SEMESTER — I Compulsory Course (AECC — Environment Studies) BA and BSC Departments

Unit 1 : Introduction to environmental studies (2 lectures) Multidisciplinary nature of

environmental studies; Scope and importance; the need for environmental education.
Concept of sustainability and sustainable development.
Unit 2 : Ecosystems (3 Lectures) What is an ecosystem? Structure: food chains, food webs and
function of ecosystem:Energy flow in an ecosystem, nutrient cycle and ecological
succession. Ecological Interactions. Case studies of the following ecosystems:
a) Forest ecosystem b) Grassland ecosystem c) Desert ecosystem d) Aquatic ecosystems
(ponds, streams, lakes, rivers, oceans, estuaries)
Unit 3 : Biodiversity and Conservation (41ectures)
a. Levels of biological diversity: genetic, species and ecosystem diversity; Biogeographic
zones of India; Biodiversity patterns and global biodiversity hot spots
b. India as a mega-biodiversity nation; Endangered and endemic species of India
c. Threats to biodiversity: Habitat loss, poaching of wildlife, man-wildlifeconflicts,
biological invasions; Conservation of biodiversity:ln-situ and Ex-situ conservation of
biodiversity.
d. Nature reserves, tribal populations and rights (Niyamgiri-Vedanta, POSCO), and
human wildlife conflicts in Indian context (Sundarban-Human-Tiger encounters).
e. Ecosystem and biodiversity services: Ecological, economic, social, ethical, aesthetic and
Informational value.
Unit 4 : Environmental Pollution and Global Environmental Issues (6 lectures)
a. Environmental pollution: types, causes, effects and controls; Air, water, soil and noise
pollution.
b. Climate change, global warming, ozone layer depletion, acid rain and impacts on
human communities and agriculture
c. Nuclear hazards and human health risks (Chernobyl, 3 mile Island, Daiichi-
Fukushima)
d. Solid waste management: Control measures of urban and industrial waste,special
referenceto e-waste, Biomedical waste.
e. Pollution Tragedies: Love canal, Bhopal Gas, Endosulfan, Minamata and Flint water
TEXT BOOKS :
1. Basu, M. and Xavier, S., Fundamentals of Environmental Studies, Cambridge
University Press, 2016.
2. Mitra, A. K and Chakraborty, R., Introduction to Environmental Studies, Book
Syndicate, 2016.
3. Enger, E. and Smith, B., Environmental Science: A Study of Interrelationships,
Publisher: McGraw-Hill Higher Education; 12th edition, 2010.
4. Basu, R.N, Environment, University of Calcutta, 2000.
SUGGESTED READINGS :
1. Carson, R. 2002. Silent Spring. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
2. Gadgil, M., &Guha, R. 1993. This Fissured Land: An Ecological History of IndiaUniv.of
California Press.
3. Odum, E.P., Odum, H.T. & Andrews, J. 1971. Fundamentals of Ecology.
Philadelphia:
Saunders.
 4. Pepper, I.L., Gerba, C.P. &Brusseau, M.L. 2011. Environmental and Pollution Science.
Academic Press.
5. Agrawal, KM, Sikdar, PK and Deb, SC, A Text book of Environment, Macmillan
Publication, 2002.
6. Richard T Wright, Environmental Science: Towards a Sustainable Future, Prentice-
Hall Inc., 2008.
SEMESTER - Il Compulsory Course (AECC — Environment Studies) BA and BSC Departments
Unit 5: Natural Resources : Renewable and Non-renewable Resources (6 lectures) A. Land
resources and landuse change; Land degradation, soil erosion and desertification.
B. Deforestation: Causes and impacts due to mining, dam building on environment, forests,
biodiversity and tribal populations.
C. Disaster management : floods, earthquake, cyclones and landslides. Resettlement and
rehabilitation of project affected persons; case studies.
Water : Use and over-exploitation of surface and ground water, floods, droughts, conflicts
over water (international & inter-state).
D. Energy resources : Renewable and non renewable energy sources, use of alternate energy
sources, growing energy needs, case studies.
Unit 6:Environmental Management: Laws, Policies & Practices (7 lectures)
UN Initiatives and International agreements: Montreal and Kyoto protocols, Paris Climate Summit
(2015) and Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).
Environmental ethics: Role of Indian and other religions and cultures in environmental
conservation. Green Politics, Earth Hour, Green Option Technologies, ISO standards: ISO
9000 and 14000. Environmental communication and public awareness, Role of National
Green Tribunal; EIA Formulations, stages, Merits and demerits: case studies (e.g., CNG
vehicles, Bharat IV stage)
Environment Laws: Environment Protection Act (1986); Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act
(1981); Forest Conservation Act (1980); Water (Prevention and control of Pollution) Act (1974);
Wildlife Protection Act (1972).
Unit 7: Human Population and the Environment (2 lectures) Human population growth: Impacts
on environment, human health and welfare. Family Welfare Programs, Human Rights.
Environmental movements: Chipko, Silent valley, Bishnoi, Narmada BachaoAndolan, Nava
Danya.
Role of Information Technology (IT) in environment and Human Health
Unit 8 : Field work (Equal to 5 lectures) Visit to an area to document environmental assets:
river/ forest/ flora/fauna, etc.
Visit to a local polluted site-Urban/RuraI/Industrial/ Agricultural.
Study of common plants, insects, birds and basic principles of identification.
Study of simple ecosystems-pond, river, Delhi Ridge, etc.
Text Books:
I. Basu, M. and Xavier, S.,FundamentaIs of Environmental Studies, Cambridge University Press, 2016.
2. Mitra, A. K and Chakraborty, R., Introduction to Environmental Studies, Book Syndicate, 2016.
3. Enger, E. and Smith, B., Environmental Science: A Study of Interrelationships, Publisher: McGraw-Hill Higher
Education; 12th edition, 2010.
4. Basu, R.N, Environment, University of Calcutta, 2000.
Suggested Readings:
I. Gleeson, B. and Low, N. (eds.) 1999. Global Ethics and Environment, London,RoutIedge.
2. Gleick, P. H. 1993. Water in Crisis. Pacific Institute for Studies in Dev., Environment & Security. Stockholm
Env. Institute, Oxford Univ. Press.
3. Grumbine, R. Edward, and Pandit, M.K. 2013. Threats from India's Himalaya dams. Science, 339:36-
37.
4. McCully, P. 1996. Rivers no more: the environmental effects of dams (pp. 29-64). Zed Books.
5. McNeill, John R. 2000. Something New Under the Sun: An Environmental History of the Twentieth Century.
6. Rosencranz, A., Divan, S., & Noble, M. L. 2001. Environmental law and policy in India. Tripathi 1992.
7. World Commission on Environment and Development. 1987. Our Common Future. Oxford University Press.
8. Ghosh Roy, MK, Sustainalble Development (Environment, Energy and Water Resources), Ane Books Pvt. Ltd.,
2011.
91' Karpagam, M and GeethaJaikumar, Green Management, Theory and Applications, Ane Books Pvt. Ltd., 2010.
10. BalaKrishnamoorthy, Environmental Management, PHI learning PVT Ltd, 2012.