SOCIAL SCIENCE CBSE CLASS 10

GEOGRAPHY: Resource and Development

Resources
• Everything available in our environment which can be used to satisfy our needs, provided, it is technologically
accessible, economically feasible and culturally acceptable can be termed as Resource.
• Coal, water, air, minerals, etc., are the examples of resources.

Problems caused due to over-utilisation of resources.

• Depletion of resources: Over utilisation has led to the depletion of the resources for meeting the greed of few
individuals. For example, over- utilisation of petroleum products has led to a situation where most of the
countries of the world are facing energy crisis.
• Concentration of resources: This has divided the society into ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’ or the rich and the poor.
• Global ecological crisis: Over utilisation of resources has led to the global ecological crisis such as global
warming, depletion of ozone layer, pollution and land degradation.

‘India has enormous diversity in the availability of resources.’

• India has enormous diversity in availability of resources. This can be explained by following examples.
• The states of Jharkhand, Chattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh are rich in mineral resources but lacks industrialisation.
• Arunachal Pradesh has abundance of water resources, but lacks in infrastructural development.
• The state of Rajasthan is very well endowed with solar and wind energy, but lacks in water resources.
• The cold desert area of Ladakh is relatively isolated from the rest of the country due to lack of means of
transportation and communication.

Role of human in resource development.

• The process of transformation of things into resource involves an inter-dependent relationship between nature,
technology and institutions.
• Human beings interact with nature through technology and create institutions to accelerate the pace of
economic development.
• Human beings are essential components of resources as they transform materials in the environment into
resources and use them.

Need to conserve resources.

• Most of the resources have limited supply.
• Over utilisation of resources may lead to environmental problems.
• Over utilisation of resources may lead to socio-economic problems.

Soil
• 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.

Criteria to classify Indian soils.

Indian soils can be classified on the basis of the following factors.
i) Colour
ii) Thickness
iii) Texture
iv) Age
v) Chemical & Physical properties.

Types of soils found in India.

Alluvial Soil:
• This is the most widespread soil in India. This soil is formed by the deposition of materials by the rivers namely
the Indus, the Ganga and the Brahmaputra.
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• It is mainly found in Northern Plains and the Eastern Coastal Plains.

• It is the most fertile soil. Due to high fertility, they are intensively cultivated and are densely populated.

Black Soil:
• This soil is black in colour and cotton grows best in this soil.
• This soil is formed by the weathering of igneous rocks.
• It is mainly confined to the northwestern part of Peninsular Plateau, Deccan lava plateau which includes the
states of Maharashtra, Saurashtra, Malwa, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.

Red and Yellow Soil:

• It develops on crystalline igneous rocks in areas of low rainfall in the eastern and southeastern parts of the
Deccan plateau.
• This soil is rich in iron compounds and is reddish in colour due to diffusion of iron while it is yellowish in colour
when it occurs in hydrated form.

Laterite Soil:
• These soils are formed by intense leaching in tropical regions where both temperature and rainfall is high.
• This soil is devoid of nutrients and has low humus content and is not suitable for crop cultivation.
• It is mainly found in Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh and hilly areas of Orissa and Assam.
• Through soil conservation techniques, they are useful for growing tea and coffee.

Arid Soils:
• These soils are sandy in texture and saline in nature.
• They lack humus and moisture.
• They can be suitable for crop cultivation where irrigation is available.
• These soils are mainly found in Rajasthan.

Soil of the Ganga-Yamuna plain differ from that of central Maharashtra.

• The Ganga-Yamuna plain has alluvial soils, whereas the central Maharashtra has black soils.
• The alluvial soils are formed by the depositional work of rivers in the river valleys, flood plains and deltas.
• Black soil is typical of the Deccan trap (basalt) region spread over the northwest Deccan plateau and is made up
of lava flows.

Differences between the alluvial soil found in the upper course of rivers and that found in the lower courses.
Alluvial soil in the upper course Alluvial soil in the lower course
1. The soil particles are bigger in size. 1. The soil particles are smaller in size.
2. The soils are coarse. 2. The soils are less coarse or finer.
3. The soils in the upper course are less 3. The soils in the lower course are fertile.
fertile.

