Geographical Perspective on Selected Issues & Problems Class 12 Geography

Environmental Pollution

Environmental pollution refers to the discharge of materials and energy resulting from the disposal of human-generated waste products. There are different types of pollution, which are categorized based on the means by which pollutants are dispersed and spread. The following is a classification of pollution according to this criterion.

Types and Sources of Pollution

Water Pollution

• Water pollution is defined as the introduction of harmful substances and particles into water bodies, resulting in contamination and the degradation of water quality for use.
• Water quality is getting worse mainly due to several factors, including the rapid growth of the population and expanding industries.
• Surface water found in rivers, canals, lakes, and similar places contains impurities such as suspended particles, and both organic and inorganic substances, which means it is not pure.
• Water becomes polluted when the amount of these substances exceeds a certain level, making it unsafe for human use and reducing its ability to clean itself.

A pollutant is a substance that causes pollution. Pollutants can be solids, liquids, or gases that are present in higher concentrations than usual, resulting from human activities or natural events.

Sources of Water Pollution

• There are two main sources of water pollution: natural and human.
• Natural sources include things like erosion, landslides, and the decay of plants and animals.
• However, human activities are the main cause of water pollution today, with industries, agriculture, and cultural practices playing significant roles.
• Industrial activities are a major source of water pollution.

Effects of Water Pollution

• Using contaminated water can cause serious health problems, leading to various waterborne diseases like diarrhea, intestinal worms, and hepatitis.
• The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that about one-fourth of communicable diseases in India are caused by contaminated water.

Sources of Pollution in the Ganga and the Yamuna Rivers

To improve the conditions of rivers The Union Government has Namami Ganga Programme which aims to develop sewage systems, monitor industrial waste, enhance riverfronts, promote afforestation, clean the river, establish Ganga Grams in several states, and raise public awareness to reduce pollution.

Question for Chapter Notes - Geographical Perspective on Selected Issues & Problems

Try yourself:The major factor responsible for water pollution is

• A.

  decomposition of plants.
• B.

  human activities.
• C.

  landslides.
• D.

  hurricanes.

Explanation

Though water pollutants are also created from natural sources (erosion, landslides, decay and decomposition of plants and animals, etc.) pollutants from human sources are the real causes of concern. Human beings pollute the water through industrial, agricultural and cultural activities.

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Air Pollution

•  Air pollution is the presence of harmful substances, organic molecules, or pollutants in the Earth's atmosphere. This includes excessive gases, like carbon dioxide and other vapors, that natural cycles, such as the carbon or nitrogen cycles, cannot effectively eliminate.
•  The release of toxic gases into the air has increased due to the growing use of different fuels for energy across various industries, leading to more air pollution.   

Sources of Air Pollution

 The main causes of air pollution include: 

• Burning fossil fuels
• Mining
• Industrial activities that emit substances like oxides of sulfur, nitrogen, hydrocarbons, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, lead, and asbesto

Effects of Air Pollution

• Health issues: Air pollution can lead to serious health problems, including diseases of the respiratory, nervous, and circulatory systems.
• Urban smog: This is a thick, smoky fog that appears in cities due to air pollution, which can harm human health.
• Acid rain: Air pollution causes acid rain, which is the first rain after summer that is more acidic than later rains. This can seriously damage the environment and its ecosystems.

Noise Pollution

• Noise pollution is the term used to describe any noise that is unbearable or uncomfortable to human beings.
•  It is a relatively recent issue that has become a significant concern due to advances in technology.
•  The sound level of constant noise is measured in decibels (dB).

Sources of Noise Pollution

• Several sources contribute to noise pollution, including factories, mechanized construction and demolition works, automobiles, and aircraft.
•  Other periodic sources include sirens, loudspeakers at festivals and events, and various community activities. 
• Traffic noise is a major contributor to noise pollution and can cause significant inconvenience to people. The intensity and nature of traffic noise depend on factors such as the type of vehicle, road condition, and vehicle condition.
• In sea traffic, noise pollution is primarily limited to the harbor due to container loading and unloading activities. 
• Industrial noise pollution is also a significant issue, with intensity varying based on factors such as industry type and machine/tool types.
• The intensity of noise pollution decreases with increasing distance from the source of pollution, such as industrial areas, transportation routes, and airports. Therefore, the location is a crucial factor when it comes to noise pollution.

