Module 2: Biodiversity and its Conservation

BIODIVERSITY
Biodiversity is the total variety of life on our planet, the total number of races, varieties and
species. The sum total of various types of microbes, plants and animals (producers, consumers
and decomposers) in a system.
Biodiversity includes the number of different organisms and their relative frequencies in an
ecosystem. It also reflects the organization of organisms at different levels.
Levels of Biodiversity/Types of Biodiversity
The concept biodiversity may be analyzed in 3 different levels;
Ecosystem Diversity
An ecosystem is a collection of living and non-living organisms and their interaction with each
other. Ecological biodiversity refers to the variations in the plant and animal species living
together and connected by food chains and food webs.
It is the diversity observed among the different ecosystems in a region. Diversity in different
ecosystems like deserts, rainforests, mangroves, etc., includes ecological diversity.
 A set of biotic components (plants, animals and microorganisms) and abiotic components
(soil, air, water, etc.) interacting with each other is known as an ecosystem.
• Ecosystem or ecological diversity means the richness and complexity of a biological
community, including tropic levels, ecological processes (which capture energy), food
webs and material recycling.
• The diversity at an ecological level or habitat level is known as ecosystem diversity.
• Example. River ecosystem- Rivers include fish, aquatic insects, and variety of plants that
they have adapted.
Species diversity
Species diversity refers to the variety of different types of species found in a particular area.
It is the biodiversity at the most basic level. It includes all the species ranging from plants to
different microorganisms. No two individuals of the same species are exactly similar. For
example, humans show a lot of diversity among themselves.
• A discrete group of organisms of the same kind is known as species.
• Species diversity is the diversity between different species.
• The sum of varieties of all living organisms at the species level is known as species
diversity.
 Genetic diversity
It refers to the variations among the genetic resources of the organisms. Every individual of a
particular species differs from each other in their genetic constitution. That is why every
human looks different from each other. Similarly, there are different varieties in the same
species of rice, wheat, maize, barley, etc.
BIOGEOGRAPHIC CLASSIFICATION OF INDIA:
Our country can be divided into ten major regions based on the geography, climate and pattern of
vegetation seen and the communities of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, insects and other
invertebrates that live in them. Each of these regions contain a variety of ecosystems such as
forests, grass lands, lakes, rivers, mountains and hills which have specific plant and animal’s
species. India occupies 10th place among plant rich countries of the world.
1. Trans-Himalayas:
It constitutes 5.7 per cent of the total geographical area, includes the high altitude, cold and arid
mountain areas of Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir, North Sikkim, Lahaul and Spiti areas of
Himachal Pradesh. This zone has sparse alpine steppe vegetation that harbours several endemic
species and is a favorable habitat for the biggest populations of wild sheep and goat in the
world and other rare fauna that includes Snow Leopard and the migratory Black necked Crane.
The cold dry desert of this zone represents an extremely fragile ecosystem.
2. Himalayan Zone
The Himalayas are the northern boundaries of India. The entire mountain chain is running from
Kashmir in the North-west to Assam in the north-east. The Himalayas comprise of a diverse
range of biotic provinces and biomes. The Himalayas cover 7.2% of the country's landmass.
The alpine and sub-alpine forests, grassy meadows and moist mixed deciduous forests provide
diverse habitat for endangered species of such as Bharal, Ibex, Himalayan Tahr and Takin. Other
rare and endangered species restricted to this zone include Hangul and Musk Deer.
3. Desert
The extremely dry area west of the Aravalli hill range comprises both the salty desert of Gujarat
and the sandy desert of Rajasthan. Deserts occupy around 6.9% of the country's land mass. It is a
dry region receiving very low annual rainfall and hence has scrub vegetation with grasslands.
Indian desert has more diversified fauna.
4. Semi-Arid Region
This zone lies between the desert and Deccan plateau. It includes the Aravalli hills. It covers
approximately 15.6% of countries land mass. These regions are not completely dry like the
desert; they receive little more rainfall. Vegetation includes tropical thorn, dry deciduous forest
and Sal.
5. Western Ghats
The Western Ghats are a mountain range that runs along the western cost of India. They are a
range extending north-south from southern tip of Gujarat in the north to Kanyakumari in the
south. The mountains cover an area of about 160,000 sq. km. This ghat section covers an
extremely diverse range of biotic provinces and biomes. It covers about 5.8% of the country's
landmass. Significant species endemic to this region include Nilgiri Langur, Lion Tailed
Macaque, and Grizzled Giant Squirrel. Heavy rainfall is very common there and the vegetation is
for types; tropical, sub-tropical, mixed deciduous and mangrove forest.
6. The Deccan Plateau
This zone lies between the desert and the Deccan plateau. It includes the Aravalli hill range. It
covers approximately 15.6% of the country's landmass. It is a large triangular plateau south of
the Narmada valley. Three sides of the plateau are covered by mountains slopes towards east.
Satpura Mountains cover the north while Western Ghats cover the west side and Eastern Ghats
cover the eastern side of the plateau. It is the one of largest zones covering the southern and
south-central plateau with mostly deciduous trees. It covers 4.3% of the country's land mass. The
climate is semi-arid climate in northern parts to a tropical climate in other areas with very dry
and hot summers and receives fair amount of monsoon rain fall.
7. Gangetic Plain
This plain covers the area between the Himalayas to the West Bengal. These plains were formed
by Ganges river system and are relatively homogenous. This region experience 600mm rainfall
annually. It is most fertile region in the country Vegetation is mostly tropical moist and dry
deciduous forest type. Sundarbans forests are located in this region and it covers 11% of the
countries land mass.
8. North-East India
These are pains and Non-Himalayan ranges of northeastern India and have a wide variety of
vegetation. It covers around 5.2% of the country's land mass. This is the richest flora region
which receives heaviest rainfall. The important trees are Mesua ferrea, Shorea Robusta etc and
many bamboo species are also available.
9. Islands
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal has almost 300 big and small islands.
Among these, only five islands are inhabited. Only tribes are found in the island of Nicobar.
These islands have a highly diverse set of biomes and occupy 0.03% of the country's biomass.
These islands are centers of high endemism and contain some of India’s finest evergreen forests
and support a wide diversity of corals. In India, endemic island biodiversity is found only in the
Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
10. Coasts of India
India has large coastline distributed both to east and west ‘with distinct differences between the
two. It is rich in mangrove vegetation and home for aquatic and avifauna. The Lakshadweep
islands are included in this but the area in these islands is negligible.
Value of Bio Diversity
Bio diversity has a fundamental value to humans because we are so depended on it for our
cultural, economic and environmental wellbeing. Bio diversity forms the backbone of viable
ecosystems on which we depend on for basic necessities, security and health.
Values of bio diversity are classified into;
1. Direct Value
 Consumptive value: This refers to natural products that are used for food, such as
livestock feed, wood products, fuel wood, and other purposes. Humans consume 40,000
flora and fauna species daily. Many people remain dependent on wildlife for the majority
of their necessities, such as nutrition, temporary housing, and clothing.
 Productive Use Value: This implies products that are sourced and commercially
marketed. Almost all of the crops grown today have evolved from wild varieties.
Biotechnologists are continuously experimenting with wild plant species to create new,
more productive disease-resistant variants.
2. Indirect Values
 Environmental Value: The environmental value of bio diversity can be found by
examining each ecosystem process and identifying the ecosystem services that result. For
instance, in wetland the vegetation captures water carried the sediment and the soil
organisms break down and pollutants washed into the area. These processes provide the
ecosystem service of purifying water. Wetlands also act as spawning and nursery ground
for some fish and provide a refuge for animals in terms of drought. Forest regulates the
amount of carbon dioxide in the air by releasing oxygen as a byproduct during
photosynthesis, and controls rainfall and soil erosion.
 Economic Value: Biodiversity has a tremendous economic perspective on food,
livestock feed, medicative, ethical, and social ideals. Biodiversity is an important
resource for many industry sectors that regulate the world economy.
 Social value: Social value of bio diversity refers to the manner in which the bio-
resources are used in society. These are values associated with social life, religion and
spiritual aspects of people.
 Ethical and Moral Value: Biodiversity has enormous economic potential in terms of
food, livestock feed, medications, etc. Biodiversity is vital for many areas of the
economy. It is based on the principle of live and let others live. Ethical values related to
biodiversity conservation are based on importance of protecting all forms of life. All
forms of life have the right to exist on earth. Man is only small part of earth’s great
family of species. Some people take pleasure in hunting of animals. People also degrade
and pollute the environment unethical actions. Through proper education and awareness
the people’s conscience against such practices must be raised.
 Aesthetic Value: The beauty of our planet is due to biodiversity. Otherwise, it would
have looked like any other deserted planet, which is scattered throughout the universe.
Biological diversity enhances the quality of life and contributes significantly to some of
nature’s most beautiful aspects. Biodiversity makes a significant contribution to the
gorgeousness of the landscape.
  Option Value: Some species have great potential to exhibit their utility in future. It is
because they are superior to many new existing species in different aspects such as
nutrition value. Such utility value is called option value.
India as a Mega- Diversity Nation
India's rich biological diversity, its immense range of ecosystems, species and genetic forms is
by virtue of its tropical location, climate and physical features.
Features
1. Among the 12 mega biodiversity nation in the world India is one
2. India stands the 10th in 25 most plant rich countries of the world.
3. The country has 10 bio geographical regions
4. India has 88 national parks 490 sanctuaries, 22 biosphere reserves
5. The country is rich in flora and fauna. In India about 115000 species of plants and
animals have been identified and described.
6. India’s identified location of the hotspot is the Western Ghats and the North Eastern
Regions.
7. India has also rich in agro biodiversity. It has at least 166 species of crop plants and 320
species of wild relatives.
8. India is the origin of 30000 to 50000 varieties of rice, mangoes, ginger, sugarcane,
gooseberry etc. India ranks 7th in terms of contribution to world agriculture.
9. India is rich in marine diversity also.
10. India figures with 2 hotspots ie. Western Ghats and Eastern Himalayas.

