(i) Java is in Indonesia. (ii) The population of Java was 3.4 million in 1600. (iii) There were many villages in the fertile plains, but there were also many communities living in the mountains and practising shifting cultivation. (iv) Kalangs was its famous community. It was a community of skilledRead more
(i) Java is in Indonesia.
(ii) The population of Java was 3.4 million in 1600.
(iii) There were many villages in the fertile plains, but there were also many communities living in the mountains and practising shifting cultivation.
(iv) Kalangs was its famous community. It was a community of skilled forest cutters and shifting cultivators. They were so valuable that in 1755 when the Mata ram kingdom of Java split, the 6,000 Kalang families were equally divided between the two kingdom. Without their expertise, it would have been difficult to harvest teak for the kings to build their palaces.
During the colonial rule the effects of expansion of cultivation were as mentioned below: (i) The rural landscape was radically transformed. (ii) As the cultivation expanded, the area under forests and pastures declined. (iii) Peasants and pastoralists found the access to forests and grazing lands iRead more
During the colonial rule the effects of expansion of cultivation were as mentioned below:
(i) The rural landscape was radically transformed.
(ii) As the cultivation expanded, the area under forests and pastures declined.
(iii) Peasants and pastoralists found the access to forests and grazing lands increasingly restricted by rules and regulations.
(iv) They struggled to meet pressures of government revenue demand.
(v) The rural India began to produce a range of crops for the world market; such as jute, cotton and wheat.
(i) In shifting cultivation, parts of the forest are cut and burnt in rotation. (ii) Seeds are sown in the ashes after the first monsoon rains. (iii) The crop is harvested by October - November. (iv) such plots are cultivated for a number of years and then left fallow for 12 to 18 years for the foreRead more
(i) In shifting cultivation, parts of the forest are cut and burnt in rotation.
(ii) Seeds are sown in the ashes after the first monsoon rains.
(iii) The crop is harvested by October – November.
(iv) such plots are cultivated for a number of years and then left fallow for 12 to 18 years for the forest to grow back.
(v) A mixture of crops is grown back.
(vi) In central India and Africa, it could be millets, in Brazil manioc, and in other parts of Latin America maize and beans..
The Forest Act created hardships for the villagers in the following Ways: (i) Cutting Wood for their houses, grazing their cattle, contacting fruits and roots, hunting and fishing became illegal. (ii) People were now forced to steal wood from the forests, and if they were caught, they were at the meRead more
The Forest Act created hardships for the villagers in the following Ways:
(i) Cutting Wood for their houses, grazing their cattle, contacting fruits and roots, hunting and fishing became illegal.
(ii) People were now forced to steal wood from the forests, and if they were caught, they were at the mercy of the forest guards who would take bribes from them.
(iii) Women who collected fuelwood were especially worried.
(iv) It was common for police constables and forest to harass people by demanding free food them.
(a) The British were worried by the use of forests by local people and the reckless Felling of trees by traders. so they invited Brandis and made him the first Inspector General Forests. (b) Brandis made the following suggestions : (i) Need for a proper system to manage the forests. (ii) Training foRead more
(a) The British were worried by the use of forests by local people and the reckless Felling of trees by traders. so they invited Brandis and made him the first Inspector General Forests.
(b) Brandis made the following suggestions :
(i) Need for a proper system to manage the forests.
(ii) Training for people in the science of conservation.
(iii) Need for forest laws and rules for use of forest resources.
(iv) Restrictions on felling of trees/grazing so that forests could be preserved for timber prediction.
(c) The following steps were taken for implementation of his suggestions:
(i) Setting up of the Indian Forest Service in 1864.
(ii) Indian Forest Act 1865. It was amended in 1878 and 1927.
(iii) The Imperial Forest Research Institute was set up at Dehradun in 1906 for teaching ‘scientific forestry’.
