Ask your parents or elders, about the condition of water bodies near your home when they were your age. What is the status of those water bodies today?
Students should ask their parents or elders about local water bodies.
Elders often recall that rivers, ponds, and lakes in their childhood were cleaner, had more water throughout the year, supported more fish and aquatic life, and were used for swimming and bathing.
Today, many water bodies have become polluted due to waste dumping, factory effluents, and plastic. Some have shrunk or dried up due to encroachment and reduced rainfall.
The chapter mentions that fish, turtles, and birds are slowly disappearing from polluted rivers.
Explanation
This discussion question connects to the chapter's theme of river pollution and changing environmental conditions. The chapter describes how the Godavari river faces pollution from waste, plastic, and dirty water from people and factories. It mentions that aquatic animals are beginning to disappear, showing the impact of pollution over time.
Solution Steps
Students should interview parents or elders about local water bodies
Elders recall cleaner water bodies with more water year-round and abundant aquatic life
Water bodies were previously used for swimming and bathing
Current water bodies face pollution from waste dumping, factory effluents, and plastic
Some water bodies have shrunk or dried due to encroachment and reduced rainfall
Fish, turtles, and birds are disappearing from polluted rivers