UNIT 7 HUMAN COMMUNITIES AND ENVIRONMENT BINDU

INTRODUCTION
Human behaviour results from biological psychological, socio-economic and cultural forces but the mental health field
has placed the most emphasis on intrapsychic factors to the near exclusion of socio-economic and cultural
considerations.
POPULATION OF INDIA
After 2030, India is expected to be the most populous country in the world. India expected to reach its peak population
of 1.65 billion people by 2060, after which it will begin decrease. The number of children in India peaked over a decade
ago and is now decreasing
India's largest city is Mumbai, with a population of 12.5 million, closely followed by Delhi, with a population of over
11 million.
Mumbai (formerly Bombay) had an official population of 12,478,447 in 2011, although its wider
Delhi, India's second most populous city was home to 11,034,555 people according to 2011 data, and its metro area
contains 21,753,486 people. Growth in Delhi is even more rapid than Mumbai's, and it is likely that it will overtake
Mumbai to become the largest city in India within a decade.
Other major cities in India are Bangalore (pop: 8.43 million), Hyderabad (pop: 6.81 million) and Ahmedabad (pop: 5.57
million). There are 53 cities in India with a population of at least 1 million.
There are 29 states in India. Their populations range massively in size the largest, Uttar Pradesh, holds almost 200
million people, the smallest, Sikkim, just over half a million.
HUMAN POPULATION GROWTH
According to the Indian census, carried out in 2011, the population of India was exactly 1,210,193,422, which means
India has crossed the 1-billion mark .Insite of the fact that the population policies, family planning and welfare
programmes undertaken by the Govt. of India have led to a continuous decrease in the fertility rate, yet the actual
stabilization of population can take place only by 2050.

Causes of Over Population

The two main common causes leading to over population in India are:
The birth rate is still higher than the death rate. We have been successful in declining the death rates but the same cannot
be said for birth rates.
The fertility rate due to the population policies and other measures has been falling but even then it is much higher
compared to other countries.
The above causes are interrelated to the various social issues in our country which are leading to over population
1. Early Marriage and Universal Marriage System: Even though legally the marriageable age of a girl is 18 years, the
concept of early marriage still prevails and getting married at an young age prolongs the child bearing age. Also, in
India, marriage is a sacred obligation and a universal practice, where almost every woman is married at the reproductive
age.
2. Poverty and illiteracy: Another factor for the rapid growth of population is poverty. Impoverished families have this
notion that more the number of members in the family, more will be the numbers to earn income. Some feel that more
children are needed to look after them in their old age. Also hunger can be cause of death of their children and hence
the need for more children. Illiteracy is thus another cause of over population
3. Age old cultural norm: Sons are the bread earners of the families in India. This age old thought puts considerable
pressure on the parents to produce children till a male child is born. More the better,

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4. Illegal migration: Last but not the least; we cannot ignore the fact that illegal migration is continuously taking place
from Bangladesh, Nepal leading to increased population density.

Effects of Over Population

Even after 67 years of independence, the scenario of our country is not good, due to over population. Some major
impacts of high population are as follows:
1. Unemployment: Generating employment for a huge population in a country like India is very difficult. The number
of literate persons increases every year. Unemployment rate is thus showing an increasing trend.
2. Manpower utilization: The number of jobless people is on the rise in India due to economic depression and slow
business development and expansion activities.
3. Pressure on infrastructure: Development of infrastructural facilities is unfortunately not keeping pace with the growth
of population. The result is lack of transportation, communication, housing. education, healthcare etc. There has been
an increase in the number of slums, overcrowded houses, traffic congestion etc. Resource utilisation: Land areas, water
resources, forests are over exploited. There is also scarcity of resources.
4. Decreased production and increased costs: Food production and distribution have not been able to catch up with the
increasing population and hence the costs of production have increased. Inflation is the major consequence of over
population
5. Inequitable income distribution: In the face of an increasing population, there is an unequal distribution of income
and inequalities within the country widen
EFFECTS OF POPULATION GROWTH ON OUR ENVIRONMENT
One of the factors responsible for environment degradation is population growth or population density. In particular,
population density plays the most important role in shaping the socio-economic environment. Its effects are felt on the
natural environment also.
1. Generation of Waste : Due to his destructive activities, man has dumped more and more waste in environment. As
the man-made waste is not transformed, it causes degradation and the capacity of environment to absorb more waste is
reduced. Further, waste leads to air and water pollution.
2. Threat to Biodiversity : Due to his destructive activities, man has extracted more and more minerals from the earth.
Animals have been hunted and plants have disappeared. There has been loss of biodiversity. These have led to ecological
imbalance.
3. Strain on Forests: Man has established new housing colonies. National highways and hydropower projects have been
built and forests have been wiped out. These destructive activities have increased and led to ecological imbalance.
4. Urbanization: Rapid growth of population has led to urbanization which has adversely affected environment. Due to
population pressure, natural resources in the cities are depleted at a fast rate due to population pressure.
Moreover, population does not have proper sanitation facilities and pure drinking water. As a result, the health of the
people is adversely affected. No doubt, urbanization reduces pressure on the rural environment but it brings with if
environmental damages through industrial growth, emissions and wastes
5. Industrialization : Underdeveloped countries are following the policy of heavy industrialization which is causing
environmental degradation. The establishment of such industries as fertilizers, iron and steel, chemicals and refineries
have led to land, air and water pollution.
6. Land Degradation : Intensive farming and excessive use of fertilizers and pesticides have led to over-exploitation of
land and water resources. These have led to land degradation in the form of soil erosion, water logging and salivation.
7. Transport Development : Environmental degradation is also due to transport development in the different parts of the
world. The automobiles release huge quantities of poisonous gases such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and

