WATER RESOURCES

Q.1. What is water scarcity?

Ans. Water scarcity may be an outcome of large and growing population and
consequent greater demands for water and unequal access to it.

Q.2. What was the method used in ancient period to conserve water?

Ans. Archaeological and historical records show that from ancient times, we
have been constructing sophisticated hydraulic structures like dams built of
stone rubble, reservoirs or lakes, embankments and canals for irrigation.

Q.3. What is dam?

Ans. A dam is a barrier across flowing water that obstructs, directs or retards
the flow, often creating a reservoir.

Q.4. Why have multipurpose dams come under great scrutiny?

Ans. Regulating and damming of rivers affect their natural flow causing
poor sediment flow and excessive sedimentation at the bottom of the
reservoir, resulting in rockier stream beds and poorer habitats for the rivers
aquatic life.

Q.5. How are dams responsible for causing floods?

Ans. Ironically, the dams that were constructed to control floods have
triggered floods due to sedimentation in the reservoir. Big dams can
unsuccessful in controlling floods at the time of excessive rainfall. Release
of water from dams during heavy rains aggravated the flood situation.

Q.6. What is the variable alternative of multi-purpose projects?

Ans. Rising resistance against the multi-purpose projects, water harvesting

system was a viable alternative, both socio economically and
environmentally.

Q.7. What were ‘Kuls’ or ‘Guls’ ?

Ans. In hills and mountainous regions, people built diversion channels like
‘guls’ and ‘kuls’ of the western Himalayas for agriculture.

Q.8. What were ‘johads’ and ‘khadins’?

Ans. In arid and semi-arid regions, agricultural fields were converted into
rain fed storage structures that allowed the water to stand and moisten the
soil. These were called ‘khadins’ in Jaisalmer and ‘Johads’ in other parts of
Rajasthan.

Q.9. What are ‘tankas’?

Ans. Tankas were underground storing tanks of drinking water in arid and
semi-arid regions of Rajasthan. Tankas were big huge tanks for storing rain
water from the roof top of all the houses.

Q.10. What does ‘Palar Pani’ mean?

Ans. Rain water or ‘Palar Pani’ as commonly referred to in parts of

Rajasthan, is considered the purest form of natural water.

Q.11. What is bamboo drip irrigation?

Ans. In Meghalaya, a 200 year old system of tapping stream and spring
water by using bamboo pipes, is practise. It is called bamboo drip irrigation.

Q.12. What are the main causes of water scarcity?

Ans. (i) Overpopulation: Water scarcity may be an outcome of a large and

growing population which results in greater demand for water and unequal
access to it.

(ii) Commercialisation of agriculture: After the success of the Green

Revolution farmers are producing commercial crops. The commercial crops
need more water for irrigation.

(iii) Urbanisation: Urbanisation is another factor for scarcity of water.

Since new lifestyles have developed in the urban cities overexploitation of
water continues; there is water scarcity.

Q.13. Explain ‘Narmada Bachao Andolan’?

Ans. (i) Save Narmada Movement is a Non-Governmental Organisation.

(ii) It mobilised tribal people, farmers, environmentalists and human

rights activists against the Sardar Sarovar Dam, being built across the
Narmada river in Gujarat.
 (iii) It focused on the environmental issues related to trees that would
be submerged under the dam water.

(iv) Recently, it has refocused its aim to rehabilitate displaced people.

Q.14. Give various methods of rainwater harvesting since ancient times.

Ans. (i) Guls or Kuls: In hilly and mountainous regions, people built
diversion channels called Kuls or Guls in the Western Himalayas. A Kul or
Gul leads to a circular village tank, from which water is released as and
when required.

(ii) Inundation channels: In the flood plains of Bengal, people

developed inundation channels to irrigate their fields.

(iii) Khadins and Johads: In arid and semi-arid regions, agricultural

fields were converted into rain fed storage structures that allowed the water
to stand and moisten the soil, called ‘Khadins’ in Jaisalmer and ‘Johads’ in
other parts of Rajasthan.

(iv) Tankas: In Bikaner, Phalodi and Barmer of Rajasthan, almost all

the houses traditionally had underground tanks or tankas for storing drinking
water.

Q.15. What is a dam? What are the different types of dams?

Ans. A dam is a barrier across flowing water that obstructs, directs or retards
the flow, often creating a reservoir, lake or impoundment.

Dams are classified according to their structure, intended purpose or height.

On the basis of structure and material used, dams are classified as :

Timber dams

Embankment dams or masonry dams.

