SCIENCE PORTFOLIO

SUSTAINABLE
MANAGEMENT OF
NATURAL
RESOURCES.
Natural Resource Management (NRM) refers to the sustainable
utilization of major natural resources, such as land, water, air,
minerals, forests, fisheries, and wild flora and fauna. Together, these
resources provide the ecosystem services that provide better quality
to human life.

The objectives of natural resource management are as follows: To

maintain ecological diversity. To provide resources for future
generations. To maintain employment facilities for people.

- MAITHILI DHAYBHAI.
X-B.
 CONTENTS.
Why do we need to manage our resources?

Pollution Of Ganga.

West Bengal Forest Department.

Save Soil Movement.

Narmada Bachao Andolan.

 WHY DO WE NEED TO
MANGE OUR
RESOURCES?
Management of natural resources refers to the plan of action related
to renewable and non-renewable resources. Natural resources like
land, soil, water, plants and animals are affected by global warming,
overpopulation, industrial expansion and other related reasons.

o The three R’s.

• Reduce: Meaning that we should less of the resources we
need in our everyday life. Like turning of the tap when not in
use rather than leave it running or fixing a loose tap. Or
walking the distance instead of using cars or bikes to reach
the corner. Or switching of lights and fans when not in use
instead of leaving them on.
• Reuse: Reusing simply translates to using something over
and over again. The plastic bottles or jars in which we buy
different things can be used to store pickles or jams.
• Recycle: Recycling is collecting used materials and
processing them into new material. Recycling one aluminium
drink can save enough energy to power a television for
around three hours.

Resources can be divided into two parts :-

• Renewable Resources: Resources that can be renewed or

are continuous. E.g.: Metals like gold, that can be melted
again and again.
 • Non-Renewable Resources: Resources that cannot be
renewed or are limited. E.g.: Fossil fuels like petrol,
because of how recklessly we use them we will soon run
out of the resource.

We need to manage our resources to maintain balance in our

ecosystem. All components of nature are related to each other
directly or indirectly. The over-consumption of these resources will
disrupt the balance and affect all life forms (animals or plants)
directly or indirectly.

If we were to overuse these resources or outrun them, we may not

give our future generation a chance to use them and utilize them for
future technology and further development.
 POLLUTION OF GANGA.
Course of Ganga.
The upper phase of the river Ganges begins at the confluence of the
Bhagirathi and Alaknanda rivers in the town of Devprayag in the
Garhwal division of the Indian state of Uttarakhand. The Bhagirathi
is considered to be the source in Hindu culture and mythology,
although the Alaknanda is longer, and therefore, hydrologically the
source stream. The headwaters of the Alakananda are formed by
snow melt from peaks such as Nanda Devi, Trisul, and Kamet. The
Bhagirathi rises at the foot of Gangotri Glacier, at Gomukh, at an
elevation of 4,356 m (14,291 ft).

After flowing for 256.90 km (159.63 mi) through its narrow

Himalayan valley, the Ganges emerges from the mountains
at Rishikesh, then debouches onto the Gangetic Plain at the
pilgrimage town of Haridwar. At Haridwar, a dam diverts some of its
waters into the Gages Canal, which irrigates the Doab region
of Uttar Pradesh, whereas the river, whose course has been roughly
southwest until this point, now begins to flow southeast through the
plains of northern India.

Pollution Of Ganga.
The Ganges suffers from extreme pollution levels, caused by the
400 million people who live close to the river. Sewage from many
cities along the river's course, industrial waste and religious offerings
wrapped in non-degradable plastics add large amounts of pollutants
to the river as it flows through densely populated areas. The problem
is exacerbated by the fact that many poorer people rely on the river
on a daily basis for bathing, washing, and cooking. The World
Bank estimates that the health costs of water pollution in
India equal three percent of India's GDP. It has also been suggested
that eighty percent of all illnesses in India and one-third of deaths
can be attributed to water-borne diseases.

Varanasi, a city of one million people that many pilgrims visit to take
a "holy dip" in the Ganges, releases around 200 million litres of
untreated human sewage into the river each day, leading to large
concentrations of fecal coliform bacteria.[133] According to official
standards, water safe for bathing should not contain more than 500
fecal coliforms per 100 ml, yet upstream of Varanasi's ghats the river
water already contains 120 times as much, 60,000 fecal coliform
bacteria per 100 ml.