Formation of red soil

Red soils develop due to the weathering of ancient crystalline igneous rocks.
Features of red soil
• Soils are loamy in deep depressions and in uplands. They consist of loose gravels and highly coarse materials.
• The colour of these soils is generally red, often grading into brown or yellowish brown. The red colour is due to
wide diffusion rather than high percentage of iron content. It looks yellow when it occurs in a hydrated form.
• Soils are deficient in phosphoric acid, organic matter and nitrogenous materials but are fairly rich in potash. But
crops are cultivated with the use of fertilizers.
Formation of laterite soil
It develops in areas with high temperature and heavy rainfall. The laterite soil is a result of intense leaching owing to
heavy tropical rains.
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Features of laterite soil

• The soils are acidic in nature, coarse in texture.
• Due to a lack of nitrogen, potassium, and organic elements, the laterite soils lack fertility and are not suitable for
cultivation. The soil can be made suitable for cultivation with adequate doses of manure and fertilizer.
• As the soils are indefinitely durable, they provide valuable building materials.
Features of black soil
i) Extremely fine i.e., clayey material.
ii) Rich in calcium carbonate, magnesium, potash and lime.
iii) Develop deep cracks during hot weather conditions.
iv) High moisture retentive capacity.
Formation of alluvial soil.
• Alluvial soils are formed by the deposition of materials brought down by the rivers.
• This process of deposition continues for millions of years, leading to the accumulation of soil into thick layers.
• These have been deposited by three important Himalayan rivers, namely the Indus, the Ganga, and the
Brahmaputra.
Distinguish between Khadar and Bhangar.
Khadar (New) Bhangar (Old)
1. The Khadar soils are found in the low areas of the 1. The Bhangar soils are found in the higher reaches,
valley, bottom of a valley which are flooded every year. about 30m above the lood level.
2. These soils are finer in texture. 2. These are coarse in texture.
3. The Khadar soils are more fertile as these are found 3. These soils are less fertile as these are found on the
in the low areas of the bottom of a valley which are higher reaches, about 30m above the flood level.
flooded almost every year.

Forces of nature that contribute to the formation of soil.

1. Changes in temperature
2. action of running water, wind, and glaciers
3. activities of decomposers

Importance of Soil formation.

• 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.

Major factors that are responsible for the formation of soil.

• Relief, parent rock or bed rock, climate, vegetation and other forms of life and time are important factors in the
formation of soil.
• Various forces of nature such as changes in temperature, actions of running water, wind and glaciers, activities of
decomposers, etc., contribute to the formation of soil.
• Chemical and organic changes that take place in the soil are equally important.
• Time determines thickness of soil profile.
• Altitude and slope determine the accumulation of soil.

The fertility of soil affects distribution of population

The fertility of the soil affects the distribution of population in the following ways:
• Fertile and productive alluvial soils of the northern plains support the needs of the high density of population.
• Areas of mountain soils and desert soils in Jammu and Kashmir and Rajasthan are sparsely populated due to the
infertility and less productivity of soils.

Relationship between nature, technology and institutions.

• Nature contains resources. These resources are converted into usable form with the help of technology.
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• Human beings interact with nature through technology and create institutions to accelerate their economic
development.

Technical and economic development led to more consumption of resources

• The consumption of resources depends on the needs and aspirations of the people, which change with the
development of technology and economic development of the country.
• In developed nations the needs of the people are high and they consume more resources, while in developing
nations the needs of the people are less resulting in low consumption of resources.
• For example, In USA mineral consumption is five times more than the world average. With the economic
development, the demand for resources increases faster than their population growth.
• The wealth combined with rapid economic development enables individuals to consume more resources.
• The development of technology contributed to increased production of quality good sand provide better services
to the people. Hence, greater the technical and economic development, the greater the consumption of
resources.

Land-use pattern of India

• The net sown area has increased from 45.26% in 1960-61 to 45.5% in 20014-15.
• The pattern of the net sown area varies greatly from one state to another. It is over 80 percent of the total area in
Punjab and Haryana, and less than 10 per cent in Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Manipur and the Andaman and
Nicobar Islands.
• The area under forests has increased from 18.11% in 1960-61 to 23.3% in 20014-15, yet it is far below than the
scientific norms.
• The land under permanent pasture is very low and it is decreased from 4.71% in 1960-61 to 3.3% in 20014-15.
This shows the tremendous pressure of livestock on agricultural land.
• A slight increase in the area under fallow other than current fallow land from 3.5% in 1960- 61 to 3.6% in 2014-
15. Which shows that, increase in salinity or the infertility of lands accompanied by lack of irrigation facilities in
the country.
• A part of the land is termed as wasteland, and land put to other non-agricultural uses. Wastelands includes rocky,
arid and desert areas, and land put to other non-agricultural uses includes settlements, roads, railways,
industries, etc.

Factors of land-use pattern of India

The use of land is determined by physical as well as human factors.
i) Physical factors: Topography, climate and soil types.
ii) Human factors: Population density, technological capability, culture and traditions

Soil Erosion.
The removal of soil by the forces of nature, particularly wind and water is called soil erosion.

Seps to control soil erosion in the hilly areas.

The following steps taken to control the soil erosion in hilly areas are.
i) Contour ploughing: It refers to ploughing along contour lines to decelerate the flow of water down the slopes.
ii) Terrace farming: Steps can be cut out on the slopes making terraces to restrict soil erosion.
iii) Check dams: Check dams can be built across the gullies to trap the silt to prevent gully erosion.

