NCERT Solutions For Class 10 Geography Chapter 3 Water Resources

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NCERT Solutions For Class 10 Geography Chapter 3 Water Resources Long Questions And Answers

Question 1. Multipurpose river projects are referred to as the ‘temples of modern India.’ Elucidate.

Answer:

Multipurpose River Projects were launched after Independence with the approach of integrated water resource management.

The objective was to provide multifarious benefits that would lead to the development and progress of the nation, overcoming the handicap of its colonial past.

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Jawaharlal Nehru had proudly proclaimed the present-day dams or multipurpose projects as ‘temples of modern India’.

The reason behind this was that these projects integrated the development of agriculture with rapid industrialisation and led to the progress of both village and urban economies.

The benefits provided by Multipurpose Projects include:

  1. Providing water to those areas which suffer from water scarcity.
  2. Irrigation of agricultural fields during the dry season as well as in regions of scanty or inadequate rainfall. This helps in increasing agricultural productivity and bringing more area under cultivation.
  3. Flood control by regulating the flow of water.
  4. Water supply for domestic and industrial purposes.
  5. Generation of hydroelectricity for our industries and homes.
  6. Inland navigation for the purpose of transport and trade.
  7. Fish breeding
  8. Recreational facilities
  9. Soil conservation through afforestation.

As a result of these benefits that lead to the all-round development of the nation, the multipurpose projects are termed as ‘temples of modern India.’

Question 2. In recent years, multipurpose projects and large dams have come under great scrutiny and opposition. Explain.

Answer:

In recent years, multipurpose projects and large dams have come under great scrutiny and opposition for a variety of reasons.

  1. Regulating and damming of rivers affect their natural flow and lead to sedimentation and rockier stream beds which become poorer habitats for aquatic life.
  2. Fragmentation of the river, its diversion and barricading due to the building of dams affect migration and spawning of aquatic life.
  3. The reservoirs that are created on the floodplain overflow and submerge the existing vegetation and soil, and consequently lead to their decomposition and land degradation.
  4. Ironically, the dams that were constructed with the objective of flood control have triggered floods due to sedimentation in the reservoir and the release of excess water during heavy rains.
  5. The primary cause of resistance to some multipurpose projects like ‘Narmada Bachao Andolan’ and “Tehri Dam Andolan’ by activists of social and ecological movements is a large-scale displacement of local communities who lose their livelihood when ousted from their land for the projects.
  6. Landowners and large farmers, industrialists and a few urban centres are benefited while the more numerous local people who give up their land for the projects hardly receive any benefit. This widens the social gap between the rich and the poor and leads to social tensions.
  7. Interstate water disputes with regard to sharing the costs and benefits of multipurpose projects are leading to tension between states, for example. Kaveri- Godavari dispute, Sabarmati water dispute, etc.
  8. It has also been observed that multipurpose projects induced earthquakes, caused waterborne diseases and pests, and led to pollution resulting from excessive use of water.

Question 3. Compare the advantages and disadvantages of multipurpose river projects.
Or
Explain any three advantages and disadvantages of each of the multipurpose river valley projects.

Answer:

Advantages of multipurpose river projects:

  1. Such projects help in checking floods.
  2. Ample water is available for irrigation.
  3. These projects help in electricity generation.
  4. Water from these projects is used for domestic supply and industrial uses.
  5. Generally, surrounding areas of these projects are developed into tourist and picnic spots.
  6. These are used for inland navigation and fish breeding.

Disadvantages of multipurpose river projects:

  1. Displacement of people: In the process of construction of a dam, people living in a large area are evicted and displaced.
  2. Loss to land: Land near a dam suffers from seepage, water-logging and immersion conditions.
  3. Loss of lives and property: A slight cleft or rift in the wall of a dam may result in the inundation of a vast area around and the loss of human lives and property.
  4. Loss to vegetation and soil: A dam submerges the existing vegetation in the vast region around it. Soil erosion, landslides and a rupture are formed in the parental rock.

Question 4. What are interstate water disputes? Why are such issues raised? Cite examples of interstate water disputes.

Answer:

Tension created between two or more states regarding the sharing of river water mainly due to the construction of multipurpose projects is termed an interstate water dispute.

Interstate water disputes arise between states regarding the sharing of the costs and benefits of multipurpose projects.

When a river flows through two or more states, damming in one state may affect the flow and volume in another state.

If the flow is not regulated, one state may derive multiple benefits from the river, and another state may suffer leading to interstate disputes.

Example:

  1. The Krishna Godavari dispute is due to the objections raised by Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh regarding the diversion of more water at Koyna.
  2. Mandvi-Mahadayi-Vansadhara dispute between Goa, Karnataka Andhra Pradesh and Odisha.

Question 5. Write about the rooftop rainwater harvesting system prevalent in Meghalaya. How is the bamboo drip irrigation system employed for water harvesting in Meghalaya?

Answer:

Rooftop rainwater harvesting is the most common practice in Shillong, Meghalaya.

Shillong, the capital of Meghalaya, is situated only at a distance of 55 km from Mawsynram, the place receiving the highest rainfall in the world.