Between 1985 and 2000, Rs. 10 billion, around US$226 million, or

less than 4 cents per person per year, were spent on the Ganga
Action Plan, an environmental initiative that was "the largest single
attempt to clean up a polluted river anywhere in the world". The
Ganga Action Plan has been described variously as a "failure", a
"major failure".

According to one study,

The Ganga Action Plan, which was taken on priority and with
much enthusiasm, was delayed for two years. The expenditure
was almost doubled. But the result was not very appreciable.
Much expenditure was done on political propaganda. The
concerning governments and the related agencies were not very
prompt to make it a success. The public of the areas was not
taken into consideration. The release of urban and industrial
wastes in the river was not controlled fully. The flowing of dirty
water through drains and sewers were not adequately diverted.
The continuing customs of burning dead bodies, throwing
carcasses, washing of dirty clothes by washermen, and
immersion of idols and cattle wallowing were not checked. Very
little provision of public latrines was made and the open
defecation of lakhs of people continued along the riverside. All
these made the plan a failure.
The failure of the Ganga Action Plan has also been variously
attributed to "environmental planning without proper understanding
of the human-environment interactions", Indian "traditions and
beliefs", "corruption and a lack of technical knowledge" and "lack of
support from religious authorities".

In December 2009, the World Bank agreed to loan India US$1 billion
over the next five years to help save the river. According to 2010
Planning Commission estimates, an investment of almost Rs.
70 billion (Rs. 70 billion, approximately US$1.5 billion) is needed to
clean up the river.

In November 2008, the Ganges, alone among India's rivers, was

declared a "National River", facilitating the formation of a National
Ganga River Basin Authority that would have greater powers to
plan, implement and monitor measures aimed at protecting the river.

Recent studies by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) say

that the river is so full of killer pollutants that those living along its
banks in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Bengal are more prone to cancer
than anywhere else in the country. Conducted by the National
Cancer Registry Programme under the ICMR, the study throws up
shocking findings indicating that the river is thick with heavy metals
and lethal chemicals that cause cancer. According to Deputy
Director-General of NCRP A. Nandkumar, the incidence of cancer
was highest in the country in areas drained by the Ganges and stated
that the problem would be studied deeply and with the findings
presented in a report to the health ministry.

Namami Gange Programme is an Integrated Conservation Mission

approved as a Flagship Programme by the Union Government in
June 2014. It was launched to accomplish the twin objectives of
effective abatement of pollution conservation and rejuvenation of
Ganga. The National Mission for Clean Ganga is the implementation
wing set up in October 2016.

During the lockdown, from the start 25, March 2020 till the end 31
May 2021 the Ganga has been cleaner than before. This is because
most factories and commercial establishments had been closed.
 WEST BENGAL FOREST
DEPARTMENT.
In 1972, the West Bengal Forest Department recognised its failures
in reviving the degraded Sal Forests in the south-western districts of
the state. Traditional methods of surveillance and policing had led to
a ‘complete alienation of the people from the administration’,
resulting in frequent clashes between forest officials and villagers.
Forest and land related conflicts in the region were also a major
factor in fuelling the militant peasant movements led by the
Naxalites.

Before 1972, the Forest Department had been concerned about the
degraded condition of the forests on the southwestern districts of
West Bengal, as after takeover of these forests from Zamindar in
1950s, they were in poor shape. The local villagers had no role in the
operation and maintenance of the forests practised, which had even
developed into frequent confrontations between them. This policy had
prevented the villagers from deriving their sustenance from the
forests. Earlier, the villagers had derived benefits of firewood, fodder,
grazing of cattle, minor forest produce and even an income from sale
of fuel wood. It was therefore feared that the situation would
encourage militancy by Naxalites (Communist guerrilla groups in
India) to become active in the area.
To remedy this situation, the Forest Department selected the
degraded forest range of Arabari and involved the local villagers in
its management and conservation. A.K Banerji, District Forest
Officer (DFO)), who was chosen for the task, actively sought out the
local villagers in the neighbourhood around the selected 1,272
hectares (3,140 acres) of forest area. He impressed on them the
importance of forest protection and regeneration for their own
benefit. He assured them that their livelihood would be protected
from their participation in the conservation effort, which would be
done during the lean period of their activity. He not only promised
the villagers employment under the various ongoing rural
employment schemes, but also allowed them to raise crops such as
paddy, fodder, sabai grass, maize and groundnuts. He even allowed
them to establish honeybee hives in the eucalyptus forest areas as a
trial measure. He offered incentives to the villagers for their
participation in the conservation effort by giving employment in the
silviculture and harvesting operations, and also allowed them to
gather firewood and fodder from the forest for a nominal charge.
Villagers were also given poles for building their houses including for
repairs, to make cots for sale at subsidized rates. The participating
villagers were given exclusive rights to all minor forest products such
as sal, kendu leaves, dry twigs, seeds. This resulted in a dramatic
transformation of the forest, which had been valued as worthless to a
property worth Rs 12.5 crores in 1983. The voluntary participation by
the villagers was formalized in the form of a Joint Forest
Management (JFM) committee, which was the first of its kind. The
process has worked well and has been replicated in West Bengal from
1987 and also in the rest of the country.
 SAVE SOIL
MOVEMENT.
52% of agricultural soils are already degraded.

