SOCIAL ISSUES AND
THE ENVIRONMENT
Prof. Surendra Singh Department of
Biological Sciences, Rani Durgavati
University, Jabalpur Trikaal biotech labs,
Jabalpur Trikaal organic terrace
gardening
research & development centre,
Jabalpur Madhya Pradesh, 482001
TOPICS
1. From Unsustainable to Sustainable development
2. Urban problems related to energy
3. Water conservation, rain water harvesting, watershed management
4. Resettlement and rehabilitation of people; its problems and concerns. Case
Studies Environmental ethics: Issues and possible solutions.
5. Climate change, global warming, acid rain, ozone layer depletion, nuclear
accidents and holocaust. Case Studies.
6. Wasteland reclamation.
7. Consumerism and waste products.
8. Environment Protection Act.
9. Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act.
10. Water (Prevention and control of Pollution) Act
11. Wildlife Protection Act
12. Forest Conservation Act
13. Issues involved in enforcement of environmental legislation.
Public awareness.
FROM UNSUSTAINABLE TO SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Sustainable development:
• Sustainable development is the maintenance of a long lasting and healthy
environment for the welfare of present and future generation.
• It was developed by world leaders in the earth summit at Rio, Brazil in
1992( meeting of UN Conference on env ; and development.)
Causes of un
sustainability
Methods for sustainable development:
Population control to reduce demand for natural resources
Stop hunting
Conserve water
Rain water harvesting
Control mining
Use organic fertilisers
Use bio pesticides
Give public awareness
URBAN PROBLEMS RELATED TO ENERGY
• Urbanization:
Movement of human population from rural areas top urban areas
for betterment of education, communication, health, employment
etc
•Causes: economic growth, trade, transportation, education,
medical facilities and employment
•Urban energy requirement:Residential and commercial lighting,
Public and private transportation, Electrical and electronic
appliances like A/C, fridge, washing machine, water heater etc
•Solution:
Use public transport instead of motor cycles
Energy consumption must be minimized
Use solar and wind energy
Impose strict laws, penalty, and energy audit
WATER CONSERVATION, RAIN WATER HARVESTING, WATERSHED
MANAGEMENT
• Water conservation is the careful use and preservation of the
water supply, including the quantity and quality of water
utilised.
• Water conservation method
1. Rain water harvesting
2. Watershed
management
• Water shed is an area of land that catches rain,
drain water, sediments and materials to a common
body or outlet.
• It is a land through which water flows, may have
any shape, cross country, and state boundary.
• The water shed contains flowing water, still water
and up land water.- biotic and abiotic factors
consist.
• Activities for water shed management are:
1. conservation of village,
2. erosion control,
3. tree planting,
4. irrigation,
5. water conservation,
6. farm land protection,
7. prevention of land slide,
8. pest management,
9. scientific mining,
10.scientific quarrying
RESETTLEMENT AND REHABILITATION OF PEOPLE; ITS
PROBLEMS AND CONCERNS. CASE STUDIES
• Resettlement – simple relocation or displacement of human
population.
• Causes
1. Due to Developmental activities - dams, mining, roads, airports,
etc
2. Due to Disaster (Natural disaster – earthquake, floods, droughts,
landslides, avalanches, volcanic eruptions etc.) (Manmade
disasters – Industrial accidents, nuclear accidents, dam bursts
etc)
3. Breakup of families, Communal ownership of
property ,Vanishing social and cultural activities like folk songs
& dances
Case Studies
1. Hirakund dam displaced more than 20000
people residing in about 250 villages.
2. Tehri Dam (Uttaranchal) on the river Bhagirathi,
would directly have an immediate impact on
the10,000 residents of Tehri town and the
rehabilitation over here has become much more
of a burning issue
3. Sardar Sarover Project - Plans to build 30 big,
135 medium and 3000 minor dams on Narmada
River. Tributaries estimated to submerge 573
villages consisting of about 3 lakh people.
ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS: ISSUES AND POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS.
• Equitable utilisations of natural resources
• Equity among counties, rural and urban people,
male and female
• Conservation of resources for future generation
• Protect animals, prevent hunting,
• Environmental education
• Conservation of traditional values
• Respect living things- plants, animals,
• Use eco friendly products
• Keep environmental eat and clean
CLIMATE CHANGE, GLOBAL WARMING, ACID RAIN, OZONE LAYER
DEPLETION, NUCLEAR ACCIDENTS AND HOLOCAUST:
Climate changeChange in Global warmingThe Acid rainPresence of excess
weather conditions of overheating of earth by acid in the rain water is
environmental . – increased amount of called acid rain – caused by
including changes in green house gases air pollution – also called acid
temperature, wind, CausesAutomobiles, deposition Normal rainfall
rainfall, industries, burning of have PH 5.6 if it is less than
etcCausesSeasonal fossil fuel, plastic, A.C, 5,6 – acid rainCausesAir
change, failure of rainfall, fridge etc- MeasuresUse pollution, sulphur dioxide,
droughtIncreases in green solar energy------- prevent thermal power station,
house, ozone depletion EI forest fire--------- burning of diesel or
nano is a complex cycle of afforestation------- less use petrolImpactDestruction of
climatic changes affecting of having CFC living things, cancer, damage
the pacific ocean- due to products----------conduct of forests, weakens pine
this threats to eco system public awareness trees, damages -buildings,
of wild/ heavy flood, programme conduct monuments, statues , stone
drought conference and meetings leprosy ( Taj mahal), water
at national and pollution.
