CLASS X

DELHI PUBLIC SCHOOL RUBY PARK, KOLKATA

CLASS X
SESSION 2022-23
GEOGRAPHY STUDY MATERIAL

Chapter 1: RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

PART A: RESOURCE

DEFINITION OF A RESOURCE:

Everything available in our environment which can be used to satisfy our needs,
provided, it is technologically accessible, economically feasible, and culturally
acceptable is known as a resource.

RESOURCES ARE A FUNCTION OF HUMAN ACTIVITY: resources are NOT free

gifts of nature as is assumed by many. 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.

INTERDEPENDENT RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN NATURE, TECHNOLOGY AND

INSTITUTION

• Human beings are the essential components of resources.

• They transform materials available in the environment into resources and
use them.
• They interact with nature through technology and create institutions and
helps in the economic development of a region.
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TYPES OF RESOURCES

• On the basis of origin: a) Biotic. b) Abiotic

• On the basis of exhaustibility: a) Renewable b) Non-Renewable
• On the basis of ownership: a) individual b) community owned resources
c) national d) international resources.
• On the basis of status of development: a) Potential resources b) developed
resources c) stock d) reserves.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BIOTIC AND ABIOTIC RESOURCES

BIOTIC RESOURCES ABIOTIC RESOURCES

These are obtained from biosphere and All those things which are composed
have life. of non-living things are called
abiotic resources.

Biotic resources are able to reproduce Abiotic resources can be constantly

and regenerate. recycled and renewed in nature like
Exception: Coal a fossil fuel is biotic in water, solar energy.
origin but is unable to regenerate. Exception: some metals can be
recycled by human efforts but
naturally they do not get renewed.

For example, human beings, flora and For example, rocks and metals.
fauna, fisheries, livestock.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN RENEWABLE AND NON-RENEWABLE RESOURCES

RENEWABLE RESOURCE NON-RENEWABLE RESOURCE

• These resources can be used • These resources cannot be

again and again and can be renewed or reproduced. They take
reproduced by physical, millions of years in their
chemical and mechanical formation.
processes.
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• The renewable resources can be • Though they get exhausted with

further divided into flow or use, some like metals can be
continuous resources. recycled.

• Most renewable resources have • Non-renewable resources have a

an unlimited supply. limited supply.
• Also known as inexhaustible or • Also known as exhaustible or
replenish able resource. non-replenish able resource

Example: solar energy, wind, forest Example: Minerals and fossil fuels

RESOURCES ON THE BASIS OF STATUS OF DEVELOPMENT

• Potential resource: Resources found in a region but have not been

utilized. THESE RESOURCES HAVE ENORMOUS POTENTIAL.
However, they have not been developed due to lack of capital.
Technology is available. Example solar energy in Rajasthan.
• Developed Resource: Resources which are surveyed and their quality
and quantity have been determined for utilization. The development of
resources depends on technology and level of their feasibility.

• Stock: The materials present in the environment which has the potential
to satisfy human needs but human beings do not have the appropriate
technology to access these. Example water, a compound of two gases
hydrogen and oxygen can be used as a rich source of energy. But we do
not have the required technical ‘know-how’ to use them for this purpose.
So, technology is not yet fully developed and it also requires a lot of
capital investment.

• Reserve: The subset of stock, which can be put to use with the existing
technology but their use, has not been started. These are saved for future
use. River water can be used for generating hydroelectric power but
presently, it is being utilized only to a limited extent. Thus, the water in
the dams, forests etc. is a reserve which can be used in the future.
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RESOURCES ON THE BASIS OF OWNERSHIP

• Individual resources: These are owned privately by individuals.

Plantation, pasture lands, ponds, water in wells etc. are some of the
examples of resources ownership by individuals.
• Community owned resources: These resources are accessible to all the
members of the community. Like grazing grounds and village ponds. In a
city public parks may be considered as community resource.
• National resource: The resources that belong to the nation. All the
minerals water resources, forest wildlife, land within the political
boundaries and oceanic area up to 12 nautical miles from the coast and
resources therein belong to the nation.

