Resource and Development

In-Text Activities & Margin Questions

Q1. Do you think that resources are free gifts of nature as is assumed by many?

Answer:

No, resources are not free gifts of nature. They are a function of human activities. Human beings interact with nature through technology and create institutions. They transform materials available in the environment into resources and use them for satisfying their needs.

Q2. 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.

Answer:

Some common items used in villages and towns along with their raw materials are listed below:

Q3. Imagine, if the oil supply gets exhausted one day, how would this affect our life style?

Answer:

If oil supplies get exhausted, it would drastically impact our lifestyle in the following ways:

• Transport: Automated transportation including cars, buses, trains, ships, and airplanes would grind to a halt, limiting movement and travel.
• Economy & Trade: Global supply chains would collapse, causing acute shortages of essential goods, food items, and raw materials.
• Energy Sector: Thermal power plants dependent on oil or petroleum products would fail to generate electricity, affecting industries and households.
• Daily Products: Products derived from petrochemicals like plastics, synthetic fibres, detergents, and fertilizers would no longer be easily manufactured.

Q4. Plan a survey in your colony/village to investigate people’s attitude towards recycling of the domestic/agricultural wastes. Ask questions about : (a) What do they think about resources they use? (b) What is their opinion about the wastes, and its utilisation? (c) Collage your results.

Answer:

This is a field survey activity. Below is a sample response and summary based on general observations:

• (a) View on Resources: Most residents view domestic resources (water, electricity, LPG) as essentials, but awareness about their finite nature and conservation varies. Rural residents treat land and groundwater as vital livelihoods.
• (b) Opinion on Wastes and Utilisation: Domestic kitchen waste is often thrown away without segregation, though some households practice composting. Agricultural waste (e.g., crop residue, cow dung) in villages is frequently converted into manure or biogas, though stubble burning remains a challenge.
• (c) Result Summary: Awareness regarding systematic recycling is growing, but there is a lack of structured municipal infrastructure for waste segregation at source.

Q5. What resources are being developed in your surroundings by the community/village panchayats/ward level communities with the help of community participation?

Answer:

Communities and local bodies frequently develop public resources through collective participation, including:

• Water Harvesting Structures: Construction and restoration of community ponds, rainwater harvesting pits, and check dams.
• Afforestation: Plantation drives along village roads, common grazing grounds, and parks.
• Waste Management: Setting up community composting pits and local biogas plants.
• Public Infrastructure: Development of community centers, village libraries, and solar-powered street lighting systems.

Q6. Prepare a list of resources found in your state and also identify the resources that are important but deficit in your state.

Answer:

Note: This answer is representative of Assam / North-Eastern region.

Q7. Can you name some resource rich but economically backward regions and some resource poor but economically developed regions? Give reasons for such a situation.

Answer:

Resource-rich but economically backward regions:

• Examples: Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh.
• Reasons: Lack of proper technological development, inadequate institutional setup, historical exploitation during colonial rule, and lack of investment in human capital.

Resource-poor but economically developed regions:

• Examples: Japan (at global level), Kerala or Haryana (at national level in specific mineral resources).
• Reasons: High investment in human resource development (education, health), advanced technology, efficient infrastructure, and strong international/domestic trade networks.

Q8. 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 2019-20 very marginally.

Answer:

Reasons for marginal changes:

• Forest Cover: Although forest cover increased slightly due to government afforestation programs and National Forest Policy directives, rapid industrialization, urbanization, and agricultural expansion prevented major growth.
• Net Sown Area: High population pressure creates immense demand for non-agricultural land (buildings, roads, factories), balancing out any new land brought under cultivation through land reclamation projects.

Q9. 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?

Answer:

How cattle are fed:

• Cattle are largely fed on agricultural residue (straw, husk), cultivated fodder crops, and farm by-products rather than relying solely on open pastures.
• Stall-feeding practices have been widely adopted in modern animal husbandry.

Consequences:

• Severe pressure and overgrazing on remaining pasture lands, leading to land degradation and soil erosion.
• Shortage of high-quality green fodder, affecting dairy productivity.

Q10. Find out reasons for the low proportion of net sown area in these states (Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Manipur and Andaman Nicobar Islands).

Answer:

The proportion of Net Sown Area is less than 10% in these states due to:

• Topography: Hilly, rugged, and mountainous terrain makes large-scale agriculture difficult.
• Dense Forest Cover: A major portion of the geographical area is covered under protected tropical and subtropical forests.
• Climatic & Soil Factors: Thin soil layers on steep slopes and high rainfall leading to soil leaching.
• Agricultural Practices: Traditional shifting cultivation (Jhum) limits continuous net sown land expansion.

