Chapter 4: Man-Made Disaster

(EXERCISE)

Fill in the blanks:

1.  ………………… gas is mainly released during the occurrence of fire disaster. 

2. Urbanization, overpopulation and industrialization cause ………………………… 

3. A major chemical disaster involving leakage of methyl iso-cyanate gas occurred at …………………… 

4. The frequently occurring disaster in the dry forests of J&K is ……………………….. 

5. Development without compromising the needs of future generations is known as ……………………………..................

Answers:

1.  Carbon dioxide (CO2) gas is mainly released during the occurrence of fire disaster. 

2. Urbanization, overpopulation and industrialization cause Environmental Degradation

3. A major chemical disaster involving leakage of methyl iso-cyanate gas occurred at Bhopal

4. The frequently occurring disaster in the dry forests of J&K is forest fire.

5. Development without compromising the needs of future generations is known as Sustaniable Development

True/ False

1. Forest fires are mainly caused by floods (True/False)

Answer: False 

2. Chemical disasters are highly prone in industrial areas (True/False)

Answer: True

3. Solid waste is mainly responsible for environmental degradation (True/False) 

Answer: True

4. Fire extinguishers are used to lit the fire (True/False) 

Answer: False

5. Construction of walls or paths in forests can reduce the risk of forest fires (True/ False) 

Answer: False.

Short Answers

1. Write a short note on chemical disasters. 

Answer: The usage of chemicals has increased many  fold for increasing crop yields, water purifications,  painting of houses, washing of floors etc. But we hardly  realize that these chemicals which are helpful to  mankind can be harmful to humans and environment. Infact the immensly damage our environment.

2. Illustrate some events of natural fires in J&K. 

Answer: In the year 2018, massive forest fire occurred in Bandipore, Kupwara, Ganderbal and Anantnag districts of Jammu and Kashmir. In the year 2017, 50 hectares of Tanpal forest was demolished due to forest fire. In the year 2016, there was a wildfire in Trikuta Hills near the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine.

3. Enlist some of causes of road accidents.

Answer: Some of the causes of road accidents are: 

• 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.

Preventing Wildfires Due To Agricultural Activities: Improperly planned agricultural operations also contribute to wildfires if people ignore wildfire prevention tips, don’t take safety measures, and don’t consider the weather specifics. The main contributors are slash-and-burn practices, debris burning on the agricultural lands and households close to forests, and the use of flammable liquids.

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

2. What do you understand by environmental degradation? What are the factors responsible for it? 

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.