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Volume 2 of 4
Table of Contents
Volume 2 of 4
Minerals in India:
Classification:
Metallic Minerals
Iron ore, Manganese, bauxite
NonMetallic Minerals
Limestone
Minerals Fuels
Coal, Petroleum
All minerals and mineral products are derived from rocks forming the earths crust. The various
mineral products of the rock system of India are the ores and minerals, which man has been
used in his development throughout the ages.
As one looks around, the tractor farming, the wide range of heavy machinery for mines, mills
and factories, mineral fertilizers all these bear ample testimony to the indispensability of
minerals in the life of man. The ever-changing techniques of construction, engineering, the raw
materials for road, rail and air transport etc. demand an ever-increasing use of metals and
minerals.
An appraisal of the total mineral resources of India so far known to geologists brings home the
fact that the mineral wealth of India is not inconsiderable for a country of her size and
population.
Nature has made a very unequal territorial distribution of minerals in Indian region. The vast
alluvial plain tract of northern India is devoid of mines of minerals. The terrain of Bihar,
Jharkhand and Orissa possesses the largest concentration of ore deposits such as iron,
manganese, copper, thorium, uranium, aluminium, mica, phosphates and coal.
Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh also carry good reserves of iron and manganese ores, coal,
limestone, and bauxite. Tamil Nadu has workable deposits of iron, manganese, mica,
limestone and lignite.
Gujarat, Maharashtra and Assam have crude oil (petroleum). Assam also bears tertiary coal.
West Bengals minerals are confined to coal and iron ore.
The most important source of power in Indian Subcontinent is coal. It is used in industries,
thermal power plants, railways, etc.
Depending upon the carbon content and moisture, coal is divided into the following varieties:
z Anthracite coal: It has a carbon content of 90% and burns without smoke leaving a little
ash.
z Bituminous coal: It has a carbon content of 50% to 80%.
z Lignite: It is brownish in colour and has a carbon content of about 40%.
z Peat: It has least carbon content and inferior to the other varieties.
India is the largest producer of coal in South Asian region. Bihar, Assam, Jharkhand, West
Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra are the main coal
producing States of India.
Petroleum is an important fuel. The prosperity of a country depends to some extent on this fuel.
Unfortunately, South Asian region generally lacks petroleum, however, there are some oil fields
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in India and Pakistan. India produces only one-third of her requirements. The remaining twothird requirements are met by imported petroleum.
In India, the main areas of mineral oil deposits are:
z Offshore in Maharashtra (Mumbai High is the largest producer of mineral oils in India.)
z Digboi and Naharkatiya in Assam
z Kalol and Ankleshwar in Gujarat
The crude mineral oil is refined in refineries. There are 17 refineries in India.
z Reliance Petroleum Limited is the only refinery in the private sector.
z The Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemical Limited is a joint sector refinery.
z 15 refineries are in public sector.
Iron is a metal of universal use. Its uses have increased thousand fold since man discovered
steel. There is a wide variety of special steel to suit special purposes such as fatigue and acidresisting steels, hard steel for machinery tools, stainless steel and other special steels for
defence weapons.
Iron is extracted from its ores haematite and magnetite, which are oxides of iron.
When these are smelted with coke, metallic iron is obtained.
Iron-ore occurs in a large scale in India. Orissa, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Goa and
Andhra Pradesh are the main producers of iron in India.
Orissa accounts about one-third of total output of iron in India. The most important deposits
occur in Sundargarh, Mayurbhanj, Cuttack, Shambalpur and Koraput.
Jharkhand ranks next to Orissa in the production of iron ore. The iron ore of Singhbum is of the
highest quality.
Uses
Used in the manufacture of iron and steel.
Manganese:
Very rich
Annual Production: 1.6
Million Tonnes
M.P.
Maharashtra
Gujarat
Orissa
Karnataka
:
:
:
:
:
Balaghat, Chindwara
Bhandara, Nagpur
Panch Mahal
Keonjher
Chitraldurg
Bihar
M.P.
Maharashtra
Tamil Nadu
Karnataka
Gujarat
:
:
:
:
:
:
Palamau, Ranchi
Jabalpur, Katni
Kolhapur
Salem
Belgaum
Kheda
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b) NonMetallic:
Minerals
Limestone:
Enough
30.2 million tones
Uses
Used mainly in the manufacture of cement.
Used as flux in iron and steel industry;
production of chemicals, paper glass and
fertilizers.
c) Minerals: Fuels:
(Imp.) Coal:
Just sufficient
102.0 million tonnes
Lignite Coal 3.6 million
tonnes
th
7 largest production in
the world 234.11 million
tonnes of reserves.
Bihar
: Jharia, Bokaro, Gridih, Karanpura
West Bengal : Raniganj
M.P.
: Singrauli, Korba
Orissa
: Talcher
Also in AP, Jammu & Kashmir, Assam
Indias largest area is at Neyveli in Tamil
Nadu.
(Imp) Petroleum:
India is poor
12.0 million tonnes
Assam
Section I: [2 Marks]
1) What is the difference between metallic and non-metallic minerals? Name one each of the
most abundant of these minerals found in South Asia.
Ans:
Metallic Minerals
NonMetallic Minerals
These minerals are those which possess the Some minerals that have no metals in them
physical properties of lustre, hardness and are used for extraction of non metals like
heaviness. The metals can be melted, and sulphur, phosphorus, carbonate, etc. They
exist in chemical compounds. Only few occur are also mineral fuels.
in a pure state.
In South Asia the most abundant ores are Minerals like limestone, gypsum, mica,
iron, copper, tin, zinc, lead, silver and gold.
antimony, coal and petroleum are nonmetallic minerals.
2) Why does India export iron ore on a large scale? Give two reasons.
Ans: i) Ironore is one of the most important mineral products of the Indian subcontinent. India
occupies ninth position in world production. A lot is being consumed on the national front, as
most of the iron and steel industries are located in mining areas. But it is also being exported
on a large scale as the demand for steel has increased globally.
ii) The quality of iron-ore found is haematite. It is a good variety; India exports this to countries
like Japan.
3) a) Name important ores of iron.
b) Which of these ores are found in India?
c) Give two features of these iron deposits.
Ans: a) Haematite, magnetite and limonite are iron ore deposits.
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13) Name the types of rocks where mineral oil is usually found.
Ans: Mineral oil is a product of decomposition of organic remains embedded in sedimentary rocks of
the Tertiary period. Petroleum is usually found in sedimentary rock formations like sandstone,
shale and limestone.
14) Explain why coal is often used near the source of production and mineral oil is often
transported to great distances
Ans: Coal is a cheap and heavy mineral. Since coal is a bulky mineral, the transportation by road or
rail is costly and timeconsuming. It is therefore, used near the source of production.
Mineral oil, on the other hand, is a fluid substance. It can be transported through pipelines with
minimum transportation cost. The laying of the pipelines is the only initial cost.
15) State two main drawbacks of the coal found in India.
Ans: The two main drawbacks of coal found in India are:
i) India does not have extensive deposits of the high grade coal i.e. Anthracite coal.
ii) Most of the coal produced is bituminous coal containing 50% to 80% of carbon content.
About 60% of Indias coal reserves are of inferior quality.
16) Distinguish between the conventional and nonconventional sources of energy.
Ans: Conventional sources of energy: (i) These are nonrenewable sources of energy eg. coal and
petroleum. (ii) These are going to last just for 100200 years. (iii) These cause air and water
pollution.
Nonconventional sources of energy: (i) These are renewable sources of energy eg. solar
energy, wind energy. (ii) These are going to last forever. (iii) These do not cause any pollution.
17) Name two main areas of iron ore in Goa and in Karnataka.
Ans: i) Most of the iron ore of South Asia is produced in India. Goa is the largest producer of about
27% iron ore, through its reserves are small. Most of it is exported. The good quality
haematite ore is mined at Sahqualim, Sanguem, Satari Ponda.
ii) Karnataka is the fifth major producer of iron ore. Reserves of magnetite and haematite are
found here. Important deposits are at Bellary. Hospet, and the Bababudun Hills.
18) What is meant by the term Gondwana deposits?
Ans: i) The coalfields in India are divided into two classes. a) The Gondwana system, b) Tertiary
beds. Gondwana deposits of coal are found in strata extending from Bengal, Jharkhand,
Bihar and Orissa including Madhya Pradesh.
ii) 98% of Indian coal comes from this belt. The Gondwana region has high grades of coal. It is
free from moisture but has sulphur and phosphorus in small quantities. They are located in
rock strata and consist of coking and noncoking coal.
19) Under the present day system of consumption, minerals are on the verge of extinction.
Do you agree? Give three reasons.
Ans: i) Minerals are important for the growth and development of the nation. There are two types of
minerals-metallic and non-metallic. The Indian subcontinent is rich in mineral resources. But
they are on the verge of extinction as they are not evenly distributed in the subcontinent. The
locations found may not be ideal for exploitation, but they are still being exploited. Thus this is
destroying valuable resources.
ii) The quantity and quality also vary. The regions with good quality may not be very well
developed. The infrastructure may not be good. Over mining causes the quality of the mineral
to degenerate.
20) Distinguish between Anthracte and lignite coal
Ans: Anthracite: (i) This is the best quality coal containing over 80% carbon. (ii) It has the highest
heating value.
Lignite: (i) It is a lower grade coal containing about 60% carbon. (ii) It has the low heating value
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iii) Coal conservation means progress in industry. Hence new reserves of coal should be
explored. Low grade should be blended with superior quality. Public and Private sector
participation should be encouraged. New techniques in mining for production influx should be
introduced. Steps should be taken to prevent wastage of coal.
6) Mention three environmental factors that must be kept in mind during mining activities
Ans: i) The mines in India are lack of infrastructure. They are very small and labour-intensive. Thus
environmental pollution is seen.
ii) The mines incur heavy losses due to fires in the mines. The smoke causes heavy pollution to
the surrounding areas, loss of life and property.
iii) The mines should have facility for disposal of waste, specially coal, as this waste causes
pollution which is hazardous to health. New modern techniques are necessary as obsolete
methods cause a lot of damage.
7) Name the different types of coal produced in India. Mention the characteristics of each
type. Name the three types of coal found in India and state the uses of each.
Ans: a) The different types of coal are:
i) Anthracite coal: It has 90% carbon content. It is jet black in colour and burns slowly without
smoke or soot. It is clean to handle and has high heating value.
ii) Bituminous coal: It has 5080% carbon content. It is most widely found and used in India.
Used for coke required for smelting of iron ore.
iii) Lignite coal: It contains 40% carbon. It is brown or brownish in color. It has large quantities
of ash and moisture.
b) The three types of coal found in India and their uses are as follows:
i) Anthracite coal: It is used in manufacturing of iron and steel and steam generation.
ii) Bituminous coal: It is used in the smelting of iron ore and also in the generation of thermal
electricity.
iii) Lignite coal: It is used in the production of thermal electricity.
8) Name the main coal bearing areas of India.
Ans: The coalfields in India are classified into two groups.
i) Gondwana coal fields: found mainly in Peninsular India in the states of Jharkhand, Orissa,
Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra.
ii) Tertiary coal fields: They include the coalfields of Assam, Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan
and Punjab.
9) Name the following:
(i) The oldest coal field in India. (ii) The largest coalfields in India. (iii) Any two states in India
important for production of coal.
Ans: i) The oldest coal field in India is Talcher coalfield in Orissa.
ii) The largest coalfield in India is the Jharia coalfield.
iii) Jharkhand and West Bengal are two states important for the production of coal.
10) What are the uses of coal?
Ans: Uses of coal are as follows:
i) Coal is extensively used as domestic and industrial fuel.
ii) Coke obtained from Bituminous coal is used in the smelting of iron ore.
iii) It can be converted into other forms of energy like gas and oil. Coal is used in the generation
of thermal electricity.
Byproducts such as tar, ammonia benzol, sulphur, and phenol are obtained during conversion
of coal to coke.
Coal is an important raw material for various industries like chemicals, explosives, dyes,
fertilizers, perfumes, plastics and paints.
High grade coals are used in iron steel industry and steam generation.
In India the main consumers of coal are the Indian railways, and the iron and steel industry.
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What is a mineral?
Name the quality of Gondwana Coal reserves.
Name on eimportant oilfield in India.
Name the Coalfield in West Bengal.
Mention two uses of coal.
Name the two main belts of India whre oil is found.
Where is the oldest oilfield located in India?
Name two main coal bearing areas of India.
Name two States that have huge deposits of the Gondwana coal.
Name two States that have petroleum deposits.
What are the advantages of the anthracite coal?
Why petroleum is called liquid gold?
Name two uses of iron ore.
Where is the largest aluminium plant in India located?
Give two uses of limestone.
PREVIOUS YEARS BOARD QUESTIONS:
[2000]
[2005]
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3) a)
b)
c)
4) a)
b)
c)
5) a)
b)
6) a)
b)
c)
d)
7) a)
b)
c)
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8) a)
b)
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9) a)
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10) a)
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11) a) Name the ore of aluminium. Describe two main uses of aluminium.
b) Name any two industrial products for which limestone is used as a source of raw material.
c) i) Name two industries that use a high quantity of coal.
ii) Name one important area that has large coal deposits in the states of Jharkhand and West
Bengal.
d) i) Which state is the largest producer of mineral oil?
ii) Name two coastal and two inland oil-refineries in India?
[2013]
12) a) Mention any two uses of manganese.
b) Which of the different varieties of coal is used for domestic purposes and why?
c) Name the mineral used in the manufacture of:
i) Cement
ii) Aluminium
iii) Synthetics
d) Which State is the leading producer of the following minerals?
i) Coal
ii) Oil
iii) Manganese
[2014]
10
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Agriculture in India:
The cultivation of the soil in order to grow crops and rear livestock is known as agriculture.
It is the type of agriculture in which farmers work hard to grow enough food to survive only.
There remains no surplus to sell in the market. This type of farming is practiced in tribal
areas of Assam, other northeastern hilly states and in the Himalayan region.
Mixed Farming:
z
It is another type of farming in which cultivation of crops and rearing of animals are done
together on the same farm. Mixed farming keeps the farmers betteroff and more secure,
because their income comes from various sources. Rotation of crops is practiced.
Shifting Cultivation:
z
It is the oldest type of agriculture. This is also as slash and burn method. In India, it is
known as Jhumming. This method of farming is carried on in jungles of northeastern parts
of India. A patch of land is cleared for cultivation. As the yield decreases after two or three
years, the patch is abandoned and a fresh clearing is made. Shifting agriculture, in India, is
carried in the hill of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Nagaland.
Extensive Farming:
z
It is practiced in regions where the population size is small and land is enough. Here, per
acre yield is low but overall production is in surplus due to less population. Agriculture is
done with the help of machines. In our country, extensive farming is practiced in the Terai
region of SubHimalayas and in parts of Northwestern India.
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Intensive Farming:
z
In regions where the size of population is big but land is less, this type of farming is done.
Annually two or three crops are grown due to the demand of food for the large size of
population. Agriculture is done with the help of manual labour. Intensive farming is
widespread in the irrigated areas of the Northern Plains and coastal strips of South India.
Plantation Agriculture:
z
It is also a type of agriculture in which trees or bushes are planted on huge estates. A single
crop like rubber, sugarcane, coffee, tea or banana is grown. These crops usually cater to
the export market and earn foreign exchange. Plantation farming is carried on in some parts
of India like the hills of south India and NorthEast states of India where tea, coffee and
rubber are cultivated.
Commercial Farming:
z
This system of agriculture involves cultivation of crops for sale in the market. These crops
are called commercial or cash crops. They include sugarcane, tobacco, fibre crops and
oilseeds.
It is usually practiced in areas where the population is sparse and plenty of spacious land is
available and market economy is welldeveloped.
Solution:
Improving the health of the farmers.
Giving them letter credit facilities, improved hybrid seeds, chemical fertilizer and educating the
farmers in modern scientific methods of cultivation
Reclaiming land and preventing fragmentation.
Farming cooperatives, offering incentives and bonus to farmers.
Introduced scientific farming programmes
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Cereals
wheat, rice, jowar,
gram, bajra, ragi,
pulses.
Cash Crops
Plantations
sugarcane, tobacco
Oilseeds
linseed, groundnut,
seasame, sunflower,
rapeseed,
mustardseed
Spices
Pepper, ginger,
turmeric, chillies,
cloves, saffron
Fibre Crops
cotton, jute
Rice:
Rice is the staple food of millions of people in India. It is a kharif crop. After China, India is the
largest producer of rice.
Geographical Requirements:
z
z
z
Methods of Cultivation:
z
z
z
z
Board-casting: The seeds are scattered all over the field after ploughing it. It is labour
saving also. This is done before the onset of monsoon.
Drilling method: In this method, the seeds are dropping in a straight line at the regular
intervals through a bamboo shaft attached to the plough which makes furrows. The main
advantage of this method is that the seeds fall in the furrows in a systematic way. The
germination rate of the seeds is high and the wastage of seeds in minimal, as well as time
consuming.
Dibbling method: Dibbling is the dropping of seed at regular intervals in the furrows made
by the plough.
Transplanting Method: Transplantation is the sowing of seeds which is usually done in
well prepared seed beds call miseries, after 4 to 5 weeks when saplings attain 25 to 30 cm
of height they are transplanted in to prepared rice fields, in a regular distance. Then the
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surplus water is drained so that by the time the grains ripen, the field is dry. It is a
labourious tasks.
Japanese Method: This method is very popular and best method, now a days because as
it yields three times the normal quantity. It involves:
The use of better quality seeds of the high yielding varieties (HYV).
Transplantation of the seedlings in equal distant rows. It is easy for applying fertilizers.
Types of Rice:
z
z
Upland type: grown on terraced fields on the hill slopes at higher elevations.
Low land type: grown in flat, lowlying areas.
Distribution:
z
Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Assam, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh.
Wheat:
Wheat is the worlds most important food crop for more then 1/3 of the world population winter
but in India it ranks after rice in importance.
Geographical Requirements:
z
z
z
Methods of Cultivation:
z
z
Wheat sown in OctoberNovember after the monsoon rains, when temperatures are low,
the soil is moist and easily ploughed and fertilized.
The grain appears at the end of January and harvesting is done just before the intense
summer heat sets in at the beginnings of March. Plenty of sunshine is beneficial to ripening
and early harvesting.
Distribution:
z
Millets:
The tern millets refer to a member of inferior grains which serve as food grains for the poorer
sections of the society. Jowar, Bajra, and Ragi are kharif crops. Millets are called dry crops.
Geographical Requirements:
z
z
z
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Geographical Requirements:
z
z
z
Distribution:
z
Pulses:
z
Geographical Requirements:
z
z
z
Distribution:
z
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Pulses Gram
(Rabi) Arhar,
and Moong
(Kharif) Masur
(Rabi and kharif
both)
Millets:
Jowar (K & R)
Bajra
Ragi (Kharif)
Wheat (Rabi)
Second most
imp. food crop
Rice (Kharif)
Most imp. staple
food crop of
India
Crop
20C to 25C
27C to 32C
27C to 32C
27C to 32C
25C to 25C
when ripening
10C to 20C
when growing
22C to 32C
Average 24C
When ripening
Temperature
50 cm to 75 cm
50 cm to 100 cm
50 cm to 100 cm
20 cm to 100 cm
50 cm to 100 cm
(winter rain
beneficial)
150 cm to 300 cm
Rainfall
Grown on a
variety of soils
but clayey
loams are more
suitable.
Any type of soil
is suitable
Variety of soils
Clayey, loamy
soils
Alluvial topsoil,
clayey
impervious
subsoil
Soil
Dibbling method.
Mostly by broadcasting
method.
It is sown by broadcasting,
dibbing and drilling
methods. In India,
ploughing, sowing
harvesting, and threshing
is generally done by
hands.
