Land resources

Land use data is available for how of the total area of India?

Land use data is available only for 93 percent of the total area of India.

How is the use of land determined?

The use of land is determined both by physical factors such as topography, climate, soil types as well as human factors such as population density, technological capability and culture and traditions etc.

_______________ per cent of our basic needs for food, shelter and clothing are obtained from land.

95%

What are waste land and land put to other non-agricultural uses?

A part of the land is termed as waste land and land put to other non-agricultural uses. Waste land includes rocky, arid and desert areas and land put to other non-agricultural uses includes settlements, roads, railways, industry etc.

Define gross cropped area.

Area sown more than once in an agricultural year plus net sown area is known as gross cropped area.

What has resulted in land degradation?

Continuous use of land over a long period of time without taking appropriate measures to conserve and manage it, has resulted in land degradation. This, in turn, has serious repercussions on society and the environment.

Land is an asset of __________ magnitude.

Finite

What is the desired geographical area of forests? Who is it outlined by?

Forest area in the country is far lower than the desired 33 per cent of geographical area, as it was outlined in the National Forest Policy (1952).

What has aggravated the pace of natural forces to cause damage to land?

Human activities have aggravated the pace of natural forces to cause damage to land.

What have human activities done to land?

Human activities have not only brought about degradation of land but have also aggravated the pace of natural forces to cause damage to land.

What is the total geographical area of India?

Total geographical area of India is 3.28 million sq km.

Write a short note on India : wastelands in 2000.

a) There are about 130 million hectares of degraded land in India. b) Approximately, 28 per cent of it belongs to the category of forest degraded area, 56 per cent of it is water eroded area and the rest is affected by saline and alkaline deposits. c) Some human activities such as deforestation, over grazing, mining and quarrying too have contributed significantly in land degradation.

Name 2 reasons as to why industries have contributed to land degradation.

1) The mineral processing like grinding of limestone for cement industry and calcite and soapstone for ceramic industry generate huge quantity of dust in the atmosphere. It retards the process of infiltration of water into the soil after it settles down on the land. 2) In recent years, industrial effluents as waste have become a major source of land and water pollution in many parts of the country.

Why is land a natural resource of utmost importance?

1) We live on land, we perform our economic activities on land and we use it in different ways. 2) It supports natural vegetation, wild life, human life, economic activities, transport and communication systems. 3) Thus, land is a natural resource of utmost importance.

Describe the role of plateaus, relief features under land?

About 27 per cent of the area of the country is the plateau region. It possesses rich reserves of minerals, fossil fuels and forests.

Describe the role of plains, relief features under land?

About 43 per cent of the land area is plain, which provides facilities for agriculture and industry.

How are we able to feed our huge cattle population on decreased land area of pasture lands? What are the consequences of it? (Ex Q)

Cattle population is fed on decreased area of pasture lands by deforestation to acquire new pastures and utilising modern technology to procure animal feed. The consequences of decreased pasture lands are the increasing strains placed upon farmers practicing animal husbandry, declining productivity of cattle and diversion of forest lands for grazing.

Is forest area in the country the desisted geographical area as outlined by national forest policy (1952)?

Forest area in the country is far lower than the desired 33 per cent of geographical area, as it was outlined in the National Forest Policy (1952).

Analyse the importance of the geographical area of forests.

Forest area in the country is far lower than the desired 33 per cent of geographical area, as it was outlined in the National Forest Policy (1952). It was considered essential for maintenance of the ecological balance. The livelihood of millions of people who live on the fringes of these forests depends upon it.

What is NSA (net sown area) if we include most of the other than the current fallow lands?

If most of the other than the current fallow lands are included in the net sown area then the percentage of NSA in India comes to about 54 percent of the total reporting area.

What is the main reason for land degradation in states like Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra?

In states like Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra overgrazing is one of the main reasons for land degradation.

What is the main reason for land degradation in states of Punjab, Haryana, western Uttar Pradesh?

In the states of Punjab, Haryana, western Uttar Pradesh, over irrigation is responsible for land degradation due to water logging leading to increase in salinity and alkalinity in the soil.

Name the relief features India has land under.

India has land under a variety of relief features, namely; mountains, plateaus, plains and islands.

