MODULE-I: ENVIRONMENT

Meaning: The term environment has been derived from a French word “Environia” means to
surround. It refers to both abiotic (physical or non-living) and biotic (living) environment. The word
environment means surroundings, in which organisms live. Environment and the organisms are two
dynamic and complex component of nature. Environment regulates the life of the organisms
including human beings.
In other words environment refers to those surroundings that surrounds living beings from all sides
and affect their lives in toto. It consists of atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere and biosphere. It’s
chief components are soil, water, air, organisms and solar energy. It has provided us all the resources
for leading a comfortable life.
1. According to P. Gisbert “Environment is anything immediately surrounding an object and
exerting a direct influence on it.”
2. According to E. J. Ross “Environment is an external force which influences us.”
Components of Environment:
(a) Micro environment refers to the immediate local surrounding of the organism.
(b) Macro environment refers to all the physical and biotic conditions that surround the organism
externally.
(c) Physical environment refers to all abiotic factors or conditions like temperature, light, rainfall,
soil, minerals etc. It comprises of atmosphere, lithosphere and hydrosphere.
(d) Biotic environment includes all biotic factors or living forms like plants, animals, Micro-
organisms.
ENVIRONMENT Degradation:
Environmental degradation comes about due to erosion and decline of the quality of the natural
environment. It is caused directly or indirectly by anthropogenic activities that extract various
environmental resources at a faster rate than they are replaced, and thus depleting them. On this
regard, degradation means damage or reduction in quality of environmental features, primarily
influenced by human activities. Some natural events such as landslides and earthquakes may also
degrade the nature of our environments.
Causes of Environmental Degradation
1. Overpopulation and Over-exploitation of Resources
As the human population keeps on enlarging, there is a lot of pressure on the utilization of natural
resources. This often causes over-exploitation of the natural resources, and contributes to
environmental erosion. According to a study by the UNEP Global Environment Outlook, excessive
human consumption of the naturally occurring non-renewable resources can outstrip available
resources in the near future and remarkably destroys the environment during extraction and
utilization. Overpopulation simply means more pollution and fast extraction of natural resources
compared to how they are being replaced.
2. Ruinous Agricultural Practices
Intensive agricultural practices have led to the decline in quality of most of our natural
environments. Majority of farmers resort to converting forests and grasslands to croplands which
reduces the quality of natural forests and vegetation cover. The pressure to convert lands into
resource areas for producing priced foods, crops, and livestock rearing has increasingly led to the
depreciation of natural environments such as forests, wildlife and fertile lands.
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Intensive agricultural practices destroy fertile lands and nearby vegetation cover due to the
accumulation of toxic substances like bad minerals and heavy metals which destroy the soil’s
biological and chemical activities.
Runoffs of agricultural wastes and chemical fertilizers and pesticides into marine and freshwater
environments have also deteriorated the quality of wild life habitats, natural water resources,
wetlands and aquatic life.
3. Landfills
One of the calamitous effects of landfills is the destruction of nearby environmental health together
with its ecosystems. The landfills discharge various kinds of chemicals on the land adjacent to forest,
various natural habitats, and water systems such as underground and surface water which makes the
environment unappealing to the survival of trees, vegetations, animal and humans.
It even interferes with the animals interactive food chains because the chemicals contaminate plants,
and waters which are consumed by the animals. Besides the foul smell from the landfills and
periodic burning of the wastes make living in such environments unbearable.
4. Increase in Deforestation
The act of deforestation (cutting down of trees) has impacted on the world in terms of depreciating
the natural environment and wildlife. It has also impacted on humans on the account of changes in
environmental support processes such as weather conditions. Some of the reasons for deforestation
include farming, construction, settlement, mining, or other economic purposes. For more than one
hundrend years, the number of trees on the planet has plummeted, resulting in devastating
consequences such as biodiversity loss, soil erosion, species extinction, global warming,
and interference with the water cycle.
5. Environmental Pollution
Most of the planet’s natural environments have been destroyed and a large portion is under huge
threat due to the toxic substances and chemicals emitted from fossil fuel combustions, industrial
wastes, and homemade utilities among other industry processed materials such as plastics. Land, air,
and water pollution pose long-term cumulative impacts on the quality of the natural environments in
which they occur.
Effects of Environmental Degradation
1. Impact on Human Health
Human health is heavily impacted by environmental degradation. Reduction in water quality is
responsible for more than two million deaths and billions of illness annually across the globe. Due to
environmental degradation, the results include water scarcity and decline in quality foods. Reduction
in air quality is responsible for more than 300,000 deaths annually and millions of chronic diseases.
Landfills increase the risk of hazardous materials getting into the food chain which causes
biomagnification and the ultimate risk of developing chronic diseases. Altogether, the toxic wastes
and harmful chemicals from factories, agriculture and automobiles cause illnesses and death in
children and adults.
2. Poverty
In the majority of developing countries, poverty is attributed to poor crop harvests and lack of
quality natural resources that are needed to satisfy basic survival needs.
The inadequacy basic survival resources and lack of quality of food is the direct result of
environmental degradation in the regions. Most vulnerability situations brought about by water