Save Soil is a global movement launched by Sadhguru, to address the

soil crisis by bringing together people from around the world to stand
up for Soil Health, and supporting leaders of all nations to institute
national policies and actions toward increasing the organic content in
cultivable Soil.

Food Crisis.
In about 20 years, 40% food is expected to be produced less for 9
billion people.

Poor soil leads to poor nutritional values. Today’s fruits and

vegetables already contain 90% less nutrients.

About 2 billion people suffer from nutritional deficiencies which lead

to multitude diseases.

Water Scarcity.
Depleted soils cannot absorb or regulate water flow.

Lack of water retention leads to water scarcity, droughts and floods.

Organic matter can hold up to 90% of its weight in water and release
it slowly over time. This is a big help in drought prone areas.
 Loss of Bio-Diversity.
Scientists say around 27000 species of life forms are becoming extinct
every year due to loss of habitat.

The crisis had reached the point where 90% of insect biomass is gone.

Loss of bio-diversity further disrupts the soil habitat and soil

regeneration.

Climate Change.
Carbon stored in soil is 3x more than in plants, and 2x that in the
atmosphere, which means soil is crucial for soil sequestration.

If the world’s soils are not revitalized, they could release 850 billion
tones of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere contributing to climate
change. This is more than all of humanity’s emissions in last 30 years
combined.

Loss Of Livelihood.
Thousands of farmers are committing suicide due to depletion of soil.

74% of the poor are directly affected by land degradation globally.

It is estimated that soil extinction is costing the world up to US$10.6

trillion every year.

Conflict And Migration.

Population growth, and food and growth scarcity could cause over 1
billion to migrate to other regions and countries by 2050.

Land issues have played a significant role in over 90% of major wars
and conflicts in Africa since 1990.
From the French Revolution to the Arab Spring, high food prices
have cited as a factor behind mass protest movements.

“The Only Magic Material that Turns Death into Life.”

– SADHGURU
 NARMADA BACHAO
ANDOLAN.
Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) is an Indian Social movement
spearheaded by native
tribals, farmers, environmentalists and human
rights activists against a number of large dam projects across
the Narmada River, which flows through the states
of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. Sardar Sarovar
Dam in Gujarat is one of the biggest dams on the river and was one
of the first focal points of the movement. It is part of the Narmada
Dam Project, whose main aim is to provide irrigation and electricity
to people of the above states.

After India's independence in 1947, under the newly formed

government headed by Jawaharlal Nehru, investigations were
carried out to evaluate mechanisms for using water from
the Narmada River, which flows into the Arabian Sea after passing
through the states of Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat. The formation of the
Narmada Water Disputes Tribunal was triggered by interstate
differences in implementing schemes and sharing of water by
the Government of India on 6 October 1969 to adjudicate over the
disputes. The tribunal investigated the matters referred to it and
responded after more than 10 years. The Narmada Tribunal aimed to
set out conditions regarding the resettlement and rehabilitation of
those displaced by the dams. On 12 December 1979, after ten years of
investigation, the decision as given by the tribunal, with all the
parties at dispute binding to it, was released by the Indian
government.
There were many groups such as Gujarat-based Narmada
Asargrastha Samiti, Madhya Pradesh-based Narmada Ghati Nav
Nirman Samiti (Committee for a New Life in the Narmada Valley)
and Maharashtra-Based Narmada Dharangrastha Samiti
(Committee for Narmada Dam-Affected People) who either believed
in the need for fair rehabilitation plans for the people or who
vehemently opposed dam construction despite a resettlement policy.
Narmada Bachao Andolan was also joined by several NGOs with
local people, professionals, and activists as the founders with a non-
violent approach. It was led by Medha Patkar. Nationally, they
wanted an alternative structure of development and internationally,
they wanted to build pressure on the World Bank to take
accountability.