Modern adaptations of traditional rainwater harvesting method are being carried out in many parts of the country to conserve and store water. For example in Gendathur village in Mysore, Karnataka, nearly 200 households have installed the system of rainwater harvesting. Gendathur receives an annual pRead more
Modern adaptations of traditional rainwater harvesting method are being carried out in many parts of the country to conserve and store water. For example in Gendathur village in Mysore, Karnataka, nearly 200 households have installed the system of rainwater harvesting. Gendathur receives an annual precipitation of 1,000 mm, and with 80 per cent of collection efficiency and of about 10 fillings, every house can collect and use 50,000 litres of water annually. From the 20 houses, the net amount of rainrwater harvested annually comes to1,00,000 litres. Thus, the rainwater harvesting system is being carried out successfully in Gendathur which has earned the rare distinction of being rich in rainwater. In addition to Gendathur, tamil Nadu is the first and the only state in India which had made rooftop rainwater harvesting structure compulsory to all the houses across the state. There are legal provisions to punish the defaulters. Thus, modern adaptations of traditional rainwater harvesting methods are being carried out to conserve and store water. In Meghalaya, a 200-year-old system of tapping stream and spring water by using bamboo pipes, is prevalent. About 18-20 litres of water entres the bamboo pipe system, gets transported over hundreds of metres, and finally reduces to 20-80 drops per minute at the site of the plant.
In the semi-arid and arid regions of Rajasthan, particularly in Bikaner, Phalodi and Barmer, almost all the houses traditionally had underground tanks or tankas for storing drinking water. The tanks could be as large as a big room. One household in Phalodi had a tank that was 6.1 metres deep, 4.27 mRead more
In the semi-arid and arid regions of Rajasthan, particularly in Bikaner, Phalodi and Barmer, almost all the houses traditionally had underground tanks or tankas for storing drinking water. The tanks could be as large as a big room. One household in Phalodi had a tank that was 6.1 metres deep, 4.27 metres long and 2.44 metres wide. These tankas were part of the well developed rooftop rain water harvesting system. These were built inside the main house or the courtyard. They were connected to the sloping roofs of the houses through a pipe. Rain falling on the rooftops would travel down the pipe and was stored in these underground ‘tankos’. The first spell of rain was usually not collected as this would clean the roofs and the pipes. The rainwater from the subsequent showers was then collected. The rainwater is stored in the tankas till the next rainfall. It is the most reliable source of drinking water when all other sources are dried up, particularly in the summers. Rainwater called as ‘palar pani’ is considered the purest form of natural water. Not only this, many houses construct underground rooms adjoining the ‘tanka’ to beat the summer heat as it would keep the room cool. However, the practice of rooftop rainwater harvesting is on the decline due to the perennial Rajasthan Canal which has made the avaiiability of plenty of water in the area.
Advantages and disadvantages of multi-purpose projects. (a) Advantages: (1) Dams built under the multi-purpose projects help to irrigate agricultural fields. (2) Multi-purpose projects help in generation of electricity. For example, the Bhakra- Nangal project is being used both for hydel power produRead more
Advantages and disadvantages of multi-purpose projects.
(a) Advantages:
(1) Dams built under the multi-purpose projects help to irrigate agricultural fields.
(2) Multi-purpose projects help in generation of electricity. For example, the Bhakra- Nangal project is being used both for hydel power production and irrigation.
(3) It provides water supply for industry and domestic use.
(4) It helps to control flood. For example, the Hirakud project in the Mahanadi basin integrates conservation of water with flood control.
(5) These places have become places of recreation for the people.
(6) These projects are used for inland navigation.
(7) These projects have helped in fish breeding.
(8) ln view of the above advantages, the multi-purpose projects were thought of as the vehicle that would Iead the nation to development and progress. Jawaharlal Nehru proudly proclaimed the dams as the “temples of modern India” because it would integrate development of agriculture and the village economy with rapid industrialisation and growth of the urban economy.
