Key Points

Everything available in our environment which can be used to satisfy our needs is termed a resource, provided it is technologically accessible, economically feasible, and culturally acceptable.

Resources are classified based on origin (biotic, abiotic), exhaustibility (renewable, non-renewable), ownership (individual, community, national, international), and status of development (potential, developed, stock, reserves).

The overuse of resources has led to depletion, accumulation of resources in a few hands, and major ecological crises such as global warming, ozone layer depletion, and land degradation.

Sustainable development means development should take place without damaging the environment, and development in the present should not compromise with the needs of future generations.

In June 1992, over 100 heads of state met in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, for the first International Earth Summit to address environmental protection and socio-economic development, adopting Agenda 21.

Agenda 21 is a declaration aimed at achieving global sustainable development. It is an agenda to combat environmental damage, poverty, and disease through global cooperation.

Resource planning is essential in a diverse country like India, where some regions are rich in certain resources but deficient in others, requiring a balanced approach.

India's land consists of plains (about 43 percent), mountains (about 30 percent), and plateaus (about 27 percent). Plains are used for agriculture, while plateaus are rich in minerals.

Human activities like deforestation, overgrazing, mining, and over-irrigation are major causes of land degradation. Over-irrigation in states like Punjab and Haryana leads to soil salinity.

Alluvial soil is the most widespread and fertile soil in India, deposited by the Indus, Ganga, and Brahmaputra rivers. It is rich in potash, phosphoric acid, and lime, ideal for growing cereal and pulse crops.

Also known as regur soil, black soil is ideal for growing cotton and is found in the Deccan trap region. It is made of fine clayey material and is well-known for its capacity to hold moisture.

Red soil develops on crystalline igneous rocks in low rainfall areas of the Deccan plateau. It develops a reddish color due to the diffusion of iron and looks yellow when it occurs in a hydrated form.

Laterite soil develops in tropical and subtropical climates with alternate wet and dry seasons, as a result of intense leaching from heavy rain. It is suitable for tea, coffee, and cashew nuts.

Arid soils are sandy in texture and saline in nature, ranging from red to brown in color. They lack humus and moisture, and the lower horizons are occupied by Kankar formations.

The denudation of the soil cover and its subsequent washing down is described as soil erosion. This includes gully erosion, caused by running water, and sheet erosion, where topsoil is washed away.

Soil erosion can be controlled through methods like contour ploughing, terrace cultivation on slopes, strip cropping, and planting rows of trees called shelter belts to check wind erosion.