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• Natural resources and associated problems-
forest resources: Use and over exploitation,
deforestation, case studies. Timber extraction,
mining, dams and their defects on forests and
tribal people
• Overexploitation: leads
to depletion and
degradation of natural
resources. Example: fish
catch, ground water,
forest
• Pollution: due to
pollution resource
usefulness reduces.
Example: fresh water,
soil
• Forest resources are most
important resource in
term of providing material
goods along with
ecological services.
Use and over exploitation
• Forest goods and services, once thought to be
abundant, are now a scarce resource. This affects
not only half the world's land-based species of
plants and animals, but also more than a billion
people that are dependent on forests for
livelihood.
• India has seen rapid deforestation in recent
years, primarily due to its focus on economic
development. According to government
data, 14,000sq km of forests were cleared to
accommodate 23,716 industrial projects across
India over the last 30 years
Loopholes
• Under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980,
forest areas can be diverted by the environment
ministry for non-forestry purposes like mining.
In lieu of the land, money is collected by the
government which is then used by the
authorities for afforestation.
• The diversion of forest land for developmental
projects has always been a serious issue and in
the past 10 years, the opposition to diversion has
increased with environmentalists repeatedly
alleging that the union environment ministry
only works like a rubber stamp clearing
whatever projects come to it, seeking diversion
of the forest land.
Casestudy
• Use and over exploitation, deforestation, case
studies: Timber extraction, mining, dams and
their defects on forests and tribal people
• water resources: Use and over utilization of
surface and ground water, floods, drought ,
conflicts over water, dams-benefits and
problems.-
Surface Water Sources:

• i. Ponds: Natural small sized depression formed on the

surface of earth filled with water known as Ponds.
• ii. Lakes: Natural large sized depression formed on the
surface of earth filled with water known as Lakes.
• iii. Streams: in hilly regions, small amount of water run
towards earth it is Streams.
• iv. Rivers: Number of streams get together and make a
Rivers.
• v. Storage Reservoir: Constructed by hydraulic structure
like dams.
• vi. Stored Rain Water: Water stored in tanks during
rainy seasons
Ground Water Sources:
• 1. Springs: Natural outflow of ground water at
earth’s surface is said to form of spring.
• 2. Infiltration galleries: they are horizontal
tunnels constructed at shallow depth along bank
of rivers.
• 3. Wells: a vertical hole excavated in earth for
bringing water.
Indian scenario
• India is the largest user of groundwater in the
world. It uses an estimated 230 cubic
kilometers of groundwater per year - over a
quarter of the global total. (world bank report)
• More than 60% of irrigated agriculture and
85% of drinking water supplies are dependent
on groundwater.
• If current trends continue, in 20 years about
60% of all India’s aquifers will be in a critical
condition.
• The major reasons for water
storage depletion and
environmental degradation
are population growth,
urbanization,
industrialization, intensive
agricultural irrigation and
unauthorized packaged
drinking water industries.
• Groundwater acts a critical buffer against the
variability of monsoon rains. For example, a
rainfall deficit in 1963-66 decreased India’s food
production by 20% but a similar drought in
1987-88 had very small impact on food
production largely due to the widespread use of
groundwater by that time.
Drought
• Drought is a reduction in precipitation over an
extended period. This rain shortfall creates a
water shortage which damages crops, livestock,
and other human activities. A drought has
both direct and indirect impacts. It
directly reduces farmers' crops. It indirectly
causes job and business losses in the farmers’
communities and around the world.
Drought- causes
• Low rainfall : the main reason for drought is low or
lack of rainfall. If a region or area goes for a long
period of time without much rainfall, water
deficiency occurs in that area. So thus this area
comes under the category of drought.
• Global warming : due to excessive emission of green
house gases, the composition of the atmosphere
changes leading to the increase in temperature thus
causing global warming. The temperature rise leads
dry spells and wildfires. Thus global warming adds
up to drought.
• Human causes : humans play a major role in
maintaining water table. Human activities like
construction, urbanization and deforestation has
had negative impact on the environment and
climate. There is considerable decrease in the level
of water table owing to excessive evaporation due to
heat. Cutting down of trees for roadways, airways
and construction of buildings have considerably
reduced the water holding capacity of the soil.
Overall the soil loses its credibility resulting in dry
spells.
• The surface water flow dries easily : due the
excessive irrigation and construction of hydro
electric dams, the water that flows in the
downstream reduces. Rivers, lakes and streams
are the main source of downstream. Due to these
human activities, the surface water may even
evaporate leading to drought.
Dams
Flood- causes
• The most common reason of river flooding is
heavy rainfall. The sudden melting of snow and
ice also increases the chance of flooding. Other
causes of river floods include broken dams,
rough seas and high tides.
Impact of Floods
• River floods have serious repercussions. The
floodwater drowns human beings and animals. It
damages buildings, roads, bridges and crops. A
serious aftermath of river flooding is pollution of the
water supply. Flood water also damages sewage
systems, gas lines and power lines.
Positive Effects
• River floods displace large amounts of sediment.
This river sediment mixes with agricultural land and
replenishes valuable topsoil components. This
action also increases the elevation of lands.
• Mineral resources: Use and exploitation,
environmental effects of extracting and using
mineral resources, case studies.-
• A mineral is a naturally occurring substance,
representable by a chemical formula, that is
usually solid and inorganic, and has a crystal
structure.
Characteristics of Metallic Minerals

