Write a note on Natural Resources.

Natural Resources : Because of the tremendous increase in population, the resources which should be used wisely are being used indiscriminately. Some natural resources which are note for use in our country because of low level of technological development are being exported to other countries. Therefore there is a need to carefully use these resources to increase the life span of our resources.

The resources are of two types : Renewable and Non- Renewable resources which are replaced from time-to-time by natural multiplication on earth e.g. vegetation, forests, wild life and aquatic life whereas some resources like petrol cannot be regenerated are called as non¬renewable resources. Let us now study these resources in detail.

Renewable Resources : As studied above these resources could be regenerated. Water and forests are two renewable resources. Water which is the most essential component of own life is required for various purpose like irrigation, navigation, generation of electricity and for domestic needs, but there is a scarcity of usable quality of water in large parts of the world. Therefore there is a need to have the optimum and the correct utilization of this resources. Forests provide us with oxygen supply in the air with which we breathe and they affect the climate. They provide home to many living resources like birds and animals. The increased use of wood from the forest is causing an environmental imbalance. Therefore, methods are being adopted to plant more trees.

Non-renewable Resources : Let us now study about some non-renewable resources like ,land, mineral and oceanic resources, which one used cannot be regenerated.

Land which is basic resource and support life and various activities of man and animals is under pressure because of increase in population. Mis-management of the land resource as a result of indiscriminate cutting of trees or deforestation has caused considerable damage to the quality of soil and landscape. The soil resources are responsible for vegetation and storage of water essential for life containing rich organic and mineral nutrients.

Mineral resources like iron, coal, copper, petroleum, etc are the backbone of our industries, but the scarcity and the demand of these resources. All these resources are believed to be getting exhausted. Oceanic resources are the mineral found at a depth of 4000-5000 m below the sea-level. Many metals like tin, gold, platinum, etc, are found in the deposits on the coast.