Can you identify and name the various items used in making life comfortable in our villages and towns. List the items and name the material used in their making.
Everything available in our environment which can be used to satisfy our needs, provided, it is technologically accessible, economically feasible and culturally acceptable can be termed as ‘Resource’.
Fig. 1.1: Interdependent relationship between nature, technology and institutions
The process of transformation of things available in our environment involves an interactive relationship between nature, technology and institutions. Human beings interact with nature through technology and create institutions to accelerate their economic development.
Do you think that resources are free gifts of nature as is assumed by many? They are not. Resources are a function of human activities. Human beings themselves are essential components of resources. They transform material available in our environment into resources and use them. These resources can be classified in the following ways–
(a) On the basis of origin – biotic and abiotic
(b) On the basis of exhaustibility – renewable and non-renewable
(c) On the basis of ownership – individual, community, national and international
(d) On the basis of status of development – potential, developed stock and reserves.
Fig. 1.2: Classification of resources
DEVELOPMENT OF RESOURCES
Resources are vital for human survival as well as for maintaining the quality of life. It was believed that resources are free gifts of nature. As a result, human beings used them indiscriminately and this has led to the following major problems.
◦ Depletion of resources for satisfying the greed of a few individuals.
◦ Accumulation of resources in few hands, which, in turn, divided the society into two segments
i.e. haves and have nots or rich and poor.
◦ Indiscriminate exploitation of resources has led to global ecological crises such as, global warming, ozone layer depletion, environmental pollution and land degradation.
An equitable distribution of resources has become essential for a sustained quality of life and global peace. If the present trend of resource depletion by a few individuals and countries continues, the future of our planet is in danger. Therefore, resource planning is essential for sustainable existence of all forms of life. Sustainable existence is a component of sustainable development.
Sustainable development
Sustainable economic development means ‘development should take place without damaging the environment, and development in the present should not compromise with the needs of the future generations.’
Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit, 1992
In June 1992, more than 100 heads of states met in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, for the first International Earth Summit. The Summit was convened for addressing urgent problems of environmental protection and socio- economic development at the global level. The assembled leaders signed the Declaration on Global Climatic Change and Biological Diversity. The Rio Convention endorsed the global Forest Principles and adopted Agenda 21 for achieving Sustainable Development in the 21st century.
Agenda 21
It is the declaration signed by world leaders in 1992 at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), which took place at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It aims at achieving global sustainable development. It is an agenda to combat environmental damage, poverty, disease through global co-operation on common interests, mutual needs and shared responsibilities. One major objective of the Agenda 21 is that every local government should draw its own local Agenda 21.
RESOURCE PLANNING
Planning is the widely accepted strategy for judicious use of resources. It has importance in a country like India, which has enormous diversity in the availability of resources. There are regions which are rich in certain types of resources but are deficient in some other resources. There are some regions which can be considered self sufficient in terms of the availability of resources and there are some regions which have acute shortage of some vital resources. For example, the states of Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh are rich in minerals and coal deposits. Arunachal Pradesh has abundance of water resources but lacks in infrastructural development. The state of Rajasthan is very well endowed with solar and wind energy but lacks in water resources. The cold desert of Ladakh is relatively isolated from the rest of the country. It has very rich cultural heritage but it is deficient in water, infrastructure and some vital minerals. This calls for balanced resource planning at the national, state, regional and local levels.
Resource Planning in India
Resource planning is a complex process which involves : (i) identification and inventory of resources across the regions of the country. This involves surveying, mapping and qualitative and quantitative estimation and measurement of the resources. (ii) Evolving a planning structure endowed with appropriate technology, skill and institutional set up for implementing resource development plans. (iii) Matching the resource development plans with overall national development plans.
India has made concerted efforts for achieving the goals of resource planning right from the First Five Year Plan launched after Independence.
The availability of resources is a necessary condition for the development of any region, but mere availability of resources in the absence of corresponding changes in technology and institutions may hinder development. There are many regions in our country that are rich in resources but these are included in economically backward regions. On the contrary there are some regions which have a poor resource base but they are economically developed.
Can you name some resource rich but economically backward regions and some resource poor but economically developed regions? Give reasons for such a situation.
The history of colonisation reveals that rich resources in colonies were the main attractions for the foreign invaders. It was primarily the higher level of technological development of the colonising countries that helped them to exploit resources of other regions and establish their supremacy over the colonies. Therefore, resources can contribute to development only when they are accompanied by appropriate technological development and institutional changes. India has experienced all this in different phases of colonisation. Therefore, in India, development, in general, and resource development in particular does not only involve the availability of resources, but also the technology, quality of human resources and the historical experiences of the people.
Conservation of Resources: Resources are vital for any developmental activity. But irrational consumption and over-utilisation of resources may lead to socio-economic and environmental problems. To overcome these problems, resource conservation at various levels is important. This had been the main concern of the leaders and thinkers in the past. For example, Gandhiji was very apt in voicing his concern about resource conservation in these words: “There is enough for everybody’s need and not for any body’s greed.” He placed the greedy and selfish individuals and exploitative nature of modern technology as the root cause for resource depletion at the global level. He was against mass production and wanted to replace it with the production by the masses.
