Unit- 2

Natural Resources & Associated

Problems
► Forest Resources.
► Water Resources.
► Mineral Resources.
► Food Resources.
► Energy Resources.
► Land Resources.
 Natural
Resources

Renewable Resources Non- Renewable

Re- Producible Resources
Unexaustable Resources Non- Reproducible
Resources
Exhaustable Resources
 Fact

The word forest is derived from a Latin word “ Foris” means Outside
▪The National Forest Policy 1988 envisages to have a minimum of one-third of the total land

area of the country under forest or tree cover

▪The total forest cover in India (2023) is 7,13,789 square kilometers which is 21.71% of the total

geographical area of the country

▪In 2021, the total forest and tree cover in India was 80.9 million hectares, 24.62% of the

geographical area of the country. There is a 1,540 sq.km increase in forest cover over 2019.

▪At the beginning of 20th century about 30 % of land in India was covered with forests but by the

end of 20th century the forest cover was reduced to 19.4%

 Use of Forest
Resources

Wildlife Fodder

Aesthetic Litter/Compost
Recreation Timber

Biodiversity Fuel wood

Conservation

Pulp & Paper Medicinal Plant

Products
 Ecological uses of a forest
► Production of oxygen: The trees produce oxygen.

► Reduces global warming: The forests absorb the greenhouse gasses like carbon dioxide
and reduces global warming.

► Regulation of water cycle: Forested watersheds acts like giant sponges, absorbs the
rainfall, slow down the runoff and slowly release the water for recharge of springs. About
50-80% of the moisture in the air comes from forest transpiration which aids in bringing
rains.

► Soil conservation: Forests bind the soil particles tightly in their roots and avoid soil
erosion.

► Pollution moderators: Forests can absorb many toxic gasses and aids in keeping the air
pure.
Causes of Exploitation

► Forest land to agriculture.

► Commercial and Industrial Exploitation.
► Fuel wood Extraction.
► Cattle Ranching.
► Irrigation & Hydroelectric Projects.
Over Exploitation & Use

► Deforestation.
► Timber Extraction.
► Mining.
► Dams & their effects.
► Tribal People.
DEFORESTATION

► Removal of Natural vegetation for development

► Major sensitive areas are Western Ghats, Himalayan Parts etc.
► Ecological Imbalance.
► Disturbance in Hydrological cycle.
► Major deforested areas- Gujarat & Rajasthan.
TIMBER EXTRATION

► House construction & agricultural implementation.

► For Boat making- Teak & Sal.
► Demand from Urban.
► Invention of Mono Culture.
MINING

► Location specific & one time exploitation activity.

► Permanent Environmental Disturbance.

► Transportation + settlement of workers + Workshops + Industrial machinery

create Noise and Pollution.

► Flora & Fauna Degrade.

Dams & Effect

► Location is at origin of River in upper catchments & are cleared for

construction of projects.

► Planning, Earth Moving, Road construction, Labor Colonies & fuel requirement
reduces vegetation.

► Project attract tourism & associated problems

► Permanent damage & no possibility to regenerate and recover

TRIBAL PEOPLE

► Closely associated with forest & fully dependent on the forest resources.

► Loose traditional habitat & life based on local resources & on Ecosystem.

► Difficult to rehabilitate them.

Conservation of Forest

► Regulated and planned cutting of trees

► Control over forest fires

► Reforestation

► Check on forest clearance for agriculture and human habitation and settlement.

► Development of green belts around cities

► Check on mining activities in forest areas

► Conservation of threatened species of trees.

► Volunteer organizations: Chipko Andolan

 Conservation of Forest
► Development of national parks and sanctuaries

► Development of Botanical gardens

► Development of Seed banks

► Forest Management

► Proper role of government in forest conservation.

► Afforestation

► Implementation of Stricter laws

► Building small dams for channeling.

Water Resources
 WATER - INDIA FACTS

India is facing a fresh water crisis. India has just 4% of the world’s fresh water

— but 16% of the global population.

