10th Social Studies

Question: How significant are the laws, people’s actions, in the context of water resources? Write a short note based on the ideas discussed in the last two sections of the chapter.
(Reading the text (given), Understanding and Interpretation)

Answer: Water is a collective pool resource.
The current laws about ground water in many states are both out dated and inappropriate.
The basic link between access to ground water and land ownership on which these rules are based are flawed. Land owners are not restricted in the amount of water they can take out.

Each farmer competes to go deeper than their neighbour and soon all tube wells upto a certain depth dry up.
Water use for any region, whether small water shed or river basin has to take into account all the inflows and outflows.

Inefficient and unfair way of water usage should be discouraged. Hiware bazar should be the role model.
Water resources require both collective action at the local level and appropriate laws and policies at the state and national level.

Question:

In what way is water bought and sold in your area and for what purpose do you think their should be some checks and balances for this? Discuss.
(Appreciation and Sensitivity and Reflection on Contemporary Issues)

Answer: Water in our area is bought and sold for various purposes like drinking, construction and domestic purposes.
Water is bought in the form of municipality drinking water.
For agricultural purpose to get water we pay the money to the owner of boring pumps.

Even drinking water is purchased by using packed water.
This can be controlled.
i) Creating awareness among the people.
ii) Using alternate resources.

Question: Make a list of challenges faced in the water resources in the Tungabhadra basin. Identify the solutions that have been discussed in the context of these problems either in this chapter or else where in different classes. (Information skills)

Answer: Tungabhadra is shared by the two southern states of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. It is one of the tributaries of Krishna. Tungabhadra is facing some challenges and the suitable solutions are listed below.

Question:

Which aspects of forming practice were regulated in the context of Hiware Bazar to improve the water conservation? (Conceptual Understanding)

Answer: Hiware Bazar village was selected under the Adarsh Gram Yojana of Maharashtra Government. Some of the aspects they regulated to improve the water conservation.

Continuous Contor Trenches (CCT) were dug on the hill slopes to arrest the erosion of soil, water harvesting, and encourage the growth of grass.

A number of water harvesting structures were also built in the village check dams, percolation tanks, and loose boulder structure.
The soil and water conservation work in Hiware bazar were implemented on common land and private land.

Challenges:

1) Tungabhadra dam has gradually lost its water storage capacity over the decades with accumulation of silt due to mining, dust, soil erosion, debris etc.
2) Siltation of several small reservoirs and traditional tanks is another challenge.
3) More water needed for major crops like paddy and sugarcane. Because this area is ideal for semi arid crops.
4) Urbanisation require more water.
5) Industrialisation is another challenge.
6) Inter state disputes between Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.

Solutions:

1) Proper mining standards should be followed in iron ore and
manganese extractions.
2) Soil erosion should be prevented.
3) Semi-arid crops should be encouraged.
4) Over usage of water and waste usage of water should be
controlled.
5) Control the industrial effluents.
6) Effective water control board should be establish under the
central government, proper monitor should be needed.

Social control over ground water extraction and use no borewells for irrigation, no water-intensive crops like sugarcane.
Ban on free grazing imposed strictly.
Plantations on forest lands and road sides were also part of the programme.

If they get good rainfall, then they can take full rabi crop, if the rain fall is less, then they bring down the area under Rabi.

They keep rain fall data meticulously and use it for crop planning and water use prioritisation.