Yet, it faces acute water shortage as it is located in the rain shadow area on the leeward side of Khasi hills.

So, nearly every household has a rainwater harvesting structure to tap whatever amount of rainfall is received by the area for use during dry periods.

Nearly 15 to 25% of the total water requirement of the households comes from rooftop rainwater harvesting. The Bamboo-drip irrigation system prevalent in Meghalaya is 200 years 200-year-old system of tapping stream and spring water using bamboo pipes.

Bamboo grows naturally in plenty in the region. Hence, bamboos are used instead of pipes for the collection of water free of cost. Bamboo pipes are used to divert water from perennial springs on the hilltops to the lower reaches by gravity.

The channel sections, made of bamboo, divert water to the plant site where it is distributed into branches, again made and laid out with different forms of bamboo pipes.

The flow of water into the pipes is controlled by manipulating the pipe positions. The last channel section enables water to be dropped near the roots of the plant.

About 18-20 litres of water enters the bamboo pipe system, gets transported over hundreds of metres, and finally reduces to 20-80 drops per minute at the site of the plant.

Question 6. Collect information on how industries are polluting our water resources.
Or
How are industries responsible for water pollution? Cite reasons.

Answer:

Normally, water pollution is caused by the discharge of domestic and industrial wastes into water which affects water quality. The industrial wastes, chemicals, pesticides and fertilisers used in agriculture make it more hazardous for human use.

These uses have affected the quality and quantity of water in the following ways:

  1. Our villages particularly suffer on account of the quality of water available for domestic use. About half of our villages are yet to be provided with safe drinking water.
  2. Most of India’s rivers, especially the tributaries of the main rivers have become sinks of domestic and industrial wastes. The Supreme Court, in a recent judgement, described the river Yamuna as the ‘City’s Drain’.
  3. Today, most rivers are health hazards, threatening the health and livelihoods of many people.
  4. Water contamination and deteriorating water quality have caused degradation of our natural ecosystems.
  5. Over-exploitation and mismanagement of water have impoverished our resource base and caused ecological crises.

Question 7. An area or region may have ample water resources but still face water scarcity. Explain why such circumstances arise.

Answer:

  1. Water scarcity in most of the cities is an outcome of a dense and growing population.
  2. The multiplying urban centres and urban lifestyles of the huge population have not only added to water and power requirements but have also aggravated the problem by over-exploiting available groundwater resources.
  3. A large and growing population results in greater demands for water and consequently unequal access to it, especially in rural areas.
  4. More water is required for domestic use by the multiplying population. Over and above, available water resources are over-exploited for expanding irrigation and dry season farming to facilitate higher foodgrain production.
  5. Over-irrigation may lead to falling groundwater levels, adversely affecting water availability and food security of the people.
  6. An ever-increasing number of industries with their heavy consumption of water and hydroelectricity have placed undue pressure on the existing freshwater resources.
  7. Another situation of water scarcity arises when the available water resources are rendered unusable due to pollution by the discharge of effluents from industries, use of pesticides and chemical fertilisers in agriculture and dumping of domestic wastes.

Question 8. Water is available in abundance in India but even then scarcity of water is experienced in major parts of the country. Explain.

Answer:

India receives nearly 4% of the global precipitation. The total renewable water resources of India are estimated at 1,897 sq km per annum.

Despite the fact that water is available in abundance in India, scarcity of water is experienced in major parts of the country. At present India ranks 133rd in the world in terms of water availability per person per annum.

It is predicted that by 2025, large parts of India will join countries or regions having absolute water scarcity. Geographically, some parts of India like the desert region of Rajasthan receive low rainfall and are drought-prone.

Thus, water shortage is a common and regular problem in such regions. The metropolitan cities of India like Mumbai and Kolkata face acute water shortage on account of large and dense populations, and their urban lifestyles requiring more water and power consumption.

The multi-storeyed buildings and housing complexes or colonies have their own groundwater pumping devices which lead to overexploitation and depletion leading to water scarcity.

In the industrial areas of Uttar Pradesh, the National Capital Region, Bihar, etc., water pollution due to the discharge of effluents industrial wastes, and chemicals has turned big rivers like the Ganga and the Yamuna into toxic streams.

Though freshwater resources are present in sufficient quantities, it is unfit and hazardous for human use. In agriculturally advanced regions of India like Punjab, Haryana and Western Uttar Pradesh.

To facilitate higher foodgrain production for our growing population, water resources are being overexploited to expand irrigated areas and dry-season agriculture.

Over-irrigation in these areas has adversely affected water availability.

Question 9. How have intensive industrialisation and urbanisation put great pressure on existing freshwater resources in India? Explain with two examples for each.

Answer:

Intensive industrialisation and urbanisation in the post-independence period have exerted great pressure on the existing freshwater resources of India.

The following examples further explain their effects on the fragile water resources of India. Effects of Industrialisation:

Industries like cotton textile mills of Maharashtra, jute textile mills of Hooghly basin in West Bengal, and all the iron and steel plants in the Damodar Valley region and other parts of the country are heavy users of water and require a large supply of hydroelectricity.