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hydrocarbons. The development of ports and harbours have led to oil spills from ships adversely affecting fisheries,
coral reefs, mangroves and landscapes.
8. Climatic Change : Climatic changes are irregular due to green house gases. The thin skin of air that surrounds the
planet is being affected by human activities as never before. Urban people are still being exposed to unaccepted levels
of toxic pollutants. Further, forests are still being degraded by acid deposition generated by faraway industries, and
greenhouse gases continue to accumulate in the atmosphere.
9. Productivity : Environmental degradation not only harms health but also reduces economic productivity Dirty water,
inadequate sanitation, air pollution and land degradation cause serious diseases on an enormous scale in developing
countries like India. These, in tum, reduce the productivity levels in the country. To take specific instances, water
pollution has led to declining fisheries in rivers, ponds and canals in both urban and rural areas.
Water shortages have reduced economic activity in towns and cities and villages. Soil and hazardous wastes have
polluted ground water resources which cannot be used for agricultural and industrial production.
Soil degradation leading to soil erosion, drought etc. have led to siltation of reservoirs and blocking of river and canal
transport channels. Deforestation has led to soil erosion and consequent loss of sustainable logging potential.
10. Technology : Presently, environmental pollution is caused by old technology which releases gases and pollutants
causing chemical and Industrial pressure an environment.
IMPACTS OF POPULATION GROWTH ON ENVIRONMENT, HUMAN HEALTH & WELFARE
1. Control of Population Growth :
The rate of population growth should be curtailed through effective family planning measures. This is essential because
the proportion of total population in the labour force will increase further in the years to come as a result of changes in
the age structure of the population. The shifting of labour force from the rural to the secondary sector requires increase
in agricultural productivity. Increased agricultural productivity helps in meeting the demand for raw materials of the
expanding manufacturing sector. With increased productivity, less workers are required to produce raw materials for
industry and food-grains for the population.
2. Economic Development :
The aim of population control is not only to bring about a decline in fertility rates but also to improve the quality of life
of the people. These are possible through rapid economic development. It is not an illusion to believe that a reduction
in population growth will automatically raise living standards. In fact, an effective family planning policy should be
integrated with measures to accelerate economic development.
In the current phase of demographic transition, developing countries can also achieve economic growth and
improvement in quality of life despite population growth through commercialization of agriculture, diversified
industrialization, urbanization, and development of infrastructure so as to increase employment opportunities, raise
income levels, and saving and investment rates.
3. Improving Health and Nutrition :
The food and nutrition security for the weaker sections in a developing country should not be considered as issues in
the Nutrition Science but should be considered as part of right to work, right to health, right to education, right to
information and right of the poor. In such a country, there are agricultural, health, population, nutrition, children and
education policies.
Guarantee of good nutrition and absence of hunger is not the same thing. Our first effort should be towards removing
hunger of the poor, but our long-term goal should be to provide maximum nutrition to our people which are useful in
bringing out their hereditary talents. Nutrition security is more important than food security. Nutrition security includes
making our food base wider and varietal,
Improving health and nutrition levels is an extremely important factor contributing to the social development of a
developing country. Especially the people of the weaker sections of the society who do not take adequate advantage of

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health, family welfare and nutrition services, should be made aware of these facilities so that their health and nutrition
status can be improved.

4. Reducing Poverty :
Such development projects should be started which provide greater employment opportunities to the poor. The
government should expand health and family planning services and education so as to reach the poor that will help
reduce population growth. Further, making investments in providing civic amenities like the supply of drinking water,
sanitation facilities, alternate habitats in place of slums, etc. will not only improve welfare but also environment.
5. Removing Subsidies :
To reduce environmental degradation at no financial cost to the Govemment, subsidies for resource use by the private
and public sectors should be removed. Subsidies on the use of electricity, fertilizers, pesticides, diesel, petrol, gas,
imitation water, etc. lead to their wasteful use and environmental problems.
Subsidies to capital intensive and highly polluting private and public industries lead to environmental degradation.
Removing or reducing subsidies will bring both economic and environmental benefits to the country,
6. Clarifying and Extending Property Rights :
Lack of property rights over excessive use of resources leads to degradation of environment. This leads to overgrazing
of common or public lands, deforestation, and over-exploitation of minerals, fish, etc. Clarifying and assigning
ownership titles and tenurial rights to private owners will solve environmental problems. Places where the use of
common lands, forests, irrigation systems, fisheries etc. are regulated and rules for their proper use are laid down by the
community, the ownership rights should be clearly specified in the administrative records.
7. Market Based Approaches :
Besides regulator measures, there is urgent need for adopting market based approaches for the protection of
environment. They aim at pointing to consumers and industries about the cost of using natural resources on environment.
These costs are reflected in the prices paid for goods and services so that industries and ultimately the consumers are
guided by them to reduce air and water pollution.
The Market Based Instruments (MBIs) are in the form of environmental taxes that include pollution charges (emission
tax/pollution taxes), marketable permits, depositor fund system, input taxes/product charges, differential tax rates and
user administrative charges and subsidies for pollution abatement equipment for air and water resources,
8. Regulatory Policies :
Regulatory polices also help in reducing environmental degradation. Regulators have to make decisions regarding
prices, quantity and technology. In making decisions, they have to choose between the quantity and the price of pollution
or resource use of technologies
The regulating authority has also to decide whether policies should target the environmental problem directly or
indirectly it lays down technical standards and regulations and charges on water and land pollutants.
9. Economic Incentives :
Like regulatory policies, economic incentives relate to price, quantity and technology. Incentives are usually in the form
of variable fees to resource users for the quantity of pollutants in air, water and land use. They are given rebates if less
waste or pollution is generated than the emission standards laid down.
10. Public Participation:
Public awareness and participation are highly effective to improve environmental conditions. Conducting of formal and
informal education programmes relating to environment management and environmental awareness programmes can

