Water Resources

Very Short Answer Type Questions (1 mark each)

Q. 1. How has Shillong solved the problem of and Roof top rain water harvesting. This
acute shortage of water? helped Shillong meet its total water
OR requirement of each household.
How has Tamil Nadu solved the problem OR
of acute shortage of water? Tamil Nadu has been able to deal with
 [CBSE OD, Set 1, 2019] the problem of acute shortage of water
Ans. Shillong has been able to deal with the by adopting rooftop water harvesting
problem of acute shortage of water by techniques. This practice was made
setting up Bamboo drip irrigation systems mandatory under the law for all houses
across the state.

Short Answer Type Questions-II (3 marks each)

Q. 1. ‘‘The dams that were constructed to (iv) Water supply can be used for domes-
control floods have triggered floods.“ tic and industrial purpose.
Analyse the statement. Q. 3. ‘‘Water scarcity may be an outcome of
 [CBSE OD, Set 1, 2019] large and growing population in India.‘‘
Ans. Our first Prime Minister, Mr. Jawaharlal Analyse the statement.
Nehru, called the dams “the temple of  [CBSE Delhi, Set 1, 2019]
modern India“. These dams, that have Ans. A large population requires more wa-
been constructed to support the econom- ter not only for domestic use but also
ic development of the country, can be de- to produce more food. Hence, to facili-
structive at times. tate higher food grain production, water
They may cause floods because resources are being over exploited to
sometimes, they are constructed without expand irrigated areas for dry season ag-
proper planning and sometimes low riculture. Irrigated agriculture is the larg-
standard construction material is used. est consumer of water. Post independent
This inferior quality of construction India witnessed intensive industrialisa-
material increases the chances of floods. tion and urbanisation, creating vast op-
Construction of these dams can make portunities for us. Today, large industrial
the area, in which they are constructed, houses are as common place as the indus-
‘earthquake prone‘, which may lead to trial units of many MNCs. The ever-in-
landslides and the water to flow out creasing number of industries have made
of dams. The sudden release of water matters worse by exerting pressure on
from dams can also course flood and existing freshwater resources. Industries,
devastation. apart from being heavy users of water,
Q. 2. Analyse the merits of Multipurpose also require power to run them. Much
projects. [CBSE OD, Set 2, 2019] of this energy comes from hydroelec-
Ans. Merits of multipurpose projects are given tric power. Most of these have their own
below: groundwater pumping devices to meet
(i) Dams are built for generating their water needs, which results in frag-
hydroelectricity. ile water resources being over exploited.
(ii) Canals are made for irrigation pur- This has caused falling ground-water lev-
pose. els in several of these cities.
(iii) Canals can also be used for inland Q. 4. Analyse the importance of ‘rainwater
navigation. harvesting.’ [CBSE Delhi, Set 2, 2019]
Ans. It is a technique of increasing the recharge the crops; thus, water scarcity
of groundwater by collecting and storing immediately leads to loss of crops. The
rainwater by constructing structures, scarcity of water damages the already
such as dug wells, percolation pits and sown crops. Livestock is affected as
check dams. the fodder (animal feed) production is
(i) In most cases, the harvested water is also decreased manifolds due to water
usually redirected to storage tanks, scarcity. The domestic farms need water
cistern or reservoirs. First and fore- for its proper maintenance. So, water
most, the collection offers a better scarcity is a threat to both these sectors.
and efficient utilization of energy Water scarcity directly affects human
resource. It is important because po- beings and animals. Absence of potable
table water is usually not renewable. water for drinking and other purposes
(ii) Harvesting allows the collection causes a lot of diseases and problems
of large amounts of rainwater. to human beings. This hinders their
Rainwater is usually free from daily routines and they are unable to
harmful chemicals, which makes it discharge their daily duties.
ideal for irrigation purposes. Without access to clean water, there is
(iii) Another important advantage is that no way one can avail proper sanitation
it reduces demand for potable wa- facilities. Access to quality water is
ter. It is important especially in areas fundamental to better living standard and
with low water levels. economic growth. Absence of that lowers
Rainwater harvesting, thus, is the living standards of the country.
considered as a very reliable way to Natural landscapes suffers the most
conserve water. because of water scarcity as it contributes
Q. 5. Analyse the impact of ‘water scarcity.’ to desertification, loss of plants and death
 [CBSE Delhi, Set 3, 2019] of wildlife.
Q. 6. How has the ever increasing number of
Ans. Water is one of the most important
industries in India made worse position
requirement for agriculture and
by exerting pressure on existing fresh
livestock. Water is needed for irrigating
water resources? Explain. [CBSE, 2018]

