Describe any five measures adopted for the conservation of water resources.

OR

Name any two multipurpose river valley projects or dams which have led to new social movements. Why do people oppose them?

The Earth consists of 70% water and 30% land. It might be assumed that this quantity of water is enough for humans and another living being. But, in fact, it is not. With the current level of wastage of water, soon there will be a scarcity of water. Our requirements for water are increasing day by day. The water resources are limited. Moreover, the increasing pollution in urban cities if further aggravating the issue.

Certain measures must be adopted for the conservation of water resources such as:

1. Rivers must be linked with each other and inter-basin linkages must be created.

2. Rainwater harvesting must be promoted. It means the storage of water in tanks and reservoirs.

3. Many states are continuously fighting over the water bodies. Such interstate disputes must be solved.

4. More water storage reservoirs must be created.

5. Other techniques such as water per location facility and watershed development must be created.

Such kind of measures will help to conserve water, prevent future scarcity and will protect us from health hazards.

OR

Two multi-purpose projects which caused social movements are:

1. Narmada - Narmada Bachao Andolan.

2. Tehri- Tehri Dam Andolan.

People oppose such projects due to many reasons. Such projects create many problems for the landowners, farmers as well as the industrialists, The landless farmers do not profit from such dams. This also changes the pattern of irrigation. The cropping pattern also changes by switching from subsistence farming to intensive farming. This harms the ecological balance and leads to soil salination. It also leads to a large-scale displacement of the local communities. The inhabitants then demand a rehabilitation facility from the government which is provided after a lot of delays.