Many factors have contributed to the large-scale environmental pollution all over India in the last 20 years. Some of these include enhanced urbanization, deforestation, excessive population growth, and the rapid spread of factories. Negligence in the processes of purifying water, cleaning residential areas, managing waste dumping grounds, etc. has resulted in gruesome pollution levels throughout the nation. The crisis of water and the problem arising from scarcity of forest covers are the two major environmental issues in India. Incessant growth in population through the subsequent decades has called for rapid urbanization which significantly affected the environment’s potential to absorb pollutants. Only 10% of the Indians receive domestic water supply across all the rural settlements. Water pollution is one of the alarming environmental issues in India that results from insufficient sanitation facilities and improper planning of sewerage. 

Deforestation is a constant threat to the environment as the rural people depend on primitive sources of fuel like agricultural debris and wood to facilitate their domestic requirements. Trees are cut in remote areas which thin out the forest density. As a result of this, animals and birds lose their natural habitat. Also, many herbivorous species suffer from a lack of food. Deforestation throughout the year has led to many environmental issues in India like soil erosion, climatic hazards like floods, etc. 

The population has gone up at a great speed which called for the establishment of slum areas. This was followed by greater waste production that got scattered along the streets. Transport vehicles also increased in number which contributed to a greater scale of air pollution. Thus these are the few environmental issues in India that are tackled through policies designed by the state and central governments.

Environmental Issues in India

The majority of the population in India is still unaware of the fatal consequences of environmental degradation. Reformative movements are to be organized otherwise this level of ignorance will finally lead to mass death. An eco-friendly lifestyle is promoted to withstand the environmental issues in India. In the following part of this article, we are about to discuss the current environmental issues in India.

1. The increasing rate of population: According to the data shared by the census, India experiences an average annual population growth of 2.12% in the last ten years. Thus millions of new Indians are registered each year. This considerably diminishes the chances of socio-economic growth and exerts unthinkable pressure on the natural wealth deposits. The Government has already launched campaigns where education is given regarding the importance of controlling population growth.
2. Poverty: Sadly, the majority of the Indian population comes under the below poverty level. This has an indirect impact on the degradation of the natural environment. The citizens of the rural areas and many remote parts of the country neither have access to nor can they afford commercial consumables. Natural resources play an indispensable role in their lives as a medium of food, fodder, shelter, and domestic fuel. Thus there is no quick solution to this issue.
3. Agricultural Stress: This is again related to the first point. Increased population demands for the rise in production quantity. Thus crop rotation technique is employed which degrades the soil quality by extracting all the essential minerals throughout the year. This damages the properties of the soil and makes it more saline.
4. Groundwater extraction: One of the leading environmental issues in India has been cited as the scarcity of pollution-free surface water. Water bodies are contaminated with industrial discharge, fertilizers, and sewerage over time which makes them unfit for use as drinking water. Such hard water cannot even be used for cleaning purposes as they do not form lather. Thus dependency on groundwater has increased remarkably. Although in municipal corporations and municipality areas water usage limit is set and groundwater extraction is prohibited except in some cases where the petition is granted by the government.
5. Forest covers have been reduced due to increasing demands for settlement and irrigation projects. This has hampered the flora and fauna of many regions and thus has devastated the biodiversity. The government has encouraged tribal lifestyles to conserve these areas. The central aids also provide them with sustenance. Therefore, afforestation and moderation in the usage of resources have resulted in a harmonious relationship between nature and Indians.

Conclusion

It is high time for the Indians to understand the consequences that might incur them if they continue to misuse the abundantly available natural resources. Also, waste management is another crucial factor that is to be addressed in this regard. Environmental issues can only be resolved once the threats are acknowledged and a systematic plan is followed to restore the flora and fauna.