Regional Research Station, CCS Haryana Agricultliral University, Karnal-132 001, India.
Discharging waste effluent in to rivers, streams and lakes may lead to serious water pollution. However the treated sewage water can be used for irrigation purposes. The variable results were obtained for the application of sewage and sludge in agricultural land depending upon treated or untreated effluent added to the land. Some of soil which have received sewage sludge showed accumulation of heavy metal while other did not show the accumulation. Similarly, some plant grown on soil which has received sewage sludge showed accumulation of heavy metals while other did not show the accumulation. Aerial contamination from automobile exhausts and presence of heavy metals as impurities in fertilizers and organo-chlorine compounds in agra-chemicals have also contributed in soil pollution. Growing of crops with polluted soil and water may lead to higher accumulation of metals and organo-chlorine residues in plants. Details of different range of industrial effluents and sewage/sludge available in India and their effect on soil, water and plants are presented in the paper. This paper aims to review the impact of various pollutants on Indian soil and water environment and their further effect on plant growth.