(b) Disadvantages:
(1) It affects the natural flow of the river causing poor sediment flow and excessive sedimentation at the bottom of the reservoir.
(2) Dams fragment rivers making it difficult for aquatic fauna to migrate, especially for spawning.
(3) The reservoirs that are created on the floodplains submerge the existing vegetation and soil leading to its decomposition over a period of time.
(4) These projects lead to large-scale displacement of local communities who have to give up their land and livelihood. This in turn led to social movements like the,Narmada Bachao Andolan’ and ‘Tehri Dam Andolan’.
(5) With irrigation facilities the farmers have changed their crops to water-intensive and commercial crops. This has great ecological consequences like salinisation of the soil.
(6) It has transformed the social landscape i.e., increased the social gap between the richer landowners and the landless poor.
(7) It has led to conflicts between people wanting different uses and benefits from the same water resources as has happened in Gujarat. Where the Sabarmati basin farmers were agitated and almost caused a riot over higher priority given to water supply in urban area, particularly during droughts.
(8) Multi-purpose projects have led to interstate water disputes that are becoming common with regard to sharing the costs and benefits of these projects.
(a) Water scarcity implies water-shortage in low rainfall regions or drought prone areas. It is related to availability of bad quality of water as well. For example, in Rajasthan we see women balancing many 'Matkas'(earthen pots) used for collecting and storing water and travelling long distances toRead more
(a) Water scarcity implies water-shortage in low rainfall regions or drought prone areas. It is related to availability of bad quality of water as well. For example, in Rajasthan we see women balancing many ‘Matkas'(earthen pots) used for collecting and storing water and travelling long distances to get water.
(b) The main causes of scarcity of water are mentioned below:
(1) Increase in population: The water scarcity is an outcome of large and growing population that needs more water for domestic use as well as to produce more food. This leads to over-exploitation of, water resources to expand irrigated areas and dry-season agriculture. More tub wells for irrigation leads to falling ground water levels, adversely affecting water availability.
(2) Intensive industrialisation: In post independent India, there has been intensive Industrialisation. More industries means need for more water and more power to run them. Thus to meet the requirement, energy is produced from hydroelectric power. Thus industrialisation has led to more consumption of water. In India, hydroelectric power contributes 22 per cent of the total electricity produced.
(3) Urbanisation: Multiplying urban centres with large and dense populations life-styles have not only added to water and energy requirements but have further aggravated the problem. People have their own groundwater pumping devices to meet their water needs. This leads to over-exploitation and depletion in the cities.
(4) Bad quality of water too leads to scarcity of water. There may be sufficient water in an area but it may be polluted by domestic and industrial wastes, chemicals, pesticides and fertilisers used in agriculture, thus, making it unsafe for human use.
(5) Unequal access to water among different social groups: Some time, the poor people in Jhuggi-Jhopri colonies may not get water for their use. The well-to-do people in-their colonies may get water. This policy of discrimination of unequal access to water leads to scarcity of water for poor people, particularly in metropolitan cities.
Water becomes a renewable resource by hydrological cycle. The freshwater which is only a small proportion of water available on earth is mainly obtained from surface run off and ground--water that is continually being renewed and recharged through the hydrological cycle. Thus, all water-precipitatioRead more
Water becomes a renewable resource by hydrological cycle. The freshwater which is only a small proportion of water available on earth is mainly obtained from surface run off and ground–water that is continually being renewed and recharged through the hydrological cycle. Thus, all water-precipitations, surface run off and groundwater that moves within the hydrological cycle ensures that water become a renewable resource.
What is geographical location of Java? What was its condition in 1600? Which was its famous community and why?
(i) Java is in Indonesia. (ii) The population of Java was 3.4 million in 1600. (iii) There were many villages in the fertile plains, but there were also many communities living in the mountains and practising shifting cultivation. (iv) Kalangs was its famous community. It was a community of skilledRead more
(i) Java is in Indonesia.