Biodiversity Hotspot
They are areas on earth which are most threatened places from the viewpoint of their
preservation.
A biodiversity hotspot is a biogeographic region with significant levels of biodiversity that is
under threat from humans.
Criteria
 Should contain at least 1500 vascular endemic plant species
 It has to have lost at least 70% of its primary vegetation.
The vital signs of hotspots off biodiversity are as under: -
Caribbean
Mesoamerica
Atlantic Forest
Mediterranean Basin
Madagascar and Indian Ocean Islands
Western Ghats and Srilanka
Philippines
Sundaland
Southwest Australia
Polynesia and Micronesia
Threats to Bio- diversity
It refers to the threats to all living organisms due to uncontrolled human activities that bring bio
diversity in danger.
Causes of Threat
 Hunting of birds and animals
 Alarming rate of increase in population
 Advancing civilization and development of human settlemets
 Increase in agricultural activities
 Exploration of newer areas to fulfill increased human needs
 Deforestation, mining and other extraction wrks
 Air, water and soil pollution

Forms of threats
1. Habitat Loss
Loss or destruction of habitat can occur due to human intervention such as deforestation to clear
lands for agriculture, filling wetlands to make land for construction purposes, building dams
across rivers which divert the flow of water thus depriving water to the habitats, mining activities
and also because of natural calamities such as drought, flood, storm, and fires.
Habitat loss creates a major threat to both animals and plant species population
It completely wipes out the species endemic to the region which has undergone habitat loss thus
making them extinct and also results in conflicts between humans and animals.
2. Poaching of wild life
Poaching is the illegal hunting of wild animals.
Wild animals are killed and their parts are used for medicinal purposes, for their furs, skins /
leather, ivory and horn to make luxury goods etc.
They also capture and smuggle wild animals to sell them as exotic pets. All these activities cause
species loss and extinction of endangered and endemic species.
Examples elephants are hunted for their tusks, rhinos for their horns whales for their oil, deer's as
their antlers can be used as showpiece.
Reasons for Poaching
 Consumption purpose: certain species are poached for food. Cattles are sold and hacked
to death for consumption.
 Economic Value: certain wild animals are killed to obtain their teeth, skin, furs, horns etc.
to be sold for substantial amount of money.
 Medicinal purposes: some animals are killed for medicinal purposes. Peacock is killed for
peacock oil, black monkey is killed for Ayurveda medicines etc.
 Entertainment and sport: killing of animals is taken as an entertainment and sport item by
the rich of the society. They kill for enjoyment and not for monetary benefit.
3. Man wild life conflict
Any interactions between humans and wildlife that results in negative impacts on human social,
economic or cultural life on the conservation of wildlife populations or on the environment.
Causes of man wildlife conflicts
 Limited resources
 Increase in population
 Habitat fragmentation
 Excessive use of forest
 Construction of infrastructure
Steps to reduce man wildlife conflicts
 Stronger forest guards
 Protecting identified locations
 Installing electric fence.
 Creation of safe animal zone
 Expansion of protected reserves.

4. Biological Invasions
Introduction of nonnative species either accidently or deliberately and their establishment and
dominance in the habitat is called biological invasions.
5. Habitat Fragmentation
It is the process of habitat reduction in which the habitat area is separated away into two or more
fragments. It mainly occurs due to industrial growth, construction of structures and other
developmental activities.
6. Genetic Assimilation
It causes threats to endangered and rare species. It is because these species get breaded by other
species.
7. Pollution

Taxonomy
Taxonomy is the science of naming, describing and classifying organisms and includes all plants
and animals and microorganisms of the world.

