Unit 3 EVS

Natural
Resources
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UNIT – I (1 -2 Weeks)
Introduction to Environmental Studies (1 lectures and 1 practical/ outreach activities)
• Multidisciplinary nature of environmental studies; components of environment:
atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, and biosphere
• Scope and importance; Concept of sustainability and sustainable development; Brief
history of environmentalism

UNIT – II (3-7 Weeks)

Ecosystems (5 lectures and 7 practical/ outreach activities)
• Definition and concept of Ecosystem
• Structure of ecosystem (biotic and abiotic components); Functions of Ecosystem:
Physical (energy flow), Biological (food chains, food web, ecological succession), and
Biogeochemical (nutrient cycling) processes. Concepts of productivity, ecological
pyramids and homeostasis
• Types of Ecosystems: Tundra, Forest, Grassland, Desert, Aquatic (ponds, streams, lakes,
rivers, oceans, estuaries); importance and threats with relevant examples from India
• Ecosystem services (Provisioning, Regulating, Cultural, and Supporting); Ecosystem
preservation and conservation strategies; Basics of Ecosystem restoration
UNIT – III (8-11 Weeks)
Natural Resources (5 lectures and 6 practical/ outreach activities)
• Land resources: Minerals, soil, agricultural crops, natural forest products, medicinal
plants, and forest-based industries and livelihoods; Land cover, land use change, land
degradation, soil erosion, and desertification; Causes of deforestation; Impacts of mining
and dam building on environment, forests, biodiversity, and tribal communities
• Water resources: Natural and man-made sources; Uses of water; Over exploitation of
surface and ground water resources; Floods, droughts, and international &inter- state
conflicts over water
• Energy resources: Renewable and non-renewable energy sources; Use of alternate energy
sources; Growing energy needs; Energy contents of coal, petroleum, natural gas and bio
gas; Agro-residues as a biomass energy source
• Case studies: Contemporary Indian issues related to mining, dams, forests, energy, etc
(e.g., National Solar Mission, Cauvery River water conflict, Sardar Sarovar dam, Chipko
movement, Appiko movement, Tarun Bharat Sangh, etc)
UNIT – IV (12-15 Weeks)

Environmental Pollution and Control (4 lectures and 6 practical/ outreach activities)

• Environmental pollution (Air, water, soil, thermal, and noise): causes, effects, and
controls; Primary and secondary air pollutants; Air and water quality standards
• Nuclear hazards and human health risks
• Solid waste management: Control measures for various types of urban, industrial
waste,
Hazardous waste, E-waste, etc; Waste segregation and disposal
• Pollution control measures: Introduction to legal, biological, and physico-chemical
methods; Role in sustainability
• Pollution case studies: Ganga Action plan (GAP), Delhi air pollution and public health
issues, Plastic waste management rules, Bhopal gas tragedy, etc
Natural
Resources
• Our environment provides us with a variety of goods
and services necessary for our day to day lives.

• These natural resources include, air, water, soil,

minerals .

• Land is one of the most valuable resource for

mankind as well as one of nature’s most precious
gifts.

• It is that part of lithosphere that sustains life as well

as provides various existential resources to human
beings.
 Important Resources Provided By Land

Minerals Soils Agriculture Forest Medicinal

Products plants
Land
Resources
Minerals
• Almost all minerals are found in the
earth’s crust.

• Minerals are non-renewable resources

and include metals like iron, copper,
aluminium etc and non-metals like
phosphates, gypsum, clay, sand etc.

• Minerals are extremely valuable to

humans as they are essential raw
material in industries and play a major
role in overall development of nation
Soil
• Soil is defined as the outermost thin layer
of earth’s crust which serves as the natural
medium for growth of plants.

• Soil is a renewable resource which is

constantly being formed and destroyed,
mainly by erosion process.

• The topmost layer of soil rich in organic

matter is called humus and is the most
fertile layer.

• The major soil groups found in India are

alluvial soil, black soil, red soil, laterite
soil, desert soil and acid soils.
Agriculture
most dominant use of land resource by
humans.

Agricultural productivity has increased

manifold globally over the last 70-80
years due to increased use of fertilizers
and pesticides.

But this highly chemical intensive

agriculture has also adversely impacted
the land and its associated resources.
Natural Forest Products
• Forest products are materials derived
from forests for consumption and
profitable use.

• These mainly include timber,

firewood, wood pulp for paper and
forage for livestock.

• There are also other non-wood

products that are derived from forests
which include nuts, resins, gum,
medicinal plants, edible fruits, oils etc
• valuable natural resources.

• used by human communities

since prehistoric times. Medicinal
• About 80% of the world’s
developing countries are
Plants
dependent on these traditional
medicinal plants for primary
health care.(major/minor
diseases)
Forest Based Industries
• Forest Have Played A Significant Role In Building Up The Economy Of Various Countries
And Have Provided A Means Of Living To Millions Of People.

• Source Of Raw Materials For Large, Medium And Small Scale Industries.

• About Two Billion People Use Fuelwood And Charcoal As Their Main Source Of Energy
For Cooking And For Heating Their Homes.

• Many Sell Timber From Their Land Areas To Logging Companies, Or Make And Sell
Furniture And Handicrafts.

• And Industrial Logging Provides Employment And Earnings For People In Countries Like
Brazil, India, China And Indonesia.
Land Cover &
Land Usage
Change
• Land Cover Refers To The Observed Biophysical Cover On The Surface Of The
Earth Whether Vegetation, Water, Bare Soil Or Urban Infrastructure.

• Different Types Of Forests, Woodlands, Shrublands, Grasslands Wetlands

And Deserts.

• The Global Land Area Is 13.2 Billion Ha. Of This, 12 Percent (1.6 Billion Ha) Is
Under Cultivation, 28 Percent (3.7 Billion Ha) Is Under Forest And 35 Percent
(4.6 Billion Ha) Comprises Grassland And Woodland Ecosystems.
• Land use refers to the purpose the land serves, for example,
recreation, wildlife habitat, or agriculture.

• To illustrate this with an example, ‘grassland’ is a term used for

land cover, while ‘agricultural land’, a ‘horse ranch’ or a ‘tennis
court’ refers to the land use of grassland.
• Since the start of human civilization (ca 3500 BC onwards), land has been
increasing used for settlements, agricultural purposes, grazing of animals,
mining, urbanization and industrialization

• The rapid and large scale human intervention in converting natural

landscapes for our own usage has resulted in devastating effects on both
biotic and abiotic components of ecosystem. The increased demand for
water, waste disposal and food requirements has resulted in land being used
in an unsustainable manner, leading to its degradation.
Land
Degradation
Land degradation is defined as the deterioration of the productive capacity of
land due to overexploitation by humans.

The major causes of land degradation are:

a) Deforestation
b) Soil erosion
c) Unpredictable weather patterns or climatic conditions
d) Droughts and floods
e) Modern agricultural practices
f) Soil pollution
g) Increasing urbanization
Soil Erosion
• Soil erosion is the loss or removal of
top layer of soil due to natural
physical agents like wind, water and
even gravity.

• As the topmost layer of soil is the

most fertile layer, being extremely
rich in organic matter and nutrients,
erosion leads to reduced
productivity of the soil, which in
turn results in the soil unable to
support vegetation
The various natural and anthropogenic (human originated) reasons for soil erosion are:

a) Slope of surface: Soil erosion is more common in hill slopes which gets aggravated with
removal of natural vegetation
b) Soil content: Soil with higher content of sand is more prone to erosion as compared to
soil with higher clay amount.
c) Weather and climatic conditions: natural factors like high intensity rainfall, floods and
droughts also increases soil erosion in affected areas. With global warming and climate
change as a major threat, such natural disasters are becoming more frequent leading to
soil erosion in many areas
d) Deforestation: Deforestation leads to reduction in tree roots, which performed a major
function of holding the soil together. In absence of a strong hold, soil is prone to erosion
e) Extensive agriculture and cultivation
f) Over grazing
 Desertification

Desertification is an extreme case of land degradation in which semidry regions, becomes

increasingly arid resulting in loss of water bodies, vegetation and wildlife. It is caused by a
variety of factors, which includes both anthropogenic activities as well as climate change.
• Deforestation
• Overgrazing
• Modern Agricultural Practices
• Increasing Urbanization
• Mismanagement Of Water Resource
• Exploitation Of Ground Water And Destruction Of Wetland Regions
• When Such Degraded Land
• Drought Erratic Weather Conditions, Rainfall Deficiency

for a continuous period, it results in the land losing its productivity to such an extent that it
resembles desert like conditions.
Deforestation
and causes
• Deforestation is the clearing or permanent removal of forest areas so that it is available for
other uses.

• Deforestation is the root cause for land degradation, soil erosion and desertification.
Causes
• Agriculture And Plantation
• Urbanization
• Harvesting Wood For Use As Firewood And Timber
• Forest fires
• Mining: With increasing demand for metallic resources, mining has become a
major economic activity. Large-scale mining operations, especially those using
open-pit mining techniques, has resulted in significant deforestation
Impacts Of Mining
And Dam Building
Since industrial revolution, mines and dams have become essential drivers for economic
growth.

The second half of twentieth century has witnessed a massive increase in mining
operations and dam constructions, especially in developing countries.

Although both mining and dams are of much benefit to human society and development, they
have devastating impacts on the environment
Major Impacts
• Deforestation or loss of vegetation
• Pollution
• Land degradation and water loss
• Siltation (गाद)
• Impact of ecosystem and Biodiversity loss
• Displacement of local and indigenous communities
• Health problems and social issues: Mining operations have huge health
impacts on the people working in mines, as they are constantly exposed to
toxic metals, wastes and poisonous gases emanating from the mines
Water
Resources
• Our planet Earth is known as blue planet because of
the water that covers three-fourths of its surface.

• Without water, Life on Earth is impossible.

• All life-forms including bacteria, plants and animals

have 60-70% of water by their body weight.
 Natural Sources Of Water

Rain water Underground Lakes Rivers Ponds Oceans Glaciers

Water
Rain Water
• collecting and using rainwater is a
great way of conserving resources.

•
• collected water can be used for
cleaning, drinking, watering plants,
bathing or other home and
workplace uses
Underground Water
• India’s groundwater resources are almost ten times its annual rainfall

• Nearly 85% of currently exploited groundwater is used only for irrigation

• India is using its underground water resources at least twice as fast they are
being replenished. Already, excessive ground water mining has caused land
subsidence in several regions of Central Uttar Pradesh.
Lakes
• A Lake Refers To A Body Of Water
Surrounded By Land.

• There Are Numerous Lakes In The

World.

• Lakes Are Found On Every

Continent And In Different Kinds
Of Environments.

• Some Are Small While Others

Are Large.
Rivers
In our country, the
surface flow takes place
through 12 major rivers
namely Ganga,
Yamuna, Indus,
Brahmaputra, Cauvery,
Godavari, Krishna,
Mahanadi, Mahi,
Narmada, Pennar and
Tapi.
Ponds
• A Pond Is A Body Of
Fresh Water.

• The Difference Between

A Pond And A Lake Is
That It Is Significantly
Smaller And Shallower
Than A Lake.
Oceans
• An Ocean Is An
Enormous Body Of
Saltwater.

• The Ocean Is Divided

Into Regions Called The
Atlantic, Pacific, Arctic
And Indian Oceans
Glaciers
• A Glacier Is A Large Mass Of Perennial
Ice That Originates On Land.

• It Is Formed By The Recrystallisation

Of Snow. Sadly, Climate Change Is
Causing Glaciers To Melt.

• Global warming is the main reason

 Man Made Sources Of Water

Dams Bore holes Wells Canals

Uses of water; Over
exploitation of
surface and ground water
resources
• The rapid increase in the country’s population, from about 343 million at the time of
the independence to over 1000 million in 2000, accompanied by growth of agriculture,
industrialization, rapid urbanization, economic growth and improved access to basic
services has resulted in an increase in the demand for water .

• Overutilisation of water occurs at various levels. Most people use more water than they
really need.

• Most of us waste water during a bath by using a shower or during washing of clothes.
Many agriculturists use more water than necessary to grow crops.
Flood &
Drought
Floods
• In countries like India and Bangladesh where rainfall is majorly confined to monsoon
season, are prone to water related problems like flood and drought.

• Heavy rainfall during monsoon season often caused floods especially in low-lying areas.

• Persistent downpour causes overflowing of rivers and lakes resulting into floods.

• Nowadays, anthropogenic activities are majorly responsible for flood like situation and
every year one or the other state in India experiences severe flooding like that in 2017,
2018 and 2019 affected mainly Gujarat, Kerala and Maharashtra, respectively.
Drought
• Drought is another problem
associated with water resources.

• Whenever, the annual rainfall is

lower than the normal and less
than the annual evaporation, the
resultant situation is called as
drought.

• Globally, about 80 countries,

lying in semi-arid and arid regions
frequently experience drought.
International &
Inter- State
Conflicts Over
Water
Water Conflict In The Middle East
• Three River Basins, Namely The Jordan, The Tigris-euphrates And The Nile Are The
Shared Water Resources For Middle East Countries. Ethiopia Controls The Head Waters
Of 80% Of Nile's Flow And Plans To Increast It.

• Sudan Too Is Trying To Divert More Water. This Would Badly Affect Egypt, Which Is A
Desert, Except For A Thin Strip Of Irrigated Cropland Along The River Nile And Its Delta.

• The Population Of Egypt Is Likely To Double In The Next 20 Years, Thereby Increasing Its
Water Crisis.

• Likewise, There Is A Fierce Battle For Water Among Jordan, Syria And Israel For The
Jordan River Water Share
• Turkey has abundant water and plans to build 22 dams on Tigris-Euphrates
for Hydroelectric power generation.

• But, it would drastically reduce the flow of water to Syria and Iraq, lying
downstream.

• Turkey dreams to become the region water Super power. It plans to

transport and sell water to starved Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Syria, Israel and
Jordan. Probably, the next war in the Middle East would be fought over
water and not oil.
Energy
Resources
The term Energy was coined by Thomas Young
(1737-1829), eighty years after Newton and
applied it to what is now called kinetic energy. The
term Energy can be defined as the
“ability/capacity to do work”.
Renewable And Non-Renewable Energy Resources

Renewable Resources Which Can Be Generated Continuosly In Nature And Are Inexhaustible
: Wood, Solar Energy, Wind Energy, Tidal Energy, Hydropower, Biomass Energy, Bio-fuels,
Geothermal Energy And Hyrdogen.

Non Renewable Resources Which Have Accumulated In Nature Over A Long Span Of Time
And Cannot Be Quickly Replenished When Exhausted : Coal, Petroleum, Natural Gas
 Renewable Energy

Solar Wind Energy Hydro Tidal Geothermal Biogas

Energy Power Energy Energy
Solar Energy

The Sun is the

ultimate source of
energy for all other
forms of energy
either directly or
indirectly.
Wind Energy
• The wind energy can be captured by making use of
windmills. The force of the striking wind is the main
driving force that helps the blades of the windmill to
rotate continuously.

• The largest wind farm of our country is near Kanyakumari

in Tamil Nadu generating 380MW electricity.

• Wind energy is considered to be the second fastest

growing source of energy since 1990 and probably be the
cheapest source.
Hydro Power
• The Water Flowing In A River Is Collected By Constructing A Big Dam Where The Water
Is Stored And Allowed To Fall From A Height.

• The Blades Of The Turbine Located At The Bottom Of The Dam Move With The Fast
Moving Water Which In Turn Rotate The Generator And Produces Electricity.

• Hydropower Does Not Cause Any Pollution

• Renewable

• Hydropower Projects Are Multi Purpose Projects Helping In Controlling Floods, Used
For Irrigation Etc.
Tidal Energy
• The rise and fall of water in the oceans is referred to as the high
tide and low tide.

• In order to rotate the turbine, there is a requirement of several

meters difference between the high and low tide.

• In India, Gulf of Cambay, Gulf of Kutch (1000 MW) and the

Sunderban deltas (100 MW), Andaman and Nicobar Islands,
Lakshdweep Islands, the coasts of Odisha, Kerala, Tamil Nadu,
Karnataka and Maharashtra are the potential tidal power sites.
Geothermal Energy
• Geothermal energy is the energy which is produced from the hot rocks present
inside the earth.

• In many places below the surface of the earth high temperature and high pressure
steam fields are present.

• This energy in the form of steam or hot water either comes out to the ground from
the earth’s crust naturally through cracks in the form of natural geysers as in
Manikaran, Kullu and Sohana, Haryana.

• The energy which does not find any place to come out can be taken out by
artificially drilling a hole upto the hot rocks and by putting a pipe in it steam or hot
water can be gushed out through the pipe at high pressure that will turn the turbine
of a generator to produce electricity.
Biogas
Biogas Is A Mixture Of Methane, Carbon Dioxide, Hydrogen And Hydrogen Sulphide. Biogas
Is Produced By Anaerobic Degradation Of Animal Wastes (Sometimes Plant Wastes) In
Presence Of Water.

Anaerobic Degradation Means Breakdown Of Organic Matter By Bacteria In The Absence Of

Oxygen.

Advantages
• Pollution Free
• Clean
• Low Cost Fuel
• Useful For Rural Areas
 Non-Renewable Resources

Coal Petroleum Natural Nuclear

gas energy
Coal
• Coal was formed during the Carboniferous age around 255-350 million years ago, in
hot damp regions of the earth.

• The plants and animals that occurred during this period, along the banks of rivers
and swamps, got buried alive or after their death into the soil and due to heat
accompanied by pressures gradually got converted into peat and coal over a
millions of years of period.

• With present rate of consumption, the coal reserves are likely to last during next
200 years and if the use rate increases by 2% per year, then it will last within next 65
years.

• Coal reserves are unevenly distributed in the country, with the bulk reserves located
in the eastern states of Bihar, West Bengal and Odisha
Petroleum
• Petroleum is considered to be the lifeline of economy at global level and cleaner
than coal.

• Sixty seven (67%) of the total petroleum reserves are restricted to 13 countries in
the world which together form OPEC (Organisation of Petroleum Exporting
Countries). Saudi Arabia accounts for twenty five (25%) of the oil reserves.

• If we continue to use the crude oil at present rate, then the world’s crude oil
reserves are expected to be exhausted in next 40 years.
• In India, crude oil was first recovered from Makum in North East Assam.

• Later, drilling for crude oil was done at Digboi, Dibrugarh, Narharlatiya and Surma
valley in the north east.

• The oil field also lies around Bay of Cambay, Gujarat.

• The most important achievement was the exploration of oil in Bombay high on
the continental shelf of Maharshtra, located at a distance of 167 km north-west of
Mumbai. Recently oil has been located in the off-shore areas of deltaic coasts of
Godavari, Krishna, Cauvery and Mahanadi.
Natural Gas
• Natural gas, a fossil gift from nature, is composed of methane (95%) with small
amounts of ethane and propane.