See less(ii) The population of Java was 3.4 million in 1600.
(iii) There were many villages in the fertile plains, but there were also many communities living in the mountains and practising shifting cultivation.
(iv) Kalangs was its famous community. It was a community of skilled forest cutters and shifting cultivators. They were so valuable that in 1755 when the Mata ram kingdom of Java split, the 6,000 Kalang families were equally divided between the two kingdom. Without their expertise, it would have been difficult to harvest teak for the kings to build their palaces.
Briefly describe the effects of expansion of cultivation during the colonial rule in India. Mention any three points.
During the colonial rule the effects of expansion of cultivation were as mentioned below: (i) The rural landscape was radically transformed. (ii) As the cultivation expanded, the area under forests and pastures declined. (iii) Peasants and pastoralists found the access to forests and grazing lands iRead more
During the colonial rule the effects of expansion of cultivation were as mentioned below:
See less(i) The rural landscape was radically transformed.
(ii) As the cultivation expanded, the area under forests and pastures declined.
(iii) Peasants and pastoralists found the access to forests and grazing lands increasingly restricted by rules and regulations.
(iv) They struggled to meet pressures of government revenue demand.
(v) The rural India began to produce a range of crops for the world market; such as jute, cotton and wheat.
Explain the procedure of cultivation that is followed in shifting cultivation.
(i) In shifting cultivation, parts of the forest are cut and burnt in rotation. (ii) Seeds are sown in the ashes after the first monsoon rains. (iii) The crop is harvested by October - November. (iv) such plots are cultivated for a number of years and then left fallow for 12 to 18 years for the foreRead more
(i) In shifting cultivation, parts of the forest are cut and burnt in rotation.
See less(ii) Seeds are sown in the ashes after the first monsoon rains.
(iii) The crop is harvested by October – November.
(iv) such plots are cultivated for a number of years and then left fallow for 12 to 18 years for the forest to grow back.
(v) A mixture of crops is grown back.
(vi) In central India and Africa, it could be millets, in Brazil manioc, and in other parts of Latin America maize and beans..
How did the Forest Act create hardships for the villagers across the country?
The Forest Act created hardships for the villagers in the following Ways: (i) Cutting Wood for their houses, grazing their cattle, contacting fruits and roots, hunting and fishing became illegal. (ii) People were now forced to steal wood from the forests, and if they were caught, they were at the meRead more
The Forest Act created hardships for the villagers in the following Ways:
See less(i) Cutting Wood for their houses, grazing their cattle, contacting fruits and roots, hunting and fishing became illegal.
(ii) People were now forced to steal wood from the forests, and if they were caught, they were at the mercy of the forest guards who would take bribes from them.
(iii) Women who collected fuelwood were especially worried.
(iv) It was common for police constables and forest to harass people by demanding free food them.
Why was Dietrich Brandis invited and made the first Inspector General Forests in India? What were his suggestions and how were they implemented?
(a) The British were worried by the use of forests by local people and the reckless Felling of trees by traders. so they invited Brandis and made him the first Inspector General Forests. (b) Brandis made the following suggestions : (i) Need for a proper system to manage the forests. (ii) Training foRead more
(a) The British were worried by the use of forests by local people and the reckless Felling of trees by traders. so they invited Brandis and made him the first Inspector General Forests.
See less(b) Brandis made the following suggestions :
(i) Need for a proper system to manage the forests.
(ii) Training for people in the science of conservation.
(iii) Need for forest laws and rules for use of forest resources.
(iv) Restrictions on felling of trees/grazing so that forests could be preserved for timber prediction.
(c) The following steps were taken for implementation of his suggestions:
(i) Setting up of the Indian Forest Service in 1864.
(ii) Indian Forest Act 1865. It was amended in 1878 and 1927.
(iii) The Imperial Forest Research Institute was set up at Dehradun in 1906 for teaching ‘scientific forestry’.