Endangered species and Endemic Species

Endangered Species:
A plant, animal or microorganism that is in immediate risk of biological extinction is called
endangered species.
Example Bengal tiger, blackbuck, Indian wild dog
Endemic Species:
Species that are found only in a particular region are known as endemic species.
Extinct species:
Species which are no longer found in the world
Vulnerable Species:
Vulnerable Species is one whose population is facing continuous decline due to habitat
destruction or over exploitation. However, it is still in abundant.
Rare Species:
Rare species are localized within a restricted area or its thinly scattered over an extensive area.
IUCN- International union for Conservation of nature and natural resources maintains RED
DATABASE in which information of rare and vulnerable species of plants and animals are kept.
Conservation of Bio- Diversity
It is defined as “the management of human use of the biosphere, so that it may yield the greatest
sustainable benefit to present generation while maintaining its potential to meet the needs and
aspirations of future generations.”
Objectives of conservation of our natural resources
 To maintain essential ecological processes and life supporting systems;
 to preserve the diversity of species or the range of genetic materials found in the
organisms on the planet;
 To ensure sustainable utilization of species and ecosystems which support millions of
rural communities as well as the major industrial units all over the world
Ways to Conservation of Biodiversity
1. Illegal hunting and trade of animals and animal products should be stopped immediately
2. People at large should boycott purchasing coats, purse or bags made of animal skin.
3. Solar powered fencing must be provided with electric current proof trenches to prevent
animals from entering fields.
4. Cropping pattern should be changed near forest boarder
5. Adequate food and water should be made available for the wild animals within forest
zone.
6. Development and construction work in and around forest region must be stopped.

Types of Biodiversity Conservation/ Basic Approaches to wildlife conservation

The basic approaches to the wildlife conservation in protected habitats are In- situ conservation
and Ex- situ conservation
1. In –Situ Conservation: In- Situ Conservation involves protection of flora and fauna within its
natural habitat. The natural habitats or ecosystems under in- situ conservation are called
protected areas.
Advantages
 It is cheap and convenient
 Species get adjusted to natural disasters like drought, floods, forest fires etc
Disadvantages
 A large surface area of earth is required to preserve biodiversity
 Maintenance is not proper due to shortage of staff and pollution
Ex- Situ Conservation
Ex situ conservation involves protection of flora and fauna outside their natural habitats. This
type of conservation is mainly done for conservation crop varieties and wild relatives of crops.
• Ex- Situ conservation involves maintenance and breeding of endangered plant and
animal’s species under controlled conditions.
 • It identifies those species that are at high risk of extinction
• It prefers species that are important for man in the near future among the endangered
species.

Various Methods of wildlife conservation are:-

Biosphere Reserves
A biosphere reserve is an ecosystem with plants and animals of usual scientific and natural
interest. It is a label given by UNESCO to help protect the sites. They cover large areas greater
than 5000sq.km. They are normally used to protect species for a long time.
The roles of biosphere reserves are:
1. Long term survival of evolving ecosystem
2. Protect endangered species
3. Protect maximum number of species and communities
4. May also be used for educational and research purposes
5. No tourism and explosive activities are allowed in biosphere reserves

National Park
National parks are areas that aim to protect the natural environment. They are also involved in
public recreation and enjoyment activities. In a national park, the landscapes and its flora and
fauna are present in their natural state.
1. It is an area dedicated for conservation of wildlife along with its environment.
2. It covers an area ranging from 100 to 500 sq km.
3. One or more national parks may exist within a biosphere reserve.
4. A national park is used for enjoyment through tourism, without affecting the environment
5. Grazing domestic animals in national park is prohibited
6. All private rights and forestry activities are prohibited inside a national park.
Wildlife Sanctuary
A wildlife sanctuary is an area where animal habitats and their surroundings are protected
from any sort of disturbance. The capturing, killing and poaching of animals are strictly
prohibited in these regions. They aim at providing a comfortable living to the animals.
1. It protects animals only
 2. It allows operations such as harvesting of timber, collection of forest products, private
ownership rights and forestry, provided it does not affect animals adversely.
Community Reserves
Protected areas of India which typically act as buffer zones to or connectors and migration
corridors between established national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and reserved and protected
forests of India.
Conservation reserves and community reserves in India are terms denoting protected areas of
India which typically act as buffer zones to or connectors and migration corridors between
established national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and reserved and protected forests of India.
Marine protected area
A marine protected area (MPA) is a section of the ocean where a government has placed
limits on human activity. Many MPAs allow people to use the area in ways that do not damage
the environment.
Botanical Garden / Zoo
A zoological park is a facility, in which animals are placed within enclosures, cared for,
displayed to the public, and may be used for study.
A Botanical garden is a place dedicated to the growing, gathering, preservation, and exhibition of
a broad range of plants labeled with their botanical names.

ENVIRONMENT POLLUTION
Pollution may be defined as ‘an undesirable change in the physical, chemical or biological
characteristics of our air, water and land that may or will harmfully, affect human life, the lives
of the desirable species, our industrial processes, living conditions and cultural assets.
Pollution maybe natural or manmade. Pollution is mostly man made, but it can also be natural.
Natural pollution is caused by volcanic eruptions, emission of natural gases, soil erosion,
ultraviolet rays, cosmic rays etc.
Classification of Pollutants
Primary Pollutants: These includes those substances which are emitted directly from some
identifiable sources like Ozone (O3) Nitrogen Oxides (NO) Carbon Monoxide (CO) Sulfur
Dioxide (SO2)
Secondary Pollutants
Secondary pollutants are formed by primary emitted pollutants in the atmosphere.
Or
That are emitted when certain chemical reactions take place among the primary pollutants.
Example; Sulpuric acid, nitric acid.