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go a long way in controlling environmental degradation and keeping the environment clean. For instance, the scheme
of eco-labelling of products helps
consumers to identify products that are environment friendly Public participation can also render costless and useful
assistance in Afforestation, conservation of wildlife, management of parks, Improvement of sanitation and drainage
systems and flood control. Use of indigenous institutions, local voluntary organizations and NGOs can render much
help-in educating the masses about the harmful effects of environmental degradation and the benefits of keeping the
environment clean.
DISASTER MANAGEMENT
The world is facing an increasing frequency and intensity of disasters, both natural and man- made, which has had
devastating impacts on life and property. The Impacts of disasters, whether natural or man-made, not only have effect
on human but also the environment. Environmental conditions may increase the impact of a disaster and vice versa,
disasters have an impact on the environment
India is a country vulnerable to natural disasters. These may include severe thunderstorms, flooding, drought,
earthquakes, tsunami, wildfires, landslides etc. Enormous population pressure and urbanization have forced people to
live on marginal lands or in cities where they are at greater risk to disasters. Thousands of people are affected each time
a disaster occurs. In addition to large-scale displacement and the loss of life, these events result in the loss of property
and agricultural crops Worth crores of rupees annually. Many of the losses due to disasters could have been averted if at
all we had a National emergency plan for disaster management.
To develop effective disaster response system researches are developed on the following topics: i) Multi-hazard Risk
Assessment, ) Hazard Map, i) Participatory Strategic Planning, iv) Emergency Planning, v) Disaster Information System,
vi) Incident Management System, vi) Standardization of Emergency Operations, vili) Human Resource Development
System and ix) Risk Communication and Education.

FLOOD
Flooding is a temporary condition of inundation of land adjacent to river channels or along the shorelines of lakes and
oceans. They are natural, reoccurring events in every stream and coastal environment. Some areas are more prone to it
than others, especially river floodplains. Floods can be slow or fast rising but generally develop over a period of days
During a flood, excess water flows onto the low-lying areas on either side of a river, which are the flood plains. The
periodic flooding of low-lying areas nourishes the soil, a benefit used by farmers for centuries. However, floods cause
effect on human life and property,

Causes of Flood
Floods can be caused by a variety of natural and human-related factors. Some of the most common causes include:
1. Heavy Rainfall: Intense or prolonged rainfall can lead to excessive runoff, overwhelming rivers, streams, and
drainage systems.
2. Snowmelt: Rapid melting of snow due to warm temperatures or sudden weather changes can result in a surge
of water that exceeds the capacity of waterways.
3. River Overflow: Rivers can overflow their banks due to a combination of heavy rainfall, melting snow, and the
inability of the riverbed to handle the increased water volume.
4. Flash Floods: These occur when heavy rainfall, often in a short period, results in rapid and significant
inundation, especially in urban areas with poor drainage systems.
5. Storm Surges: Coastal areas can experience flooding during severe storms, such as hurricanes or typhoons,
when strong winds and low pressure cause seawater to surge onto land.
6. Levee or Dam Failures: The breach or failure of levees or dams can release large volumes of water, causing
localized or widespread flooding.

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 7. Deforestation: Removal of trees and vegetation can reduce the ability of land to absorb water, leading to
increased runoff and soil erosion.
8. Urbanization: Construction of buildings, roads, and other infrastructure can reduce natural areas that once
absorbed rainwater, increasing runoff and flood risk.
9. Climate Change: Rising global temperatures can lead to more frequent and intense rainfall events, as well as
the melting of glaciers and polar ice, contributing to sea level rise and increased flood risks.
10. Landslides: Heavy rainfall or rapid snowmelt can trigger landslides, which can dam rivers or create debris
flows that inundate areas downstream.
11. Blocked Drainage Systems: Debris, garbage, and other obstructions in drainage systems can impede the flow
of water, leading to localized flooding.
12. Human Activities: Poorly planned construction, improper land use, and inadequate water management
practices can exacerbate flood risks.

