Environment Studies
Unit 2: Natural Resources
Detailed Bilingual Notes (English + Hinglish) • BA • Semester 1
Unit 2 at a Glance
This unit studies the six great resource families: forest, water, mineral, food, energy and land. For each family the syllabus wants the same four things: what it is and its uses, what happens when we over-exploit it, case studies of conflict or damage, and how to conserve it. The pattern follows the standard UGC EVS textbook (Erach Bharucha).
Indian case studies used here are the textbook-standard ones: Chipko (1973) and the Forest (Conservation) Act (1980) for forests; the Cauvery dispute and Sardar Sarovar for water; the Green Revolution for food; Tehri for energy-versus-environment debates.
Ye unit chhah bade resource families padhti hai: forest, water, mineral, food, energy aur land. Har family ke liye syllabus same chaar cheezein chahta hai: wo hai kya aur uske uses, over-exploit karne pe kya hota hai, conflict ya damage ke case studies, aur use conserve kaise karein. Pattern standard UGC EVS textbook (Erach Bharucha) wala hai.
Indian case studies textbook-standard hain: forests ke liye Chipko (1973) aur Forest (Conservation) Act (1980); water ke liye Cauvery dispute aur Sardar Sarovar; food ke liye Green Revolution; energy-versus-environment debate ke liye Tehri.
1. Natural Resources: Definition and Classification
Natural resources are the materials and energy supplied by nature that human beings use to survive and develop — air, water, soil, forests, minerals, and the energy of the sun.
The master classification is by renewability — whether nature replaces the resource on a human timescale:
| Type | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Renewable | Replaced by nature within a human lifetime if not over-used | Forests, water, solar energy, wind, wildlife |
| Non-renewable | Formed over millions of years; once used up, gone for practical purposes | Coal, petroleum, natural gas, minerals (iron, copper) |
Two warnings examiners love. First, renewable does not mean unlimited: groundwater is renewable, but if we pump faster than rain recharges it, wells run dry — as in much of Punjab and Rajasthan today. Second, non-renewable use has side-effects: burning coal and oil releases the carbon stored over millions of years, driving climate change.
Natural resources nature ke diye materials aur energy hain jinhe human beings survive aur develop karne ke liye use karte hain — air, water, soil, forests, minerals, aur sun ki energy.
Master classification renewability pe hai — kya nature resource ko human timescale me replace karti hai:
Renewable: human lifetime me nature replace kar deti hai agar over-use na ho — forests, water, solar, wind. Non-renewable: millions of years me bante hain; ek baar use ho gaye to practical purposes ke liye khatm — coal, petroleum, minerals.
Do warnings yaad rakho. Pehli, renewable ka matlab unlimited nahi: groundwater renewable hai, par agar rain ke recharge se tez pump karo to wells sookh jaate hain — jaise aaj Punjab aur Rajasthan me. Doosri, non-renewable use ke side-effects hain: coal-oil jalane se millions of years ka stored carbon release hota hai, climate change badhta hai.
"Renewable" ko hamesha condition ke saath define karo: "if used sustainably." Classic 2-mark trap: "Is groundwater renewable?" Answer: haan, par sirf tab jab extraction recharge se zyada na ho.
2. Forest Resources
Forests are far more than timber. Their direct uses: timber, fuelwood, bamboo, medicinal plants, honey, gum, and food for forest-dwelling communities. Their indirect (ecological) uses matter more: they hold soil, recharge groundwater, regulate rainfall, absorb carbon dioxide, shelter wildlife, and protect watersheds that feed our rivers.
Deforestation: causes and effects
- Causes: commercial logging, shifting cultivation, mining, dam and road building, overgrazing, forest fires, and the spread of agriculture and towns.
- Effects: soil erosion, floods and droughts, loss of wildlife habitat, falling water tables, and release of stored carbon (climate change).
India's response in law: the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, which requires central government permission before any forest land is diverted to non-forest use (mining, dams, industry). India's forest cover is about 21.7% of the geographical area (India State of Forest Report, 2021) — far below the 33% target of the National Forest Policy, 1988.
Forests sirf timber se kahin zyada hain. Direct uses: timber, fuelwood, bamboo, medicinal plants, honey, gum, forest communities ka food. Indirect (ecological) uses zyada matter karte hain: soil pakadna, groundwater recharge, rainfall regulate karna, carbon dioxide absorb karna, wildlife ko shelter, aur watersheds protect karna jo hamari nadiyon ko feed karte hain.
Deforestation — causes: commercial logging, shifting cultivation, mining, dam-road building, overgrazing, forest fires, agriculture-towns ka phailna. Effects: soil erosion, floods-droughts, wildlife habitat ka loss, girta water table, stored carbon ka release (climate change).