Types of Pollution
Air Pollution
Air pollution is one such form that refers to the contamination of air, irrespective of indoors or
outdoors.
A physical, chemical or biological alteration to air in the atmosphere can be termed as pollution.
It occurs when any harmful gases, dust, smoke enters the atmosphere and makes it difficult for
plants, animals and humans to survive as air becomes dirty.
The pollutants can be broadly divided into two categories; primary and secondary.
Primary Pollutants are those pollutants directly emitted from identifiable sources.
Secondary Pollutants that are emitted when certain chemical reactions take place among the
primary pollutants.
Causes of Air Pollution
• Burning of Fossil Fuels
• Agricultural Activities
• Exhaust from factories and Industries
• Mining Operations
• Suspended Particulate matter
Effects of air pollution
• Eye irritation
• Nose and throat irritation
• Gaseous polluants can cause odour nuisance
• Respiratory problems and pulmonary disease
• Can cause cancer
Effects of air pollution on plants
Air pollutants affect the growth of plants and metabolism by destroying chlorophyll and
disrupting photosynthesis. The effects of air pollution on plants are:
(i) Sulphur dioxide bleaches the surface of the leaves, causes loss of chlorophyll and results in
yellowing of the leaves, especially in green leafy vegetable.
(ii) Nitrogen dioxide results in the premature falling of leaves and suppressed growth of plants.
This leads to reduced yield of crops.
(iii) Ozone damages the leaves of plants.
In animals, the are two ways to get poisoned
I. Accumulation of air pollutants in the vegetation and forage
II. Subsequent poisoning of the animals when they eat contaminated vegetation
Economic effect
 Corrosion
 Damage to building materials
 Damage to paint
 Damage to textile leather and paper
 Effects on ceramic glass items
 Commercial loss
 Administrative expenses
Measures to control
• Using unleaded petrol
• Using fuel with low Sulphur and ash content
• Encouraging people to use public transport, walk, or use cycle as opposed to private
vehicles
• Plant trees along busy streets as they remove particulates, carbon dioxide, absorb noise
• Industries and waste disposal sites should be situated outside the city
• Catalytic converters should be used to help control emissions of carbon monoxide and
hydrocarbons
Water Pollution
Water pollution maybe defined as the alteration in physical, chemical biological characteristics
of water which may cause harmful effects on humans and aquatic life.
Sources of water pollution
Point Sources:
These are pollutants discharged at specific locations through pipe from a factory or sewage plant
into bodies of water surface.
Non Point sources:
These pollutants cannot be traced to a single point of discharge. They are large areas or air sheds
that pollute water by run off, surface flow or deposition from the atmosphere.
Causes of Water Pollution
Industrial waste
Every day, industries produce large amounts of waste. This waste contains pollutants and toxic
chemicals such as mercury, lead, asbestos, sulphur and nitrates among other harmful chemicals.
Most industries lack a proper waste management system. This causes the waste to drain into
water bodies such as rivers and the sea through waste disposal canals. These waste chemical
change the color of the water, cause eutrophication and change the water temperature and pose a
serious hazard to humans, animals, and plants.
Wastewater and sewage
Wastewater and sewage from household are also common causes of water pollution. Sewer water
carried chemicals and harmful bacteria which pose serious health issues. Sewers from houses
carry pathogens which cause diseases. Wastewater and sewer carry microorganisms which carry
deadly diseases and are also breeding ground for disease carriers.
Marine Dumping
Every household produces garbage. It can be in the form of papers, plastic bottles, glass, rubber,
aluminum and also waste food. This garbage is sometimes dumped in water bodies, and this
causes water pollution. Some of these waste deposits take up to 200 years to decompose. When
they enter the sea, not only do they cause pollution to the water but also harm to water creatures.
Oil Spills
Oil is also one of the most dangerous causes of water pollution. Oil waste from industries, ships,
and machinery sometimes gains access to water bodies along with other waste products. Oil is
not soluble with water and thus causes a layer that covers the water underneath. Besides
polluting the water and making it harmful to humans, it also causes death to marine wildlife.
Pesticides and chemical fertilizers
These are products used by farmers to grow crops free of bacteria and insect infestation. While
they may be useful to plant life, they pose serious hazards to humans and animals if they gain
access to water. This cause of water pollution mostly occurs when it rains. The chemicals mix
with rainwater and flow to water bodies.
Effects of Water pollution
Physical Effects:
Due to suspended particles solids, cooling water from power houses and oily surface of films
It can be motionless and insoluble organic solids gradually accumulate on vegetation foliage and
produce deposit on river bed. It leads to low oxygen level in water. This causes fish and other
oxygen consuming aquatic life to die
Polluted water causes some of the deadly diseases like cholera, dysentery, diarrhea,
tuberculosis, jaundice, etc.
Oxidation Effects
It can be from oxygen demanding organic wastes like sewage, animal and plant wastes and
chemical oxidation. It involves the use of dissolved oxygen which leads biological Oxygen
Demand (BOD) resulting deficiency of oxygen in water.
Toxic Chemical Effects
Chemical exposure through drinking water can lead to a variety of short- and long-term health
effects. Exposure to high doses of chemicals can lead to skin discoloration or more severe
problems such as nervous system or organ damage and developmental or reproductive
effects.
Micro Organism Effect
It can be from pathogens like bacteria, fungi and viruses, from human or animal wastes, which
can cause variety of diseases.
Chemical Nutrient effects
Excessive amounts of nutrients can lead to more serious problems such as low levels of oxygen
dissolved in the water. Severe algal growth blocks light that is needed for plants, such as
seagrasses, to grow. When the algae and seagrass die, they decay. In human body it causes blood
diseases and gastric cancer.
Radio Nuclide effects
These are radioactive materials from nuclear power plants, mining and processing, nuclear
weapon production etc. It causes birth defects and cancer.
Prevention/ Control Measures
• Waste water treatment
• Green agriculture
• Developing proper sewage system
• Implementing Control measures
• Cleaning lakes and ponds
• Wider public awareness
• Afforestation
 • Use environment friendly products
• Strict enforcement on pollution control laws
• Disposal of waste after treatment at various levels

Soil Pollution
Soil Pollution
Soil pollution is defined as the contamination of soil by human and natural activities which may
cause harmful effects on living organisms.
Sources of Soil Pollution
• Industrial Wastes
• Urban Wastes- Plastic glasses, metallic cans, paper, rubbers
• Agricultural particles- pesticides, fertilizers, weedicides, farm wastes
• Radioactive pollutant
• Chemical and metallic pollutants- hazardous effluents from chemical factories
Causes of Soil Pollution
 Poor waste management
 Application of agro chemicals
 Salinization due to irrigation and flood
 Soil erosion
 Radioactive substances
Effects of soil pollution
 Inferior crop quality
 Harmful effect on human health
 Water source contamination
 Negative impact on ecosystem and bio diversity
 These pollutants can affect and alter the chemical and biological properties of soil
 Alter the constitution of soil
 Cause water logging
 Cause bio magnification of toxic materials through food chain
 Nitrates in soil Cancer, infant mortality, blue baby syndrome
Control Measures
• Separate garbage bins to collect different variety of wastes
 • Recycling of wastes
• Planting trees
• Strict policies on waste control and management
• Public awareness
• Reducing chemical fertilizer and use of pesticides
• Eco friendly schemes and technologies to be introduced

Marine pollution
Marine pollution is associated with the changes in physical, chemical, and biological conditions
of the sea water.
The marine environment becomes polluted and contaminated through various sources and forms.
Major sources of marine pollution are the inflow of chemicals, solid waste, discharge of
radioactive elements, industrial and agricultural effluents, man-made sedimentation, oil
spills, and many such factors.
The different types of marine pollution:
 Eutrophication: it is an increased level of nutrients in water bodies. This results in bloom
of algae in water.
 Acidification: due to rising level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere the ocean across the
world becomes acidic in nature.
 Toxins: such as pesticides, DDT etc do not get dissolved with the marine ecosystem and
thus causes marine pollution
 Plastics
Sources
 Longtime discharge of domestic sewage- pollutes the clear clean water of the oceans
 Agricultural waste - pesticides and fertilizers used in agriculture area washes off from the
land by rain water to the ocean
 Industrial wastes- chemical run off from industries endanger marine life
 Oil spills
 Oil tanker accidents- this an accidental form of industrial dumping, whereby leaks in oil
tankers cause vast quantities of oil to flow into the ocean, polluting marine water.
 The shipping industry- gases chemicals and sewage from container ships are major
pollutants
  Off shore oil exploration- Off shore oil exploration and extraction pollute the sea water to
a large extend.
Effects
 Environmental damage
 Biodiversity loss
 Water pollution
 Destruction of habitats for water animals
 Harm to coral reefs
 Endangerment and extinction of species
 Effects on aquatic plants
 Drop in tourism
 Decrease in fish populations
Measures
• Give special emphasis on oil spoilage and control management
• Use of aerial photography to detect oil spills and take immediate actions
• Use various oil spill control agents
• Stop marine dumping
Noise Pollution
Noise is defined as unwanted unpleasant or disagreeable sound that causes discomfort to all the
living beings.
Types or Causes or Sources of Noise
• Industrial Noise
It is sound with a high intensity sound caused by industry machines. Sources of such noise
pollution are caused by machines in various factories, industries and mills.
• Traffic/ Transport noise
Transport noise mainly consist of noise from roads, rail and aircrafts. The number of automobiles
on roads like cars, moto cycles, buses, trucks, diesel engine vehicles has increased enormously in
the recent past further aggravating the problem of transport noise.
• Domestic Noise
This type of noise includes disturbance from house hold gadgets and communities. TV, Radio,
telephones, loud speaker etc.
 Noise from construction site
 Effects
• Contraction of blood vessels
• Damage hearing ability
• Interference in speech
• Sleep interference
• Hear attacks neurological problems, birth defects
• Dangerous to animal life
Measures
• Use of sound proof devices
• Modify the path along which the sound is transmitted
• Eliminate noise at its source
• Modify path along which the sound is transmitted\