Methods of farming
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i) More than 60% of the cultivated land depends on the vagaries of the monsoon rainfall, Un
reliable, seasonal and unequal distribution of rainfall is the cause of the failure of rain fed
crops. There are inadequate irrigational facilities in such areas.
ii) Soil erosion due to heavy monsoon rains, floods, gusty winds and insufficient vegetation
cover have increased the infertility of the soil and reduced the yields per hectare.
iii) Due to the illiteracy the farmers are reluctant to use modern scientific method of cultivation.
Many of them do not use new and better quality seeds, fertilizers and pesticides to ensure
good quality crops.
iv) Due to small uneconomic holdings due to farm fragmentation, half of the farms in India are
less than 1 hectare in size and 4 percent are of 10 hectares. They cannot use tractors or
agricultural machines on these small holdings.
v) Farmers are disinterested in improving the land or taking the risk of trying new methods of
cultivation or new varieties of seeds.
vi) The system of land tenure is such that most of the farmers do not own the land cultivated by
them. They belong to absentee landlords who are indifferent to land improvements.
vii) An unsound credit system and the poverty of the farmers are serious problems. They often
suffer the burden of heavy inherited debts. They do not have capital to invest in
improvements.
viii) Indian agriculture is mainly of subsistence type. About 72% of the total area is devoted to
food crop to meet the requirements of the country. There is no surplus to export.
xi) Average productivity of crops is low due to outdated farming practices, less use of manures
and pesticides and low quality seeds.
In which region is Ragi grown in Indian? Why?
Ragi is mainly grown in Peninsular India, in the southern states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and
Andhra Pradesh.
z It is both a kharif and a rabi crop.
z Ragi grows in areas of less rainfall. It is grown either with dryfarming method or as an
irrigated crop.
z It grows on a variety of soils of Peninsular India.
With reference to jhumming, answer the following question:
i) How is jhumming carried out?
In this type of farming there is continuous shifting from one clearing in the forest to the other due
to loss of soil fertility.
ii) Where is it practiced in India?
It is practiced in the North east hill states, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand.
iii) What are its disadvantages?
It is not an environment friendly method as it involves deforestation and burning increases the
level of greenhouse gases. It is a health hazard and produces low crop yield.
With reference to the types of farming in India, answer the following question:
i) Give the meaning of the term plantation farming.
Plantations are large tracts of land used for cultivation of a single agricultural crop like tea,
coffee, rubber or spices on a large scale.
ii) Who introduced plantation farming to India?
The European colonists introduced plantation farming to India.
iii) What are the advantages of this type of farming?
i) The plantations usually cater to the export market and earn foreign exchange
ii) It involves large number of labourers like managerial labour, daily wage labourers; hence it
provides employment opportunities to a large section of the population.
Differentiate between the following:
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Ans:
Rabi crops
Winter crop
Rabi crops are sown in the
winter season (October
November) and harvested in
the beginning of summer
(MarchApril).
The main crops are wheat,
barley, gram, linseed, tobacco
and mustard.
28)
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29)
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Kharif crops
Zaid crops
Summer crop
Extra crop
They are sown at the
It is grown in the summer
beginning of the rainy season months of April, May and
in June and harvested in the
June after the rabi season.
autumn season in the
beginning of November.
The principal kharif crops are Its main products are
rice, maize, millets, cotton,
seasonal fruits and
jute, castor, groundnut and
vegetables.
sesamum.
Why is wheat growing important in Punjab?
Although Punjab is not the biggest producer or wheat in India, yet wheat is the most important
crop of Punjab. The favourable factors are as follows:
i) It is region of alluvial soil deposited by the rivers of Punjab
ii) Punjab has ideal climatic conditions for growing wheat.
iii) Water requirements are supplemented by network of irrigation canals, which are fed by
Bhakra Nangal Project, Harike project and Beas project.
iv) Rain from Western Disturbances is a boon for wheat crop in Punjab.
v) The Punjabs farmers are very laborious. Large holdings and improved techniques are
favourable for wheat growing.
Give two reasons why the growing of pulses is important in India.
Owing to following reasons the growing of pulses is important in India:
i) Pulses include a very important part of the Indiandiet particularly for the vegetarian
population because of protein content of the pulses.
ii) They are leguminous plants. They help in restoring the soil fertility, so they are used as
rotating crop.
iii) They are dry crops and required less water.
iv) They serve as excellent fodder for cattle.
a) The geographical conditions in Punjab are most suitable for growing wheat.
Punjab experiences following climatic conditions:
i) Punjab receives winter rain due to western disturbances which is beneficial to the wheat crop.
ii) The draining of perennial rivers makes the soil clayey, loamy, and well drained helping the
wheat crop to grow well.
iii) In winters, the state experiences 10 to 15 C of temperature which favours the wheat crop in
ripening. Even in the mid-March, April-mid the temperature ranges 20C to 25C which again
is ideal for wheat cultivation.
b) Millets and pulses are called Dry Crops.
i) These crops mature early and are drought resistant crops.
ii) They are and therefore cultivated in the drier parts of monsoon lands, particularly the Deccan
Plateau.
iii) Hence they are called as Dry Crops.
c) Which is a useful rotation crop? Why?
i) Pulses form an important part of the Indian diet and are grown in the Rabi season. Pulses
include a number of crops (dals) which provide protein. They are leguminous plants with root
nodules which have the capacity to fix and use atmospheric nitrogen in the soil. They utilize
nitrogen from air.
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Ans:
30)
Ans:
31)
Ans:
32)
Ans:
22
ii) The crops are rotated with other crops to maintain or restore soil fertility. They act as fertilizer
to the soil.
iii) Pulses serve as an excellent forage (food for cattle) and grain concentration in the feed of
cattle. It also supplies protein in a vegetarian diet as there is an absence of animal protein in
a vegetarian diet.
f) Rice is not the main crop in the Deccan Plateau.
Rice is not the main crop in the Deccan Plateau due to the following reasons:
i) Rice grows best in heavy loam and alluvial soil with subsoil of impervious clay which allows
water to stagnate in the fields. Deccan plateau has mainly black cotton soil or red soil, which
are not suitable for growing rice.
ii) Rice needs warm or hot humid climate, with temperature between 18C to 35C. Deccan
plateau has a hot dry climate with little moisture in the air and temperature above 3035C.
iii) Rice needs abundant rainfall ranging between 150 cm300 cm. It requires 510 in of
standing water during the early part of the growing season.
The Deccan Plateau region receives an average of 50100 of rainfall, which is inadequate for
growing rice. Irrigation facilities are also not widely available.
Due to the terrain, vast tracts of flat land are not available for water to stand in the fields.
Hence rice cannot be widely grown on the Deccan Plateau.
Give three main aspects of the Japanese method of rice cultivation.
The three aspects of the Japanese method of rice cultivation are:
i) Use of high yielding paddy hybrids called JAPONICA, which increases output tremendously.
ii) Sowing of seeds in raised nursery beds.
iii) Transplantation of seedlings in rows. This facilitates weeding and fertilizing.
iv) Irrigation is done to ensure the required supply of water during the period of growth.
v) Heavy manuring done both in the nursery and the field.
For wheat in Punjab:
i) Give two natural factors and one manmade factor that favour the cultivation of wheat.
The two factors favouring the cultivation of wheat are as follows:
i) The winter rain due to western disturbances received in Punjab helps the wheat crop for
speedy germination.
ii) The state has clayey, loamy and well drained soils owing to the flow of various river channels.
iii) The manmade factor, favouring the cultivation of wheat includes introduction of Green
Revolution in 196768. The highyielding Mexican wheat and hybrids led to the maximum
yield in acreage.
Why millets are called dry crops? Why is bajra grown in Rajasthan and jowar in
Maharashtra?
i) Millets are called dry crops. This is common name for several species of the grass family.
They can be grown on lands which are not suitable for rice and wheat production because of
deficient rainfall and poor soil. They can be grown in areas of high temperature ranging from
27C to 32C. They can survive in high heat and drought conditions, in rainfall from 50 to 120
cms and in medium to deep black soils. They are grown in the drier parts.
ii) There are three types of millets in India jowar, bajra and ragi.
Jowar is grown in Maharashtra as they can be grown in deep black soils. They take only
three months to mature, whereas other crops take five months. Sowing is done by the
broadcasting method. After harvest, the stalks are used as cattle fodder, and the grain is
used as food.
iii) Bajra can be grown in arid conditions with less rainfall, it grows on sandy soil as in Rajasthan.
The sowing is done in the middle of June and harvested in November. When the harvest is
ready, the heads with grain are cut by hand. The plant is given for cattle fodder and grain
from the heads is separated by threshing, on boards or floors.
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33) Compare and contrast the geographical conditions required for the growth of the staple
food crops of India.
Ans: Two staple food crops of India are wheat and rice.
i) Wheat is sown in winter (rabi), whereas rice is sown in summer (Kharif).
ii) Wheat requires cool and moderate climate, whereas rice requires hot and humid climate.
iii) Wheat requires less than 18C temperature and medium rainfall of 50 cm to 100 cm, whereas
rice requires a temperature from 25C to 30C and rainfall more than 100 cm.
34) Mention the climatic conditions required for rice cultivation in India
Ans: Rice is a crop of hot and wet regions in the tropics.
Temperature: Rice plant requires temperatures ranging between 16C and 20C during the
growing season and 18C to 32C during the harvesting season. It requires plenty of water and
bright sunshine.
Rainfall: Rice plant requires good rainfall ranging between 100 cm and 200 cm. it requires
flooded fields at the time of early growth and during transplantation.
Frequent showers before ripening helps in increasing the size of the grain. Rice can be grown in
areas with less rainfall, if the facility of irrigation is available.
35) With reference to wheat: a) During which part of the year is it grown in India and why?
Ans: Wheat is grown in the winter in India because it requires cool and moist weather with a
temperature of less than 20C during its growth. Warm and dry climate is good for its ripening. It
also requires 200 frost free days.
b) Why is it not grown in the southern and eastern parts of India?
Ans: Wheat is a Rabi crop in India. It grows in areas where the temperature does not rise beyond
20C in winter during growing period.
Hence, wheat cannot be cultivated in the eastern and southern parts of India.
36) With reference to the type of soil only, state why
a) Bajra is grown in Rajasthan?
Ans: Bajra is grown in Rajasthan because it needs sandy soil and dry climate.
b) Jowar is grown in Maharashtra.
Ans: The Deccan plateau in Maharashtra has drier black soil hence Jowar is grown here.
c) Ragi is grown in Tamil Nadu.
Ans: It is grown in Tamil Nadu since it requires less rainfall and can be either grown with the dry
farming or as an irrigated crop. Ragi can grow on a variety of dry soils.
37) State the differences between cultivation of upland rice and low land rice.
Ans:
Upland Rice
Lowland Rice
This type of rice is grown in terraced field on This type of rice is grown in flat low lying
hill slopes.
areas.
It is cultivated without irrigation.
It needs a lot of irrigation.
It is grown in March April and harvested in It is sown in June and harvested in October
September October.
and November
This crop is used for local consumption.
Most of the rice grown in India is low land
variety.
38) Distinguish between transplantation method and Japanese method of rice farming.
Ans: Transplantation Method and the Japanese Method of Rice Farming:
Transplantation Method
Japanese Method
In transplantation method of rice farming, first In Japanese method of rice farming, first the
the seeds are sown in small and well prepared seeds are sown in already enriched and
plots.
welldrained nursery beds.
About 15 cm high saplings are transplanted at About 15 cm to 20 cm high saplings are
regular intervals in other fields.
transplanted in rows in another field.
Harvesting is carried out when ears are nearly Topdressing with nitrogenous fertilizers is
ripe.
done before flowering of the plants.
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39) What improved methods of cultivation can raise rice production in India?
Ans: Japanese Method: A popular method known as the Japanese method of rice cultivation is being
popularized in India in order to increase the productivity of rice.
In this method
a) The good quality seeds are sown in well-drained nursery beds already enriched with manure.
The sapplings are then uprooted when they grow to 15 to 20 cm in height and replanted in
rows in another field.
b) Huge amount of compost manure is used in the field before transplanting. If the green
manure is used, the mixture of ammonium-sulphate and superphosphate fertilizers are used.
The mixture is used again after one month of transplanting.
c) Planting is done in rows at appropriate distance and then irrigation is provided as needed.
Before flowering of the rice plants, top-dressing is done with nitrogenous fertilizers.
40) State the advantages of growing rice in nurseries. Explain the method.
Ans: Transplanting Method:
a) In this method, first the seedlings are sown in small, carefully, prepared plots. When the
plants are about 15 cm high, they are uprooted by hand in small bunches. Then they are
transplanted at regular intervals in fields.
b) The fields, as the seedlings grow, are watered well. The water is supplied abundantly till the
plants become mature; but about two weeks before harvesting, the water in the field is
drained off.
c) Harvesting is done when ears are nearly ripe. This method, though labour intensive, gives
better yields.
41) In West Bengal which three crops of rice are grown in a year? Explain.
Ans: The three crops of rice grown in West Bengal are as follows:
i) Aus (autumn) crop is sown in May-June and harvested in September-October.
ii) Aman (winter) is sown in June-July and harvested in November-December. This crop
accounts for 85% of the rice produced in West Bengal.
iii) Boro (summer) is sown in November-December and harvested in March-April. This crop is
grown in low-lying marshy land of poor quality.
42) Why yield of rice is very low in India as compared to other countries of the world?
Ans: Currently, the average yield of rice per hectare is 1756 kg. It is the lowest in the world. The per
hectare yield of rice in Japan, China and Korea is about three times that of India. This is
because:
i) Rainfall in India is uncertain and is concentrated to four months.
ii) There is a lack of assured water supply through irrigation in rice growing areas.
iii) General fertility of Indian soils is less because these have been cultivated from the last 5000
years.
iv) Farmers do not use efficient methods of cultivation.
v) Holdings are very small.
vi) Widespread poverty in the rural areas prohibits the use of adequate amount of fertilizers,
pesticides, etc.
43) Discuss briefly different methods of rice cultivation.
Ans: Rice can be sown in the following five ways:
i) Broadcasting: It is simply scattering or throwing seeds over the soil by hand. This method is
practised in areas where labour is scarce and soil is not much fertile.
ii) Dibbling: In this method, seeds are dropped at regular intervals in ploughed furrows. This
method of rice sowing is used in Northern Plains of India.
iii) Drilling: In this method, seeds are dropped through shafts of bamboo which is attached to
the plough. In this way, seeds fall in straight line. Now-a- days, drilling machines are used in
place of bamboo.
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iv) Transplantation: In this method, first seeds are sown in the nurseries. When they become
15 cm to 20 cm tall after about four weeks of time, they are uprooted and planted again in the
flooded fields. This transplantation is done mainly by human labour.
v) Japanese method:
a) In India, the Japanese method of rice cultivation is becoming popular because this method
gives three times higher yield of rice than any other method.
b) In this method, better quality seeds are used.
c) Seeds are sown in raised nursery beds.
d) Transplanting is done in rows at regular intervals. This helps in weeding and fertilising.
e) In this method, abundant application of fertilizers is done at proper stage of the growth of
the crop.
44) What is the importance of agriculture in India?
Ans: i) Agriculture provides raw materials for agrobased industries such as raw cotton for cotton
textiles Jute, Sugar, tobacco are also important agro industries. These provide employment
to many and help to develop the rural area as well.
ii) Commodities such as tea, cotton and jute textiles, tobacco, cashew nuts, oilseeds and spices
are exported to industrialized countries and consequently are great foreign exchange
earners.
iii) Agriculture products, being a source of income, prevent an unnecessary shift of population
from rural to urban areas.
iv) Indian agriculture has two outstanding features i.e. wide variety of tropical and temperate
crops are grown.
v) Intensive and extensive cultivation both are practiced but the former is more important.
In this way, the importance of agriculture to India can be assessed.
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Plantation:
Fiber:
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Temperature: 21C
Rainfall: 40 cm to 60 cm
Soil: Light, Sandy soil, Black soil
Uses:
Area:
Linseed (Rabi):
Geographical conditions:
Uses:
Area:
Uses:
Caster seed is used in points, varnishing, ink and plastics and for medicinal purposes
Used as a manure, as well as poison.
Area:
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Rainfall: 40 cm to 60 cm
Soil: Any type of soil but moisture retentive, Acidic soil needs irrigation
Uses:
As a vegetable oil, sauce, milk, margarine, soaps, lubricants, artificial meat.
Areas:
Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Gujrat, Madhya Pradesh.
Uses:
Mustard is used for cooking oil, seasoning pickles. Oil cake is used for cattle feed and
fertilizers.
Areas:
Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Punjab, Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa.
Plantation crops:
Rubber: 4th position
Rubber is the coagulated sticky milk or latex of the rubber tree, a native of the Amazon
forest, and is known as Hevea brasiliensis.
z It holds air, keeps out moisture and does not readily conduct electricity. But its chief
importance is that it is elastic and therefore useful for waterproofing, insulation and where
a strong, elastic substance is required.
Geographical conditions:
z
Temperature: Between 25C and 35C. It should never fall below 21C.
Rainfall: 150 cm to 200 cm, welldistributed throughout the year.
Soil: Alluvial, deep friable, rich, welldrained soils or laterite soils, red in parts.
Tapping of Rubber:
Tapping is normally done daily in the early hours of the morning before 6 a.m. as latex
flows freely then, as also to avoid likely rain and heat of the sun. It is stopped by
noon and suspended in January, February and during the rains. Trees are tapped
for about 200 to 300 days.
A tapping panel is made at V shape, by removing the outer bark.
Care is taken not to damage the cambianthe paperlike skin exposed after the removal
of the barkwhen a cut, about 2 mm, is made for the latex to flow. The latex drips and
collects in the coconut shells attached to the tree.
Processing of Rubber:
At the factory, the latex is strained to remove the impurities, weighed, coagulated into
coagulum (soft spongy blocks) by the addition of acetic acid and formic acid. Sometimes
part of the fresh latex is put into machines called separators which remove part of the
water from the latex. Ammonia or some other preservative keeps the latex from
coagulating and prevents spoiling. The liquid latex is marketed in drums or tanks.
It is then passed through a series of rollers to squeeze the surplus water and if
necessary the sheets are hung up to dry. The final drying of the rubber sheets is done in
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smoke houses where the temperatures vary from 45C to 60C. The rubber sheets are
then graded packed in bales and exported.
Area:
Sugarcane:
Sugar cane is a tall, perennial, tropical and semitropical grass, the stem of which is used to
produce can sugar and sucrose.
Geographical conditions:
z
Temperature: 20C to 30C. Sugar cane is sown between January and April. Frost is
injurious to the growth of sugar cane plant.
Rainfall: 100 cm to 150 cm plenty of water during the growing period is required.
Irrigation may be necessary as the growing season is usually 9 months. However, water
logging has to be avoided as it reduces the sugar content.
Soil:
Soil should be alluvial or lava soil and well drained. Sugar cane is soilexhausting so the
soil regularly needs nitrogen fertilizers, labour intensive crops.
Sowing Methods:
By seeding which are sown between January and April.
The sett method consists of cutting of two or three joints taken from the top of a healthy
cane, planted in horizontal, equidistant (1.5 m to 2 m apart) furrows, and piled with
fertilized soil. Within two weeks the buds on the nodes swell and burst and young stalks
emerge from the soil. The leaves appear soon after, followed by the appearance of
nodes and internodes.
Ratoon cropping is the process by which the cane is cut close to the ground where the
sugar content is concentrated. After the crop has been cut the stem begins to grow
again and produces a second crop called ratoon.
Process: Boil with line then it will form crystal brown sugar.
Products and By Products:
Sugar, Sugarcane juice, Khandsaripowdered gur or jaggery and Icing sugar.
Molasses: It is a kind of dark brown syrup)
Bagasse: Rejected caneafter being crushed is ploughed into the soil fed to cattle and
used as fuel for mills.
Pressmud: This is used to make wax, shoe polish and carbon paper, gur, khandsari
Area:
Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu.
Beverages (Tea):
It is a beverage crop and a plantation crop. India is the largest producer, consumer and
exporter of Black tea.