Chipko (1973): Chamoli (Uttarakhand) me villagers — Gaura Devi (Reni, 1974) jaise women-led, Sunderlal Bahuguna se inspired — pedon se lipat gaye contractors ki commercial felling rokne ke liye. Movement ne Himalayan forests me 15-year ban lagwaya aur people's forest conservation ka global symbol bana.
Law me India ka jawab: Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 — forest land ko non-forest use (mining, dams, industry) me divert karne se pehle central permission zaroori. India ka forest cover lagbhag 21.7% hai (ISFR 2021) — National Forest Policy 1988 ke 33% target se bahut neeche.
"Deforestation" answers me cause → effect chain use karo, phir Chipko case study, phir 1980 Act solution ke taur pe. Teen numbers yaad karo: 1973 (Chipko), 1980 (Act), 33% (policy target).
3. Water Resources
Water looks abundant but usable water is scarce. About 97% of earth's water is salty ocean water; of the remaining ~3% freshwater, roughly two-thirds is locked in ice caps and glaciers, leaving less than 1% easily accessible in rivers, lakes and groundwater. India holds about 17% of the world's people but only about 4% of its water — the textbook's favourite scarcity statistic.
Uses and over-use
- Agriculture takes the largest share (around 80% in India) — mostly for irrigation.
- Industry and domestic use take the rest; cities like Chennai (2019 water crisis) show demand outrunning supply.
- Over-exploitation of groundwater: free electricity and subsidised pumps in states like Punjab have pulled water tables down metres per year; wells run dry and pumping costs rise.
Paani abundant lagta hai par usable water scarce hai. Earth ke paani ka lagbhag 97% salty ocean water hai; bache ~3% freshwater me se do-tihai ice caps-glaciers me locked hai, 1% se kam rivers, lakes aur groundwater me easily accessible hai. India ke paas duniya ke 17% log hain par sirf 4% paani — textbook ka favourite scarcity statistic.
Uses: Agriculture sabse bada share leta hai (India me ~80%) — mostly irrigation. Industry aur domestic baaki; Chennai (2019 water crisis) dikhata hai demand supply se aage nikal gayi. Groundwater over-exploitation: free bijli aur subsidised pumps (Punjab jaise states) ne water table metres per year gira diya; wells sookh gaye, pumping cost badh gayi.
Case studies: Cauvery dispute (Karnataka vs Tamil Nadu) — ek nadi dry years me states ke beech battle ban jaati hai. Sardar Sarovar Dam (Narmada) — Narmada Bachao Andolan (Medha Patkar, 1985 se) ne oppose kiya — doosra conflict: development ke benefits versus poor ka displacement aur forests-farms ka submergence.
Water answers me "97% salty" figure aur ek conflict case study chahiye. Cauvery = state-vs-state; Narmada = people-vs-project. Examiners dono ka difference poochte hain.
4. Mineral Resources
Minerals are the backbone of industry — iron and steel for construction, copper for wiring, aluminium for aircraft, coal for power. They are non-renewable: formed over geological time, they cannot be replaced once mined out.
| Type | Examples |
|---|---|
| Metallic | Iron, copper, aluminium (bauxite), manganese, gold |
| Non-metallic | Limestone, mica, gypsum, salt |
| Energy minerals (fuels) | Coal, petroleum, natural gas, uranium |
Environmental effects of mining
- Land destruction: open-cast mines strip forests and topsoil; Jharia's underground coal fires (Jharkhand) have burned for over a century.
- Water pollution: mine drainage turns streams acidic and orange with iron.
- Air and health: dust from mines and crushers causes lung disease in workers and nearby villages.
- Displacement: tribal communities lose land and forests — the root of many mining conflicts in Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand.
Conservation means: use minerals efficiently, recycle metals (aluminium recycling saves ~95% of the energy of new production), and restore mined land by refilling and replanting.
Minerals industry ki backbone hain — construction ke liye iron-steel, wiring ke liye copper, aircraft ke liye aluminium, power ke liye coal. Ye non-renewable hain: geological time me bante hain, mine out hone ke baad replace nahi ho sakte.
Types: Metallic — iron, copper, aluminium, gold. Non-metallic — limestone, mica, gypsum. Energy minerals — coal, petroleum, natural gas, uranium.
Mining ke effects: Land destruction — open-cast mines forests-topsoil strip kar deti hain; Jharia (Jharkhand) ki underground coal fires ek century se jal rahi hain. Water pollution — mine drainage streams ko acidic aur orange kar deta hai. Air-health — dust se workers aur gaon walon ko lung disease. Displacement — tribal communities land-forest khote hain — Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand ke mining conflicts ki root.