Thermal pollution
Thermal pollution is a rapid change in temperature in a natural body of water. This pollution is
most often caused by heat discharged from an industrial facility or another human activity.
Causes/ Sources
• Nuclear power plants- it emits a large amount of unutilized heat and traces of toxic radio
nuclear into nearby water streams
• From industrial effluents
• Hydroelectric power- generation of hydroelectric power results in increasing the
temperature of water bodies
• From domestic sewage
• From coal fired power plant
Effects
 Decreased dissolved oxygen
 Migration
 Loss of bio diversity
 Ecological impacts
Control Measures
 Cooling towers: Cooling tower cools the warm water discharged from the condenser and
feed the cooled water back to the condenser. Cooling towers are used for large size power
stations specially in water shortage areas.
 Cooling pond: A cooling pond is a man-made body of water primarily formed for the
purpose of cooling heated water and/or to store and supply cooling water to a nearby
power plant or industrial facility
 Artificial Lake
Nuclear Hazards
Nuclear pollution is the physical pollution of the air, water and soil by radioactive materials.
Risk or danger to human health or environment exposed by radiation emanating from the atomic
nuclei is called nuclear hazard.
Sources of Nuclear Pollution
The sources of radioactivity include both natural and manmade.
Natural Sources: Cosmic rays from outer space. Emission from radioactive materials in the
earth’s crust, rocks, marine sediments etc.
Manmade sources:
• Mining and processing of radioactive ores.
• Use of radioactive materials in power plants.
• Use of radioactive isotopes in medical technology (x-ray machines,)
• Industrial applications include wastes from nuclear reactors
• Nuclear weapon testing fallouts
• Nuclear reactors and processing of nuclear fuels
Effects
 Causes genetic effects in future generations
 The exposure of radiations at high doze affects bone marrow, blood cells etc
 High dose can damage tissue of heart and brain
 Can cause cancer
 Affects food chain
Measures
• Avoid careless handling and leakage
• Safety measures should be enforced strictly while handling radioactive materials
 • Ensure waste disposal is in efficient and effective manner
• Appropriate protection against occupational exposure
• Safety measures against accidental release of radioactive elements must be ensured in
nuclear plants.
• Unless absolutely necessary one should not frequently go for diagnosis by x-rays

SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT

Solid waste
Solid waste is the unwanted or useless solid materials generated from human activities in
residential, industrial or commercial areas.
The term solid waste management mainly refers to the complete process of collecting, treating
and disposing of solid wastes.
OR
The collection treatment or disposal of solid waste in a proper manner is called solid waste
management.
Stages of solid waste management / Key Components in solid waste management/
Functions or Elements
• Collection: gathering of solid waste from places such as residents, commercial,
industrial and institutional establishments
• Processing: Those techniques, equipment and facilities used both to improve the
efficiency of the other functional elements and to recover usable materials,
conversion products or energy from solid wastes.
• Disposal: The final functional element in the solid waste management system is
disposal.
Types of Solid waste
• Urban or municipal wastes
• Industrial waste
• Hazardous waste
Urban waste
Urban waste means those wastes arising from household activities, public place, restaurants etc.
It can be bio degradable and non- bio degradable
Bio degradable: Those wastes that can be degraded by microorganism’s ex; food wastes,
vegetables leaves
Non Bio degradable: Urban waste materials which cannot be degraded by microorganism’s ex;
polythene bags, glass bottles, aluminum cans etc
Sources of Urban wastes
• Domestic wastes/ household waste: Domestic wastes containing variety of materials
thrown out from homes ex; food, clothes or textiles, paper, cardboard, leather, glass,
metals, electronics.
• Commercials wastes: Any waste from coming out from shops, markets, hotels, offices,
institutions etc; ex; waste paper, packaging materials, cans, bottles, polythene bags etc.
• Construction wastes: it includes wastes of construction materials like concrete, wood.
• Medical wastes: medicine bottles, expired medicines, syringes etc.

Industrial wastes
Industrial wastes are those wastes arising out of industry. They produce toxic chemicals, oil,
Sources of Industrial wastes
The main sources of industrial wastes are from chemical industry, metal and mineral processing
industry.
Nuclear plants: generates radioactive materials
Thermal Power plants: produces fly ash in large quantities
Chemical Industries: produces large quantities of hazardous and toxic materials
Hazardous waste
Hazardous wastes are those that may contain toxic substances generated from industrial,
hospital, some types of household wastes. These wastes could be corrosive, inflammable,
explosive, or react when exposed to other materials.
Steps Involved in Solid Waste Management
Reduce: Reduction in the usage of materials decreases the production of wastes
Reuse: Reuse items as much as you can before replacing them. Refillable container which are
discarded after use can be reused.
Recycling: Recycling is the reprocessing of discarded materials into new useful products
example aluminum cans, glass bottles are melted and recast into new cans and bottles.
Preparation of automobiles and construction materials from steel cans.
Effects of Solid wastes
 Contaminate ground water
 Poisonous gases- burning of solid waste produces poisonous gases
 Spreading diseases
 Contamination of water supply
 Breeding place of mosquitoes
 Aesthetic damage

Control Measures or Disposal of Solid Waste or Discarding Waste

 Source Reduction
 Recycling
 Land filling: solid wastes are carries and dumped into the low lying areas. Landfills are
large area of land where large amount of wastes are dumped. Solid wastes are placed in
landfill in alternate layers of 80cm thick and is covered with earth fill of 20cm thick.
 Pyrolysis: it is the combustion of organic matter in the absence of oxygen. This is a
thermal decomposition carried out in an inert atmosphere such as in the presence of
vacuum gas.
 Composting: Composting is the natural process of recycling organic matter, such as
leaves and food scraps, into a valuable fertilizer that can enrich soil and plants.
 Incineration: It is one of the major ways of destroying waste materials. It is a type of
thermal treatment carried at very high temperature. The incineration process converts
waste into ash, gases (flue gas) and heat. The heat generated from this treatment can be
used to generate electricity.
 Pulverization: in this method solid wastes are pulverized in grinding machines so as to
reduce the volume and change its physical character.

