(a) Discuss about the major programs that the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India, has initiated for saving major Indian rivers from pollution.
(b) Ganga has recently been declared the national river. Discuss the implication with respect to pollution of this river.
(a) The untreated sewage is often discharged directly into rivers leading to their pollution and increase in water-borne diseases. The Ministry of Environment and Forests has initiated Ganga Action Plan and Yamuna Action Plan to save these major rivers of our country from pollution. Under these plans, it is proposed to build a large number of sewage treatment plants so that only treated sewage may be discharged in the rivers.
(b) The Ganga is the largest river in India with an extraordinary religious ‘ importance for Hindus. Situated along its banks are some of the world's oldest inhabited cities like Varanasi and Patna. It provides water to about 40% of India's population across 11 states, serving an estimated population of 500 million people or more, which is larger than any other river in the world.
A number of initiatives have been undertaken to clean the river but failed to deliver desired results. After getting elected, India's Prime minister Narendra Modi affirmed to work for cleaning the river and controlling pollution. Subsequently, Namami Ganga project was announced by the Government in July 2014 budget. An estimated Rs 2,958 crores have been spent till July 2016 in various efforts to clean up the river.
Name a microbe used for statin production. How do statins lower blood cholesterol level?
Find out the role of microbes in the following and discuss it with your teacher.
(a) Single cell protein (SCP)
(b) Soil
Name the scientists who were credited for showing the role of Penicillin as an antibiotic.
In which way have microbes played a major role in controlling diseases caused by harmful bacteria?
What is the group of bacteria found in both the rumen of cattle and sludge of sewage treatment?
Microbes can be used to decrease the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Explain how this can be accomplished.
(a) Discuss about the major programs that the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India, has initiated for saving major Indian rivers from pollution.
(b) Ganga has recently been declared the national river. Discuss the implication with respect to pollution of this river.
In which food would you find lactic acid bacteria? Mention some of their useful applications.
(a) What would happen if a large volume of untreated sewage is discharged into a river?
(b) In what way anaerobic sludge digestion is important in sewage treatments?
Bacteria cannot be seen with the naked eyes, but these can be seen with the help of a microscope. If you have to carry a sample from your home to your biology laboratory to demonstrate the presence of microbes under a microscope, which sample would you carry and why?
Write the most important characteristic that Aspergillus niger, Clostridium butylicum and Lactobacillus share.
What would happen if our intestine harbours microbial flora exactly similar to that found in the rumen of cattle?
What roles do enzymes play in detergents that we use for washing clothes? Are these enzymes produced from some unique microorganisms?
Find out the name of the microbes from which Cyclosporin A (an immunosuppressive drug) and Statins (blood cholesterol lowering agents) are obtained.
Name some traditional Indian foods made of wheat, rice and Bengal gram (or their products) which involve use of microbes.
Three water samples namely river water, untreated sewage water and secondary effluent discharged from a sewage treatment plant were subjected to BOD test. The samples were labelled A, B and C; but the laboratory attendant did not note which was which. The BOD values of the three samples A, B and C were recorded as 20 mg/L, 8 mg/Land 400 mg/L, respectively. Which sample of the water is most polluted? Can you assign the correct label to each assuming the river water is relatively clean?
How has the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis helped us in controlling caterpillars of insect pests?
Arrange the following in the decreasing order (most important first) of their importance, for the welfare of human society. Give reasons for your answer.Biogas, Citric acid, Penicillin and Curd.
What is the chemical nature of biogas? Name an organism which is involved in biogas production.
Draw a diagrammatic sketch of biogas plant and label its various components given below: Gas Holder, Sludge Chamber, Digester, Dung+water chamber