Natural Resources Natural Resources: it is the stock of the nature such as air, water, soil, minerals, coal, petroleum,

forest and wild life that are useful to mankind in many ways. Pollution: it is defined as the undesirable change in physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of our soil, air or water which harmfully affect human lives or the lives of other species. Ganga action plan: It is a massive multi crore project implemented in 1985, which has been undertaken to clean the excess of pollution from the river Ganga. Management of natural resources is needed for conservation of natural resources along with sustainable development. There are international and national laws acts to protect the environment. Awareness about the environmental problems helps us to take some suitable action: Ganga Action Plan: Coliform: it is a group of gram-negative rod shaped bacteria that are found in human intestine. Their presence in water is an indicator of contamination by disease causing micro organisms causing faecal pollution. Eg. Escherichia coli and Salmonella. According to survey, data was collected and total coliform count levels in Ganga between 1993-94 was found as below. Minimum was found in Rishi Kesh 600-650 MPN/100ml. Minimum desired level -450MPN/100ml. Maximum was found in Kannauj 1400MPN/100ml. The pH of water is checked by using Universal indicator.

Three Rs to save the environment: Reduce: Means use less. Save the resources by not wasting them. (Wise usage) Recycle: Segregate the waste that can be recycled and use it to make required things. Reuse: Simply use things again and again. Eg . Used envelops, plastic jars, bottles. Sustainable development: forms of growth that meet current basic human needs while preserving the resources to meet the needs of future generations also. The concept of sustainable development is linked to environmental conservation. Thus sustainable development implies a change in all aspects of life. It depends up on the willingness of the people to change their perceptions of socio-economic and environmental conditions around them, and the readiness of each individual to alter their present use of natural resources.

Need to manage our Natural Resources:

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

Resources are limited. To meet the basic demand of ever increasing population / to meet material aspirations. To prevent the misuse of Natural Resources.(stop exploitation ) To the resources last for generations to come and not exploited for short term gains. To save our environment. Panning for safe disposal of waste. To ensure equitable distribution of resources among every sector of society. For economic and social growth.

So we have to plan for the utilisation of resources in such a way that present needs for development are fulfilled and options for future generations are not closed.

Forests and Wildlife

1. Why forests are called biodiversity hot spots? They are called biodiversity hotspots because of the large number of species found there and the wide range of different life forms (bacteria, fungi, ferns etc.). 2. What is the main aim of conservation? To preserve the biodiversity is the main aim of conservation. 3. What will happen due to the loss of biodiversity? It leads to the loss of ecological stability. 4. Who are the stakeholders in the conservation of forests? I. The people who live in and around the forests depend on the forest produce for various aspects of the life. II. The forest department of the government which owns the land. III. The industrialists. IV. The wildlife and the nature enthusiasts. 5. How do the local people use the forests? The local people need firewood, small timber and thatch. Bamboo is used to make slots for huts and baskets for collecting and storing food materials, implements for agriculture, fishing and husking are largely made of wood, also forests are sites for fishing and hunting. In addition to people gathering fruits, nuts and medicines from the forest areas or feed on other fodder that is collected from forests. 6. Why did the use of forest resources by locals not lead to their local extinction? Locals had developed practices to ensure the resources were used in a sustainable manner and they had been living in the forests for centuries.

7. What happened when the British took over? They exploited the forests ruthlessly for their own purposes.

8. What happened after the Forest Department took over from the British? When they took over Forest Department continued the bad practices of the British and the local needs continued to be ignored. 9. How do industries adversely affect the forest? Industries consider forests merely as a source of raw materials for the factories. They lobby the Government for access to raw materials at artificially low rates. They are not interested in the sustainability of the forests. They are not worried about the future generations. 10. What is the significance of Amrita Devi Bishnoi national award? It is given in the memory of Amrita Devi Bishnoi, who in 1731 spent her life for the protection of Khejri trees in Khejrali village near Jodhpur in Rajasthan. This award is given to people who work in the field of wildlife conservation. 11. Prejudice against the use of forest area has no basis. Why? This can be explained with this example- nomadic shepherds were using the Alpine meadows in the Himalayan National Park area for their sheep to graze in summer. When the National Park was formed, this practice was put to an end. Now, without the regular grazing by sheep, the grass grows very tall. New growth is prevented and grassland is destroyed. 12. We cannot blame the local people for damaging the forests. Why? Local people do not overuse the resources. Actual damage is done by deforestation caused by industrial needs and development projects like buildings, roads, dams, railway lines etc. Damage is also caused by the tourists and also the arrangements made for their convenience. 13. How should forest resources be used? Forest resources ought to be used in a manner that is both environmentally and developmentally sound. While the environment is preserved, the benefit of the controlled exploitation goes to the local people.