international levelEarth
Ozone layer depletionOzone is a gas forming an umbrella around the earth 15 KMs above with
thickness of 35 KMs. Prevents ultra violet rays from sun. The thinning of ozone layer is called
ozone depletion.CausesUse of nitrogen oxide, CFC, sulphate aerosols, volcanoes, A,C, fridge,
burning coalOzone hole ---- thinning of ozone layer allowing ultra violet rays to pass through.
Ozone is thicker in polar region and thinner in equator. – through the hole, rays enter and
reaches to earth surface and affect the people with skin cancer and DNA damage. CFC is the
enemy of ozone umbrella. They are widely used in coolant, plastic foams, dry cleaning, fast
food packaging etcEffectsSkin cancer--- skin diseases—immune system weakened--- sun burn
—blood cancer—respiratory problems—death of cells—reduction in photosynthesis—decrease
vegetablesMeasuresFirst conference on ozone depletion- Montreal protocol – 1987- India didn’t
signedHFC 134 can be usedMost of the countries banned CFC by year 2000.
Nuclear accidentsThe sudden and unexpected release of nuclear energy and nuclear particles
in to the environment s called nuclear accident. Nuclear accident causes mass death called
nuclear holocaustCausesNatural disaster/ operational error/power plant failure/unsafe disposal
EffectsDeath--- burning – vomiting – high heat—dark smokeEg; Chernobyl accident -1986
affected 4000 personsFukushima Daichi Nuclear Power Plant accident 2011
HolocaustLarge scale destruction of human lives by fire● Historical holo caustJalian wala Bagh
Massacre. - 6000 Indian innocents – British army 1919 - General Dyer Massacre of Jew 1934
Hitler ● Nuclear holocaustMass killing of people by nuclear accident Chernobyl, Hiroshima,
Nagasaki
WASTELAND RECLAMATION-
Waste land is land areas that can’t support agriculture or tree growth. The
conversion of waste land to fertile land is reclamation
Causes:
• Soil erosion
• deforestation
• water logging
• industrial waste
• salinity construction of dam
• mining
• quarrying
Need:
● To ensure a constant supply of fuel and timber
● To provide source of income for rural people
● To prevent further spreading of waste land
● To create awareness among the people to conserve existing fertile land
● To maintain ecological balance
CONSUMERISM AND WASTE PRODUCTS.
• Consumer is purchasing and consumption of goods.
• Modern technology produces variety goods.
• Consumer attract to purchase more in modern
goods.
• It brings environmental waste.
ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION ACT.
AIR (PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF POLLUTION) ACT.
WATER (PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF POLLUTION)
ACT
Environment (Protection) Act, 1986
It is a general legislation law to rectify the gaps & laps in
above acts.This act empowers the Central Govt. to fix the
standard of quality of air, water, soil & noise.
Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981
Salient features , Enacted in the Conference held at
Stockholm in 1972.
Deals with problems related to air pollution, quality of
air etc.
Water (prevention and control of pollution) Act 1974:
This act provides for maintaining & restoring the source of
water Provides for preventing & controlling water
pollution.
WILDLIFE PROTECTION ACT
Aimed protect & preserve wildlife. Wildlife
refers to all animals & plantsIt is declining
due to human actions for wildlife’s skins,
furs, feathers, ivory etc.
Forest (conservation) Act, 1980
It deals with conservation of forest and includes reserve
forest, protected forest and any forestland irrespective of
ownership.
Objectives:
• To protect & conserve the forest
• To ensure judicious use of forest products
Important Features of Forest
Act:Forests are not diverted without the
prior permission of the Central
Government. Land registered for forest
may not be used for non-forest
purposesAny illegal activity in a forest
area can be stopped
immediatelyClearance of forest land for
re-afforestation is forbiddenOne who
violates the forest law is punishable.
ISSUES INVOLVED IN ENFORCEMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL
LEGISLATION.
1.Target of 33% of land to be covered by forest not
achieved
2. Rivers turning to open sewers
3.Big towns and cities polluted
4.Wild life endangered
5.EFP (Effluent Treatment Plant) or Air Pollution Control
devices are expensive – leads to closure of units.
Government should provide subsidy for small units.
6.Pollution control laws not backed up by policy
pronouncements or guidelines
7.Chairman of PCB – political nominee. Hence political
interference.
8.Involving public in decision making envisaged by
PUBLIC AWARENESS.
• Create awareness among people of rural and
city.
• To organize meetings, group discussion on
• Methods to create
development, tree environmental awareness
plantation programme’s
by In schools and colleges,Through mass –
exhibitions.
• media,,
To learnCinema,Newspapers,Audio - Visual
to live simple and eco-friendlily
media,Voluntary
manner. organizations,Traditional
techniques,, Arranging competitions, Leaders
appeal, Non – government organizations.
