GROUND WATER AND EXHAUSTION OF NATURAL RESOURCES

GROUNDWATER AND EXHAUSTION OF NATURAL RESOURCES

Sustainability of development

Suppose for the present that a particular country is quite developed. We would certainly like this level of development to go up further or at least be maintained for future generations. This is obviously desirable. However, since the second half of the twentieth century, a number of scientists have been warning that the present type, and levels, of development, are not sustainable.

Groundwater in India

“Recent evidence suggests that the groundwater is under serious threat of overuse in many parts of the country. About 300 districts have reported a water level decline of over 4 metres during the past 20 years. Nearly one-third of the country is overusing their groundwater reserves. In another 25 years, 60 percent of the country would be doing the same if the present way of using this resource continues. Groundwater overuse is particularly found in the agriculturally prosperous regions of Punjab and Western U.P., hard rock plateau areas of central and south India, some coastal areas and the rapidly growing urban settlements.”

a. Why groundwater is overused?

b. Can there be development without overuse?

Groundwater is an example of renewable resources. These resources are replenished by nature as in the case of crops and plants. However, even these resources may be overused. For example, in the case of groundwater, if we use more than what is being replenished by rain then we would be overusing this resource.

Exhaustion of natural resources

Non-renewable resources are those which will get exhausted after years of use. We have a fixed stock on earth which cannot be replenished. We do discover new resources that we did not know of earlier. New sources in this way add to the stock. However, over time, even this will get exhausted.

For example, crude oil that we extract from the earth is a nonrenewable resource. However, we may find a source of oil that we did not know of earlier. Explorations
are being undertaken all the time.

The table gives an estimate of reserves of crude oil (column1). More importantly, it also tells us how many years the stock of crude oil will last if people continue to extract it at the present rate. The reserves would last only 50 years more. This is for the world as a whole. However, different countries face different situations. Countries like India depend on importing oil from abroad because they do not have enough stocks of their own. If prices of oil increase this becomes a burden for everyone. There are countries like the USA which have low reserves and hence want to secure oil through military or economic power.

The question of sustainability of development raises many fundamentally new issues about the nature and process of development.

a.  Is crude oil essential for the development process in a country? Discuss.

b.  India has to import crude oil. What problems do you anticipate for the country looking at the above situation?

Table 1.7: Crude oil reserves

Consequences of environmental degradation do not respect national or state boundaries; this issue is no longer region or nation-specific. Our future is linked together. Sustainability of development is comparatively a new area of knowledge in which scientists economists, philosophers and other social scientists are working together.

In general, the question of development or progress is perennial. At all times as a member of society and as individuals we need to ask where we want to go, what we wish to become and what our goals are. So the debate on development continues.

Source: This topic is taken from NCERT TEXTBOOK