Types of Soil Erosion

Sheet Erosion:
• When the top layer of the soil is removed layer by layer over a large area by the action of flowing of water, it is
called as sheet erosion.

Rill Erosion:
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• This is the second stage of soil erosion. If erosion continues unchecked for a sufficient time, rills (small finger-
shaped grooves that are few centimetres in depth) may develop on the landscape.
• Over a period of time, fine rills increase in number and a become deeper and wider, and resemble the twigs,
branches and trunk of a tree. This is called as rill erosion.

Gully Erosion:
• This is the third stage of soil erosion. With further erosion of the soil, the rills may deepen and become enlarged,
and are ultimately turned into gullies.
• The main cause of gully erosion is the removal of vegetation, particularly of trees with their widespread binding
roots. Gullies cut up agricultural land and the entire area may be turned into a bad land topography. Gully
erosion is also responsible for the formation of ravines.

Farming techniques used to check soil erosion

Crop rotation:
• If the same crop is sown in the same field, year after year, this consumes certain nutrients from the soil making it
infertile. Crop rotation can check this type of erosion.

Settled agriculture:
• Shifting agriculture results in the loss of natural vegetation that causes soil erosion.
• Checking and reducing shifting agriculture by persuading the tribal people to switch over to settled agriculture.

Terracing and contour bunding:

• Terracing and contour bunding across the hill slopes is very effective and one of the oldest methods of soil
conservation.
• The hill slope is cut into a number of terraces with horizontal tops and steep slopes on the back and front.
Contour bunding involves the construction of banks along the contour.

Strip cropping:
• Large fields can be divided into strips. Strips of grass are left to grow between the crops. This
breaks up the force of the wind. This method is known as strip cropping.

Shelter Belts:
• Planting lines of trees to create shelter also works in a similar way. Rows of such trees are called shelter belts.
• These shelter belts have contributed significantly to the stabilisation of sand dunes and in establishing the desert
in western India.

Land degradation
• Land degradation refers to the processes both natural and man-made activities that make the land unfit for use.
• Some human activities like deforestation, over grazing, mining and quarrying have contributed to land
degradation. Mining sites are abandoned after excavation leaving deep scars and traces of over burdening.
• In the states of Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Orissa and Madhya Pradesh deforestation due to mining has resulted in
severe land degradation.
• In the states of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra over grazing is the cause of land
degradation.
• In the states of Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh over irrigation has resulted in increased salinity and
alkalinity in the soil due to water logging. The mineral processing, grinding of limestone for cement industry
produces huge quantities of dust that retards infiltration of water into the soil.
• Discharge of industrial effluents also responsible for land and water pollution.

Human activities are mainly responsible for land degradation in India.

Mining:
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• Mining is one of the major factors responsible for land degradation. In states like Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh,
Madhya Pradesh and Orissa, deforestation due to mining have caused severe land degradation.

Overgrazing:
• During the long dry period, grass is grazed to the ground and torn out by the roots by animals. This leads to
loosening of soil and it is easily washed away by rains. In states like Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and
Maharashtra overgrazing is one of the main reasons for land degradation.

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

Processing of minerals:
• 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.
• In recent years, industrial effluents as waste have become a major source of land and water pollution in many
parts of the country.

Measures to control land degradation

i) Afforestation.
ii) Stabilisation of sand dunes by growing shelter belts.
iii) Regularisation of grazing and Control of overgrazing.
iv) Moisture conservation and weed control in agricultural lands.
v) Proper management of wastelands.
vi) Control of mining.

“Over irrigation and mining lead to land degradation.”

• Over irrigation is responsible for land degradation due to water logging, which leads to an increase in salinity and
alkalinity in the soil.
• The mineral processing, like grinding of limestone for the cement industry and calcite and soapstone for the
ceramic industry, generates a 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.

Sustainable development
Sustainable development refers to development of resources without damaging the
environment and development in the present should not compromise with the needs of the
future generation.

Sustainable development is related to resource planning.

• An equitable distribution of resources is essential for sustained quality of life and global peace. If the present
trend of resource depletion by few individuals and countries continues, the future of our planet is in danger.
• Therefore, resource planning is essential for sustainable existence of all forms of life which is a component of
sustainable development.

Resource planning
Resource planning is a technique or skill of proper or judicious use of resources.

Steps which are involved in Resource planning

• 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 set up for
implementing resource development plans.
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• Matching the resource development plans with overall national development plans

Resource planning essential?

• Resources are vital for human survival as well as for maintaining the quality of life.
• But unfortunately they are being used indiscriminately, which has resulted in their depletion. Whatever resources
are there, they are accumulated in a few hands.
• Hence, an equitable distribution of resources has become essential for a sustained quality of life and global
peace.
• If the present trend of resource depletion by a few individuals and countries continues, the future of our planet
will be in danger. Resource planning is essential to avert this situation.