ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE : NATURAL RESOURCES 105
A part of the land not in use is classified as wasteland. This includes the arid, rocky
and sandy deserts. Much of the land is being used in cities and towns as residential land.
Cities and towns must grow vertically rather than horizontally now. The land is also needed
for industry, commerce, transport and recreation. Since total land is a fixed asset, we must
make efforts for integrated land use planning. Land is an important component of the life
support system. Mrs. Indira Gandhi in 1972 said, “We can no longer afford to neglect our
most important natural resource. This is not simply an environmental problem but one
which is basic to the future of our country.” In a predominantly agricultural country like
ours, land comes first.
For proper planning we need authentic figures agreed upon by the concerned departments
viz agriculture, forestry, revenue records etc. using modern method as remote sensing. It is
observed that good agricultural land is going to industrial estates and for urban development.
Thus valuable cropland is lost to agriculture forever. This is not in national interest. The
best land use planning has been done by Japan, being hard pressed for land. A strategy
must be developed to cure past damage and to save the country from future damage to land.
A strategy must be developed to cure past damage and to save the country from future
damage to land. This can be achieved by following the methods mentioned as under:
(i) To prepare accurate land use data through remote sensing,
(ii) A time bound nation wide survey programme of micro-level land use planning
giving short and long-term scenarios,
(iii) To prepare land use classes,
(iv) To review all existing legislations and to update them and
(v) Management plans for land amelioration are to be prepared. This would lead to a
dynamic land-use policy.- Proper Management of Water Resources
Water is an integral part of land/soil productivity base. Its misuse can cause soil
degradation and soil erosion. Water management is necessary for crop yields and other
activities. Primary channel flow originates in upper catchments and these watersheds are
very important for future.
- Watershed Management
In India floods bring much havoc causing loss of life and property each year. Due to
floods, the plains have become silted with mud and sand, thus affecting the cultivable land
areas. Extinction of civilisation in some coastal areas is mainly due to such natural calamites
as flood. Flood damage cost the country Rs. 21 crore in 1951, which increased to Rs. 1,130
crore in 1977. the worst suffering states are Assam, Bihar, Orissa, U.P. and West Bengal.
Through modern technology and scientific knowledge steps are to be taken. There is need
of a proper understanding of the ecosystem so that changes could be forecast well in time.
Thus management of rainfall and resultant runoff, which is essential, can be best based on
a natural unit called watershed. A watershed is an area bounded by the divide line of water
flow. Thus it may be drainage basin or stream. The Himalayas are one of the most critical
watersheds in the world. The cast hydroelectric power potential can be harnessed from
Himalayan watersheds if proper control measures are taken. They are inclusive of soil and