Are you overwhelmed by the vast expanse of geography topics in your Class 10 syllabus? 😓
Don’t worry, you’re not alone! Many students find themselves lost in a sea of information, struggling to grasp the fundamental concepts of resources and their significance in India’s development.
Imagine confidently discussing the intricate web of natural resources, their distribution, and
utilization across the country. 🌍 Picture yourself taking that upcoming geography exam easily,
armed with a comprehensive understanding of resource management challenges and real-world case
studies. Our Class 10 Geography Chapter 1 notes are here to transform that dream into reality!
In this blog post, we’ll embark on an enlightening journey through the world of resources, starting with their basic definition and exploring their development, distribution, and utilization in India.
Class 10 Geography Chapter 1 Notes “Resource And Development“
Understanding Resources
Definition: Everything in our environment which can be used to satisfy our needs and is technologically accessible, economically feasible, and culturally acceptable is termed a ‘Resource’.
Classification: Resources can be classified on various criteria
| Criterion | Types | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Origin | Biotic, Abiotic | Plants (Biotic), Minerals (Abiotic) |
| Exhaustibility | Renewable, Non-renewable | Solar energy (Renewable), Coal (Non-renewable) |
| Ownership | Individual, Community, National, International | Private land, Community forests |
| Status of Development | Actual, Potential | Cultivated land (Actual), Fallow land (Potential) |
Types Of Resources
👉On the basis of origin:
- Biotic Resources: These are obtained from the biosphere. They have life or living resources, such as human beings, fisheries, forests, etc.
- Abiotic Resources: These include all non-living things, e.g., rocks, metals, and minerals
👉 On the basis of exhaustibility:
- Renewable Resources: Those resources that can be renewed or reproduced by physical, chemical, and mechanical processes are known as renewable or replenishable resources, e.g., water, wildlife, forests, solar energy, wind energy, etc.
- Non-renewable Resources: The resources which once exhausted, cannot be remade. They take a long geological period, i.e., millions of years in their formation, e.g., minerals, fossil fuels, etc.
👉 On the basis of Ownership:
- Individual resources: These are Owned privately by individuals, e.g., own land, houses, pasture land, ponds, wells, etc.
- Community Owned Resources: Resources that are accessible to all the members of the community, e.g., parks, playgrounds, picnic spots, village ponds, etc.
- National Resources: All the resources that belong to the nation, e.g., roads, railways, etc.
- International resources: Resources that no individual country can utilize, e.g., oceanic waters beyond 200 km.
👉 On the basis of the Status of Development:
- Potential resources: Resources found in a region but not in use, e.g., solar energy in Rajasthan, wind in Gujarat, etc.
- Stock: Resources available but do not have the appropriate technology to access, e.g., lack of technical know-how to use hydrogen and oxygen as a source of energy, etc.
- Reserve: Subset of stock. Can be used for future needs, e.g., water in the dams, forest resources, etc.
Indiscriminate Exploitation Of Resources
Human beings use resources indiscriminately and this has led to the following major problems-
- Depletion of resources to satisfy the greed of a few individuals.
- Accumulation of resources in few hands, which, in turn, divided the society into two segments i.e. haves and have not or rich or poor.
- Indiscriminate exploitation of resources has led to global ecological crises such as global warming, ozone layer depletion, environmental pollution, and land degradation.
Sustainable Development
“Sustainable economic development means that ‘development should take place without damaging the environment and development in the present should not compromise with the needs of future generation”.
| 🌟Sustainable Practices | 🌟Unsustainable Practices |
|---|---|
| Renewable energy use | Overreliance on fossil fuels |
| Reforestation | Deforestation |
| Water conservation | Water wastage |
| Recycling and upcycling | Single-use products |
🌟Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit, 1992
In June 1992, more than 100 heads of state met in Rio de Janeiro Brazil, for the first
International Earth Summit. The Summit was convened to address urgent problems of environmental protection and socioeconomic development at the global level.
The assembled leaders signed the
Declaration on Global Climatic Change and Biological Diversity. The Rio Convention endorsed the global Forest Principles and
adopted Agenda 21 for achieving
Sustainable Development in the 21st century.
🌟Agenda 21
It is the declaration signed by world leaders in 1992 at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), which took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It aims at achieving globally sustainable
development. It is an agenda to combat environmental damage, poverty, disease through global cooperation 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.
Resource Planning
Resource planning involves the following processes:
- Identification and inventory of resources across the regions of the country. This involves surveying, mapping, and qualitative and quantitative estimation and measurement of the resources.
- Evolving a planning structure endowed with appropriate technology, skill, and institutional setup for implementing resource development plans.
- Matching the resource development plans with overall national development plans.
Conservation Of Resources
Resources are vital for any developmental activity. However irrational consumption and overutilization of resources may lead to socio-economic and environmental problems. To overcome these problems, resource conservation at various levels is important.
Land Resources
👉The land is a natural resource of utmost importance. It supports natural vegetation, wildlife, human life, economic activities, transport, and communication systems. However, land is an asset of a finite magnitude, therefore, it is important to use the available land for various purposes with careful planning.