DISASTER MANAGEMENT
A disaster is defined as a disruption on a massive scale, either natural or man-made, occurring in
short or long periods. A disaster is a sudden calamity which brings misfortune and miseries to
humanity.
Disaster management is how we deal with the human, material, economic or environmental
impacts of said disaster. It is defined as the effective organization, direction and utilization of
available counter- disaster resources.
Floods
Floods are the most frequent type of natural disaster and occur when an overflow of water
submerges land that is usually dry. Floods are often caused by heavy rainfall, rapid snowmelt
or a storm surge from a tropical cyclone or tsunami in coastal areas.
Floods cause heavy damage to life, property, plants and animals.
Effects
 Erosion of top soil vegetation
 Damage and loss to land house property
 Spread of endemic water borne diseases
 Interruption of basic facilities of community such as highways, railways, telephone,
electricity and day to day essentials
 Silting of reservoirs and dams
To minimize the loss due to flood, following measures are very important;
• Provision for forecast and warning to the public
• Educate people about necessary steps required to be taken to face such challenges
• Valuable items including, clothes food medicines should be shifted in advance to a safe
place
• Elderly people and children are required to be evacuated to safe place on emergency basis
• Govt and ngo’s should assist the public by providing health service, disaster relief, tax
relief
Control Measures
 Construction of flood control dam
 Deepening, widening and straightening of streams
 Lining of streams
 Banning construction of buildings in floodplains
 Converting flood plains into wildlife habitat, parks, and recreational areas
Earthquake
Earthquake, any sudden shaking of the ground caused by the passage of seismic
waves through Earth’s rocks. It is one of the most dangerous and destructive natural hazard.
Causes- Tectonic movements, volcanic eruptions
Effects
 Loss of property
 Loss of life
 Changes in the course of rivers
 Tsunamis
 Cracks in earth crust
Precautionary measures;
• People should come out of their houses and stay in open.
• Those outside the building should remain there or stay away from building
• Those who are driving should stop and park the vehicle on roadside and wait till the
vibration ends.
• Those who are inside the building during the tremor should stay in the corner and should
stay away from heavy objects
• The police control room, fire control room, red cross office, NGOs in the area should be
informed
• Medical assistance should be provided to the injured people
• Relief camp may be arranged
Cyclones
Cyclones are caused by atmospheric disturbances around a low-pressure area distinguished
by swift and often disruptive air circulation
Cyclones are formed with an enormous amount of energy from the ocean to the atmosphere.
Management of cyclones maybe brought under structural measures and non- structural
measures
Structural Measures includes the construction of cyclone shelters, construction of cyclone
resistant buildings, road links, bridges, canals etc
Nonstructural measures include early warning dissemination systems, management of coastal
zones, awareness generation and disaster risk management.
Precautionary measures / actions
• Listening to weather forecasting and warnings
• On the coastal area warning should be send to fisherman
• Arrangement of relief and rehabilitation to affected peoples
• Creating awareness and giving information among masses
• Storage adequate quantity of food items
• Arrangement of emergence phone communication
• Arrangement of relief and rehabilitation to affected people
 Land Slides
A landslide refers to the sliding or dislodging of a large mass of rocks, materials, soils etc
down the side of a mountain or cliff.
Precautionary measures / actions
 People should be provided with suitable and ideal place to arrange their shelter to
avoid any problems
 Construction of building in hilly region should be promoted with strict regulation
 Activities like mining of rocks, extraction of minerals etc are to be strictly regulated
 Water shedding should not be allowed in such sensitive and risky areas.
 Proper maintenance and landslide preventive measure are to be taken
Stages of Disaster Management
1. Pre disaster stage (Preparedness)
 Preparing for disaster
It includes;
a) Strategic Planning: to respond to disaster threats in location that is not specified and not
immediately threatened
b) Contingency planning: the site specific and recognizes that disaster could occure at any
time
c) Forward planning: it occurs when disaster is coming up and some details regarding the
threat are known to crisis manger

 Mitigation
2. Emergency Stage
3. Post disaster stage: helping people from recovering the disaster

Social Issues and Environment

URBAN PROBLEMS RELATED TO ENERGY
The energy requirements of urban population, are much higher than that of rural ones. This is
because urban people have a higher standard of life and their life style demands more energy
inputs in every sphere of life. The energy demanding activities include:
i. Residential and commercial lighting.
ii. Transportation means including automobiles and public transport for moving from residence
to workplace.
iii. Modern life-style using a large number of electrical gadgets in everyday life.
iv. Industrial plants using a big proportion of energy
v. A large amount of waste generation which has to be disposed off properly using energy based
techniques
Solution for urban energy problems:
 Energy consumption must be minimized at all aspects
 Public transportation should be used instead of motor cycles and cars
 Using of solar and wind energy
 Production capacity must be increased
Policies or paths to be adopted
 Hard path: emphasis upon the continued use of fossil fuels, augmenting its exploration
and a large scale use in power plants
 Soft path: the emphasis upon the utilization of environment friendly energy sources such
as solar energy, wind biomass energy etc.
 Integrated or mixed path: this advocated a mixed path by coordinating all the energy
sources ex fossil fuel, nuclear, water, wind solar etc into one.
WATER CONSERVATION
It is the careful use and protection of water resources and involves both the quantity and quality
of water.
Strategies adopted to conserve water
Domestic Conservation
• Take short showers
• Repair leaks
• Turn off water when not required
• Use quality appliances