At the international level, the Club of Rome advocated resource conservation for the first time in a more systematic way in 1968. Subsequently, in 1974, Gandhian philosophy was once again presented by Schumacher in his book Small is Beautiful. The seminal contribution with respect to resource conservation at the global level was made by the Brundtland Commission Report, 1987. This report introduced the concept of ‘Sustainable Development’ and advocated it as a means for resource conservation, which was subsequently published in a book entitled Our Common Future. Another significant contribution was made at the Earth Summit at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 1992.
LAND RESOURCES
We live on land, we perform our economic activities on land and we use it in different ways. Thus, land is a natural resource of utmost importance. It supports natural vegetation, wild life, human life, economic activities, transport and communication systems. However, land is an asset of a finite magnitude, therefore, it is important to use the available land for various purposes with careful planning.
India has land under a variety of relief features, namely; mountains, plateaus, plains and islands. About 43 per cent of the land area is plain, which provides facilities for agriculture and industry. Mountains account for 30 per cent of the total surface area of the country and ensure perennial flow of some rivers, provide facilities for tourism and ecological aspects. About 27 per cent of the area of the country is the plateau region. It possesses rich reserves of minerals, fossil fuels and forests.
Fig 1.3: India : Land under important Relief Features
LAND UTILISATION
Land resources are used for the following purposes:
1. Forests
2. Land not available for cultivation
(a) Barren and waste land
(b) Land put to non-agricultural uses, e.g. buildings, roads, factories, etc.
3. Other uncultivated land (excluding fallow land)
(a) Permanent pastures and grazing land,
(b) Land under miscellaneous tree crops groves (not included in net sown area),
(c) Cultruable waste land (left uncultivated for more than 5 agricultural years).
4. Fallow lands
(a) Current fallow-(left without cultivation for one or less than one agricultural year),
(b) Other than current fallow-(left uncultivated for the past 1 to 5 agricultural years).
5. Net sown area the physical extent of land on which crops are sown harvested is known as net sown area.
Area sown more than once in an agricultural year plus net sown area is known as gross cropped area.
Source : Directorate of Economics and Statistics, Ministry of Agriculture, 2017
Fig. 1.4
LAND USE PATTERN IN INDIA
The use of land is determined both by physical factors such as topography, climate, soil types as well as human factors such as population density, technological capability and culture and traditions etc.
Total geographical area of India is 3.28 million sq km. Land use data, however, is available only for 93 per cent of the total geographical area because the land use reporting for most of the north-east states except Assam has not been done fully. Moreover, some areas of Jammu and Kashmir occupied by Pakistan and China have also not been surveyed.
The land under permanent pasture has also decreased. How are we able to feed our huge cattle population on this pasture land and what are the consequences of it? Most of the other than the current fallow lands are either of poor quality or the cost of cultivation of such land is very high. Hence, these lands are cultivated once or twice in about two to three years and if these are included in the net sown area then the percentage of NSA in India comes to about 54 per cent of the total reporting area.
The pattern of net sown area varies greatly from one state to another. It is over 80 per cent of the total area in Punjab and Haryana and less than 10 per cent in Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Manipur and Andaman Nicobar Islands.
Find out reasons for the low proportion of net sown area in these states.
Forest area in the country is far lower than the desired 33 per cent of geographical area, as it was outlined in the National Forest Policy (1952). It was considered essential for maintenance of the ecological balance. The livelihood of millions of people who live on the fringes of these forests depends upon it. A part of the land is termed as waste land and land put to other non-agricultural uses. Waste land includes rocky, arid and desert areas and land put to other non-agricultural uses includes settlements, roads, railways, industry etc. Continuous use of land over a long period of time without taking appropriate measures to conserve and manage it, has resulted in land degradation. This, in turn, has serious repercussions on society and the environment.
LAND DEGRADATION AND CONSERVATION MEASURES
We have shared our land with the past generations and will have to do so with the future generations too. Ninety-five per cent of our basic needs for food, shelter and clothing are obtained from land. Human activities have not only brought about degradation of land but have also aggravated the pace of natural forces to cause damage to land.
Some human activities such as deforestation, over grazing, mining and quarrying too have contributed significantly in land degradation.
Mining sites are abandoned after excavation work is complete leaving deep scars and traces of over-burdening. In states like Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha deforestation due to mining have caused severe land degradation. In states like Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra overgrazing is one of the main reasons for land degradation. In the states of Punjab, Haryana, western Uttar Pradesh, over irrigation is responsible for land degradation due to water logging leading to increase in salinity and alkalinity in the soil. The mineral processing like grinding of limestone for cement industry and calcite and soapstone for ceramic industry generate huge quantity of dust in the atmosphere. It retards the process of infiltration of water into the soil after it settles down on the land. In recent years, industrial effluents as waste have become a major source of land and water pollution in many parts of the country.
There are many ways to solve the problems of land degradation. Afforestation and proper management of grazing can help to some extent. Planting of shelter belts of plants, control on over grazing, stabilisation of sand dunes by growing thorny bushes are some of the methods to check land degradation in arid areas. Proper management of waste lands, control of mining activities, proper discharge and disposal of industrial effluents and wastes after treatment can reduce land and water degradation in industrial and suburban areas.
SOIL AS A RESOURCE
Soil is the most important renewable natural resource. It is the medium of plant growth and supports different types of living organisms on the earth. The soil is a living system. It takes millions of years to form soil upto a few cm in depth. Relief, parent rock or bed rock, climate, vegetation and other forms of life and time are important factors in the formation of soil. Various forces of nature such as change in temperature, actions of running water, wind and glaciers, activities of decomposers etc. contribute to the formation of soil. Chemical and organic changes which take place in the soil are equally important. Soil also consists of organic (humus) and inorganic materials (Fig. 1.5).
