Water Resources- Geography- class 10
1.Mention the causes for scarcity of water experienced in India. (5 Mark)
a) water scarcity is due to large and growing population and consequent greater
demands for water, and unequal access to it.
b) A large population means more water not only for domestic use but also to produce
more food.
c) To facilitate higher food-grain production, water resources are being over-exploited
to expand irrigated areas and dry-season agriculture.
d) MNCs (Multinational Corporations) the ever increasing number of industries has
made matters worse by exerting pressure on existing freshwater resources.
e) Water is used to produce hydroelectric power which causes shortage of water.
2. Enumerate the hydraulic structures built in ancient India. (5 Mark)
a) In the first century B.C., Sringaverapura near Allahabad sophisticated water
harvesting system channelling the flood water of the river Ganga was constructed.
b) Chandragupta Maurya built dams, lakes and irrigation systems extensively.
c) Irrigation works have also been found in Kalinga, (Odisha), Nagarjunakonda (Andhra
Pradesh), Bennur (Karnataka), Kolhapur (Maharashtra), etc.
d) In the 11th Century, Bhopal Lake, one of the largest artificial lakes of its time was
built.
e) In the 14th Century, the tank in Hauz Khas, Delhi was constructed by Iltutmish for
supplying water to Siri Fort area.
3. Why did Jawaharlal Nehru refer “Dams as the temple of modern India”? (3
Mark)
a) Jawaharlal Nehru proudly proclaimed the dams as the ‘temples of modern India’.
b) The integrated water resources management approach was thought to be the vehicle
that would lead the nation to development and progress.
c) He believed that it would integrate development of agriculture and the village
economy with rapid industrialisation and growth of the urban economy.
4. What are the disadvantages of multi-purpose projects and large dams built in
India? (5 Mark)
a) Regulating and damming of rivers affect their natural flow causing poor sediment
flow and excessive sedimentation at the bottom of the reservoir, resulting in rockier
stream beds.
b) Dams also fragment rivers making it difficult for aquatic fauna to migrate, especially
for spawning.
c) The reservoirs that are created on the floodplains also submerge the existing
vegetation.
d) Multi-purpose projects and large dams have also been the cause of many new social
movements like the ‘Narmada Bachao Andolan’ and the ‘Tehri Dam Andolan’ etc.
e) Large-scale displacement of local communities and people often had to give up their
land for the construction of the project.
5. Write a note on the purpose of mobilising Narmada Bachao Andolan. (3 Mark)
a) Narmada Bachao Andolan is a non- governmental Organisation that mobilised tribal
people, farmers, environmentalists and human rights activists against the Sardar
Sarovar dam being built across the Narmada river in Gujarat.
b) It originally focused on the environmental issues related to trees that would be
submerged under the dam water.
c) Recently it has re-focused to help the poor citizens, especially those displaced to get
full rehabilitation facilities from the government.
6. Give reasons for the failure of dams and multi-purpose projects in India. (3
Mark)
a) The dams that were constructed to control floods have triggered floods due to
sedimentation in the reservoir.
b) Big dams have been unsuccessful in controlling floods at the time of excessive
rainfall.
c) Multi-purpose projects induced earthquakes, caused waterborne diseases and pests
and pollution resulting from excessive use of water.
7. Describe the rainwater harvesting practiced in north-western part of India. (5
Mark)
a) In the semi-arid and arid regions of Rajasthan, all the houses traditionally had
underground tanks or tankas for storing drinking water.
b) The tanks could be as large as a big room.
c) The tankas were part of the well-developed rooftop rainwater harvesting system and
were built inside the main house or the courtyard.
d) They were connected to the sloping roofs of the houses through a pipe.
e) Rain falling on the rooftops would travel down the pipe and was stored in these
underground ‘tankas’.