Conservation: minerals efficiently use karo, metals recycle karo (aluminium recycling naye production ki ~95% energy bachata hai), mined land ko refill-replant karke restore karo.
Mining answers tab score karte hain jab ek real place (Jharia coal fires) aur ek solution (recycling + land restoration) naam karo. Teen mineral types neat 2-mark table banate hain.
5. Food Resources
The world grows enough food in total, yet hunger persists — the problem is distribution and access, not just production. India solved its 1960s food crisis through the Green Revolution: high-yielding wheat and rice varieties (developed from Norman Borlaug's Mexican wheat), chemical fertilisers, pesticides and irrigation, championed in India by M.S. Swaminathan. Foodgrain production more than tripled, and famine was pushed back.
Effects of modern agriculture
- Waterlogging and salinity: over-irrigation in Punjab and Haryana raised water tables and left salts in the soil, reducing fertility.
- Pesticide problems: pests develop resistance, so farmers spray more; residues enter food chains and human bodies (biomagnification — see Unit 3).
- Loss of traditional varieties: thousands of local crop varieties vanished as a few high-yielding ones took over, narrowing our genetic base.
- Soil and water cost: fertiliser runoff pollutes rivers and lakes (eutrophication); heavy pumping depletes groundwater.
The textbook's lesson: the Green Revolution was necessary, but the next revolution must be evergreen — Swaminathan's own phrase — producing more food without destroying soil, water and biodiversity: organic inputs, drip irrigation, and mixed cropping.
Duniya total me kaafi food ugati hai, phir bhi hunger hai — problem distribution aur access ki hai, sirf production ki nahi. India ne 1960s ka food crisis Green Revolution se solve kiya: high-yielding wheat-rice varieties (Norman Borlaug ke Mexican wheat se developed), chemical fertilisers, pesticides aur irrigation — India me M.S. Swaminathan ne champion kiya. Foodgrain production teen guna se zyada hua, famine peeche hati.
Modern agriculture ke effects: Waterlogging-salinity — Punjab-Haryana me over-irrigation ne water table uthaya aur soil me salts chhode, fertility ghatayi. Pesticide problems — pests resistant hote gaye, farmers ne zyada spray kiya; residues food chains aur human bodies me (biomagnification — Unit 3 dekho). Traditional varieties ka loss — hazaaron local varieties gayab, genetic base narrow. Soil-water cost — fertiliser runoff rivers-lakes pollute karta hai; heavy pumping groundwater deplete karti hai.
Textbook ka lesson: Green Revolution zaroori thi, par agli revolution evergreen honi chahiye — Swaminathan ka apna phrase — soil, water, biodiversity destroy kiye bina zyada food: organic inputs, drip irrigation, mixed cropping.
"Green Revolution — advantages and disadvantages" classic 8-mark question hai. Advantages: self-sufficiency, famine control. Disadvantages: upar ke chaar effects. "Evergreen revolution" pe close karo.
6. Energy Resources
Every resource story ends at energy — without it, nothing moves, cooks or lights. Energy sources split into two families:
| Conventional (non-renewable) | Non-conventional (renewable) |
|---|---|
| Coal, petroleum, natural gas — formed over millions of years | Solar, wind, hydel, biomass, geothermal, tidal |
| Cause air pollution and climate change when burned | Clean at the point of use; sun and wind are free |
| Will run out; prices rise | Will not run out; high initial cost, low running cost |
India's energy picture is shifting. The National Solar Mission (2010) pushed India into the world's top ranks in solar capacity; Rajasthan and Gujarat host giant solar parks (Bhadla in Rajasthan is among the world's largest). Wind power leads in Tamil Nadu and Gujarat. Yet coal still generates most of India's electricity — the transition will take decades, which is why energy conservation (efficient appliances, public transport, LED lighting) matters as much as new supply.
Har resource story energy pe khatm hoti hai — bina iske kuch move, cook ya light nahi hota. Energy sources do families me bat-te hain:
Conventional (non-renewable): coal, petroleum, natural gas — millions of years me bane; jalane pe air pollution aur climate change. Non-conventional (renewable): solar, wind, hydel, biomass — use ke point pe clean; sun-wind free; khatm nahi honge; initial cost high, running cost low.
India ki energy picture shift ho rahi hai. National Solar Mission (2010) ne India ko solar capacity me world's top ranks me pahunchaya; Rajasthan-Gujarat me giant solar parks (Rajasthan ka Bhadla duniya ke sabse badon me). Wind me Tamil Nadu-Gujarat lead karte hain. Phir bhi coal aaj bhi zyadatar bijli banata hai — transition me decades lagenge, isiliye energy conservation (efficient appliances, public transport, LED) nayi supply jitna hi matter karta hai.