Territorial water: The oceanic area up to 12 nautical miles (22.2km) from

the coastline of a nation is termed as territorial water and the resources
therein belong to the nation. Territorial waters are a part of national
resource and resources therein belong to the nation.

• International Resource: The resources that do not belong to any

individual country. There are international institutions to regulate these
resources.

Exclusive Economic Zone: A sea zone prescribed by the United Nations

Convention of the Sea, over which a nation has special rights of exploration. It
stretches from the coastline up to 200 nautical miles.

There are international institutions which regulate some resources. The oceanic
resources beyond 200 nautical miles of the Exclusive Economic Zone belong to
open ocean and no individual country can utilize these without the concurrence
of international institutions. (the EEZ a creation of international law gives a
country rights to explore and exploit resources. Beyond the EEZ is the high sea
or open sea. This area is monitored by International agencies and laws such as
United Nations Law of the Sea govern it.)
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INDISCRIMINATE USE OF RESOURCES AND THE CONSEQUENCES

• Depletion of resources for satisfying the greed of few individuals.

• Accumulation of resources in few hands dividing the society between the
rich and poor or have and have-nots.
• Severe ecological and global crisis like ozone layer depletion, global
warming, land degradation and environmental pollution.

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.

In June 1992, more than 100 heads of states met in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, for
the first International Earth Summit. The Rio Convention endorsed the global
Forest Principles and adopted Agenda 21 for achieving Sustainable
Development in the 21st century. 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.
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AGENDA 21:

Agenda 21 is a comprehensive plan of action to be taken globally, nationally

and locally by organizations of the United Nations System, Governments, and
Major Groups in every area in which human impacts on the environment.

Agenda 21, the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, and the
Statement of principles for the Sustainable Management of Forests were
adopted by more than 178 Governments at the United Nations Conference on
Environment and Development (UNCED) held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 3 to 14
June 1992.

OBJECTIVES:

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.

Integrated approach to the planning and management of land resources.

combating deforestation and managing fragile ecosystems, combating
desertification and drought.

Global action for women towards sustainable and equitable development.

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RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT AND RESOURCE PLANNING:

THREE STAGES OF RESOURCE PLANNING

• Identification and inventory of resources which involves surveying,

mapping, qualitative and quantitative estimation and measurement of
resources.
• Developing a planned structure with proper technology, skill and
institutional setup for resource development plans.
• Matching resource development plans with national development plans.
WHY IS RESOURCE PLANNING NEEDED IN INDIA?

I. Enormous diversity in the availability of resources in India

• 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.

II. 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
• The state of Rajasthan is very well endowed with solar and wind energy
but lacks in water resources.
• The cold desert of Ladakh is isolated from the rest of the country but very
rich in cultural heritage but lacks in water, infrastructure and other vital
minerals.

III. Balanced resource planning at national, state, regional and local

levels are needed due to this vast diversity and unequal distribution
of resources in our country.

IV. The availability of resources has to be matched with availability of

technology and institutions, or else development may be hindered.
There are many regions in our country that are rich in resources but
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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.

V. Resource planning is needed in India as we also have a variety in

quality of human resources. The historical experiences of the people,
especially our colonial past indicates how our resources were
exploited by colonial powers due to their superior technology.
Therefore, proper planning is needed to overcome the exploitation
and lack of resource development in the past.

CONSERVATION OF RESOURCES:

• Some of the resources are limited in nature so conservation is essential.

• Proper planning and judicious use of resources is essential to conserve
resources for future.
• Resources are vital for any developmental activity, its conservation at
various levels is important.
• Irrational consumption and over-utilization of resources may lead to
socio-economic and environmental problems.

Gandhiji’s philosophy regarding “Resource Utilisation” and “Resource

Conservation”: “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. Gandhiji advocated self-reliance and believed modern industrial
economy to be unsustainable and exploitative.

His philosophy was echoed by Ernst Friedrich Schumacher in his book

“Small is beautiful”. Schumacher was greatly influenced by Mahatma Gandhi.
He too believed like Gandhi that technology erodes our natural resources and
deprives our future generation.
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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’

In 1987, the World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED),

which had been set up in 1983, published a report entitled «Our common
future». The document came to be known as the «Brundtland Report» after the
Commission's chairwoman, Gro Harlem Brundtland. It developed guiding
principles for sustainable development as it is generally understood today.