• Among the fossil fuels, it is the cleanest source of energy.

• Natural gas can easily be transported through the pipelines.

• It burns without smoke and has high calorific value.

• It can be used as a source of energy for domestic as well as industrial purpose.

Nuclear Energy
• Known for its high destructive value, as evidenced from nuclear weapons, non-
renewable nuclear power can also be harnessed to produce energy of commercial
value.

• Nuclear power is the use of nuclear reactions to produce electricity.

• Nuclear power can be obtained from nuclear fission, nuclear decay and nuclear
fusion reactions.

• Presently, the vast majority of electricity from nuclear power is produced by

nuclear fission of uranium and plutonium in nuclear power plants.
Case Study
National Solar
Mission
• The National Solar Mission is also known by the name
the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission is among
one of the eighth key National mission’s which comprise
India’s National Action Plan on Climate Change
(NAPCC).

• NAPCC was launched on 30th June, 2008 by Dr.

Manmohan Singh which identified development of
solar energy technologies in the country as a National
Mission.

• In order to promote ecologically sustainable growth

and meet the challenge of India’s energy security the
national solar mission was launched by Government
of India and State Governments as a major initiative
• The Government of India approved National Solar
Mission on January 11, 2010

• Keeping in view this vision and the brand name “Solar

India”, The National Solar Mission was launched with
the prime objective to establish India as a global leader
in solar energy.
Case Study
Cauveri River
Dispute
• Cauvery River has an inter-State basin including its origin in Karnataka and flowing through
Tamil Nadu and Puducherry before terminating in Bay of Bengal.

• The total catchment basin of Cauvery river is 81.155sq.km which distributed among
Karnataka (34,273 sq.km), Kerala (2,866 sq.km), Tamil Nadu and Puducherry
(44,016sq.km).

• The dispute over distribution of Cauvery river water is about hundred-year-old.

• the river water is almost fully utilized by the upstream state, Karnataka and the
downstream state, Tamil Nadu.

• Both the states have increased demand of river water for agriculture and industries. To
resolve the issue, the Cauvery Water Dispute Tribunal (CWDT) was constituted in June 2,
1990.

• CWDT passes an interim order in 1991 directing the Karnataka state to release water from
its reservoirs to ensure 205 Thousand million cubic feet (TMC) of water into Mettur
reservoir of Tamil Nadu in a water year (1st June to 31 May) with weekly and monthly
stipulations.

• But since 1995, delayed rain and the complex cropping patten in Cauvery basin resulted
into a crisis like situation over sharing of the water between these two states. In 2007, The
Supreme Court (SC) reserved its decision on the appeals filed by states agsinst CWDT’s
final award.
The SC on 16 February 2018 delivered its verdict in the
Cauvery water dispute, allocating more water
to Karnataka state. As directed by SC, The Cauvery Water
Management Authority (CWMA)
and the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC)
were created to settle down the
century old dispute.
Case Study
Sardar Sarovar
Project
 Case Study
The Much Debated Sardar Sarovar Project Which Plans To Build
30 Big, 135 Medium And 3000 Minor Dams On The Narmada River
And Its Tributaries Is Estimated To Submerge Almost As Much Area
As It Is Meant To Irrigate. A Total Of 573 Villages, Consisting Of About
Three Lakh People Are Going To Be Affected Due To Submergence
Under Water. As A Result Of The Big Dams The Community Rights Of
The Tribals Is Breached. It Is A Traumatic Experience To Get Uprooted
From Ones Native Place Where Its Generations Have Lived And Move
To A New Place As A Total Stranger. Very Often The Family Breaks Up.
It Is A Big Price That The Tribals Have To Pay For A Big Dam Project
Which Is Supposed To Bring Happiness And Prosperity To The Country.
In Return Of This Big Sacrifice, The Tribals Must Be Given Adequate
Compensation In The Form Of Land, Jobs, Cash Compensation Etc.
And Care Should Be Taken To Improve Their Quality Of Life.
Chipko
Movement
 About 300 years ago, a ruler in Rajasthan decided
to fell ‘khejri’ trees in his State to create
lime. Local women led by a Bishnoi woman,
Amrita Devi, clung to the trees to prevent the
felling of the trees that formed the basis of
the scarce resources on which they were dependent.

