NATURAL RESOURCES AND ASSOCIATED PROBLEMS

by
HSE Department

UNIVERSITY OF PETROLEM & ENERGY STUDIES

DEHRADUN
INTRODUCTION:

Man lives in nature and depends on the resources of nature. The

progress of mankind depends upon the exploitation of different
natural resources.

The utilization of soil, water, coal, electricity, oil, gas and nuclear
energy is very important for the development of the nation.

India is facing an ecological crisis and is degrading its natural

resources day by day.

Now the shortage of natural resources is a matter of international

concern.

Of the total population of four billion, one million in USA

and Europe alone use around 70-80% of world’s total
energy.
Two billion people of India, China, Brazil and few other countries
use only 15%.

India contains the world largest resource of manganese and iron.

If the present rate of consumption continues, fossil fuels may be

drastically depleted leading to severe energy crises.

The major leading coal producing countries are China, USA,

Germany, U.K., Japan, India, Poland and France.

The major oil producing countries are USA, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia,
Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Libya, Arab Republic and Indonesia. New
discovery of oil has been made recently in the sea beds of Mumbai
(India).
Earlier the human being was the essential part of the nature and
human society has impact on the other components of the
biosphere.

With the advancement of social and Cultural Revolution which

came in the twentieth century there has been a growing conflict
between man and nature.

Due to unending human greed man has destroyed the nature to

the maximum for his little gain.

Over exploitation of natural resources causes deterioration and

degradation of natural resources.

Natural Resources :

Variety of good and services provided by nature is known as

resource.
Natural Resource :

Any stock or reserve that can be drawn from the nature is known
as resource. Resource is an any useful information , material or
services

Types of Resources ;

1. Human Resource
Human resource refer to human wisdom, experience , skill labour
and enterprise.

2. Natural Resource

Natural resource are the component of environment (i.e.

atmosphere, hydroshpere and lithosphere) which can be drawn
upon for supporting of life.
These resources have changed the level of living standard of man.
Causes for Depletion of natural resources.

Man Made

1. Rapid population increase

2. Pollution

3. High consumption of resources

4. Deterioration of land

Natural :

1. Flood & Drought

2. Cyclone
3. Earthquake - Tsunami
4. Soil Erosion & Landslide
5. Deforestation and Forest Fire
1. RAPID POPULATION INCREASE:

There has been a tremendous increase in India ‘s population and

will be about 130 billion by the next decade.

An increase in population will decrease all types of natural

resources and consequently result in environmental pollution.

Ultimately, there will be short supply or detoriating quality of

natural resources.

This is because increase in population will increase the demand

of natural resources and environment.

At present, the world population is 3600 million and is increasing

by two percent every year.

The industrialized countries have annual growth rate of 0.5 to 1%

The developing countries have annual growth rate of 2 to 3%.

The per capita use of energy and mineral resources shows a
difference between the developed countries of the world.
2. POLLUTION:

We are detoriating our environment due to increasing population.

We are polluting lakes, streams, rivers by sewage, industrial
wastes, heat radioactive materials, detergents, fertilizers and
pesticides.

Besides these , we are releasing a number of toxic materials into

our surroundings.

The uncontrolled use of pesticides has disturbed the entire food

chains by which animals including man are affected.

Recent researches have revealed that the proportion of pesticides

in our body has deleterious effects on heart and liver and higher
concentration may cause several other diseases including cancer.

Types of Pollution :
1. Air Pollution
2. Water Pollution
3. Noise Pollution
4. Solid Waste Pollution
3. CONSUMPTION OF MATERIALS:

Due to tremendous increase of population, most of the natural

resources are being consumed.

The high rate of consumption has disturbed our ecosystem. But

on the other hand, many of the natural resources are essential to
man for the basic needs.

Many industries require raw materials which are

essential for the advancement of the country.

High consumption are adversely affecting the quality

of our environment either by unwise use of natural
resources or by increasing pollution.
4. DETORIATION OF LAND:

Due to excessive consumption of minerals of the soil and by soil

erosion or other natural events, fertility of the soil is lost and land
deteriorates gradually.

Draught also results in deterioration of land and many nutrients

of the top soil are destroyed and their fertility is lost, as a results
of the cropping, the mineral cycling of soil nutrients is greatly
reduced.

Land is deteriorated due to :

1.Chemical Fertilizer and Pesticide

2. Solid Waste pollution and Water pollution
3. Soil Erosion and Deforestation
4. Deterioration in surface and ground water
DIFFERENT TYPES OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND THEIR
CONSERVATION:

Basically the natural resources may be of two types:

A. RENEWABLE NATURAL RESOURCES:

Natural resources which can be used but can be

regenerated by natural processes provided if there is no
intervention in natural regeneration cycle.Ex: water, wood

These resources can be replenished and do not change the

ecological balance. The cut trees can be grown again, soil forms
again and animals reproduce themselves.