It called for a strategy that united development and the environment – described
by the now-common term «sustainable development». Sustainable development
is defined as follows: «Sustainable development is development that meets the
needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to
meet their own needs.
CLASS X

DELHI PUBLIC SCHOOL RUBY PARK, KOLKATA

CLASS X
SESSION 2022-23
GEOGRAPHY STUDY MATERIAL

Chapter 1: RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

PART C: SOIL RESOURCE

SOIL

It is the uppermost layer of the earth’s crust which is loose, fragmented and is useful for
plants is called soil. It consists of organic and inorganic materials.

The soil is a living system. It takes millions of years to form soil up to a few cm in depth.
The various factors responsible for soil formation are as follows.
• Relief: Altitude and slope determine accumulation of soil. A flat plain has thick layer
of soil whereas mountain slope has thin or incomplete soil profile.
• Parent Rock: - Parent rock determines color, texture, chemical properties, mineral
content and permeability of soil. E.g.: Shale- clayey, Sandstone-loamy.
• Climate: -Frequent change in temperature will accelerate the soil formation. The
amount of rainfall determines the amount of humus present in the soil.
• Vegetation and other form of life also affect the rate of humus formation and soil
fertility.
• Time: - Time determines the thickness of the soil profile. If more time is given for
soil formation a complete soil profile will be formed.
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Soil Type and Areas Rich/ Characteristics and Colour Fertility and Crops
Deficient Origin Texture
1. Alluvial Soil Rich: 2 types- Bangar- Banger- Banger less Rice, Jute,
Areas: Northern Potash, old soil, found away light in fertile, not Wheat,
Plains, Coastal strips of Phosphoric from the rivers. colour. renewed. Maize and
the Mahanadi, acid and Khadar- new soil Khadar very Sugarcane.
Godavari Krishna and lime. found close to the Khadar- fertile enriched
Kaveri delta Deficient: rivers in the flood dark in every year.
Nitrogenous plains. colour. Texture:
and organic Origin: Formed by Banger- is
nutrients. the deposition of the sandy with
rivers. (silt or higher
alluvium) concentration
of kankar
modules.
Khadar- is
clayey with
fine particles.
2. Black Soil or Rich: In soil Black soil is clayey Black in In the valleys Cotton is the
Regur Soil. nutrients in nature. colour. the soil is main crop.
Areas: Found in such as fertile. Sugarcane
Deccan Trap region calcium and wheat
covering the plateaus carbonate, are also
Have the ability to
of Maharashtra, magnesium, grown.
retain moisture and In the uplands
Gujarat, Madhya potash and becomes sticky the soil in poor
Pradesh, Andhra lime. when wet. in fertility.
Pradesh and parts of Deficient:
Tamil Nadu. In
phosphoric
On drying develops Texture:
content
deep cracks. Clayey and
sticky when
wet.
They are usually
shallow in depth.

Origin: Formed due

to weathering of
extrusive igneous
rocks.
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3. Red and Yellow Rich: In It is red in colour It is red in When it is Suitable for
Soils. Iron, potash and yellow in colour colour highly porous it the growth
Areas: and lime when hydrated. during the is less fertile. of millets
Red soil found in areas Deficient: It dry and for the
of low rainfall in is a less season When it is fine cultivation
Eastern and Southern fertile soil, It is highly porous. when iron grained and of most
parts of Deccan deficient in oxides deep it is highly crops with
Plateau. nitrogen, appear on fertile. irrigation.
phosphorous the
It is fertile when it is
Yellow and Red Soils and humus. surface.
fine grained and
are also found in parts It looks
deep.
of Odisha, yellow in
Chhattisgarh, Sn parts It is less fertile when a
of the middle Ganga it is full of pebbles hydrated
Plain, and along the and gravel. form.
piedmont zone of the
Western Ghats.
Origin: It is formed
due to the
weathering of
Igneous (granite)
and Metamorphic
Rocks.