EFFECTS OF FLOOD :
Floods can have a wide range of significant effects on both the natural environment and human communities. These
effects can vary in severity depending on the intensity, duration, and extent of the flooding. Some of the common effects
of floods include:
1. Damage to Property and Infrastructure: Floodwaters can cause extensive damage to homes, buildings, roads,
bridges, and other infrastructure. This can lead to the displacement of residents, disruption of transportation systems,
and a significant economic toll.
2. Loss of Lives and Injuries: Floods can result in the tragic loss of human lives and cause injuries due to drowning,
accidents, or being trapped in floodwaters or debris.
3. Environmental Impact: Floods can disrupt ecosystems and lead to soil erosion, sedimentation of water bodies, and
destruction of habitats. The sudden influx of water can also affect water quality and harm aquatic life.
4. Disruption of Services: Floods can disrupt essential services such as electricity, water supply, and sanitation systems,
making it difficult for communities to function properly.
5. Agricultural Losses: Floodwaters can damage crops, destroy farmland, and contaminate soil, leading to agricultural
losses and food shortages. Livestock can also be affected.
6. Spread of Disease: Stagnant floodwaters can become breeding grounds for disease-carrying vectors such as
mosquitoes. Contaminated water can also lead to waterborne diseases, posing health risks to communities.
7. Economic Impact: Floods can have a significant economic impact, causing damage to businesses, disrupting supply
chains, and leading to higher costs for recovery and rebuilding.

FLOOD CONTROL :
Management and control of flooding event is necessary to reduce the devastating effect on the environment and people.
The flood can be controlled by the following methods.
1. Flood defences are essential in some areas to protect human life. They also protect property, the loss of which can be
both distressing and costly. However, protection by flood defences reduces, but does not eliminate the risk.
2. The use of sustainable drainage systems in new developments provide attenuation and storage and so reduce peak
flows.
3. The flood management or control plan involves reduction of runoff by increasing infiltration through Afforestation in
the catchment areas, construction of check dams and minor dams in sub-basins

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4. Artificial recharge of the ground water extensively through dug wells along the dry streams, rivers. canals, etc, control
flooding.
5. Spreading excess water thinly over paddy fields, deserts, depressions etc.
PREDICTION AND FORCASTING FLOOD EVENTS :
Prediction and Forecasting Flood event

1. Design prediction involves estimation of the frequency with which flood events will occur at a site or stations are
expressed in terms of exceedance probability or recurrence interval .
2. The frequency of river flood can be obtained by studying statistical prediction about flooding. There will be one
annual maximum discharge in one year record.
3. The term forecasting is used by river hydrologists to refer to the statements that specify the scale or the time of
occurrence of a future flood.
4. Measure precipitation falling on the water shed. This provides basic input contributing to stream flow
5. Estimate how much of this precipitation will appear as runoff.
6.Take into account the nature of the land surface and vegetation at different points in the watershed, since these factors
influence the rate at which runoff can move.

Disaster Mitigation
Flood hazards can be mitigated by any activities that prevent an emergency, reduce the chance of an emergency
happening or lessen the damaging effects of unavoidable emergencies Engaging in floodplain management activities,
such as afforestation, construction barriers such as dams, levees and purchasing flood insurance will help reduce the
amount of structural damage to properties and financial loss from crop destruction.
EARTHQUAKES
An earthquake may be defined as the shaking of the earth's surface as a result of the sudden release of the stresses built
up in the Earth's crust, which may range from mild tremor to a large- scale earth movement causing extensive damage
over a wide area. Earthquakes are short-lived events that generally occur without warming. The point at which the
earthquake originates is known as the seismic focus and the point on the Earth's surface directly above this is the
epicenter or hypocenter.
EFFECTS OF EARTHQUAKE :
earthquakes can have a wide range of effects, varying in intensity based on factors such as the magnitude of the
earthquake, the depth of the seismic activity, the distance from the epicenter, and the local geological and human-made
conditions. The effects of an earthquake can be categorized into primary and secondary effects:
Primary Effects:
1. Ground Shaking: The most immediate and direct effect of an earthquake is the shaking of the ground. This can cause
buildings, bridges, and other structures to sway, leading to structural damage or collapse.
2. Surface Ruptures: In some cases, earthquakes can cause the ground to rupture along faults, resulting in visible
displacement of the Earth's surface.
3. Structural Damage: Buildings, roads, bridges, and other infrastructure can suffer significant damage or collapse due
to the shaking and ground movement.
4. Landslides: Earthquakes can trigger landslides on hillsides and mountains, particularly in areas with loose soil or
steep terrain.

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5. Tsunamis: Underwater earthquakes, especially those along subduction zones, can generate tsunamis—large ocean
waves that can inundate coastal areas.
6. Ground Displacement: The movement of the ground can cause shifts in roads, railways, pipelines, and other linear
structures.
7. Economic Impact: The destruction of property, infrastructure, and businesses can result in significant economic
losses for the affected region.