Geographical conditions:
z
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Oolong tea
Processing Black of Tea:
Withering: The gathered leaves are first withered or dried in the sun for a day or two to
extract moisture.
Rolling: This twists the leaf to break its cells, exposing their juice to the air for
fermentation which helps to give tea its special flavor.
Fermentation: The leaves are allowed to ferment and this reduces the amount of tanmic
acid in the tea by half, but does not impair its flavour
Drying: Leaves are placed on conveyor belts in an over to dry them and give them black
colour.
Blending: Experts blenders and tea testers further blend the various grades of tea to
give it special aroma and make many proprietary brands.
Area:
Assam (Brahmaputra Valley and Surma Valley)
West Bengal (Duars and Darjeeling)
Tamil Nadu (Nilgiri)
Kerala
Coffee:
Introduced by Muslim fakir (Bababudan hills in 17 C. from Arabia)
z Coffee is a leading tropical commodity in international trade and is the most abundantly
produced of the nonalcoholic beverages.
Geographical conditions:
z
30
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Rainfall: 50 cm to 75 cm, well distributed during the period of growth. If Rabi, it requires
irrigation and has to be protected against ball weevils. Abundant sunshine is required
during ripening and picking. (200 frost free day to mature the crops)
Cotton grade:
Cotton is graded according to the length of the staple, which develops in the cotton ball.
The longer staples from sturdier threads and hence are considered superior.
Short Staple less than 2.2 cm (24 mm)
Medium Staple 2.2 to 2.8 cm (26 mm)
Long Staple above 2.8 cm (27 mm)
Ginning:
Ginning is the separation of seeds and short fibres or linters from the raw material fibres
or linters from the raw material fibre called lint. After ginning, lint is packed in bales and
sent to factories to be made into thread.
Area:
Gujrat, Maharashtra, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Uttar
Pradesh (Producing long staple)
Problems of Cotton Cultivation:
Frost destroys the plant, so at least 200 frost free days are necessary for the crop to
grow.
Rain should be experienced only during the earlier part of the growing period. Otherwise
the fibre becomes muddy and discoloured.
Cloudy weather is detrimental to the healthy growth of cotton plants.
Abundant cheap skilled labour is required for picking, pest control, etc. Most of these
processes in India are carried out manually.
A beetle called boll weevil lays eggs inside the boll and destroys the crop. A single pair
of boll weevils can produce between 10 to 13 million young ones in a single season and
they are extremely difficult to exterminate, so the infected plants have to be destroyed.
The other pests are pink boll worms and wilt.
Storms and windy weather are harmful to the cotton pods as they fall off.
Sunshine during picking time is essential to ripen the pods.
Jute:
Jute is a long, soft, shiny fibre that can be spun into coarse strong threads. Both the fibre
and the plant from which it comes are commonly called jute. Jute is known as the golden
fibre because of its colour and value as a foreign exchange earner.
z Types of Jute: White (75%), Tossa (25%)
Geographical conditions:
z
Area:
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West Bengal, Bihar, Orissa, Assam, Tripura, Terai region, of Uttar Pradesh.
Processing: Retting is followed by rinsing, washing, cleaning and drying in the sun. It is
then graded and made into bundles which are pressed into bales.
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Temp.
20C to
28C
Rainfall
50 cm to
75 cm
Soil
Dry and light sandy loam
Sesamum (til
or gingelly) (K
&R)
22C to
28C
40 cm to
70 cm
Linseed (not
edible) (R)
10C to
30C
45 cm to
75 cm
Castor seed
(Medicinal) (K
& R)
20C to
30C
No specific
amount is
required
Soyabeans (K
& R)
20C to
30C
50 cm to
100
Rape (Sarson)
Mustard (Rai)
(R)
10C to
32C
50 cm to
100 cm
Alluvial soils
Sunflower
seeds (K)
21C to
32C
(Average
25C)
20C to
27C
50 cm to
100 cm
150 cm to
300 cm
175 cm to
300 cm
100 cm to
170 cm
Coconuts
(Generally K)
Rubber
Sugarcane
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21C to
35C
Average
25C
20C to
30C
Area
Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Andhra
Pradesh,
Maharashtra,
Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh,
Uttar Pradesh, Uttaranchal,
Rajasthan and Punjab.
Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil
Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra,
Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh,
Uttar Pradesh, Uttaranchal and
Rajasthan
Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh,
Uttar Pradesh, Uttaranchal,
Bihar, Jharkhand, Rajasthan,
Maharashtra,
Gujarat,
Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and
Punjab
Andhra
Pradesh,
Gujarat,
Maharashtra, Bihar, Jharkhand,
Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Orissa,
West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and
Uttaranchal
Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh,
Uttaranchal, Gujarat, Madhya,
Pradesh, Chhattisgarh
Uses
Groundnut can be eaten raw, roasted
salted or sweetened. Groundnut oil is
used for manufacturing soap, oil
requisites, artificial leather and
medicinal emulsions.
Oil is used for cooking purpose and
pickles, cosmetic purposes, for
manufacturing perfumes and medicines.
Oilcakes are led to mulch cattle and
pigs
Used in paints and varnishes, oil cloth
and printing ink.
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34
Beverages Crops:
Crop: Tea
Temp.
Rainfall
Soil
Methods of Farming
150 cm to 250 cm
Light, friable loams with a little iron and porous subsoils By sowing seeds in germinating beds.
10C to 35C (Average
which allow water to percolate are ideal (stagnant water Another method is to use cuttings from
(distributed
of 25C is ideal). Frost
highyielding plants, clonal planting.
throughout the year) near the roots is harmful, hence grown on hill slopes)
ins injurious
Area
Processing
Varieties and Uses
The Assam Hills region, West There are five stages of processing black tea:
There are three varieties:
Bengal (Darjeeling), Himachal 1) Withering: Tea leaves are spread on racks for 15 to 20 hours.
Black tea, Green tea and
Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Bihar,
Oolong tea, India is the
2) Rolling: Tea leaves are pressed in rollers to break their cells.
Tripura, Manipur, Arunachal
largest producer of black
Pradesh, the Nilgiris and 3) Fermentation: Tannin in tea is oxidized and colour changes and flavour develops.
tea in the world.
4) Firing or Drying: Fermented leaves are passed through ovens over a belt.
Anaimalai Hills in the South
5) Cutting and packing: It is the last stage.
Crop: Coffee
Temp.
18C to 28C. Sensitive
to cold and frost
Rainfall
125 cm to 250 cm
welldistributed
throughout the year.
Area
Karnataka, Tamil Nadu,
Kerala,
Nilgiri
Hills,
Cardamom
Hills
are
important coffee producers.
Soil
Methods of Farming
Welldrained subsoil, weathered volcanic, Seeds are sown in nurseries and then
Loamy soil with humus content; well drained transplanted on coffee estates. Young plants are
hill slopes, between 450 m to 1800 m sheltered from the sun by shady trees. Regular
altitude are suitable.
pruning is must.
Processing
Varieties and Uses
The three types of coffee are: Arabica
Coffee berries are processed in two ways:
coffee, Robusta coffee and Liberica
i) Wet method: Berries are fermented, washed, dried and roasted.
ii) Dry method: Berries are dried in the sun and then pounded to removed coffee.
outer cover
Temperature
Rainfall
Soil
Cotton
(Kharif)
23C to 32C,
and a major part
of it develops at
about 27C.
80 cm to 120
cm (well
distributed)
Water retentive
black or lava soil
and light well
drained alluvial
soil.
Jute
(Kharif)
27C to 34C
170 cm to
200 cm
Methods of
farming
Broadcasting
and drilling
methods.
Sown by
broadcasting
dibbling and
drilling
methods.
Distribution
Processing
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13) Mention the geographical requirements of safflower plant and also mention its uses.
Ans: Safflower is grown in the Rabi season. It requires a temperature of 10 C to 20 C, and rainfall of
about 100 cm. Loamy alluvial and black soils are suitable for safflower plant.
Other than cooking purposes, the oil of safflower is used in the manufacture of paints and
varnishes as it has good drying properties. Its oil-cake is also used as animal feed.
14) Why Kerala leads in rubber production in India?
Ans: Rubber is an equatorial plant. The climate of Kerala similar to the climate of equatorial region. It
has high temperature and heavy rainfall throughout the year. Kerala gets rainfall from the southwest monsoons as well as from north-east monsoons. It also has well-drained soil suitable for
rubber cultivation. Hence, Kerala leads in rubber production in India.
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Ans: Sugarcane is a tropical plant and it belongs to the grass family. It has a thick jointed stem which
contains sugar. Its leaves are narrow and long. It can grow up to the height of three metres.
It is an important cash crop as it is the main source of sugar in India. It is a long duration crop
and its growing period is about 10 to 12 months.
b) What are the geographical requirements of temperature and rainfall for sugarcane
cultivation in India?
Ans: Temperature: For sugarcane cultivation, temperature between 20C and 30C is required. Very
high and very low temperatures slow down the growth of sugarcane plant. It cannot withstand
frost. Rainfall: Sugarcane grows ideally in areas having rainfall between 100 cm and 200 cm
annually. Irrigated lands are suitable for its growth, since it requires alternate spells of wet and
dry conditions.
c) Which soil is best suited for sugarcane cultivation?
Ans: Wet drained, rich, Alluvial soils of the Ganga plain and the black and laterite soils of South India
are ideal for sugarcane cultivation.
d) How is sugarcane propagated?
Ans: Though sugarcane can be grown from seeds but generally all commercial plantings are made
from stalk cuttings of two or three joints from the top of a healthy cane. These cuttings, known as
setts, are planted in furrows at a distance of about 30 cm. The plants start growing in about two
weeks.
e) What do you mean by ratoon cropping?
Ans: This is yet another way of growing a new crop of sugarcane. In this method, sugarcane is cut
close to the ground and its root is not plucked. After some time, it begins to grow again and
produces a second crop called ratoon. In ratoon cropping, there is no need for fresh plantation.
f) What is the advantage of ratoon cropping?
Ans: Ratoon crop matures earlier than plant crop. There is no extra expenditure on preparing the
fields and planting, hence, it is cheaper as compared to replanting the crop.
g) What is the disadvantage of ratoon cropping?
Ans: Generally, two ratoon crops are obtained from each planting. Ratoon cropping yields thinner
canes with lower sugar content. This is because sugarcane plant exhausts the soil. Risk of pests
and diseases also increases in ratoon cropping.
h) How is sugarcane processed after its harvesting?
Ans: After harvesting, sugarcane should be crushed within 48 hours, otherwise its sugar content will
decrease. After crushing sugarcane, juice is boiled with lime and then filtered.
i) What is produced from sugarcane juice?
Ans: Of the total production of sugarcane in India, 50% is processed into gur, 30% into white sugar
and the remaining 20% into khandsari. Its waste cane, after extracting juice, is used in the
manufacture of paper.
j) Why is the yield of sugarcane higher in the Deccan rather than Northern Plain?
Ans: Although the total area under cultivation of sugarcane is more in northern India, the yield per
hectare in the Deccan is higher because there are more favourable geographical conditions.
Also, there is more application of scientific methods of cultivation in south than in the north.
Moreover, in the north, extreme temperatures in summer and winter reduce the yield per acre.
There are more frost free days in south than in the north.
5) What is the economic importance of mustard and rapeseed in India?
Ans: i) Mustard and rapeseed oil is used as cooking medium in a large part of India.
ii) Their seeds and oil are used as condiment in the preparation of pickles and for flavouring
curries and vegetables.
iii) Leaves of these plants are used as green vegetable.
iv) The residue or the oil-cake of mustard and rapeseed is used as cattle feed.
6) a) What is linseed? State whether it is edible or non-edible.
Ans: It is a seed obtained from a fibre plant known as flax. It is a rabi crop. Linseed is non-edible. Its
oil is not suitable for human consumption.
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11) What is the distinction between Cash crop and Plantation crop?
Ans:
Cash crop
Plantation crop
This type of crop is grown for the purpose of The purpose of a plantation crop is also
earning cash on a small scale by individual earning cash but on a much larger scale that
farmers.
resembles the factory production.
Its production does not require a huge Its production requires a huge capital.
capital.
It does not require a special skill to produce It requires special skill to produce and market
and market it.
it.
Cotton, jute and tobacco are some cash Tea, coffee, rubber, etc. are some plantation
crops.
crops.
A cash crop can be grown by manual labour. Production of a. plantation crop requires
huge machines and scientific methods of
cultivation.
12) What are the climatic conditions necessary for the cultivation of castor seed? Name two
prominent castor seed growing states in India.
Ans: i) Castor seeds are a subtropical crop. In the north it is a Kharif crop and in the south it is a
Rabi crop.
ii) Climatic conditions necessary for it are:
Temperature: 20C to 25C.
Rainfall: 50 to 75 cms. It is tolerant of drought conditions. It cannot withstand frost.
Soil: It grows best on deep loamy soil.
iii) Its seed contains 50 % oil. The states it is grown in are Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and
Karnataka.
13) a) Why do tea farmers construct drains all over the tea plantation area?
Ans: Farmers of tea plantation construct one metre deep drains all over the plantation of tea to drain
out surplus water as stagnant water is harmful to the roots of a tea plant.
b) What is clonal planting in tea cultivation?
Ans: In this method of tea growing, seeds are not planted, rather cuttings from good high-yielding
mother plants are used. This method is known as clonal planting.
14) Mention two methods of processing and curing jute.
Ans: i) Jute - After harvesting, the plants are tied into bundles. After 2 - 3 days these bundles are
submerged into water for retting and left for 2 - 3 weeks. Retting is a microbiological process.
It loosens the bark and facilitates removal of fibre from the stalk. A close watch is kept and as
soon as it is easy to separate the fibre from the stalk, retting is carried out. High temperature
quickens the process.
ii) After the retting is complete, the bark is peeled from the plant and the fibre is removed. After
this stripping, rinsing, washing and cleaning is done. Plenty of water is required for retting.
The fibre is then dried in the sun and pressed into bales. All this has to be done by hand.
They are then dispatched to jute mills.
15) How is rubber processed before marketing it?
Ans: The following steps are involved in the processing of rubber:
i) Coagulation of rubber by adding acids into it.
ii) Pressing of rubber to squeeze out water.
iii) Drying and smoking of rubber.
iv) Packing rubber in bales for marketing.
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16) State three reasons behind the abundance of tea plantations in Assam.
Ans: i) Tea is classified as an important beverage and a plantation crop. The main tea producing
areas are (1) North East India, (2) South India. In North East India, the Assam hill region is
the largest tea producing area in the world. The conditions here are most favourable because
this region receives heavy rainfall, about 250 cm, from the South West Monsoon winds, the
Bay of Bengal branch.
ii) The temperature conditions are favourable being above 20C. Morning fog helps and frost
never occurs.
iii) Moreover, labour is available in plenty. Hence, hand picking of tea leaves is made easy.
Assam produces the most popular tea and has a pungent taste; it is strong and used for
blending milder ones. About 40% of the tea in the country is produced here.
17) Describe the conditions necessary for the growth of two non-edible oilseeds in India.
What is their use? Where are they grown?
Ans: i) The two non-edible oils in India are linseed and castor seed.
Linseed is obtained from a fibre plant known as flax. It is a Rabi crop. Its oil is not suitable for
human consumption. The climatic conditions required are temperature 10C to 20C.
Rainfall: 80 cm to 150 cm is adequate.
Soil: It is best grown on clayey, loamy soil of the alluvial region as well as black cotton soil of
the Deccan Trap.
ii) Castor seed is a Kharif crop and also poisonous. It is unfit for cattle and human consumption.
Temperature: It requires 20C to 26C. Frost is harmful.
Rainfall: It can resist drought. It grows best on deep loamy soil.
iii) Use of Linseed: Widely used as drying oil, in varnishes, paints, printing ink. Oil - cloth,
water-proof fabrics and linoleum. The oilcake makes cattlefeed.
Uses of castor seed: The oil is used to manufacture paints, varnishes, printing ink, soaps,
plastics, oil cloth and transparent paper. It is also used as lubricant for high - speed engines
and aeroplanes.
18) Name and describe the methods by which rubber is propagated.
Ans: Rubber can be cultivated or propagated in the following two ways:
i) Propagation by seeds: In this method, first of all, good quality seeds are germinated before
planting. After germination, seedlings are planted in the nurseries. Unhealthy plants are
eliminated in the early stage and good care is given to the rest of the healthy plants.
ii) Propagation by bud grafting: In this method, buds from high yielding rubber tree is grafted
on the seedling of about 5 cm high. The graft is then bound for a few weeks. A leaf is also
tied on the graft to provide shade. When new shoot starts coming out or the graft is
established, the original trunk is cut off just below the union. After this, the new shoot or the
grafted section becomes the main part of the tree.
19) Explain the increasing importance of Maharashtra and southern states for sugarcane
production.
Ans: Maharashtra and the southern states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh are
becoming increasingly important for the production of sugar cane and sugar because of their
ideal geographical conditions.
The southern states and Maharashtra have well- planned plantations and the use of modern
scientific agricultural methods. The capital investment is tremendous due to the sugar lobby.
Modern sugar factories are located close to the plantations unlike in the northern states like Uttar
Pradesh, where the mills are a distance away, leading to a loss of sucrose due to delay in
crushing the cane.
Irrigation and fertilizers are widely used to ensure a good crop of sugarcane.
The Sugar cane Research Institute is located at Coimbatore and is successfully conducting
research on improved hybrid varieties with much higher sugar content.
The use of hybrid Coimbatore cane produces the maximum sugar cane and sucrose per
hectare.
40
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42
25)
Ans:
26)
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27)
Ans:
28)
Ans:
29)
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42
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Ans:
31)
Ans:
Ans:
Ans:
32)
Ans:
33)
Ans:
43
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
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44
44
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45
46
32) Why tea is considered a labour intensive crop? Name two States in India where tea is widely
grown.
[2004]
33) State the conditions necessary for the cultivation of rubber
[2004]
34) State one medicinal use each of the following:
a) Neem
b) Brahmi
[2004]
35) Mention two problems associated with agriculture in India.
[2005]
36) Which oilseed is inedible by man? State any two uses of its oil.
[2005]
37) Describe any two main features of Subsistence Agriculture.
[2005]
38) Explain briefly why:
a) Tulsi is used as a medicinal herb
b) Wheat is grown as a Rabi Crop
[2005]
39) Give two reasons for pulses being grown extensively in India. Name any two pulses.
[2005]
40) Describe two geographical conditions which favour the growth of this crop.
[2005]
41) State two geographical requirements for the growth of cotton.
[2006]
42) Mention two differences between shifting agriculture and plantation agriculture.
[2006]
43) a) Name two main varieties of coffee.
b) Why are the following trees commonly grown in a coffee estate?
(i) Dalap and Silver Oak
(ii) Orange and Plum
[2006]
44) State three important aspects of the Japanese method of rice cultivation.
[2006]
45) a) Mention two differences between subsistence agriculture and commercial agriculture.
b) State two geographical requirements for the growth of rubber.
c) In which season is wheat grown in northern India? What are the rainfall and soil requirements
of this crop?
d) Explain Why:
i) Pluses are grown as rotation crops.
ii) Millets are referred to as dry crops.
iii) Tea plantations are found on hill slopes.
[2007]
46) a) i) When are Kharf crops (1) sown and (2) harvested?
ii) Name a cash crop which is also a Kharf crop.
b) India is the largest producer of Tea. State the climatic factors necessary for its growth.
c) Explain the following methods of propagation and name the crop associated with each.
i) bud grafting
ii) ratoon cropping.
d) i) What are the geographical conditions necessary for the cultivation of groundnuts?
ii) What climatic condition adversely affects the groundnut crop?
iii) Name two non-edible oilseeds grown.
[2008]
47) a) Explain two important characteristics of plantation farming. Name one important plantation
crop.
b) Which state is the leading producer of Jute ? Give any two factors responsible for this.
c) i) The yield of sugarcane is higher in the Deccan. Give two reasons for this.
ii) Give one advantage and one disadvantage of ratoon cropping.
d) Define the following terms:
i) Ginning
ii) Arabica.