•76 million are without access to safe drinking water

•21% of country’s diseases are water related

•Over 329, 000 children under five die due to diarrhea in India in 2015

•A large part of the water withdrawals are happening for agriculture. Therefore, greater

discussions and interventions also need to be made in the agricultural sector.

 Water Resources
► Water is an important natural resource on earth on which all life depends.

► It decides the weather

► It shape the land surface and regulate the climate

► Hydrological cycle is the process by which water from the land and oceans vaporize in

to atmosphere by solar energy, the vapor in turn condenses as the result of cooling and

return to land in the form of precipitation.

 Water Resources
► Use of water includes agricultural, industrial, household, recreational and
environmental activities.

► 97% of the water on earth is salt water, only 3% is fresh water and 75% of it in frozen
as glacier and ice bergs and remaining unfrozen is groundwater is available as fresh
water.

► Water resources are under threat from water scarcity, water pollution, water
conflict and climate change. Fresh water is a renewable resource, yet the world's
supply of groundwater is steadily decreasing
 Importance of water
► Life began in water and is basic component of every living cell

► Fresh water less than 1% salt is used for drinking

► Water moves through different biotic and abiotic components of earth

in water cycle called hydrological cycle.

► Calcium and magnesium salts causes hard water and is not suitable for
drinking, bathing, cooking and washing clothes.
 Importance of water
► Water is basic input for agriculture

► Industries consumes water for cooling, heating and other purposes.

► Electricity can be generated using hydal power

► Waterways are used for inland transport

► Water is used to get common salt

► Water provides habitat for flora and fauna

Sources of Water

Small fraction (0.014%) is readily

available for human use
 Sources of water
► Groundwater – comes from deep percolation of rainwater and supplies
water to wells, springs and to rivers and streams. It is less polluted and
less water is lost due to evaporation.

► Surface water – the water that does not percolate and does not evaporate,
does not return to atmosphere or transpiration and enters in rivers,
streams, lakes, ponds, wetlands is surface water.
 Surface water
► It is replenished by natural precipitation and lost through discharge to ocean,
evaporation, transpiration and seepage.

► Total quantity of water stored in watershed depends on precipitation, storage capacity,

permeability of soil, runoff characteristics of land, timing of precipitation, local
evaporation rate.

► Human activities increases runoff quantities by paving areas and channelizing stream
flow, draining wetlands and constructing reservoirs.

► Canals and pipelines are used to import water from one watershed to other.
 Ground water
► Water in pore space of soil and rocks and aquifers is ground water or subsurface
water

► It can be used unsustainably for long time without severe consequence.

► Input is surface water and outlet is springs and seepage to ocean.

► The subsurface water can also be polluted due to human activities.

► Human can increase input to ground water by recharge of GWT through rain water
harvesting.
 Frozen water

► Water entrapped in icecaps and glaciers is called frozen water.

► Glaciers runoff is surface water.

► The roof of the world, Himalaya contains most extensive area of

glaciers.

► Ten largest rivers flow from Himalaya and billions peoples live on it.
 Effect of over exploitation
of ground water
• Reduced surface water flow

• Lowering of ground water table

• Ground subsidence : Sudden sinking of the earth's surface

• Degradation of water quality
• Increased salt content

• Increased power cost.

Water Cycle – continuously collected,
purified, recycled and distributed
 Flowing
artesian well

Precipitation
Evaporation and transpiration
Well requiring a pump

Evaporation
Confined
Recharge Area

Runoff

Aquifer
Stream
Infiltration Water table
Lake
Infiltration
Zone of saturation
(spaces completely filled with water) Unconfined aquifer

Confined aquifer
Less permeable material
such as clay
Confirming permeable rock layer
Use of Water Resources

Humans directly or indirectly use about 54% of reliable runoff

► Agriculture – 70%
► Industry – 20%
► Domestic – 10%

Could use up to 70-90% of the reliable runoff by 2025

Effects of floods, droughts and dams
 Effects of floods, droughts and dams

► The prolonged drought and widespread flooding become disaster for the
community having risk of poverty, poor sanitation, limited health care and other
services

► Unable to restore normally after water emergency, whether emergency turns in to

disaster, or they take effective measures .