Industrial Conservation
• Use dry cooling system and cooling towers
• Reuse the cooling water for irrigation
• Recycling water to avoid loss
• Treatment of waste water
Agricultural Conservation
• Use modern techniques
 • Use of sprinkler and drip irrigation
• In dry or semi-arid region encourage crops that require less water
• Use lined canals or covered canals to reduce seepage and evaporation
• Irrigate filed in the early morning or at night when evaporation is minimal
Strategies that can support water conservation process: -
 Rain water harvesting
 Sustainable water utilization
 Natural generation of vegetation
 Improve quality of water
 Awareness on water conservation
RAIN WATER HARVESTING
The process of rainwater harvesting involves the collection and the storage of rainwater with the
help of artificially designed systems that run off naturally or man-made catchment areas like- the
rooftop, compounds, rock surface, hill slopes, artificially repaired impervious or semi-pervious
land surface.
Objectives/ reasons for rainwater harvesting
 To raise the water table by recharging the ground water
 To minimize the water crisis and water conflicts
 To reduce rain water runoff and soil erosion
 To reduce ground water contamination from intrusion of saline water
 Shortage of drinking water in urban and semi urban areas
 Increase population caused increase in demand for water
 Cheap or free of cost availability
Methods of Rain Water Harvesting
• Rooftop rainwater harvesting
Rooftop Rain Water Harvesting is the technique through which rain water is captured from
the roof catchments and stored in reservoirs.
• Micro catchment
Micro catchment water harvesting systems (MicroWH) are designed to trap and collect runoff
from a relatively small catchment area, usually (10 – 500 m2) within the farm boundary
• Macro-catchment water harvesting, also called harvesting from external catchments is the
case where runoff from hill-slope catchments is conveyed to the cropping area located at
foothill on flat terrain.
WATERSHED MANAGEMENT
It is the arrangement of collecting flood water in the flood plains by reserving some areas in the
plains for storing the flood water.
Need or objectives
• To raise the ground water level
• To protect the soil from erosion
• To minimize the risk of flood and landslide
• Wildlife preservation
• Employment generation through industrial development, fishery products
RESETTLEMENT AND REHABILITATION OF PEOPLE
It refers to the act of relocating people who are forced to involuntarily move from one place
to another due to reasons beyond their control and assisting them to restore or improve their
incomes and living standards.
Reasons for displacement of people
• Natural disasters like earthquake, floods, tsunami, cyclones, landslide
• Manmade disasters like industrial accidents ex Bhopal gas tragedy or nuclear accidents
like Chernobyl
• Development projects like construction of dams, irrigation canals, reservoirs etc
• Transportation activities like roads, railways, highways etc
• Energy related projects like power plant, oil exploration, mining activities
• Pipelines like Hazira-Vijaipur-Jagdishpur HVJ owned by Gas Authority of India
Problems and Concerns of Resettlement and Rehabilitation
Economic Problems
 Loss of productive assets and sources of income
 Lack of basic infrastructure and basic needs in the new settled areas
 Corruption by officials resulting in depriving the poor of the full compensation
 Losses of livelihood as displaced persons often have no skills to take up another
activity or pick up any other occupation
 In case of displacement of tribal groups, they do not get any compensation as their
lands are not legalized
Social Problems
 Community structure and social networks are weakened
  The relatives are dispersed to different centers
 Education of children are interrupted
 Poverty and malnutrition affect the health of resettled persons
Psychological problems
 Joint families are separated
 They are not relocated to a locality of their preference
 Cultural identity, traditions and the potential for mutual help are diminished
 The authorities fail to integrate the resettled people in the community in which that
are being settled
 Increase in stress as they are unable to bear the shocks of emptiness and purposeless
created in their life
 The tribal life being community based, they lose their identity on settling at a place
mixed with other communities.

Treatment of Resettlement Issued By World Bank

 Minimizing involuntary resettlement
 Providing people displaced by projects with the means to improve, or at least restore,
their former living standards, earning capacity, production levels
 A time bound resettlement plan
 Involving both resettles and hosts in resettlement activities
 Valuation and compensation principles for land and pother assets affected by the
project
Displacement Project Categories
Category A Projects
likely to have significant adverse impacts that may be sensitive, irreversible, and diverse.
• Dams and reservoirs; Forestry production projects;
• Industrial plants (large-scale) and industrial estates;
• Irrigation, drainage, and flood control (large-scale);
• Thermal and hydropower development; and
• Manufacture, transportation, and use of pesticides or other hazardous and/or toxic
materials.
• Mineral development (including oil and gas);
Category B Projects
The impacts are not as sensitive, numerous, major, or diverse as category A impacts; remedial
measures can be more easily designed. Preparation of a mitigation plan suffices for many
category B projects.
• Agro-industries (small-scale);
• Aquaculture and Mari culture
• Tourism;
• Rural water supply and sanitation;
• Watershed projects
Category C projects
because the project is unlikely to have adverse impacts. Professional judgment finds the project
to have negligible, insignificant, or minimal environmental impacts. Category C projects might
be:
Education,
• Family planning,
• Health,
• Nutrition,
• Institutional development,
• Technical assistance, and
• Most human resource projects.
Environmental Ethics
It is the part of environment philosophy that studies the moral relationship of human beings with
natural environment.
The basic principles underlying environmental ethics are as follows;
• Protection of renewable natural resource
• Conservation of nonrenewable resources
• Adopt sustainable way of living
• Link environment with peace and security
Environmental Issues/ Environmental Problems
Environmental issues are the harmful effects of human activities on the environment. These
include pollution, overpopulation, waste disposal, climate change, global warming, the
greenhouse effect, etc.
Various environment protection programs are being practiced at the individual, organizational
and government levels with the aim of establishing a balance between man and the environment.
Some of the current environmental issues that require urgent attention are:

Climate Change:
Climate change describes a change in the average weather conditions in an area — such as
temperature and rainfall. The human activities affect the energy exchange balance between the
earth, atmosphere and space. This results in change in the global climate. It affects human health,
affects suitable living conditions, food production and leads to contamination of water and
conflicts.
Causes of climate change
• Presence of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere
• Depletion of ozone layer increases global temperature.
Effects
 Small change in agriculture changes disturbs agriculture
 Climate change may upset hydrological cycle which may result in drought and floods
 Global pattern of winds and ocean current also gets disturbed

Greenhouse Effects/ Global Warming

It is the natural process of warming the earths surface by trapping the suns heat by gases in the
earths atmosphere.
Global Warming is the gradual increase in the overall temperature of the earth’s atmosphere,
generally attributed to the greenhouse effect Caused by increased levels of different pollutants
many of them released by human activities.
Effects
• Sea level increases as a result of melting and thermal expansion of ocean.
• High Co2 level in the atmosphere have a long term negative effect on crop production
and forest growth.
• Global rainfall pattern will change. Drought and floods will become more common.
• Raising temperature will increase the demand for domestic water
 • Many plants and animals will have a problem of adapting. Many will be at the risk of
extinction.
• Floods and droughts become more frequent.
Remedial Measures
 CO2 emissions can be cut by reducing the use of fossil fuel
 Plant more trees
 Shifting from coal to natural gas
 Stabilize population growth
 Remove efficiently CO2 from smoke stocks
 Remove atmospheric CO2 by utilizing photo synthetic algae.

Acid Rain
Acid Rain means the presence of excessive acids in rain water.
Acid rain, or acid deposition, is a broad term that includes any form of precipitation with
acidic components, such as sulfuric or nitric acid that fall to the ground from the
atmosphere in wet or dry forms
Effects
• It causes respiratory issues in animals and humans.
• When acid rain falls down and flows into the rivers and ponds it affects the aquatic
ecosystem. It alters the chemical composition of the water, to a form which is actually
harmful to the aquatic ecosystem to survive and causes water pollution.
• Acid rain also causes the corrosion of water pipes, which further results in leaching of
heavy metals such as iron, lead and copper into drinking water.
• It damages the buildings and monuments made up of stones and metals.
Prevention of Acid Rain
• The only precaution that we can take against acid rain is having a check at the emission
of oxides of nitrogen and sulphur.

