Learner's spot

Q.8. Briefly explain the case study of CNG use in Delhi. Ans. Introduction: Pollution is one of the major issues causing concern not only in India but across the world. The technological advancement and speedy development since India's Independence has come at a great environmental cost. Delhi, the national capital of the country, is being tagged as one of the most heavily polluted capital cities in the world. It is the world's worst city in terms of air pollution, with an unhealthy air quality index for the majority of the year. Case Study: Use of CNG in Delhi Because the government had taken no appropriate action to combat air pollution, the Supreme Court of India took over the responsibility and issued on July 28, 1998 a time frame for measures to be taken. The order was directed towards the government of the national capital region (NCR), which includes Delhi. Measures taken: (i) Replacement of all pre-1990 autos and taxis with new vehicles using fuels clean. (ii) Financial

Q.7. Write a short note on Environmental Communication and Public Awareness. Or Discuss the role of Environment Communication and Public Awareness in environmental protection.  Ans. Introduction: Environmental communication is the communication or discussion of environmental issues. It helps in sharing information about issues and aids in finding solutions about problems.  Functions of environmental communication: (i) Pragmatic: It consists of verbal and nonverbal communication that conveys an instrumental purpose. For example, a pragmatic function of communication occurs when an environmental organization educates its supporters and rallies public support for protecting a wilderness area.  (ii) Constitutive: It entails verbal and nonverbal modes of interaction that shape. orient, and negotiate meaning, values, and relationships. It includes different perspectives about environmental issues.  Public Awareness: If we have to improve the environment, public awareness is the primary re

Q.6. Elucidate the role of religions and cultures in environmental conservation. Ans. Introduction: Environmental conservation is the broad term for anything that furthers the goal of making life more sustainable for the planet. Ultimately. people want to help the planet survive naturally and with no negative impact from the human race. Role of religions:  (i) Hinduism: It is clear that the most ancient texts on Hinduism demonstrate through the praise of the deities an ecological awareness and great respect for the natural world. There are many specific teachings on environmental matterscontained in all these writings and ecological activists have drawn much inspiration from the text. For example, do not cut trees, because they remove pollution according to the Rig Veda. (ii) Buddhism: Buddhism has been the inspiration in recent times for much practical work on environmental protection. It is often ranged against governments which seek to improve their economies by rapid development

Q.5. Briefly explain environmental ethics. Ans. Introduction: Environmental ethics studies the relation of human being and the environment and how ethics play a role in them Environmental ethics believe that humans are a part of society as well as other living creatures, which includes plants and animals.  Environmental Ethics is important because its study forces people to consider how their actions affect others and the environment. When people realize their effect, they are more likely to take steps to change uncomfortable behaviours; for instance, they may decide to recycle, to be compassionate towards animals, or to be an advocate for wilderness preservation. Types of Environmental Ethics: (i) Conservation Ethics: Conservation ethics looks only at the worth of the environment in terms of its utility or usefulness to humans. The conservation ethic is an ethic of resource use, allocation, exploitation, and protection. Its primary focus is upon maintaining the health of the natural w

Q.4. Write a short note on the following environmental movements: (a) Chipko Movement  (b) Silent Valley (c) Bishnois of Rajasthan Ans. (a) Chipko Movement Introduction: The Chipko Movement was started in the northern Himalayan segment of Uttar Pradesh, the area that is well known as Uttarakhand. The word "chipko" refers "to stick" or "to hug". The name of the movement comes from a word meaning "embrace": where the villagers hug the trees, saving them by interposing their bodies between them and the contractors' axes. Objectives: -to ensure an ecological balance. -to ensure the survival of the tribal people whose economic activities revolved around these forests Movement: The Chipko Movement was started in the 1970s in Uttarakhand state by founder Sunderlal Bahugana along with many volunteers and women with the aim of protecting the trees by clinging to them with a non-violent protest. Sunderlal Bahuguna was a renowned Gandhi Follower and he

Q.3. What is Disaster Management? Explain appropriate measures to manage floods, earthquakes, cyclones and landslides.  Ans. Introduction: Disaster Management can be defined as the organization and management of resources and responsibilities for dealing with all humanitaria aspects of emergencies, in particular preparedness, response and recovery in order to lessen the impact of disasters.  Objectives of Disaster Management: - Proactive plans to mitigate various business risks -Minimizing loss via more effective preparedness and response  -Creating more effective and durable recovery Phases of Disaster Management: (i) Prevention: Prevention was recently added to the phases of emergency management. It focuses on preventing the human hazard, primarily from potential natural disasters or terrorist attacks. Preventive measures are taken, designed to provide permanent protection from disasters. In electrical risks, a periodical power quality audit and exhaustive  (ii) Mitigation: In pre

Q.2. Explain the resettlement and rehabilitation plan of people affected by a project. Ans. Introduction: Lakhs of people displaced by the 300 dams of the Sardar Sarovar Project are victims of an infrastructural project. Tribals were affected by Sardar Sarovar dam under construction at Vadgam village in Gujarat in western part of India. The dam alone displaces more than 41,000 families Le, over 200,000 people in the three states of Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh. Over 56 percent of the people affected by the dam are tribals Victims together protested for rehabilitation and resettlement under the banner of Narmada Bachao Andolan." Resettlement Plan: (i) Land Allocation: In accordance with the land acquisition act, people displaced because of the dam are to get compensation in the form of land elsewhere. The Narmada Bachao Committee has surveyed the victitas and taken account of land to be disbursed.  (ii) Cash Compensation: To those whom the government cannot provide an