[2009]
48) a) Study the picture given and answer the following questions:
46
Volume 2 of 4
Chapter 10:
1 Commerc
cial or Cash Crops
C
b)
c)
d)
49) a)
b)
c)
d)
50) a)
b)
c)
d)
51) a)
b)
47
i) Name the
e crop which is being plan
nted. Give on
ne benefit off this method
d of planting this
t
crop.
ii) Mention the
t climatic conditions
c
which favour the
t cultivation of the crop
p being plante
ed.
Name the state in Indiia which lea
ads cotton cu
ultivation. Mention two cclimatic facto
ors which
affect the cotton cultivattion adversely.
Answer the
e following qu
uestions with
h reference to
o sugarcane:
i) Mention two
t
different ways in whicch it is propa
agated.
ii) Why is a lot of labourr required forr its cultivatio
on?
ar the sugar fields?
f
iii) Why must the sugar mills be nea
ollowing:
Give geographical reasons for the fo
hes are prune
ed at regularr intervals.
i) Tea bush
ii) Tapping of rubber tre
ees is usuallyy done in the morning hou
urs.
[2010]
iii) Oil cake is a useful residue.
ems of agricu
ulture in India
a.
Mention any two proble
g
requirementts for the gro
owth of wheat in India.
State two geographical
With references to the cultivation
c
of coffee in So
outhern India:
e two varietie
es of coffee plants
p
grown on commerccial scale.
i) Name the
ii) Why are coffee estate
es inter-planted with oran
nge trees, ca
ardamom and
d pepper vines?
ne state whe
ere coffee is grown
g
extensively.
iii) Name on
Explain the following terrms:
[2011]
g
b) Plantation Farming c) Drilling
D
a) Withering
What is the
e importance of agriculturre in India? Mentain
M
two factors.
f
Name a sta
ate which prroduces shorrt staple cottton. Which climatic
c
and soil conditions favour
the cultivatiion of cotton in the state mentioned?
Give geographical reasons for the fo
ollowing:
t be retted.
i) Jute has to
ii) Tea is grrown on hill slopes.
s
iii) Silver oa
ak and banan
na trees are grown on co
offee plantatio
ons.
Explain the following:
agation of ru
ubber by the bud grafting method.
i) The propa
ii) The prop
pagation of su
ugar cane byy rotoonig.
[2012]
iii) The prop
pagation of paddy
p
by tran
nsplantation.
Distinguish between Inttensive comm
mercial farming and Extensive commercial farming.
nswer the following:
With reference to rice cultivation, an
o leading sta
ates in the prroduction of rice.
r
i) Name two
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Universal Tuto
orials X ICS
SE Geograph
hy
47
48
c)
d)
52) a)
b)
c)
d)
48
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Manufacturing Industries:
The term manufacture means the making of goods or wares by manual labour or by machinery,
especially on a large scale.
Manufacturing may be defined as the processing of raw material to enhance its value.
For example, the amount of raw materials used in the manufacture of a watch is small and coasts
very little, but the finished product (watch) is expensive and valuable.
Similarly, the cost of raw materials used in the manufacture of pharmaceutical products is much
less than that of the final product (medicine).
Manufacturing industries are engaged in processing and altering of raw materials and semi
finished products into finished products. For example, wheat is not directly used in its raw form. It
has to be ground into flour and then baked to be used by humans.
Need of Industrialization:
Industrial growth of a country determines the strength of a nation. A country is considered a
wealthy one when it succeeds in transforming its raw materials into a variety of manufactured
goods.
Industrial development not only provides opportunities for employment but also helps in
modernizing agriculture which forms the base of the Indian economy.
Moreover, industrialized countries have a favorable balance of trade as they earn a lot by
exporting their products.
Geographical Factors:
The constant and assured supply of raw materials.
Supply, of the cheapest source of energy.
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Commercial Factors:
Classification of Industries:
Classification of Industries
Raw Material
Light
Agro-based
Product
Heavy
Size
Large Scale
Ownership
Others
Mineral-based
Private
Sector
Public
Sector
Joint
Sector
Village
Cooperatives
Functions
Cottage
Ancillary
Agrobased Industries:
Those industries which their raw materials from agriculture are called agrobased industries.
Textile industry and sugar industry are examples of agrobased industry.
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Textile Industry:
Textile has traditionally meant a woven fabric. The term comes from Latin word texere,
meaning to weave.
On the basis of raw materials used, the textile industry can be divided as Cotton textile,
woollen textile, silk textile and jute textile.
Cotton textile industry is one of the greatest industries of India. The first textile mill set up near
Kolkata in 1818. But it really made a start in Mumbai when a cotton textile mill was set up there
exclusively out of Indian capital in 1854.
Cotton industry provides living to farmers cottonboll pluckers and workers engaged in ginning,
spinning, weaving dying designing and packing.
The important centres of cotton textile industry in India are Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Coimbatore,
Madurai, Indore Nagpur, Sholapur, Kolkata, Delhi, Bangalore and Hyderabad.
The problems faced by cotton textile industry are inadequate supply of raw material, out
dated machinery and low productivity of workers, fast changing fashion and design
uneconomical unit, and competition in foreign markets and synthetic fibre.
Handloom and Khadi industry retains our hoary trade of providing large scale employment in
ones home and cottages.
The first woollen mill was set up in Kanpur (U.P) in 1876. The important centres of woollen
industry are Dhariwall, Amritsar, Ludhiana, Delhi, Srinagar, Kanpur, Bangalore, Mumbai,
Ahmedabad, Jamnagar, Gwalior and Kolkata.
Silk textile industry, a small scale industry, plays an important role in the economy of our
country as it provided employment to over 4 million people. There are two varieties of silk
mulberry silk and nonmulberry silk.
Manmade fibres, called synthetic fibres, are produced by chemical processes. They include
rayon, terylene, acrylic and nylon.
Jute industry, the second agrobased industry after cotton textiles, provides employment to
over five lakh people.
Jute is a long, soft and shining fibre that can be spun into coarse thread. Jute industry is
concerned with the production of Hessian (cloth used for wrapping bales of raw cotton, etc.)
gunny bags, carpets, and rugs.
The jute industry is concentrated in west Bengal. The other states that produce jutegoods are
Bihar, U.P., Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Jharkhand.
Inadequate supply of raw material, outdated machinery, irregular supply from substitutes and
labour problem, competition in the world market are some problems faced by jute industry.
Sugar Industry:
Sugar industry is one of the most important agrobased industries in India. It employs about
2.5 lakh skilled and unskilled workers. India is second in the world production of sugar.
Gur or jaggery and khandsari are made from sugarcane juice by indigenous method, and sugar
is produced by sugar factories. Molasses, Bagasses and Press mud are the byproducts of
sugar industry.
Distribution of sugar cane: Maharashtra, northern India, peninsular India.
Sugar industry in India suffers from various problems such as:
z Inferior quality with low sugar content.
z Short period of crushing season.
z Less and irregular supply of raw material.
z Imbalanced distribution of sugar mills.
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Wastage of some amount of cane due to pressure on sugar mills at the same time.
Tendency of the Industry to Migrate to the South:
z In South India the favourable maritime climate free from the effects of summer loo and
winter frost is best suited for growing superior varieties of cane. So there is a longer
production period.
z The black soil here is more fertile than the alluvial soil of the northern India. Besides this,
the black soil is well drained.
z The cane is of superior quality with higher yield.
z The excellent transport facilities, especially in the states of Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, in
relation to export markets have placed these states in a very advantageous position for the
further expansion of the sugarcane industry.
z The sugarcane farms in South India have bigger area and are managed by the cooperative
societies. These cooperative societies have access to better facilities like better seeds,
fertilizers, irrigation, etc.
z Sugar is a weight losing crop. i.e., its sucrose content goes on decreasing with time. Since
the factories in southern India are located near the fields, loss of sugar content due to
transportation is minimum.
z New machinery and crushing devices ensure more yield.
z
Section I: [2 Marks]
1) What are large scale industries? Give two examples.
Ans: Industries are large or small on the basis of the number of workers employed and the amount of
capital invested. Industries employing a large number of skilled as well as unskilled workers and
investing huge capital for the purchase of raw materials, machinery and other expenditures are
called large scale industries. Iron and steel, and cotton textiles are the examples of large scale
industries.
2) What is a small scale industry?
Ans: An industrial unit which has an investment of not more than Rs.7.5 lakh, irrespective of number
of workers employed is known as a small scale industry.
3) What do you understand by village and cottage industries? Give examples.
Ans: i) Industries situated in rural areas and also catering to the demand of local markets are
considered village industries, for example, khadi, khandsari, gur, vegetable oil manufacturing
antis etc.
ii) Industries in rural areas, in which the members of the family, work as artisans and craftsmen
and work with stone, brass, ivory, wood and cane, etc. are known as cottage industries.
Sometimes, cottage industries are located in towns also.
4) What are the salient features of the cottage industries in India?
Ans: i) Cottage industries in India are traditional in their techniques and production of goods.
ii) Cottage industries depend on raw materials which are available locally.
iii) Units are established in the huts, cottages or houses of the producers.
iv) Labour is not hired in these industries; rather work is done by the members of the family.
v) Cottage industries provide subsidiary occupation with agriculture or animal husbandry.
5) Classify industries on the basis of ownership.
Ans: i) Public Sector Industries
ii) Private Sector Industries
iii) Joint Sector Industries
iv) Co-operative Sector Industries
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54
16)
Ans:
17)
Ans:
18)
Ans:
19)
Ans:
20)
Ans:
ii) Mumbais location as an international port helps in the import of good, longstaple cotton,
machinery and the export of finished goods.
iii) Banking facilities and cheap hydroelectric power available from the Tata hydroelectric grid
from the Western Ghats are advantageous to Mumbais cotton industry.
What makes Khadi and Handloom sector of the textile industry still very important even in
this modern large-scale industrial era? Give two reasons to justify your answer.
Khadi and handloom sector of textile is competing with modern industry with its innovative
colours, styles, diversification, choice, rate and corporate ethics. The following are the reasons
of its importance:
i) It is a widespread industry which provides large employment and contributes about one-fifth
of the total cloth production.
ii) They can be started with low investment by using local raw material and local talent
encouraging optimum use of national resources.
Explain why, Sugar mills in the cooperative sector have an advantage over those in the
private sector.
The cooperative movement has made greater headway in the south than in north. Sugar is
seasonal industry and so labour cannot be employed in this industry throughout the year. That is
why sugar mills in cooperative sector have an advantage over those in the private sector. The
sugar mills are owned and managed by the farmers so they have work throughout the year.
There is growing demand in Northern India to nationalize the sugar industry.
What are cooperative industries? Which category of industries is ideally suited to it?
Industries can be classified on the basis of sources of management, raw material, size, location
and nature of product.
i) The co-operative industries are based on a management basis. These are, as the name
suggests, owned and managed on a co-operative basis by those who are producers of the
raw materials of these industries.
ii) The government has set up cooperative societies like IFFCO and KRIBHCO. The industries
ideally suited for these are sugar mills run by farmers producing sugarcane. Also, the dairy
industry, specially in Gujarat, is a co-operative industry.
Name the important centres of silk in Karnataka and Assam.
In Karnataka Bangalore and Mysore.
In Assam Nagaon, Kamrup and Goalpara.
MumbaiPune region is the most important industrial region of India. Subtantiate the
statement giving two reasons.
Mumbai-Pune region is the most important industrial region of India because of the following
reasons: (i) Availability of raw materials (ii) Sufficient power resources, (iii) Availability of
transport facilities, (iv) Proximity of port.
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ii) Cheap labour is easily and regularly available from this densely populated plain of India.
iii) Coal, the main source of energy used in sugar factories is available from nearby coal mines
of Bihar.
iv) This sugar belt is also a large consumer of sugar. So easy market is available.
3) Why sugar industry has shown tendency to shift towards the south? Give four reasons.
Ans: i) Sugar mills in the south are in the co-operative sector. Thus, people do more work and get
better dividends here under co-operative movement.
ii) Labour is comparatively cheaper in south India.
iii) In south, sugar mills are closer to the fields. This proximity prevents the loss of sugar content
in transportation.
iv) There is a strong sugar lobby in Maharashtra which invests in sugar industry and tries to get
maximum returns.
4) What are the four special features of the cotton textile industry in India?
Ans: The four special features of cotton textile industry in India are:
i) It is oldest and largest industry in India.
ii) It is the most widespread industry found in most of the states of India.
iii) This industry provides employment opportunities both in rural and urban areas.
iv) This industry accounts for the largest proportion of foreign exchange.
5) State four geographical factors which should be kept in mind while setting up an agrobased industry.
Ans: Four geographical factors to be considered are as follows:
i) Proximity to growing areas.
ii) A well developed transport system.
iii) Facilities for proper storage of the raw materials as well as finished products.
iv) There should be a good demand for the product.
6) Despite being the largest producer of sugarcane, why is India ranked second in world
production of sugarcane?
Ans: i) India despite being the largest producer of sugarcane, is ranked second in its production as
the yield per hectare is low, compared to other sugarcane producers in the world. This has
resulted in low productivity and shortage of supply of sugarcane to mills.
ii) As this industry is primarily agro-based and hence seasonal, there are fluctuations in the
output of sugarcane. Fluctuations in the production of sugarcane occur because of the erratic
nature of the monsoons.
7) Why is there an increasing demand for handloom materials?
Ans: i) The Khadi and handloom industry supplies more than one-fifth of the cloth produced in the
country. These products are in great demand are relatively cheap and help to build the Indian
economy with foreign exchange earnings.
ii) These products are run by the cooperative sectors. More than half of its production comes
from local sources and with low investment. The Handloom and Khadi industry provides
employment to 100 lakh people in the country and curbs migration to cities.
8) State two nongeographical factors that determine the location of industries in India.
Ans: The infrastructure of an industry depends on geographical factors and non-geographical factors.
The two important non-geographical factors are:
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9)
Ans:
10)
Ans:
11)
Ans:
56
i) Capital: The most important factor in setting up an industry, as most of the industries
requires huge investments. Financiers and capitalists are available in big cities. That is why
industries are set up in metropolises.
ii) Technical know how is necessary. The government plays an important role in the planning
and location of industries, besides solving problems of public pollution and disparities. They
set up industrial zones where it supplies land, water and electricity.
How do the cottage industries play an important role in the Indian economy?
i) Cottage industries provide jobs to millions of people. Thus, these industries create not only
wages for people but also check their migration to urban areas.
ii) These industries can be started with low investment. So, these units help in earning
additional income.
iii) Use of local raw material in these industries helps in the optimum utilisation of national
resources.
iv) Their products earn a lot of foreign exchange for the country.
v) These industries generate seasonal as well as perennial employment for labour.
Thus, cottage industries play a significant role in our national economy.
Discuss the factors affecting the location of industries.
Important factors affecting the location of individual industries can be enumerated as follows:
i) Availability of raw materials: Those industries which use heavy and bulky raw material of
small value tend to be located near the source of raw material. It is because, raw material
which is weight loosing, if transported from a distance will increase the cost of the final
product. Hence, cement industry, sugar industry and iron smelting industry are attracted
towards the sources of raw materials.
ii) Power resources: To run the machinery, fuel is a must. Coal is the cheapest source of
power but it is bulky and involves high transport costs. Those industries which use large
quantities of coal are generally found near the coal mines. Electrochemical and
Electrometallurgical industries which require a large amount of cheap electric power are
installed in areas producing electricity in abundant quantity. Transmission of electricity, of
course, has helped in the dispersal of industries away from coal mining areas.
iii) Labour supplies: Each industry requires a particular type of cheap but adequate supply of
labour. Industries which require highly skilled labour are attracted towards big urban centres.
In some cases, labour with inherited skills is immobile and industry goes there to get their
services, for example, glass industry in Firozabad and dyeing and printing industry in
Farrukhabad. In industries where a large number of workers are required, labour migrates to
the industrial centre because labour is mobile and seeks bright prospectus for regular work at
high wages. Maruti car factory in Gurgaon has attracted labour from almost all parts of the
country.
iv) Transport: Cheap and efficient means of transport are essential for carrying raw materials
and labour to the factory and finished products to the market. That is why big industries are
always located near railway junctions or highways. Ports also developed as industrial centres
due to the facility of import and export at cheaper costs.
v) Market: Market is the ultimate destination of all products manufactured in industries.
Nearness to the consumers not only saves transport cost but also helps the industry to know
about changing habits and preferences of consumers.
vi) Government policies: For balanced economic development, government encourages
industries in backward areas by granting subsidies, tax concessions, loans, cheap land and
electricity, etc.
vii) Miscellaneous factors: Finance, momentum of early start, climate and personal
preferences, etc., are some of the other factors which also affect the localisation of industry.
Why cotton textile mills are concentrated in and around Mumbai and Ahmedabad?
The following reasons are responsible for concentration of a large number of cotton textile mills
in Mumbai and Ahmedabad:
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i) Raw materials: Raw cotton is easily available from the nearby cotton growing areas of the
Deccan plateau.
ii) Climate: Mumbai and Ahmedabad enjoy maritime climate in which thread of cotton does not
break.
iii) Source of power: The Western Ghats provide suitable conditions for the generation of cheap
hydro-electricity, required for this industry.
iv) Transport facility: Both Mumbai and Ahmedabad are connected to the rest of India by
developed means of transportation.
v) Labour: These textile centres being old, skilled and unskilled labour are easily available
here.
vi) Port facility: Mumbai and Kandla are the ports which handle import of machinery and export
of cotton textile products.
vii) Finance: There is no dearth of financial and banking institutions to make available finances
for the growth of this industry.
What major problems are being faced by the Indian cotton textile industry? Explain.
i) Old and outdated machinery: Cotton textile industry is one of the oldest industries of India.
So it has a major problem of old and outdated machinery which are inefficient and, hence,
uneconomic.
ii) Fluctuations in the production of raw material: Production of cotton is uncertain. It
fluctuates depending on the climatic conditions. It makes the supply of raw material irregular.
iii) Poor quality of cotton: Fine quality of cotton is not produced in India. For manufacturing fine
and costly cloth, we have to import fine quality cotton from other countries.
iv) Competition in global market: Our products face tough competition in international market
from countries like Japan, Korea, the USA and Taiwan both in cost and quality. These
countries are equipped with latest and advanced machinery.
v) Rivalry: Strikes, lock-outs and market rivalry have also made the industry sick.
Discuss the problems of the sugar industry in India at present.
i) It is a seasonal industry in which labour cannot be employed throughout the year. This
decreases the efficiency of workers.
ii) In general, sugarcane is grown by small cultivators who sell their produce directly to the mill
owners. Thus, farmers get less return, as they are not organised.
iii) Delay in transporting sugarcane to the mills in some parts of the country also results in the
lowering of the sucrose content.
iv) In large parts of India, especially in the north sugarcane grown is of lower quality.
v) Sugar mills are old methods of production are inefficient and uneconomical.
vi) The by-products of sugar industry are also not utilized properly.
What are the problems faced by the sugar industry in North India? Give any two reasons.
India ranks second in the world production of sugar. The northern sugarcane producing states
are Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Punjab and Haryana.
i) The industry faces problems as the crushing season is short. Therefore, our sugar factories
do not have work all the year round. This leads to a higher cost of sugar compared to the one
produced in other countries.
ii) The areas producing sugarcane are far away from factories. This increases the cost of sugar
and decreases the sucrose content. The sucrose content decreases rapidly after 2448 hours
of harvesting the cane.
What are the types of silk produced in India? Where is it exported? Where does India
import its silk from?
i) There are two varieties of silk (a) Mulberry and (b) Non-Mulberry.
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Mulberry silk is found in Mysore, Bangalore, Belgaum, Srinagar and Himachal. Non-mulberry
varieties are tassar, en, and muga found in Assam, Bihar, Orissa and Meghalaya.
ii) Most of the silk products are of high-grade artistic designs. A large quantity of silk goods is
exported to Sri Lanka, Singapore, Hongkong, Malaysia, USA, UK and other European
countries, East African countries, and Middle East countries.
iii) India produces about 60% of raw silk. The rest is imported from Japan and Italy. Imported silk
has a high import duty and is of superior quality.