► Construction of dams causes adverse effects on environment and society,

interruption in natural cycle, scour river bed, remove sedimentation, loose
nutrients and habitat, stop fish migration, cause erosion, large settlement problem
and climate change.
 Effects of flood
► A flood is overflow of excess water that submerges land.

► The primary effects are damage to all structures, bridges, cars, buildings,
sewerage systems, roads and canals.

► The secondary effects are contamination of water, scarcity of clean water.

► Unhygienic conditions, spread of water borne dieses, shortage of food, silting of

low lands, loss of tree species.

► Loss of transportation system and difficult to get emergency aid.

► The tertiary effects are economic hardship, decline in tourism, rebuilding cost,
price increase due to less food.
 Effects of Droughts
► Increased desertification and diseases

► Loss of endangered species and plant species.

► Loss of human life from food shortage, heat, suicides and violence.

► Mental, physical stress and water conflicts.

► loss of cultural sites with reduced quality of life.

► Increased poverty and migration of populations.

► Increased predation and plant dieases.

► Damage to fish and fishery production.

► Unemployment and reduced production.

► Loss of hydroelectric power and tourism

 Effects of Dams
► Erosion of riverbeds, striping organic material, sediments, vegetation and
macro invertebrates.

► It alters the plant and animals reproductive cycles.

► Puts nutrient from land to river.

► Vegetation depends on regular cycles of flood but due to dam they changes
forever.

► Leads to scouring of riverbeds.

► Increase in sedimentation, causing bursting of dams.

► Loss of debris causing loss of nutrients and habitat of most animals.

 Effects of Dams
► Stopping of fish migration

► Displacement of peoples left without land, homes and livelihoods.

► Decrease in floodplains, agricultural productivity, decrease nutrients for

fish and aquatic plants.

► Increase incidence and transmission of malaria, breeding of mosquitoes

► Destroys historical significance, cultural life

► The change is temperature cause loss of macro invertebrates.

Deforestation and flooding
Using Dams and Reservoirs to Supply More Water

Downstream cropland and

Flooded land destroys forests or
estuaries are deprived of
cropland and
nutrient-rich silt
displaces people
Large losses
of water through Downstream flooding is
evaporation reduced

Reservoir is useful for

recreation and fishing
Provides water
for year-round
irrigation of
Can produce cheap electricity (hydropower) cropland

Migration and spawning of some fish are disrupted

Groundwater

► No evaporation losses
► Often less expensive
► Potential Problems:
• Water table lowering – too much use
• Depletion –groundwater being withdrawn at 4X its replacement
rate
• Saltwater intrusion – near coastal areas
• Chemical contamination
• Reduced stream flows
 Groundwater Pollution
► Agricultural products

► Underground storage tanks

► Landfills

► Septic tanks

► Surface impoundments
Mining in India

1. Formalities and Legal issues

2. Environmental Concerns

3. Lack of Modern Technology

4. Administrative Issues

5. Increase In Cost

6. Displacement of Communities
STATUS OF MINES IN INDIA

► India produces as many as 86 metals & minerals.

► 80 % of mining in India is for coal.

► Illegal mines is the major problem in the country.

► Over 1 million people are employed in this industry.

► Mining has adversely affected biodiversity, ecosystem, local culture and community.

► The contribution of the mining sector to the GDP of India is currently 2.5%

► India has 3527 mining leases for 40 major minerals covering a total area of
315,986 hectares.
Definition

► Mineral resources are the one , from which usable material are extracted
economically from the concentrated elements, compounds, minerals or rocks
from the earth.
► Minerals are site specific and finite.

TYPES
► Metallic Minerals- Iron, copper, gold, bauxite, manganese, etc.
► Non-Metallic Minerals- limestone, mica, gypsum, coal, dolomite, phosphate,
salt, granite, etc.
► Minerals are naturally occurring chemical compounds formed through inorganic
processes under the crust of the earth.