Exercises

Q1. Multiple choice questions. (i) Which one of the following is the main cause of land degradation in Punjab? (a) Intensive cultivation (b) Deforestation (c) Over irrigation (d) Overgrazing (ii) In which one of the following states is terrace cultivation practised? (a) Punjab (b) Plains of Uttar Pradesh (c) Haryana (d) Uttarakhand (iii) In which of the following states black soil is predominantly found? (a) Uttar Pradesh (b) Maharashtra (c) Rajasthan (d) Jharkhand

Answer:

(i) (c) Over irrigation (Explanation: Over irrigation leads to waterlogging, increasing salinity and alkalinity in the soil.)

(ii) (d) Uttarakhand (Explanation: Terrace cultivation is practiced on hill slopes to restrict soil erosion.)

(iii) (b) Maharashtra (Explanation: Black soil dominates the Deccan trap basalt region spread over Maharashtra.)

Q2. 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?

Answer:

(i) Black Soil States and Crop:

• States: Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat.
• Main Crop: Cotton (hence also called Black Cotton Soil).

(ii) Eastern Coastal Delta Soil & Features:

Alluvial Soil is found in the deltas of Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, and Kaveri.

• It is extremely fertile and contains adequate proportions of potash, phosphoric acid, and lime.
• It consists of varying proportions of sand, silt, and clay.
• It is classified based on age into old alluvial (Bangar) and new alluvial (Khadar).

(iii) Soil Erosion Control in Hilly Areas:

• Contour Ploughing: Ploughing along contour lines to decelerate water flow down slopes.
• Terrace Farming: Cutting steps on slopes to restrict erosion.
• Afforestation: Planting trees to bind the soil on steep mountain slopes.

Q3. 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?

Answer:

(i) Land Use Pattern in India:

Land use in India is determined by physical factors (topography, climate, soil types) and human factors (population density, technology, culture). India's total geographical area is 3.28 million sq km, but reporting data is available for only 93%.

• Net Sown Area (NSA): Accounts for around 45.6% of the reporting area, varying from over 80% in Punjab/Haryana to under 10% in North-Eastern states.
• Forest Area: Stands around 23.4%, which is far below the mandatory 33% outlined in the National Forest Policy (1952).
• Other Uses: Includes barren land, non-agricultural land (roads, buildings), pastures, and fallow lands.

Reasons for low increase in forest area since 1960-61:

1. Rapid population growth leading to high demand for agricultural land.
2. Expansion of infrastructure, mining, river valley projects, and urbanization.
3. Indiscriminate cutting of trees for fuelwood and industrial raw materials.

(ii) Impact of Technical and Economic Development on Resource Consumption:

1. Advanced Equipment and Exploitation: Technological development provides sophisticated machinery that allows deeper and faster extraction of natural resources (e.g., modern mining techniques).
2. Industrialization and Urbanization: Economic progress leads to setting up more factories and expanding cities, raising the demand for energy, raw materials, and land.
3. Changing Consumer Life Styles: Higher per capita income elevates living standards, leading to increased demand for cars, electronic appliances, and luxury goods, all of which require resources to manufacture and operate.
4. Population Growth & Healthcare: Economic development improves healthcare, leading to population growth, which directly multiplies overall resource demand.

Project / Activity

Q1. Make a project showing consumption and conservation of resources in your locality.

Answer:

Project Framework Guidelines:

• Title: Resource Usage and Sustainability in Our Neighborhood.
• Introduction: Map out key resources used locally (Electricity, Municipal Water, LPG, Petrol).
• Observation / Data Collection: Note daily wastage patterns like running taps, unmetered groundwater extraction, active appliances in vacant rooms, or vehicle idling.
• Conservation Measures Suggested: Install rainwater harvesting units, adopt LED lighting, encourage segregation of wet and dry waste, and use public transport or bicycles for short trips.

Q2. Have a discussion in the class – how to conserve various resources used in your school.

Answer:

Key Discussion Points for Class Action:

• Energy Conservation: Assign student monitors to turn off fans, lights, and smartboards during breaks and outdoor classes.
• Water Management: Ensure immediate repair of leaking taps in restrooms and install rainwater collection tanks for garden irrigation.
• Paper & Stationary: Encourage double-sided printing, digital submission of assignments where possible, and establishing scrap-paper recycling bins in every classroom.
• Single-use Plastic Ban: Eliminate plastic water bottles and disposable food containers in school canteens.

Q3. Imagine if oil supplies get exhausted, how will this affect our life style?

Answer:

Exhaustion of oil supplies would fundamentally alter modern human existence:

• Transportation Shock: Petrol and diesel vehicles, aircraft, and cargo ships would become unusable until replaced by electric or hydrogen technology.
• Economic Disruption: Inflation would surge drastically due to extreme freight transport costs.
• Shift to Renewables: Urgent reliance on solar, wind, and nuclear energy sources for electricity and transportation grids.
• Material Shortages: Production of synthetic plastics, pharmaceuticals, lubricants, and fertilizers would be severely affected.

Q4. 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. (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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Answer:

The solved terms matching the clues are listed below: