Class 10 Social Science Previous Year Questions - Water Resources

Ans: (d)
In Meghalaya, farmers use a unique method called bamboo drip irrigation, which involves directing water through bamboo tubes to irrigate their fields. This traditional system is efficient and well-suited to the hilly terrain of the region, allowing for sustainable agriculture even in areas with limited water resources.

Ans: (d)
The Tungabhadra Dam is located in the state of Karnataka. Therefore, the correct answer is (d) Karnataka. 

Ans: (i) The water harvesting system emerges as a viable alternative due to its dual benefits—socio-economic and environmental friendliness.
(ii) 'Rooftop Rainwater Harvesting' involves capturing rainwater from the roof, storing it in reservoirs, and providing a sustainable source of drinking water, especially notable in Rajasthan.
(iii) Ancient India employed diverse water conservation methods, such as building diversion channels like 'guls' or 'kuls' in the Western Himalayas for agriculture and creating rainfed storage structures like 'Khadins' in Jaisalmer and 'Johads' in Rajasthan's other regions.

Ans: (d)
Over-utilisation is mainly responsible for declining water level in India. A s the population increases, the consumption of water also increases.

Ans: (i) In hilly regions, people engineered diversion channels like ‘guls’ or ‘kuls’ in the Western Himalayas to support agriculture.

(ii) 'Rooftop rainwater harvesting' was a common practice in Rajasthan for storing drinking water.

(iii) In Bengal's floodplains, people ingeniously developed inundation channels for field irrigation.

(iv) Arid and semi-arid regions transformed agricultural fields into rainfed storage structures like 'Khadins' in Jaisalmer and 'Johads' in Rajasthan, while regions like Bikaner, Phalodi, and Barmer adopted underground tanks for drinking water.

Ans: Archaeological and historical records reveal India's rich tradition of sophisticated hydraulic structures:

• In the 1st century B.C., Sringaverapura near Allahabad showcased advanced water harvesting, channeling Ganga's floodwaters.
• During Chandragupta Maurya's rule, extensive construction of dams, lakes, and irrigation systems occurred.
• Evidence of sophisticated irrigation works is found in places like Kalinga, Nagarjunakonda, Bennur, and Kolhapur. In the 11th century, the construction of Bhopal Lake and the 14th-century tank in Hauz Khas, Delhi, further demonstrates India's historical prowess in hydraulic engineering.

Ans:  Water scarcity in India is exacerbated by its large and growing population:

• Greater demands for water arise not only from domestic use but also from increased food production.
• Densely populated areas experience groundwater over-exploitation, significantly lowering water tables.
• Industrial demands and associated pollution further strain freshwater resources, contributing to water scarcity in many Indian cities.

Ans: Resistance to these projects (Narmada Bachao Andolan and Tehri Dam Andolan) has primarily been due to the large-scale displacement of local communities. So, if the local people are not benefiting from such projects then who is benefited? With abundance of water many farmers shifting to water intensive and commercial crops. This has great ecological consequences like salinization of the soil. It has transformed the social landscape i.e. increasing the social gap between the richer landowners and the landless poor.

Ans: Urbanization exacerbates water scarcity in India due to:

• Increased water demand for personal use in densely populated urban centers.
• Over-exploitation of groundwater by housing societies and colonies.
• Industries in urban areas contribute to water stress through high consumption and pollution.

Ans: Damming of rivers affects their natural flow causing poor sediment flow and excessive sedimentation at the bottom of the reservoir, and poorer habitat for the rivers’ aquatic life. Dams also fragment rivers making it difficult for aquatic fauna to migrate, especially for spawning. Reservoirs created on the floodplains also submerge the existing vegetation and soil leading to its decomposition.

Ans: A large amount of this precious water just drains away. The only way to save this water from wastage is by rainwater harvesting. In its simplest form it involves storing the rainwater in tanks, or by making embankments etc. The different methods of rainwater harvesting used in India have been as follows:
(a) Guls or Kuls in the Western Himalayas.
(b) Rooftop rainwater harvesting in Rajasthan associated with tankas. Khadins in Jaisalmer and Johads in other parts of Rajasthan were also popular.
(c) Inundation channels in West Bengal
(d) In Meghalaya which gets copious rain, rainwater harvesting is commonly practiced.
(e) In modern civil construction and housing societies provision for rainwater harvesting.

Ans: In Meghalaya, a system of tapping stream and spring water by using bamboo pipes is prevalent. This system solved the problem of acute shortage of water, to some extent.

Ans: Tamil Nadu has made roof top rainwater harvesting structure compulsory to all the houses across the state. This provision helped the state Tamil Nadu to solve the problem of acute shortage of water.

Ans: (a) Regulating and damming of rivers affect their natural flow causing poor sediment flow and excessive sedimentation at the bottom of the reservoir, resulting in rockier stream beds and poorer habitats for the rivers’ aquatic life.
(b) Dams also fragment rivers making it difficult for aquatic fauna to migrate, especially for spawning.
(c) The reservoirs that are created on the floodplains also submerge the existing vegetation and soil leading to its decomposition over a period of time.

Ans: Water scarcity in most cases results from over-exploitation, excessive use, and unequal access among social groups:

• Over-exploitation is evident through extensive tubewell use for irrigation and industrial purposes.
• Excessive use is seen in urban areas where water is wasted due to inadequate recycling.
• Unequal access is apparent with affluent individuals having ample water while the poor face limited supply.

Ans: (a) Rainwater harvesting is a technique of increasing the recharge of groundwater by capturing and storing rainwater by constructing structures, such as dugwells, percolation pits, checkdams.
(b) (i) In arid and semi-arid regions, agricultural fields were converted into rain fed storage structures that allowed the water to stand and moisten the soil like the ‘Khadins’ in Jaisalmer and ‘Johads’ in other parts of Rajasthan.
(ii) In Bikaner, Phalodi and Banner, almost all the houses had underground tanks for storing drinking water.

Ans: Water scarcity means shortage of water. It is usually associated with regions having low ground water but it can also be about inferior quality of the water available. There are many other reasons which can cause scarcity of water. 
India has a monsoon type of climate which guarantees appropriate rainfall, yet it has water scarcity because: 
(1) The availability of water resources varies over space and time, mainly due to the variations in seasonal and annual precipitation. 
(2) Over-exploitation, excessive use and unequal access to water among different social groups of citizens also causes scarcity. 
(3) Water scarcity may be an outcome of a large and growing population and consequent greater demand for water. 
(4) Most farmers have their personal wells and tubewells in their farms for irrigation to increase their production. Excessive exploitation of groundwater can cause water scarcity. 
(5) Water scarcity can also be caused due to availability of inferior quality of water. This happens because industrial and domestic waste are released into water bodies making them unfit for use.

Ans: Intensive industrialisation and urbanisation has put greater pressure on existing fresh water resources as: 
(1) With the rising number of industries, the demand for water, as a consequence, has grown tremendously. 
(2) Industries are heavy users of fresh water as water is required for cooling the machines and processing of goods. 
(3) The untreated industrial effluents which are discharged into water bodies pollute the water making it hazardous for human consumption causing qualitative scarcity. 
(4) Urban lifestyles have further aggravated the problem. Urban population overdraws the groundwater by using their own groundwater pumping devices. 
(5) Large populations have greater demand of water for consumption and domestic purposes which in turn has increased the stress on water bodies in regions surrounding them.