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shortages, climate change, and poor crop yields in developing countries are tied to environmental
degradation. Hence, the lack of access to adequate basic needs such as water and food directly
induce poverty.
3. Atmospheric Changes
Environmental degradation can alters some of the natural process such as the water cycle and the
normal processes of animal and plant activities. Also, environmental degradation aspects such as
deforestation and mining destroy the natural land cover. This, together with air, water, and land
pollution pose several atmospheric alteration threats. The alterations include global warming and
climate change which can increase the risks of climatic natural disasters, and ozone layer depletion
which increases the risk of skin cancer, eye disease, and crop failure.
4. Loss of Biodiversity
Degradation of the environment has recorded a continued destruction of wild forests and the damage
of natural ecosystems that has greatly contributed to the mass extinction of species. The number of
threatened species persists to multiply worldwide whereas some have completely gone extinct. This
is because of the human activities such as acidifying water systems, over-exploitation of natural
resources, overpopulation, and the deliberate and indirect destruction of natural systems necessary
for the survival of different species. These anthropogenic activities simply alter the natural process
combined, thus, destroying the natural ecosystems supporting biodiversity.
5. Scarcity of Natural Resources
Environmental degradation through aspects such as over-exploitation of natural resources, pollution,
and deforestation can contributes to the scarcity of resources particularly arable land, water, genetic
resources, medicinal plants, and food crops.
Environmental Ethics
Environmental Ethics is that sub-field of philosophy which seeks to articulate reasons why non-
human "nature" — usually writ large to include collective entities like species and ecosystems — has
value that cannot be reduced solely to economic value. The central move of most work in
environmental ethics has been to argue that there is a need for a "new environmental ethic" that
breaks radically with the existing Western traditions of ethical theory. Existing traditions are taken to
be anthropocentric in claiming non-human nature to have only "instrumental" value as a means to
human well-being. In contrast, a new environmental ethic would hold that nature has "intrinsic"
value, or value as an end in itself.
The ethical framework that is being invoked here has its roots in utilitarianism. Classical
Utilitarianism claims that the right action is the one which brings about the greatest total well-being
of affected agents. We can understand the limitations of this view by breaking it down into its three
independent components:
1. Welfarism: The only thing that is good in itself and not just a means to another good is the well-
being of individuals.
2. Consequentialism: Whether an action is right or wrong is determined solely by its consequences.
3. Maximising of value: One should choose the action that produces the greatest total amount of
good.
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MODULE-II: ENERGY
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What is Energy?
In the simplest terms, energy is the ability to do work. Energy is also represented in terms of any
source of usable power. For instance, the foods human consume contain energy which is stored in
the body and converted into energy every time we engage in any duty or work such as sports.
Different Types of Energy
1. Kinetic Energy
The energy in all moving objects is known as kinetic energy. It is also regarded as movement energy
because it is the energy contained by any object in motion or movement. In scientific terms, kinetic
energy is the work needed to move an object to a particular speed. Objects that contain kinetic
energy range from large moving things like airplanes, vehicles and even the earth and also very
small things like atoms and moving gases. The heavier and faster the objects move, the more the
possessed kinetic energy. The simplest best examples of kinetic energy are moving water and water.
2. Potential Energy
Potential energy is contained in any object that is at rest. It is also called stored energy. It is the
general opposite of kinetic energy.
The heavier the object, the more its potential energy. A good example is the water held up in a
hydroelectric power dam at a raised level which is then used to run the turbines when it is released,
bringing about kinetic energy.
3. Mechanical Energy
Mechanical energy refers to transferred energy. It results from the mix of kinetic and potential
(stored) energy. To understand how these two types of energy work, we need to know the difference
between the two. Kinetic energy is due to an objects motion and potential (stored) energy is due to
an objects position. For instance, the bawling ball has mechanical energy in that the ball is in motion
and then when it strikes the pin the potential (stored) energy is released thus transferring mechanical
energy to the pins.
4. Chemical Energy
Chemical energy is the stored energy in the bonds of chemical compounds such as molecules and
atoms. The energy is freed in a chemical reaction, most of the time producing heat as by-
product. This process is called exothermic reaction. Petroleum, coal, gas, biomass, and batteries are
examples of stored chemical energy. Ordinarily, when chemical energy is freed from a substance, it
is changed into a totally new substance.
5. Thermal Energy
Thermal energy is also known as heat energy. It is determined by the activeness of atoms or
molecules in an object. These molecules and atoms move or vibrate continuously based on
temperature levels. The molecules and atoms of a hot object present rapid movement whereas the
atoms and molecules of cooler objects present less movement. Hence, thermal energy is the energy
that comes from the temperature of a material or object.
6. Electrical Energy
Electrical energy is the energy caused by the movement of electrons. It is commonly transported via
power lines and converted into other forms of energy. The movement of the electrons is based on the
amount of possessed energy. The materials the transfer the energy are mediums that as specially
known as conductors. Electricity is generated when this electrons move from one atom to another via
electricity conductors (wires such as iron). Even liquids and air can have electrons that can discharge

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and transfer electrical energy. Lighting is an example of natural electrical energy, also called static
electricity.
7. Gravitational Energy
Gravitational energy is often confused with potential energy. Potential energy is stored in any object,
but gravitational energy is only stored in the height of the object. It can simply be described as the
kinetic energy or motion caused by gravity. Whenever an object is at a raised point, there is always a
force holding it from falling, but if there is no force holding it back it will definitely be pulled down
by gravity. An example is a sky diver or a person who dives from a raised point into a pool of water.
Natural Resources: Meaning and Classification of Natural Resources
Meaning:
The sum total of all the physical, chemical, biological and social factors surrounding a man may be
termed as environment. Each element in the surroundings forms resources on which the human
beings depend, in order to develop economically and socially a better life system.
Classification of resources:
The resources may be classified in a number of ways:
1. According to Continual utility:
It is seen that some resources are going on depleting where as others are continuing in the
environment despite of their uses. So basing on continual utility the resources are divided in to two
categories:
(a) Renewable resources (Flow resources):
The resources which can be renewed along with their exploitation and can be always available for
use are known as renewable resources. That is, these resources have natural regeneration and these
are inexhaustible. Some examples of renewable resources are forests, air, solar energy etc.
(b) Non-renewable resources (Stock resource):
The resources which are present in finite quantities and cannot be renewed along with their
exploitation are known as non-renewable resources. That is, if these resources are used in large
scale, these will exhausted soon. So these are also known as exhaustible resources. Some examples
of such type of resources are coal, minerals, fossil fuels etc.
(c) Cyclic resources:
The resources which can be used again and again passing through some processes are known as
cyclic resources. An example of cyclic resource may be water.
2. According to origin:
The resources can also be classified according to their origin i.e., whether a resource is having
biological origin or not.
So on this basis, resources are of two types:
(a) Biotic resources:
When a resource is living organism or originated from living organisms, it is known as biotic
resource i.e., it is obtained from the biosphere. Some examples of such type of resources are coal,
mineral oil, forest etc.
(b) Abiotic resources:
When a resource is neither derived from living organism nor living organism, it is termed as abiotic
resource i.e., such resources are composed of nonliving inorganic matter. Some examples of such
type of resources are air, land, water, minerals etc.

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Land resources or soil resources:
Land or soil is the upper most part of the earth’s surface which is used for the production of crops
and other biological materials needed for food, fodder, medicine and associated material. The stones,
sand and gravels are used in the construction work.
Ecosystems:
Concept of an Ecosystem:
Living organisms cannot live isolated from their non-living environment because the latter provides
materials and energy for the survival of the former i.e. there is interaction between a biotic
community and its environment to produce a stable system; a natural self-sufficient unit which is
known as an ecosystem.
Types of Ecosystem
Mainly there are two types of ecosystems. Namely terrestrial ecosystem and aquatic ecosystem
1. Terrestrial ecosystem: This is the ecosystem which exists on land. It can be further divided into
the following types,
 Forest ecosystem
 Grassland ecosystem
 Desert ecosystem
2. Aquatic ecosystem: This is the ecosystem which exists in water. It can be further divided into,
 Fresh water ecosystem (Pong or lake or river ecosystem)
 Marine ecosystem (Ocean ecosystem)
Components of Ecosystem
Following are the main components of ecosystem:
Biotic Components
Biotic components refer to all life in an ecosystem. Based on nutrition, biotic components can be
categorized into autotrophs, heterotrophs and saprotrophs (or decomposers).
 Producers include all autotrophs such as plants. They are called autotrophs as they can
produce food through the process of photosynthesis. Consequently, all other organisms higher
up on the food chain rely on producers for food.
 Consumers or heterotrophs are organisms that depend on other organisms for food.
Consumers are further classified into primary consumers, secondary consumers and tertiary
consumers.
 Primary consumers are always herbivores that they rely on producers for food.
 Secondary consumers depend on primary consumers for energy. They can either be a
carnivore or an omnivore.
 Tertiary consumers are organisms that depend on secondary consumers for food.
Tertiary consumers can also be an omnivore.

 Quaternary consumers are present in some food chains. These organisms prey on
tertiary consumers for energy. Furthermore, they are usually at the top of a food chain
as they have no natural predators.
Decomposers include saprophytes such as fungi and bacteria. They directly thrive on the dead and
decaying organic matter. Decomposers are essential for the ecosystem as they help in recycling
nutrients to be reused by plants.

