Industrial Pollution is a ‘Bitter Reality’. Industrial pollution is pollution which can be directly linked with industry, in contrast to other pollution sources. This form of pollution is one of the leading causes of pollution worldwide; in the United States, for example, the Environmental Protective Agency estimates that up to 50% of the nation's pollution is caused by industry. Because of its size and scope, industrial pollution is a serious problem for the entire planet, especially in nations which are rapidly industrializing, like China. This form of pollution dates back to antiquity, but widespread industrial pollution accelerated rapidly in the 1800s, with the start of the Industrial Revolution. The Industrial Revolution mechanized means of production, allowing for a much greater volume of production, and generating a corresponding increase in pollution. There are many types of pollution. Industrial pollution is the air, water, and chemical pollution caused by industries. There has always been pollution. Industrial pollution began when our country went through the Industrial Revolution. Most all parts of the world are affected in some way by industrial pollution. Big cities with steel mills, power plants, heating plants, or railroad stations feel the direct effects of industrial pollution. The smog, smell, and contamination of food or water are some direct effects. Remote areas of the world are affected indirectly by industrial pollution. Even though the people in these communities may not live near any factories, plants, etc. they still are affected. The air pollution caused by the industries can carry for many miles.

There are four major elements of the environment. They are air, water, land and sound. When all the four elements become polluted, the environment automatically becomes polluted, in other words, degraded. There are five harmful ways in which Industrial pollution degrades the environment. They are Industries emit smoke and pollute air and water very badly, Industrial effluents are discharged into the rivers, Industrial water contains toxic metals that pollute land and soil, Unwanted loud noise or sound also causes pollution and Sometimes the solid industrial wastes containing harmful substances are dumped in isolated pockets of land. This results in pollution of land and soil in the nearby regions.

The population of India is growing at a staggeringly fast pace post Independence and to meet up the requirements of this fast growing population was needed much of industrial revolution.But the uncontrolled growth of industrialization led urbanization, expansion and massive intensification of agriculture, and the destruction of forests which ultimately led to industrial pollution which is now a bitter reality in perspective of India.India having 18% of the world's population on 2.4% of world's total area has greatly increased the pressure on its natural resources. India is among the 10 most industrialized countries in the world. It has the world’s eighth largest economy. The rapid economic and industrial growth is causing severe urban and industrial pollution. India has been ranked as seventh most environmentally hazardous country in the world by a new ranking released recently. Brazil was found to be worst on environmental indicators whereas Singapore was the best. United States was rated second worst and

China was ranked third.According to Time magazine’s list of most polluted cities in the world New Delhi and Mumbai figure in top 10.

Pollutin causes lot of diseases. Air pollution occurs when toxic gases and particles are discharged into the air. In the 20th century air pollution has become a serious problem in most of the world s countries. The heavy use of industry has also contributed largely to air pollution. Industrial processes emit a vast gamut of pollutants into the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide are discharged by industry. Some airborne industrial wastes, such as sulfur dioxide emissions can react with water vapor and lower its pH and result in acid rain. Air pollution has done tremendous damage throughout the world. It has made a vast impact on the people, the environment and the atmosphere. Pollution has caused serious health problems for people. The particulates have been shown to worsen respiratory conditions such as asthma. There is speculation among scientists that they are the cause of respiratory and cardiac diseases inflicted by air pollution that lead to over 60,000 premature deaths per year in the United States. The environment has suffered much damage from polluted air as well.

Industrial smog which forms as a gray haze over industrialized cities that burn coal and other fossil fuels for manufacturing ,heating,and generating electric power. The burning releases dust,smoke,ashes,soot,asbestos,oil,bits of lead and other heavy metals, and sulfur oxides. Breathing smoggy air can be hazardous because smog contains ozone, a pollutant that can harm our health when there are elevated levels in the air we breathe. Ozone occurs both in the Earth s upper atmosphere and at ground level. Ozone can be good or bad,depending on where it is found. Ozone can affect health in many ways. Ozone can aggravate asthma When ozone levels are high, more asthmatics have asthma attacks that require a doctor s attention or the use of additional medication. One reason this happens is that ozone makes people more sensitive to allergens,which are the most common triggers for asthma attacks.

There is also Ground pollution where industrial chemicals have seeped into the ground and contaminated drinking-water supplies. Some of more than 70 synthetic organic chemicals have been found in trace amounts. At high levels, water-soluble inorganic chemicals-including acids,salts,and compounds of toxic metals such as mercury and lead-can also make drinking water unfit to drink. Excessive nitrates in drinking water can reduce the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood and even cause stillbirths.

In addition, numerous manufacturing plants pour off undiluted corrosives, poisons, and other noxious byproducts. The construction industry discharges slurries of gypsum, cement, abrasives, metals, and poisonous solvents. Another pervasive group of contaminants entering food chains is the polychlorinated biphenyl compounds, components of lubricants, plastic wrappers, and adhesives. In yet another instance of

pollution, hot water discharged by factories and power plants causes so-called thermal pollution by increasing water temperatures. Such increases change the level of oxygen dissolved in a body of water, thereby disrupting the water's ecological balance, killing off some plant and animal species while encouraging the overgrowth of others.

 Industrial pollution can also cause cancer. The water some people drink, due to industrial pollution, contains traces of weed killer and dry-cleaning fluid. These people are being exposed to environmental carcinogens through multiple pathways and through no individual choice of their own. All of these dangers are created by the industries not disposing of their waste properly. Dumping chemicals into rivers and not having filters on smokestacks are just a few of the ways they pollute the environment.

There are lots of ways that these dangers can be reduced. The New Ideas in Pollution Regulation (NIPR) team has written a major World Bank policy report in its six years of research on industrial pollution regulation and control issues entitiled Greening Industry: New rolls for Communities, Markets, and Governments. It shows how recent economic and regulatory policy reforms are reducing industrial pollution in developing countries, without threatening economic growth. There is also The Permanent Pollution Prevention Program or P4. P4 helps facilities start their own in-house permanent pollution prevention program to reduce pollutants and generate cost savings. This workshop is a two-day seminar. The first day focuses on teaching the eight-step process of P4. The second day, which is usually 30 days after the first day, focuses on culture change, provides assistance and guidance to the facility's P4 team and helps that team to enact facility-specific projects. This program hopes to build industry, business, and governmental cooperation. It supports technology transfer between different industries. It also helps facilities develop environmental partnerships and foster environmental leadership. By the end of this program not only will the participants have started their own pollution prevention program but already developed most of their Source Reduction and Waste Minimization Plan required by the Waste Reduction Policy Act of 1991. There is a saying that "Pollution Hits the Poor Hardest”.

India’s environmental problems are exacerbated by its heavy reliance on coal for power generation. "More than 80 per cent of energy is produced from coal, a fuel that emits a high amount of carbon and greenhouse gases. Fine particles or microscopic dust from coal or wood fires and unfiltered diesel engines are rated as one of the most lethal forms or air pollution caused by industry and ageing coal or oil-fired power stations. Industrial processes also release chemicals known as halocarbons and other long-lived gases, some of which trap heat in the atmosphere and lead to global warming. India was the first nation to provide for environmental protection explicitly in its constitution. In 1948, a law was enacted prohibiting factories from discharging effluents into the water. Although India has made considerable progress in developing environmental legislation, the government’s capacity and willingness to enforce the laws

has often been wanting. Since 1995, judicial activism has become the key driver in forcing companies to adopt pollution prevention and control measures.