Natural Resources in India
India is very rich in natural resources. The natural resources available in India are
classified into five major categories: water resources, mineral resources, forest
resource (includes agriculture activity), land resources (includes soil), and energy.
India has been rich in natural resources from ancient times, as supported by
published historical data. The current scenario has been changed by the increased
population and further overexploitation of natural resources to fulfil the requirements
of these growing populations. In the recent past, changes in the living patterns and
lifestyles of the people have also influenced the rate of consumption of natural
resources. Such practices stress natural resources, causing side effects such as
drops in the groundwater table, increased GHGs, shortages in food resources, higher
salinity of agricultural land, and soil, air, and water pollution (Prasad et al. 2006;
Srivastava and Ramanathan 2018a). Global warming and further climate change are
caused by excessive emission of GHGs in the atmosphere through anthropogenic
activities. Global data indicate that transport accounts for approximately 23% of total
energy related to CO 2 emissions, with road transport itself accounting for 17–18%.
In urban areas and cities, transportation becomes challenging because of the
increased number of vehicles used for transportations of goods and passengers
(MOEFCC 2015).
Water Resources
India possesses approximately 1123 billion cubic meters (BCM) of water resources,
of which about 61.4% is surface water and the remaining approximately 38.6% is
subsurface water. India has approximately 4.63% of its total geographic area available as wetland area (MOEFCC 2015). Statistically, India has a surface water area of
approximately 360,400 km
2
: this area is under stress from excessive water consumption for fulfilling various industrial, domestic, and commercial requirements
and for irrigation during agriculture activity (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_
resources_of_India). The methods of irrigation adopted in India during agriculture
activities have caused approximately 55% freshwater wastage. Further contamination of freshwater through various anthropogenic activities has also reduced available freshwater and created stress over water resources (Srivastava and Ramanathan
2008).
India annually receives about 4000 BCM water, of which approximately 1123
BCM is available for utilization. Of this, about 690 BCM is available as a surface
water resource and the rest, approximately 433 BCM, is the groundwater resource.
India receives water through 12 major rivers occupying a total catchment area of
about 252.8 million hectares (ha) that covers more than 75% of the total area of the
country. Indian rivers are classified as the Himalayan rivers, peninsular rivers,
coastal rivers, and inland drainage basin.
4
S. K. Srivastava
India is very rich in natural resources. The natural resources available in India are
classified into five major categories: water resources, mineral resources, forest
resource (includes agriculture activity), land resources (includes soil), and energy.
India has been rich in natural resources from ancient times, as supported by
published historical data. The current scenario has been changed by the increased
population and further overexploitation of natural resources to fulfil the requirements
of these growing populations. In the recent past, changes in the living patterns and
lifestyles of the people have also influenced the rate of consumption of natural
resources. Such practices stress natural resources, causing side effects such as
drops in the groundwater table, increased GHGs, shortages in food resources, higher
salinity of agricultural land, and soil, air, and water pollution (Prasad et al. 2006;
Srivastava and Ramanathan 2018a). Global warming and further climate change are
caused by excessive emission of GHGs in the atmosphere through anthropogenic
activities. Global data indicate that transport accounts for approximately 23% of total
energy related to CO 2 emissions, with road transport itself accounting for 17–18%.
In urban areas and cities, transportation becomes challenging because of the
increased number of vehicles used for transportations of goods and passengers
(MOEFCC 2015).
Water Resources
India possesses approximately 1123 billion cubic meters (BCM) of water resources,
of which about 61.4% is surface water and the remaining approximately 38.6% is
subsurface water. India has approximately 4.63% of its total geographic area available as wetland area (MOEFCC 2015). Statistically, India has a surface water area of
approximately 360,400 km
2
: this area is under stress from excessive water consumption for fulfilling various industrial, domestic, and commercial requirements
and for irrigation during agriculture activity (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_
resources_of_India). The methods of irrigation adopted in India during agriculture
activities have caused approximately 55% freshwater wastage. Further contamination of freshwater through various anthropogenic activities has also reduced available freshwater and created stress over water resources (Srivastava and Ramanathan
2008).
India annually receives about 4000 BCM water, of which approximately 1123
BCM is available for utilization. Of this, about 690 BCM is available as a surface
water resource and the rest, approximately 433 BCM, is the groundwater resource.
India receives water through 12 major rivers occupying a total catchment area of
about 252.8 million hectares (ha) that covers more than 75% of the total area of the
country. Indian rivers are classified as the Himalayan rivers, peninsular rivers,
coastal rivers, and inland drainage basin.
4
S. K. Srivastava