Eg. Forest, wildlife, wind energy, tidal energy, biomass energy

B. NON-RENEWABLE NATURAL RESOURCES:
Those which will be exhausted in the future if we continue to extract these
without a thought for subsequent generations. Example: minerals, fossil fuels

or These are the Resources which once used up will be exhausted for ever.
It is clear if the man wants to continue to survive on this planet , he must conserve
the natural resources rather than exploit them. We should use the resources
wisely and judiciously without wasting them
These resources and their conservation can be discussed under the following
heads.

Eg. Coal, Petrol and minerals

 Types of Resources :

1. Water and Mineral Resource

2. Forest & Wildlife Resource
3. Food and Energy Resource
4. Land resource
1. MINERAL RESOUCES:

Minerals are naturally occurring , inorganic, crystalline solids

having a definite chemical composition and characteristic physical
properties.

There are thousands of minerals occurring in different part of the

world . Most of the rock composed of quartz, feldspar, biotite,
dolomite , calcite, laterite etc.

These minerals are composed of silicon, oxygen, iron, Mg, Ca, Al, etc

Mineral resources are of several types

METALLIC MINERALS
Under this category are mainly iron, Zn, Al, Cu, non-ferrous metals,
silver and gold are important.

NON-METTALIC MINERALS
These are called non-metallic or industrial minerals include
a wide variety of substances which comprise the building
materials such as rock and gravels, cement and clay.
 Uses of Mineral resources

1. Development of industrial plants and machinery.

2. Generation of energy e.g. coal, ignite uranium
3. Construction housing settlement
4. Defense equipments : weapons, armaments
5. Transportation means
6. Communication : telephone, wire, cables, elctronic devices
7. Medicinal system
8. Agricultural : ferilizers and making fungicides e.g. zineb
containing Zn, maneb –contaning Mn.
9. Jewellery –eg gold, silver, platinum, diamond
 MINING

Mining is the act of extracting ores, coal etc from the earth.
Mining on an industrial scale can causes environmental damages,
resulting from exploration.

Types of Mining

• Open Cast Mining: minerals are excavated on the open ground.

More than 80% of the mineral production comes from open
cast mines.

• Under Ground Mining: Tunnels and access shafts are excavated

underground to dig the minerals.
 TYPES OF MINING
• Open Cast Mining:
 TYPES OF MINING
• Under Ground Mining:
 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF MINING

 The water interacts with the wastes to

generate contaminated fluids that can
pollute solids, rivers and ground water.
REFUSE DUMP

PERMEABLE WELL WHICH IS

SOIL LIKELY TO GET
POLLUTED

LECHATE

GROUND WATER TABLE

IMPERMEABLE STRATA
 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF MINING
Dust generated from mining activity can cause
air pollution.
 In human being it causes respiratory trouble.
 In plants and trees it retard photosyntehsis.
 Gasses and toxic vapors are released; sulphur
dioxide is responsible for acid rain.
 Carbon dioxide and methane are two of the main
green house gases causes climate change, this are
released due to burning of fossil fuels.
 The dust can deposit in surface water causing
sedimentation and turbidity problem.
 Surface and ground water pollution
 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF MINING

 The large disturbance caused by mining disrupts

environments.
 Aquatic habitats (i.e. lakes, ponds, streams,
rivers).
 Terrestrial habitats (i.e. deserts, grasslands,
forests).
 Wetlands.
 Effects hydrology by large consumption or release
of water.
 Effects topography, Devegetation
 Release of particulates and chemicals can all have
indirect impacts on various habitats.
2. FOREST RESOURCES:

A forest can be defined as a biotic community predominant of trees, shrubs or any

other woody vegetation usually in a closed canopy. It is derived from latin word ‘foris’
means ‘outside’.

India’s Forest Cover is 6,76,000 sq.km (20.55% of geographic area). Scientists

estimate that India should ideally have 33% of its land under forests.