8. Displacement and Homelessness: People may be forced to leave their homes due to damage, making them
temporarily or permanently homeless.
9. Health Risks: Disruption of healthcare services, exposure to hazardous materials, and unsanitary conditions in the
aftermath of an earthquake can lead to health risks and disease outbreaks.
10. Social Disruption: The breakdown of social systems, community cohesion, and daily routines can cause social unrest
and challenges in providing support and assistance.
DISASTER MITIGATION
Incorporation proper safety measures can substantially minimize the damage. Codes and guideline for earthquake
resistant building have been developed by the Bureau of Indian Standard's code of practice, which should be included
in town and country planning Act. Fatalities can be reduced if the aftermath relief work can be organized timely and
efficiently. This requires adequate medical staffs to treat the injured, machinery to clear debris and organize temporary
shelter, food and clothing. Effective communication should be developed. There require greater involvement of NGOs
and private sectors.
Disaster mitigation refers to the actions, strategies, and measures taken to minimize the impact of disasters on human
communities, the environment, and infrastructure. The goal of disaster mitigation is to reduce the risk and severity of
disasters by preventing or lessening their effects. Unlike emergency response, which focuses on managing the immediate
aftermath of a disaster, mitigation aims to address the root causes and vulnerabilities that make communities susceptible
to disasters in the first place. It involves proactive planning, preparation, and long-term strategies to build resilience and
reduce disaster-related losses.
CYCLONES
Cyclones, also known as hurricanes or typhoons, are powerful tropical storms that form over warm ocean waters near
the equator. These storms are characterized by strong winds, heavy rainfall, and low-pressure systems. Cyclones are
classified based on their location and intensity, and the terminology can vary depending on the region:
Cyclones typically form in warm ocean waters where the sea surface temperature is at least 26.5 degrees Celsius (79.7
degrees Fahrenheit) or higher. They develop when warm, moist air rises from the ocean's surface and begins to cool,
condense, and form clouds. The Coriolis effect, caused by the Earth's rotation, then imparts rotation to the developing
storm.
As a cyclone intensifies, it forms an eye at its center, which is a region of calm and relatively low pressure. Surrounding
the eye is the eyewall, where the strongest winds and heaviest rainfall occur. Cyclones can cause extensive damage due
to their powerful winds, heavy rainfall, storm surges (rising sea levels), and flooding. Coastal areas are particularly
vulnerable to the impacts of cyclones, as storm surges can lead to coastal erosion and inundation.
EFFECTS OF CYCLONE :
Cyclones, also known as hurricanes or typhoons, can have a wide range of devastating effects on both the natural
environment and human communities. The impacts of a cyclone can vary depending on factors such as the storm's
intensity, size, speed, and the vulnerability of the affected area. Here are some of the common effects of cyclones:

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1. Strong Winds: Cyclones are characterized by powerful winds that can reach speeds of over 74 miles per hour (119
kilometers per hour) in tropical storms and much higher in stronger hurricanes or typhoons. These winds can cause
extensive damage to buildings, infrastructure, and vegetation.
2. Heavy Rainfall: Cyclones often bring torrential rainfall, leading to widespread flooding. The heavy rain can
overwhelm drainage systems, rivers, and reservoirs, causing rivers to overflow and inundating low-lying areas.
3. Flooding: Flooding is one of the most significant impacts of cyclones. In addition to heavy rainfall, storm surges—
rising sea levels caused by the strong winds and low pressure of the cyclone—can lead to coastal flooding and erosion.
4. Storm Surges: As mentioned earlier, cyclones can generate storm surges, which are elevated sea levels that inundate
coastal areas. These surges can cause significant coastal erosion, damage to infrastructure, and flooding of populated
areas.
5. Coastal Erosion: The combination of strong winds and storm surges can lead to erosion of coastlines, which can
result in the loss of beaches, dunes, and other coastal features.
6. Infrastructure Damage: Buildings, bridges, roads, and other infrastructure can be severely damaged or destroyed by
the strong winds, flooding, and storm surges associated with cyclones.
7. Power Outages: Cyclones can cause widespread power outages by damaging electrical infrastructure, such as power
lines and substations.
8. Displacement of People: Cyclones can force people to evacuate their homes and communities, leading to temporary
or long-term displacement. Emergency shelters are often established to provide refuge for those affected.
9. Health Risks: Floodwaters and standing water after the cyclone can become breeding grounds for disease-carrying
insects, such as mosquitoes. Contaminated water and damaged sanitation systems can also lead to waterborne diseases.
10. Agricultural Losses: Cyclones can damage or destroy crops, livestock, and farmland, leading to food shortages and
economic losses for agricultural communities.
11. Communication Disruptions: Infrastructure for communication, including cell towers and communication lines, can
be damaged, leading to difficulties in coordinating emergency responses and disseminating information.
12. Environmental Impact: Cyclones can cause damage to ecosystems, including forests, wetlands, and marine habitats.
This can have long-term effects on biodiversity and the environment.
13. Long-Term Recovery: Recovery and rebuilding efforts after a cyclone can be complex and time-consuming.
Communities may face challenges in restoring infrastructure, homes, and livelihoods.
LANDSLIDE
Landslides are a serious geological hazard common in many countries. Gravity is the force driving landslide movement.
Landslides are rock, earth or debris flows on slopes due to gravity. They can occur on any terrain given the right
conditions of soil, moisture, and the angle of slopes . Integral to the natural process of the earth's surface geology,
landslides serve to redistribute sol and sediments in a process that can be in abrupt collapses or in slow gradual slides.
Such is the nature of the earth's surface dynamics. It is also known as mud flows, debris flows, earth flows slope failures
etc.
CAUSES OF LANDSLIDE
Landslides are the movement of rock, soil, and debris down a slope due to the force of gravity. They can be triggered
by various natural and human-induced factors. Some of the common causes of landslides include:
1. Heavy Rainfall: Sudden and intense rainfall can saturate the soil, reducing its stability and cohesion. This excess
water adds weight to the soil, making it more susceptible to sliding.
2. Snowmelt: Rapid melting of snow, especially in mountainous regions, can increase the amount of water in the soil
and trigger landslides.