Topper’s Answers
Ans. (i) India has witnessed intensive the Indira Gandhi canal has facilitated
industrialisation and urbanisation for easier and better irrigation.
the last few years. The ever increasing Q. 8. Why is the rooftop rainwater harvesting
number of industries has made the most common practice in Shillong
matter worse by exerting pressure on inspite of the fact that Cherrapunjee and
existing fresh water resources. Fresh Mawsynram receiving highest rainfall
water is required in thermal energy in the world are situated only at a
plants and steel industries on a large distance of 55 kms from there? Explain.
scale.  [CBSE, Term 1, 2016]
(ii) Industries, apart from being heavy Ans. The roof top rainwater harvesting is
users of water also require power to the most common practice in Shillong
run it which in turn needs additional inspite of the fact that Cherrapunjee
and Mawsynram receiving the highest
water.
rainfall in the world are situated only at
(iii) We have to consider a situation
a distance of 55 kms from there. Inspite
where water is sufficiently available of being very close to the area of highest
but these areas still suffer from water rainfall in the world, Shillong faces
scarcity. This scarcity may be due acute shortage of water. Nearly every
to bad quality of water or polluted household in the city has a rooftop
water. rainwater harvesting structure. Nearly
Q. 7. “Irrigation has changed the cropping pat- 15-25% of the total water requirement
tern of many regions in India.” Analyse of the household comes from rooftop
the statement. [CBSE OD, Set 3, 2019] water harvesting.
Ans. A well developed irrigation facility reduces Q. 9. Explain any three causes of water
the dependence of farmers on monsoons scarcity. [CBSE, Term 1, 2015]
and ensures regular supply of water. Ans. Shortage of water is called the scarcity
Irrigation facilities also ensures installation of water. It is due to the less rainfall or
of tube wells, pumps in the farm lands that occurs in the drought prone area.
enable the farmer to irrigate large portions Causes of water scarcity are:
of land more effectively. They also facilitate (i) India is the second largest populated
the construction of dams that help in country in the world and for more
generating electricity. Better irrigation has population, we need more water to
contributed in the increased production produce crops or other domestic use.
of maize in states like Karnataka, Uttar (ii) Excessive use of water in the
Pradesh, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh and industries for producing more hydro
multicropping has also become possible electricity.
due to irrigation. Water intensive cropping (iii) Over exploitation of water in urban
is now done in places like Ganganagar and areas leads to the water scarcity in
Hanumangarh region of Rajasthan where India.
 Long Answer Type Questions (5 marks each)
Q. 1. What is the need for conservation of (iii) W
 ater resources are being polluted
water resources? Suggest three measure day by day, especially in the urban
to conserve water resources. areas and are not suitable for
 [CBSE, Term 1, 2015] drinking purpose.
Ans. Water is the basic need of the people. It is (iv) It is necessary to conserve water to
a natural resource needed by every living make it available to all for the con-
being on the globe. It is limited and nec- tinuation of our livelihood and to
essary to conserve it. Reasons to conserve save our ecosystem as well as human
water can be explained as follows: beings.
(i) W
 ater resources in India are limited Measures to Conserve Water Resources:
and our population is increasing day (i) S
 ave water, avoid water wastage in
by day so the water requirement is domestic as well as at all other levels.
also increasing day by day. (ii) R
 echarge ground water by using rain
(ii) A vailability of water in our country water harvesting etc.
is uneven, so it is necessary to make (iii) U
 se drip irrigation and sprinklers
it available to all. methods to irrigate the fields.