Journey of a River 5 The World Around Us Chapter 2 CBSE Notes 2025-26

Importance to People and Settlements For thousands of years, people have settled near me because I provide them with water for drinking, cooking, washing, and farming. My waters support their daily needs and help to grow crops in fields and vegetables in gardens.

Towns and villages along my course depend on me, and my water is used in homes, schools, and even factories. Water is transported from me to far-off areas by pipes and canals, sharing my life-giving resource with many.

• Provides water for drinking, farming, and daily activities
• Supports industries and factories using water for manufacturing
• Helps in growing crops along my fertile banks
• Sustains diverse plants and animals in forests and wetlands

Stories, Sacredness, and Festivals Many legends about me are found in ancient texts like the Ramayana and Puranas. I am often called the 'Dakshina Ganga', or Ganga of the South, and am considered sacred by millions. People gather at places like Nashik, especially during the Godavari Pushkaram festival, to take a holy dip in my waters, believing it purifies the body and spirit.

Wildlife and Ecological Importance On my banks are important reserved areas like Kawal Tiger Reserve and Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary. I contribute to the survival of a wide variety of species, including fish, turtles, birds, and rare trees. My delta at the Bay of Bengal supports unique mangrove ecosystems. Ecotourism is growing along my course, inviting people to learn about nature and wildlife respectfully without harming the environment.

• Notable wildlife areas: Kawal Tiger Reserve, Coringa Mangrove Forests, Pench National Park
• Home to various species, including tigers, deer, geckos, and aquatic life

Dams and Their Impact Over 900 dams are built on rivers like me to store water for use during dry times, help irrigate fields, and generate electricity. Some important dams along my course include the Sriram Sagar Project and Polavaram Dam. While dams can help many people, they also flood natural habitats and force people and animals to relocate. The creation of large reservoirs sometimes results in the loss of forests and ancestral land.

• Helps store water for dry seasons and generate electricity
• Alters flow and floods land, causing displacement

Pollution and Conservation As more cities and factories are built along my banks, pollution from plastic waste, dirty water, soaps, and chemicals enters my flow. This endangers animals like fish, turtles, and birds and makes my waters unsafe for people. Steps are being taken to reduce pollution by using eco-friendly products and encouraging people not to throw waste into my waters or on the land nearby.

Activities and experiments help children understand how pollution affects me. For example, mixing sugar and oil in water shows that some things dissolve, while others, like oil, stay and pollute. Fertilisers from fields can also cause too many plants to grow, covering my surface and making it hard for fish and other creatures to survive.

• Waste and chemicals harm aquatic life and make water unsafe
• Conservation efforts include cleaning drives and government schemes like Namami Gange
• Individual efforts—using less plastic, saving water, and spreading awareness

When Rivers Flood At times of heavy rainfall, my flow grows faster and larger, and I may overflow my banks, flooding lands, roads, houses, and fields. This can lead to great destruction, forcing people and animals to leave their homes.

Floods also break roads, spread diseases, stop electricity, and close schools. Flood safety tips recommend being prepared with emergency kits, listening to the news, and following evacuation orders. Trees along my banks help slow down rainwater and reduce flooding; cutting them down increases the risk.

Flood and Drought: Nature's Balance While floods bring destruction, droughts bring hardship too. If my flow dries up, people and animals have no water for days or even weeks, forcing some families to migrate for survival. In 2019, Chennai had to use water trains from other districts because its reservoirs dried up, while in contrast, some places see floods that can be just as damaging.

Saving and Using Water Wisely With increasing demand, saving water is crucial. Simple steps help: turning off the tap while brushing teeth, fixing leaks, using leftover water for plants, and reminding family and friends not to waste water. Programmes like the National Water Mission work to manage water better across India.

• Endeavour to use only as much as needed
• Fix leaking taps promptly
• Reuse water for plants where safe
• Educate others about water conservation

Fun Facts and Activities Did you know the Bhupen Hazarika Setu is India’s longest river bridge, stretching more than 9 km over the Brahmaputra? Or that Majuli in Assam is the world's largest river island? The Chenab Rail Bridge is also the highest railway arch bridge globally. Activities in the chapter encourage making posters about rivers, matching flood problems to outcomes, and experimenting with water to understand pollution and cleanliness.

Reflection and Personal Connection At the end of the chapter, questions prompt students to explore which rivers flow through their own state, what these rivers are used for, and stories or festivals related to rivers. There is also an opportunity to create new ideas and rules for protecting rivers, following the example of programmes like Namami Gange, which help keep rivers healthy for people and aquatic life, such as the Ganges river dolphin which uses sound to move because it is blind.

Class 5 EVS Chapter 2 Notes – Journey of a River: CBSE Key Points for Quick Revision

The Class 5 EVS Chapter 2 notes cover the main ideas about rivers, their importance, and the challenges they face. With easy explanations and key facts, these revision notes help students quickly understand topics like sources, tributaries, uses, pollution, and conservation of rivers.

Ideal for end-of-chapter study, these Journey of a River key points summarise the chapter and make it easier to remember important facts for tests. They also encourage students to reflect on local rivers and real-life conservation efforts.