► Their presence in the Earth’s crust is the result of geological processes operating over
a long period of time.

► The distribution of these minerals resources is uneven throughout the Earth.

► Minerals have important contributions in the economic & industrial development of a

country.
Uneven Distribution of metals

► Bihar & Orissa- Iron, Manganese, Copper, Thorium, Uranium, Aluminum,

Chromium, Mica, Phosphate, Coal.

► Madhya Pradesh- Iron, Manganese, Coal, Limestone, Lignite.

► Karnataka- Gold mines, Iron, Porcelain, chromium.

► Kerala- Limestone, monazite, zircon, zinc, gemstone.

► Gujarat & Assam- Petroleum & coal

► Maharashtra- Petroleum, bauxite.

► Andhra Pradesh- Low grade coal, Diamond & gems.

 TYPES OF MINING
Surface Mining Sub Surface mining
► A mine in which ore lies near the surface & ► Digging tunnels or shafts into the Earth
can be extracted by removing the covering to reach ore deposits.
layers of the rock & soil.
► Ore, for processing, & waste rock, for
► Almost all surface mining operations are disposal, are brought to the surface
exposed to the elements & require no roof through the tunnels & shafts.
support.
► EX. Natural Gas, Petroleum,
► EX. Coal, Copper, Iron, Crushed Stone,
Aluminum etc.
SURFACE MINING
SUBSARFACE MINING
USE & OVEREXPLOITATION

1. Mining is hazardous occupation

2. Rapid depletion of high grade minerals

3. Wastage of upper soil layer and vegetation

4. Environmental problems

► Productive land into mining and industrial areas.

► Air, water, noise and land pollution.

► Consumption of energy resources like coal, petroleum, natural gas etc.

► Directly degrades the fertile soil surface and affects ecology and climate.
EFFECTS
► Deforestation and desertification
► Extinction of species
► Rapid depletion of high grade minerals
► Forced migration
► Wastage of upper soil layer and vegetation
► Soil erosion and oil depletion
► Ozone depletion
► Greenhouse gas increase
► Environmental pollution (Air/ Water/ Noise/ Land)
► Natural hazards, etc.
► Contaminated air with high particulate matters
► Diseases like fibrosis, Pneumoconiosis, and silicosis in workers as well as locals.
 Illegal Mining

► Mining is considered illegal when it is done without a license or outside the

licensed area and when more than the permissible amount is extracted.

► In August 2017, Supreme Court passed a strong verdict asking mining

companies, which operated without environmental clearance, to pay

compensation equivalent to 100 per cent of the value of the minerals extracted

illegally.
 Need for an effective National Mineral
Policy
► India, one of the world's largest producers and exporters of mica, coal, iron ore, bauxite and
manganese, has long been grappling with illegal mining, primarily in Karnataka, Goa, Haryana,
Rajasthan and Odisha, ever since it opened up mining to private companies in the 1990s.

► From soil erosion and groundwater contamination to loss of forest cover and biodiversity,
unbridled mining plays havoc with an ecosystem. But despite this prosecution rate is very low in
such cases.

► For example, Maharashtra recorded 139,706 illegal mining cases between 2013 and 2017—the
highest in the country—but only 712 first information reports (FIR) and one court case were
filed.
► In the light of rampant illegal mining, the Supreme Court, in August 2017,
directed the Centre to revise the National Mineral Policy by December 2017.

► The existing policy, according to the court, “seems to be only on paper and is not
being enforced perhaps due to the involvement of very powerful vested interests ".
The court directed that the new policy should be “fresh and more effective,
meaningful and implementable”.
 Did you know?

► Maharashtra tops the list of states, registering highest number of illegal mining
cases from 2009-10 to 2016-17, witnessing 28 per cent increase

► Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu are the only four states that
have registered a decline in illegal mining. With a drop in 5,827 illegal mining cases
since 2009-10, Andhra Pradesh has fared the best among all states when it comes to
numbers.
CASE STUDY

Bauxite deposits of Kolhapur.

