Mention two rivers of India which are highly polluted.
Mention two rivers of India which are highly polluted.
Official answer
Two highly polluted rivers of India are the Ganga and the Yamuna.
Both rivers receive large volumes of untreated industrial effluent and domestic sewage along their densely populated and industrialised courses.
Marking scheme
- 1.1 mark for naming any two correctly, e.g., Ganga and Yamuna (Damodar, Sabarmati, or Musi also acceptable).
Hint
Think of the two most industrially polluted rivers of North India, both from case studies frequently discussed in NCERT.
Quick oral answer
Two highly polluted Indian rivers are the Ganga and the Yamuna, both burdened with untreated industrial effluents and domestic sewage.
Common mistakes
- 1.Naming rivers outside India (e.g., Thames, Rhine) instead of Indian rivers as the question specifies.
- 2.Naming only one river when two are required.
- 3.Confusing pollution causes with flooding or other unrelated river issues.
Analysis and explanation
This is a direct factual-recall question following the passage on industrial water pollution.
Why Ganga and Yamuna
- Both rivers flow through highly industrialised and densely populated stretches (e.g., Kanpur's leather tanneries on the Ganga, Delhi's industrial and domestic discharge into the Yamuna).
- They receive untreated effluents containing heavy metals, chemicals and sewage, matching the pollution mechanism described in the passage.
Other acceptable answers: Damodar, Sabarmati, or Musi, which are also commonly cited as heavily polluted Indian rivers, provided the reasoning matches industrial/domestic effluent discharge.
Exam tip: Named-example answers should be specific, well-known rivers directly linked to industrial pollution, not generic statements.
Interesting facts
The Namami Gange Programme, launched in 2014, is India's flagship mission to clean and rejuvenate the Ganga river.
The stretch of the Yamuna in Delhi carries over 70% of the river's total pollution load despite being a small fraction of its total length.
Kanpur's tanneries on the Ganga have historically been one of the largest single sources of chromium contamination in any Indian river.
Question details
Q23 of 36 questions
- Board
- CBSE
- Class
- Class 12
- Subject
- Geography
- Year
- 2026
- Section
- Section B
- Marks
- 1
- Chapter
- Water Resources
- Topic
- Water Pollution — Polluted Rivers of India
- Bloom's level
- remember
- Syllabus topic
- Part B Unit 4: India People and Economy — Water Resources: Water Pollution in India
- Author
- CBSE
- Reviewed by
- Padhantu Academic Team
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Frequently asked questions
Why are the Ganga and Yamuna among India's most polluted rivers?
They flow through heavily industrialised and densely populated regions that discharge large volumes of untreated industrial effluent and domestic sewage into them.
What government programme aims to clean the Ganga?
The Namami Gange Programme, launched in 2014, is India's major initiative to reduce pollution and rejuvenate the Ganga river.