Short Summary

Chapter 16, Sustainable Management of Natural Resources, focuses on the conservation and equitable use of natural resources while balancing economic development with environmental protection. Environmental conservation can be promoted through the 5 R’s—Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose, and Recycle—with reuse being preferred over recycling because it requires no energy for processing. Water pollution can be addressed through initiatives such as the Ganga Action Plan launched in 1985, while water quality can be monitored using factors such as pH and the level of intestinal coliform bacteria. Sustainable forest and wildlife management involves the participation of local communities and stakeholders, as demonstrated by the sacrifice of Amrita Devi Bishnoi and others to protect Khejri trees, the Chipko Movement in Garhwal, and A.K. Banerjee’s community-based efforts to revive degraded Sal forests in Arabari, West Bengal. Large dams provide water for irrigation and generate electricity but can also cause displacement of local communities, high economic costs, deforestation, and other environmental problems. Traditional rainwater harvesting methods such as Khadins, Kulhs, Ahars, and Surangams provide effective ways of storing and conserving water, often allowing water to recharge underground aquifers while reducing evaporation and preventing mosquito breeding. Coal and petroleum are limited, non-renewable fossil fuel resources, and their combustion releases carbon dioxide, which contributes to global warming, carbon monoxide, which is toxic, and oxides of sulfur and nitrogen, which contribute to acid rain; therefore, reducing unnecessary personal energy consumption is important for the sustainable management of these resources.