16) With reference to Khadi, state the following:
i) What is its historical importance?
ii) What measures have been taken for its improvement?
iii) What is its role in the Indian economy?
Ans: With reference to the Khadi industry.
i) The Khadi industries are the traditional primitive industries of India. They played an important
role in Indias freedom struggle. The people adopted Khadi clothes instead of foreign goods.
These industries are carried out by the village people on a small scale.
ii) Remedial steps are taken by the government to improve the industry. They have established
the All India Handloom Board where credit facilities are available from banks and financial
institutions. They began access on mill cloth to encourage handloom production.
iii) The Khadi industry has now become a major foreign exchange earner. To boost the
economy, trade fairs are organised for Khadi products.
17) Discuss the problems faced by Handloom and Khadi industries.
Ans: a) The quality and quantity of raw materials are not satisfactory.
b) The craftsmen are poor and have no technical knowledge.
c) The looms are outdated.
d) The products are unable to keep up with the fast changing latest fashions.
e) The Khadi and handloom products face stiff competition from millmade cloth.
f) There are no proper facilities for cheap credit.
18) Why Karnataka is famous for the silk industry?
Ans: The following conditions in Karnataka favour the growth of silk industry in the state:
i) Suitable climatic conditions for silk production.
ii) Availability of soft water in large amount.
iii) In Karnataka, mulberry is grown as bush plantation.
19) Explain why:
i) Carpet-making as a cottage industry has developed in the Kashmir valley.
ii) The pure silk handloom industry is important in Bangalore.
Ans: i) Carpet-making as a cottage industry has developed in Kashmir valley because in this area,
sheep are reared for wool which is essential material for weaving the carpets skilled
traditional craftsman is also available. Besides woollen carpets are in great demand.
ii) The pure silk industry is important in Bangalore because of the large scale rearing of silkworms on the mulberry leaves.
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Synopsis:
Those industries which are based on minerals are called mineralbased industries. Iron and steel
industry, cement industry, and chemical industry are examples of mineralbased industries.
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It was set up in the collaboration with the USSR. The place, to set up the plant, was chosen
because there were deposits of iron ore, coal and limestone, for the production of steel.
The other reasons for chosen the place were availability of cheap and abundant labour, the river
Tendula for water supply, Korba thermal power station for electricity supply and KolkataNagpur
railway line for transportation purpose.
Durgapur Steel Plant was started in 1959 at Durgapur in the Burdwan district of West Bengal. It
was set up in the plant, to set up the plant, was chosen because of the following factors:
Easily availability of raw material such as iron ore, coal, limestone, dolomite etc.
Damodar River for water supply.
Abundant labour and good transport facilities.
Roukela Steel Plant was started in 1959 in Sundargarh district of Orissa. It was set up with the
help of a German firm Krupps and Deemang. The place to set up the plant was chosen because
raw material such as iron ore, coal, and limestone are easily available.
Cheap hydroelectricity is available from Hirakud power project and water supply from Brahmani
River.
It is situated on Mumbai, Kolkata railway route.
Bokaro Steel Plant was established in 1972 with USSR. It is located in the Hazaribag district of
Jharkhand. The geographical factors for setting up this plant are as under:
Raw material is easily available.
Anundant labour available from nearby areas.
Cheap and regular hydroelectricity and water are available from Damodar river
Indian Iron Steel Company (IISCO) came under public sector in 1972. It produces rails, hotrolled
galvanized sheets.
Vijayanagar Steel Plant has been set up at Hospet near Bellary district of Karnataka.
The Vishakhapatnam Steel Plant in Andhra Pradesh and the Salem Steel Plant in Tamil Nadu are
the two new steel plants of India.
The major problems which are being faced by iron and steel industry are as under:
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Maruti Udyog Limited, Ashoka Leyland, and Hindustan Motors Ltd. are some of the automobile
industries.
Railway Locomotives produce coaches, wagons and engines. This industry requires a bulk of iron
and steel. The Diesel Locomotive Works at Varanasi in U.P., Chittranjan Locomotive Works in
West Bengal. The Integral coach Factory at Perambur in Tamil Nadu. The Rail Coach Factory at
Kapurthala in Punjab are the public sector units of Railway Locomotives.
The shipbuilding industry assembles ships by purchasing some parts from other industries and
producing some by of its own. The four major public sector shipyards are the Cochin Shipyard at
Kochi, Hindustan Shipyard Ltd. at Vishakhapatnam.
Aircraft industries manufacture aircrafts such as MIG or Pushpak. The Hindustan Aeronautics
Limited is an aircraft industry which has its units at different places like Kanpur, Bangalore, and
Lucknow.
Heavy Machines and Tools, as its name depicts, produces machines and tools used by other
industries such as textile, cement, fertilizers, paper, etc.
The Hindustan machine Tools, Bangalore, Heavy Engineering Corporation of India and the Praga
Tools Limited Secunderabad are examples of Heavy Machines Tools Industry.
Petrochemical:
Petrochemical industries produce petrochemicals, i.e. chemicals derived from petroleum or
natural gas.
Petrochemicals are used in making of such products as detergents, fertilizers, medicines,
paints, plastics, synthetic fibres, and synthetic rubber.
The basic materials of the industry are ethylene, propylene, butadiene, benzene, toluene,
xylene, and gases carbon monoxide and hydrogen.
Indian Petrochemicals Corporation Limited (IPCL) and Petrofils Cooperative Limited (PCL)
are two big organizations of petrochemical industry. IPCL manufactures petrochemicals like
polymers, and PCL manufactures polyester filament yarn.
The development, manufacture, and sales of electronic products make up one of the largest
and most important industries in the world.
Electronic Industry:
The electronic industry is also one of the fastest growing of all industries. The Bharat
Electronics Limited, the electronics Corporation of India Limited and the Indian Telephone
Industries, etc, are electronic industries.
The Bharat Electronics Limited produces defence equipments. The Electronics Corporation of
India Limited produces transistorized modular systems for nuclear applications and for use in
medical, agri. Ind. field.
The Indian Telephone Industries produces equipments required by post and telegraph
departments and overseas communication services.
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Section I: [2 Marks]
1) What are key and consumer industries? Give examples.
Ans: i) Those industries on which so many other industries depend are called basic or key
industries. For example, iron and steel industry or heavy machinery industry are key
industries as they provide steel and machines to rest of the industries.
ii) Consumer or secondary industries are those which produce primarily goods for consumption
by people. TV, washing machines, electronic items, bicycles, furniture, watches, utensils,
cosmetics etc. are the examples of the consumer industry.
2) How do you differentiate between heavy and light industries?
Ans: Industries which use heavy or bulky raw materials and also produce bulky products are known
as heavy industries, for example, iron and steel industry. On the other hand, industries whose
raw materials and finished products both are not heavy are called light industries, for example,
computer, T.V. or watch manufacturing units.
3) Why is Iron and Steel Industry considered a basic or key industry?
Ans: Steel industry is considered a basic industry because all other industries depend on it for their
machinery.
Steel is required in the manufacture of all types of machines and their products right from a small
safety pin to a huge ship. Steel is omnipresent in all equipments, engineering goods and
household items.
4) When was the first steel plant set up in India?
Ans: The history of the modem iron and steel industry in India began in 1870 when the Bengal Iron
Works Company set up its plants at Kulti (Burnpur)in West Bengal.
5) What are the four sections of an integrated iron and steel plant?
Ans: i) Mixing of raw materials: In this section, iron ore, coking coal and limestone are mixed in the
proportion of 4 : 2 : 1. Manganese is also mixed.
ii) Making pig iron from iron ore: In a high steel structure, called blast furnace, iron ore is
changed into pig iron by melting.
iii) Purification: Impurities of pig iron are oxidized to convert it into steel.
iv) Rolling of steel: Huge ingots of steel are rolled into different shapes and sizes such as rods,
beams, sheets, plates, nails, etc.
6) What is the difference between an Integrated Steel Plant and a Mini Steel Plant?
Ans: In an integrated steel plant, all the four processes are carried out in one complex from mixing of
raw material to shaping the metal.
Mini steel plants, on the other hand, do not do all the activities rather they use steel scrap in
electric furnaces and make liquid steel, which later on is turned into steel ingots.
7) a) Where is the Indian Iron and Steel Company (IISCO) located?
Ans: The IISCO is located at Burnpur near Asansol in West Bengal. It is about 210 km away from
Kolkata.
b) When was the IISCO nationalized?
Ans: Originally, this plant was set up in the private sector, 1874. It was taken over by the Government
on 14 July 1904 with a view to improve its working. The company is now wholly owned
subsidiary of the SAIL.
8) Discuss the locational advantages available to the IISCO.
Ans: i) High quality iron ore is obtained from Chhota Nagpur Plateau which is 277 km away.
ii) Fuel in the form of coal is obtained from Raniganj and Jharia coalfields.
iii) Gangpur in Orissa supplies limestone.
iv) Water is available from the Damodar River which is just 4 km away from this plant.
v) Kulti and Bumpur are well connected with roads and railways.
vi) Finished products are imported through Kolkata port.
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9) Where is the Bokaro Steel Plant located? When and with whose help this plant was set
up?
Ans: The Bokaro Plant is located in Bihar on the right bank of the Damodar River, near the confluence
of the Damodar and Bokaro rivers. This plant was established in 1972 with Soviet assistance.
10) Discuss the location and geographical advantages available to the Vijaynagar Steel Plant.
Ans: The Vijaynagar Steel Plant has been set up near Hospet in Bellary district of Karnataka.
i) High quality iron ore is available in Karnataka.
ii) Coal is obtained from Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh.
iii) Water is available from Tungabhadra Project, just 32 km away.
iv) Limestone and dolomite are available within a distance of 200 km.
v) The Karnataka Electricity Board provides 130 to 150 MW of electricity.
11) What are heavy inorganic chemicals? Also discuss their uses.
Ans: Sulphuric acid, nitric acid, soda ash and caustic soda are included in heavy inorganic chemicals.
Sulphuric acid is used in synthetic fibres, plastics, paints, and fertilizers.
Caustic soda is used in the manufacture of paper, soap, rayon, textiles, rubber, and in oil
refineries. Soda ash is used in glass, paper, soap, textiles, and detergents.
12) State two advantages of Petrochemicals. Name any two Petrochemical products.
Ans: Two advantages of Petrochemicals are that they are used as basic material in many industries
and in manufacturing synthetic fibres. Two petrochemical products are lubricating oil and plastic.
13) i) State the importance of the Heavy engineering Industries in the industrial development
India.
ii) Mention two main requirements of Heavy Engineering Industries.
Ans: i) Heavy Engineering Industries provide us with product essential for infra-structural growth of
the nation. They provide us with heavy vehicles, railways and machines without which
industrial growth is not possible.
ii) Two main requirements of Heavy Engineering Industries are: (a) Proximity to raw material
centres. (b) Easy availability of large capital.
14) What is the status of Indias automobile industry? State two aspects.
Ans: i) The real development of the automobile industry began in 1947 with the establishment of
Premier Automobiles Ltd. at Mumbai, and Hindustan Motors Ltd. at Uttarpara, Kolkata.
Ever since then it has progressed. It tends to be located near areas of the iron and steel
industry.
ii) Port cities are considered favourable locations for export-import facilities. The industry has
become market oriented requiring ready market facilities for cartage, sales, banking credit
and skilled labour.
15) Why are petrochemical industrial units found mainly in Maharashtra and Gujarat? Give
two reasons.
Ans: i) Petrochemicals are those chemicals and compounds which are derived from petroleum
resources. The units are mostly found in Maharashtra and Gujarat as these regions are
mostly abundant in petroleum and coalfields.
ii) The petrochemicals raw materials are easily available e.g. for the Udex plant at Koyali
(Gujarat) raw material is available from the nearby refinery. It is also economically stable in
these two states.
16) Name four labour intensive industries.
Ans: i) The industries can be classified on the basis of the source of its raw materials, management,
size, location, nature of products. There are large scale medium and small-scale industries.
ii) In the labour-intensive industries local labour is employed. They use hands instead of
machines for manufacturing. Such kinds are (i) bidi making, (ii) cracker making, (iii) shoes
and (iv) carpentry.
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d) The manganese comes from Bhandara and Balaghat districts of M.P. and limestone from
Nandini mines.
e) It gets water from Tandula and Gondli water reserviors.
f) The Vishakhapatnam Port provides the sea outlet facilities.
g) It gets thermal power from Korba Thermal Power Project.
Main Products: (a) Rails (b) Pig iron (c) Merchant products (d) Heavy structural.
With reference to the Visveswaraya Iron and Steel Plant, answer the following questions:
i) What was the status and former name of the Visveswaraya Iron and Steel Plant?
ii) Where is it located?
iii) What is its specialty?
iv) Name the power stations that supply electricity to this plant.
v) What does it get from Mandi Gudda, 32 km away?
vi) From where does it get its other raw materials?
i) The Visveswaraya Iron and Steel Plant was formerly a private sector company named
Mysore Iron and Steel Company.
ii) It is located at Bhadravati in Karnataka.
iii) It specializes in producing pig iron, steel castings and special steel and alloy.
iv) Electricity to this plant is supplied from the Mahatma Gandhi Hydroelectric Power Station and
Sharavati Hydroelectric Power Plantation.
v) It gets limestone from Mandi Gudda, 32 km away.
vi) It gets its other raw materials from following places: Iron-ore: Kemmanguddi near Bhadravati.
Manganese: Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.
Why most of our steel plants are concentrated around Chota Nagpur Plateau region?
The following geographical factors have contributed to the localisation of this industry around
Chota Nagpur Plateau region:
i) Iron ore, the basic raw material for this industry, is easily available from mines spread over
Jharkhand, West Bengal and Orissa.
ii) Jharkhand and West Bengal are the home of coal, the cheap source of energy for the
industry.
iii) Other minerals required for iron and steel industry, e.g., manganese, dolomite and mica, etc.,
are available in Chota Nagpur Plateau.
iv) Regular supply of power is made available from nearby Damodar Valley Corporation.
v) Cheap labour is available from the tribal areas of Jharkhand, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh,
Chhattisgarh and Orissa.
vi) Financial institutions in Bihar; Jharkhand, and West Bengal provide ample finance to this
industry.
vii) This region is connected to the rest of India by important roads and railway routes.
viii) From Kolkata port there is a facility of importing machinery and exporting products.
ix) Policy of the Government in localisation of public sector steel plants in this backward region
has also been responsible for the concentration of steel plants around Chhota Nagpur
Plateau.
What are the salient features of Mini Steel plants in India?
There are more than 216 mini steel plants in addition to largescale integrated iron and steel
plants. These steel plants have the following characteristics:
i) Mini steel plants use electric arc furnace and induction furnace to produce steel. Thus, coal is
conserved.
ii) These units use steel scrap/ sponge iron from big steel plants as raw material and, thus, help
in recycling of iron and its optimum utilization.
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iii) Mini steel plants do not require huge investments as they do not carry out all the processes of
steel making. They can produce mild steel, alloy steel including stainless steel.
v) Small steel plants can be easily constructed in industrial towns to meet the special steel
requirement reducing transport costs.
What are the locational advantages available to the Visveswaraya Steel Plant in
Bhadravati?
The locational advantages are as follows:
i) Iron ore is available to this plant from Kemmangundi mines in Bababudan Hills just 41 km
away.
ii) Limestone is available from Mandiguddu quarry which is 23 km to the east of this plant.
iii) Manganese is made available from Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra.
iv) Hydroelectricity is available from the Mahatma Gandhi Hydroelectricity Project and the
Sharavati Hydroelectricity Project.
v) Requirements of water are met from Bhadra as this plant is situated on the left bank of this
river.
vi) Bhadravati is connected by railways with ports and important centres of trade and commerce.
What suitable geographical conditions are available at Jamshedpur Steel Plant?
The Tata Iron and Steel Company (TISCO) is the oldest steel plant of India. Its location at
Jamshedpur is due to the following factors:
i) The basic raw material iron ore is available from Mayurbhanj (Orissa) and Singhbhum
(Jharkhand). This bulky raw material, which is required in large quantities being in proximity,
saves the transport cost.
ii) Manganese is available from Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj and limestone from Gangpur
(Orissa).
iii) Coal, a cheap source of energy, is obtained from Jharia (Jharkhand) and hydroelectricity from
the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC).
iv) Huge requirements of water are met from Subarnarekha and Kharkoi rivers where at their
confluence; this steel plant is set up.
v) Jamshedpur is connected by Kolkata-Mumbai railway route.
vi) Kolkata port which handles its export and import is also not very far.
What are the situational advantages available to the Bhilai Steel Plant?
i) High grade iron ore is available from the district of Durg, Chanda and Bastar. The DhalliRajhora Range is the famous source of iron ore just 97 km away.
ii) Coal is obtained from Jharia, Raniganj and Korba coal-fields.
iii) Manganese ore is obtained from Balaghat district.
iv) Limestone is supplied from Nandini quarries which are about 25 km away.
v) The Korba Thermal Power Station provides cheap electricity.
vi) This plant gets water from the Tendula Canal.
vii) Bhilai is connected with Mumbai-Kolkata railway route.
a) Where is the Durgapur Steel Plant located? When and with whose help it started
production? (b) What are the facilities available to the Durgapur Steel plant?
a) The Durgapur Steel Plant was set up in Burdhman district of West Bengal with the help of
British, the former West Germany and the former Soviet Union. It started production in 1959.
b) i) The Durgapur steel plant obtains iron ore from Singhbhum (Jharkhand) and Keonjhar
(Orissa).
ii) Coal mines of Raniganj and Jharia are just 111 km away from this plant.
iii) Limestone and dolomite are obtained from Birmitrapur and manganese from Barbil in
north Orissa.
iv) The D.V.C. provides electricity and water required by this steel plant.
v) Durgapur is located on Deihi-Kolkata railway line.
vi) It is connected by a canal with the Hooghly river and Kolkata port.
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30) a) Where is the Rourkela Steel Plant located? With whose assistance this plant was set
up?
Ans: The Rourkela Steel Plant is located in Sundergarh district of northern Orissa. It was set up with
the help of a German firm Krupp and Demog.
b) What are the geographical advantages available to the Rourkela Steel Plant?
Ans: i) This plant obtains iron ore from Bonaigarh, Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar districts.
ii) Coal is available from Jharia, Talcher and Korba coal-fields.
iii) Limestone from Birmitrapur and dolomite from Hirri quarries in Madhya Pradesh are
available.
iv) Cheap hydroelectricity is available from the Hirakud Power Project and huge amount of water
from the Brahmani River.
v) Rourkela is situated on Mumbai-Kolkata railway route.
31) What are the geographical factors which determine the location of Bokaro Steel Plant at
Bokaro?
Ans: i) The Bokaro Steel Plant gets iron ore from Noamundi, Bonaigarh, Barsha and Kiriburu.
ii) Bokaro and Jharia coal-fields which are 65 km away from this plant supply coal.
iii) Limestone and dolomite are available from Bhavanathpur and Palamau,
iv) Cheap and regular hydroelectricity and water are available from the Damodar River.
32) What are the major problems being faced by iron and the steel industry of India?
Ans: The major problems faced by iron and steel industry of India are as follows:
i) Lack of good quality coking coal.
ii) Per worker lower production in the plants of the SAIL.
iii) Lack of sophisticated and modem techniques of steel production.
iv) Lack of specialisation in producing items.
v) Low quality of our products has not been able to compete in international market.
vi) Less demand due to high cost, problems of skilled labour, inadequate supply of power and
low quality of iron ore are some of the other problems being faced by iron and steel industry
of India.
33) Answer the following questions on the Chemical Industry of India:
a) What is the importance of the chemical industry in India?