► Started in 1968 by Kolkata based Indian Aluminum Company, later became

HINDALCO.

► Bauxite and laterite from aquifers in ground water thus change the ground
water conditions.

► Loss of vegetation.

► Rehabilitation and afforestation became essential.

PROTECTION PLAN

► Afforestation on mining site.

► Formation of contour trenches in mining site.

► Formation of green belt along the roads.

► Parks & gardens in the township area & green belt around it is
developed.
 Government’s initiatives

► Star rating of mining leases to establish a sustainable development framework for the Indian
mining sector.

► An MoU was signed between the Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM) and the National Remote
Sensing Centre (NRSC), ISRO in January 2016 to undertake a pilot project on “monitoring of
mining activities using satellite imagery” to deter illegal mining.

► The Mining Surveillance System (MSS) is launched to check illegal mining through automatic
remote sensing detection technology.

► District Mineral Foundation Fund (DMF) was established for the welfare of mining-affected
people and areas under Pradhan Mantri Khanij Kshetra Kalyan Yojana [PMKKKY].
FOOD RESOURCES
 Facts

•About 15 percent of India is undernourished

•One-third of food gets lost or wasted

•Women account for 60 percent of India’s hungry population

•3,000 children die every day from hunger.

•Around 30 percent of newborns die from lack of nutrition.

•According to FAO estimates in 'The State of Food Security and

Nutrition in the World, 2019' report, 194.4 million people are undernourished in India.
 Facts

• Over 931 million tonnes of food – or 17% of global food production is wasted each
year. About 61% wasted food comes from households, 26% From food service and 13%
from retail globally
•Upto 10% of global greenhouse gases emissions are due to food that isnt’t consumed –
if food waste were a country, it would be the third biggest source of GHG emissions on
Earth.
 FOOD RESOURCES

► Natural or artificially produced materials, which are used as food to derive metabolic
energy, are called as food resources.

► Food refers to ‘any substance that is Ingested & utilized by the body for growth of life.’

► Food is the ultimate source of metabolic energy required for, Growth, Body repair, Body
heat balance, Daily activities.
TYPES OF FOOD RESOURCES

Agricultural
Products

Livestock Food

Fish
► The global food problem consists of the lack of food provision for the Earth's
population.

► Poverty trap. People living in poverty can't afford nutritious food for themselves and
their families.

► Hunger and poverty go hand in hand. It can divided into 4 categories health, education,
migration & social, economy.

► food crisis is a long and extreme shortage of food, which results in deaths. An
example of a food crisis is the current global food crisis which is caused by
high food prices caused by poor growing conditions and the rising costs of fuel.
Increased demand on the food supply has caused the price of food to rise. The

numerous contributors to the rise in cost and the reduction in supply include biofuels,

bad weather, the historically high cost of oil and transportation, increased demand for

meat and dairy, and population growth.

 Changes caused by agriculture and overgrazing

•Rising incomes are accompanied by a diversification in diet which generates great

demand for wheat, meat, dairy products, fish, vegetables, fruits and processed foods.

•Changing agricultural crops as per demands and supply policy are also highly

appreciated and accelerated due to the tremendous research like green house plantation,

tissue culture, bio-fertilizer crops etc.

WORLD FOOD PROBLEM

► Insufficient Productivity.
► Lack of Irrigation facility.
► Under nutrition & malnutrition.
► Pesticide and fertilizer problem
► Black marketing
CAUSES OF FOOD PROBLEMS

► Increased Population.
► Unfavorable Climate.
► Adverse geographical conditions.
► Infertile soil.
► Disasters.
► Lack of transportation.
► High Cost of grains.
► Insufficient distribution system.
 Effect of Modern Agriculture
► Agriculture is way of life for human race, because increasing population evokes
pressure on agriculture to increase production to match demand.

► With agriculture development food production has increased but failed to serve
growing population.

► Modern agriculture is possible due to development of modern scientific techniques,

expansion of irrigational facilities.

