Question

How is land degraded by industries ? Explain any two methods to control land degradation caused by industries.

Answer 1

Land is the prime natural resource on which our existence depends. Due to its excessive use, it has been degraded to a large extent. Besides the natural causes, some human activities are also responsible for degradation of land.

Industry is one of the major factors which cause land degradation in the following manner:

(i) Mineral processing like grinding of limestone for cement industry, and calcite and soapstone for ceramic industries generates heavy amount of dust and releases it in the atmosphere. It later on settles down in the surrounding areas, affecting infiltration of water and crop cultivation.

(ii) Out of their greed, various industry owner resort to cutting of trees indiscriminately which turns the land into wasteland.

(iii) Sometimes the construction of industries or factories one after the other also leads to the degradation of the land.

(iv) In recent years, industrial effluents and wastes have become a major source of land and water pollution in several parts of the country.

Answer 2

The land is degraded by Industrial wastes like garbage, harmful effluents, harmful chemicals, glass and packaging and salts. These industrial wastes make the soil useless and less fertile.

Mineral processing, construction of roads and other projects and deforestation for industrial purposes also make land useless or less fertile.

The two methods to control land degradation caused by Industries are :

1.  Proper discharge and disposal of industrial wastes and effluents can control land degradation.

2.  Control on mining and quarrying activities is another method to control land degradation caused by Industries.