Ans: i) The chemical industry provides raw material to other industries like textiles, leather, soap,
paints, varnishes, detergents, rubber, medicines, dyes, glass, fertilizers, etc.
ii) Export of chemicals and drugs helps to earn foreign exchange for India.
iii) By its several products this industry helps in raising the standard of living.
b) Name the centres of heavy chemicals in India.
Ans: Centres for the manufacture of heavy chemicals are: Kolkata, Mumbai, Kanpur, Delhi, Chennai,
Amritsar and Bangalore.
34) With reference to the iron and steel industry in India give logical explanations for the
following:
i) The location of this industry is governed by its close proximity to raw material.
ii) This industry is not found in western India.
iii) Most of the iron and steel plants are Public Sector Undertakings.
iv) Mini steel plants are becoming more popular.
Ans: i) Iron and steel industry use heavy and bulky raw material of small value so it is located near
the source of raw materials to reduce its high transport costs.
ii) This industry is not found in western India because of lack of raw material such as iron ore in
this region.
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iii) Most of the iron and steel plants are Public Sector Undertaking because of the following
reasons:
a) An iron and steel plant requires huge investment, basic infrastructure, particularly efficient
means of modem transport and communication.
b) It does not create enough jobs commensurate with huge investment.
c) It requires continual updating of technology.
d) A long waiting time before it begins to yield dividends.
iv) Mini steel plants are becoming more popular because they do not do all the activities rather
they use steel scrap in electric furnaces and make liquid steel, which later on is turned into
steel ingots. They can produce mild steel, alloy steel including stainless steel.
Why are most of the heavy engineering industries connected to the Chota Nagpur region?
Give three reasons.
i) The heavy engineering industries are set up in the Chota Nagpur Plateau region as it requires
heavy and bulky raw materials. The Heavy Engineering Corporation Ltd. in Ranchi produces
castings, forgings and rolls for tools and building plants for the iron and steel industry found
here.
ii) They require enormous amounts of power which is generated from the Dye, i.e. Damodar
Valley Project, for this industry.
iii) Intensive labour is required providing considerable employment in this area. These are
available in the states of Bihar, Orissa and West Bengal. Cheap labour is found due to
illiteracy and high population here.
Name three production units of the petrochemical industry, in terms of their location, and
their products.
Petrochemicals are those chemicals and compounds which are derived from petroleum
resources. The three production units are:
i) The first petrochemical complex was established by Union Carbide India Ltd. at Trombay.
The technology and management is done by the multinational. It produces polypropylene,
ethyl acetate, butyl spirit, etc.
ii) The Indian Petrochemical Corporation Ltd. (IPCL) at Jawaharnagar near Vadodara in Gujarat
manufactures and distributes various petrochemicals such as polymers, synthetic organic
chemicals and polyester fibres.
iii) Petrofils Cooperative Ltd. (PCL) is a joint-venture company of the Government of India and
the Weavers Cooperative Society. It produces polyester filament yarn at its three plants
located at Vadodara, Naldhari in Gujarat.
What is a consumer industry? Give an example of it. What does growth of a consumer
industry indicate?
i) Consumer industries are also called secondary industries. These industries are the ones that
convert the raw materials into primary goods for direct use by the consumers.
ii) Bakeries, paper, textiles and sugar are consumer industries. These use the raw materials
directly for the finished products.
iii) The growth in this industry leads to growth in the fast food industry leading to changes in the
consumers nutrient intake and public health. It leads to a surge in spending and has a direct
effect on the consumer price index.
Why was Bhadravati in Karnataka selected for setting up a steel plant? Give two reasons.
The factors responsible for the setting up of the Bhadravati or Visveswaraya Iron and Steel Plant
at Bhadravati in Shimoga district of Karnataka are:
i) The availability of raw materials like iron ore is obtained from Kemmangundi in Chikmagalur
district, Manganese comes from Shimoga and limestone from Bundiguda that is just 25 kms
away.
ii) Water is obtained from the Bhadravati River. Hydroelectric power is from the Sharavati and
Mahatma Gandhi hydroelectric projects; charcoal was earlier used for smelting iron ore. The
plant is situated on the main railway line.
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39) With reference to the development of the aircraft industry in India, state the following:
i) Why is it only in the government sector?
ii) Three locations and their manufactures.
iii) Two other uses of these aircraft other than for defence purposes.
Ans: Aircraft Industry
i) The aircraft industry started with a private company, but was taken over by the government in
1942. Different parts of the aircraft are manufactured at different places due to security
reasons.
ii) The three main manufacturing centres of HAL are
a) Bangalore: Aerospace division, Aircraft division, Engine division, Foundry and forge
division, Overhaul division, Helicopter division
b) Kanpur: Transport Aircraft division
c) Lucknow: Accessories division
d) Nasik: Aircraft division
e) Hyderabad and Korwa: Avionics division
f) Koraput: Engine division
iii) Aircraft are used for defence purposes. Other than that they are used for transport with
aircraft for this purpose manufactured at Kanpur. The Bangalore complex manufactures Light
Krishak and Pushpak aircraft used for agricultural purposes. They also produce the Kiran jet
trainer, jet fighters and helicopters.
40) State the importance of Electronics in the field of space technology and entertainment.
Ans: Electronics is a modern industry. It has given new dimensions to medical treatment, space,
communication equipment, and entertainment industries.
i) Our space technology is supported by the electronic industry. We have successfully launched
indigenously built satellites such as the Apple, and INSAT series. The Indian Space
Research Organisation (ISRO) and National Remote Sensing Agency (NRSA) have become
pillars of this industry where components and subsystems are electronic.
ii) Entertainment: The television and audio industries too bloomed in 1990 as a result of the
progress made by the electronic industry. BPL, Videocon, Onida and Philips together had a
market share of 83% in TV sales, the audio industry also flourished. The main centres are
Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai and Pune.
41) State three important factors that govern the setting up of a heavy engineering industrial
region.
Ans: i) The heavy engineering industries are set up according to certain factors. As they use heavy
and bulky raw materials so they should have close proximity to the raw material used.
ii) Cheap and highly skilled labour which is technically sound. These are generally brought from
nearby villages. The industry also requires good means of transport as there is large cost
involved.
iii) They require enormous amounts of power be it hydel or thermal. So the power plants should
be available to these regions.
42) Answer the following questions on the Chemical Industry of India:
a) Where are organic chemicals manufactured in India?
Ans: Organic chemicals are produced at Mumbai, Kolkata, Jamshedpur, Kulti, Jharia, and Hirapur.
b) Where in India are fine chemicals produced?
Ans. Fine chemicals in India are produced at:
i) The Hindustan Antibiotics Ltd., Pimpri (Maharashtra).
ii) The Synthetic Drugs Plant at Hyderabad.
iii) The Hindustan Organic Chemicals at Kolaba.
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43) a) What does Ashoka Leyland produce? Name three centres where its units are
established.
Ans: Ashoka Leyland produces trucks and buses. Its units are at Chennai (Tamil Nadu), Jamshedpur
(Jharkhand), and Pune (Maharashtra).
b) Name a few well-known automobile industries.
Ans: Maruti Udyog Limited, Ashoka Leyland, Hindustan Motors Limited, Premier Automobiles etc.
c) What does Maruti Udyog Ltd. produces? Where are its units?
Ans: Maruti Udyog Ltd. produces a range of cars such as Maruti 800, Zen, etc. Its units are at
Gurgaon in Haryana.
MISCELLEOUS QUESTIONS / HOME WORK
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)
10)
11)
12)
Name the basic raw materials used in iron and steel industry.
Which is the largest mineral-based industry in India? Why is it called a key industry?
List the three basic steps involved in steel making.
What factors affect the location of an integrated steel plant?
What is an integrated steel plant?
What are mini steel plants?
Name the major steel plants in the Public Sector.
Why is the iron and steel industry concentrated in the Chotanagpur region? Which is the oldest
and privately owned steel plant?
What are the main requirements needed for setting up a heavy engineering industry?
When and where was the machine tool industry started?
What are the basic requirements of the automobile industry?
Why are traditional raw materials being replaced by petrochemical products?
PREVIOUS YEARS BOARD QUESTIONS:
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)
10)
11)
12)
13)
14)
Give two reasons to explain why there is a need for rapid industrialization in India.
[2000]
Why is there an increasing demand for handloom materials?
[2000]
Name a state famous for mulberry silk.
[2001]
Mumbai-Pune region is the most important industrial region of India. Substantiate the statement
giving two reasons.
[2001]
Give two reasons to show why the sugar industry has flourish in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
[2002]
Give two reasons for the following:
The silk handloom industry is important in Mysore.
[2002]
Give four reasons to justify that the rayon textile industry in India has a great future.
[2003]
Why is the woolen textile industry not as well developed as the cotton textile industry in India?
[2003]
With the help of an example each, differentiate between Basic and Consumer Industries. [2004]
The Khadi and Handloom Sectors of the Textile Industry cannot be ignored. Give two reasons
justifying this statement.
[2004]
Give reasons why:
a) The woollen industry is concentrated in North India.
b) Tree plantation is essential in and around Heavy Industrial areas.
[2005]
State four geographical factors which should be kept in mind while setting up an agro-based
industry.
[2005]
Mention three main problems faced by the cotton textile industry in India.
[2005]
Name three by-products of the sugar industry. Give one important use of each.
[2005]
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32)
33)
34)
35)
36)
37)
38)
39)
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40)
41)
42)
43)
44)
45)
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c) i) Mention two reasons for the importance of the cotton textile industry.
ii) Mention one reason responsible for its poor performance.
d) Give geographical reasons for the following:
i) Kolkata has many cotton mills though cotton is not grown in West Bengal.
ii) Karnataka is an important centre for silk.
iii) India produces very little cane-sugar though it is one of the largest producers of sugarcane in the world.
[2010]
a) Mention Iwo reasons for the development of the petrochemical industry in India.
b) What is the difference between a public sector industry and one which is in the private
sector? Give an example of an industry in each of the two sectors.
c) i) How is it advantageous for a mini steel plant (1) to use electric furnaces (2) not to be
located close to the location of the raw material?
ii) From where does the integrated steel plant at Bhilai get its requirement of iron and coal?
d) Name the following.
i) A city in India where MIG aircraft are manufactured.
ii) A centre where railway coaches are manufactured.
iii) The foreign collaborator of the iron and steel plant at Durgapur.
[2010]
a) Name and define two important by-products of the sugar industry.
b) Give two reasons why the state of Punjab is the largest producer of woollen textiles.
c) Mention three main problems of the Jute textile industry in India.
d) With reference to the cotton textile industry:
i) Which is the countrys most important manufacturing centre?
ii) State two geographical reasons for its importance.
[2011]
a) Which iron and steel industry of India is located away from the main coal areas ? What is the
main source of energy in the absence of coal?
b) Give two geographical reasons for the growth of IT industries in Bangalore.
c) With reference to the Bokaro Steel Plant, from where does it get its
i) coal
ii) iron ore
iii) water supply?
d) Name one important centre each for the production of the following:
i) Tractors
ii) Electronic goods
iii) Petro chemicals.
[2011]
a) What are petrochemicals? Name any two products made from petrochemicals.
b) Why has the electronics industry grown in importance?
c) Mention three advantages that a mini steel plant has over an integrated steel plant.
d) Name:
i) A city on the east coast of India which has a ship building yard.
ii) The iron and steel plant set up with German collaboration.
iii) A city which has a plant manufacturing Maruti cars.
[2012]
a) i) What is the significance of the Electronics Industry in recent times?
ii) Name two cities that have leading Software Companies.
b) Name the steel plants that were set up with Russian collaboration.
c) Explain three reasons as to why there is a large concentration of iron and steel plants in the
Chhota Nagpur Region.
d) What industrial product are the following centres noted for?
i) Gurgaon
ii) Perambur
iii) Chittaranjan
[2013]
a) Name one integrated iron and steel plant in the private sector. Where does it obtain its iron
and coal from?
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b) Name two raw materials used in the petrochemical industry and state two advantages of
petrochemical products.
c) Give a reason for each of the following:
i) Vishakhapatnam is a leading centre for ship-building.
ii) Mini steel plants cause less pollution than integrated steel plants.
iii) The electronic industry has made an impact on both entertainment and education.
d) Name a manufacturing centre for each of the following industries:
i) Engines for MIG aircraft
ii) Diesel locomotives
iii) Software
[2014]
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Indian Transport:
India is a land of vast distances from northsouth as well as from eastwest. So development of
cheap and efficient means of transport is essential for the progress of the nation. Transportation is
mainly divided into three major.
Road Transport
Railway Transport
Water Transport
Air Transport
Road Transport:
Importance:
z
Roads are important as they are necessary in the transportation of people and goods over
short and medium distances. One such road was constructed by Sher shah, which
connected. Amritsar to Delhi is called Sher Shah Suri Marg now.
Advantage:
z
z
z
z
Disadvantage:
z
z
z
z
z
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Rail Transport:
Railway system is the life line of the countries inland transport. It serves the needs of both
passenger and freight. The first rail way was started in India in 1853 between Mumbai and Thane.
Indian railways comprise 3 gauges:
z Broad Gauge: It has a distance of 1.676 meters between two rails. More than 70% of the
Indian railways is broad gauge.
z Metre Gauge: The distance between the rails is 1 metres 25% of the railways is metre
gauge.
z Narrow Gauge: This rail is two of types:
One is 0.762 metres.
Another is 0.610 metres. This type is restricted on hilly areas only.
Limitations:
z
z
z
There is a big operational problem to the Indian Railway to shift from one gauge to another
gauge. It is time consuming and as well as expensive also
The tracks are not able to carry increased loads and accidents are becoming quite frequent
Repair and maintenance of bridges constructed is very important.
Water Transport:
The inland water ways and coastal waterways are the most important water ways are the
cheapest means of transport for large and bulky loads. Water ways are unable to compete with
road and railways because of its slow speed. One important inland waterway is Ganga.
Port:
z
z
A port is a place on the coast with docks where cargo can be unloaded and distributed
through land. There are 12 major ports in India.
Ports of West Coast:
Mumbai Port (Nhava Sheva / JNPT)
Kandla (Gujrat)
Kochi (Kerala)
Marmagao (Goa)
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Air Transport:
Air transport is the fastest mode transport. Aircrafts of one type or another have made it possible
to reach the most remote parts of the earth when speed and time are important constraints. This
mode of transport is indispensable.
Limitations:
z
z
z
Cost of air transport provision of air terminal facilities as well as cost of take up and landing
rights are all very expensive. Large scale air transport is still quite luxurious.
It has limited carrying capacity, and the amount of freight that can be carried is restricted by
the lack of space.
Weather conditions can also hamper air transport.
1) Name the organization who is responsible for the development, maintenance and
management of highways in India.
Ans: National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).
2) Name two projects undertaken by NHAI.
Ans: i) Golden Quadrilateral
ii) Northsouth and Eastwest corridors
3) Name any two major Express Highways of India.
Ans: i) Ahmedabad Vadodara expressway
ii) Delhi Gurgaon expressway
4) Name the areas where density of roads is low.
Ans: Rural areas.
5) Give any two advantages and two disadvantages of roadways.
Ans: Advantages:
i) Road transport is a fast, flexible and demand responsive mode which is capable of providing
door to door service.
ii) It links remote and inaccessible areas such as hilly, tribal, desert and backward areas.
Disadvantages:
i) Riding quality of roads is poor, bridges are often weak and distressed.
ii) A large section of the highways has inadequate road pavement thickness.
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6) a) Name the
i) Indias first expressway that opened in 2001.
ii) Expressway which is the part of GQ Highway Project.
b) Give the special features of DelhiGurgaon expressway.
Ans: a) i) AhmedabadVadodara expressway
ii) DelhiGurgaon expressway
b) Its special features are SOS telephones at every 1.5 km, CCTV surviliance, and a 32 lane
toll plaza at the DelhiHaryana border.
7) What is width of:
a) broad gauge?b) metre gauge? c) narrow gauge?
Ans: a) 1.676 mm
b) 1.000 mm
c) 762 mm and 610 mm
8) What is the another name of board gauge railway line on the west coastal lowland?
Ans: Konkan Railway Line.
9) What is meant by an expressway?
Ans: Expressways are cemented sixlane roads, designed to provide smooth highspeed movement
without any obstacles like traffic or speed breakers.
10) What are the chief means of transportation in India?
Ans: India has every mode of transport system: b land, air and water
Land: i) Roads
ii) Railways
Air:
i) National
ii) International
Water i) Inland (river, canals, backwaters, creeks etc.)
ii) Seas and ocean routes.
11) What is the name of the National Airlines of India?
Ans: Air India.
12) Why are railways important?
Ans: Railways are important because they are the main arteries of inland transport. They are the
lifelines of the country for large scale movement of traffic, freight and passengers.
13) What are National highways?
Ans: National Highways are roads which connect one state with the other and are of national
importance. They are constructed and maintained by the central government.
14) Name the places that are connected by:
a) Golden Quadrilateral.
b) North-South and East-West corridors.
Ans: a) Golden Quadrilateral connects Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata.
b) North-South corridor connects Srinagar to Kanyakumari and East-West corridor connects
Silchar to Porbundar.
15) Name four international ports of India.
Ans: a) Mumbai
b) Kochi
c) Kandla
d) Vishakhapatnam.
16) The great plains have more railways than the Himalayan Mountains. Why?
Ans: The great plains have more railways due to:
a) High density of population
b) Rich in agriculture
c) Greater industrial activity
d) Level land or plain land.
17) Enumerate the problems faced by our railways.
Ans: A Various problems faced by our railways are as follows:
a) Passengers travel without tickets due to lack of proper vigilance.
b) They pull chains unnecessarily resulting in the delay of trains.
c) Thefts and damages of railway property is common.
d) Railway accidents due to the negligence of authorities is a major problem of Indian railways.
e) The signalling and the safety systems are all outdated.
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Rural Roads
24) a) Name the scheme which was launched to provide connectivity to rural areas as part of
a poverty eradication measure.
b) What are the special features of MumbaiPune expressway?
Ans: a) Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna
b) The special features of MumbaiPune expressway are :
i) Sixlane concrete highway with 7m wide divider. An extra lane provided on each side as a
hard shoulder.
ii) separate tunnels for traffic.
iii) No twowheelers, threewheelers or tractor vehicles allowed.
iv) Provision of motels, workshops, toilets, emergency phones, first aid etc.
v) Complete fencing to avoid humans and animals crossing the expressway.
25) a) What is the Golden Quadrilateral (GQ) Project?
b) Give any two economic benefits of the GQ
Ans: a) The Golden Quadrilateral (GQ) is the largest express highway project in India. It is the first
phase of the National Highways Development Project. It consists of building 5,846 km of four
/ six lane express connecting Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai.
b) The economic benefits of the Golden Quadrilateral project are:
i) It will interconnect many major cities and ports.
ii) It will give a stimulus to truck transport throughout India.
iii) It will help in the industrial growth of all small towns through which it passes.
iv) It will provide vast opportunities for transport of agricultural produce from the hinterland to
major cities and ports for export.
v) It will provide job opportunities in its construction.
26) What are the National Highways? Also write the names of its two major projects?
Ans: National Highways are highways which run through the length and breadth of the country and
connect state capitals, port towns, industrial and mining area and cities and towns of national
importance. These highways are maintained by the Central Government
i) Golden Quadrilateral.
ii) Northsouth and Eastwest Corridors.
27) a) Why the traffic on National Highways has been growing?
b) Explain what steps are being taken by the Government to provide hindrance free traffic
movement
Ans: a) The traffic on National highways has been growing due to industrialization in the country.
b) The Government is taking steps to utilize latest technologies and improved management
techniques to provide hindrancefree traffic movement. This is being done by widening
roads, grade separation, construction of bypasses, bridges, railroad crossing etc.
28) Differentiate between :
a) National Highways and State Highways
b) Broad gauge and metre gauge.
Ans: a) i) The National Highways are constructed and maintained by the Central Governments.
While the State Highways are constructed and maintained by the State Government.