► Modern agriculture is possible due to use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and

insecticides, development of high yielding seeds, changing agriculture practices,
mechanization of agriculture, varying crop sequences and land ownership and land
tenure.
Effects of Modern Agriculture

► Modern systems of agriculture use large amounts of fossil fuel energy, water,
chemical fertilizers and pesticides to produce huge quantities of crop or live stock.

► Mechanized and chemical based farming, commercial farming, contract farming

and genetic farming are the types of modern agriculture.

► The new diverse demands of exotic species of crops, vegetables and fruits have
introduced changes in the traditional agriculture pattern and practices.

► Demand for more animal products in the changes diets have resulted into
increased production of farm animals.
 Sustainable Agriculture

► Method of growing crops and raising livestock based on organic fertilizers, soil
conservation, water conservation, biological control of pests, and minimal use of
nonrenewable fossil fuel energy

Sustainable agriculture consists of environment friendly methods of farming that allow the
production of crops or livestock without damage to human or natural systems.
Elements of sustainable agriculture can include organic farming, agro forestry, mixed
farming, natural farming, precision farming, multiple cropping, and crop rotation.

Sustainable agriculture conserves energy and reduces greenhouse gas

emissions. It also conserves water, decreasing vulnerability to drought.
 Fertilizers & Pesticide (Biocides) Problems
► Short – term impact.

► Endocrine disruption : can cause cancerous tumors, birth defects

and other developmental disorders.

► Acute dangers.

► Chronic health effects.

► Can cause many types of cancers.

✔ Cow dung manure, compost, Vermicompost when applied to seed or soil, they enhance
availability of nutrients and also offer an ecofriendly, economically viable, socially
acceptable means of reducing pollution and water pollution caused due to agricultural
runoff.
DISADVANTAGES OF PESTICIDES
20% of Indian food products contains pesticides

► Reduction of beneficial species (natural pest enemies and friendly organisms)

► Outburst of secondary pests

► Drift of sprays & vapor.

► Residues in food.

► Ground water contamination.

► Slow Poisoning hazards.

► Health effect.

❑ Bio Intensive Integrated Pest Management (BIPM)

WATER LOGGING & SALINITY

► Inadequate surface Drainage.

► Seepage from canal system.

► Over irrigation of fields.

► Obstruction of natural drainage.

► Impermeable clay layer below the soil.

Salination

► In regions of scarce rainfall, the soil contains a large amount of

unleashed salts.

► Excessive irrigation brings those salts to the surface and leaves behind
a residue when the water evaporates.

► It can also cause unleashed salts to accumulate in the upper layer of the
soil. This excessive salt build-up in the soil is called salination.
ENERGY RESOURCES
 Facts
India has set an ambitious target to achieve a capacity of 175 GW worth of renewable
energy by the end of 2022, which expands to 450 GW by 2030. This is the world's largest
expansion plan in renewable energy.
As of 31 June 2021, the total installed capacity for Renewables is 96.95 GW

The following is the break up of total installed capacity for Renewables, as of 31 May 2021:

•Wind power: 39.44 GW

•Solar Power: 41.09 GW

•BioPower: 10.34 GW

•Small Hydro Power: 4.79 GW

GROWING ENERGY NEED

► Energy is an important input for development.

► It aims at human welfare covering household, agricultural transport &

industrial complexes.

► Due to population explosion the demand for various forms of energy has got
increased many folds.

► Fossil fuel is a major form of energy widely used in the world.

 ENERGY RESOURCES

RENEWABLE ENERGY NON- RENEWABLE ENERGY

RESOURCES RESOURCES
RENEWABLE ENERGY RESOURCES
► Renewable Resources can be generated continuously in nature & are
inexhaustible.
► These resources can be used again & again in an endless manner.
► Environmentally cleaner as they produce less pollutants than fossil fuels
► Ex. Wind Power.
Hydropower.
Tidal Energy.
Solar Energy.
Geothermal Energy.
 NON- RENEWABLE ENERGY RESOURCES
❑The energy resources which cannot be renewed.
❑These sources are limited and will exhaust eventually as their stocks are
limited and depleting fast.
❑Use of fossil fuels is causing adverse impact on the environment by air
pollution, global warming, acid rain, oil pollution and many other associated
problems.

