MCQs with answers on “River Pollution in India: Causes, Impact, and Remedial Measures”
1. What is the main cause of river pollution in India?
- a) Urbanization
- b) Agricultural runoff
- c) Industrial effluents
- d) All of the above
Answer: d) All of the above
2. Which of the following rivers is most affected by pollution in India?
- a) Ganga
- b) Yamuna
- c) Godavari
- d) Narmada
Answer: a) Ganga
3. Which industrial activity contributes most to river pollution in India?
- a) Textile dyeing
- b) Mining
- c) Paper manufacturing
- d) Steel manufacturing
Answer: a) Textile dyeing
4. What is the primary cause of contamination of rivers due to agricultural activities?
- a) Pesticides and fertilizers
- b) Crop burning
- c) Over-irrigation
- d) Deforestation
Answer: a) Pesticides and fertilizers
5. The ‘Namami Gange’ programme is aimed at which of the following?
- a) River rejuvenation
- b) Water conservation
- c) Flood management
- d) River pollution prevention
Answer: d) River pollution prevention
6. Which of the following is an effect of river pollution?
- a) Loss of biodiversity
- b) Contamination of drinking water
- c) Decrease in agricultural productivity
- d) All of the above
Answer: d) All of the above
7. Which river has the worst water quality due to high levels of coliform bacteria?
- a) Ganga
- b) Yamuna
- c) Godavari
- d) Brahmaputra
Answer: b) Yamuna
8. The ‘Polluter Pays Principle’ is a key concept in the context of:
- a) Water management
- b) Waste management
- c) River pollution control
- d) Energy conservation
Answer: c) River pollution control
9. Which of the following is a major contributor to organic pollution in rivers?
- a) Industrial effluents
- b) Solid waste
- c) Untreated sewage
- d) Agricultural runoff
Answer: c) Untreated sewage
10. What is the impact of river pollution on aquatic life?
- a) Oxygen depletion
- b) Altered reproductive patterns
- c) Habitat destruction
- d) All of the above
Answer: d) All of the above
11. Which is the main cause of oxygen depletion in rivers?
- a) Industrial effluents
- b) Sewage discharge
- c) Agricultural runoff
- d) All of the above
Answer: b) Sewage discharge
12. Which of the following is an initiative to monitor river water quality in India?
- a) Ganga Action Plan
- b) National River Conservation Plan
- c) National Water Quality Monitoring Programme
- d) All of the above
Answer: c) National Water Quality Monitoring Programme
13. Which chemical compound is often found in polluted river waters that is harmful to human health?
- a) Sulphur dioxide
- b) Arsenic
- c) Carbon monoxide
- d) Nitrogen oxide
Answer: b) Arsenic
14. Which is a direct effect of river pollution on human health?
- a) Cholera
- b) Malaria
- c) Tuberculosis
- d) All of the above
Answer: a) Cholera
15. What is the main objective of the ‘Ganga Action Plan’?
- a) Reducing industrial pollution
- b) Treatment of sewage
- c) River water conservation
- d) Protection of aquatic species
Answer: b) Treatment of sewage
16. Which of the following is a proposed method for reducing pollution in rivers?
- a) Wastewater treatment plants
- b) Public awareness campaigns
- c) Industrial effluent standards
- d) All of the above
Answer: d) All of the above
17. Which of the following methods is used to treat wastewater before discharge into rivers?
- a) Reverse osmosis
- b) Sedimentation
- c) Chemical treatment
- d) All of the above
Answer: d) All of the above
18. Which river is known as one of the most polluted rivers in the world?
- a) Yamuna
- b) Ganga
- c) Brahmaputra
- d) Narmada
Answer: a) Yamuna
19. What role do wetlands play in controlling river pollution?
- a) Filter contaminants
- b) Provide habitat for wildlife
- c) Control flooding
- d) All of the above
Answer: d) All of the above
20. Which government body is responsible for monitoring and controlling water pollution in India?
- a) Ministry of Water Resources
- b) Central Pollution Control Board
- c) Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
- d) National River Conservation Directorate
Answer: b) Central Pollution Control Board
21. Which of the following is a source of heavy metals in river water?
- a) Industrial discharge
- b) Agricultural runoff
- c) Domestic sewage
- d) Atmospheric deposition
Answer: a) Industrial discharge
22. The concept of ‘Total Maximum Daily Load’ (TMDL) is associated with:
- a) River pollution
- b) Groundwater recharge
- c) Industrial waste management
- d) Climate change mitigation
Answer: a) River pollution
23. Which of the following causes eutrophication in rivers?
- a) Excessive nitrogen and phosphorus
- b) High salinity levels
- c) Low oxygen content
- d) High mercury levels
Answer: a) Excessive nitrogen and phosphorus
24. What is the impact of river pollution on fish populations?
- a) Reduced reproduction rates
- b) Decline in fish populations
- c) Fish deaths
- d) All of the above
Answer: d) All of the above
25. What is the primary aim of the ‘Clean Ganga Fund’?
- a) To fund the Ganga Action Plan
- b) To create awareness about river pollution
- c) To support river conservation initiatives
- d) To set up wastewater treatment plants
Answer: c) To support river conservation initiatives
26. Which of the following is NOT a reason for river pollution in India?
- a) Untreated sewage discharge
- b) Industrial waste disposal
- c) Excessive river dredging
- d) Agricultural runoff
Answer: c) Excessive river dredging
27. Which of the following best describes the effect of river pollution on agriculture?
- a) Increased crop yields
- b) Reduced crop yields due to contamination
- c) Increased soil fertility
- d) No effect
Answer: b) Reduced crop yields due to contamination
28. Which river was declared the ‘most polluted river’ by the Central Pollution Control Board in 2018?
- a) Ganga
- b) Yamuna
- c) Mahanadi
- d) Godavari
Answer: b) Yamuna
29. Which of the following is a major river that has benefitted from the ‘Namami Gange’ programme?
- a) Narmada
- b) Ganga
- c) Brahmaputra
- d) Godavari
Answer: b) Ganga
30. Which of the following steps is essential for effective river pollution control?
- a) Promoting waste segregation
- b) Treating industrial effluents
- c) Raising public awareness
- d) All of the above
Answer: d) All of the above
