The environment is the surrounding conditions that influence human life. It is the evaluation of the natural resources. According to the Environment Act 1986, water, air, plants, micro-organisms, and the inter-relationship between human beings and other creatures form the environment.
Functions of Environment
It maintains life by offering biodiversity.
It sustains life.
It offers aesthetic scenery and living conditions etc.
Economic activities, such as production and consumption, have added to environmental degradation. The rate of exploitation of resources has surpassed the speed of their revival, causing concern for the population.
The environment and sustainable development projects in India are trying to overcome the problem of pollution. Students can learn about these concepts by reading through this segment and strengthen their knowledge about our environment.
What is Pollution and Its Types?
Pollution refers to those activities that harm the environment through man-made ways. It damages the purity of water, land, and air, thereby degrading the living conditions. Environment and sustainable development projects are adapting ways for healthy living, which will contain the degradation of our environment and depletion of the natural resources.
The types of pollution are as follows.
Air Pollution
The degradation caused to air quality due to the burning of waste and release of pollutants.
Water Pollution
Water resources like rivers, lakes, etc., are considerably depleted due to pollution. Humans dump wastes into the waterbodies, which makes the water undrinkable and of low quality. The use of non-renewable resources has gradually depleted these reserves and increased health issues. These issues increase the need for an introduction on environment and sustainable development in regular life.
Noise Pollution
It is caused by creating excessive noise beyond the recommended decibels.
Ozone Layer Depletion
In this phenomenon, the Earth's ozone layer gets depleted due to the release of CFC or chlorofluorocarbon from various appliances. These compounds are chlorine compounds, which are generally found in refrigerators and air conditioners.
Land Pollution
Our land suffers from various types of degradation caused mainly by unsuitable administration practices.
The factors responsible for land degradation in India are as follows.
Deforestation
Shifting cultivation
Overuse of fuelwood and fodder
Forest fires and overgrazing
Improper dump wastage
Excessive extraction of groundwater
Using too many pesticides and chemicals for agriculture
Due to these causes, there is an immediate need for environmental sustainability in India.
What is Environment and Sustainable Development?
The environmental problems that influence sustainable development have increased massiveley in the last few decades. Therefore, every individual must try to save the environment. The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) explains the environment and sustainable development introduction in India to save resources for the future generation.
Today, environment and sustainable development project improves living standards, improves nutrition, alleviates poverty, and minimises cultural and social instability. By following the features of sustainable development per capita income worldwide can be improved with population control, practical usage of resources, reliance on renewable sources, etc.
The sustainable development in India examples, and more information on these topics can be found on Vedantu. It offers quality study materials and notes for exam and revision purposes. Students can avail of the online classes and solutions on these topics from Vedantu.
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FAQs on Environment and Sustainable Development in India
1. What are the Ways to Save the Environment from Pollution?
Ans. Methods of sustainable living must be utilised to save our environment from the impact of pollution. Some of the measures are – (a) Pollution Control: Methods like setting a pollution control board or regulatory boards to keep a check on pollution can be followed, (b) Water Management: Rainwater harvesting and conservation of water can help with the problems like scarcity of water, (c) Conservation of forest: Afforestation measures need to be practised, and regulations for the preservation of forest must be implemented, (d) Waste Management: Solid waste management must be kept in check in urban areas.
2. What is the Function of the Central Board in Saving the Environment?
Ans. The functions of the central board are – (a) advising the centre on matters related to environment for prevention and control of pollution. they also provide technical assistance to state boards to carry out investigation and research related to issues, (b) they organise an inclusive mass awareness programme on the prevention and control of pollution. Moreover, they collect and publish statistical data relating to environmental concern and the measures for effective prevention, (c) the central board also prepares manuals and guidelines for treatment and removal of sewage and pile gas cleaning devices.
3. What are Some Sustainable Development in India Examples?
Ans. Some examples of environment and sustainable development projects in India are – (1) Use of non-conventional Sources of Energy India, (2) Wind Power In areas where the speed of wind is usually high. These windmills can offer electricity without harming environment, (3) Solar energy can be used in different forms for daily use products, agriculture products, and even to warm oneself in winters, (4) Bio Composting can be practised.