Ninety-five per cent of our basic needs for food, shelter and clothing are obtained from _______.

Land

Why is it important to use the available land for various purposes with careful planning?

Land is an asset of a finite magnitude, therefore, it is important to use the available land for various purposes with careful planning.

Analyse how land resources are used?

Land resources are used for the following purposes: 1. Forests 2. Land not available for cultivation (a) Barrenandwasteland (b) Landputtonon-agriculturaluses,e.g. buildings, roads, factories, etc. 3. Other uncultivated land (excluding fallow land) (a) Permanentpasturesandgrazingland, (b) Land under miscellaneous tree crops groves (not included in net sown area), (c) Cultruable waste land (left uncultivated for more than 5 agricultural years). 4. 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). 5. Net sown area Area sown more than once in an agricultural year plus net sown area is known as gross cropped area.

What has caused severe land degradation in states like Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Orissa?

Mining sites are abandoned after excavation work is complete leaving deep scars and traces of over-burdening. In states like Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Orissa deforestation due to mining have caused severe land degradation.

Why are most of the other than the current fallow lands are cultivated once or twice in about two to three years?

Most of the other than the current fallow lands are either of poor quality or the cost of cultivation of such land is very high. Hence, these lands are cultivated once or twice in about two to three years.

Describe the role of mountains, relief features under land?

Mountains account for 30 per cent of the total surface area of the country and ensure perennial flow of some rivers, provide facilities for tourism and ecological aspects.

Does the pattern of net sown area vary greatly from one state to another? If yes, state examples.

The pattern of net sown area varies greatly from one state to another. It is over 80 per cent of the total area in Punjab and Haryana and less than 10 per cent in Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Manipur and Andaman Nicobar Islands.

Define net sown area.

The region sown with crops is the Net Sown Area (NSA), but it is reported once.

List some ways to solve the problem of land degradation.

There are many ways to solve the problems of land degradation. a) Afforestation and proper management of grazing can help to some extent. b) Planting of shelter belts of plants, control on over grazing, stabilisation of sand dunes by growing thorny bushes are some of the methods to check land degradation. c) Proper management of waste lands, control of mining activities, proper discharge and disposal of industrial effluents and wastes after treatment can reduce land and water degradation in industrial and suburban areas.

Why is land use data only available for 93 percent of the total area in India?

Total geographical area of India is 3.28 million sq km. Land use data, however, is available only for 93 per cent of the total area because the land use reporting for most of the north-east states except Assam has not been done fully. Moreover, some areas of Jammu and Kashmir occupied by Pakistan and China have also not been surveyed.

State true or false: The land under permanent pasture has also decreased.

True

Analyse and write a short note on land degradation in India.

a) At present, there are about 130 million hectares of degraded land in India. b) Approximately, 28 per cent of it belongs to the category of forest degraded area, 56 per cent of it is water eroded area and the rest is affected by saline and alkaline deposits. c) Some human activities such as deforestation, over grazing, mining and quarrying too have contributed significantly in land degradation.

Describe India's land under important relief features?

a) India has land under a variety of relief features, namely; mountains, plateaus, plains and islands. b) About 43 per cent of the land area is plain, which provides facilities for agriculture and industry. c) Mountains account for 30 per cent of the total surface area of the country and ensure perennial flow of some rivers, provide facilities for tourism and ecological aspects. d) About 27 per cent of the area of the country is the plateau region. It possesses rich reserves of minerals, fossil fuels and forests.

Explain causes of land degradation in India.

a) Mining sites are abandoned after excavation work is complete leaving deep scars and traces of over-burdening. In states like Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Orissa deforestation due to mining have caused severe land degradation. b) In states like Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra overgrazing is one of the main reasons for land degradation. c) In the states of Punjab, Haryana, western Uttar Pradesh, over irrigation is responsible for land degradation due to water logging leading to increase in salinity andalkalinity in the soil. d) The mineral processing like grinding of limestone for cement industry and calcite and soapstone for ceramic industry generate huge quantity of dust in the atmosphere. It retards the process of infiltration of water into the soil after it settles down on the land. e) In recent years, industrial effluents as waste have become a major source of land and water pollution in many parts of the country.