journalINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENT AND HEALTH SCISVolume 8 Issue 1MultidisciplinaryEnglish2026NNY20260331ArticleA REVIEW ON HEAVY METAL POLLUTION IN RIVER BASINS DRIVEN BY AGRICULTURAL PRACTICESEnglishY113N.P.ChandniEnglishNK.S.DeveshEnglishYand SushmithaBaskarEnglishY10.47062/1190.0801.01River ecosystems are precious lifelines of any nation that drives economic activities and is crucial for human survival. But rivers are threatened with environmental pollution and a load of toxic substances. One of the main human-made causes of environmental pollution in river basins is farming, which includes using fertilisers and pesticides, livestock, fisheries and aquaculture. The presence of these contaminants impacts the riverine system in a devastating way. To meet the food needs of the growing population, enhanced crop yield is achieved through the extensive use of chemical-based fertilisers and pesticides. These leads to runoff from the agricultural sites to the river basins. In addition to the river water contamination, the sediments of the river retain these contaminants and accumulation of these further worsen the quality of the river systems. In India alone more than 350 river stretches contain heavy metals such as arsenic, chromium, zinc, cadmium. These advance the negative impacts in the environment including threatening the life forms and humans with different health impacts. The contaminating pollutants, their source and transport should be governed as to know whether their concentrations are within or above the standard limits. Different river systems that serve as major resources supporting livelihoods and connecting places should be considered, as their pollution can lead to deleterious effect at various levels. This calls for immediate action, stricter policies, and community involvement. This review paper details the heavy metal pollution in river basins caused mainly due to agricultural activities.EnglishAgriculture, river waterquality, pollutionhttps://journal.stenvironment.org/abstract?id=320References1619