Look and learn

1. Refugees from Syria, trying to reach Europe

2. Forced migration
3. Answers vary

URBANISATION

A. 1. 54   2. machines   3. slums   4. satellite, Mumbai   5. e-Governance

B. 1. False. As more people move into cities, many of them are forced to live in cramped spaces with
minimal facilities.
2. True.
3. False. Satellite cities are economically independent from the metropolises that they lie near.
4. False. E-Governance makes citizen participation in government affairs easier.
5. False. Smart cities encourage the use of bicycles in order to reduce pollution and traffic
congestion in cities.

C. 1. c   2. b   3. a   4. b

D. 1. Skilled crafts people like weavers and blacksmiths have been displaced by machines. So they
move to urban centres, where their skills can be absorbed by emerging industries.
2. The concentration of many human activities within urban areas causes high levels of air and noise
pollution.
3. People living in cities are exposed to a variety of cultures. This usually makes them more open-
minded than people in rural areas.
4. Vehicles in smart cities are equipped with commuter-friendly technology to make transport easier
and safer.

E. 1. Urbanisation is the process by which towns and cities grow. It is marked by a gradual increase in
the proportion of people living in urban areas, as compared to rural areas.
2. Slums are densely populated settlements in cities characterised by poor conditions of housing
and sanitation, inadequate supply of clean water and other basic amenities. They develop because
there is shortage of affordable housing in cities due to overpopulation.
3. There are many causes of urbanisation. • The increasing use of machines for agricultural
processes has left many agricultural workers jobless. These people move to towns and cities
to work in factories as unskilled or semi-skilled labourers. • Displaced by machines, skilled
crafts people like weavers, blacksmiths and carpenters move to urban centres in search of
better opportunities. Their skills are absorbed by emerging industries and factories. • Better
access to facilities like piped drinking water, electricity and efficient systems of transport and
communication attract people to urban areas. • People move to urban areas to benefit
from more advanced and easily accessible medical facilities. • There is better distribution of
goods and services in urban areas. Better opportunities for trade and commerce encourage
people to move urban areas. • People seeking better opportunities and facilities for
education move to urban areas. • Better employment opportunities also attract people to
urban areas. (any four)

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 4. Satellite cities are small cities built around or near a metropolis to accommodate the excess
population and reduce the load on the main city’s resources. Examples: Gurugram, Faridabad,
Noida, Gandhinagar, Sanand, Bidhannagar, Rajarhat, Kalyani, Navi Mumbai, Dombivli, Thane, HITEC
City, Vikarabad (any two)
5. Smart cities are modern cities, where Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and the
Internet are used to improve the infrastructure and management of the city. Kochi, Ahmedabad,
Manguluru, Bhopal, Surat, Chandigarh, Gwalior, Pune, Lucknow, Thanjavur (any two)

F. 1. For thousands of years, goods like cloth, tools, weapons and pottery were made by people in
their homes using simple tools. Then, in the 18th century in England, steam-powered machines
were invented that could produce goods at a fraction of the time it took people to produce
them. The production of goods now moved from the houses of craftspeople to factories, where
they could be produced on a large scale using large machines. This system of using machines to
produce goods on a large scale brought about such a radical change in the lives of people that
it came to be called the Industrial Revolution. Many of the things that we take for granted today,
like electricity, cars, trains, telephones, television and computers are a result of the Industrial
Revolution.
A
 major spurt in urbanisation occurred in the 18th century, when as a result of the Industrial
Revolution, many workers began to migrate from rural areas to urban centres in search of
employment in factories. With further development of industries, technology, housing and
transportation, more people began living in urban areas, causing the cities to expand.
2. There are many causes of urbanisation. • The increasing use of machines for agricultural
processes has left many agricultural workers jobless. These people move to towns and cities
to work in factories as unskilled or semi-skilled labourers. • Displaced by machines, skilled
craftspeople like weavers, blacksmiths and carpenters move to urban centres in search of
better opportunities. Their skills are absorbed by emerging industries and factories. • Better
access to facilities like piped drinking water, electricity and efficient systems of transport and
communication attract people to urban areas. • People move to urban areas to benefit from
more advanced and easily accessible medical facilities. • There is better distribution of goods
and services in urban areas. Better opportunities for trade and commerce encourage people to
move urban areas. • People seeking better opportunities and facilities for education move to
urban areas. • Better employment opportunities also attract people to urban areas.
3. Positive aspects of urbanisation: When urbanisation takes place in a planned and efficient manner,
it has a positive impact on the lives of people and the development of a country. • Urban areas
make efficient use of resources. For example, multi-storey apartments built on small tracts of land
accommodate a large number of people. Means of public transport like the Metro rail and buses
help save fuel and energy by transporting millions of people in a day.
•  Urban areas offer better employment opportunities. They thus give people a chance to improve
their standard of living and enjoy a better quality of life. • Better access to educational and
training facilities in cities creates a skilled workforce. • As centres of commercial activity, urban
areas play an important role in economic development. • People living in cities are exposed to
a variety of cultures. This usually makes them more broad-minded and tolerant than people living
in rural areas. (any two)
Negative
 aspects of urbanisation: When urbanisation takes place in an unplanned and
uncontrolled manner, it has a negative impact on quality of life and on the environment. • As
more people move into cities, there is more pressure on the limited land available. The cost
of housing thus increases, forcing many people to live in cramped spaces with minimal