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3. Earthquakes: Ground shaking caused by earthquakes can disrupt the stability of slopes, causing rocks and soil to
shift and slide.
4. Volcanic Activity: Volcanic eruptions can lead to landslides when volcanic materials, such as ash and debris,
accumulate on slopes and become unstable.
5. Slope Gradient: Steep slopes are more prone to landslides, as the force of gravity is stronger on these surfaces.
6. Soil Type and Composition: Certain types of soil, such as loose, fine-grained soils or clay-rich soils, are more
susceptible to landslides. These materials lack cohesion and can easily become unstable when disturbed.
7. Erosion: Gradual erosion over time can weaken slopes and expose underlying unstable layers of soil or rock.
8. Deforestation: The removal of vegetation, such as trees and shrubs, can reduce the stabilizing effect of roots and
increase the likelihood of landslides.
9. Human Activities: Activities like construction, mining, excavation, and road building can alter the natural landscape
and increase the risk of landslides by disturbing the balance of forces on slopes.
10. Undercutting: Activities that remove material from the base of a slope, such as river erosion or construction
activities, can undermine the stability of the slope.
11. Water Saturation: Over-irrigation, poor drainage systems, or the accumulation of excess water from natural sources
can saturate the soil, reducing its shear strength and leading to landslides.
12. Vibration and Blasting: Vibrations from heavy machinery, construction, or blasting activities can loosen soil and
rock, making slopes more susceptible to sliding.
13. Natural Geological Features: Faults, fractures, and weaknesses in the rock layers can create zones of instability
that are prone to landslides.
.Disaster Mitigation
Individuals can take steps to reduce their personal risk. Know about the hazard potential where you live, take steps to
reduce your risk, and practice preparedness plans. Many deal with landslides as part of flood control, erosion control,
hillside management, earthquake hazard mitigation, road stabilization and other programmes. In order to restore the
original shape of the slope, an embankment was built and a tunnel-type box culvert was constructed by the road to
prevent further landslides.
ENVIRONMENT MOVEMENTS IN INDIA
The environment in which we live plays a vital role in our survival. The environment includes all the natural resources
such as air water, land, forests, minerals etc. It is our duty to protect the natural resources. However, due to some of the
reason or the other, there is a lot of misuse of these natural resources, in the form of land degradation, water pollution,
air pollution, and deforestation.
All these factors lead to deterioration of our environment. There have been many efforts mas order to reclaim the envi-
ronment by people through voluntary organizations, which a about the environment. There are instances where people
have revoked and adopted for action movements for protecting their environment.
Our discus-sion would be on such environmental movements in India. We would be design with the Chipko Movement,
the Appiko Movement in the Western Ghats, Vana Mahisar Indby KM. Munshi and also the environmental organizations
such as the Green Peace and World W Fund for conserving forests and wildlife.
THE CHIPKO MOVEMENT :
The Chipko Movement, also known as the Chipko Andolan, was a grassroots environmental movement that originated
in the 1970s in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand (formerly part of Uttar Pradesh). The movement is characterized
by its nonviolent protests and tree-hugging actions, aimed at protecting forests from deforestation and promoting
sustainable environmental practices.

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The term "Chipko" means "to hug" or "to embrace" in Hindi, which reflects the movement's iconic practice of hugging
trees to prevent them from being cut down. The Chipko Movement emerged as a response to rampant deforestation,
logging, and the exploitation of forest resources by commercial interests, which were leading to ecological degradation,
loss of biodiversity, and environmental imbalances and movements all over the world; it created a precedent for non-
violent protest started in India.
in the 1970s, an organized resistance to the destruction of forests spread throughout India and be known as the Chipko
movement. The name of the movement comes from the word race, as the villagers hugged the trees, and prevented the
contractors from felling them.
"Embrace the trees and
Save them from being felled;
The property of our hills,
Save them from being looted."
The Chipko protests in Uttar Pradesh achieved a major victory in 1980 with a 15-year ban on green felling in the
Himalayan forests of that state by the order of Mrs Indira Gandhi, the then Prime Minister of India. Since then, the
movement has spread to many states in the country. In addition to the 15-year ban in Uttar Pradesh, the movement has
stopped felling in the Western Ghats and the Vindhyas and has generated pressure for a natural resource policy that is
more sensitive to people's heeds and ecological requirements.
SILENT VALLEY MOVEMENT :
Silent Valley was a social movement aimed at the protection of Silent Valley, an evergreen tropical forest in the Palakkad
district of Kerala, India. It was started in 1973 to save the Silent Valley Reserve Forest from being flooded by a
hydroelectric project. The valley was declared as Silent Valley Nation Park in 1984. Nonetheless there is still controversy
surrounding the valley.
In 1978 Indira Gandhi, Prime Minister of India, approved the project, with the condition that the state government enact
legislation ensuring the necessary safeguards. Also that year the IUCN (Ashkhabad, USSR, 1978) passed a resolution
recommending protection of lion-tailed macaques in Silent Valley and Kalakkad and the controversy heated up. In 1979
the Government of Kerala passed legislation regarding the Silent Valley Protection Area (Protection of Ecological
balance Act of 1979) and issued a notification declaring the exclusion of the hydroelectric project area from the proposed
national park.
The Silent Valley Movement was a significant environmental conservation movement that took place in the late 1970s
and early 1980s in the Indian state of Kerala. The movement was focused on protecting the Silent Valley, a pristine and
ecologically rich tropical rainforest located in the Palakkad district of Kerala. The Silent Valley Movement is considered
a landmark in India's environmental activism and played a crucial role in preventing the construction of a hydroelectric
dam in the area.
BISHNOIS OF RAJASTHAN
Bishnoi is a religious group found in the Western Thar Desert and norther states of India. The name is derived from
"Vishnu", worhipers of Lord Vishnu being called Vishnol (Bishnoi). Bishnoi’s follow set of 29 principles given by Guru
Jambheshwar. Guru Jambheshwar gave the message to protect trees and wildlife around 540 years ago, prophesying that
harming the environment means harming yourself. He formulated twenty nine tenets. The tenets were not only tailored
to conserve bio- diversity of the area but also ensured a healthy eco-friendly social life for the community.
Out of the 29 tenets, 10 are directed towards personal hygiene and maintaining good basic health, seven for healthy
social behaviour, and five tenets to worship God. Eight tenets have been prescribed to preserve bio-diversity and
encourage good animal husbandry. These include a ban on killing animals and felling green trees, and providing
protection to all life forms. The community also directed to see that the firewood they use is devoid of small Insects.
Wearing blue clothes is prohibited because the dye for colorings them is obtained by cutting a large quantity of shrubs.