Ozone Layer depletion

“Ozone layer depletion is the gradual thinning of the earth’s ozone layer in the upper
atmosphere caused due to the release of chemical compounds containing gaseous bromine or
chlorine from industries or other human activities.”
Effects of Ozone Layer Depletion
Effects on Human Health
 • Humans will be directly exposed to the harmful ultraviolet radiation of the sun due to the
depletion of the ozone layer. This might result in serious health issues among humans,
such as skin diseases, cancer, sunburns, cataract, quick ageing and weak immune system.
Effects on Animals
• Direct exposure to ultraviolet radiations leads to skin and eye cancer in animals.
Effects on the Environment
• Strong ultraviolet rays may lead to minimal growth, flowering and photosynthesis in
plants. The forests also have to bear the harmful effects of the ultraviolet rays.
Effects on Marine Life
• Planktons are greatly affected by the exposure to harmful ultraviolet rays. These are
higher in the aquatic food chain. If the planktons are destroyed, the organisms present in
the food chain are also affected.
Control Measure
 Manufacturing and using of O3 depleting chemicals should be stopped
 Use of methyl bromide should be stopped
 Use of crop fumigant should be controlled

Nuclear Accidents
The release of large amount of nuclear energy and radioactive products in to the atmosphere is
called nuclear accident.
Types of nuclear accidents
 Nuclear test
 Nuclear power plant accidents
 Improper disposal of radioactive waste
 Accident during transport
 Core melt down

Nuclear Holocaust:
It refers to great destruction of life forms at mass level causing destruction of a human
civilization. The possibility of complete life destruction on earth due to nuclear weapon is known
as nuclear holocaust.
Effects of Nuclear Accidents
 Radiation may damage the DNA in cells
 High dose of radiation endangers human health; causes cancer, genetic mutation
 Damages brain tissues
CONSUMERISM AND WASTE PRODUCTS
The consumption of resources by people is called consumerism. It is related to both increase in
population size as well as increase in our demand due to change in lifestyle. If needs increase the
consumerism of resources also increases.
It is a social and economic order that encourages the acquisition of high volume of consumer
goods and services than what is needed.
Waste refers to any unwanted or usable worthless or defective substance of no use or which is
discarded after its primary use.
Inefficient consumerism results in;
• Uncontrolled manufacture of foods leading to inferior quality
• Adulteration leading to health and hygiene problems
• Improper services resulting in dissatisfaction and stress
• Production of waste leading to depletion of natural resources and environmental
imbalance.
Steps taken regarding consumerism and waste products
• Industrial Ecology
• Green marketing
• Consumer protection bodies
• Pigouvian tax
• Eco labelling
ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS
Environment Protection Act 1986
The Environment (Protection) Act was enacted in 1986 with the objective of providing for the
protection and improvement of the environment. It empowers the Central Government to
establish authorities [under section 3(3)] charged with the mandate of preventing environmental
pollution in all its forms and to tackle specific environmental problems that are peculiar to
different parts of the country. The Act was last amended in 1991.
Objectives
 The act to provide protection and improvement of environment
  Prevention of hazards to human beings, other living creatures, plants and property
 For prevention and control of environment pollution
 Laying standards for quality of environment
 Restriction of areas for location of industries
 Safeguards for handling hazardous substances
 Research relating to environment pollution
The act provides various provisions for the prevention control and abatement of environment
pollution such as
 Control on excess discharge of pollutants from industries
 Safety measures in handling hazardous items
 Carry out inspection if necessary
 Establish laboratory test and measure the substance
 The act also has penalty for defaulters
Water Prevention and Control of Pollution Act 1974
The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act was enacted in 1974 to provide for the
prevention and control of water pollution, and for the maintaining or restoring of
wholesomeness of water in the country.
Objectives
• To prevent and control water pollution
• To maintain wholesomeness of water
• To establish control on State Boards for prevention and control of pollution
• To empower the Boards for prevention/control of pollution
• To provide penalties for contravention of the provisions of the Act
• To establish control on state water testing laboratories.
The act provides various provisions for the prevention control and abatement of environment
pollution such as;
 Advising central/ state government on subject matter
 CPCB to give directions to SPCB
 Organizing training to person engaged in pollution control
 Arrangement for awareness through mass media
 Compiling and publishing statistical data
 Recycling/ reprocessing of waste water before discharge
 Control on excess discharge of pollutants from industries into rivers, streams etc
 Safety measures in handling hazardous items
 Taking sample to test the purity
  Establish laboratories to test and measure the substance
 The act also has penalty for defaulters

Air Prevention Act 1981

This act was enacted in the conference held at Stock Holm. It envisages the establishments of
central and state boards to monitor air quality and pollution control.
Objectives
• Prevention, control and abatement of air pollution
• Maintaining the quality of air
• Establishment of Boards for the prevention and control of air pollution

Forest Conservation Act 1980

Forests are an important resource that nature can bestow upon mankind. Therefore, it is the duty
of every citizen to preserve the ecosystems of forests. But due to rapid deforestation, the cycle of
nature is itself being disrupted. Therefore, the need to bring about a law to ensure the
preservation of forest was needed.
This act was enacted in 1980. it aims to prevent deforestation.
This act includes all types of forest including reserved forest, protected forests and any forest
land.
Objectives of the Forest Conservation Act 1980
• Protect the forest along with its flora, fauna and other diverse ecological components
while preserving the integrity and territory of the forests.
• Prevent the loss of forest biodiversity
• Prevent forest lands being converted into agricultural, grazing or for any other
commercial purposes and intentions.
• The Act levies penalties in case of violations of the provisions of FCA.
The Forest Conservation Act of 1980 come with the following features:
 The Act restricts the state government and other authorities to take decisions first without
permission from the central government.
 The Forest Conservation Act gives complete authority to the Central government to carry
out the objectives of the act.
 The Act levies penalties in case of violations of the provisions of FCA.
  The Forest Conservation Act will have an advisory committee which will help the
Central government with regard to forest conservation.

Wild Life Act 1972

This act aimed to protect and preserve all animals and plants that are not domesticated. This Act
provides for the protection of the country’s wild animals, birds, and plant species, in order to
ensure environmental and ecological security. Among other things, the Act lays down
restrictions on hunting many animal species. The Act was last amended in the year 2006.
Features of Wildlife Protection Act
 This Act provides for the protection of a listed species of animals, birds, and plants, and
also for the establishment of a network of ecologically-important protected areas in the
country.
 The Act provides for the formation of wildlife advisory boards, wildlife wardens,
specifies their powers and duties, etc.
 The Act prohibited the hunting of endangered species.
 Scheduled animals are prohibited from being traded as per the Act’s provisions.
 The Act provides for licenses for the sale, transfer, and possession of some wildlife
species.
 It provides for the establishment of wildlife sanctuaries, national parks, etc.
Function of wildlife advisory board:
 Empowering authorities to handle various wildlife related issues
 Selection of area to declare as sanctuaries national parks and closed areas
 Formulation of policy for protection and conservation of wild life and plants
 Harmonizing the protection of wildlife with the needs of tribal
 Constitution and function of zoo
 Other entrusted duties by the government
 The board has the power for imposing penalty for violating the act
ISSUES INVOLVED IN THE ENFORCEMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL
LEGISLATION
• The Precautionary Principle
This principle has evolved to deal with risks and uncertainties faced by environmental
management; it does not prevent problems but may reduce their occurrence
 The Polluters Pay
The Polluters Pay principle is the commonly accepted practice that those who produce pollution
should bear the cost of managing it to prevent damage to human health or environment
  Environmental Information Regulation
The EIR grant a right for any person to request access to environmental information held by
public authorities and for public authorities to take steps proactively make environmental
information available to public.