Forest Functions :
I. Protective functions.
II. Productive functions
III. Recreational and educational functions
IV. Development functions

I. Protective functions

A. Watershed protection
Reducing the rate of surface run-off of water
Preventing flash floods and soil erosion
Producing prolonged gradual run-off and thus safeguarding against drought.
B. Erosion control
Holding soil (by preventing rain from from directly washing soil away)

C. Land bank
Maintaining soil nutrients and structure.

D. Atmospheric regulation
- Absorption of solar heat during evapotranspiration
- Maintaining carbon dioxide levels for plant growth
- Maintaining the local climatic conditions

II. Productive Functions

Local use – Consumption of forest produce by local people who collect it for
sustenance

Food: (comsumptive use) gathering plants, fishing, hunting from the forest.
Fodder for cattle

- Fuel wood and charcoal for cooking and heating

- Fiber for weaving baskets, ropes, nets, strings, etc.,

- Sericulture for silk
• Apiculture for rearing bees for honey (bees as pollinators)
Medicinal plants for traditional medicines, investigating them as
potential source for new modern drugs.
• Minor forest products (NTFPs): Fuel wood, fruits, gum, fiber, etc
which are collected

• Major timber extraction for construction, industrial uses, paper pulp

etc. Timber
• extraction is done in India by the forest department, but illegal
logging continues in
• many of the forests of India and the world
• III. Recreational And Educational Functions: Eco tourism
• IV. Developmental Functions
• Employment functions
• Revenue
 Ecological significance of forests:
• 1. Balances CO2 and O2 levels in atmosphere.
• 2. Regulates earth temperature and hydrological cycle
• 3. Encourage seepage and reduces runoff losses, prevents drought
• 4. Reduces soil erosion (roots binding), prevents siltation and
landslides thereby floods
• 5. Litter helps in maintaining soil fertility
• 6. Safe habitat for birds, wild animals and organisms against wind,
solar radiation and rain
• The cash crop economy: Raising cash crops for increased economy.
• 4. Mining
• 5. Increase in population: The needs also increase and utilize
forests resources.
• 6. Urbanization & industrialization
• 712. Pollution due to acid rain
 Deforestation
Deforestation refers to the loss of forest cover. Forest land that is
permanently converted from forest to agricultural land, cattle
pasture, home, lakes or desert.
Causes of Deforestation
Agriculture: Conversion of forests to agricultural land to feed
growing numbers of People

Afforestation
Afforestation is the establishment of a forest or stand of trees in an
area where there was no forest.
Reforestation is the establishment of forest cover, either naturally (by
natural seeding, or root suckers) or artificially (by direct
seeding or planting). Many governments and non-governmental organizations
directly engage in programs of afforestation to create forests, increase carbon
capture and sequestration, and help to anthropogenically improve biodiversity.
 Causes for Deforestation:
2. Commercial logging: (which supplies the world market with woods
such as meranti, teak, mahogany and ebony) destroys trees as well
as opening up forest for agriculture.
Cutting of trees for fire wood and building material, the heavy lopping
of foliage for fodder and heavy grazing of saplings by domestic animals.
3. The cash crop economy: Raising cash crops for increased economy.
4. Mining
5. Increase in population: The needs also increase and utilize forests
resources.
6. Urbanization & industrialization
7. Mineral exploration
8. Construction of dam reservoirs
9. Infrastructure development
10. Forest fires
11. Human encroachment & exploitation
Environmental effects /Consequences of deforestation

1. Food problems
2. Ecological imbalance
3. Increasing CO2
4. Floods leading to soil erosion
5. Destruction of resources
6. Heavy siltation of dams
7. Changes in the microclimate

8. Loss of biodiversity
10. Heavy rainfall and high sunlight quickly damage the topsoil in
clearings of the tropical rainforests.
Deforestation can cause the climate to become extreme in
nature.
The occurrence and strength of floods and droughts affecting the
economy.
3. WILD LIFE RESOURCES:

Wild life provides recreational and economic benefits to man.

Recreational and economic benefits are closely related to each other.

For e.g. Fishing and hunting provide entrainment and economic
benefit to man.

Wild life includes 350 species of mammals, 1200 species of birds and
more than 20,000 species of insects.

Many species of wild life have become extinct or in the way of

extinction.
Around 106 species of animals and 139 species of birds have become
extinct due to the climate and geographical changes and by the
hunting of man and about 600 species of birds are going to be extinct
if they are not protected.
4. WATER RESOURCES

Water is most important for the life of living organisms

such as plants, animals and man. It is also essential for
agriculture, industries drinking and many other purposes.

Hydrosphere
The hydrosphere covers three quarters of the earth’s surface. A
major part of the hydrosphere is the marine ecosystem in the ocean,
while only a small part occurs in fresh water.

Fresh water in rivers, lakes and glaciers, is perpetually being renewed

by a process of evaporation and rainfall.

Some of this fresh water lies in underground aquifers. Human

activities such as deforestation create serious changes in the
hydrosphere.
It has been estimated that the annual production of water through
rain is about 370000 cubic kilometer and total water which is used
annually is about 10,000 cubic kilometer.
Still there is shortage of water and there are two man reason of
its shortage .

