Chapter 4: Man-Made Disaster
- Vehicle to vehicle collisions: Mostly accidents have been observed to happen when a speedy vehicle collides with another speedy vehicle from front to front, front to side or front to back.
- Negligent driving: In other cases, accidents also occur due to negligence of the drivers like overspeeding, disobeying traffic rules, rash driving, over-loading, use of alcohol or sedatives, using cellphones, playing loud music or gossiping while driving.
- Low visibility: Driving in conditions of low visibility also leads to accidental situation. Most of the drivers do not use lower beam of dipper (head-lights) while driving during night due to which the driver coming from the opposite direction cannot see the road. As a result, he can hit the vehicle or some other object on road side causing a major accident.
Long Answers
1. What is a forest fire? How can it be controlled?
Answer: A wildfire or forest fire is an unplanned, unwanted, uncontrolled fire in an area of combustiable vegitation starting in rural and urban areas. Depending on the type of vegetation present, a wildfire can be classified more specifically e.g. a forest fire, brush fire, etc
Measures to controll forest fires are:
Wheather Conditions: Certain weather causes forest fires by itself, but human activities aggravate the situation even more.Therefore, in wildfire prevention, it is crucial to know wildfire hazards due to natural factors. Foresters should consider current and upcoming weather conditions and their danger to forests.
Preventing Forest Fire Hazard from vehicles: Driving off-road in nature, within the proximity of dry crop residue and forests, demands extreme caution in terms of wildfire prevention.
Caution Notes For Man-Caused Wildfires: Below, are listed the most common notes to prevent wildfires
- Don’t Leave Smoldering Campfires
- Don’t Throw Away Lit Cigarettes
- Take Wildfire Prevention Measures With Fireworks
- Follow Forest Fire Prevention Tactics When Burning Rubbish
Answer: Environmental degradation is the process by which the environment i.e., air, water and land, is progressively contaminated, overexploited and destroyed. In specific terms, environmental degradation is the deterioration of the environment through depletion of resources such as air, water, soil and forest; the destruction of eco-systems and the extinction of wildlife. Whenever habitats are destroyed, biodiversity is lost, or natural resources are depleted so the environment is hurt.
The important factors responsible environmental degradation are:
Growing Population: As we find, the rapid pace of population growth has led to excessive utilization of natural resources. Huge population also leads to huge production of wastes. The resultant outcomes are loss of biodiversity, pollution of air, water and soil and increased pressure on arable land. All these have been putting great stress on the environment.
Urbanisation: This has led to unplanned and rapid expansion of cities, creating enormous pressure on the infrastructural facilities. The fast pace of urbanisation has also been responsible for the depletion of forests and irrational use of other resources.
Changing Life Style: There has been a remarkable change in the style of people living in cities, towns and villages. It has contributed to air, water and noise pollution. The fallout of the fast increasing use of modern amenities like motor cars, refrigerators, air conditioners etc. is release of harmful gases in the atmosphere that leads to global warming.
Agricultural Development: has been affecting the environment adversely. Various kinds of farming activities especially directed towards increasing agricultural production have a direct impact on environment. These activities have been contributing to soil erosion, land salination, alkalization and loss of nutrients. Extensive use of fertilizers and pesticides has been a major source of contamination of water bodies and land degradation.
Industrialization: Rapid industrialization has been the foremost contributor to environmental degradation. The current pace of industrialization is resulting in the depletion of natural resources like fossil fuel, minerals and timber, and contamination of water, air and soil.
Solid Waste: All over the world people throw away 1000 million tons of solid wastes annually. If we pile up all this at sea level in the shape of a cone, a pyramid with circular base of one kilometre region, its peak would be higher than Mount Everest.
Pollution: Due to rapid industrialization, urbanization and the change in life style we are adding more and more of pollution into the environment. Adverse air and water quality can kill many organisms including humans. Water pollution causes approximately 14,000 deaths per day, mostly due to contamination of drinking water by untreated sewage in developing countries.
3. How a chemical disaster can be prevented?
Answer: Chemical Disaster can be prevented by eliminating the possibility of chemical accidents and thereby preventing its harmful effects. Some of the preventive measures that can be deployed are:
- Through making use of in-built safety measures,
- Having standard operating procedures (SOP),
- Rigorous operational safety procedures
- Providing necessary training and periodic retraining.
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