Social Science 2 Marks Each

The river basin is an area where a tributary meets the main river.

• It is a natural unit.
• This unit of fresh water can be developed by the following programmes.
• It can include various programmes like preservation of land and humidity, water conservation, tree plantation, afforestation, horticulture, development of pastures.
• For this purpose, participation of local people is necessary along with central and state government scheme.

Water is a common property but with glaring problems like limited quantity, unequal distribution and water pollution there is need for awareness among people for its proper use and conservation.

• Some ways to preserve water are:
• Creation of reservoirs to preserve water, efforts can be made to supply water from one river basin to other, to raise the ground water level.
• Solve inter-state water problems at the earliest.
• Develop the water conservation techniques like Watershed Development and Rain Water Harvesting.

• Southern India has more of mountains and plateau and hence it contains lesser groundwater.
• So, water crisis is a very serious problem in the interior area of southern peninsular plateau.
• Hence, the agricultural land of southern India is irrigated by ponds.

The river basin is an area where a tributary meets the main river. It is a natural unit.

• This unit of fresh water can be developed by the following programmes.
• It can include various programmes like preservation of land and humidity, water conservation, tree plantation, afforestation, horticulture, development of pastures.
• For this purpose, participation of local people is necessary along with central and state government scheme.

Most of the rivers of South India are seasonal and flow through rocky terrain.

• It is difficult and expensive to construct canals on the peninsular plateau.
• The topographical conditions are favourable to make ponds and tanks.
• Irrigation by ponds is practiced in the southern states.
• Rain water is stored in them.
• Only coastal districts in Andhra Pradesh, delta regions of Godavari, Krishna, Mahanadi and Kaveri have intensive irrigation through canals.

Instead of letting the river water flow off into the sea it can be harnessed for various uses.

• A multipurpose project means to undertake well-planned reservoir construction work across the perennial rivers containing large volume of water.
• These projects help to solve the problem of the need of water for irrigation, drinking, domestic use and industry.
• They control floods and stop soil erosion.
• The project helps in producing electricity and providing water routes in the form of canals.
• The reservoir provides facilities for fishing.
• Multipurpose projects help in wildlife and marine life preservation and also become recreation centres.

Water crisis is caused by increasing population, overuse and wastage of water, pollution of water sources, and uneven distribution of rainfall leading to scarcity in some areas.