4.Laterite Soil: Rich: In They lack elements Reddish They are less Tea, coffee
Areas: Iron, potash, of fertility and in colour. fertile and are and cashew
These soils are found Aluminum normally of low made suitable nuts.
in Karnataka, Kerala, oxides, value for crop for cultivation
Tamil Nadu and hilly Manganese production. with adequate
areas of Odisha, doses of
Assam, Meghalaya. Deficient: manures and
These soils They are intensively fertilizers.
are deficient leached soil.
in humus as Texture: They
the are composed
microbes do of little clay
Lateritic soils are
not survive and much of
mostly deep to very
the high gravel of red
deep, acidic
temperature. sandstones.
(pH≤6.0) and
They are brick
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Deficient in generally deficient like when dried

nitrogen in plant nutrients. and hardened.
phosphate
and calcium. Origin: They
develop in areas of
high temperature
and heavy rainfall.
This soil is the result
of intense leaching
due to heavy
rainfall.

5. Arid Soils. Rich: These soils are dry The Less fertile and With
These soils and saline in nature. colour saline in nature. irrigation
Areas: are rich in ranges With the help most crops
Found in arid areas of soluble from red of irrigation, can be
Western Rajasthan, salts. Formed due to dry to brown the soil become grown.
Punjab and Haryana climate, high cultivable.
Deficient: temperature and
Lack accelerated Texture:
organic evaporation. Sandy
matter and
moisture.
Nitrogen is
Less fertile when
insufficient.
dry.

A layer of kanker
stops infiltration of
water.

Origin: They are

formed because of
the weathering of
rocks.
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6. Forest/Mountain They are Dark They are also Fruit

Soils. heterogeneous in Colour known as the orchards
nature. ‘Soil in the
Areas: Found in the making.’ They
mountainous regions are less fertile
Uttaranchal, Himachal They are shallow in the
Pradesh, Jammu and and immature soil. mountainous
Kashmir region because
they are acidic
in nature with
Origin: They are
low humus
formed by the
content. In the
decomposition of
river terraces
the organic
and alluvial
materials derived
fans, they are
from vegetative
fertile.
cover.

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.,

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. Common in Chambal
basin.

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.
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Conservation measures:
• 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.

Questions and Answers

1) What are the various forces of nature that contribute to the formation of soil?

Ans: 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.

2) Describe five characteristics of Arid Soil.

• Arid soil is red to brown or pale yellow in colour
• The texture is sandy and they are mostly saline in nature
• The soil mostly lacks in moisture and humus due high rate of evaporation in these
regions.
• Calcium gets concentrated as a kantar layer in lower horizons, which often restricts the
water to flow to the bottom layers.
• They are basically less fertile and saline soil but can be used for cultivation after proper
irrigation.

3) Which is the most widespread soil of India? Write an account on it.

Ans Alluvial soil is the most widely spread soil of India.

Some of its features are as follows:
• Origin: Formed due to deposition mainly by rivers
• Location: it is found in the Northern Plains, Coastal strips of Mahanadi,
Godavari, Krishna, Kaveri delta and Chhattisgarh basin
• Rich/ Deficient: Alluvial soil is rich in potash, phosphoric acid and lime
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• It is deficient in nitrogenous and organic matter.

Types:
It mainly of two types: Bhangar – Old alluvium which is less fertile, more porous
and found away from the river. They also have the calcium nodules called kankar
deposited on them.
and Khadar – New alluvium, which is found near the river bed and is renewed every
year and is thus more fertile. They are made of finer particles and are less porous.
Some crops grown on this soil are Sugarcane, paddy wheat etc.

4) What is soil erosion? Explain the major types of soil erosion prevailing in India.

Ans: The denudation of the soil cover and subsequent washing down is known as soil
erosion.

The major types of soil erosion are as follows:

•Gully erosion: Running water cuts through the clayey soils and makes deep channels. This
is known as gully erosion.

• Wind erosion: Wind blows loose soil off flat or sloping land. This is known as wind
erosion.

• Sheet erosion: Sometimes water flows as sheet over large areas down a slope causing the

5) What is soil conservation and suggest the proper methods to conserve soil.