On the basis of the factors responsible for soil formation, colour, thickness, texture, age, chemical and physical properties, the soils of India are classified in different types.
Fig. 1.5: Soil Profile
Classification of Soils
India has varied relief features, landforms, climatic realms and vegetation types. These have contributed in the development of various types of soils.
India: Major Soil Types
Alluvial Soils
This is the most widely spread and important soil. In fact, the entire northern plains are made of alluvial soil. These have been deposited by three important Himalayan river systems– the Indus, the Ganga and the Brahmaputra. These soils also extend in Rajasthan and Gujarat through a narrow corridor. Alluvial soil is also found in the eastern coastal plains particularly in the deltas of the Mahanadi, the Godavari, the Krishna and the Kaveri rivers.
Fig. 1.6: Alluvial Soil
The alluvial soil consists of various proportions of sand, silt and clay. As we move inlands towards the river valleys, soil particles appear some what bigger in size. In the upper reaches of the river valley i.e. near the place of the break of slope, the soils are coarse. Such soils are more common in piedmont plains such as Duars, Chos and Terai.
Apart from the size of their grains or components, soils are also described on the basis of their age. According to their age alluvial soils can be classified as old alluvial (Bangar) and new alluvial (Khadar). The bangar soil has higher concentration of kanker nodules than the Khadar. It has more fine particles and is more fertile than the bangar.
Alluvial soils as a whole are very fertile. Mostly these soils contain adequate proportion of potash, phosphoric acid and lime which are ideal for the growth of sugarcane, paddy, wheat and other cereal and pulse crops. Due to its high fertility, regions of alluvial soils are intensively cultivated and densely populated. Soils in the drier areas are more alkaline and can be productive after proper treatment and irrigation.
Black Soil
These soils are black in colour and are also known as regur soils. Black soil is ideal for growing cotton and is also known as black cotton soil. It is believed that climatic condition along with the parent rock material are the important factors for the formation of black soil. This type of soil is typical of the Deccan trap (Basalt) region spread over northwest Deccan plateau and is made up of lava flows. They cover the plateaus of Maharashtra, Saurashtra, Malwa, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh and extend in the south east direction along the Godavari and the Krishna valleys.
Fig. 1.7: Black Soil
The black soils are made up of extremely fine i.e. clayey material. They are well-known for their capacity to hold moisture. In addition, they are rich in soil nutrients, such as calcium carbonate, magnesium, potash and lime. These soils are generally poor in phosphoric contents. They develop deep cracks during hot weather, which helps in the proper aeration of the soil. These soils are sticky when wet and difficult to work on unless tilled immediately after the first shower or during the pre-monsoon period.
Red and Yellow Soils
Red soil develops on crystalline igneous rocks in areas of low rainfall in the eastern and southern parts of the Deccan plateau. Yelllow and red soils are also found in parts of Odisha, Chhattisgarh, southern parts of the middle Ganga plain and along the piedmont zone of the Western Ghats. These soils develop a reddish colour due to diffusion of iron in crystalline and metamorphic rocks. It looks yellow when it occurs in a hydrated form.
Laterite Soil
Laterite has been derived from the Latin word ‘later’ which means brick. The laterite soil develops under tropical and subtropical climate with alternate wet and dry season. This soil is the result of intense leaching due to heavy rain. Lateritic soils are mostly deep to very deep, acidic (pH<6.0), generally deficient in plant nutrients and occur mostly in southern states, Western Ghats region of Maharashtra, Odisha, some parts of West Bengal and North-east regions. Where these soils support deciduous and evergreen forests, it is humus rich, but under sparse vegetation and in semi-arid environment, it is generally humus poor. They are prone to erosion and degradation due to their position on the landscape. After adopting appropriate soil conservation techniques particularly in the hilly areas of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, this soil is very useful for growing tea and coffee. Red laterite soils in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala are more suitable for crops like cashew nut.
Fig. 1.8: Laterite Soil
Arid Soils
Arid soils range from red to brown in colour. They are generally sandy in texture and saline in nature. In some areas the salt content is very high and common salt is obtained by evaporating the water. Due to the dry climate, high temperature, evaporation is faster and the soil lacks humus and moisture. The lower horizons of the soil are occupied by Kankar because of the increasing calcium content downwards. The Kankar layer formations in the bottom horizons restrict the infiltration of water. After proper irrigation these soils become cultivable as has been in the case of western Rajasthan.
Forest Soils
These soils are found in the hilly and mountainous areas where sufficient rain forests are available. The soils texture varies according to the mountain environment where they are formed. They are loamy and silty in valley sides and coarse grained in the upper slopes. In the snow covered areas of Himalayas, these soils experience denudation and are acidic with low humus content. The soils found in the lower parts of the valleys particularly on the river terraces and alluvial fans are fertile.
Soil Erosion and Soil Conservation
The denudation of the soil cover and subsequent washing down is described as soil erosion. The processes of soil formation and erosion, go on simultaneously and generally there is a balance between the two. Sometimes, this balance is disturbed due to human activities like deforestation, over-grazing, construction and mining etc., while natural forces like wind, glacier and water lead to soil erosion. The running water cuts through the clayey soils and makes deep channels as gullies. The land becomes unfit for cultivation and is known as bad land. In the Chambal basin such lands are called ravines. Sometimes water flows as a sheet over large areas down a slope. In such cases the top soil is washed away. This is known as sheet erosion. Wind blows loose soil off flat or sloping land known as wind erosion. Soil erosion is also caused due to defective methods of farming. Ploughing in a wrong way i.e. up and down the slope form channels for the quick flow of water leading to soil erosion.