According to their height, dams can be categorised as:

Large dams or major dams

Low dams

Medium height dams

High dams
Q.16. Why did Jawaharlal Nehru proudly proclaim the dams as the ‘temples
of modern India’?

Ans. Multipurpose projects launched after independence with their

integrated water resources management approach, were thought of as the
vehicle that would lead the nation to development and progress. Jawaharlal
Nehru proclaimed the dams as the temples of modern India as it would
integrate the development of agriculture and village economy with rapid
industrialisation and growth of the urban economy.

Q.17. Explain the river-water dispute between the states of India?

Ans. Krishna-Godavari dispute is due to the objections raised by the

governments of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. It is regarding the diversion
of more water at koyna by the Maharashtra government for a multipurpose
project. This would reduce downstream flow in their states with adverse
consequences for agriculture and industry. Similar disputes arise as Kaveri
issue between the states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, and Yamuna water
dispute between Haryana and Delhi governments regarding the use of water.

Q.18. In what ways are intensive industrialisation and urbanisation

responsible for water scarcity?

Or

“It is essential to conserve and manage our water resources.” Support the
statement with suitable examples.

Ans. (i) The ever increasing number of industries has made matters worse by
exerting pressure on existing fresh water resources.

(ii) Industries, apart from being heavy users of water, also require
power to run them. Much of this energy comes from hydroelectric power.

(iii) Multiplying urban centres with large and dense populations and
urban lifestyles have not only added to water and energy requirements but
have further aggravated the problem.

(iv) In housing societies or colonies, we would find that most of these

have their own groundwater pumping devices to meet their water needs.
With the result, fragile water resources are being overexploited and have
caused their depletion in several cities.
Q.19. How have multi-purpose projects and large dams been the cause of
many new social movements?

Ans. (i) Narmada Bachao Andolan and the Tehri Dam Andolan, etc., were
the movements to resist large-scale displacement of local communities.
Local people often had to give up their land, livelihood and their control over
resources for the greater good of the nation.

(ii) Irrigation has changed the cropping pattern from shifting to

commercial crops. It is responsible for salinisation of the soil. At the same
time, it has its social impact by increasing the social gap between the rich
landowners and the landless poor.

(iii) Dams also created conflicts between people wanting different uses
and benefits from the same water resource. In Gujarat, the Sabarmati basin
farmers were agitated over the priority given to water supply in urban areas ,
particularly during droughts.

(iv) Interstate water disputes are also common with regard to sharing
the costs and benefits of the multi-purpose projects. For e.g., Krishna-
Godavari dispute, is due to the objections raised by Karnataka and Andhra
Pradesh governments regarding the diversion of more water at Koyna by the
Maharashtra government for a multi-purpose project.

Q.20. What do you know about the ‘Bamboo-Drip irrigation System’?

Ans. In Meghalaya, a 200 year old system of tapping stream and spring
water by using bamboo pipes, is prevalent.

Bamboo pipes are used to divert 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.

If the pipes pass roads, they are taken high above the land on the free
branches.

Reduced channel sections and diversion units are used at the last stage of
water application. The last channel section enables water to be dropped near
the roots of the plant.
Q.21. Highlight any three hydraulic structures as a part of water management
programmes initiated in ancient India.

Ans. (i) It helps us to conserve and manage our available water resources.

(ii) Pure water is required to safeguard ourselves from health hazards.

(iii) For ensuring food security, we require lots of water for irrigation.

(iv) Conservation of water is also required for continuation of our

livelihood and productive activities.

(v) It is required to prevent degradation of our natural ecosystem.

(vi) Overexploitation and mismanagement of water resources will

impoverish this resource and cause an ecological crisis that may have
profound impact on our lives.

Q.22. ‘Rainwater harvesting system is viable alternative both ways socio-

economically and environmentally.’ Support the statement with three
examples.

Ans. Keeping into view the disadvantages and rising resistance against the
multi-purpose dams, water harvesting system is considered viable alternative
both socio-economically and environmentally. For example, rooftop
rainwater harvesting is the most common practice in shilling, Meghalaya.
Though this region receives the highest rainfall in the world., yet the state
capital, shilling faces acute storage of water. Nearly every household in the
city has a rooftop rainwater harvesting structure.

Q.23.what are the main reasons for the water scarcity these days?

Ans. (i) Water scarcity may be due to large and growing population and
consequent greater demands for water and unequal access to it.

(ii) Large population means more water, not only for domestic use but
also to produce more food.

(iii) To facilitate higher foodgrain production, water resources are

being overexploited to expand irrigated areas and dry-season agriculture.