Effects of Noise Pollution

• In several large cities and metropolitan areas of India, noise pollution is a significant cause of mental issues such as anxiety, tension, and other disorders.

Urban Waste Disposal

• Urban areas are often crowded and face issues like traffic jams, growing populations, and insufficient infrastructure.
•  A significant problem is the mismanagement of solid waste,     which includes various discarded items such as metals, glassware, plastic containers, polythene bags, ashes, floppy disks, CDs
• These wastes come from both households and industries.
  (a) Household waste is often dumped on public lands or taken to private  contractor sites.
  (b) Industrial waste is usually disposed of in low-lying public areas or  landfills by public services.
• With more factories located near urban centers, the amount of industrial waste being disposed of has increased.
• Smaller towns and cities face greater difficulties with solid waste management compared to major cities like Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, and Bangalore, where about 90% of waste is collected and dealt with effectively.
• In smaller towns, only 30-50% of waste is properly collected, leading to waste piling up on streets, open spaces between homes and wastelands.

Impacts of Improper Management of Solid Waste

• Improper waste handling poses a serious risk to human health and can spread diseases like typhoid, diptheria ,malaria, diarrhea, cholera
• When waste builds up, it creates bad smells and attracts flies and rodents, leading to more diseases.
• If waste is not managed properly, it can be blown around by the wind or washed away by rain, causing further problems for people.
• Dumping industrial waste into water bodies leads to water pollution.
• Untreated sewage in drains can also cause numerous health issues.
• Sewage that ferments slowly releases harmful gases like methane into the air, worsening the situation.

However, solid waste can be a useful resource it can be used for energy generation through composting.

This approach not only helps with the energy shortage in urban areas but also provides a sustainable solution for waste management.

Rural-Urban Migration

•  Factors: Driven by higher labor demand in cities, fewer job opportunities in rural areas, and development disparities.
• Job Opportunities : Medium and small cities offer limited job prospects, leading migrants to seek work in larger cities.
• Economic Impact: Migrant workers, like welders and carpenters, send remittances home, improving their families' living conditions.
• Separation Challenges : Temporary jobs lead to family separation, causing emotional distress for workers and their families.
• Adaptation Issues:  Migrants often face difficulties adjusting to new urban cultures, while their families remain in rural areas to manage household responsibilities.

Trend of Urbanisation in the World

• Urban Population Growth:  More than half of the world's population lived in urban areas in 2011, projected to increase by 1.44% annually from 2025 to 2030.
• Future Urbanization:  By 2050, around 68% of the global population is expected to reside in urban areas, putting pressure on infrastructure, sanitation, healthcare, crime, and poverty.
• Causes of Urban Growth:  Growth factors include high birth rates, low mortality, migration, and reclassification of rural areas as urban.
• India's Urban Growth:  Since 1961, around 60% of India's urban population growth is due to rural-urban migration, contributing to 29% of the increase.
• Government Challenges: Urban population growth will require governments to upgrade infrastructure and services to maintain living standards.

Case Study

• Ramesh's Migration for Work : Due to poverty and inspiration from successful migrants, Ramesh moved from his village to Ludhiana in 1988 in search of work, leaving behind a family burdened by debt and limited land resources.
• Early Struggles : In Ludhiana, he worked in a woolen factory earning just Rs. 20 per day, facing difficulties in managing expenses and adjusting to a new culture.
• Skill Development : Ramesh moved to Surat, learned welding, and began working as a contract laborer, eventually traveling across cities like Mumbai and Gandhi Nagar for work.
• Family Support & Improved Living Standards : He sent Rs. 20,000 annually to his family, which was used for daily expenses, healthcare, education, agriculture, and purchasing land, significantly improving their standard of living. 
• Emotional Sacrifice : Although Ramesh's financial condition improved, he continues to face the emotional toll of being separated from his family, as his job is temporary and involves frequent relocation.