Ans: Prevention of soil erosion is known as soil conservation.

Methods of conservation of soil are as follows:

• Contour ploughing: Ploughing along the contour lines decelerate the flow of Water down
the slopes. This is known as contour ploughing.

• Terrace cultivation: Cultivation in well-developed terraces as in Western and Central

Himalayas also restrict soil erosion.

• Strip Cropping: Large scale fields can be divided into strips whereby strips of grass a left
to grow between the crops which breaks up the force of wind leading to soil conservation.
This is known as strip cropping.

• Shelter belts: Planting lines of trees to create shelter along the strips also break up the force
of wind. Rows of such trees are called shelterbelts.
CLASS X

DELHI PUBLIC SCHOOL RUBY PARK, KOLKATA

CLASS X
SESSION 2022-23
GEOGRAPHY STUDY MATERIAL

Chapter 1: RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

PART B: LAND RESOURCE

LAND RESOURCE – ITS SIGNIFICANCE

• We live on land and perform various economic activities on land.
• Land supports natural vegetation, animal life and human life.
• Various economic activities, transport and communication are all developed on land.
• It is limited in nature so proper planning is essential.

TYPES OF RELIEF FEATURES ON LAND AND THEIR SIGNIFICANCE

1, PLAINS

• 43% of Land areas in India are plains.

• Provides facilities for industries and agriculture.
• Flat land of plains is suitable for building roads and railways
• Plains are ideal sites for developing settlements

2. PLATEAU

• 27% of the area of the country is a plateau region.

• They have rich reserves of minerals and fossil fuels.
• Forests in plateaus are supply us with timber and various resources like gum, honey,
wax, lac etc.

MOUNTAINS

• Mountains cover 30% of the total area of the country.

• They ensure perennial flow of rivers.
• The scenic beauty of mountains encourages facilities for tourism.
• Mountain slopes are suitable for tea plantations, fruit orchards
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LANDUSE PATTERN IN INDIA

Land-use records are maintained by revenue department.

The following factors determine land-use:
• a) physical factors – topography, climate and soil types.
• b) human factors – population density, technological capability, culture and tradition.

LAND UTILIZATION

Land resource utilisation comprises of the following:

• forests
• Land not available for cultivation includes –
a) barren and waste land
b) land put to non-agricultural use.
• Other uncultivated lands are
a) Permanent pastures
b) Land under miscellaneous tree grooves
c) Culturable waste lands (when land left uncultivated for more than 5 agricultural
years)
• Fallow land –
a) Current fallow – land left uncultivated for one or less than one agricultural year.
b) Other than current fallow – when land left uncultivated for 1 to 5 agricultural year.
• net sown area

i. Forests: It is important to note that area under actual forest cover is different from
area classified as forest. The forest area is the area which the Government has
identified and demarcated for forest growth. While, forest cover is the actual forest
canopy.
ii. Barren and Wastelands: The land which may be classified as a wasteland such as
barren hilly terrains, desert lands, ravines, etc. normally cannot be brought under
cultivation with the available technology.

iii. Land put to Non-agricultural Uses: Land under settlements (rural and urban),
infrastructure (roads, canals, etc.), industries, shops, etc., are included in this category.
An expansion in the secondary and tertiary activities would lead to an increase in this
category of land-use.
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iv. Area under Permanent Pastures and Grazing Lands: Most of this type land is
owned by the village ‘Panchayat’ or the Government. Only a small proportion of this
land is privately owned.

v. Area under Miscellaneous Tree Crops and Groves (Not included in Net sown
Area): The land under orchards and fruit trees are included in this category. Much of
this land is privately owned.

vi. Culturable Wasteland: Any land which is left fallow (uncultivated) for more than
five years is included in this category. It can be brought under cultivation after
improving it through reclamation practices.

vii. Current Fallow: This is the land which: is left without cultivation for one or less than
one agricultural year. Fallowing, is a cultural practice adopted for giving the land rest.
The land recoups the lost fertility through natural processes.

viii. Fallow other than Current Fallow: This is also a cultivable land which is left
uncultivated for more than a year but less than five years. If the land is left
uncultivated for more than five years, it would be categorized as culturable wasteland.