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ii) The National Highways are main highways running through the length and breadth of the
country connecting major ports, state capitals, large industrial and tourist centres. While
the State Highways provide linkages with the National Highways, district headquarters,
important towns, tourists centers and minor ports with in the state.
iii) The National Highways facilitates interstate transport and movement of defence
personnel and materials in strategic areas. While the State Highways provide connectivity
to important towns and cities as wells as with National Highways or State Highways of the
neighbouring states.
iv) The National Highways has about 70.548 Km. length while the length of state Highways is
about 128000 km.
b)
29)
Ans:
30)
Ans:
31)
Ans:
32)
Ans:
33)
Ans:
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Broad Gauge
Meter Gauge
The distance between rails is 1.676 mm
The distance between rails is 1,000 mm.
The total route length is 51.082 km.
Its total route length is 9,442 km.
a) What is the width of (i) single lane and (ii) multilane National highways?
b) When was the NHAI constituted? Also explain its responsibilities
a) (i) 3.75 m
(ii) 3.5 m.
b) The NHAI was constituted in 1988.
It is responsible for the development maintenance and management of National Highways. It
is currently undertaking the developmental activities under NHDP in phases. In addition to
this NHAI is also responsible for implementing other projects on National Highways, primarily
road connectivity to major ports in India.
State any two advantages of airways?
i) Air transport is the fastest and comfortable mode of transport.
ii) It is vital for our internal transport as well as for the links with other countries.
iii) It is essential for defence of the country and plays a crucial role in times of emergency.
iv) Remote areas which are not served by railways or roads have to depend on air transport
alone.
State any two disadvantages of airways?
i) It is very costliest mode of transport.
ii) It depends on weather conditions.
iii) The airport infrastructure demands heavy investment, large expenditure on servicing,
replacement and renewals.
iv) Air transport is run on petroleum (nonrenewable source of energy).
Express these in the full form?
a) IWAI
b) NHDP
c) NHAI
d) EMUs
a) Inland Waterways Authority of India
b) National Highways Development Project
c) National Highways Authority of India
d) Electric Multiple Units.
Give any two advantages and two disadvantages of water transport?
Advantages of Waterways:
i) It is the cheapest mode of transport.
ii) It is suitable for heavy and bulky goods.
Disadvantages of Waterways:
i) Water transport depends on the conditions of weather.
ii) Water transport is limited to area where rivers are navigable and oceanic routes exist.
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28)
29)
30)
31)
32)
33)
34)
35)
36)
37)
38)
39)
40)
41)
42)
43)
44)
45)
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Characteristics:
Waste is a matter.
It occupies some space;
It produces odour and smell;
Waste has weight.
Types of waste:
Solid wastes :
z
It includes garbage, i.e. food left-overs, decaying fruits and vegetables, crop residues, etc,
and vegetables, crop residues, etc., and rubbish, including cans, bottles, corroded metal
pieces, plastics, wrappers, ashes, body parts of dead animals, etc.
Liquid Wastes:
z
it includes sewage from toilets of houses, hospitals, restaurants, offices and factories, etc,,
and oil spills.
Gaseous Wastes:
z
It includes fuel exhausts containing carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide,
sulphur dioxide etc. and smog which is formed as a hazy mixture of gases when fuel
exhausts react with sunlight.
Toxic wastes are the wastes which pose a serious threat to human health and environment.
These wastes result from industrial processes, from the use of chemical fertilisers in
agriculture, from the biomedical waste generated in the hospitals, radioactive wastes and
the electronic waste or e-waste generated by broken or unwanted electrical appliances
such as computers, mobile phones and electronics.
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Non-Toxic
z
Non-Toxic wastes are the waste includes garbage, i.e., food left-overs, decaying fruits and
vegetables, crop residues, etc.. and rubbish, including cans, bottles, corroded metal pieces,
plastics, wrappers, ashes, body parts of dead animals, etc
Some of the toxic wastes are arsenic, cyanide, lead, cadmium, nickel, beryllium, uranium
and mercury and their compounds, chlorinated solvents, asbestos, organo-chlorine
pesticides, photographic wastes, plating sludges, pesticides residues, waste paints and
lubricants. Burning produces oxides of sulphur and nitrogen which become toxic at high
concentration.
The waste produced by households, shops, offices, restaurants and schools that do not
pose a serious problem to animals, plants or to the environment is called Non-toxic Waste.
Sources of Waste
Domestic Waste:
Wastes generated due to domestic activities are called domestic wastes. Food leftovers, fruits
and vegetable peels, bits of paper, packets, polythene bags, bottles, empty metal and
aluminium cans scrap metals, glass pieces, cotton, rags, discarded clothes, ashes from
burning coal, sewage from toilets, batteries, expired medicines, chemicals etc. are some of the
examples of domestic wastes.
Industrial Waste:
Wastes from various types of small and large scale industries are called industrial wastes. For
example, in a textile industry, wastes may be in the form of fibres used to wipe off Oil. Industrial
wastes include chemicals (lead, mercury, arsenic paints, sand paper, paper products, industrial
by-products. metals, etc.)
Industries use a great deal of fuels for energy that produce waste gases and other materials.
Sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides emitted from power stations cause health hazards
because of their link with acid rain.
Mining:
z
z
Wastes generated during mining operations or excavations are called mining wastes.
These can be toxic or hazardous
Cement industry :
z
Cement manufacturing industries produce various coarse and fine particles. The dust
emitted by cement industry a potential health hazard.
Oil Refineries:
z
86
Remnants, waste products of dairies, breweries and meat processing units produce organic
wastes.
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Paper Industry:
z
Some of the wood chips, cellulose fibres and chemicals are rejected as waste material in
paper industry. The effluents contain chlorine, sulphur dioxide etc., which are considered
highly poisonous for the fish.
Chemical Industries:
z
Metal Industries:
z
These industries discharge effluents containing copper, lead, chromium, cadmium, zinc etc.
which are toxic to man as well as to aquatic life.
Agricultural waste
Agricultural wastes include the following :
There are two types of crop residues
Field residues:
z
These are the materials left in an agricultural field or orchard after the crops have been
harvested. These include straw from Barley, beans, oats, rice, rye wheat and stalks from
corn, cotton, sorghum, soyabean and alfa-alfa
Process Residues:
z
These are the materials left after the processing of the crops into useful products.
Animal Waste:
z
These include excreta of farm animals, animal slurry and animal bedding such as poultry
litter
Processing Waste:
z
It includes the waste produced by agrobased industries like sugar, dairy, edible oil, food
processing, coir setting, jute retting and pulp and paper. Processing waste comprises waste
water and solid wastes generated during the manufacturing processes.
For example, in the production of sugar, the extracted sugarcane juice is subjected to a
series of purification processes for making it free from dirt, colour and organic matter. In this
purification process the solid waste, so separated is known as press mud. It requires safe
disposal.
Fertillisers:
z
z
Pesticides and insecticides are toxic substances. They are used to eliminate some of the
insects or pests.
Some of the insecticides like DDT and aldrin, affect humans and animals directly or through
the food which they consume.
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z
Agricultural wastes can cause environmental problems, if they are not disposed of properly.
They become breeding ground for harmful insects and rodents. Burning of wheat or rice
straw gives rise to smoke which pollutes the environment.
Municipal waste
Municipal waste is the waste generated in a municipality or a local government area. Such
waste is produced by shops, offices, restaurants, schools, courts, libraries, banks, hospitals,
parks, domestic etc. and is collected from public waste bins.
Sewage:
z
Municipal sewage is the liquid waste which is extremely foul in nature. Domestic sewage is
the waste water from kitchens, bathrooms, lavatories, laundries and laboratories. In addition
to the mineral and organic matter in the waste water, domestic sewage also comprises
human excrement such as urine, faeces, soapy wastes, food wastes, paper dirt, dirty water
and numerous other substances.
z
z
z
Municipal wastes generated in various offices include used paper cuttings, xerox paper bits,
carbon papers, typewriter ribbons, broken pens, pencil shavings, groundnut husks, paper
packets, tissue papers, wrappers, glass pieces, rubber, cotton pads, bottles, vegetable
matter, cooked items, etc.
Municipal, domestic and agricultural solid wastes that can be degraded by micro-organisms
are called degradable or biodegradable wastes. Examples of this type of waste are
vegetable wastes, stale food, tea leaves, egg shells, dry leaves, etc.
Biodegradable wastes can be further classified into:
Simple Biodegradable Waste: These wastes are easily broken down by natural
processes of decomposition, Leaves, vegetable peels, plant remains, faecal remains,
waste water, dead plants arid animals all belong to this category.
Complex Biodegradable Waste: The waste material that comes under this category is
not easily decomposed. They are resistant to natural processes of decomposition.
However, over a long period of time, they can be decomposed. For example, glass
bottles take a million years to decompose, leather shoes take 30-40 years, tin cans take
50-100 years. We must be careful while disposing of waste material under this category.
Biodegradable wastes can easily serve as alternate sources of energy. Gobargas (biogas)
is an example of conversion of biodegradable wastes into energy.
Non-degradable or non biodegradable wastes are the wastes which cannot be degraded or
broken down through microbial activities.
Example crude petroleum, plastics, styrofoam products, cans, glasses, polymer, synthetic
pesticides, radioactive fall-out, some industrial effluents and metals like lead
Biomedical wastes
Bio-medical wastes are the wastes that are generated during the diagnosis, treatment and
immunisation of human beings or animals. These wastes include:
z needles, syringes, soiled dressings;
z pathological wastes such as blood, tissues, body parts, body fluids, human foetuses and
chemicals used for pathological tests;
z infectious wastes like of cultures and stock of infectious agents;
z wastes from surgery and autopsy;
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used and discarded medical instruments such as scalpels, blades and other glass material,
empty plastic bottles, polythene bags, tubes, gloves, etc.;
expired medicines including pills, capsules, chemicals;
containers having innocuous or inert gas and aerosol from hazardous wastes.
Nuclear waste
Nuclear waste is the radioactive waste generated from nuclear energy industry
Radioactive elements such as uranium and radium have highly unstable atomic nuclei, whose
disintegration results in radiation emission which may be highly injurious. During nuclear tests,
radioactive dust may encircle the globe at altitudes of 3000 metres or more.
This dust often comes down o the earth mixed with rain. Some of it percolates down through
the soil into groundwater reservoirs or is carried into streams arid rivers.
The leakage of nuclear radiations from nuclear reactors and nuclear research laboratories is a
significant source of nuclear waste.
Medical X-rays constitute about 18 per cent of artificial radiations used in radiotherapy for
diagnostic purposes. These rays are highly penetrating
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Transmission of Diseases
Waste on land :
Various diseases spread on an epidemic scale due to waste accumulation on land and water
bodies. Vectors like flies, mosquitoes, rodents and pet animals transmit these diseases. The
waste is a breeding ground for such vectors.
Hence, there is an urgent need to manage waste disposal in an effective manner. Here is a list
of common diseases spread by mosquitoes, flies, rodents and pet animals.
Housefly: Typhoid, diarrhoea, dysentery, cholera, gastro-enteritis, etc
Sandfly: Kala-azar, (Black fever) sandfly fever, etc.
Tsetse fly: Sleeping sickness.
Mosquitoes: Malaria, filaria, yellow fever, dengue, chikungunya, encephalitis etc.
Rodents: Plague, salmonellosis etc.
Pet animals
z Dog Rabies, hydrated diseases, etc.
z Cat Dermatophytosis, anthrax, etc.
Industrialisation and urbanisation pollute water in the following manner.
Sewage contains organic matter that cannot be decomposed
Industrial and commercial waste has toxic agents including metal salts and complex synthetic
organic chemicals.
Fertilisers and pesticides produce pollutants. Human beings are affected by pollution.
There are also other pollutants like radioactive substances.
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Greenhouse gases
There are five gases which are mainly responsible for the Greenhouse Effect and Global
Warming. These gases are known as Greenhouse Gases. They are:
z Carbon dioxide (CO2)
z Methane (CH4)
z Nitrogen oxide (Nitrous oxide)
z Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC).
z Water vapour.
Then, the sea level will rise by a few metres and most of the cities on the seashore may be
submerged and coastal eco-life will be adversely affected.
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All the developed and developing countries are using CFCstype chemicals as refrigerants in
aerosol, paints, plastics, foam and thermal insulating materials in spray and packaging
industries. During the use of such materials, a lot of CFCs ultimately get dispersed into the
atmosphere
The ultraviolet rays cause genetic disorders which ultimately affect heredity. Increased
concentration of ultraviolet rays disturb ecological balance in marine ecosystem. Green algae,
fish and other animals on continental shelves get affected by ultraviolet rays.
Plastic become brittle when they come in contact with ultraviolet rays.
Acid Rain
Acid Rain means the presence of excessive acids in rainwater. Burning of coal, wood or
petroleum produce sulphur and nitrogen. These two react with oxygen and are converted into their
respective oxidessulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide, which are soluble in water.
During rain, these oxides react with large quantities of water vapour in the atmosphere to form
acids like sulphuric acid, sulphurous acid, nitric acid and nitrous acid. These acids, when they
precipitate together with rain or snow form acid rain.
Soil Health
Soil is the foundation for a healthy biosphere. Precipitation from air as acid rain and dry deposition
of pollutants on land surface contribute to soil pollution.
Chemicals and minerals in the soil react with chemical pollutants. These pollutants combine with
plant nutrients and the plants are consumed by animals.
Polluted soils cause reduction in mineralisation and decomposition processes. Transformation of
sulphur, nitrogen, availability of phosphorus, biological nitrogen fixation in soil is affected by acid
rain. Destruction of the soil is synonymous with the destruction of the biosphere
Waste management
One of the easiest ways of management of waste is the 3-R system, Le. Reduction, Reuse and
recycle. We can reduce our use of resources. We can reuse the materials for packaging, that is
use the same product several times, for example, bottles, containers, etc. We can recycle
materials such as glass, paper and metals (like aluminium, cans and steel) from old articles.
We can recycle the used items to make new material, e.g. cardboard from used paper. There is
need to manage the waste properly. Therefore, public awareness of the health hazards of waste is
necessary.
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Spoilage of Landscape:
Much of the worlds solid waste is simply dumped onto vacant land and left to decompose. Open
dumps not only ruin the natural beauty of the land but also provide a home to rats and other
disease carrying organisms.
Both open dumps and landfills may contain poisonous substances that seep into the groundwater
or flow into streams and lakes.
Burning of coal, fuel wood or petroleum produces sulphur and nitrogen which react with oxygen
and are converted into their respective oxidessulphur oxide and nitrogen dioxide.
A chemical reaction occurs between the acid of the acid rain and the buildings. It exerts a
pressure on the monument surface leading to corrosion of its body.
Many monuments are affected by acid rain. Examples are: the Parthenon of Athens, the
colosseum of Rome, the Taj Mahal of Agra.
Pollution
Pollution is caused by man by the addition of waste toxic chemicals through the atmosphere into
the biosphere.
The main sources of waste are domestic, commercial, industrial, municipal and agricultural
wastes. Agriculture and the food processing industry are considered to be the largest contributors
to the total annual production of solid wastes.
The handling of solid wastes is a problem because most disposal methods cause harm to the
environment. Both open dumps and landfills may contain toxins that seep into the soil and the
water bodies and cause soil and water pollution respectively.
The uncontrolled burning of accumulated waste creates smoke and other air pollutants that
release toxic substances into the environment and cause air pollution.
Industrial waste contains harmful chemicals, particulates (small particles) and toxic heavy metals
such as lead and mercury. These toxic chemicals and heavy metals get deposited in animal
tissues and harm living things along the food chain.
For example, grass gets some toxic chemicals from the soil. Animals eat such grass and get
affected by toxins.
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These animals directly or indirectly pass on these toxins to the human beings through their dairy
products or meat.
As accumulated waste decomposes, it produces a large quantity of methane gas. This is highly
explosive, if not managed properly.
Eutrophication:
It is the process of depletion of oxygen from water bodies occurring either naturally or due to
human activities.
The process of eutrophication takes place due to introduction of nutrients and chemicals
through discharge of domestic sewage, industrial effluents and fertilisers from agricultural
fields. Algae and phytoplankton use carbon dioxide, inorganic nitrogen and phosphate from the
water as food.
They serve as food for microscopic animals (zooplankton). Small fish feed on these
zooplanktons and large fish in turn consume these small fish.
When nutrients become abundant due to waste accumulation, the growth of phytoplankton and
algae increases. Consequently, the penetration of oxygen, light and heat into the water body is
reduced. This causes death of most of the aquatic organisms, draining water of all its oxygen.
Health hazards
Spread of Disease Through Contamination:
Several incidents around the world have demonstrated the potential harm of accumulation of
waste on human health. Waste that is not properly managed is a serious health hazard.
Waste dumped near a water source percolates through the soil into the water bodies and
contaminates the water.
Direct dumping of untreated waste in rivers, seas and lakes results in the accumulation of toxic
substances in the water bodies and further in the food chain through plants and animals.
The water logging results in breeding of mosquitoes in the stagnant water which spread
diseases like malaria and chikungunya.
Lead: Affects blood system, causes behavioural disorders and can also cause death.
Cadmium: Causes cardiovascular diseases and hypertension, kidney damage.
Nickel: Causes respiratory problems, lung cancer.
Mercury: Causes nerve and brain damage, kidney damage.
Beryllium: -Causes berylliosis. Affects mucus membrane of eyes and lungs. Causes
shortness of breath, weight loss, lung cancer and affects heart.
Asbestos: Causes asbestosis, shortness of breath and lung cancer.
z Arsenic is another chemical that has been shown to cause cancer.
z Radioactive waste, although present in small quantities, remains externally harmful to
human health for many years
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Chapter 16:
1 Impact of Waste Accum
mulation
95
Effec
cts on Hum
man Bein
ngs:
A
Accumulation
n of solid waste looks ugly, smells fou
ul, an acts in
nsects, rats a
and other aniimals that
s
spread
disea
ases. Burning
g of waste in the open dump yards causes smo
oke and foul smelling
a
air.
Sanitary
S
land
dfills are not fit for human
n settlements
s because methane
m
and carbon dioxiide gases
s
start
coming up in the firsst two years.
Effec
cts on Pla
ants :
W
Waste accum
mulation hass dangerous effect on plant life. Plant life is affe
ected either by direct
d
deposition
off harmful toxiins from wasstes or indirectly through soil.
The
T toxins ca
ause:
z different ty
ypes of leaf injuries.
z premature
e leaf fall.
z Decrease
e in transpirattion.
z Reduction
n in the rate of
o photosynthesis.
z reduction in biological nitrogen fixa
ation.
z dust deposited on le
eaves blockk the stoma
ata of plantts. These d
decrease the
e rate of
transpiration and inhib
bit the absorp
ption of nutrie
ents from so
oil.
z smoke em
mitted by burrning of wasste causes re
eduction in ro
oot and shoo
ot lengths, number
n
of
leaves and number off grains per spike
s
in case
e of crops like
e wheat.
Effec
cts on Animals and
d Birds :
S
Scavangers and stray animals like dogs,
d
rats, pigs
p
and cow
ws are direcctly affected by waste
w
when
they fe
eed on the waste for fo
ood. Sometimes these animals con
nsume toxins
s or nond
degradable
s
substances
like plastic ca
arry bags pre
esent in the waste
w
and die
e due to choking.
The
T wastes consumed
c
byy animals alsso lead to ma
any diseasess and other p
problems.
Effec
ct on Aq
quatic Liife:
W
Waste accum
mulation can cause signifficant damag
ge to aquatic life, both fre
esh water and
d marine.
Two
T
categoriies of waste that cause greatest
g
dam
mage to aqua
atic life are pesticides, which
w
run
o agricultural lands and
off
d industrial and
a domestic
c wastes tha
at are improp
perly dispose
ed of into
w
water
bodiess.
Biom
magnificattion:
T
The tem Biomagnifica
B
ation meanss increasin
ng the
c
concentration
n of variouss toxic subsstances alon
ng the
f
food
chain. Toxic substances at the level of primary
p
p
producers
ge
et concentra
ated at each trophic le
evel as
t
they
move up
p the food ch
hain.