14. Write a brief note on the Chipko movement. (Hug the tree movement) ? The Chipko movement originated from an incident in a remote village called Reni in Garhwal, high-up in the Himalayas during the early 1970s. There was a dispute between local villagers and a logging contractor who had been allowed to fell trees in a forest close to the village. When the contractor showed up unexpectedly in the absence of the local men, the women reached the forest and hugged the trees preventing the workers from felling the trees. Thus, the contractor had to withdraw. 15. Write three results of the destruction of forests. Destruction of forests adversely affects earths temperature and water cycle, causes soil erosion and floods, causes imbalance in the carbon dioxide, oxygen concentrations in the atmosphere, loss of wild life. 16. Explain how the Sal forests of Arabari underwent remarkable recovery. At the instance of a far-seeing forest officer A.K.Banerjee, villagers were involved in the protection of 1272 hectares of badly degraded Sal forest. In return for help in protection, villagers were given employment in both silviculture and harvesting operations, 25 per cent of the final harvest, and allowed fuel wood and fodder collection on payment of a

nominal fee. With the active and willing participation of the local community, the Sal forests of Arabari underwent a remarkable recovery-by 1983, a previously worthless forest was valued Rs 12.5 crores.

Water for all Water is the basic necessity for all terrestrial forms of life. It is not surprising to see all the regions of water scarcity are closely related to the regions of acute poverty. Rain fall patterns alone cannot be linked to the poverty of a region. Failure to sustain underground water can also be one of the reasons. This occurs due to: 1. 2. 3. Loss of vegetation cover. Diversion of high water demanding crops. Pollution of water bodies from urban wastes and industrial affluents.

Since ancient times to meet the agricultural and local needs of water throughout the year dams, tanks, canals were used. These were maintained by local people which changed due to the arrival of the British who built large dams which neglected local irrigation methods. Eg. Kulhs in HP. Dams: Dam is a barrier built across a stream or river to hold and control the flow of water for useful purposes. This has both advantages and imitations. Dams provide supply of water to town, cities and project sites and also provide water for irrigation of crops. Eg. Indira Gandhi canal has brought greenery and drinking water to considerable areas of Rajasthan. Control of floods. Electricity can be generated in hydroelectric power plants. Mismanagement of water leads to the benefits being cornered by a few people. People close to water source grow water intensive crops and further downstream people do not get any water. Positive and negative aspects of Dams: 1. 2. Construction of Tehri dam on river Ganga. Narmada bacho andolan about raising the height of Sardar sarovar Dam on the river Narmada.

Three most important criticisms about large dams: 1. Social problems caused due to displacement of large number of peasants and tribals without adequate compensation or rehabilitation. Eg. The oustees of Tawa dam built in 1970s are still fighting for the benefits they were promised.

2. 3.

Huge amounts of public money get used up without generation of proportionate benefits which leads to economic problems. Large dams lead to deforestation and loss of biological diversity causing un anticipated and hard to mitigate environmental problems. Water Harvesting: Watershed management emphasizes scientific soil and water conservation in order to increase the biomass production.

Watershed management not only increases the production and income of the watershed community, but also mitigates the droughts and floods and increases the life of the down streams and reservoirs. The different water saving methods used by these communities were: 1. 2. 3. 4. Digging small pits and lakes. Building small earthen dams. Constructing dykes, sand and limestone reservoirs. Setting up of rooftop water collecting systems.

These methods have recharged ground water levels and even bring rivers back to life. Water harvesting is an age old concept in India. It is a collection of direct collection of rain water which can be stored for direct use and can recharge ground water.

Some of the water harvesting methods adopting in different parts of India: Rajasthan: khadins, tanks, and nadis Maharastra:Bandhras and tals MP & UP:Bundhis Jammu: ponds in the Kandi belt Tamilnadu:Eris or tanks Kerala: Surangams Karnataka: kattl Water harvesting techniques are local specific and benefits are also localized. If people are given control over their local resources, mismanagement and over exploitation can be reduced / removed. Check dams and khadins are embankments across seasonally flooded gullies. Advantages of ground water:

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Does not evaporate. Spreads out to recharge wells Provide moisture for vegetation over a wide area. Does not provide breeding ground for mosquitoes. Relatively protected from contamination by human and atnimal waste.

Fossil fuels: Coal and petroleum were formed from the degradation of biomass millions of years ago and hence these are resources that will be exhausted in the future no matter how carefully we use them. So there is a need to look for alternative sources of energy. Why should they be used judiciously?

These contain Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, and Sulphur. So combustion CO 2,,H2O,NO2,& SO2 are formed. At times carbon monoxide is also formed due to combustion of insufficient supply of air. Of these gases oxides of Nitrogen,oxides of Sulphur,and carbon monoxide are poisonous at high concentration. Co 2 is a green house gas which causes global warming. Simple choices like the following can make a big difference in our energy consumption patterns. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Taking a bus or walking or cycling instead of using our personal vehicle. Using fluorescent tubes and CFL bulbs in our homes. Taking stairs instead of lift. Wearing an extra sweater than using a heating device on cold days. Keeping our vehicles and machines well tuned so that complete combustion of fuel takes place.

An over view of Natural resource management: Sustainable management of natural resources needs: 1. 2. To keep an open mind with regard to the interests of stake holders We have to tailor our requirements individually and collectively, so that the benefits of developments reach every one now and for all generations to come.