Give reasons.
(i) Environmental aspects must be carefully looked into before building huge dams.
(ii) Most industries are concentrated around coal mines.
(iii) Petroleum is referred to as “black gold”.
(iv) Quarrying can become a major environmental concern.
Give reasons.
(i) Environmental aspects must be carefully looked into before building huge dams.
(ii) Most industries are concentrated around coal mines.
(iii) Petroleum is referred to as “black gold”.
(iv) Quarrying can become a major environmental concern.
(1) Dams have positive as well as a negative impact on the environment. They adversely affect the surrounding ecosystems by destroying the local flora and fauna, by displacing the local community, by changing the natural course of rivers, etc. Therefore, before a dam is built at a site, it should be ascertained whether its benefits justify the damages that it would inevitably cause to the various ecosystems.
(ii) Coal is the most abundant fossil fuel. It is widely used as a source of energy. It is also used as a raw material in several industries. Most industries are located around coal mines as being situated close to coal mines proves to be cost effective. Coal can easily be transported from the mines to the industries, and this reduces both time and cost of transportation.
(iii) The term “black gold” is used with reference to petroleum and its various derivatives. The word “black” refers to the colour of petroleum in its crude form. The word “gold” implies that petroleum and all the various products of petroleum (like diesel, petrol, kerosene, wax, plastics and lubricants) are as valuable to human society as the metal gold.
(iv)Quarrying is an extraction process by which minerals lying near the Earth’s surface are dug out. This process can adversely affect the environment in different ways. The digging involves clearing of vegetation, destroys the topsoil, which contains the humus required for plant growth. The quarrying involves the use of explosives and earth-moving equipment that cause noise pollution, and may also damage nearby buildings, dams or other such structures. The dust generated during quarrying and the fossil fuels burnt while operating the equipment contribute to air pollution, which in turn affects the health of the miners and the local population.
(1) Dams have positive as well as a negative impact on the environment. They adversely affect the surrounding ecosystems by destroying the local flora and fauna, by displacing the local community, by changing the natural course of rivers, etc. Therefore, before a dam is built at a site, it should be ascertained whether its benefits justify the damages that it would inevitably cause to the various ecosystems.
(ii) Coal is the most abundant fossil fuel. It is widely used as a source of energy. It is also used as a raw material in several industries. Most industries are located around coal mines as being situated close to coal mines proves to be cost effective. Coal can easily be transported from the mines to the industries, and this reduces both time and cost of transportation.
(iii) The term “black gold” is used with reference to petroleum and its various derivatives. The word “black” refers to the colour of petroleum in its crude form. The word “gold” implies that petroleum and all the various products of petroleum (like diesel, petrol, kerosene, wax, plastics and lubricants) are as valuable to human society as the metal gold.
(iv)Quarrying is an extraction process by which minerals lying near the Earth’s surface are dug out. This process can adversely affect the environment in different ways. The digging involves clearing of vegetation, destroys the topsoil, which contains the humus required for plant growth. The quarrying involves the use of explosives and earth-moving equipment that cause noise pollution, and may also damage nearby buildings, dams or other such structures. The dust generated during quarrying and the fossil fuels burnt while operating the equipment contribute to air pollution, which in turn affects the health of the miners and the local population.