Ploughing along the contour lines can decelerate the flow of water down the slopes. This is called contour ploughing. Steps can be cut out on the slopes making terraces. Terrace cultivation restricts erosion. Western and central Himalayas have well developed terrace farming. Large fields can be divided into strips. Strips of grass are left to grow between the crops. This breaks up the force of the wind. This method is known as strip cropping. Planting lines of trees to create shelter also works in a similar way. Rows of such trees are called shelter belts. These shelter belts have contributed significantly to the stabilisation of sand dunes and in stabilising the desert in western India.
Fig. 1.10: Soil Erosion
Fig. 1.11: Gully Erosion
Activity 1
Prepare a list of stock and reserve, resources that you are familiar with from your local area.
Activity 2
Imagine, if the oil supply gets exhausted one day, how would this affect our life style?
Plan a survey in your colony/village to investigate people’s attitude towards recycling of the domestic/agricultural wastes. Ask questions about :
What do they think about resources they use?
What is their opinion about the wastes, and its utilisation?
Collage your results.
Activity 3
Prepare a list of resources found in your state and also identify the resources that are important but deficit in your state.
Activity 4
What resources are being developed in your surroundings by the community/village panchayats/ward level communities with the help of community participation?
Activity 5
Try to do a comparison between the two pie charts (Fig. 1.4 ) given for land use and find out why the net sown area and the land under forests have changed from 1960-61 to 2014-15 very marginally.
Questions
1. Multiple choice questions.
(i) Which one of the following is the main cause of land degradation in Punjab?
(a) Intensive cultivation (c) Over irrigation
(b) Deforestation (d) Overgrazing
(ii) In which one of the following states is terrace cultivation practised?
(a) Punjab (c) Haryana
(b) Plains of Uttar Pradesh (d) Uttarakhand
(iii) In which of the following states black soil is predominantly found?
(a) Uttar Pradesh (c) Rajasthan
(b) Maharashtra (d) Jharkhand
2. Answer the following questions in about 30 words.
(i) Name three states having black soil and the crop which is mainly grown in it.
(ii) What type of soil is found in the river deltas of the eastern coast? Give three main features of this type of soil.
(iii) What steps can be taken to control soil erosion in the hilly areas?
3. Answer the following questions in about 120 words.
(i) Explain land use pattern in India and why has the land under forest not increased much since 1960-61?
(ii) How have technical and economic development led to more consumption of resources?
PROJECT/ACTIVITY
1. Make a project showing consumption and conservation of resources in your locality.
2. Have a discussion in the class – how to conserve various resources used in your school.
3. Imagine if oil supplies get exhausted, how will this affect our life style?
4. Solve the puzzle by following your search horizontally and vertically to find the hidden answers.
(i) Natural endowments in the form of land, water, vegetation and minerals.
(ii) A type of non-renewable resource.
(iii) Soil with high water retaining capacity.
(iv) Intensively leached soils of the monsoon climate.
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(i) Natural endowments in the form of land, water, vegetation and minerals.
(ii) A type of non-renewable resource.
(iii) Soil with high water retaining capacity.
(iv) Intensively leached soils of the monsoon climate.
(v) Plantation of trees on a large scale to check soil erosion.
(vi) The Great Plains of India are made up of these soils.
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Additional Questions
MCQ:
1. What is the term used for land left without cultivation for one agricultural year or less?
a. Permanent pasture land
b. Current fallow land
c. Barren land
d. Other than current fallow land
2. In which state are the states of Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh mentioned as rich in minerals and coal deposits?
a. Rajasthan
b. Maharashtra
c. Gujarat
d. Uttar Pradesh
3. According to the essay, what is the primary purpose of the Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit in 1992?
a. Addressing urgent problems of environmental protection
b. Promoting economic development
c. Ensuring equitable distribution of resources
d. Advocating for global peace
4. Which term is used for the process of creating terraces on slopes to prevent soil erosion?
a. Contour ploughing
b. Afforestation
c. Terrace farming
d. Strip cropping
5. What is the classification of resources based on the status of development?
a. Potential, developed stock, and reserves
b. Biotic and abiotic
c. Renewable and non-renewable
d. Individual, community, national, and international
6. According to the essay, what is the significance of the Club of Rome's advocacy for resource conservation in 1968?
a. It led to the establishment of Agenda 21.
b. It introduced the concept of sustainable development.
c. It promoted mass production.
d. It advocated for resource depletion.
7. What term is used for land left without cultivation for more than one agricultural year but less than five years?
a. Current fallow land
b. Permanent pasture land
c. Barren land
d. Other than current fallow land
8. Which state in India is mentioned as having a rich cultural heritage but is deficient in water, infrastructure, and some vital minerals?
a. Rajasthan
b. Arunachal Pradesh
c. Gujarat
d. Ladakh
9. According to the essay, what is the primary objective of Agenda 21?
a. Achieving global sustainable development
b. Ensuring resource depletion
c. Promoting mass production
d. Supporting environmental pollution
10. What term is used for the medium of plant growth and support for different types of living organisms on the earth?
a. Air
b. Water
c. Soil
d. Vegetation
11. In which region of India are black soils ideal for growing cotton and known as regur soils?
a. Deccan plateau
b. Gangetic plains
c. Western Ghats
d. Himalayas
12. According to the essay, what is the result of over-irrigation in states like Punjab, Haryana, and western Uttar Pradesh?
a. Desertification
b. Water scarcity
c. Land degradation
d. Soil enrichment
13. What is the term used for the physical extent of land on which crops are sown and harvested?
a. Gross cropped area
b. Net sown area
c. Fallow land
d. Barren land
14. Which event took place in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, addressing urgent problems of environmental protection and socio-economic development?
a. G7 Summit
b. Paris Agreement
c. Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit
d. Kyoto Protocol
15. According to the essay, what has contributed significantly to the stabilization of sand dunes and the desert in western India?
a. Overgrazing
b. Afforestation
c. Strip cropping
d. Contour ploughing
16. What term is used for the overall decrease in forest area in the country, as outlined in the National Forest Policy (1952)?
a. Forest conservation
b. Forest degradation
c. Forest enrichment
d. Forest depletion
17. Which region in India is mentioned as possessing rich reserves of minerals, fossil fuels, and forests?
a. Gangetic plains
b. Western Ghats
c. Himalayas
d. Plateaus
18. According to the essay, what are the primary consequences of indiscriminate exploitation of resources?
a. Economic prosperity
b. Environmental conservation
c. Depletion of resources
d. Equitable distribution of resources
19. What is the term used for land put to non-agricultural uses, such as buildings, roads, and factories?
a. Barren land
b. Current fallow land
c. Culturable waste land
d. Non-cultivated land
20. What term is used for the declaration signed by world leaders in 1992 at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development?
a. Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit
b. Kyoto Protocol
c. Paris Agreement
d. Agenda 21
According to the essay, what are the major problems resulting from the indiscriminate use of resources?
a. Economic prosperity
b. Environmental conservation
c. Depletion of resources
d. Equitable distribution of resources
What term is used for land left without cultivation for more than one agricultural year but less than five years?
a. Permanent pasture land
b. Current fallow land
c. Barren land
d. Other than current fallow land
According to the essay, what is essential for global peace and the sustained quality of life?
a. Indiscriminate exploitation of resources
b. Accumulation of resources in few hands
c. Equitable distribution of resources
d. Depletion of resources
What term is used for the declaration signed by world leaders in 1992 at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development?
a. Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit
b. Kyoto Protocol
c. Paris Agreement
d. Agenda 21
According to the essay, what is the main concern of the Club of Rome's advocacy for resource conservation in 1968?
a. Mass production
b. Global warming
c. Sustainable development
d. Resource depletion
What term is used for the process of creating terraces on slopes to prevent soil erosion?
a. Contour ploughing
b. Afforestation
c. Terrace farming
d. Strip cropping
In which region of India are black soils ideal for growing cotton and known as regur soils?
a. Deccan plateau
b. Gangetic plains
c. Western Ghats
d. Himalayas
According to the essay, what is the result of over-irrigation in states like Punjab, Haryana, and western Uttar Pradesh?
a. Desertification
b. Water scarcity
c. Land degradation
d. Soil enrichment
What is the term used for the physical extent of land on which crops are sown and harvested?
a. Gross cropped area
b. Net sown area
c. Fallow land
d. Barren land
Which event took place in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, addressing urgent problems of environmental protection and socio-economic development?
a. G7 Summit
b. Paris Agreement
c. Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit
d. Kyoto Protocol
What is the term used for land left without cultivation for one agricultural year or less?
a. Permanent pasture land
b. Current fallow land
c. Barren land
d. Other than current fallow land
In which state are the states of Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh mentioned as rich in minerals and coal deposits?
a. Rajasthan
b. Maharashtra
c. Gujarat
d. Uttar Pradesh
According to the essay, what is the primary purpose of the Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit in 1992?
a. Addressing urgent problems of environmental protection
b. Promoting economic development
c. Ensuring equitable distribution of resources
d. Advocating for global peace
Which term is used for the process of creating terraces on slopes to prevent soil erosion?
a. Contour ploughing
b. Afforestation
c. Terrace farming
d. Strip cropping
What is the classification of resources based on the status of development?
a. Potential, developed stock, and reserves
b. Biotic and abiotic
c. Renewable and non-renewable
d. Individual, community, national, and international
According to the essay, what is the significance of the Club of Rome's advocacy for resource conservation in 1968?
a. It led to the establishment of Agenda 21.
b. It introduced the concept of sustainable development.
c. It promoted mass production.
d. It advocated for resource depletion.
