abstract

In last few decades, due to the rapid increase in the population, industrialization and newer agricultural practices, the aquatic resources of India have been deteriorating. The pollution of aquatic ecosystems by heavy metals is of a great concern due to their persistence, toxicity and accumulative behaviour. The heavy metals can change the trophic status of aquatic ecosystems and make them unsuitable for various purposes. They also pose a serious threat to human health. In the last few decades of the 20th century, environmental pollution emerged as a major concern for the survival and welfare of mankind throughout the world. In fact, most of the developed countries have already realized the fact that the very existence of life on earth may be endangered, if suitable steps are not taken for the control and abatement of environmental pollution. This is why the industrialized and developed nations have already been spending vast amount of money to control the environmental pollution and the developing countries are beginning to follow their action within the constraints imposed by the limited financial resources, infrastructural facilities and the scarcity of trained man power. Different standards for sediment pollution which are in use have also been discussed. It showed that environmental degradation has become a major societal issue in India due to uncontrolled anthropogenic activities, besides natural factors. There is an urgent need of creating awareness amongst the public of these problems and find preventive and remedial solutions for management. Expensive high-tech remedial measures are not suitable for the country, and hence emphasis has to be given on prevention. Indigenous research towards mitigation and remediation has to be encouraged, keeping in mind India’s unique problems of poverty, crowding and malnutrition.