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Abiotic Components
Abiotic components are the non-living component of an ecosystem. It includes air, water, soil,
minerals, sunlight, temperature, nutrients, wind, altitude, turbidity etc.
Functions of Ecosystem
The functions of ecosystem are as follows:
1. It regulates the essential ecological processes, supports life systems and renders the stability.
2. It is also responsible for the cycling of nutrients between biotic and abiotic components.
3. It maintains a balance among the various trophic levels in the ecosystem.
4. It cycles the minerals through the biosphere.
5. The abiotic components help in the synthesis of organic components that involves the
exchange of energy.

Energy Crisis:
The energy crisis is the concern that the world’s demands on the limited natural resources that are
used to power industrial society are diminishing as the demand rises. These natural resources are in
limited supply. While they do occur naturally, it can take hundreds of thousands of years to replenish
the stores. Governments and concerned individuals are working to make the use of renewable
resources a priority, and to lessen the irresponsible use of natural supplies through increased
conservation.
Causes of the Energy Crisis
It would be easy to point a finger at one practice or industry and lay the blame for the entire energy
crisis at their door, but that would be a very naive and unrealistic interpretation of the cause of the
crisis.
1. Overconsumption: The energy crisis is a result of many different strains on our natural resources,
not just one. There is a strain on fossil fuels such as oil, gas and coal due to overconsumption –
which then in turn can put a strain on our water and oxygen resources by causing pollution.
2. Overpopulation: Another cause of the crisis has been the steady increase in the world’s
population and its demands for fuel and products. No matter what type of food or products you
choose to use – from fair trade and organic to those made from petroleum products in a sweatshop –
not one of them is made or transported without a significant drain on our energy resources.
3. Poor Infrastructure: Aging infrastructure of power generating equipment is yet another reason
for energy shortage. Most of the energy producing firms keep on using outdated equipment that
restricts the production of energy. It is the responsibility of utilities to keep on upgrading the
infrastructure and set a high standard of performance.
4. Unexplored Renewable Energy Options: Renewable energy still remains unused are most of the
countries. Most of the energy comes from non-renewable sources like coal. It still remains the top
choice to produce energy. Unless we give renewable energy a serious thought, the problem of energy
crisis cannot be solved. Renewable energy sources can reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and
also helps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
5. Delay in Commissioning of Power Plants: In few countries, there is a significant delay in
commissioning of new power plants that can fill the gap between demand and supply of energy. The
result is that old plants come under huge stress to meet the daily demand for power. When supply
don’t matches demand, it results in load shedding and breakdown?

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6. Wastage of Energy: In most parts of the world, people do not realize the importance of
conserving energy. It is only limited to books, internet, newspaper ads, lip service and seminars.
Unless we give it a serious thought, things are not going to change anytime sooner. Simple things
like switching off fans and lights when not in use, using maximum daylight, walking instead of
driving for short distances, using CFL instead of traditional bulbs, proper insulation for leakage of
energy can go a long way in saving energy. Read here about 151 ways of saving energy.
7. Poor Distribution System: Frequent tripping and breakdown are result of a poor distribution
system.
8. Major Accidents and Natural Calamities: Major accidents like pipeline burst and natural
calamities like eruption of volcanoes, floods, earthquakes can also cause interruptions to energy
supplies. The huge gap between supply and demand of energy can raise the price of essential items
which can give rise to inflation.
9. Wars and Attacks: Wars between countries can also hamper supply of energy especially if it
happens in Middle East countries like Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, Kuwait, UAE or Qatar. That’s what
happened during 1990 Gulf war when price of oil reached its peak causing global shortages and
created major problem for energy consumers.
10. Miscellaneous Factors: Tax hikes; strikes, military coup, political events, severe hot summers
or cold winters can cause sudden increase in demand of energy and can choke supply. A strike by
unions in an oil producing firm can definitely cause an energy crisis
Possible Solutions of the Energy Crisis:-
Many of the possible solutions are already in place today, but they have not been widely adopted.
1. Move towards Renewable Resources: The best possible solution is to reduce the world’s
dependence on non-renewable resources and to improve overall conservation efforts. Much of the
industrial age was created using fossil fuels, but there is also known technology that uses other types
of renewable energies – such as steam, solar and wind. The major concern isn’t so much that we will
run out of gas or oil, but that the use of coal is going to continue to pollute the atmosphere and
destroy other natural resources in the process of mining the coal that it has to be replaced as an
energy source.
2. Buy Energy Efficient products: Replace traditional bulbs with CFL’s and LED’s. They use less
watts of electricity and last longer. If millions of people across the globe use LED’s and CFL’s for
residential and commercial purposes, the demand for energy can go down and an energy crisis can
be averted.
3. Lighting Controls: There are a number of new technologies out there that make lighting controls
that much more interesting and they help to save a lot of energy and cash in the long run. Preset
lighting controls, slide lighting, touch dimmers, integrated lighting controls are few of the lighting
controls that can help to conserve energy and reduce overall lighting costs.
4. Easier Grid Access: People who use different options to generate power must be given
permission to plug into the grid and getting credit for power you feed into it. The hassles of getting
credit of supplying surplus power back into the grid should be removed. Apart from that, subsidy on
solar panels should be given to encourage more people to explore renewable options.
5. Energy Simulation: Energy simulation software can be used by big corporates and corporations
to redesign building unit and reduce running business energy cost. Engineers, architects and

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designers could use this design to come with most energy efficient building and reduce carbon
footprint.
6. Perform Energy Audit: Energy audit is a process that helps you to identify the areas where your
home or office is losing energy and what steps you can take to improve energy efficiency. Energy
audit when done by a professional can help you to reduce your carbon footprint, save energy and
money and avoid energy crisis.
7. Common Stand on Climate Change: Both developed and developing countries should adopt a
common stand on climate change. They should focus on reducing greenhouse gas emissions through
an effective cross border mechanism. With current population growth and over consumption of
resources, the consequences of global warming and climate change cannot be ruled out. Both
developed and developing countries must focus on emissions cuts to cut their emission levels to half
from current levels by 2050.
LAND/SOIL Degradation:-
Many people do conceive the idea of soil degradation but a good number lacks the knowledge of its
precise definition. To fill this knowledge gap, soil degradation simply means the decline in soil
quality which comes about due to aspects such as improper land use, agriculture, and pasture, urban
or industrial purposes. It involves the decline of the soil’s physical, biological and chemical state.
Causes of Soil Degradation
1. Physical Factors
There are several physical factors contributing to soil degradation distinguished by the manners in
which they change the natural composition and structure of the soil. Rainfall, surface runoff, floods,
wind erosion, tillage, and mass movements result in the loss of fertile top spoil thereby declining soil
quality.
2. Biological Factors
Biological factors refer to the human and plant activities that tend to reduce the quality of soil. Some
bacteria and fungi overgrowth in an area can highly impact the microbial activity of the soil through
bio-chemical reactions, which reduces crop yield and the suitability of soil productivity capacity.
3. Chemical Factors
The reduction of soil nutrients because of alkalinity or acidity or water logging are all categorized
under the chemical components of soil degradation. In the broadest sense, it comprises alterations in
the soil’s chemical property that determine nutrient availability.
4. Deforestation
Deforestation causes soil degradation on the account of exposing soil minerals by removing trees
and crop cover, which support the availability of humus and litter layers on the surface of the soil.
Vegetation cover primarily promotes thee binding of the soil together and soil formation, hence
when it is removed it considerably affects the capabilities of the soil such as aeration, water holding
capacity, and biological activity.
5. Misuse or excess use of fertilizers
The excessive use and the misuse of pesticides and chemical fertilizers kill organisms that assist in
binding the soil together. Most agricultural practices involving the use of fertilizers and pesticides
often entail misuse or excessive application, thereby contributing to the killing of soil’s beneficial
bacteria and other micro-organisms that help in soil formation.
Effects of Soil Degradation

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 1. Land degradation
Soil quality decline is one of the main causes of land degradation and is considered to be responsible
for 84% of the ever diminishing acreage. Year after year, huge acres of land lost due to soil erosion,
contamination and pollution. About 40% of the world’s agricultural land is severely diminished in
quality because of erosion and the use of chemical fertilizers, which prevent land from regenerating.
2. Drought and aridity
Drought and aridity are problems highly influenced and amplified by soil degradation. As much as
it’s a concern associated with natural environments in arid and semi-arid areas, the UN recognizes
the fact that drought and aridity are anthropogenic induced factors especially as an outcome of soil
degradation. Hence, the contributing factors to soil quality decline such as overgrazing, poor tillage
methods.
3. Loss of arable land
Because soil degradation contributes to land degradation, it also means that it creates a significant
loss of arable land. As stated earlier, about 40% of the world’s agricultural land is lost on the account
of soil quality depreciation caused by agro-chemicals and soil erosion. Most of the crop production
practices result in the topsoil loss and the damage of soil’s natural composition that make agriculture
possible.
4. Increased flooding
Land is commonly altered from its natural landscape when it rids its physical composition from soil
degradation. For this reason, the transformed land is unable to soak up water, making flooding more
frequent. In other words, soil degradation takes away the soil’s natural capability of holding water
thus contributing to more and more cases of flooding.
5. Pollution and clogging of waterways
Most of the soil eroded from the land together with the chemical fertilizers and pesticides utilized in
agricultural fields are discharged into waterways and streams. With time, the sedimentation process
can clog waterways, resulting in water scarcity.
Solutions of Soil Degradation
1. Reducing deforestation
Avoiding deforestation completely is an uphill task. However, deforestation can be cut down and
this can create an impressive way of reshaping and restoring forests and vegetation cover. As
populations grow, individuals can be sensitized and educated regarding sustainable forest
management and reforestation efforts. Also, preserving the integrity of guarded areas can
significantly reduce demonstration.
2. Land reclamation
The outcomes of soil erosion and quality decline are widely irreversible. Still, soil organic matter
and plant nutrients can be replenished. To restore the lost soil mineral matter and organic content, it
would require what is known as land reclamation. Land reclamation encompasses activities centered
towards restoring the previous organic matter and soil’s vital minerals.
3. Preventing salinization
Just like the old adage states that “prevention is better than cure,” so does the same concept apply in
solving the worldwide problem of soil degradation through salinization? The costs of preventing
salinization are incredibly cheaper than the reclamation projects in salinized areas.

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 4. Conservation tillage
Proper tillage mechanisms hold as one of the most sustainable ways of avoiding soil quality decline.
This is otherwise known as conservation tillage, which means tillage mechanisms targeted at making
very minimal changes to the soil’s natural condition and at the same time improving the soil’s
productivity.
5. Conservation tillage
Proper tillage mechanisms hold as one of the most sustainable ways of avoiding soil quality decline.
This is otherwise known as conservation tillage, which means tillage mechanisms targeted at making
very minimal changes to the soil’s natural condition and at the same time improving the soil’s
productivity.
Deforestation
What Does Deforestation Mean?
Deforestation means cutting down the trees to a large extent be it forests, any barren land or trees we
see on our way to school every day. Natural forests are being destructed to use the land for
cultivation, building houses, factories, and logging, making space for cattle grazing, extraction of oil,
mining, and construction of dams or to obtain wood for making furniture and using it as fuel.
Causes of Deforestation
The causes of deforestation are:
Logging
Illegal logging activities are very common that destroy the livelihoods of the people depending on
forests. Wood-based industries like paper, match-sticks, furniture need a substantial amount of wood
supply. Wood is used as fuel most commonly and so large amount of trees are cut down for fuel
supplies. Firewood and charcoal are used as fuel.
Agricultural Activities
The conversion of forests into agricultural land is a big reason for deforestation. Due to overgrowing
demand for food products, many trees are chopped down for crops and for cattle grazing. Over 40%
of the forests are cleaned to obtain land and meet the needs of agriculture and wood.
Mining
Oil and mining of coal require a large amount of forest land. Construction of roads leads to
deforestation as they provide the way to remote land. The waste that comes out from mining pollutes
the environment and affects the nearby species.
Urbanization
As the population grows, the needs of people increases which further leads to deforestation. Forests
shrink to a great extent to meet the requirements like for construction of roads, development of
houses, mineral exploitation and expansion of industries. Increasing population directly affects forest
as with the expansion of cities there is a need for more land for housing and settlements.
Timber Production
Forest Fires
We lose a large number of trees each year due to fires in the forest in various portions worldwide.
This happens due to extreme summers and winters. The fire caused, by man or nature, results in
huge loss of forest cover.
Effects of Deforestation
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Some of the effects of deforestation are:
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Gases such as methane and carbon dioxide trap heat in Earth’s atmosphere, leading change in
climate. Trees absorb the carbon dioxide and release oxygen and water into the atmosphere and this
contributes to global warming. Cutting carbon dioxide adds to the environment and then this lack of
the tree creates an absorption deficit. Deforestation leads to the emission of greenhouse gas.
Soil Erosion
Cutting down on trees leads to clearance of forests and so soil erosion occurs. Exposure of the soil to
the sun’s heat dries up the moisture inside the soil. Nutrients evaporate and it affects the bacteria that
help to break down organic matter. Due to this, rain washes the soil surfaces and erosion takes place.
Large amounts of soil wash into local streams and rivers and cause damage to hydroelectric
structures and irrigation infrastructure.
Biodiversity Losses
Deforestation alters land and so that many of the plants and animals do not survive. With more
deforestation, the entire species can extinct. This is the ‘biodiversity loss’. Many
wonderful species of plants and animals have been lost, and many others remain endangered. As
each species of an ecosystem rely upon other species, loss of one species can have far-reaching
consequences for other species. We lose about 50 to 100 species of animals each day due to the
destruction of their habitats. Millions of plants and animal species are on the verge of extinction due
to deforestation.
Floods
Deforestation leads to land erosion because the trees maintain the surface of the mountains. The
water level of the rivers increases suddenly, causing floods. When it rains, trees absorb and store a
large amount of water with the help of their roots. Chopping down of trees disrupts the flow of water
and leads to floods in some areas.
Solutions to Deforestation
Trees play a vital role in protecting our environment in several ways so we should protect the forest:
 The best way to stop deforestation is replanting.
 Ban on cutting of trees and new trees and planting more.
 There should be an implementation of regulations of laws at organizational and governmental
levels due to the extent of deforestation.
 Spread the awareness about sensitization and organize educative campaigns about the effects
of deforestation.

Depletion of Natural Resources

Humans are using natural resources endlessly day by day. The population explosion is causing
overexploitation of natural resources with little or no care to conserving them. To meet this massive
population, depletion of natural resources is happening. However, we need to understand that natural
resources are finite. Even renewable resources are not being given enough time to replenish. Thus,
one can even wonder what the condition of non-renewable resources might be. Therefore, this
depletion of natural resources is quite harmful to the earth and its inhabitants.
Impact of Depletion of Natural Resources

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As we require minerals for almost everything from housing to business, they are being used up
rapidly. There has been a major decline in these minerals like coal, copper and more. Soon, we will
run out of them all if we do not conserve them properly.
Similarly, the oil reserves are also running out. We won’t be able to produce more oil and thus we
won’t get any petroleum. There will be inflation in prices and many economies will crumble due to
this lack of resources.
Similarly, forests are being cut down at an alarming rate. For instance, the recent decision to cut
down the Aarey forest in Mumbai is a major example. However, the damage being done due to this
deforestation is quite worrisome. This will only spike the carbon dioxide levels and alter the water
cycle on earth. We will soon face frequent faces of floods and soil erosion through which even our
biodiversity will decrease.
Most importantly, the way we are wasting water needs to be checked right away. As it is many
countries are facing a water crisis and we know life without water is impossible. The farmers won’t
get enough water for irrigation. It can also result in famine and many more deadly consequences. We
must not waste these resources instead find ways to prevent this depletion.
Ways to Prevent Depletion of Natural Resource
There are many ways in which everyone can help in this prevention of natural resource depletion.
Firstly, we must reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. You can do it by stop wasting electricity. Try
to carpool with your neighbors or relative and take public transport instead.
Moreover, stop polluting water. As it is our freshwater bodies are running out of clean water. We
must organize cleanliness drives to clean the water of these bodies. Do not let your tap run for a long
time. The industries must be banned from dumping their toxic waste into the water. Furthermore, do
not take long showers, instead use the buckets for a bath.
Most importantly, please plant more trees. Preserve our existing forests and do not let them be cut
down. They are a very important natural resource needed for human survival. Use less paper to avoid
cutting down trees. We can all come together and prevent this depletion of natural resources only if
we realize the harmful consequences.
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MODULE-III: ENVIRONMENT POLLUTION

What is Pollution?
“Pollution is the introduction of substances (or energy) that cause adverse changes in the
environment and living entities.”
Pollution need not always be caused by chemical substances such as particulates (like smoke and
dust). Forms of energy such as sound, heat or light can also cause pollution. These substances that
cause pollution are called pollutants.
Types of Pollution
As stated before, there are different types of pollution, which are either caused by natural events
(like forest fires) or by man-made activities (like cars, factories, nuclear wastes, etc.) These are
further classified into the following types of pollution:
 Air Pollution

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  Water Pollution
 Soil Pollution
 Noise Pollution
Besides these 4 types of pollution, other types exist such as light pollution, thermal pollution and
radioactive pollution. The latter is much rarer than other types, but it is the deadliest.
AIR POLLUTION:-
Air pollution refers to the release of harmful contaminants (chemicals, toxic gases, particulates,
biological molecules, etc.) into the earth’s atmosphere. These contaminants are quite detrimental,
and in some cases, pose serious health issues. Some causes that contribute to air pollution are:
 Burning fossil fuels
 Mining operations
 Exhaust gases from industries and factories
The effects of air pollution vary based on pollutant. But generally, the impact of air pollution range
from:
 Increased risk of respiratory illness and cardiovascular problems
 Increased risk of skin diseases
 May increase the risk of cancer
 Global warming
 Acid rain
 Ozone depletion
 Hazards to wildlife
Among the other types of pollution, air pollution is theorized to have a planet-wide implication.
Scientists have even speculated an apocalypse-like scenario where air pollution if left unchecked can
bring about an extreme form of global warming called the runaway greenhouse effect. Though this is
purely speculative, it is a phenomenon that has already occurred on Venus.
WATER POLLUTION:-
Water pollution is said to occur when toxic pollutants and particulate matter are introduced into
water bodies such as lakes, rivers and seas. These contaminants are generally introduced by human
activities like improper sewage treatment and oil spills. However, even natural processes such
as eutrophication can cause water pollution.
Other significant causes of water pollution include:
 Dumping solid wastes in water bodies
 Disposing untreated industrial sewage into water bodies
 Human and animal wastes
 Agricultural runoff containing pesticides and fertilizers
The effects of water pollution are very pronounced in our environment. Furthermore, toxic
chemicals can bioaccumulated in living beings, and these chemicals can travel their way up the food
chain, ultimately reaching humans.
Among the other types of pollution, water pollution has a more disastrous consequence on humans.
For instance, in 1932, a grave case of water pollution incapacitated the inhabitants of an entire city in
Japan with neurological diseases and mental illness for many decades. However, the immediate
cause not apparent but was eventually attributed to acute mercury poisoning. Other consequences of
water pollution include:

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  Disruption of the ecosystem
 Threats to marine life
 Increased risk of water-borne diseases
 Increases toxic chemicals (such as mercury) in water bodies
 Eutrophication
SOIL POLLUTION:-
Soil pollution, also called soil contamination, refers to the degradation of land due to the presence
of chemicals or other man-made substances in the soil. The xenobiotic substances alter the natural
composition of soil and affect it negatively. These can drastically impact life directly or indirectly.
For instance, any toxic chemicals present in the soil will get absorbed by the plants. Since plants are
producers in an environment, it gets passed up through the food chain.
Some of the common causes of soil pollution are:
 Improper industrial waste disposal
 Oil Spills
 Acid rain which is caused by air pollution
 Mining activities
 Intensive farming and agrochemicals (like fertilisers and pesticides)
 Industrial accidents
The effects of soil pollution are numerous. Specific wastes, such as radioactive
waste become particularly hazardous when they are not well-contained. A well-documented example
is a nuclear accident in Chernobyl, which has left an area of 2,600 km2 uninhabitable for several
thousand years.
Other effects of soil pollution include:
 Loss of soil nutrients, which renders the soil unfit for agriculture
 Impacts the natural flora and fauna residing in the soil
 Degrades vegetation due to the increase of salinity of the soil
 Toxic dust (such as silica dust) can cause respiratory problems or even lung cancer
NOISE POLLUTION:-
Noise pollution refers to the excessive amount of noise in the surrounding that disrupts the natural
balance. Usually, it is man-made, though certain natural calamities like volcanoes can contribute to
noise pollution.
In general, any sound which is over 85 decibels is considered to be detrimental. Also, the duration an
individual is exposed plays an impact on their health. For perspective, a normal conversation is
around 60 decibels, and a jet taking off is around 15o decibels. Consequently, noise pollution is
more obvious than the other types of pollution.
Noise pollution has several contributors, which include:
 Industry-oriented noises such as heavy machines, mills, factories, etc.
 Transportation noises from vehicles, aeroplanes, etc.
 Construction noises
 Noise from social events (loudspeakers, firecrackers, etc.)
 Household noises (such as mixers, TV, washing machines, etc.)
Noise pollution can bring about adverse effects such as:
 Hearing loss

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  Tinnitus
 Sleeping disorders
 Hypertension (high BP)
 Communication problems
What are the different types of pollutants?
The different types of pollutants are:
 Primary Pollutants: These are the pollutants that are emitted directly from the sources such as
volcanic eruptions, combustion of fossil fuel, etc. These include nitrogen oxide, sulphur oxide,
etc.
 Secondary Pollutants: These are the pollutants that are not directly emitted from the sources
but are formed when primary pollutants react in the atmosphere. For eg., ozone.
Reducing pollution:-
There are many things you can do to reduce your impact on the environment. If we all use energy,
transport and other goods and services more carefully, we can reduce harmful emissions to our air,
land and water. Everyday choices have the power to make a difference, and help protect our
environment for a clean and sustainable future.
What you can do
“Be a part of the solution to pollution.”
The choices that we make every day can help to make a difference.
Here are some simple steps you can take:
1. Commute smart by walking or riding to work or the shops instead of driving. Motor vehicle
emissions remain the most significant source of most common air pollutants.
2. Choose a fuel-efficient vehicle next time you are replacing your car. The Green Vehicle Guide
provides ratings on the environmental performance of new vehicles sold in Australia.
3. Save energy, by turning off the television and make sure you flick the light switch when you
leave the room. Not only will you save money on your electricity bill, you will be reducing
emissions from coal-fired electricity plants.
4. Buy energy -efficient appliances. Check the energy rating label when buying new or second
hand electrical appliances. More stars mean fewer emissions.
5. Use environmentally friendly cleaning products. Phosporus in detergents increases nutrient
loads in rivers and can cause excessive algal growth. Never pour chemicals or fertilizers down
the drain as they get washed into stormwater drains and into rivers or the ocean.
These are just a few small changes you can make to reduce your household's impact on the
environment.
What industry is doing
Industry can use NPI data to improve manufacturing processes, and can benchmark their emissions
against similar facilities. Annual reporting also assists industry in documenting progress in reducing
emissions and provides a measure of current environmental performance.
One of the main goals of the NPI is to encourage facilities to use cleaner production techniques to
reduce substance emissions and decrease waste. Reporting facilities have the option of reporting on
cleaner production activities and pollution control developments that they have undertaken during
the reporting year.

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The Carter Harvey Holt particle board mill in Tumut, New South Wales has implemented several
emission reduction activities resulting in decreased emissions and better management of waste.
In the NPI summary report of sixth year data 2003-04, the Toyota vehicle manufacturing facility in
Altona Victoria is provided as a success story for innovative solutions introduced to help reduce
substance emissions.
What government is doing
Governments can use NPI data to assist with environmental planning and management. NPI data is
often used in the preparation of State of the Environment reports, and to support initiatives which
help protect the environment.
Pollution control is the responsibility of state and territory environment agencies.
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MODULE-IV: ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION

REPORT OF THE CLUB OF ROME:-
Founded in Rome in early 1968 by a group of European businesspeople and scientists, the Club of
Rome is a nonprofit nongovernmental organization (NGO) that serves as an international think tank
on global issues. The Club of Rome is run by an Executive Committee of eleven members that
appoints a president, vice presidents, a secretary-general, and a treasurer. The president of the club
represents the organization to the outside world; HRH Prince El Hassan bin Talal of Jordan became
president of the Club of Rome in 1999.
The professed mission of the Club of Rome is to “act as a global catalyst of change” by sponsoring
studies and conferences and issuing reports and news releases that focus on long-term global
problems and their interrelationships. The club has identified a number of significant global issues,
referred to as world problematique, facing humanity, including: depletion and pollution of the
environment; demographic problems of both growth and aging; uneven development within and
between nations; the decline of traditional values; dysfunctional governments; the quality and
distribution of work; the sociocultural impact of new technologies; dysfunctional educational
systems; the globalization of the economy; and international financial disorder.
The best-known report sponsored by the Club of Rome was its first, The Limits to Growth. The book
was based on multiple simulations of a “systems dynamics” computer model of five major human
activities: industrial production, population, agricultural production, resource use, and pollution. The
model was then run under differing assumptions regarding physical limits to growth (supposing the
known reserves of resources versus doubling those known reserves).
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT:-
Definition of Sustainable Development:
The World Commission on Environment and Development (the Brundtland Commission) in its
report to the United Nations in 1987 defined sustainable development as meeting the needs of the
present without compromising the ability of future generation to meet their own needs.
Agenda 21, adopted during the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development
(UNCED) called Earth Summit held in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil in 1992 is a blue print on how to
make development socially, economically and environmentally sustainable.
Principles of Sustainable Development:
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1. People are entitled to a healthy and productive life in harmony with nature.
2. Development today must not undermine the development and environment needs of present and
future generations.
3. Nations have the sovereign right to exploit their own resources but without causing environmental
damage beyond their borders.
4. Nations shall develop international laws to provide compensation for damage that activities under
their control cause to areas beyond their borders.
5. The polluter should, in principle, bear the cost of pollution.
6. Nations shall warn one another of natural disasters or activities that may have harmful
transboundary impacts.
7. Peace, development and environmental protection are interdependent and indivisible.

Parameters of Sustainable Development:

1. Environmental Sustainability:
Environmental sustainability relates with maintenance of carrying capacity of natural resource base
and life support systems. This emphasizes on area of conservation of biodiversity hot spots, increase
in forest cover, watershed protection and adoption of holistic approach.
2. Economic Sustainability:
Economic sustainability provides important energy source like a battery to secure environmental and
social sustainability. This emphasizes on promotion of economic self-sustenance of development
projects through measures like adequate budgeting, budget transparency and financial incentive.
3. Social Sustainability:
Social sustainability focuses on upgrading human environmental quality of life with fulfillment of
basic needs and transforming man from most dangerous animal to most important creative resource.
It emphasizes local communities to be well informed on sustainable ways of resource utilization.
4. Institutional Sustainability:
Plans and programmes without action represent futile exercise. Strict implementation and monitoring
of relevant environmental policies, plans, laws, regulations and standards is indispensable to attain
the goal of sustainable development. There should be adequate skilled and motivated manpower and
strong institutional capacity to address environmental and social sustainability.
RENEWABLE ENERGY RESOURSEC:-
Solar:-
Solar energy is derived by capturing radiant energy from sunlight and converting it into heat,
electricity, or hot water. Photovoltaic (PV) systems can convert direct sunlight into electricity
through the use of solar cells.
Benefits
One of the benefits of solar energy is that sunlight is functionally endless. With the technology to
harvest it, there is a limitless supply of solar energy, meaning it could render fossil fuels obsolete.
Relying on solar energy rather than fossil fuels also helps us improve public health and
environmental conditions.
Current Limitations
Although solar energy will save you money in the long run, it tends to be a significant upfront cost
and is an unrealistic expenses for most households. For personal homes, homeowners also need to

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have the ample sunlight and space to arrange their solar panels, which limits who can realistically
adopt this technology at the individual level.
Wind:-
Wind farms capture the energy of wind flow by using turbines and converting it into electricity.
There are several forms of systems used to convert wind energy and each vary. Commercial grade
wind-powered generating systems can power many different organizations, while single-wind
turbines are used to help supplement pre-existing energy organizations. Another form is utility-scale
wind farms, which are purchased by contract or wholesale. Technically, wind energy is a form of
solar energy. The phenomenon we call “wind” is caused by the differences in temperature in the
atmosphere combined with the rotation of Earth and the geography of the planet.
Benefits
Wind energy is a clean energy source, which means that it doesn’t pollute the air like other forms of
energy. Wind energy doesn’t produce carbon dioxide, or release any harmful products that can cause
environmental degradation or negatively affect human health like smog, acid rain, or other heat-
trapping gases. Investment in wind energy technology can also open up new avenues for jobs and
job training, as the turbines on farms need to be serviced and maintained to keep running.
Current Limitations
Since wind farms tend to be built in rural or remote areas, they are usually far from bustling cities
where the electricity is needed most. Wind energy must be transported via transition lines, leading to
higher costs. Although wind turbines produce very little pollution, some cities oppose them since
they dominate skylines and generate noise.
Hydroelectric
Dams are what people most associate when it comes to hydroelectric power. Water flows through
the dam’s turbines to produce electricity, known as pumped-storage hydropower. Run-of-river
hydropower uses a channel to funnel water through rather than powering it through a dam.
Benefits
Hydroelectric power is very versatile and can be generated using both large scale projects, like the
Hoover Dam, and small scale projects like underwater turbines and lower dams on small rivers and
streams. Hydroelectric power does not generate pollution, and therefore is a much more
environmentally-friendly energy option for our environment.
Current Limitations
Hydroelectric power does not pollute the air, it disrupts waterways and negatively affects the
animals that live in them, changing water levels, currents, and migration paths for many fish and
other freshwater ecosystems.
Geothermal:-
Geothermal heat is heat that is trapped beneath the earth’s crust from the formation of the Earth 4.5
billion years ago and from radioactive decay. Sometimes large amounts of this heat escapes
naturally, but all at once, resulting in familiar occurrences, such as volcanic eruptions and geysers.
Benefits
Geothermal energy is not as common as other types of renewable energy sources, but it has a
significant potential for energy supply. Since it can be built underground, it leaves very little
footprint on land. Geothermal energy is naturally replenished and therefore does not run a risk of
depleting (on a human timescale).

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Current Limitations
Cost plays a major factor when it comes to disadvantages of geothermal energy. Not only is it costly
to build the infrastructure, but another major concern is its vulnerability to earthquakes in certain
regions of the world.
Ocean:-
The ocean can produce two types of energy: thermal and mechanical. Ocean thermal energy relies on
warm water surface temperatures to generate energy through a variety of different systems. Ocean
mechanical energy uses the ebbs and flows of the tides to generate energy, which is created by the
earth’s rotation and gravity from the moon.
Benefits
Unlike other forms of renewable energy, wave energy is predictable and it’s easy to estimate the
amount of energy that will be produced. Instead of relying on varying factors, such as sun and wind,
wave energy is much more consistent. This type of renewable energy is also abundant, the most
populated cities tend to be near oceans and harbors, making it easier to harness this energy for the
local population.
Current Limitations
Those who live near the ocean definitely benefit from wave energy, but those who live in landlocked
states won’t have ready access to this energy. Another disadvantage to ocean energy is that it can
disturb the ocean’s many delicate ecosystems.
Hydrogen:-
Hydrogen needs to be combined with other elements, such as oxygen to make water as it does not
occur naturally as a gas on its own. When hydrogen is separated from another element it can be used
for both fuel and electricity.
Benefits
Hydrogen can be used as a clean burning fuel, which leads to less pollution and a cleaner
environment. It can also be used for fuel cells which are similar to batteries and can be used for
powering an electric motor.
Current Limitations
Since hydrogen needs energy to be produced, it is inefficient when it comes to preventing pollution.
Biomass:-
Bioenergy is a renewable energy derived from biomass. Biomass is organic matter that comes from
recently living plants and organisms.
There are various methods used to generate energy through the use of biomass. This can be done by
burning biomass, or harnessing methane gas which is produced by the natural decomposition of
organic materials in ponds or even landfills.
Benefits
The use of biomass in energy production creates carbon dioxide that is put into the air, but the
regeneration of plants consumes the same amount of carbon dioxide, which is said to create a
balanced atmosphere. Biomass can be used in a number of different ways in our daily lives, not only
for personal use, but businesses as well. In 2017, energy from biomass made up about 5% of the
total energy used in the U.S.
Current Limitations

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Although new plants need carbon dioxide to grow, plants take time to grow. We also don’t yet have
widespread technology that can use biomass in lieu of fossil fuels.
ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION MOVEMENTS:-
CHIPKO Movement:-
The Chipko Movement was started in the northern Himalayan segment of Uttar Pradesh, the area
that is well known as Uttarakhand. The word “chipko” refers “to stick” or “to hug”. The name of the
movement comes from a word meaning “embrace”: where the villagers hug the trees, saving them
by interposing their bodies between them and the contractors’ axes.
This became popular as “Chipko movement”. Chipko movement is a grassroot level movement,
which started in response to the needs of the people of Uttarakhand. The rate of heavy depletion of
forests was resulting in destruction, arid- making the Himalayan mountain range barren. Moreover,
the construction of dams, factories and roads had already led to deforestation.
Most of the leaders of the Chipko Movement were village women and men who strove to save their
means of subsistence and their communities. Sunderlal Bahuguna, a renowned Gandhian, with a
group of volunteers and women started the non-violent protest by clinging to the trees to save them
from felling.
This gave a start to the “Chipko Movement”. The main objective of this movement was to ensure an
ecological balance and the survival of the tribal people whose economic activities revolved around
these forests. His appeal to Mrs Gandhi resulted in the green-felling ban.
NARMADA Bachao Movement:-
The Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA), which translates as Save the Narmada Movement kicked off
around 1985, as a protest against the construction of the Sardar Sarovar Dam on the River Narmada
in Gujarat. The movement soon took the shape of a Nongovernmental Organization or NGO that
brought together the tribal, the farmers, the environmental activists and the human rights activists
against the Sardar Sarovar Dam that was being built on the River Narmada in Gujarat, a western
State of India.
Initially, the focus of the movement was on saving the trees and the fauna that those opposing the
dam felt would be submerged under the water, if the dam would be constructed.
The activities of NBA use peaceful methods to stage their protests and demonstrations. These
include hunger strikes, garnering support of celebrities from the art and the film world and other
such methods. The leading activists of the movement Medha Patkar and Baba Amte, together
received the Right to Livelihood Award in 1991 for their contribution to the Narmada Bachao
Andolan.
The Narmada Bachao Andolan today has support from NGOs worldwide. There have been intensive
media campaigns and peaceful protests by the protesters. This has also been pressure on the World
Bank to withdraw its loan to the Government for the construction of these dams. Protests have been
getting stronger with every attempt to ridicule them. Celebrities such as the popular Indian film actor
Amir Khan has expressed his support to the protestors and in fact, has received much flak for it. In
fact, the screening of his film Fanaa (2006) was banned in Gujarat as there were fears of those
against his stand disrupting the screening of his movie.

