- (a). Intensive cultivation
- (b). Deforestation
- (c). Over irrigation
- (d). Overgrazing
Over-irrigation causes waterlogging and increases salinity and alkalinity in Punjab’s soils.
(c) Over irrigation
- (a). Punjab
- (b). Plains of Uttar Pradesh
- (c). Haryana
- (d). Uttarakhand
Terraces reduce runoff and erosion on hill slopes, so they are practised in Himalayan states such as Uttarakhand.
(d) Uttarakhand
- (a). Uttar Pradesh
- (b). Maharashtra
- (c). Rajasthan
- (d). Jharkhand
Black soil covers much of the Deccan Trap region, including Maharashtra.
(b) Maharashtra
The black-soil belt lies across the Deccan Trap region.
Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat have extensive black soil. Its moisture retention and clayey character make it especially suitable for cotton, the principal crop associated with it.
Deltaic alluvium is described under alluvial soils.
Alluvial soil occurs in the eastern coastal deltas. It is deposited by rivers, contains varying proportions of sand, silt and clay, and is very fertile, with adequate potash, phosphoric acid and lime for crops such as paddy and sugarcane.
These methods reduce the speed of water and bind exposed soil.
Contour ploughing, terrace farming and strip cropping slow runoff on slopes. Afforestation, shelter belts and controlled grazing hold soil with vegetation and prevent gullies from developing.
The answer synthesises the land-use categories and pressure on forest land.
India’s land is divided among forests, land not available for cultivation, other uncultivated land, fallow land and net sown area. The pattern varies with physical factors such as topography, climate and soil and with population, technology and culture. Net sown area is high in Punjab and Haryana but low in Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Forest area remains below the desired 33 per cent. Since 1960–61 it has increased only modestly because land faces competing demands from agriculture, settlements, roads, industries, mining and development projects. Degraded forests and incomplete reporting also limit the recorded gain, while afforestation has not fully offset diversion and depletion.
Grounded in the chapter’s link between resources, technology, institutions and indiscriminate consumption.
Technology enables humans to locate, extract, process and transport resources on a much larger scale. Industrialisation turns minerals, energy, forests and water into mass-produced goods, while mechanised agriculture raises demand for land, irrigation and chemical inputs. Economic growth increases incomes, urbanisation, infrastructure, electricity use and consumption of vehicles and appliances. Global trade also lets distant markets draw on local resources. When development is driven by accumulation and unequal access, a small group may consume far more than basic needs while extraction creates depletion and pollution. Resource planning, efficiency, recycling and equitable, sustainable use are therefore necessary.