Causes for Depletion of Water Resources :

1. Population Explosion
2. Over utilization of surface and ground water
3. Deforestation
4. Hydropower generation: Large amount of water is used for
generating power
5) Dams - for Agriculture and Power Generation
6) Climate change
Effect of Groundwater usage

Subsidence
When the groundwater widrawl is more then its recharge rate, the
sediment in aquifer get compacted, this process is known as ground
subsidence .

Lowering of water table

Water covers 70% of the earth’s surface but only 3% of this is fresh
water. Of this, 2% is in polar ice caps and only 1% is usable water in
rivers, lakes and subsoil aquifers.

Water Logging
When the excessive irrigation is done with brackish water it raises the
water table gradually leading to water logging and salinity problem.
 Uses of Water Resources
• Clean water for drinking (a metabolic requirement for living
processes).
• Water for washing and cooking.
• Water used in agriculture and industry.
• Food resources from the sea, including fish, crustacea, sea weed,
etc.
• Food from fresh water sources, including
• fish, crustacea and aquatic plants.
• Water flowing down from mountain ranges
• harnessed to generate electricity in hydropower project.
 Interlinking of river
• The Indian Rivers Inter-link is a large-scale Civil Engineering
Project that aims to join the majority of India's rivers by canals
and to reduce persistent water shortages in India.

• In 1972 the then Minister for Irrigation K. L. Rao proposed a 2640

kilometer long link between the Ganges and Kaveri rivers. In 1974
plans were proposed for the Garland canal.

The Project
The Inter-link would consist of two parts,
A northern Himalayan River Development component
A southern Peninsular River Development component.
• Himalayan development
The northern component would consist of a series of dams built along
the Ganga and Brahmaputra rivers in India, Nepal and Bhutan for the
purposes of storage.
Canals would be built to transfer surplus water from the eastern
tributaries of the Ganga to the west.
The Brahmaputra and its tributaries would be linked with the Ganga and
the Ganga with the Mahanadi river.

Peninsular development
The main part of the project would send water from the eastern part of
India to the south and west. The southern development project
would consist of four main parts.
First, the Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna and Kaveri rivers would all be
linked by canals.
Extra water storage dams would be built along the course of these
rivers.
 Advantages of Interlinking
• Interlinking of rivers in India is expected to
greatly reduce the regional imbalance in the
availability of water in different river basins.

1. Agricultural
2. Power
3. Flood Control and Drought mitigation
4. Inland Navigation
 Sustainable water management: ‘Save water’
Conservation of water resources
• Treating and recycling municipal waste water for agricultural use.
• Effective rain water harvesting in urban environments.
• Water conservation measures in agriculture such as using drip
irrigation.
• In deforested areas where land has been degraded, soil management
by bunding along the hill slopes and making ‘nala’ plugs, can help
retain moisture and make it possible to re-vegetate degraded areas.
Flood
Due to heavy rains or sudden snow melt, the quantity of water in
streams exceeds their capacity and water overflow the banks and
causes inundation of surrounding land .
This situation is called flood. It causes casualties i.e economic loss and
widespread contamination .

Drought :
Almost 80% countries are lying in the arid and semi arid region
experience frequent drought. “ When the annual rainfall is below
normal and less then evaporation , drought condition are created.

Drought is a meteorological phenomenon but due to several

anthropogenic causes like deforestation, mining spreading desert.
Earthquake
Earthquake occur due to sudden movement of earth crust.
The severity of earth quake is measured by magnitude on Richter
Scale .
Tsunamis
Earthquake generated water waves called Tsunamis can severely
affect coastal area.
Anthropogenic activities can also cause enhance the frequency of
earth quake :
1. Impoundment of huge quantity of water in lake behind a big dam.
2. Underground nuclear testing.
3. Deep well disposal of liquid waste

Cyclone :Cyclone in meteorology refers to any low pressure area with winds
spiraling inwards. Cyclones rotate clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere and anti-
clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere.
5. SOIL RESOURCES:

The top layer of the earth is called soil, which is very fertile because
it contains minerals and humus.

Soil is natural habitat for plants and animals.

It provides water and nutrients to the living organisms.

soil is much damaged through tree cutting running water and wind.

It has been estimated that from 1959 to 1969 there was a loss of
16.9 lacs of hectare of land.
•Trees check the force of strong winds which causes the fertile
soil to move from its original place. Thus trees act as wind
breakers.

•Roots of the soil bind the soil firmly. This prevents the soil
erosion from rain and floods and fertile soil is checked from
damage

•Soil fertility can be restored by supplementing manures

and fertilizers

Plants and animals when die are decomposed by bacteria

and fungi, which increase the fertility of soil.