What term is used for land left without cultivation for more than one agricultural year but less than five years?
a. Current fallow land
b. Permanent pasture land
c. Barren land
d. Other than current fallow land
Which state in India is mentioned as having a rich cultural heritage but is deficient in water, infrastructure, and some vital minerals?
a. Rajasthan
b. Arunachal Pradesh
c. Gujarat
d. Ladakh
According to the essay, what is the primary objective of Agenda 21?
a. Achieving global sustainable development
b. Ensuring resource depletion
c. Promoting mass production
d. Supporting environmental pollution
What term is used for the medium of plant growth and support for different types of living organisms on the earth?
a. Air
b. Water
c. Soil
d. Vegetation
In which region of India are black soils ideal for growing cotton and known as regur soils?
a. Deccan plateau
b. Gangetic plains
c. Western Ghats
d. Himalayas
According to the essay, what is the result of over-irrigation in states like Punjab, Haryana, and western Uttar Pradesh?
a. Desertification
b. Water scarcity
c. Land degradation
d. Soil enrichment
What is the term used for the physical extent of land on which crops are sown and harvested?
a. Gross cropped area
b. Net sown area
c. Fallow land
d. Barren land
Which event took place in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, addressing urgent problems of environmental protection and socio-economic development?
a. G7 Summit
b. Paris Agreement
c. Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit
d. Kyoto Protocol
According to the essay, what has contributed significantly to the stabilization of sand dunes and the desert in western India?
a. Overgrazing
b. Afforestation
c. Strip cropping
d. Contour ploughing
What term is used for the overall decrease in forest area in the country, as outlined in the National Forest Policy (1952)?
a. Forest conservation
b. Forest degradation
c. Forest enrichment
d. Forest depletion
Which region in India is mentioned as possessing rich reserves of minerals, fossil fuels, and forests?
a. Gangetic plains
b. Western Ghats
c. Himalayas
d. Plateaus
According to the essay, what are the primary consequences of indiscriminate exploitation of resources?
a. Economic prosperity
b. Environmental conservation
c. Depletion of resources
d. Equitable distribution of resources
What is the term used for land put to non-agricultural uses, such as buildings, roads, and factories?
a. Barren land
b. Current fallow land
c. Culturable waste land
d. Non-cultivated land
What term is used for the declaration signed by world leaders in 1992 at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development?
a. Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit
b. Kyoto Protocol
c. Paris Agreement
d. Agenda 21
According to the essay, what are the major problems resulting from the indiscriminate use of resources?
a. Economic prosperity
b. Environmental conservation
c. Depletion of resources
d. Equitable distribution of resources
What term is used for land left without cultivation for more than one agricultural year but less than five years?
a. Permanent pasture land
b. Current fallow land
c. Barren land
d. Other than current fallow land
According to the essay, what is essential for global peace and the sustained quality of life?
a. Indiscriminate exploitation of resources
b. Accumulation of resources
c. Equitable distribution of resources
d. Rapid economic development
What is the primary factor responsible for the formation of laterite soil?
a. Parent rock material
b. Climate
c. Vegetation
d. Human activities
How are soil and water resources interconnected, as mentioned in the essay?
a. Soil erosion leads to water accumulation.
b. Soil fertility depends on water availability.
c. Water scarcity causes soil degradation.
d. Soil erosion contributes to water pollution.
What event took place in June 1992, addressing urgent problems of environmental protection and socio-economic development at the global level?
a. G7 Summit
b. Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit
c. Paris Agreement
d. Kyoto Protocol
According to the essay, what are the major problems resulting from the indiscriminate use of resources?
a. Economic prosperity
b. Environmental conservation
c. Depletion of resources
d. Equitable distribution of resources
What term is used for land left without cultivation for more than one agricultural year but less than five years?
a. Permanent pasture land
b. Current fallow land
c. Barren land
d. Other than current fallow land
What is the term used for land left uncultivated for more than five agricultural years?
a. Fallow land
b. Barren land
c. Arid land
d. Culturable waste land
What is the primary purpose of strip cropping?
a. Increasing soil erosion
b. Maximizing crop yield
c. Breaking up the force of the wind
d. Promoting waterlogging
What term is used for the physical extent of land on which crops are sown and harvested?
a. Gross cropped area
b. Net sown area
c. Fallow land
d. Barren land
Which state in India is considered self-sufficient in terms of water resources but lacks in infrastructural development?
a. Jharkhand
b. Arunachal Pradesh
c. Rajasthan
d. Chhattisgarh
In what region of India is terrace farming well-developed?
a. Western Ghats
b. Gangetic plains
c. Deccan plateau
d. Himalayas
According to the essay, what is the result of the running water cutting through clayey soils?
a. Sheet erosion
b. Gully erosion
c. Wind erosion
d. Desertification
Which state in India is known for its abundance of water resources but lacks in infrastructural development?
a. Punjab
b. Arunachal Pradesh
c. Rajasthan
d. Gujarat
What is the term used to describe the overall decrease in forest area in the country?
a. Forest conservation
b. Forest degradation
c. Forest enrichment
d. Forest depletion
How is the availability of resources classified on the basis of ownership?
a. Individual, community, national, and international
b. Renewable and non-renewable
c. Potential, developed stock, and reserves
d. Biotic and abiotic
Which soil type is rich in soil nutrients such as calcium carbonate, magnesium, potash, and lime?
a. Laterite soil
b. Black soil
c. Red soil
d. Arid soil
What term is used for land that is left without cultivation for one or less than one agricultural year?
a. Current fallow land
b. Barren land
c. Permanent pasture land
d. Culturable waste land
What method can be used to stabilize sand dunes and desert areas?
a. Overgrazing
b. Afforestation
c. Strip cropping
d. Contour ploughing
What is the term used for land that is left uncultivated for more than one agricultural year but less than five years?
a. Current fallow land
b. Permanent pasture land
c. Barren land
d. Other than current fallow land
According to the essay, what is the primary factor for the formation of black soil in the Deccan trap region?
a. Climate
b. Vegetation
c. Parent rock material
d. Human activities
What is the term used for the process of cutting steps on slopes to restrict soil erosion?
a. Sheet erosion
b. Gully erosion
c. Contour ploughing
d. Terrace farming
Which type of soil is found in areas of low rainfall in the eastern and southern parts of the Deccan plateau?
a. Black soil
b. Red soil
c. Laterite soil
d. Arid soil
How is the pattern of net sown area distributed across different states in India, according to the essay?
a. It is uniform across all states.
b. It varies greatly from one state to another.
c. It is highest in northeastern states.
d. It is lowest in southern states.