Land Utilisation
👉Land resources are used for the following purposes:
- Forests
- Land not available for cultivation
(a) Barren and wasteland
(b) Land put to non-agricultural uses, e.g. buildings, roads, factories, etc. - Other uncultivated land (excluding
fallow land)
(a) Permanent pastures and grazing land,
(b) Land under miscellaneous tree crops groves (not included in net sown area),
(c) Culturable wasteland (left uncultivated for more than 5 agricultural years). - Fallow lands
(a) Current fallow-(left without cultivation
for one or less than one agricultural year),
(b) Other than current fallow-(left uncultivated for the past 1 to 5 agricultural years). - The net sown area is 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 the net sown area is known as gross cropped area.
Land Degradation and Conservation measures
Human activities such as deforestation, overgrazing, mining, and quarrying contributed to land degradation.
👉Measures to control land degradation:
→ Afforestation
→ Planting of shelter belts of plants
→ control overgrazing
→ stabilization of dunes by growing thorny bushes
→ Proper management of wastelands
→ control of mining activities
Soils and their types:
- Alluvial soils: Entire northern plains are made of alluvial soil. Also found in the eastern coastal plains, particularly in the deltas of the Mahanadi, the Godavari, the Krishna, and the Kaveri rivers. Fertile soil, therefore, is fit for agricultural purposes. Regions of alluvial soils are intensively cultivated and densely populated. Rich in potash, phosphoric acid, and lime which are ideal for the growth of sugarcane, paddy, wheat, and other cereal and pulse crops.
- Black soil: Black and also known as regur soil. Ideal for growing cotton and is also known as black cotton soil. Found in the plateaus of Maharashtra, Saurashtra, Malwa, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh also along the Godavari and the Krishna valleys. Made up of extremely fine, i.e., clayey material. Well-known for their capacity to hold moisture. Rich in calcium carbonate, magnesium, potash, and lime.
- Red and yellow soils: Found in the areas of low rainfall in the eastern and southern parts of the Deccan plateau. Also found in parts of Odisha, Chhattisgarh, southern parts of the middle Ganga plain, and along the Piedmont zone of the Western Ghats. Develop a reddish color due to diffusion of iron in crystalline and metamorphic rocks.
- Laterite soils: Develop in areas with high temperatures and heavy rainfall. Found in Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, and the hilly areas of Odisha and Assam. Suitable for cultivation with adequate doses of manures and fertilizers. Low Humus content because decomposers, like bacteria, get destroyed due to high temperature.
- Arid soils: Found in the western parts of Rajasthan. After proper irrigation these soils become cultivable. Lacks humus and moisture because the dry climate and high temperatures make the evaporation faster. Salt content is very high and common salt is obtained by evaporating the water.
- Forest soils: Found in the hilly and mountainous areas where sufficient rainforests are available. Feature differs based on location. Loamy and silty on valley sides and coarse-grained on the upper slopes. Sil in the lower parts of the valleys particularly on the river terraces and alluvial fans are fertile.
Soil Erosion and Its Type
The denudation of the soil cover and subsequent washing down is soil erosion. Reasons for soil erosion include—
(a) Human activities like deforestation, over-grazing construction, mining defective method of fanning, etc.;
(b) Natural forces like wind, glaciers, and water flow.
👉Types of erosion:
(a) Gully erosion. The running water cuts through the clayey soils and makes deep channels known as gullies. This makes the land bad land and in the Chambal basin such land is known as ravines;
(b) Sheet erosion. When topsoil over a large area is washed away it is known as sheet erosion.
Methods to prevent soil erosion in hilly areas:
👉Plowing along the contour lines-contour plowing; terrace cultivation; strip farming and shelter belts
Case Studies
As we delve into real-world examples of resource management and development, let’s examine three
significant case studies that highlight different aspects of resource utilization and conservation in India.
A. Jhabua District Development
The transformation of Jhabua district in Madhya Pradesh serves as an inspiring example of sustainable resource management. This once-barren region has been revitalized through:
- Watershed management
- Afforestation initiatives
- Community participation
| Before Development | After Development |
|---|---|
| Soil erosion | Improved soil retention |
| Water scarcity | Increased groundwater levels |
| Low agricultural yield | Enhanced crop production |
B. Narmada Bachao Andolan
The Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) represents a significant environmental movement against large-scale dam projects on the Narmada River. Key aspects include:
- Opposition to the Sardar Sarovar Dam
- Advocacy for the rights of displaced communities
- Debates on development vs. environmental conservation
C. Chipko Movement
The Chipko Movement, originating in the 1970s in Uttarakhand, exemplifies grassroots environmental
activism:
- Women-led protest against deforestation
- Embracing trees to prevent logging
- Promotion of sustainable forest management
This movement not only saved thousands of trees but also inspired similar eco-conservation efforts
worldwide.
These case studies demonstrate the complexities of resource management, balancing development
needs with environmental conservation, and the power of community involvement in shaping sustainable practices.
Resources play a vital role in shaping our world and future. From understanding the different types of
resources to explore their distribution and utilization in India, we’ve covered key aspects of resource management. The challenges faced in this field highlight the need for sustainable practices and innovative solutions. As we move forward, it’s crucial to recognize the importance of responsible resource management. implementing effective strategies and learning from case studies, we can work towards a more sustainable future. Let’s strive to balance our resource needs with environmental conservation, ensuring a better world for generations to come.
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