NCERT Class 9 EVS Use and abuse of water bodies

11. Use and abuse of water bodies

Background

Quality and quantity of water flowing through a river determine its sustainable usefulness or value as a resource. Due to several human activities, for example, agricultural run off, industrial effluents and domestic discharges, rivers are getting polluted. Sometimes water is diverted through canals for agricultural and other activities, thereby reducing the flow of water downstream. As river water is a vital resource for humans, livestock and vegetation, it needs to be conserved  and used judiciously.

Methodology

1. Choose a river or any water body such as lake, pond, etc. in your own region.

2. Mark its location on the map of India.

3. If you have chosen a river, mark its course on the map of India. Find out information related to the river such as its source, destination, major cities all along its bank, etc. and also mark them on the map.

4. Select 200 to 250 km stretch of the river and find out the cities and industrial units such as power plants, breweries, tanneries, textile mills located in the selected area which utilise the river water and discharge their effluents in the river.

5. Find out if the water is diverted to any irrigation canal in the selected regions.

6. Find out how the water bodies are being polluted. What are the major pollutants discharged into the water bodies?

7. If you have chosen any other water body, collect information about the various sources of pollution that is deteriorating the quality of water.

Conclusion

Based on the information collected by you, prepare a report and present it in the class.

Follow-up

Prepare charts to show the different ways in which water bodies are polluted and display them on your school bulletin board.

Please refer to attached file for NCERT Class 9 EVS Use and abuse of water bodies