RESOURCE

Definition of Resource
• Anything from the environment that satisfies human needs.
• Must be technologically accessible, economically feasible, and
culturally acceptable.
Creation of Resources
• Involves interaction between nature, technology, and institutions.
• Humans play a key role in converting natural materials into usable
resources.
Are Resources Free Gifts of Nature?
• No. They are not free gifts.
• They are a function of human activity.
• Humans are essential components in resource creation.

Classification of Resources
1. Based on Origin
o Biotic: Living (e.g., forests, animals)
o Abiotic: Non-living (e.g., minerals, water)
2. Based on Exhaustibility
o Renewable: Can be replenished (e.g., solar energy)
o Non-renewable: Limited supply (e.g., coal, petroleum)
3. Based on Ownership
o Individual: Owned privately
o Community: Belongs to community (e.g., village grazing land)
o National: Belongs to the nation (e.g., railways)
o International: Managed globally (e.g., oceans beyond 200 km EEZ)
 4. Based on Development Status
o Potential: Not yet used (e.g., wind energy in Rajasthan)
o Developed: Ready for use
o Stock: Known but not usable due to lack of technology
o Reserves: Part of stock that can be used with current technology

Development of Resources – Issues

• Overuse of resources due to greed.
• Unequal distribution → Rich & poor divide.
• Environmental crises:
o Global warming
o Ozone depletion
o Pollution
o Land degradation

Need for Resource Planning

• Ensures equitable distribution.
• Aims for sustainable existence.
• Vital for the survival and quality of life on Earth.

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Meaning
• Development that does not harm the environment.
• Meets present needs without compromising the needs of future
generations.
Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit, 1992
• Held in June 1992, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
• Attended by over 100 heads of states.
• Aim: To address global issues of environmental protection and socio-
economic development.
• Outcomes:
o Declaration on Global Climatic Change
o Biological Diversity Agreement
o Endorsement of Forest Principles
o Adoption of Agenda 21

Agenda 21
• Global action plan for sustainable development in the 21st century.
• Signed during the United Nations Conference on Environment and
Development (UNCED), 1992.
• Main objectives:
o Combat environmental damage
o Fight poverty and disease
o Promote global cooperation on common goals
o Encourage local governments to create their own local Agenda 21

RESOURCE PLANNING
Meaning & Importance
• Planning ensures judicious use of resources.
• Especially crucial in India due to regional diversity in resource
availability.
Uneven Distribution Examples in India
• Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh: Rich in minerals and coal,
but may lack infrastructure.
• Arunachal Pradesh: Water-rich, but poor infrastructure.
• Rajasthan: Rich in solar and wind energy, lacks water.
• Ladakh: Rich in culture, but lacks water, infrastructure, and minerals.

Resource Planning in India – 3 Key Steps

1. Identification and Inventory
o Survey, mapping, qualitative and quantitative analysis of
resources.
2. Development of a Planning Structure
o Needs suitable technology, skills, and institutions.
3. Integration with National Development Plans
o Resource plans must align with overall economic goals.

Challenges
• Resource-rich regions can still be economically backward.
• Resource-poor regions may be economically developed (due to better
technology, institutions, or human resources).
• Colonization history shows resources alone aren't enough—technology
and power matter too.

CONSERVATION OF RESOURCES
Why Conservation?
• Prevent socio-economic and environmental problems from overuse.
• Ensure resources for future generations.
Key Thoughts & Contributions
• Gandhiji:
o “There is enough for everybody’s need, not for anybody’s greed.”
o Opposed greedy use and mass production; supported production
by masses.
• Club of Rome (1968):
o First major international group to stress resource conservation.
• Schumacher (1974):
o Re-emphasized Gandhian ideas in “Small is Beautiful”.
• Brundtland Commission Report (1987):
o Introduced the term ‘Sustainable Development’.
o Published in the book “Our Common Future”.
• Earth Summit, Rio de Janeiro (1992):
o Promoted global efforts for sustainable development and
conservation.

LAND RESOURCES
Importance of Land
• Land is a natural resource essential for:
o Human life
o Natural vegetation and wildlife
o Economic activities
o Transport and communication
• Land is finite, so careful planning is essential for its use.
Relief Features of India
• Plains (43%):
o Suitable for agriculture and industry.
 • Mountains (30%):
o Provide river sources, tourism, and ecological benefits.
• Plateaus (27%):
o Rich in minerals, fossil fuels, and forests.

LAND UTILISATION
Major Uses of Land in India
1. Forests
2. Land not available for cultivation
o (a) Barren and wasteland
o (b) Land for non-agricultural uses (e.g. roads, buildings)
3. Other uncultivated land (excluding fallow)
o (a) Permanent pastures & grazing land
o (b) Miscellaneous tree crops & groves
o (c) Culturable wasteland (uncultivated for >5 years)
4. Fallow Land
o (a) Current fallow – left uncultivated for ≤1 year
o (b) Other fallow – left uncultivated for 1–5 years
5. Net Sown Area
o Area where crops are sown and harvested at least once a year.
Gross Cropped Area
• Net sown area + area sown more than once in a year.

LAND USE PATTERN IN INDIA

Factors Influencing Land Use
• Physical Factors:
 o Topography, climate, soil type
• Human Factors:
o Population density, technological capability, culture & traditions
Land Use Data in India
• Total geographical area: 3.28 million sq. km
• Land use data available for 93% of the area.
o Incomplete data from some North-Eastern states (except Assam).
o Some parts of Jammu & Kashmir (under Pakistan & China) not
surveyed.