Describe how modern adaptations of traditional rainwater harvesting methods are being carried out to conserve and store water.
Modern adaptations of traditional rainwater harvesting method are being carried out in many parts of the country to conserve and store water. For example in Gendathur village in Mysore, Karnataka, nearly 200 households have installed the system of rainwater harvesting. Gendathur receives an annual pRead more
Modern adaptations of traditional rainwater harvesting method are being carried out in many parts of the country to conserve and store water. For example in Gendathur village in Mysore, Karnataka, nearly 200 households have installed the system of rainwater harvesting. Gendathur receives an annual precipitation of 1,000 mm, and with 80 per cent of collection efficiency and of about 10 fillings, every house can collect and use 50,000 litres of water annually. From the 20 houses, the net amount of rainrwater harvested annually comes to1,00,000 litres. Thus, the rainwater harvesting system is being carried out successfully in Gendathur which has earned the rare distinction of being rich in rainwater. In addition to Gendathur, tamil Nadu is the first and the only state in India which had made rooftop rainwater harvesting structure compulsory to all the houses across the state. There are legal provisions to punish the defaulters. Thus, modern adaptations of traditional rainwater harvesting methods are being carried out to conserve and store water. In Meghalaya, a 200-year-old system of tapping stream and spring water by using bamboo pipes, is prevalent. About 18-20 litres of water entres the bamboo pipe system, gets transported over hundreds of metres, and finally reduces to 20-80 drops per minute at the site of the plant.
See lessDiscuss how rainwater harvesting in semi-arid regions of Rajasthan is carried
In the semi-arid and arid regions of Rajasthan, particularly in Bikaner, Phalodi and Barmer, almost all the houses traditionally had underground tanks or tankas for storing drinking water. The tanks could be as large as a big room. One household in Phalodi had a tank that was 6.1 metres deep, 4.27 mRead more
In the semi-arid and arid regions of Rajasthan, particularly in Bikaner, Phalodi and Barmer, almost all the houses traditionally had underground tanks or tankas for storing drinking water. The tanks could be as large as a big room. One household in Phalodi had a tank that was 6.1 metres deep, 4.27 metres long and 2.44 metres wide. These tankas were part of the well developed rooftop rain water harvesting system. These were built inside the main house or the courtyard. They were connected to the sloping roofs of the houses through a pipe. Rain falling on the rooftops would travel down the pipe and was stored in these underground ‘tankos’. The first spell of rain was usually not collected as this would clean the roofs and the pipes. The rainwater from the subsequent showers was then collected. The rainwater is stored in the tankas till the next rainfall. It is the most reliable source of drinking water when all other sources are dried up, particularly in the summers. Rainwater called as ‘palar pani’ is considered the purest form of natural water. Not only this, many houses construct underground rooms adjoining the ‘tanka’ to beat the summer heat as it would keep the room cool. However, the practice of rooftop rainwater harvesting is on the decline due to the perennial Rajasthan Canal which has made the avaiiability of plenty of water in the area.
See lessCompare the advantages and disadvantages of multi-purpose river projects.
Advantages and disadvantages of multi-purpose projects. (a) Advantages: (1) Dams built under the multi-purpose projects help to irrigate agricultural fields. (2) Multi-purpose projects help in generation of electricity. For example, the Bhakra- Nangal project is being used both for hydel power produRead more
Advantages and disadvantages of multi-purpose projects.
See less(a) Advantages:
(1) Dams built under the multi-purpose projects help to irrigate agricultural fields.
(2) Multi-purpose projects help in generation of electricity. For example, the Bhakra- Nangal project is being used both for hydel power production and irrigation.
(3) It provides water supply for industry and domestic use.
(4) It helps to control flood. For example, the Hirakud project in the Mahanadi basin integrates conservation of water with flood control.
(5) These places have become places of recreation for the people.
(6) These projects are used for inland navigation.
(7) These projects have helped in fish breeding.