► Coal

► Petroleum

► Natural gas

► Nuclear energy
SOLAR ENERGY
► 10 sq meter area for a 1 kW solar system capacity is needed.
► 1kW Solar System Price is approx. Rs. 60,000 to Rs. 1,05,000 in
India.
► The solar radiation is made incident on semi conducting materials to produce
electricity directly.
► Such materials are used in the production of photovoltaic cells.
Applications
► Solar heat collectors.
► Solar cells.
► Solar cookers.
► Solar water heaters.
► Solar power plant.
► Solar furnace, etc.
 WIND ENERGY
► Winds blow with high speed, due to atmospheric temperature difference caused
by different fluxes of sunlight

► Harnessed by making use of wind mills, No. of wind mills installed in cluster are
called wind farms.

► Windmills can be constructed from materials like bamboo, wood and metallic
materials.

► The basic principle of every windmill is to convert kinetic energy of wind into
mechanical energy which is used to rotate the turbine of electrical generator to
produce electricity.

► Wind energy is free from any kind of pollution emission except noise and threat
to the wildlife.
HYDROPOWER

► Hydropower or hydroelectricity refers to the conversion of energy from flowing water

into electricity.

► Hydro turbines can convert as much as 90% of the available energy into electricity.

► The water is diverted with civil work to flow from high elevation to low. This falling
water is used to drive the water turbine, which results in generating electricity in
generator.

► Hydropower is fueled by water, so it's a clean fuel source, meaning it won't pollute the
air like power plants that burn fossil fuels, such as coal or natural gas.
TIDAL ENERGY

► Harnessed from the tides produced in the ocean.

► The turbine and generator converts the movement of water

coming from change in tide, the kinetic energy, into
electricity.

► Tidal Energy has an expensive initial cost which is one of

the reasons tidal energy is not a popular source of renewable
energy.
 BIOMASS ENERGY
► Biomass is organic matter produced by the green plants or animals.
❑Biomass can be directly burned to produce heat or it can be processed to produce
charcoal, liquid fuel like methanol or ethanol.
❑The dry biomass can be heated at high temperature and producer gas can be obtained.
❑Animal dung or industrial, organic residues can be an- aerobically digested to produce
gaseous fuel as biogas.
❑Biomass based cogeneration, biomass combustion based power generators, biomass
gasifiers, biogas plants.
 Biogas & anaerobic digestion
► Mixture of methane, carbon dioxide, hydrogen & hydrogen sulphide

► Non- polluting, clean & low cost fuel.

► Biogas contains roughly 50-70 percent methane, 30-40 percent carbon dioxide,
and trace amounts of other gases
 Geothermal Energy
► The energy extracted from earth’s interior hot region is called geothermal energy. The interior of
earth is hot.

► The temperature of earth goes on increasing from upper crust to solid inner core consisting of
molten material called magma.

► Basically, the heat coming out from the molten material of earth’s core is the source of this
energy. The magma is pushed up through faults and cracks in rock near earth’s surface, these
regions are known as hot springs or thermal springs hot regions.

► Energy from such hot regions can be extracted by inducing to produce steam, using steam
turbine and generators and uses the steam generated to produce electricity.
► Land is considered an important resource because it is being used by human
beings for several purposes such as agriculture, forestry, mining, building houses
and roads, and setting up industries. Also, it provides habitation to a variety of flora
and fauna. Hence, it is among the most important natural resources.

► In India per capita availability of agricultural land has declined from 0.48 hectares
in 1951 to 0.16 hectares in 1991 and is projected to slide down to 0.08 hectares in
2035.
► Land, by definition, is the solid part of the earth's surface. It is a finite resource, so great
care should be taken to preserve it. Land has been put to many new uses, apart from
traditional ones.