Land Use Categories

1. Net Sown Area (NSA):
o Varies across states:
▪ >80% in Punjab & Haryana
▪ <10% in Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Manipur, Andaman
& Nicobar Islands
o NSA is ~54% of reporting area (including poor-quality/fallow lands
cultivated occasionally).
2. Permanent Pastures:
o Decreasing over time.
o Consequences: Stress on pasture land, difficulty in feeding India’s
large cattle population.
3. Forest Area:
o Lower than the recommended 33% (as per National Forest Policy,
1952).
o Essential for ecological balance and livelihoods of people near
forests.
4. Waste Land:
 o Includes rocky, arid, and desert areas.
5. Land under Non-Agricultural Uses:
o Includes settlements, roads, railways, and industries.

Concerns
• Continuous use of land without conservation leads to land degradation.
• Land degradation causes serious environmental and social issues.

LAND DEGRADATION
Importance of Land
• Provides 95% of human basic needs – food, shelter, and clothing.
• Land must be preserved for future generations.
Causes of Land Degradation
1. Deforestation – especially due to mining.
o States affected: Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh,
Odisha.
2. Overgrazing – damages vegetation and soil.
o Common in: Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra.
3. Over-irrigation – causes waterlogging, salinity, and alkalinity.
o Found in: Punjab, Haryana, Western Uttar Pradesh.
4. Mining & Quarrying – leaves deep scars, causes over-burdening.
5. Industrial Activities – e.g., grinding limestone and soapstone:
o Release dust, which blocks water infiltration into soil.
6. Industrial Effluents – cause land and water pollution if untreated.

CONSERVATION MEASURES
1. Afforestation – planting trees to restore land.
 2. Controlled Grazing – to avoid overuse of pastures.
3. Shelter Belts – rows of plants to reduce wind erosion.
4. Stabilising Sand Dunes – using thorny bushes in arid areas.
5. Waste Land Management – converting unproductive land for use.
6. Regulating Mining Activities – proper closure and restoration of mining
sites.
7. Treatment of Industrial Waste – before disposal to avoid pollution.

SOIL AS A RESOURCE
Importance of Soil
• Renewable natural resource, but forms very slowly (millions of years for
a few cm).
• Supports plant growth and living organisms.
• Made from: Relief, Parent rock, Climate, Vegetation, Time,
Decomposers.
• Has both organic (humus) and inorganic content.

TYPES OF SOILS IN INDIA

1. Alluvial Soil
• Most widespread and fertile, found in northern plains, eastern coastal
plains, deltas of rivers like Ganga, Brahmaputra, Mahanadi, Godavari,
Krishna, Kaveri.
• Made of: sand, silt, clay (varies inland).
• Two types:
o Khadar – newer, finer, more fertile.
o Bangar – older, less fertile, contains kanker (lime nodules).
• Rich in potash, phosphoric acid, lime.
• Good for wheat, sugarcane, paddy, pulses.
2. Black Soil (Regur)
• Found in Deccan Plateau: Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh,
Saurashtra.
• Formed from basaltic lava.
• Ideal for cotton – also called black cotton soil.
• Clayey, retains moisture, rich in calcium, poor in phosphorus.
• Develops cracks in summer for aeration, sticky when wet.
3. Red and Yellow Soil
• Found in Deccan Plateau, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, parts of Ganga plains,
Western Ghats.
• Formed from crystalline igneous rocks in low rainfall.
• Red due to iron, yellow when hydrated.
• Less fertile, needs manuring.
4. Laterite Soil
• Found in Western Ghats, Odisha, West Bengal, North-East, Tamil Nadu,
Andhra Pradesh, Kerala.
• Formed in hot, wet climates due to leaching.
• Acidic, low fertility, but good for tea, coffee, cashew with treatment.
• Prone to erosion.
5. Arid Soil
• Found in western Rajasthan.
• Red to brown, sandy, saline, low humus and moisture.
• Has Kankar layer that blocks water.
• Needs irrigation for cultivation.
6. Forest Soil
• Found in mountains/hilly areas with rainforests.
• Loamy and silty in valleys, coarse in higher slopes.
 • Fertile in lower valleys, acidic with low humus in snow-covered areas.

SOIL EROSION
Definition
• Soil erosion is the removal of the topsoil by natural forces like water,
wind, glaciers or by human activities.
Causes of Soil Erosion
1. Human Activities:
o Deforestation
o Overgrazing
o Mining and construction
o Faulty farming practices (e.g., ploughing up and down slopes)
2. Natural Forces:
o Running water → creates gullies, leads to badlands (e.g., ravines
in Chambal).
o Sheet erosion → topsoil removed as water flows in sheets.
o Wind erosion → wind blows away loose, dry soil from open fields.

SOIL CONSERVATION METHODS

1. Contour Ploughing
o Ploughing along the contour lines to slow down water flow and
prevent erosion.
2. Terrace Farming
o Cutting steps or terraces on slopes to reduce water runoff.
o Common in Western and Central Himalayas.
3. Strip Cropping
 o Cropland is divided into strips with grass or other cover crops in
between to reduce wind and water erosion.
4. Shelter Belts
o Rows of trees planted to block wind and stabilise sand dunes.
o Widely used in western India to control desertification.