Spoiling the environment is known as environmental pollution. It is the spread of noxious gases and other substances in the atmosphere which makes life unpleasant and then intolerable.
It is unjurious to human beings and other living creatures. For example contamination of water, impurifying the air etc. amount to pollution. Today more than half of our soil has become poor and unhealthy because soil is worked away every year.
70% of our countrymen who live in rural areas are without safe drinking water. Every year over one million hectres of forests are cut down. Because of it more soil, is worked away.
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Pollution also means the discharge of chemical wastes from the smoke stacks of factories into the rivers and streams.
Pollution levels in Indian cities are going up. Many more city residents suffer from lung and breathing problems now because of air pollution.
Pollution is created when waste from our industries is thrown into rivers, when smoke from the factories is mixed in the air, when, excess noise is created by machines or vehicles and in many more ways.
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Automobiles are the single largest source of oxides of sulphur which is cause of air pollution. Pollution is caused by exhaust fume of motor vehicles. These fumes cause cancer and tuberculosis (TB).
Asbestos which is five poof mineral is a major health hazard is industry. Asbestos dust produces a disease very similar to siliciosis which cause lung disease.
Chemical industry poses a major threat to accidents. Over 200 major chemical accidents had been recorded all over the world unit 1984.
The worst industrial accident in history of India took place in Bhopal where leakage of methyl-isocyanate killed nearly 3000 persons.
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Noise is also a great source of pollution like toxic chemicals. Abnormally high noise levels damage/improve hearing and also create nervous and emotional tension leading to high blood pressure, and even heart problems.
In India there is no comprehensive legislative measure enacted or drafted to control noise either within the factory or in public places.
As is evident from the above facts and figures, environment pollution takes place in many forms like Air Pollution, Water Pollution, Noise Pollution and industrial accidents.
It is matter of great concern to the workers as well as public that urgent and immediate steps should be taken to check the growing environmental pollution.
It is all the more necessary for the factory owners and industrialists to cooperate and take measures of maintenance, safety and observe the rules framed by the Government to check occupational hazards and environmental pollution.
Although awareness about the need for keeping the environment clean, unpolluted and accident free is growing among general masses, yet the number of occupational diseases and industrial accidents is also growing.
Industrial workers are the prime sufferers in case of occupational hazards. Every day they handle hazardons substances, knowing very little about them.
Workers should be wained to handle dangerous substances with care. Workers’ education can play very crucial role.
In India workers are generally not aware of the long term effects of the hazardons substances.
In many organisations the owners prefer to pay a little more salary to the workers than taking the required safety measures. This is not in the interest of the workers.
This safety management is required to protect lives of the workers and those living around factories and large industries.