Tehri Dam (Uttarakhand): Bhagirathi pe huge hydel project, Sunderlal Bahuguna ne earthquake risk, Tehri town ke submergence aur displacement pe saalon oppose kiya. Textbook ka core energy dilemma dikhata hai: "clean" renewable projects ki bhi environmental-human costs hoti hain jo tolni padti hain.
Do-column table (conventional vs non-conventional) draw karo — ye akele zyadatar 2-mark aur 8-mark energy questions answer kar deti hai. Ek Indian example add karo (Bhadla solar park ya Tehri).
7. Land Resources
Land is the platform for everything — farms, forests, cities — yet it is fixed in supply and easily damaged. Nearly one-third of India's land is degraded in some form. The main damage processes:
- Soil erosion: wind and running water strip away topsoil — the fertile layer that took centuries to form. Deforestation and overgrazing speed it up; the Chambal ravines are the textbook example.
- Desertification: fertile land turning into desert through overgrazing, deforestation and bad irrigation — a live threat at the edges of the Thar desert in Rajasthan.
- Waterlogging and salinity: canal irrigation without drainage drowns roots and crusts the soil white with salt (see Unit 2.5).
- Urban and industrial pressure: cities, mines and roads eat farmland permanently — land, unlike water, cannot be "recharged."
Protection methods are simple and old: contour ploughing and terracing on slopes, shelterbelts of trees against wind, crop rotation, and treating landslides and ravines with vegetation. Rajasthan's johads (traditional rainwater tanks) show how land and water conservation go together.
Land sab kuch ka platform hai — farms, forests, cities — par supply fixed hai aur damage aasaani se hota hai. India ki lagbhag one-third land kisi na kisi form me degraded hai. Main damage processes:
- Soil erosion: wind aur behta paani topsoil strip kar dete hain — fertile layer jo centuries me bani. Deforestation-overgrazing ise tez karte hain; Chambal ravines textbook example hain.
- Desertification: fertile land ka desert me badalna — overgrazing, deforestation, bad irrigation se — Rajasthan me Thar ke edges pe live threat.
- Waterlogging-salinity: bina drainage canal irrigation roots duba deti hai aur soil ko salt se white crust kar deti hai.
- Urban-industrial pressure: cities, mines, roads farmland ko permanently kha jaate hain — land, paani ke unlike, "recharge" nahi ho sakti.
Protection methods simple aur purane hain: slopes pe contour ploughing aur terracing, wind ke against shelterbelts, crop rotation, vegetation se ravines ka treatment. Rajasthan ke johads dikhate hain land-water conservation saath chalte hain.
"Land degradation" answers me one-third figure, teen processes (erosion, desertification, waterlogging/salinity), aur do remedies (terracing, shelterbelts) chahiye. Chambal ravines = erosion example; Thar edge = desertification example.
8. Conservation of Natural Resources
Conservation does not mean locking resources away unused; it means using them wisely so they last — the practical side of sustainable development (Unit 1.6). The toolkit has three levels:
- Reduce, Reuse, Recycle (3R): use less (reduce), use again (reuse), remake from waste (recycle). Recycling one tonne of paper saves about 17 trees — the textbook's favourite number.
- Technology and planning: drip irrigation, efficient stoves and engines, Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) — the mandatory study (first notified 1994, revised 2006) that must clear big projects before they start.
- People's participation: Joint Forest Management, rainwater harvesting, sacred groves — conservation works when local people gain from it.
Conservation ka matlab resources ko lock karke unused rakhna nahi; matlab hai unhe wisely use karna taaki wo lasting hon — sustainable development ka practical side (Unit 1.6). Toolkit ke teen levels:
- Reduce, Reuse, Recycle (3R): kam use karo, dobara use karo, waste se remake karo. Ek tonne paper recycle karne se ~17 trees bachte hain — textbook ka favourite number.
- Technology-planning: drip irrigation, efficient stoves-engines, EIA — mandatory study (1994 me notified, 2006 me revised) jo bade projects ko start se pehle clear karni hoti hai.
- People's participation: Joint Forest Management, rainwater harvesting, sacred groves — conservation tab work karta hai jab local logon ko fayda ho.
20-mark answer frame: definition se kholo (wise use, non-use nahi). Phir resources ek-ek karke — forest (Chipko + 1980 Act), water (harvesting + groundwater discipline), energy (solar + conservation), land (terracing + shelterbelts) — har ek pe ek line action. 3R aur EIA se system-level tools pe close karo: "conservation applied sustainable development hai."