What is the significance of shelter belts in the context of soil conservation?
a. They increase soil erosion.
b. They promote desertification.
c. They contribute to the stabilization of sand dunes.
d. They accelerate waterlogging.
In which Himalayan region do these soils experience denudation and have low humus content?
a. Eastern Himalayas
b. Western Himalayas
c. Central Himalayas
d. Southern Himalayas
Which international event endorsed the global Forest Principles and adopted Agenda 21 for sustainable development?
a. Kyoto Protocol
b. Paris Agreement
c. Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit
d. United Nations General Assembly
What is the term used for land put to non-agricultural uses, such as buildings, roads, and factories?
a. Barren land
b. Current fallow land
c. Culturable waste land
d. Non-cultivated land
What is the term used for the declaration signed by world leaders in 1992 at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development?
a. Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit
b. Kyoto Protocol
c. Paris Agreement
d. Agenda 21
According to the essay, what are the primary factors in the formation of soil?
a. Human activities
b. Change in temperature, actions of running water, wind, and glaciers
c. Technological development
d. Economic conditions
Which region in India is known for its rich reserves of minerals, fossil fuels, and forests?
a. Gangetic plains
b. Western Ghats
c. Himalayas
d. Plateaus
What event took place in June 1992, addressing urgent problems of environmental protection and socio-economic development at the global level?
a. G7 Summit
b. Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit
c. Paris Agreement
d. Kyoto Protocol
According to the essay, what are the major problems resulting from the indiscriminate use of resources?
a. Economic prosperity
b. Environmental conservation
c. Depletion of resources
d. Equitable distribution of resources
What term is used for land left without cultivation for more than one agricultural year but less than five years?
a. Permanent pasture land
b. Current fallow land
c. Barren land
d. Other than current fallow land
According to the essay, what is essential for global peace and the sustained quality of life?
a. Indiscriminate exploitation of resources
b. Accumulation of resources
c. Equitable distribution of resources
d. Rapid economic development
What is the primary factor responsible for the formation of laterite soil?
a. Parent rock material
b. Climate
c. Vegetation
d. Human activities
How are soil and water resources interconnected, as mentioned in the essay?
a. Soil erosion leads to water accumulation.
b. Soil fertility depends on water availability.
c. Water scarcity causes soil degradation.
d. Soil erosion contributes to water pollution.
What term is used to describe everything available in our environment that can be used to satisfy our needs?
a. Resource
b. Material
c. Element
d. Object
According to the essay, what are resources a function of?
a. Human activities
b. Natural occurrences
c. Economic conditions
d. Cultural preferences
How are resources classified on the basis of origin?
a. Renewable and non-renewable
b. Biotic and abiotic
c. Individual, community, national, and international
d. Potential, developed stock, and reserves
What major problems have resulted from the indiscriminate use of resources?
a. Resource abundance
b. Global warming
c. Economic prosperity
d. Environmental conservation
What is essential for sustainable existence and global peace?
a. Indiscriminate exploitation
b. Equitable distribution of resources
c. Depletion of resources
d. Accumulation of resources
What does sustainable economic development mean?
a. Development without technology
b. Development without damaging the environment
c. Rapid economic growth
d. Unlimited resource consumption
What event took place in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, addressing urgent environmental and socio-economic issues?
a. World Economic Forum
b. G7 Summit
c. Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit
d. United Nations General Assembly
What is Agenda 21, as mentioned in the essay?
a. A global environmental treaty
b. A plan for achieving sustainable development
c. An economic development program
d. A political alliance
What is the widely accepted strategy for judicious use of resources?
a. Resource exploitation
b. Resource depletion
c. Resource planning
d. Resource accumulation
What does resource planning involve in India?
a. Identification and inventory of resources
b. Evolving a planning structure
c. Matching resource development plans with national development plans
d. All of the above
According to the essay, which states in India are rich in minerals and coal deposits?
a. Punjab and Haryana
b. Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh
c. Arunachal Pradesh
d. Rajasthan
What is the main concern of resource conservation, as mentioned by Gandhiji?
a. Mass production
b. Mass consumption
c. Greed and selfishness
d. Technological development
In the context of soil erosion, what is contour ploughing?
a. Ploughing in a straight line
b. Ploughing along the contour lines of the land
c. Ploughing against the slope
d. Ploughing in circles
What is the term used to describe the denudation of the soil cover and subsequent washing down?
a. Soil conservation
b. Soil degradation
c. Soil erosion
d. Soil enrichment
Which region in India is known for its black cotton soil?
a. Western Ghats
b. Deccan plateau
c. Gangetic plains
d. Himalayan region
How is the concept of sustainable development defined in the essay?
a. Development without damaging the environment
b. Development without technology
c. Unlimited resource consumption
d. Indiscriminate exploitation of resources
What is the primary factor responsible for the formation of black soil in the Deccan plateau region?