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 facilities. Lack of affordable housing leads to the growth of settlements with very poor living
conditions called slums. • The high density of population in urban areas leads to an increase
in the demand and consumption of resources like water and power, which in turn leads to
scarcity. • Overpopulation in urban areas makes the job market more competitive, leading to
an increase in unemployment. It also puts a strain on law enforcement systems, resulting in higher
crime rates. • Roads become more congested, leading to higher commute times and increased
levels of stress. • As urban areas expand, they encroach upon surrounding land, often leading to
the loss of forested areas and agricultural land. • The concentration of so many human activities
within the cities causes high levels of air and noise pollution. • As a result of the large number
of people living there, cities generate huge amounts of waste. Untreated sewage often flows into
nearby water bodies and large quantities of garbage are dumped in landfills, causing water and
land pollution. (any two)
4. The negative impacts of urbanisation can be reduced by reducing the push factors of rural-urban
migration. For this: • Better educational facilities can be provided in rural areas. • Rural areas
can be equipped with basic amenities like electricity, sanitation, basic medical care and access to
clean water. • Industries can be set up in rural areas to help the development of those areas and
create opportunities for employment.
The
 negative impact of urbanisation can also be reduced with better planning and management
of urban areas. • To reduce the problem of overcrowding, the use of space in cities and
the surrounding areas can be properly planned, with adequate space allocated for housing,
transport facilities and commercial activities. • Measures to provide affordable housing can
be implemented in suburban areas to curb the growth of slums. • Steps can be taken to
develop and maintain efficient infrastructure. • Strict rules can be imposed on industries to
control harmful emissions in order to reduce pollution. Industries can be encouraged to adopt
sustainable practices like using renewable sources of power and recycling waste.
5. Yes. Keeping urban areas clean is a huge challenge as enormous amounts of waste are generated
each day.
A
 huge amount of garbage is generated in households, offices and other commercial spaces
due to inefficient waste management. Mindless littering on streets and in public places adds to
the difficulties of municipalities in maintaining cleanliness. Several places in urban areas remain
unclean because the number of garbage bins and public toilets is not enough to meet the
needs of the population. Thus, inefficient waste management, inadequate facilities for sanitation,
improper disposal of waste and irresponsible attitude of citizens towards cleanliness and
sanitation, make the task of keeping urban areas clean a huge challenge.
6. Satellite cities are developed to accommodate the excess population and reduce the load on
the resources of the main cities around or near which they develop. Main features of satellite
cities: • They are smaller than the metropolises around which they develop. • They
are separated from the metropolis by a geographical barrier like a river or a stretch of open
land. • They are well-connected to the metropolis by major highways and railways. • They
are self-sufficient and economically independent of the main cities, with amenities like
public transport, markets and hospitals. • They have their own municipal corporations
and administrative set-ups. • They offer more spacious and affordable housing than the
metropolises. • Satellite cities also have enough employment opportunities to support their
resident populations.
7. Features of smart cities: • Smart cities are meant to be sustainable and environment-friendly.
They are therefore built to make maximum use of clean and renewable energy. Energy-efficient
technology is used in homes, offices and transportation systems. • Waste management is

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 more efficient. Steps taken to reduce the amount of waste generated include the reduced
use of plastic. These measures lead to a significant drop in the levels of pollution. • Planned
utilisation of resources ensures a stable supply of water and electricity to all residents. • Smart
cities are planned to provide adequate and affordable housing for all. Space is efficiently shared
between recreational areas, commercial areas and residential areas. • Smart cities ensure
good connectivity. Walking areas are marked out for pedestrians, and bike lanes are created for
cyclists. • Smart cities use technology for law enforcement, thus making the cities safer and
more secure for residents. • Well-developed e-Governance allows citizens to access several
government services online, thus saving them time. E-Governance also encourages citizen
participation in decision-making.
8.

Smart city Urban centre

The use of resources is planned and
sustainable ensuring long-term returns.
Technology is built into the infrastructure
to monitor inefficiencies and address them
immediately.
Pollution is minimal because of effective
waste management and use of clean energy
resources, so residents have a cleaner
environment.
Use of space is well-planned, so housing
is affordable and problems related to
overcrowding are minimised.
The use of resources is unplanned and only
focuses on maximizing short-term returns.
Technology is used mainly in the private sector,
so inefficiencies in government-run services
are not monitored and thus not addressed.
Industrial activity, improper waste
management and use of fuel-based vehicles
pollute the environment, affecting the health
of residents.
Lack of adequate planning leads to
uncontrolled urban growth and development
of slums.

Look and learn

1. To indicate that it is a bike (bicycle) lane
2. It ensures that cyclists can ride on this lane safely.
3. Public bicycle systems provide bicycles on rent at various accessible points around the city. Many
of their services are Internet-enabled for easier transactions and information.

NATURAL AND HUMAN-MADE DISASTERS

A. 1. natural disasters 2. global warming   3. tectonic, volcanic   4. wildfires 5. cyclone

B. 1.  False. Natural disasters are caused by geographical factors and natural processes. Some natural
disasters are indirectly triggered by human action.
2. True
3. False. Droughts can cause land to become infertile due to loss of topsoil.
4. True
5.  False. Disaster management cannot prevent disasters. It can only reduce the extent of human
suffering during and after a disaster.

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