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In 1730, 363 Bishnoi men, women and children led by Amrita Devi died protecting trees from cutting by the king's men.
This incident happened in Khejarli which is a village in Jodhpur district of Rajasthan, India 26 km south-east of the city
of Jodhpur. The Bishnoi’s sacrificed their lives while protecting trees by hugging to them
ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS :
Environmental ethics is a branch of philosophy that deals with the moral principles and values guiding human
interactions with the natural world. It seeks to explore and address ethical questions related to the environment, such as
the rights and responsibilities of humans towards nature, the moral considerations of environmental issues, and the
overall relationship between human beings and the natural environment.
Key concepts and themes within environmental ethics include:
1. Intrinsic Value of Nature: This perspective holds that nature has inherent value and deserves to be respected and
protected simply because it exists, regardless of its utility to humans. Intrinsic value recognizes that nature has its own
worth and does not exist solely for human exploitation.
2. Anthropocentrism: Anthropocentrism places human interests and well-being at the center of ethical considerations,
often valuing nature primarily for its utility to humans. This perspective can lead to the exploitation of nature without
adequate consideration for its long-term health.
3. Biocentrism: Biocentrism extends ethical consideration to all living organisms, recognizing that non-human life forms
also have intrinsic value and deserve respect and protection.
4. Ecocentrism: Ecocentrism goes beyond individual organisms and focuses on the health and integrity of entire
ecosystems. It emphasizes the interdependence of all elements within an ecosystem and the need to protect the overall
balance of nature.
5. Deep Ecology: Deep ecology is a philosophy that promotes a radical shift in human values by emphasizing the
inherent value of all living beings and ecosystems. It advocates for a holistic and spiritual relationship between humans
and nature.
6. Environmental Justice: Environmental justice considers the ethical implications of how environmental burdens and
benefits are distributed among different communities. It seeks to address the disproportionate impacts of environmental
degradation on marginalized and vulnerable populations.
7. Sustainability: Sustainability ethics emphasizes the need to use natural resources in a way that maintains the
ecological balance and ensures the well-being of present and future generations. It calls for responsible resource
management to prevent depletion and environmental degradation.
8.Interconnectedness: Many environmental ethical perspectives highlight the interconnectedness of all life forms and
ecosystems. This interconnectedness underscores the idea that human actions can have far-reaching consequences
beyond their immediate impact.
9. Stewardship: Stewardship ethics view humans as caretakers or stewards of the environment. It emphasizes
responsible and sustainable management of natural resources and advocates for practices that leave the environment in
good condition for future generations.
Environmental ethics play a crucial role in informing policies, guiding individual behaviors, and shaping collective
attitudes toward environmental issues. These ethical perspectives provide a foundation for understanding and addressing
complex challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution, and resource depletion. As societies grapple
with the ethical dimensions of environmental concerns, environmental ethics contribute to the development of a more
sustainable and harmonious relationship between humans and the natural world.
ENVIRONMENT COMMUNICATION AND PUBLIC AWARENESS :
Awareness shapes a hierarchy of values, and at the same time has an influence on the sense of responsibility for
inappropriate choice of values and indifference towards wrongdoing.

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Public awareness of the environment means the ability to emotionally understand the surrounding world, including the
laws of the natural environment, sensitivity to all the changes occurring in the environment, understanding of cause-
and-effect relationships between the quality of the environment and human behaviour, an understanding of how the
environment works as a system. and a sense of responsibility for the common heritage of the Earth, such as natural
resources - with the aim of preserving them for future generations.
To know and understand what is good and what is better, and at the same time commit a wrongdoing, is socially more
injurious than committing a wrongdoing in ignorance. Therefore, building, in a society, a new system of values with the
aim of creating environmental public awareness, should include systematic training activities aimed at increasing the
basic knowledge of ecology and environmental protection and at the same time, heightening the sensitivity of individuals
to nature.