The existing freshwater sources of these regions are overexploited as a result.

Discharge of industrial effluents and dumping of industrial wastes and chemicals have turned big rivers like the Ganga and the Yamuna into toxic streams unfit and hazardous for human use.

Pollution of freshwater resources has led to water scarcity.

Effects of Urbanisation: The metropolitan cities of India like Mumbai and Kolkata face acute water shortage on account of large and dense population, and their urban lifestyles requiring more water and power consumption.

Housing societies colonies, and multi-storeyed buildings in the cities have their own groundwater pumping devices which lead to overexploitation and depletion of the fragile water resources.

Question 10. What is a multipurpose river valley project? State any four objectives of the multipurpose river valley project.

Answer:

The multipurpose river valley project is a river project in which a dam is constructed on the river and stored water is then used in a number of activities like irrigation, power generation, etc. The four objectives of multipurpose projects are:

  1. To check floods by regulating the flow of water.
  2. To generate hydropower for our industries and homes.
  3. To provide irrigation facilities. This helps in increasing agriculture productivity and bringing more area under cultivation.
  4. To check soil erosion.

Question 11. Discuss how rainwater harvesting in semi-arid regions of Rajasthan is carried out.

Answer:

Rainwater harvesting in semi-arid regions of Rajasthan is carried out in the following ways: In Bikaner, Phalodi and Barmer, almost all the houses traditionally had underground tanks or “tankas” for storing drinking water.

The tanks could be as large as a big room; one household in Phalodi had a tank that was 6.1 metres deep, 4.27 metres long and 2.44 metres wide.

The tankas were part of the well-developed rooftop rainwater harvesting system and were built inside the main house or the courtyard.

They were connected to the sloping roofs of the houses through a pipe. Rain falling on the rooftops would travel down the pipe and be stored in these underground ‘tanks’.

Question 12. Describe three traditional methods of rainwater harvesting practised in India.
Or
What are the traditional methods of harvesting rainwater in India?

Answer:

In India, traditionally, rainwater harvesting is done in the following ways:

  1. In hilly regions, people build diversion channels like the guls or kuls for agriculture.
  2. In Rajasthan, rooftop rainwater harvesting is practised.
  3. In Bengal people build inundation channels to irrigate their fields.
  4. In arid and semi-arid regions people convert their agricultural fields into rain-fed storage structures.

Question 13. Three-fourths of the earth’s surface is covered with water but there is still scarcity of water across the globe.’ Explain giving three reasons.

Answer:

Water scarcity is due to the following reasons:

  1. Water availability varies over space and time mainly due to the variation in seasonal and annual precipitation.
  2. Rapid urbanisation is another factor for water scarcity.
  3. The rapid increase in population that demands more and more water.
  4. Industrialisation is another cause, large industrial houses are using more and more water, and they also require more water to generate electricity.
  5. Rising income levels also create more demand for water.
  6. 96.5% of the total volume of the world’s water is estimated to exist as oceans and only 2.5% as fresh water.
  7. Nearly 70% of this freshwater occurs as ice sheets and glaciers, while a little less than 30% is stored as groundwater in the world’s aquifers.

Question 14. How have industrialisation and urbanisation aggravated water scarcity in India?

Answer:

Industrialisation and urbanisation have aggravated water scarcity in India in the following ways:

  1. Large industrial houses are exerting pressure on existing freshwater resources. Industries apart from being heavy users of water also require water power to run them.
  2. Multiplying urban centres with large and dense populations, and urban lifestyles has not only added to water and energy requirements but further aggravated the problems. Water resources are being overexploited.

Question 15. Why is the conservation and management of water resources important? Give any three reasons.

Answer:

The conservation and proper management of water are necessary because of the following reasons:

  1. Growing Population: As the population is growing, its need for water is also growing, so it is necessary to properly manage the availability of water.
  2. Increasing Urbanisation: More and more people are moving to cities where the need for water is growing. On the other hand, cities are overexploiting and polluting water resources, so there is a need to conserve water.
  3. Due to industrialisation also water is being overexploited. So, without proper conservation, it would be difficult to survive.

Question 16. Explain any three disadvantages of multipurpose projects.

Answer:

Three disadvantages of multipurpose projects are:

  1. A large area is submerged in water causing the destruction of wildlife and forests.
  2. A large number of people living in the affected areas are displaced, so their rehabilitation remains a problem.
  3. Aquatic life and the natural course of rivers are affected. Multipurpose projects lead to the destruction of flora and fauna.

Question 17. Why are different water harvesting systems considered a viable alternative both socioeconomically and environmentally in a country like India?

Answer:

No single method can be applicable everywhere. It is true in the case of rainwater harvesting systems too, as geographically there are different regions. Different regions have different methods.

  1. In Hilly region: Through kuls or guls it is very easy to divert water for irrigation. It is a low-cost method.
  2. In Arid regions: Like in Rajasthan rainwater is collected on roofs, and then piped into the ground storage system. That method is also economical, needing no extra effort.
  3. In villages, agricultural fields are converted into ponds where rainwater is collected. All these methods are very easy and viable.

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