These are the general uses of land:

► Agriculture and horticulture

► Housing

► Laying of roads and railway lines

► Industries

► Mining of mineral resources

► For holding water

► For fodder, cattle grazing, forest wealth for timber, fuel, etc.
Major land use

Categories of land Million hectare

Cultivation 142

Forest 67

Non- agricultural 20

Barren & pasture 55

Fallow 25
 Causes of land degradation

Excessive population pressure on land

Deforestation

Erosion

Over-irrigation

► Leads to water-logging and Stalinization. This situation mainly arises due to poor drainage.

Floods and Droughts

Grazing

► India support 197 million cattle, and ranking first in the world for cattle population. To support
such an immense cattle population we have only 13 mha. as pasture land.

Mining
Creation of derelict land due to mining. Roughly 0.8 mha of land in India are despoiled due to open or
surface and underground mining activities.
Landslides

► Downward and outward movement of slopes composed of natural rock, soils, artificial
fills or a combination of both.

► Landslides are primary natural processes of shaping the earth, but certain human
activities cause significant increase in landslides such as :

1. Excavation of steep slope at an existing landslide zone

2. Addition of material to the top of a landslide prone area

3. Addition of moisture to the landslide mass

4. Human activities such as Excavation for highways and houses, watering of surface,
drainage diversions, deforestation, blasting for mining, etc.
Pollution

Pollution of land is caused by disposal of solid waste, refuse from domestic, industrial and

agricultural sectors.

Industrial wastes are

Chemical residues, Fly ash from thermal power stations, Plastics, Rubber, Glass,

Discarded metals, etc.

Agricultural residues are

Pesticides, Fertilizers
Management of land
► Wastelands should be afforested on a massive scale involving local people. People themselves
should select trees that will meet their requirements.

► The demand for timber should be drastically reduced. Substitutes for furniture material should
be used. This would ease pressure on standing forests.

► Catchment areas or water-sheds must be thickly vegetated. This would hold rain water and
recharge springs, rivers, etc.

► Cultivation on hilly slopes should require terracing and bunding along contour lines.

► Tanks should be desilted, check dams must be constructed and small ponds to hold run-off
water.

► Periodic sampling of soils should be done.

► Soil fertility should be restored by using cultural practices like mulching

► More use of organic manure
► Too much stress has been given to inorganic fertilizers. Traditional methods of multiple
cropping and intercropping to maintain soil fertility have to be given more emphasis. Cereal
crops can be mixed with nitrogen-fixers and grown together e.g., maize and beans.

► Grazing of cattle in forests must be checked. Rotational grazing and hand cutting of grass
will save pasture lands. Stall feeding has to be implemented.

► Most important, local communities must be educated on the need to leave the dung alone,

rather than burning it for fuel or selling for cash. It will regenerate the land

► The location of industries must be carefully studied. Industries, like thermal power stations

and dams, should not displace prime agricultural land.

► The unplanned or haphazard growth of urban development must be checked.

 Micro level activities
► First and foremost, be prepared to act. Analyse your life and your situation, whether you are
contributing to any problems. Think and find out how you can overcome that. For example, if you
have been throwing garbage on the streets, don't do it. Put it in the bin. Set an example. Others will
follow.

► Farmers must be educated on the right agricultural methods to be adopted.

► Local agricultural extension workers need support and training.

► The media must be informed about local problems.

► A village can be adopted to take up a community development project as a pilot project.

► A few saplings may be planted and maintained by the villagers. If these are commercial trees, the
villagers will have a greater incentive. The ownerships of the trees can be handed over to women who
can be motivated to involve themselves in tree cultivation.
Macro level solutions

► Collective participation in water and land management programmes

► Tree planting on a large scale on barren land

► Contour bunding

► Construction of small water reservoirs

► Controlled grazing

► Influencing the Government on major issues such as the location of heavy

industries that would displace or disrupt the lives of the people
Role of an Individual in conservation
of natural resources ?