Essence of the Case Study: The case highlights the economic struggles and eventual improvement in living conditions for Ramesh's family due to migration and remittances. However, it also emphasizes the personal sacrifices migrants make, such as separation from family and challenges of adapting to new places.

Problems of Slums

•  The study of settlement geography looks at two main areas: urban and rural. 
•  These terms mean different things in different countries and are defined by their roles and how they depend on each other. 
• Cultural, economic, and technological factors also help to differentiate urban and rural areas. 
•  In India, about 68.84% of the population lives in rural areas, according to the 2011 census. 
•  Rural regions often face poor living conditions and mostly depend on primary activities, like farming. 
• Mahatma Gandhi viewed villages as ideal republics that support urban centers by providing resources. 
•  Urban areas are generally more developed in terms of social, economic, and political factors. 
•  They have farmhouses, high-income neighborhoods, wide roads, streetlights, and facilities for water and sanitation. 
•  Urban areas also include amenities like lawns, well-kept greenbelts, parks, and playgrounds. 
•  These places provide better security and privacy for their residents. 
•  However, urban areas also contain slums, jhuggi jhopari clusters, and shanty towns that are in poor condition. 
•  These areas are often home to migrants who have moved from rural areas to cities seeking work and a better life. 
•  Unfortunately, due to high rent and land prices, many cannot afford decent housing and end up in substandard living situations. 

Characteristics of Slums

• Slums are neighborhoods where people live when they can't afford better homes.
• These areas usually have poor housing and lack basic services like Clean drinking, water sanitation facilities (like toilets), Good ventilation
• Slums are often crowded, with narrow streets that increase the chance of fires.
• People living in slums generally work in low-paying and unsafe jobs within the city, making them more likely to face health issues
•  Due to their low income, many cannot afford to send their children to school, which keeps the cycle of poverty going.
• The difficult conditions in slums also make residents more susceptible to Drug abuse, Alcoholism, Crime, Vandalism, Escapism (avoiding reality), Apathy (lack of interest), Social exclusion (feeling left out)

The Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) is part of the urban renewal mission launched by the Government of India to improve the quality of life in urban slums.

Land Degradation

• Land degradation is generally referred to either as a temporary or a permanent decline in productive capacity of the land
• This degradation can happen because of: 
  1- Soil Erosion
  2-Water logging
  3-Salinisation
  4-Alkanisation

•  Not all land that is degraded becomes wasteland, but if the issues causing degradation are not addressed, it can eventually lead to wasteland. 
•  Both natural events and human activities can lead to land degradation, which results in a drop in the land's quality. 

Classification of Wastelands

The National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) is responsible for identifying and categorizing wastelands in India using remote sensing techniques. The classification is based on the processes that have led to their formation:

• Wastelands caused by natural agents include gullied/ravined land, desertic or coastal sand, barren rocky areas, steep sloping land, glacial areas, etc.
• Wastelands caused by both natural and human factors include water-logged and marshy areas, land affected by salinity and alkalinity, and land with and without scrubs that are degraded by both natural and human factors.
• Wastelands caused by human action include shifting cultivation areas, degraded land under plantation crops, degraded forests, degraded pastures, and mining and industrial wastelands.

Case Study

• Tribal Livelihoods & Resource Degradation : Jhabua district in Madhya Pradesh, largely inhabited by the Bhil tribal population, faces significant poverty exacerbated by severe land and forest degradation.
• Watershed Management Success : Government watershed management programs, funded by the Ministries of Rural Development and Agriculture, have helped prevent land degradation and improve soil quality, benefiting 20% of the district.
• Community Participation : In Petlawad block, the Bhil community actively participated in revitalizing common resources, planting trees, grass, and adopting social-fencing to sustain pasture lands.
• Conflict Resolution : A land encroachment issue was resolved by including the defaulter in the user group, demonstrating innovative conflict management and cooperative land usage.
• Sustainable Practices: The villagers practiced sustainable cattle feeding (stall feeding) on the developed pastures, ensuring long-term sustainability of resources.