a. Climate
b. Vegetation
c. Topography
d. Human activities
Which type of soil is formed due to intense leaching under tropical and subtropical climates?
a. Laterite soil
b. Red soil
c. Arid soil
d. Black soil
What is the term used to describe the simultaneous occurrence of soil formation and erosion?
a. Soil conservation
b. Soil equilibrium
c. Soil erosion
d. Soil balance
In the context of land resources, what is the significance of the Chambal basin's ravines?
a. They are fertile lands
b. They are prone to erosion
c. They are examples of good land use
d. They contribute to soil conservation
What is the primary factor that contributes to the development of different types of soils in India?
a. Vegetation types
b. Technological capability
c. Population density
d. Climatic realms
Which soil type is ideal for growing cotton and is also known as regur soil?
a. Laterite soil
b. Black soil
c. Red soil
d. Arid soil
What is the major consequence of over-irrigation in certain regions of India?
a. Land degradation
b. Water scarcity
c. Soil erosion
d. Desertification
Which method helps in restricting soil erosion by cutting steps on the slopes?
a. Contour ploughing
b. Terrace farming
c. Strip cropping
d. Shelter belts
In which region are red and yellow soils found in India?
a. Northern plains
b. Western Ghats
c. Deccan plateau
d. Gangetic plains
According to the essay, what is essential for maintaining the ecological balance in forested areas?
a. Overgrazing
b. Deforestation
c. Conservation of resources
d. Soil erosion
What is the primary factor responsible for the reddish color of red soils in India?
a. Iron diffusion
b. High organic content
c. Calcium carbonate
d. Climate
How is the land use pattern in India determined, according to the essay?
a. Solely by physical factors
b. Solely by human factors
c. By a combination of physical and human factors
d. By technological factors
Which soil type is formed under tropical and subtropical climates with alternate wet and dry seasons?
a. Black soil
b. Red soil
c. Laterite soil
d. Arid soil
What is the term used to describe the deep scars and traces of over-burdening left after mining activities?
a. Land degradation
b. Soil erosion
c. Desertification
d. Land consolidation
What is the definition of a resource according to the essay?
a) Technological artifacts
b) Human activities
c) Renewable elements
d) Gifts of nature
According to Fig. 1.1, what are the interdependent relationships mentioned?
a) Nature, technology, and institutions
b) Environment, society, and culture
c) Human, animals, and plants
d) Industry, agriculture, and commerce
How are resources classified based on exhaustibility?
a) Primary and secondary
b) Renewable and non-renewable
c) Natural and synthetic
d) Organic and inorganic
What are the major problems associated with indiscriminate resource use mentioned in the essay?
a) Global warming and deforestation
b) Depletion of resources and social division
c) Economic development and environmental pollution
d) Ozone layer depletion and technological advancements
What does sustainable economic development mean, according to the essay?
a) Rapid exploitation of resources
b) Development without environmental impact
c) Continuous depletion of natural elements
d) Industrial growth at any cost
Which event marked the first International Earth Summit?
a) Kyoto Protocol
b) Paris Agreement
c) Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit
d) Copenhagen Accord
What is Agenda 21, as mentioned in the essay?
a) A global forest conservation plan
b) A strategy for achieving sustainable development
c) A treaty for climate change mitigation
d) A plan for international economic cooperation
Why is resource planning essential in a country like India, according to the essay?
a) To exploit resources indiscriminately
b) To achieve economic inequality
c) Due to the diversity in resource availability
d) To concentrate resources in certain regions
What is the main concern expressed by Gandhiji regarding resource conservation?
a) Mass production
b) Globalization
c) Individual greed
d) Modern technology
Which soil type is well-known for its moisture-retaining capacity?
a) Alluvial soil
b) Black soil
c) Red soil
d) Laterite soil
What is the definition of a resource according to the essay?
a) Technological artifacts
b) Human activities
c) Renewable elements
d) Gifts of nature
According to Fig. 1.1, what are the interdependent relationships mentioned?
a) Nature, technology, and institutions
b) Environment, society, and culture
c) Human, animals, and plants
d) Industry, agriculture, and commerce
How are resources classified based on exhaustibility?
a) Primary and secondary
b) Renewable and non-renewable
c) Natural and synthetic
d) Organic and inorganic
What are the major problems associated with indiscriminate resource use mentioned in the essay?
a) Global warming and deforestation
b) Depletion of resources and social division
c) Economic development and environmental pollution
d) Ozone layer depletion and technological advancements
What does sustainable economic development mean, according to the essay?
a) Rapid exploitation of resources
b) Development without environmental impact
c) Continuous depletion of natural elements
d) Industrial growth at any cost
Which event marked the first International Earth Summit?
a) Kyoto Protocol
b) Paris Agreement
c) Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit
d) Copenhagen Accord
What is Agenda 21, as mentioned in the essay?
a) A global forest conservation plan
b) A strategy for achieving sustainable development
c) A treaty for climate change mitigation
d) A plan for international economic cooperation
Why is resource planning essential in a country like India, according to the essay?
a) To exploit resources indiscriminately
b) To achieve economic inequality
c) Due to the diversity in resource availability
d) To concentrate resources in certain regions
What is the main concern expressed by Gandhiji regarding resource conservation?
a) Mass production
b) Globalization
c) Individual greed
d) Modern technology
Which soil type is well-known for its moisture-retaining capacity?
a) Alluvial soil
b) Black soil
c) Red soil
d) Laterite soil