The women were ruthlessly massacred.

It is said that the ruler later realised his
mistake. The story however has been remembered
and was revived in the 1970s when severe
tree felling for timber in the Himalayas
prompted local women, supported by people
such as Sunderlalji Bahuguna and Chandi
Prasad Bhat, led a people’s movement to prevent
deforestation by timber contractors
 They called their movement the ‘Chipko’ movement
in memory of the event during which women
had clung to their trees and given up their
lives. The movement followed the path the
300 Bishnoi women had taken three centuries
ago in Rajasthan.

Chipko is a movement primarily begun and

supported by local women in the hills of
Uttarakhand and Garhwal, where the women
have had to bear the brunt of deforestation.

Chipko activists have made long padyatras

across the Himalayas protesting against deforestation.
The movement has been highly
successful
 They called their movement the ‘Chipko’ movement
in memory of the event during which women
had clung to their trees and given up their
lives. The movement followed the path the
300 Bishnoi women had taken three centuries
ago in Rajasthan.

Chipko is a movement primarily begun and supported by local women in the hills of
Uttarakhand and Garhwal, where the women have had to bear the brunt of deforestation.

Chipko activists have made long padyatras across the Himalayas protesting against
deforestation.

The movement has been highly successful

The movement has proved to the world that the forests of the
hills are the life support systems of local communities
Appiko
Movement
 In September 1983, women and youth of the region decided to launch a movement
similar to Chipko, in South India.

The movement was named Appiko which means “hug” in Kannada, symbolising
protection for the tree.

The movement was founded and led by environmental activist Panduranga Hegde.
The aim of the movement was to conserve the trees of the Kalse forests in Karnataka.
Women and youth from Saklani and surrounding villages walked five miles to a nearby
forest and hugged trees there.

They forced the fellers and the contractors of the state forest department to stop cutting
trees.
The people demanded a ban on the felling of green trees.
The agitation continued for 38 days and this forced the state government to finally
concede to their demands and withdraw the order for the felling of trees.
Tarun Bharat
Sangh
• Tarun Bharat Sangh was founded in 1975 in Jaipur by a group of students and
professors from the University of Rajasthan.

• In 1985 the direction of the organization changed when four young members
of the organization went to live in the rural area of Alwar to teach rural
children and do rural development.

• Of those four, Rajendra Singh stayed when the other three left.

• He asked the local people what they needed most, and he found that they
needed easier access to water.

• With the villagers he organized the building of a johad, which is a traditional

rainwater storage tank
Rajendra Singh is a
conservationist. He is
also known as the
Waterman of India.
• Previously the river was dry and barren. There are two branches of Arvari river. The
total length of these is 45 kilometres. Its watershed area is spread in 503 square
km.Parts of Jaipur, Dausa and Alwar districts are included in this.

• Previously, there used to be agricultural in an non-irrigated area here. There were no

means of irrigation. Agriculture used to be done only on 10 percent of the land.
Agriculture was entirely dependent upon rain. There was one cropped agriculture.

• To remove the water scarcity in the area, Tarun Bharat Sangh with the help of
villagers cleaned and deepened the tanks and ponds.
• The villagers themselves have constructed more than 70 ponds. Water level of
underground water has risen after construction of these ponds.

• Water is available throughout the year in wells, tanks, ponds and rivers.

• Agricultural has also changed.

• Greenery dominates everywhere. Animals have become healthy and smart.

• Today Arvari river has become very useful for the residents of the area. The people of
the area worship this river also. Fair and festivals are celebrates