Environmental Resources and Development

Resources are vital for human survival and quality of life.
Resources are not free gifts of nature; they are a function of human activities.
Human beings interact with nature through technology and create institutions to accelerate economic development.

Development should take place without damaging the environment, and development in the present should not compromise the needs of future generations.
The concept of sustainable development was introduced by the Brundtland Commission Report in 1987.

Resource planning is essential for sustainable existence of all forms of life.
It involves identifying and inventorying resources, evolving a planning structure, and matching resource development plans with overall national development plans.

India has made concerted efforts for achieving the goals of resource planning right from the First Five Year Plan launched after Independence.
The availability of resources is a necessary condition for the development of any region, but mere availability of resources is not sufficient in the absence of corresponding changes in technology and institutions.

Land is a natural resource of utmost importance.
It supports natural vegetation, wildlife, human life, economic activities, transport, and communication systems.
Land is an asset of a finite magnitude, therefore, it is important to use it wisely.

The total geographical area of India is 3.28 million sq km.
Land use data is available only for 93% of the total geographical area.
The pattern of net sown area varies greatly from one state to another.
Forest area in the country is far lower than the desired 33% of geographical area.

Land degradation has serious repercussions on society and the environment.
Ways to solve the problems of land degradation include afforestation, proper management of grazing, planting of shelter belts, control of over-grazing, and stabilization of sand dunes.

Resources are vital for any developmental activity.
Irrational consumption and over-utilization of resources may lead to socio-economic and environmental problems.
Conservation of resources at various levels is important to overcome these problems.### Soil as a Resource
Soil is the most important renewable natural resource.
It is the medium of plant growth and supports different types of living organisms on the earth.
Soil is a living system that takes millions of years to form, up to a few cm in depth.

Relief, parent rock or bed rock, climate, vegetation, and other forms of life and time are important factors in soil formation.
Chemical and organic changes that take place in the soil also contribute to its formation.

Human activities such as deforestation, overgrazing, mining, and quarrying have contributed significantly to land degradation.
Mining sites are abandoned after excavation, leaving deep scars and traces of over-burdening.
Deforestation due to mining has caused severe land degradation in states like Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Odisha.
Overgrazing is one of the main reasons for land degradation in states like Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra.
Over-irrigation is responsible for land degradation in states like Punjab, Haryana, and western Uttar Pradesh, leading to an increase in salinity and alkalinity in the soil.

Soil profile consists of top soil, subsoil, and substratum.
Top soil is the upper soil layer, subsoil is weathered rock, and substratum is unweathered parent rock material.

Soils in India are classified into different types based on factors such as relief, climate, vegetation, and parent rock material.
Alluvial soils, black soils, red and yellow soils, laterite soils, and arid soils are the main types of soils found in India.

Alluvial soils are the most widely spread and important soil type in India.
They are deposited by three important Himalayan river systems – the Indus, the Ganga, and the Brahmaputra.
Alluvial soils are also found in Rajasthan, Gujarat, and eastern coastal plains.
They consist of various proportions of sand, silt, and clay, and can be classified as old alluvial (Bangar) and new alluvial (Khadar).

Black soils are black in color and are also known as regur soils.
They are ideal for growing cotton and are known as black cotton soil.
They are formed in the Deccan trap region and are made up of lava flows.
Black soils are typical of the northwest Deccan plateau and are made up of extremely fine, clayey material.

Red soils develop on crystalline igneous rocks in areas of low rainfall in the eastern and southern parts of the Deccan plateau.
They develop a reddish color due to the diffusion of iron in crystalline and metamorphic rocks.
Yellow soils are also found in parts of Odisha, Chhattisgarh, and southern parts of the middle Ganga plain.

Laterite soils develop under tropical and subtropical climate with alternate wet and dry seasons.
They are the result of intense leaching due to heavy rain and are mostly deep to very deep, acidic (pH < 7).
Lateritic soils are poor in humus and moisture and are prone to erosion and degradation.

Arid soils range from red to brown in color and are generally sandy in texture and saline in nature.
They are formed in areas of low rainfall and high temperature, and lack humus and moisture.
The lower horizons of arid soils are occupied by Kankar, which restricts the infiltration of water.