NCERT Solutions - Human Settlements

Q1: Choose the right answers of the following from the given options.
(i) Which one of the following towns is NOT located on a river bank?
(a) Agra
(b) Bhopal
(c) Patna
(d) Kolkata
Ans: (b)
Explanation: Bhopal is not situated on a major river; it is built around natural lakes (Upper and Lower Lake). Agra lies on the Yamuna, Patna on the Ganga and Kolkata on the Hooghly (a distributary of the Ganga), so these are river-bank towns.

(ii) Which one of the following is NOT the part of the definition of a town as per the census of India?
(a) Population density of 400 persons per sq km.
(b) Presence of municipality, corporation, etc.
(c) More than 75% of the population engaged in primary sector.
(d) Population size of more than 5,000 persons.
Ans: (c)
Explanation: The census definition requires at least 75% of the male main workers to be engaged in non-agricultural activities (not the primary sector). The other conditions - minimum population of 5,000, density of 400 persons per sq km and presence of statutory urban local bodies - are part of the definition.

(iii) In which one of the following environments does one expect the presence of dispersed rural settlements?
(a) Alluvial plains of Ganga
(b) Arid and semi-arid regions of Rajasthan
(c) Lower valleys of Himalayas
(d) Forests and hills in north-east
Ans: (d)
Explanation: Dispersed settlements occur where terrain, vegetation and land use lead to isolated homesteads or small hamlets, for example in forested hills and north-eastern uplands. Fertile alluvial plains more commonly have compact or nucleated villages; arid and valley regions show other patterns depending on water availability and landholding.

Q2: Answer the following questions in about 30 words.
(i) What are garrison towns? What is their function? 
Ans: Garrison or cantonment towns are settlements where military units are permanently stationed. Their functions include defence, training, administration and accommodation for troops; they also support related offices and services. Examples: Ambala, Mhow, Jalandhar.

(ii) What are the main factors for the location of villages in desert regions?
Ans: The main factors for the location of villages in desert regions are-

• Availability of water: Water is vital for human survival and agriculture in dry desert regions; villages often cluster around wells, springs, tanks or oases to make optimum use of scarce water.
• Access to nearby resources and markets: Villages are usually sited so that daily or short-distance movement to grazing land, cultivated plots, trade routes or neighbouring settlements is feasible.

Q3: Answer the following questions in about 150 words.
(i) Discuss the features of different types of rural settlements. What are the factors responsible for the settlement patterns in different physical environments?
Ans: Rural settlements in India show varied patterns shaped by physical, social and economic factors. Major influences include:

• Physical features - nature of terrain, altitude, climate and availability of water.
• Cultural and social factors - community structure, caste arrangements and ethnic traditions affecting house grouping and village layout.
• Security considerations - need for defence against theft or raids has encouraged compact settlement in some regions.

Guided by these factors, rural settlements are broadly of four types:

• Clustered Settlements: Houses are closely built together, with living areas distinct from surrounding fields. Patterns may be rectangular, radial or linear. These are common on fertile alluvial plains and in parts of the northeast. Compact form may also arise for defence or to conserve scarce water (for example, some areas of Rajasthan).
• Semi-Clustered Settlements: These are partially nucleated with some sections of the population living slightly apart from the main cluster. Often dominant land-owning groups occupy the centre, while lower strata live on the margins.
• Hamleted Settlements:Large villages fragmented into physically separate units or hamlets that share a common village name. Local terms include panna, para, palli, dhani, etc. Social and ethnic segmentation commonly causes this pattern.
• Dispersed Settlements:Isolated huts, farmsteads or small hamlets scattered across the landscape. This pattern occurs where terrain is highly fragmented (hills, forests) or where land use (extensive grazing or shifting cultivation) promotes separation of dwellings from one another.

(ii) Can one imagine the presence of only one-function town? Why do the cities become multi functional?
Ans: It is unrealistic to find a purely one-function town because, as settlements grow, activities diversify and interlink. Several forces make cities multifunctional:

• Economic diversification - industry, trade, services and administration develop together to meet local and regional demand.
• Linkages and agglomeration - firms and services cluster for access to labour, markets and suppliers, creating multiple economic functions in the same place.
• Transport and communication - improved connectivity attracts commerce, warehousing and logistics alongside original functions.
• Population growth and services - rising population increases demand for housing, education, health and entertainment, leading to new functions.
• Administrative and political roles - towns often gain administrative or institutional functions that add to existing economic roles.

Examples show specialised towns evolving into multifunctional cities; for instance, a port or industrial town later also becomes a commercial, administrative and educational centre as it expands.