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amount of dissolved oxygen in the water and the aquatic animals may die. This layer of
algae also obstructs the process of photosynthesis in aquatic plants.
3. Pesticides used in agriculture
The pesticides the farmers use to protect their crops from pests and insects dissolves in
the rainwater and run into rivers, lakes, and ponds. These chemicals are poisonous, it
can kill aquatic animals. And when humans consume those fish, it can affect human
healths too.
4. Untreated industrial wastes
The toxic chemicals present in industrial wastes are the components of harmful metals
such as mercury, lead, arsenic, nickel, and cadmium. If these wastes are untreated and
are directly discharged in water bodies, then fishes and other aquatic animals may die.
And when these toxic chemicals enter the human body, it can cause cancer and even
death.

Pollution of river Ganga

The water of river Ganga has been highly polluted because the villages, towns, and
cities which are situated on the banks of this very long river throw large quantities of
garbage, untreated sewage, toxic industrial wastes, dead bodies, idols of Gods and
Goddesses and many other harmful things directly into the river. All these uncontrolled
human activities pollute the water of river Ganga.

At present, the pollution level in many stretches of river Ganga is so high that no aquatic
animals can survive in it. A recent study by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) has
found that Ganga is one of the ten most endangered rivers in the world due to the very
high level of pollution. To reduce pollution and to save the sacred river, the Ganga Action
Plan was launched in 1985.

Recently it is seen that the river Ganga is clean, it is so clean that we can directly drink it.

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