: Life is intensely connected with water. Not only the mankind but all living organisms are dependent on water for their survival. However, changes in the lifestyle of modern man, overexploitation of natural resources through industrialisation, increased use of automobiles in transportation, significant advancements in technology and many other factors have led to an increase in production processes. Various types of harmful chemical and physical pollutants are released into the environment as byproducts during the manufacturing of various products. On the other hand, when enhanced amounts of organic and biomedical wastes are left in the open environment, their decomposition leads to the proliferation of germs. Ultimately, all these chemical, physical and biological substances enter the water in various ways and cause water pollution. While surface water is being heavily polluted, the groundwater pollution is also magnifying progressively. Similarly, coastal waters are getting polluted by pollutants of flowing water from land through rivers. Due to the use of such polluted water, humans, other organisms and aquatic creatures like fish are suffering from various health problems. In a seminar held under the auspices of the Orissa Environmental Society (OES), environment experts opined that raising awareness and protecting and cleaning water resources are crucial to prevent water pollution. The programme, held under the chairmanship of OES president Dr Sundara Narayana Patro, had former professor of the Department of Naval Architecture of IIT Kharagpur Dr Suresh Chandra Misra as the chief speaker. He explained that polluted water is harmful to public health and its use in domestic, commercial, industrial and agricultural sectors, including fish and aquaculture farms, is detrimental to all. In addition to multiple pollutants transported through river systems, other sources of coastal pollution include wastes from shipping operations, leaked oil, discarded fishing nets and other plastics, industrial, commercial, tourism and hotel wastes and illegal dumping of land-based wastes. If precautions are not taken in right earnest, the entire living world would face disastrous consequences of water pollution in future, Mishra warned. OES president Dr Patro emphasised that the need of the hour is to give adequate priority to pollution prevention in the developmental processes. In his welcome speech, secretary Dr Jayakrushna Panigrahi opined that the pollution of water resources due to lack of wisdom and sensitivity of the human society is leading to several serious health hazards, including cancer. Vice-president Dr Bijay Ketan Pattanaik introduced the guests and joint secretary Er Manoranjan Mishra presented a vote of thanks. Among others, Prof Krishna Chandra Sahu, Dr Sudhakar Kar, Dr VP Upadhyay, Er Narayan Mishra, Prof SP Adhikary, Dr Suravi Jain and Er Dillip Kumar Satpathy also spoke on the theme.

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