• Metallic Minerals show a metallic shine in their

appearance.
• The potential source of the metal that can be got
through mining.
• Contains metals in their chemical composition.
• Metallic minerals contain metal in raw form.
• Minerals that contain iron are called ferrous
mineral. Example of ferrous minerals are
Chromites, Iron ore, and manganese.
• Minerals that do not contain iron are called
as non- ferrous minerals. Example of
nonferrous minerals are lead, silver, gold, and
copper.
Characteristics of Nonmetallic Mineral
Resources
• Minerals appear with a non-metallic shine or
luster
• Do not contain extractable metals in their
chemical composition
Use of Minerals

• The use of minerals depends upon its deposits.

Some countries are rich in mineral deposits,
while others have no deposits. The greatest use
of minerals depends on its properties. For
instance, Aluminum is light, strong and durable
in nature, so it is used for aircraft, shipping, and
car industries.
• Minerals are used in almost all industries. Gold,
silver, and platinum are used in the jewelry
industry. Copper is used in coin industry and for
making pipes and wire. Silicon obtained from
quartz is used in the computer industry.
effects of mining on the environment
• It leads to the emission of dust, suspended particle and gases which cause
air pollution.
• Release of harmful trace element e.g., CO, Pb, Cd etc. leads to the
contamination of surface water.
• Underground water is also contaminated due to seepage and infiltration of
leached drainage.
• Mining leads to the degradation of soil quality, fertility and makes it toxic.
• Natural vegetation get adversely effected due to leached trace element.
• The major consequences of mining is the deforestation which results in loss
of flora and fauna.
• It directly affect the ecosystem and its stability as many species are killed
due to toxicity of water and soil and loss of habitat.
• Mining results in wastage of land as it neither remain suitable for industrial
use nor for agricultural purposes.
• Mining directly results in the loss of landscape and beauty of surrounding.
• Food resources: World food problems, changes
caused by agriculture over grazing, effects of
modern agriculture, fertilizer-pesticide
problems, water logging, salinity, case studies
World Wide Problems
• 1. Natural catastrophes drought, heavy rain and
flooding, crop failures.
• 2. Environmental degradation soil erosion and
inadequate water resources.
• 3. Food supply-and-demand imbalances.
• 4. Inadequate food reserves.
• 5. Warfare and civil disturbances.
• 6. Migration refugees.
• 7. Culturally-based food prejudices.
• 8. Declining ecological conditions in agricultural
regions.
• Energy resources: Growing energy needs,
renewable and non-renewable energy resources,
use of alternate energy resources, Land
resources: Land as a resource, land degradation,
man induced landslides, soil erosion and
desertification.