossil fuels, releasing toxic gases.
- Water: Paper, textile, dyeing, tanneries and electroplating industries discharge dyes, detergents, acids, heavy metals (lead, mercury) into rivers. Thermal pollution occurs when hot water is drained into rivers before cooling.
- Land: Dumping of glass, harmful chemicals, industrial effluents, salts and packaging renders soil useless. Rainwater carries pollutants into groundwater.
Measures to Control Industrial Pollution:
- Reuse and recycle water in successive stages; harvest rainwater.
- Treat effluents in three phases — primary (mechanical), secondary (biological), tertiary (chemical/physical) — before discharge.
- Fit smoke stacks with electrostatic precipitators, scrubbers and fabric filters; use gas/oil instead of coal.
- Regulate overdrawing of groundwater legally.
- Use noise-absorbing materials and fit generators/machinery with silencers to reduce noise pollution.
Source: Chapter 6 — Industrial Pollution and Environmental Degradation; Control of Environmental Degradation
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Explanation
- The question is split 2 marks (pollution) + 3 marks (measures), so write slightly more on measures.
- Name specific industries and pollutants for the pollution part — examiners reward specificity (lead, mercury, sulphur dioxide, etc.).
- For measures, the three-phase treatment of effluents is a frequently asked point; always include it.
- Avoid generic statements like "factories are bad" — use textbook terminology (electrostatic precipitators, flocculation, etc.) to score full marks.