ix. Net Area Sown: The physical extent of land on which crops are sown and 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.
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COMPARISON OF LAND USE BETWEEN 1960-61 and 2014-15

Increase in Land use

The rate of increase is the highest in case of area under non-agricultural uses. This is
due to the changing structure of Indian economy, which is increasingly depending on the
contribution from industrial and services sectors and expansion of related infrastructural
facilities. Also, an expansion of area under both urban and rural settlements has added to the
increase. Thus, the area under non-agricultural uses is increasing at the expense of wastelands
and agricultural land.

The increase in the share under forest, can be accounted for by increase in the demarcated
area under forest rather than an actual increase in the forest cover in the country.

The trend of current fallow fluctuates a great deal over years, depending on the variability
of rainfall and cropping cycles.

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
increases.
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Decrease in Land use

The four categories that have registered a decline are barren and wasteland, culturable
wasteland, area under pastures and tree crops and net sown area.

As the pressure on land increased, both from the agricultural and nonagricultural sectors, the
wastelands and culturable wastelands have witnessed decline over time.

The decline in land under pastures and grazing lands can be explained by pressure from
agricultural land. Illegal encroachment due to expansion of cultivation on common pasture
lands is largely responsible for this decline.

Increase in net area sown is a recent phenomenon due to use of culturable waste land for
agricultural purpose. Net sown area registers a decrease due to the increases in area under
nonagricultural use. (Note: the expansion of building activity on agricultural land in your
village and city). Net sown areas’ increase or decrease may also be linked with increase or
decrease in fallow land.

Q The land under permanent pasture has decreased. How are we able to feed our huge
cattle population on this pasture land and what are the consequences of it?

The cattle are fed with farm waste, grain chaff and husk and also fodder crops.

Q What are fallow lands? Why are these lands not cultivated every year?

Fallow lands are left without cultivation for one or less than one agricultural year. Fallowing,
is a cultural practice adopted for giving the land rest. The land recoups the lost fertility
through natural processes. These lands are either of poor quality or the cost of cultivation of
such land is very high, so they are not cultivated every year.

Q 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.

Punjab and Haryana are part of the fertile Northern plains. The fertile alluvial soil, flat land
and ample water resources help these areas to be heavily cultivated. Therefore, the net sown
area is high in these states.

In comparison the north eastern states and the Andaman Islands are hilly and forested.
Heavily leached soil due to heavy rains make the soil infertile. Lack of irrigation facilities
also hinder agricultural activities to prosper. That is why net sown area is less in these
regions.
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Q “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)”. Why is it considered
essential to have 33% of land under forest?
✓ Essential for maintenance of the ecological balance.
✓ The livelihood of millions of people who live on the fringes of these forests depends
upon it.
✓ Habitat of wildlife
✓ Provides various resources which have economic significance.

LAND DEGRADATION

The pressure on agricultural land increases not only due to the limited availability but also by
deterioration of quality of agricultural land.

• What happens if land is consistently used without managing its fertility?

Land is degraded and productivity declines. Continuous use of land over a long
period of time without taking appropriate measures to conserve and manage it results
in land degradation.

Land degradation is generally understood either as a temporary or a permanent decline

in productive capacity of the land.

Human activities such as deforestation, over grazing, mining is responsible for land
degradation to a large extent.

Mining and mineral processing:

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.

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.

Deforestation:

In states like Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha deforestation due to
mining have caused severe land degradation.

Overgrazing:

In states like Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra overgrazing is one of the
main reasons for land degradation.
CLASS X

Over irrigation:

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.

Dumping of untreated industrial effluents:

In recent years, industrial effluents as waste have become a major source of land and water
pollution in many parts of the country.

CONSERVATION MEASURES

Some methods to check land degradation:

Afforestation
Controlled grazing
Planting of shelter belts
Stabilizing sand dunes by planting thorny bushes in the deserts
Control of mining activities
Proper management of waste lands
Proper discharge and disposal of industrial effluents and wastes after treatment can
reduce land and water degradation in industrial and suburban areas.