Tehri Dam Conflict:-

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Tehri dam is being constructed across the Bhagirathi (Ganga) below the confluence of its two main
head tributaries, e.g., the Bhagirathi and the Bhilangana rivers in Tehri district of Uttaranchal.
The major objectives of the project are to impound floodwaters of the Bhagirathi and the Bhilangana
rivers into a large reservoir behind the dam, generation of hydroelectricity and irrigation of
agricultural land in the western Uttar Pradesh.
The project was cleared by the Planning Commission of India in 1972 and the work was started by
the Irrigation Department of Uttar Pradesh on April 5, 1978. Tehri Hydro-Dam Corporation (THDC)
was constituted in 1989. The project is being implemented with Soviet (Russian), technical and eco-
nomic aid.
The Tehri dam project estimated to cost Rs. 3,000 crores (1989 esteem and the life of the dam would
be 100 economic Serious objections have been raised environmentalists and men of public over
mainly on three counts viz., (i) seismity region and therefore safety problem of the environmental
degradation and ecologieance, and (iii) displacement of loc al inhabit destruction of regional age-old
culture, has given due credence to these objection.
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MODULE-V: ENVIRONMENTAL POLICIES and LEGISLATION

The Environment Protection Act, 1986:-
The Environment Protection Act, 1986 (the "Environment Act") provides for the protection and
improvement of environment. The Environment Protection Act establishes the framework for
studying, planning and implementing long-term requirements of environmental safety and laying
down a system of speedy and adequate response to situations threatening the environment. It is an
umbrella legislation designed to provide a framework for the coordination of central and state
authorities established under the Water Act, 1974 and the Air Act. The term "environment" is
understood in a very wide term under s 2(a) of the Environment Act. It includes water, air and land
as well as the interrelationship which exists between water, air and land, and human beings, other
living creatures, plants, micro-organisms and property.
Under the Environment Act, the Central Government is empowered to take measures necessary to
protect and improve the quality of environment by setting standards for emissions and discharges of
pollution in the atmosphere by any person carrying on an industry or activity; regulating the location
of industries; management of hazardous wastes, and protection of public health and welfare. From
time to time, the Central Government issues notifications under the Environment Act for the
protection of ecologically-sensitive areas or issues guidelines for matters under the Environment
Act.
ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS:-
Ethics (the ancient Greek word “ethikos” meaning arising from habit) is the study of value or
quality, and it is a major branch of philosophy. Ethics are concerned with what is right and what is
wrong, irrespective of the culture and society. For example, it is ethical to have reverence for all
forms of life and any killing is unethical.
Moral principles that try to define one’s responsibility towards the environment are
called “environmental ethics” or ‘environmental philosophy’ which considers the ethical
relationship between human beings and the natural environment.
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Ethical Guidelines to Work with Earth:
Various ethicists and philosophers proposed the following ethical guidelines to work with the
earth (Miller 1996).
Ecosphere and Ecosystems:
1. We should not deplete or degrade the earth’s physical, chemical or biological capital, which
supports all life and all human economic activities.
2. We should try to understand and cooperate with rest of the nature.
3. We should work with rest of the nature to sustain the ecological integrity, biodiversity and
adaptability of the earth’s life support systems.
Species and Cultures:
1. Every species has a right to live or at least struggle to live. Simply because it exists.
2. We should work to preserve as much of the earth’s genetic variety as possible because it is the raw
material for all future evolution.
Individual Responsibility:
1. We should not inflict unnecessary suffering or pain on any animal we raise or hunt for food or use
for scientific or other purposes.
2. We should use no more of the earth’s resources than we need and not waste such resources.
3. We should leave the earth as good as—or better—than we found it.
4. We should work with the earth to help heal ecological wounds we have inflicted.
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA):-
Environmental Impact Assessment, abbreviated as EIA is comparatively new planning and decision
making device first used in the United States in the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 that
raised awareness of the serious environmental effects of human activities which were inadequately
controlled by existing planning regulation and pollution control measures.
Objectives of Environmental Impact Assessment
1. To make sure that environmental considerations are explicitly addressed and incorporated into
the development decision making process.
2. To forestall and avoid, reduce or offset the adverse significant biophysical, social and other
relevant effects of development proposals.
3. To shield the productivity and capacity of natural systems and the ecological processes which
maintain their functions.
Common components of Environmental Impact Assessment in different countries:
1. Screening: Is an EIA required; what level of detail is required.
2. Scoping: The issues and impacts of the project; who are the stakeholders; what is the current
state of the environment.
3. Identification of alternatives: What alternatives exist?
4. Impact analysis: What are the environmental, social and other related impacts of the project?
5. Mitigation and impact management: How will the impacts be mitigated, reduced or managed.
6. Evaluation of significance are the impacts acceptable.
7. Preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement or report: Documentation of the proposal,
impacts, impact mitigation and management options, level of significance and concerns.
8. Review of Environmental Impact Statement: EIS is open for public comment for a sufficient
period of time.

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 9. Decision making: Public comments considered and a decision made whether to accept the
proposal as is, modify the proposal or reject the proposal outright.
10.Monitoring and review: Develop an implementation plan; begin monitoring and review of the
project.
Features of Environmental Impact Assessment
1. It is a methodical evaluation of all noteworthy environmental consequences.
2. It is a structured, systematic and comprehensive approach.
3. It is a procedure which forces developers to reassess proposals.
4. It is a process leading to a statement to guide decision-makers
ENVIRONMENTAL AUDIT:-
Environmental auditing is a management tool designed to provide information on environmental
performance to the right people at the right time. This audit encompasses all kinds of activities
related to environmental measures of an organisation.
Setting up an Audit Programme:
Developing an audit programme requires decisions to be taken on:
i. The scope of the audit: what information is to be collected?
ii. The frequency with which each site (or issue) is to be audited;
iii. Who is to carry out the audit?
iv. What, if any, information is to be made available to the public.
It is also necessary to develop an audit protocol: that is, the detailed plan to be used by each auditor
when carrying out the audit.
A full environmental audit will cover:
(i) Compliance with environmental regulations,
(ii) Implementation of company’s environmental policies and procedures,
(iii) Good environmental management practice, and
(iv) Past activities.
These can be categorized as:
(a) A technical review:
Such an audit will involve the systematic collection of information about the existing and potential
impact of the organization’s activities on the environment; it will normally cover compliance with
pollution control and waste management legislation. It will not cover management practices.
(b) A management review:
This will focus more on the management procedures and record- keeping and will also gather
information on compliance with legislation. It may also review procedures in the context of
company policies, programmes and other requirements. It will not examine the existing or likely
impact of the operation on the surrounding environment from a technical standpoint.
(c) Due diligence review:
This will examine the likely cost of implementing pollution control and site remediation actions and
will take account of existing and future legislation. Such liability reviews are normally carried out in
the context of mergers, acquisitions and long range company planning.
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