The
T
phenom
menon of concentrated toxic
t
deposition at
t higher tro
the
ophic level iss known as bio-accumulation.
A small amo
ount of toxicc constituen
nt which is neither
e
excreted
norr metabolised, gets incre
eased as th
he food
c
chain
movess upward from
m one trophic level to th
he next
a the toxicc constituentss become co
and
oncentrated.
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Example:
Carelessness and the deliberate dumping of wastes and oil spills in the seas and oceans
pollute water and damage beaches, Marine pollution is a great threat to sea-life (plants and
animals). Oil spills decrease the penetration of light and hamper the photosynthesis process.
They also retard the rate of oxygen uptake by water and adversely affect the development of
marine organisms, increase their susceptibility to disease and affect their reproductive
processes.
They also lead to gastrointestinal irritation, liver and kidney problems and damage the nervous
system.
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Dumping
In this method, waste materials are dumped in open low lands far away from the city. This method
is not environment friendly.
However, this is the cheapest method and does not need much planning. The open pits spoil the
sight of the area and become a breeding ground for mosquitoes, files insects etc. that are the
carriers of harmful diseases.
They give out foul odour. The burning of waste material in the open dumps pollutes the air.
Another danger of open dumping is that rainwater could carry the harmful substances to the
nearby streams, ponds or lakes and if the water seeps down it could pollute the groundwater.
Sanitary Landfill
In this method, the waste is packed and dumped daily at the site and is covered with earth to
prevent insects or rodents from entering into the landfill. The waste then is subjected to
bacterial decomposition. Physical, chemical and biological reactions take place generating
different gases like carbon dioxide, methane, ammonia and hydrogen sulphide.
The sanitary landfill system of disposing of waste is essentially a biological method. The waste
undergoes the following five phases:
z During the first phase of operation, aerobic bacteria deplete the available oxygen and as a
result the temperature increases.
z In the second phase, anaerobic conditions become established and hydrogen and carbon
dioxide are evolved.
z Phase three establishes population of bacteria and the beginning of methanogenic activity,
i.e. production of methane from the decomposition of organic matter.
z In the fourth phase the methanogenic activity becomes stabilized.
z The fifth phase depletes the organic matter, and the system returns to aerobic state.
Advantages
z
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z
The health problems are minimised since files, rats and other pests cannot breed in the
landfill because of the covered wastes a it is mostly free from fire hazards.
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Composting:
Composting of waste is an aerobic (in the presence of air) method of decomposing solid wastes.
The process involves decomposition of organic waste into humus known as compost which is a
good fertiliser for plants.
The composting process produces carbon dioxide and heat which can be used for various
purposes like cooking.
The organic wastes from households are made to undergo decomposition in such a way that
bacteria and other micro-organisms break them down and produce a safe, clean and soil-like
material called compost.
The micro-organisms help to stabilise the organic matter. For example, fungi starts working in the
first week after dumping of the material.
Moisture content is an important factor in aerobic composting.
It may be necessary sometimes to add water to maintain moisture content.
Mechanical Method:
In the mechanical process, used in Bengaluru and adopted by other cities in the country.
The waste material is placed in layers about one metre deep. The material is riot turned at all
but it decomposes completely in about five months. This method 0f composting is known as
the Bengaluru Method.
Manual Method
In India, both the manual as well as mechanical methods of composting are used.
In the rural areas composting refuse and night soil mixtures are dumped together which
produce manure for the fields. Layers of vegetable waste and night soils are alternated in a
shallow hole dug in the ground. The mixture is turned regularly for about three months to
provide air to the mixture. Then the compost is left for another month without turning for the
process to take effect. This method of composting is known as the Indore Method.
Advantages of Composting
The major benefits of composting are:
z It enhances soil nutrients and water retention capacity of soils.
z It suppresses plant diseases.
z It rejuvenates poor soils by adding humus.
z It absorbs odours and degrading volatile organic compounds.
z It prevents pollution by preventing pollutants in storm water run-off from draining into water
resources.
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These are Primary, Secondary and Tertiary treatment stages. However, the specific stages
required for water treatment may vary depending on the quality of the waste water and the desired
quality of water, as well as the cost of treatment.
Primary Treatment:
The primary treatment of waste water includes physical separation of suspended solids as well
as odour and colour.
It is the first stage of primary treatment which is used to remove coarse solids like sticks,
rags, boards and other large objects from waste water. Here, the waste water is passed
through screens such as a wire mesh, a perforated sheet or a set of parallel steel bars
which remove the coarse particles.
Waste water also contains inorganic solids such as pebbles, sand, silt, egg shells, glass
and metal fragments along with heavier organic matter such as bonechips, seeds etc.
Together these materials are known as grit.
To remove these impurities, the waste water is made to enter a grit chamber where the flow
velocity of water decreases. This reduced flow velocity of waste water allows the grit to
settle down. The grit is then removed from the grit chamber either by hand or mechanically.
Water free from suspended coarse solids and grit then flows into a sedimentation tank.
Sedimentation:
z
In this process, the water is first of all stored in large basins. Storing the water for a long
time in reservoirs, allows sand particles, clay, silt and other suspended materials to settle at
the bottom of the basin as sludge. The sludge is removed as underflow either by vacuum
suction or by taking it to a discharge point at the bottom of the basin for withdrawal. The
clear liquid obtained above is called the overflow and contains no readily settleable matter.
Coagulation or Flocculation:
z
In this process, the sedimented water is subjected to a chemical process. The primary
purpose of this process is to remove turbidity from water. Turbidity is a cloudy appearance
of water caused by small particles suspended therein. Water with high turbidity is difficult to
disinfect properly. By flocculation turbidity as well as many suspended bacteria in the water
is removed.
A coagulant such as aluminium sulphate or alum is added to the water. The coagulant
facilitates the agglomeration or flocculation of fine particles suspended in water. The
coagulant reacts with water and forms a bulky precipitate. The agglomerated particles,
known as floccules, are again separated by sedimentation or filtration.
Filtration:
z
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The waste water after primary treatment enters a tank where the organic matter is brought into
contact with sludge, heavily laden with micro-organisms. Air is introduced into the tank in the
form of bubbles through diffusers. The micro-organisms in the sludge digest the organic matter
in the waste water coming from the primary treatment tank and reduce the HOD (Biological
Oxygen Demand) to an acceptable low level.
After this, the water leaves the aeration tank and carries with it the suspended biomass, i.e.,
the sludge having organic matter.
A part of this biomass is used again to consume more organic matter from waste water and
hence named activated sludge.
The remaining sludge is removed from the system and disposed of as landfill. The treated
water, free from impurities flows to another tank. This method of waste water treatment is
known as active sludge method.
Incineration
Incineration is the process of controlled high temperature oxidation of primarily organic
compounds that release thermal energy and produce carbon dioxide and water.
In short, incineration involves burning of wastes at a very high temperature. The waste to be burnt
is fed into an incineration chamber (or kiln) and combustion consumes or destroys the organic
component.
Advantages of Incineration
incineration as a system of waste disposal has the following advantages:
z It is a useful technology to deal with large quantities of organic hazardous wastes that have
high calorific value and cannot be dealt with by other methods.
z Incineration kills pathogenic organisms and reduces the volume of the waste.
z It is useful to dispose of petroleum and plastic wastes in chemical industries.
z Incineration of combustible waste produces much heat that can be used to produce steam
from water which in turn can be utilised to generate electricity.
Scrubber
Scrubber is a device that employs spray of water to catch pollutants during emissions. In this
process, water is introduced into a spray tower by means of a spray nozzle which allows
downward flow of water. As the polluted gas flows upwards, the particulates present in the gas
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Electrostatic
c Precip
pitators (ESPs)
(
ESP
P is a device that is used
d for removin
ng a wide ran
nge of particu
ulates including mists fro
om gases.
ESP
Ps are used in
i power plan
nts, smelterss, cement pla
ants and blasst furnaces.
Elecctrostatic pre
ecipitator works on the
e principle of
o electrosta
atic precipita
ation, i.e. electrically
e
charrged particulates presen
nt in the polluted gas arre separated
d from the g
gas stream under
u
the
influ
uence of the electrical fielld.
In th
he removal process,
p
the polluted gas is made to
o enter the Electrostatic
E
Precipitator.. The gas
flow
ws upwards between
b
the high voltage wire and gro
ounded colle
ecting surface
e. The high voltage
v
in
the wire lonises the gas and
d the negativve ions move towards th
he grounded surface and
d pass on
theirr negative ch
harge to the dust
d
particles.
The
en these neg
gatively charg
ged dust particles are drrawn toward
ds the positivvely charged
d particles
colle
ector surface
e, where they finally get deposited. Knocking
K
on these platess makes the
e particles
fall into
i
a hopper tray for disp
posal.
Adva
antages of
o ESPs
T
The advantag
ges of using ESPs are th
he following:
z ESPs are economical to operate.
z They prov
vide high efficiencies, uptto 99 per cen
nt.
z They are dependable and predicta
able.
z They do not
n produce a moisture plume.
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Recycle of Waste:
Besides reusing the materials by using physical processes, we also use recycling process by
treating the waste before it is used in a manufacturing process.
Example: In India, we have tonnes of bagasse from sugarcane during a particular season.
Bagasse can be used in the manufacture of paper pulp. This would save trees which are normally
used for making paper pulp. Bagasse is also used for making packaging material of dairy
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products. Paper industry recycles pieces of wood from furniture industry, used and discarded cloth
and used paper.
Plastic:
Plastics are recycled by plastic manufacturers. About 80 per cent of the plastic waste is
recycled in India,
Plastic is non- biodegradable. The bonds of carbon in plastic are impossible to break down
through a physical or chemical process. They have to be incinerated, recycled or buried in
landfills.
The plastic bags which are extensively used in India are made from recycled plastic. The
recycled plastic bags are harmful because the melting of plastic and plastic products breaks
some polymer chains into smaller units which are harmful.
Paper:
The paper industry segregates waste paper from a huge discarded dump. Waste paper has
grit, sand, ink, tar, paper clips, plastic coatings, rubber bands, etc.
Most of the used paper is made into cardboard, paperboard, paper bags, etc. Recycled paper
is used for printing only a few times because with each recycle the fibres become weak.
The recycled product is weaker than similar product made from fresh fibres.
Waste paper is fed on to a conveyor belt. The conveyor belt feeds the paper to a hydropulper
where it is smashed in water at about 38C.
The force in the hydropulper is so great that the sheets of paper are rapidly broken down to a
slurry.
The fibres in the paper are retained and unacceptable materials are drained off. The pulp of
waste paper is passed over a riffer system. It is then fed into another unit for the removal of dirt
and tar.
The paper slurry is thickened before it is fed into the paperboard machines.
Government initiatives
The Central and State Governments own, control and develop a countrys forests, dams, major
irrigation systems, power stations, industries, means of transportation, railways, roads, ports, etc.
The Government is not just the protector of the countrys environment but also has a major
responsibility for sustaining environmental conscience.
In India, the Ministry of Environment and Forests is the main nodal agency for generating
environment consciousness and making and implementing schemes for environmental protection.
The Governments environmental policy focuses on the following areas:
To check degradation of land and water through Wasteland Management and Restoration of
river water quality programmes;
To provide for conservation of natural resources by direct action such as declaration of
reserved forests, biosphere reserves, wetlands, mangroves and protection of endangered
species;
To monitor development through Environmental Impact Assessment Studies of major project
proposals; and
To make laws and acts for environment protection and to initiate penal measures against those
who violate these laws.
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The Environment Protection Act (1986) empowers the Central government to coordinate actions
of State Governments, plan and execute a nationwide programme for the prevention, control and
abatement of environmental pollution.
The government has a major role in environmental protection. It is the governments duty to find
out ways and means of improving efficiency of existing technologies and introduce new ecofriendly technologies.
Eco-friendly technology is based on renewable resources as raw material as well as energy; and
transformation through highly efficient biotechnology to produce environment friendly products.
For example, to reduce vehicular pollution in Delhi, the government initiated the development and
use of CNG in automobiles instead of petrol and diesel. This has reduced air pollution in Delhi to a
considerable extent.
The government sets up various committees under the charge of experts to evaluate the impact of
various projects on environment. An important issue which has been hotly debated in recent
decades is the adverse effects of constructing big dams.
Environmental activists have been urging the Government not to construct big dams. For the
construction of such big dams large areas of forest and agricultural lands get submerged in water.
These developments have adverse environmental and socio -economic consequences.
Building of a dam disrupts the ecosystem of the river and destroys the aquatic as well as
terrestrial life around it.
Another serious consequence of building big dams is the large scale displacement of people from
their homes. Displacement disrupts the entire life-cycle of the people. People lose their ancestral
home as well as their community life and traditional occupation. They have to face the
uncertainties of resettling in unfamiliar and often inhospitable locations.
The Government has to ensure that environmental standards are strictly followed to prevent any
damage to the environment caused by the construction of big dams.
Social Initiatives
Environmental protection is not the responsibility of the government alone. All sections of the
society have to participate in this endeavour. It is ultimately the society that suffers due to
environmental degradation.
Therefore, the society has to play an important role in maintaining environmental standards in the
following ways:
Society is made of individuals together. So it is the duty of each individual to see that his / her
actions do not pollute the environment.
If air and water resources in an area are unfit and do not meet the acceptable standard, the
people of the area can organise themselves and force the responsible agencies to take
necessary action.
If suitable action is not forthcoming they can, under the laws of the land, file a Public Interest
Litigation (PIL) and get their problems solved.
Groups of individuals together can make a huge difference in maintaining environmental
standards. For example, group housing societies can initiate steps for waste management by
making provisions for segregating wastes, taking measures for recycling wastes like making
compost pits, etc.
They can also take measures for reducing the use of electricity and finding alternative sources
of energy.
Air pollution, specially vehicular pollution can be uinimised by adopting car pool method. This
will also save huge amounts of money spent on importing petroleum from other countries.
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z
z
Individual Initiative:
The role of every individual in environmental protection is of great importance because if every
individual contributes substantially, the effect will be visible not only at the community, city, state
or national level but also at the global level.
It can be done by following ways:
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Section I: [2 Marks]
1) What is waste? Which is most common place of disposal?
Ans: Waste is any material or substance that is of no further use and has been discarded.
Most of the domestic waste is dumped on land in the form of refuse.
2) Mention any four waste producing sources.
Ans: Industry, agriculture, household and municipal.
3) Mention any three types of domestic wastes.
Ans: Paper, plastic goods and batteries.
4) Mention any three types of industrial wastes.
Ans: Mining, oil refineries and nuclear power plant.
5) Mention any two kitchen wastes.
Ans: Fruit and vegetables peels.
6) Mention any two fuels used by cement industry.
Ans: Coal and petroleum.
7) Define tanneries.
Ans: Tanneries are the factories where leather is made from the skirts of dead animals. These skins
are tanned with chemicals.
8) Tanneries are major source of pollution. Justify.
Ans: Tanneries are major source of pollution because tanneries use harmful chemicals.
9) Mention the major raw materials used in the generation of nuclear power.
Ans: Uranium, plutonium and Thorium.
10) What is agricultural waste?
Ans: Unusable materials, liquid or solid, produced as a result of various agricultural operations is
termed as agricultural waste.
11) Mention any two agricultural wastes.
Ans: Waste from agriculture, poultry and harvest waste.
12) What is incineration?
Ans: The process of burning waste in large furnaces is known as incineration.
13) Mention the types of waste on the basis of decomposition.
Ans: Biodegradable and Non-biodegradable
14) What is biodegradable waste? Give two examples.
Ans: Biodegradable waste includes that material which breakdown or decompose in the soil, e.g.,
fruits and vegetables.
15) What is nonbiodegradable waste? Give two examples.
Ans: Non-biodegradable waste includes that material which does not breakdown or decompose in the
soil, e.g., polythene bags and synthetic clothes.
16) What is complex biodegradable waste?
Ans: The waste material which does not decompose easily and has resistance to break down are
called Complex biodegradable waste.
17) What is simple biodegradable waste?
Ans: The waste that gets decomposed quickly through natural processes like dead remains of
animals and plants, faecal matter etc. are called Simple biodegradable waste.
18) What is biomedical waste?
Ans: Biomedical waste (BMW) consists of solids, liquids, sharps and laboratory waste that are
potentially infectious or dangerous and are considered biowaste.
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What impact does the decomposition of waste in the open areas have on human health?
Why are radioactive wastes more hazardous than other wastes?
Name the disease caused by mercury contamination in Japan.
Name three monuments affected by acid rain.
What is known as eutrophication?
Explain the impact of waste accumulation on human health.
What is acid rain?
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8)
9)
10)
11)
Name two useful products which can be made from biodegradable domestic waste.
What service is indirectly done by the rag-pickers for the disposal of waste?
Explain the role of segregation of waste in the safe disposal of waste.
What is a sanitary landfill?
How is waste disposed of in a sanitary landfill?
What steps should be taken by the municipal authorities for the safe disposal of solid waste?
How is compost made?
Give three advantages of using compost.
What is meant by the primary treatment of water?
Explain the process of sedimentation in the primary treatment of water.
Why is the secondary treatment of water known as the biological treatment?
What is the need for tertiary treatment of waste water?
What is incineration?
Explain the process of electrostatic precipitation.
Give two advantages of using ESPs
Reduce-Reuse-Recycle
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)
10)
11)
12)
13)
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b) Mention any two features seen in the map extract which show that the region has
seasonal rainfall.
c) Calculate the distance in kilometers along the carttrack linking Moti Bhatamal (928758)
and Antroli (953764)
d) Which is the chief form of irrigation shown in the map extract? Give an evidence to justify
your answer.
e) Give one reason to explain why the streams in grid square 9478 do not join a river.
Identify another grid square in the map extract that has similar streams.
f) What do the following represent?
i) Black broken lines in 9575.
ii) Black curved lines in 9879
g) Identify two landforms shown by the contours in grid square 9876.
h) i) What is the general direction of the Balaram Nadi?
ii) Which bank of the main river does the Balaram Nadi join?
i) What is the main occupation of the people living in the area shown in the map extract?
Give one reason to support your answer.
j) What is meant by scale of a map? What is the scale of the map extract provided to you?
Question 2
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
g)
h)
i)
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[2]
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Question 7)
a) Why are minerals called exhaustible resources? What are mineral ores?
b) What is the significance of coal?
c) How is iron ore exported? Name some of the importing countries of Indias iron ore.
d) i) How is crude oil transported to refineries.
ii) Why are most refineries near the coasts?
iii) Name two refineries which are located away from the coast.
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Question 8)
a) What are the three kinds of coffee grown in India? Which two states lead in its
production?
[2]
b) What is the green revolution?
[2]
c) Name three important aspects of the Japanese method of rice cultivation.
[3]
d) What is millet? Why are they called tough crops? Name one leading state for each millet.
[3]
Question 9)
a) Mention two reasons to explain the location of the jute textile industry in West Bengal. [2]
b) What are the major problems affecting the cotton textile industry of India?
[3]
c) State four geographical factors which should be kept in mind while setting up an agro
based industry.
[2]
d) Name any three by-products of the sugar industry. Give one important use of each.
[3]
Question 10)
a) What is the difference between heavy electrical and light electrical?
b) Mention two geographical reasons for the growth of IT industries in Bangalore.
c) In reference to petrochemicals:
i) What are its basic requirements?
ii) State three advantages.
iii) Which was the first public sector unit to be set-up?
d) With reference to TISCO.
i) Give its full form and location.
ii) From where does it get power?
iii) Why is its location an advantage in reference to transport?
Question 11)
a) Mention two reasons to explain the need for an efficient transport system?
b) What are some of the problems affecting rail transport?
c) i) Why do so many people still use air transport, inspite of its high costs?
ii) Name two international airports in India.
d) North Eastern India does not have an efficient system of transportation. Explain why.
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