Three steps to minimize the environmental degradation caused by industrial development in India are: (i) Minimizing use of water for processing by reusing and recycling it in two or more successive stages. (ii) Harvesting of rain water to meet water requirements. (iii) Treating hot water and effluents before releasing them in rivers and ponds. (iv) Particulate matter in the air can be reduced by fitting smoke stacks to factories with electrostatic precipitators, fabric filters, scrubbers and inertial separators. (v) Smoke can be reduced by using oil or gas instead of coal in factories. (vi) Machinery and equipments can be used and generators should be fitted with silencers. (vii) Almost all machineries can be redesigned to increase energy efficiency and reduce noise.