Meaning of Public Awareness

Public awareness refers to the important role that community enthusiasm and knowledge has in building sustainable
societies. Delivering knowledge to remote communities for effective communication. requires strategies

Definition of Public Awareness

According to Cambridge Dictionary, Public Awareness is the knowledge that something exists of understanding of a
situation or subject at the present time based on information or experience.
IMPORTANCE OF PUBLIC AWARENESS
Public awareness is important because safe cities for women are created when people in ates work together to eliminate
violence against women and girls. In order to work together, the public needs to have a common understanding of what
violence against women and girls is and how it relates to women's and girls' safety in their communities. The public also
has to believe and share values that women's safety is an important issue in the community. By exercising following
actions, humans can protect global environment for sustainable development
1. Preserve forest cover : Humans should minimize cutting of trees and using timber for aesthetic pleasure such as
decoration of drawing rooms.
2. Preserve natural resources : Human should not extract unnecessarily and exhaustively the natural resources mineral
resources, water resources etc.
3. Conserve energy : Human should not hamess too much energy from burning of fossil fuels.
4. Maintain ecological balance : Human should exploit synergy between green revolution and industrial evolution by
compulsory growing green belts around industrial areas, maintaining wild life sanctuaries and national parks.
5. Practice green technology : Everyone from a farmer in the village to a policy planner in the government should use
green technology that incorporates:
6. Treatment of air emissions.
7. Treatment of waste waters
8. Waste reduction, waste or emission management. Use of non-conventional, renewable energy resources like solar
energy on priority etc.
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION
Environmental education is concerned with those aspects of human behaviour which are more directly related to man's
interaction with bio-physical environment and his ability to understand this interaction.
One of the most glaring problems which the world faces today is the environmental pollution. Man has exploited nature
excessively at the cost of the environment. There is an immediate need to make people aware about environmental
degradation. Education and public participation may change and improve the quality of environment.

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According to UNESCO, "Environmental education is a way of implementing the goals of environmental protection. It
is not a separate branch of science but lifelong interdisciplinary field of study. It means education towards protection
and enhancement of the environment and education as an instrument of development for improving the quality of life
of human communities.
OBJECTIVES OF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION
The following are the objectives of environmental education:
1. Awareness: To help the social groups and individuals to acquire knowledge of pollution and environmental
degradation.
2. Knowledge: To help social groups and individuals to acquire knowledge of the environment beyond the immediate
environment including distant environment.
4. Attitudes: To help social groups and individuals to acquire a set of values for environmental protection.
5. Skills and Capacity Building: To help social groups and individuals to develop skills required for making
discriminations in form, shape, sound, touch, habits and habitats. Further, to develop ability to draw unbiased inferences
and conclusions.
6. Participation: To provide social groups and individuals with an opportunity to be actively involved at all levels in
environmental decision making.
There are four areas of decision making:
(a) The types of environmental issues on which decisions might be made,
(b) The physical setting of the prospective environmental decision, including its spatial scale:
(c) The types of social groups and individuals who might interact in a process leading up to an environmental decision,
and
(d) The time frame within which the decision must be made.
AIMS OF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION :
UNESCO has highlighted the following aims of environmental education:
The aim of environmental education is clearly to show the economic, social, political and ecological interdependence
of the modem world, in which decisions and actions by different countries can have international repercussions.
Environmental education should, in this regard, help to develop a sense of responsibility and solidarity among countries
and regions as the foundation for a new international order which will guarantee the conservation and improvement of
the environment.
The main aim of environmental education at the grass root level is to succeed in making Individuals and communities
understand the complex nature of the natural and the built environments. Further, to acquire the knowledge, values,
attitudes, and practical skills to participate in a responsible and effective way in anticipating and solving social problems,
and in the management of the quality of the environment. Therefore, necessary steps for environmental education are:
(a) Awareness;
(b) Knowledge;
(c) Attitude building for motivating to protect environment;
(d) Evaluation of environmental measures; and
(e) Skill and capacity building!
According to D.H. Meadows', environmental educators on every continent develop materials and methods as varied as
the different cultures and ecosystems on earth. He lists some key concepts which underlie all environmental education.
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These are food for thought, levels of being, complex systems, population growth and carrying capacity, ecologically
sustainable development, socially sustainable development, knowledge, uncertainty and sacredness.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES OF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION
These are as follows
1. Resource Principles
(a) Resource use demands long-term planning if we are to achieve truly sustainable development.
(b) Rationale utilization of a renewable source is a sensible way of preserving the resources while obtaining maximum
benefits from it.
(c) A mode of life heavily dependent upon rapidly diminishing non-renewable energy sources (i.e. fossil fuel) is unstable.
2. Soil Principles
(a) The protection of soils and the maintenance of sustainable agriculture are essential factors into the survival of
civilizations and settlements.
(b) Soll erosion is the irreversible loss of essential resources and must be prevented.
(c) A vegetation cover (grass, forest) is important for the balance of nature and for the conservation of soil, besides being
exploitable natural resources.
3. Wildlife Protection Principles
(a) Wildlife population is important aesthetically, biologically and economically.
(b) Nature reserves and other protected wilderness areas are of value in protecting endangered species because they
preserve their habitats
(c) The survival of humanity is closely linked to the survival of wildlife both being dependent on the same life-
supporting systems.
4. Environmental Management Principles
(a) Sound environmental managernent is beneficial to both man and environment.
(b) Management of natural resources should be done in a rational manner.
(c) Elimination of wastes through recycling and the development of clean. Technologies are important to modern
societies to help reduce the consumption of resources. (d) Human activities and technologies influence considerably the
natural environment and may affect its capacity to sustain life, including human life.
5. Other Principles
(a) The relations between humans and their environment are mediated by their culture i.e.
(b) Cultural, historical and architectural heritage are much in need of protection.

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