Read the Case Study given below and answer the questions that follow:
Based on the universal law “Polluter pays”, a silent but strong effort to restore the ecology and safeguard the human health with people’s participation has taken place in Daurala near Meerut. These efforts are now bearing fruits after a span of three years when Meerut based NGO had developed a model for ecological restoration. The recent meeting of the Daurala Industries officials, NGOs. Government officials and other stakeholders at Meerut has brought out results which usually come out mainly through the Court’s decisions.
The powerful logics, authentic studies and the pressure of the NGO has in a way brought a new lease of life to the twelve thousand residents of this village. It was in the year 2003, that the pitiable condition of Dauralaites drew the attention of the civil society. The groundwater of this village with a population of 12,000 persons was contaminated with heavy metals. The reason was that the untreated wastewater of Daurala industries was leaching to the groundwater table and was also being used for irrigation. The activists of the NGO conducted a door to door survey of the health status of the residents and came out with a report. The group reported that 192 deaths in the past five years have been recorded in the village due to consumption of contaminated water. The industry came under pressure due to activism. The organisation, the village community and people’s representatives sat together to find out sustainable solutions to this problem. The industrialists showed a keen interest towards checking the deteriorating ecology. The overhead water tank’s capacity in the village was enhanced and a 900m extra pipeline was laid to serve potable water to the community. The silted pond of the village has been cleaned and recharged by desilting it. Large quantity of silt was removed paving way to pure water so that it percolated deep down the aquifers. Rainwater harvesting structures have been constructed at different places which has helped in diluting the contaminants of the groundwater after the monsoons. 1000 trees have also been planted which have improved the environment.
a. What type of pollution is faced by the people of Daurala?
i. Noise pollution
ii. Air pollution
iii. Water pollution
iv. Land pollution
b. Which process led to contamination of ground water?
i. Salinization
ii. Alkalization
iii. Leaching
iv. Over irrigation
c. What was the most important step taken as sustainable solution to the health problem faced by the villagers?
i. Relocation of industries
ii. Controlled irrigation
iii. Evacuation from the affected area
iv. Enhancement of water storage capacity
d. Which water conservation strategy will help in diluting the contamination of the ground water?
i. Rain water harvesting
ii. Universal law of ‘Polluter Pays’
iii. Industrial waste treatment plant
iv. Over utilization of ground water.