Q.1. What is population explosion and state its impact on environment, health and welfare?  Or Human population explosion is causing severe resource depletion and environmental degradation. Ans. Introduction: Population explosion refers to the rapid and dramatic rise in world population that has occurred over the last few hundred years. Between 1959 and 2000, the world's population increased from 2.5 billion to 6.1 billion people. According to United Nations projections, the world population will be between 7.9 billion and 10.9 billion by 2050. Most of the growth is currently taking place in the developing world, where rates of natural increase are much higher than in industrialized countries. This might lead to over population in some countries.  Causes of Rapid Population Growth: (i) Poverty: Poverty is believed to be the leading cause of overpopulation. A lack of educational resources, coupled with high death rates leading to higher birth rates, result in impoverished areas see

  Q.5. Differentiate between the following: (a)     Forest ecosystem and Pond ecosystem (b)    Forests and Grassland ecosystem (c)     Fresh water and Marine ecosystem (d)    Desert and Aquatic ecosystem (e)    Primary succession and Secondary succession Ans.  (a) Difference between Ecosystem and Pond Ecosystem Basis Forest ecosystem Pond ecosystem Meaning Forest ecosystem is a system in which plants, animals and microorganisms exist and interact among themselves. Pond ecosystem is a small temporary water body with high water levels in the monsoon. Perennial Forests are perennial in nature as they are present throughout the year. Pond remain in the monsoon season and dry up in summers. They are temporary in nature. Food chains Food chains are long in forests due to its rich diversity. Food chains tend to be short in ponds.

Q.4. What are the causes of land use change and explain land degradation. Ans. Introduction: Land is a very important resource needed for food production, poultry farming, housing construction of dams and for the ever growing industrial sector. The opportunity cost of using land is loss of forest land, grassland or aquatic ecosystems. It is therefore of grave importance for the Government to frame a fair land use policy. Causes for change in land use: (i) Intensive Agriculture: Due to growing population, land utilization for producing food has increased drastically, taking away opportunities for land to be used for other purposes. Land-hunger' is the greed of having to use land for agricultural purposes which is ever increasing. (ii) Industrialization: Industries have polluted the quality of land and soil which is essential in ensuring productivity of growth of forests and other ecosystems, Natural wetlands are being used for purposes of building industries, urban settlements

Q.3. Write a short note on: (a) Soil erosion (b) Desertification Ans. (a) Soil Erosion: Soil erosion is defined as the wearing away of topsoil. Topsoil is the top layer of soil and is the most fertile because it contains the most organic, nutrient-rich materials. The most common forms of soil erosion are by wind and water. A few causes for soil erosion are: (i) Deforestation: Deforestation refers to the cutting down of trees to use the land for alternative purposes Such acts lead the top layer of soil being exposed to agents like water and wind. (ii) Floods: Heavy flow of water leads to soil erosion and thus results in reduced productivity of the land. (iii) Steep Slopes: Slopes results in erosion as water flows easily and makes it simple to erode soil. For example, there is heavy soil erosion in the Himalayas and the Western Ghats. (iv) Idle Land: If the land isn't used for any purpose, it leads to soil erosion.  Ans. (b) Desertification: The process by which fertile land becom

Q.2. What is deforestation? Explain the impact of mining/dam building on the environment, forests, biodiversity and tribal populations. Ans. Introduction: Deforestation is the cutting down of trees for several purposes like building dams, mining, timber extraction etc. Deforestation has several environmental impacts on different stakeholders. It also affects the biochemical cycles in the environment. 1. Environment (a) Degradation of soil quality: Deforestation results in reduced soil quality as the top most layer of soil with all nutrients is eroded. It leads to productivity losses and change in the quality/nature of soil.  (b) Pollution: In case of mining, the nearby water and soil is contaminated due to the acidic properties of debris which is left after mining.  (c) Health problems: Health problems can occur in the nearby areas as the water, air and soil get polluted. Water borne diseases like cholera and typhoid are common in polluted areas. (d) Loss of water: Due to deforest

Q.1. Explain the effects of overutilization of water resources with reference to floods and droughts. Ans. Introduction: Water is the most important resource for the existence of life on Earth. 70% of our planet is covered with water but only 1% of this water is of drinking standards. Today, water management has become the most important issue. States like Karnataka and Tamil Nadu have been fighting over water problems.  Causes for Overexploitation/Water Pollution: (i) Growing Population: With the number of people increasing each day, the daily requirement of water has increased, thus causing over utilization of water resources. (ii) Use of excessive fertilizers: Use of excessive fertilizers and pesticides makes the ground water toxic and unsuitable for drinking. (iii) Pollutants from industries: Industries try to reduce their costs by inducing toxic substances into water bodies without treating them. Effects of overutilization:   (i) Global climate change: Due to overutilization o

Q.5. Briefly explain the provisions of Environment Protection Act, 1986. Ans. Introduction: The Environment (Protection) Act was enacted in 1986 with the objective of providing for the protection and improvement of the environment. It empowers the Central Government to establish authorities charged with preventing environmental pollution in all its forms and to tackle specific environmental problems that are peculiar to different parts of the country. The act was enacted in the wake of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy. Salient features of Environment Protection Act:  (a) Conferring Powers on the Central Government to: -Take all necessary measures for protecting quality of environment, -Co-ordinate actions of States, officers and other authorities under this Act, -Plan and execute a nationwide programme for prevention, control and abatement of environmental pollution, -Lay down standards for discharge of environmental pollutants, -Empower any person to enter, inspect, take samples and test, Esta