Wasteland and its reclamation

We are now creating more and more goods that are manufactured from raw material from the
forest. This leads to forest degradation and finally changes the ecosystem into wasteland. Wood is
illegally extracted from many forests leading to a highly disturbed ecosystem.
Developmental activities such as rapid population growth together with, urbanisation,
industrialisation and the increasing use of consumer goods, leads to over utilisation of forest
produce. Forests are shrinking as our need for agricultural land increases. It is estimated that India’s
forest cover has decreased from about 33% to 11% in the last century. The increasing use of wood
for timber, wood pulp for paper and the extensive use of fuelwood results in continual forest loss.
Forests are also lost by mining and building dams. As the forest resources are exploited beyond what
they can produce the forest canopy is opened up, the ecosystem is degraded, and its wildlife is
seriously threatened. As the forest is fragmented into small patches its wild plant and animal species
become extinct. These can never be brought back. Extinction is forever.
Wasteland can be classified into three forms: (1) Easily reclaimable, (2) Reclaimable with some
difficulty, (3) Reclaimable with extreme difficulty. Easily reclaimable wastelands can be used for
agricultural purposes. Those which can be reclaimed with some difficulty can be utilized for agro
forestry. Wastelands that are reclaimed with extreme difficulty can be used for forestry or to
recreate natural ecosystems.
Need for wasteland development:
Wasteland development provides a source of income for the rural poor. It ensures a constant supply
of fuel, fodder and timber for local use. It makes the soil fertile by preventing soil erosion and
conserving moisture. The program helps maintain an ecological balance in the area. The increasing
forest cover helps in maintaining local climatic conditions. Regenerated vegetation cover helps in
attracting birds which feed on pests in the surrounding fields and function as natural pest
controllers. The trees help in holding back moisture and reduce surface run off rates thus helping in
the control of soil erosion.
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ROLE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN ENVIRONMENT AND HUMAN HEALTH
The understanding of environmental concerns and issues related to human health has exploded
during the last few years due to the sudden growth of Information Technology. The computer age
has turned the world around due to the incredible rapidity with which IT spreads knowledge.
IT can do several tasks extremely rapidly, accurately and spread the information through the world’s
networks of millions of computer systems.
 1. A few examples of the use of computer technology that help in environmental studies
include software such as using Geographical Information Systems (GIS). GIS is a tool to map
landuse patterns and document change by studying digitized toposheets and/or satellite
imagery. Once this is done, an expert can ask a variety of questions which the software can
answer by producing maps which helps in landuse planning.
2. The Internet with its thousands of websites has made it extremely simple to get the
appropriate environmental information for any study. This not only assists scientists and
students but is a powerful tool to help increase public awareness about environmental
issues.
3. Specialised software can analyse data for epidemiological studies, population dynamics and
a variety of key environmental concerns.
4. The relationship between the environment and health has been established due to the
growing utilisation of computer technology. This looks at infection rates, morbidity or
mortality and the etiology (causative factors) of a disease.
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Acid Rain
When sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides are transported by prevailing winds they form secondary
pollutants such as nitric acid vapour, droplets of sulfuric acid and particles of sulphate and nitrate
salts. These chemicals descend on the earth’s surface in two forms: wet (as acidic rain, snow, fog and
cloud vapour) and dry (as acidic particles). The resulting mixture is called acid deposition, commonly
called acid rain.

Harmful effects: Acid deposition has many harmful effects especially when the pH falls below
5.1 for terrestrial systems and below 5.5 for aquatic systems. It contributes to human respiratory
diseases such as bronchitis and asthma, which can cause premature death. It also damages statues,
buildings, metals and car finishes. Acid deposition can damage tree foliage directly but the most
serious effect is weakening of trees so they become more susceptible to other types of damage. The
nitric acid and the nitrate salts in acid deposition can lead to excessive soil nitrogen levels. This can
over stimulate growth of other plants and intensify depletion of other important soil nutrients such
as calcium and magnesium, which in turn can reduce tree growth and vigour. Effects of air pollution
on living organisms Our respiratory system has a number of mechanisms that help in protecting us
from air pollution. The hair in our nose filters out large particles. The sticky mucus in the lining of the
upper respiratory tract captures smaller particles and dissolves some gaseous pollutants. When the
upper respiratory system is irritated by pollutants sneezing and coughing expel contaminated air and
 mucus. Prolonged smoking or exposure to air pollutants can overload or breakdown these natural
defenses causing or contributing to diseases such as lung cancer, asthma, chronic bronchitis and
emphysema. Elderly people, infants, pregnant women and people with heart disease, asthma or
other respiratory diseases are especially vulnerable to air pollution.
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AIDS:
Most people don't know right away when they've been infected with HIV (Human Immuno-
deficiency Virus), but a short time later, they may have symptoms. This is when your
body's immune system puts up a fight, typically within 2 to 6 weeks after you've gotten the virus.
It's called acute retroviral syndrome or primary HIV infection.
The symptoms are similar to those of other viral illnesses, and they're often compared to the flu.
They typically last a week or two and then completely go away. They include:

 Headache
 Diarrhea
 Nausea and vomiting
 Fatigue
 Aching muscles
 Sore throat
 Swollen lymph nodes
 A red rash that doesn't have itching
 Fever

Second Stage: Chronic HIV Infection

After your immune system loses the battle with HIV, the flu-like symptoms will go away. Doctors
may call this the asymptomatic or clinical latent period. Most people don't have symptoms you can
see or feel. You may not realize you're infected and can pass HIV on to others. This stage can last
10 years or more.
Few points:

HIV is spread only in certain body fluids from a person infected with HIV. These fluids are
blood, semen, pre-seminal fluids, rectal fluids, vaginal fluids, and breast milk.

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Forest Conservation Act
The Forest Conservation Act of 1980 was enacted to control deforestation. It ensured that
forestlands could not be de-reserved without prior approval of the Central Government. This was
created as States had begun to de-reserve the Reserved Forests for non-forest use.
The new policy framework made conversion of forests into other uses much less possible/
(Objectives of the Act)
 1. Conservation of the forests as a natural heritage finds a place in the new policy, which
includes the preservation of its biological diversity and genetic resources.
2. It also values meeting the needs of local people for food, fuelwood, fodder and non-wood
forest products that they subsist on.
3. It gives priority to maintaining environmental stability and ecological balance.
4. Establishment of wildlife conservation Advisory Board
5. Permission from Central Government, prior to transforming a forest cover into a non-forest
area
6. Reclamation of wasteland into a forest so that forest cover may increase
7. It expressly states that the network of Protected Areas should be strengthened and
extended.

The Act made it possible to retain a greater control over the frightening level of deforestation in the
country and specified penalties for offenders.
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Wildlife Protection Act 1972
To protect endangered species India has created the Wildlife Protection Act. This includes lists of
plants and animals categorised according to the threat on their survival.
This Act passed in 1972, deals with the declaration of National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries and
their notification.
Objectives:
1. It establishes the structure of the State’s wildlife management.
2. It provides for setting up Wildlife Advisory Boards.
3. It prohibits hunting of all animals specified the Act., i.e conservation of biodiversity
4. Conservation of Ecosystem and its stability
Penalties: A person who breaks any of the conditions of any license or permit granted under this Act
shall be guilty of an offence against this Act. The offence is punishable with imprisonment for a term
which may extend to three years or with a fine of Rs 25,000 or with both
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Environmental Ethics
With the rapid increase in world’s population, the consumption of natural resources has
increased several times. This has degraded our planet’s ability to provide the services we
humans need. The consumption of resources is going at a faster rate than they can naturally
replenish.
Environmental ethics is a branch of ethics that studies the relation of human beings and the
environment and how ethics play a role in this. Environmental ethics believe that humans are
a part of society as well as other living creatures, which includes plants and animals. These
items are a very important part of the world and are considered to be a functional part of
human life. Thus, it is essential that every human being respect and honor this and use morals
and ethics when dealing with these creatures.
As per Nature.com, ” Environmental ethics is a branch of applied philosophy that studies the
conceptual foundations of environmental values as well as more concrete issues surrounding
societal attitudes, actions, and policies to protect and sustain biodiversity and ecological
systems.”
It is essential that you do your part to keep the environment protected and free from danger. It
is not as difficult to do as you may think so long as you’re willing to make a few simple and
easy changes.
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Value Education:
The very purpose and main function of education is the development of an all round and
well-balanced personality of the students, and also to develop all dimensions of the human
intellect so that our children can help make our nation more democratic, socially responsible,
culturally rich and intellectually competitive nation.
Value-education is a many sided endeavour and in an activity during which young people are
assisted by adults or older people in schools, family homes, clubs and religious and other
organisations, to make explicit those underlying their own attitudes, to assess the
effectiveness of these values for their own and others long term well-being and to reflect on
and acquire other values which are more effective for long term well-being.
Value- education, is thus concerned to make morality a living concern for students. Hence,
what is needed is value-education.
Main Aim:
Health awareness, development of self-motivation, self development
Awareness about one’s duties and responsibilities, respect to elders
Honesty, and Empathy, Selflessness
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