Question

Environmental pollution is an incurable disease which can only be prevented. Justify this statement, giving examples.

Answer 1

This statement highlights the seriousness of pollution and the fact that once the environment is severely polluted, it becomes extremely difficult or sometimes impossible to completely reverse the damage. Hence, prevention is the only effective solution.

Example:

• Air Pollution: When harmful gases and particles are released into the air, they cause respiratory problems and damage to the ozone layer. Diseases like asthma and bronchitis are triggered. Once the air is polluted, it cannot be purified easily. Hence, it’s better to control vehicle emissions and industrial smoke in the first place.

• Water Pollution: Toxic waste dumped into rivers and oceans harms aquatic life and makes the water unsafe for drinking and agriculture. Cleaning polluted water bodies like the Ganga is very expensive and time-consuming. It's better to treat waste before it enters water bodies.

• Soil Pollution: Use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides contaminates the soil, reducing its fertility. Reversing soil degradation takes years. Hence, using organic farming methods and proper waste disposal can prevent pollution.

• Noise Pollution: Constant exposure to loud noise causes stress and hearing problems and affects mental health. Unlike physical waste, noise cannot be “cleaned”. Only by preventing loud sounds and enforcing silence zones can its harmful effects be controlled.