Near a quarter of surface water in China is so impure that it is unfit even for industrial use, not to talk of drinking purposes, says environment watch dog.

Water samples lifted from country's major rivers and lakes on testing by inspectors from China's Ministry of Environmental Protection, were found to be 49.3% safe for drinking water supplies in China.

Water supplies in China are classified into six grades. The first three grades are considered safe for drinking and bathing. Another 26.4% categorized as IV and V, are fit only for use in industry and agriculture and the rest 24.3% in category VI unfit for any purpose.

Despite tougher regulations over the last decade, the ministry has struggled to rein in thousands of small paper mills, cement factories and chemical plants discharging industrial waste directly into the country's waterways. Over use of fertilizers has also left large sections of China's lakes and rivers choking with algae.

Maharashtra has the largest number of polluted river water stretches in the country. A list of polluted river stretches in the country drawn by the Central Pollution Control Board CPB on the basis of what it calls "water quality monitoring" has identified 26 such rivers in Maharashtra with 28 polluted stretches. Mula and Mutha in Pune, Kalu and Bhatsa in Thane and Mithi river in Mumbai, are among these stretches.

It is not only industrial pollution that degrades the quality of water in state rivers, the rapid urbanization across the state and domestic sewage also contribute to pollution.

Even a river like Kundalika, flowing through the Sahyadris in the Raigad district and popular with river rafters, now houses a polluted stretch. Similar is the case of Nira, a small tributary of Bhima in Solapur, and Kanhan, and a river flowing through Nagpur. These are being polluted by industrial and domestic effluents.

If rivers are to be saved, then pollution abetment schemes, such as interception, diversion and treatment of sewage, low cost sanitation works on river banks as well as electric or improved wood crematoria would have to be taken up urgently.

Leading polluters of the Manawatu River are executing a commitment to reduce pollutants and toxic waste that are pushed into the river. However, they do not know when and how all this would mature.

Cawthron Institute showed that under a system measuring oxygen changes in water, the river topped the list of 300 across North America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand.

A forum consisting of environmental groups, industry and agricultural representatives, council staff and community leaders, is busy in working out a solution to make Manawatu safe for humans and animals without harming region's economy. In all, 17 parties have consented to the wording of the Manawatu River Leaders Accord and each will ratify the same before publically signing it. The accord does not commit signatories to binding targets of reduced river pollution. Rather, it would commit them to a plan that will establish 'recommended' target and timeframes for improvements.

Life is in peril in French Alpine valley where a pocket of water big enough to fill 20 Olympic pools stands trapped inside a glacier on Mont Blanc and could burst any moment.

Researchers at the National Center for Scientific Research(CNRS) disclosed that 65000 cubic metres of water have been discovered inside the Tte-Rousse glacier that could explode and destroy everything in its path, including villages nearby and 200 people. The researcher never expected at all to find this pocket of water. This occurrence was very rare. Water in glaciers usually drains by naturally trickling away. In this case, the glacier has imprisoned very cold water with risks of exploding under pressure. Over 3000 people residing in the area have been warned off the danger.