(8) ln view of the above advantages, the multi-purpose projects were thought of as the vehicle that would Iead the nation to development and progress. Jawaharlal Nehru proudly proclaimed the dams as the “temples of modern India” because it would integrate development of agriculture and the village economy with rapid industrialisation and growth of the urban economy.
(b) Disadvantages:
(1) It affects the natural flow of the river causing poor sediment flow and excessive sedimentation at the bottom of the reservoir.
(2) Dams fragment rivers making it difficult for aquatic fauna to migrate, especially for spawning.
(3) The reservoirs that are created on the floodplains submerge the existing vegetation and soil leading to its decomposition over a period of time.
(4) These projects lead to large-scale displacement of local communities who have to give up their land and livelihood. This in turn led to social movements like the,Narmada Bachao Andolan’ and ‘Tehri Dam Andolan’.
(5) With irrigation facilities the farmers have changed their crops to water-intensive and commercial crops. This has great ecological consequences like salinisation of the soil.
(6) It has transformed the social landscape i.e., increased the social gap between the richer landowners and the landless poor.
(7) It has led to conflicts between people wanting different uses and benefits from the same water resources as has happened in Gujarat. Where the Sabarmati basin farmers were agitated and almost caused a riot over higher priority given to water supply in urban area, particularly during droughts.
(8) Multi-purpose projects have led to interstate water disputes that are becoming common with regard to sharing the costs and benefits of these projects.
What is water scarcity and what are its main causes?
(a) Water scarcity implies water-shortage in low rainfall regions or drought prone areas. It is related to availability of bad quality of water as well. For example, in Rajasthan we see women balancing many 'Matkas'(earthen pots) used for collecting and storing water and travelling long distances toRead more
(a) Water scarcity implies water-shortage in low rainfall regions or drought prone areas. It is related to availability of bad quality of water as well. For example, in Rajasthan we see women balancing many ‘Matkas'(earthen pots) used for collecting and storing water and travelling long distances to get water.
See less(b) The main causes of scarcity of water are mentioned below:
(1) Increase in population: The water scarcity is an outcome of large and growing population that needs more water for domestic use as well as to produce more food. This leads to over-exploitation of, water resources to expand irrigated areas and dry-season agriculture. More tub wells for irrigation leads to falling ground water levels, adversely affecting water availability.
(2) Intensive industrialisation: In post independent India, there has been intensive Industrialisation. More industries means need for more water and more power to run them. Thus to meet the requirement, energy is produced from hydroelectric power. Thus industrialisation has led to more consumption of water. In India, hydroelectric power contributes 22 per cent of the total electricity produced.
(3) Urbanisation: Multiplying urban centres with large and dense populations life-styles have not only added to water and energy requirements but have further aggravated the problem. People have their own groundwater pumping devices to meet their water needs. This leads to over-exploitation and depletion in the cities.
(4) Bad quality of water too leads to scarcity of water. There may be sufficient water in an area but it may be polluted by domestic and industrial wastes, chemicals, pesticides and fertilisers used in agriculture, thus, making it unsafe for human use.
(5) Unequal access to water among different social groups: Some time, the poor people in Jhuggi-Jhopri colonies may not get water for their use. The well-to-do people in-their colonies may get water. This policy of discrimination of unequal access to water leads to scarcity of water for poor people, particularly in metropolitan cities.
Explain how water becomes a renewable resource.
Water becomes a renewable resource by hydrological cycle. The freshwater which is only a small proportion of water available on earth is mainly obtained from surface run off and ground--water that is continually being renewed and recharged through the hydrological cycle. Thus, all water-precipitatioRead more
Water becomes a renewable resource by hydrological cycle. The freshwater which is only a small proportion of water available on earth is mainly obtained from surface run off and ground–water that is continually being renewed and recharged through the hydrological cycle. Thus, all water-precipitations, surface run off and groundwater that moves within the hydrological cycle ensures that water become a renewable resource.
See less