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Public awareness:
Environmental Pollution or problems cannot be solved by mere laws. Public participation is
an important aspect which serves the environmental Protection.
30-40% of public of developing country are aware of environmental. Problems but they
do not bother about it.
only few developmental activities are made considering the environmental Aspects.
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Troposphere lower portion extends from 0-18 kms, temperatureStratosphere -18- 50 kms- Temperature (-2C to -56C )- Ozone layer
Mesosphere- extends from 50-85 kms- Temperature drops to (-95C)
Ionosphere or Thermosphere extends up to 500 kms. Temperature raises up to 1200C
Exosphere extends up to 1600 km- temperature very high due to solar radiation.
Functions of Atmosphere:
It maintains heat balance on the earth by absorbing IR radiation.
Oxygen support life on living organism.
Co2 - essential for photosynthetic activity of plants.
N2 - essential nutrient for plant growth.
Interior of Earth or Lithosphere:
Three major Zones
1. Crust top most layer- solid thickness 30 40 Km in continents and 5 6 km in oceans.
Rocks of the earth crust 3 types Igneous , Sedimentary, Metamorphic.
2. Mantle average density 3.3 Thickness 2860 density increases with depth.
3. Core (outer core solid , inner core liquid). depth 2900 km from the surface of the
earth density -12 not exact composition.
Functions of Lithosphere:
1. It is home for human beings and wild life.
2. It is store house of minerals and organic matter.
Functions of Ecosystems
Ecosystem characteristics
Structural features composition and organization
components constitute Structure of Ecosystem
Food Chains
-
Grass
Grasshopper
Frog
snake
Hawk
(Grassland Ecosystem)
Grazing food chains Starts with green plants.
Grass
Rabbit
Phytoplanktons
Fox
Zooplanktons
Small fish
Carnivores (fish)
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Producer
Herbivores
Carnivores
Top carnivores
Decomposers
ECOLOGICAL SUCCESSION
FOOD CHAIN
Plants by photosynthesis convert solar energy into protoplasm. Small herbivores consume the
vegetable matter and convert into animal matter which in turn eaten by large carnivores. This
sequence of eaten and being eaten , produces transfer of food energy known as food chain.
Producers
Consumer I order
(Plants)
(Deer)
Consumer II order
(Tiger, Lion)
Decomposers
(Bacteria, fungi)
FOOD WEB:
The food relationship between various organisms is being depicted by linking all the possible
prey and predators of different food level. In an ecosystem linking of feeding habit relations will
provide a food web.
Mouse
Grass
snake
Rabbit
Grasshopper
Hawk
Lizard
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birds
insects
Worms
grass
Bacteria, fungi
Parasites
Birds
Tree
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Consumer
Decomposers :
fungi, bacteria
Functional components:
Ecological pyramids (upright)
lions
lizards
deers
trees
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insects
Worms
grass
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Grass
worms
Insects
Decomposition
sediments
c. DESERT ECOSYSTEM
Types:
1. tropical desert-found in Africa-Sahara and Rajasthan Thar
2. temperate desert-south California-Majave
3. cold desert-China-Gobi desert
Characteristics:
1. Air is dry
2. Climate is hot
3. Annual rainfall is less than 25 cm
4. Vegetation is poor
d.AQUATIC ECOSYSTEM
Definition:
Deals with water bodies and biotic communities present in them-Classified as fresh water
and marine ecosystems. Fresh water systems are classified as lentic and lotic ecosystems.
Types:
1. Pond ecosystem: Small fresh water ecosystem seasonal in nature organisms: algae,
aquatic plants, insects, fishes etc. Ponds are very often exposed to anthropogenic
pressure like cloth washing, bathing, cattle bathing, swimming etc.
2. Lake ecosystem: Big fresh water ecosystem Zonation or stratification, especially
during summer is a common one.
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Types of lakes : Many types- oligotrophic lakes with less nutrient content eutrophic
lakes with very high nutrient content due to fertilizer contamination desert salt lakes
that contains high saline water due to over evaporation volcanic lakes formed by
water emitted from magma due to volcanic eruptions dystrophic lakes that contains
highly acidic water (low pH) endemic lakes lakes that contain many endemic species
etc.
3. Streams: fresh water ecosystem where water current plays a major role. Oxygen and
nutrient content are uniform. Stream organisms have to face extreme difference in
climatic conditions but they do not suffer from oxygen deficiency as pond and lake
organisms. This is because large surface area of running water provides more oxygen
supply. The animals have very narrow range of tolerance towards oxygen deficiency.
Thus stream are worst victims of industrial pollution.
River ecosystem: large streams flowing from mountain highlands are rivers.
Three phases: 1. mountain highlands rushing down water fall of water large quantity
of dissolved oxygen plants attached to rocks and fishes that require more oxygen are
found. 2. Second phase gentle slopes of hills warmer supports the growth of plants
and fishes that require less oxygen are seen. 3. Third phase: river shapes the land lots
of silts, nutrients are brought deposited in plains and delta very rich in biodiversity.
4. Oceans: Gigantic reservoirs of water covering >70% of earth surface 2,50,000 species
huge variety of sea products, drugs etc. provide Fe, Mg, oils, natural gas, sand etc.
major sinks of carbon di oxide regulate biochemical cycles.
Two zones: coastal zone warm, nutrient rich, shallow high sunlight high primary
productivity. Open sea away from continental shelf vertically divided in to 3
zones. 1. euphotic zone abundant sunlight 2. bathyal zone dim sunlight 3.
abyssal zone dark zone worlds largest ecological unit.
Estuary: coastal area where river meet ocean strongly affected by tidal actions very
rich in nutrients very rich in biodiversity also organisms are highly tolerant many
species are endemic high food productivity however to be protected from pollution.
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fishes
Worms,
insects
phytoplankton
Energy flow:
Phytoplankton
Insects
small fishes
huge fishes
Decomposition
sediments
INTRODUCTION TO BIODIVERSITY
Biodiversity is the abbreviated word for biological diversity (bio-life or living organisms,
diversity-variety). Thus biodiversity is the total variety of life on our planet, the total number
of races, varieties and species. The sum of total of various types of microbes, plants and
animals (producers, consumers and decomposers) in a system.
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Habitat loss
Deforestation activities (cutting trees for timber, removal of medicinal plants)
Production of hybrid seeds requires wild plants as raw material, farmers prefer hybrid
reeds, many plant species become extinct
Increase in the production of pharmaceutical companies made several number of
medicinal plants and species on the verge of extinction.
Removal of forest-cover for road laying and also due to soil erosion
Illegal trade of wild life
Population explosion, construction of dam, discharge of industrial effluents use of
pesticides.
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Fragmentation;
Habitat fragmentation reduces the biodiversity because many animals like bears and
large cats require large territories to subsist. Some forest birds reproduce only in deep forest
or habitat far from human settlement. A large island for example, can support more
individuals of given species and therefore less likely to suffer extinction due to genetic
problems and natural catastrophes.
Commercial products:
Smuggling of fuels, hides, horns and folk medicines also affect the biodiversity in an
abrupt manner.
Conservation of biodiversity:
In general biodiversity is generally disturbed by human activities. To solve the problems,
it is essential to protect our bio diversity by two ways.
1. In-situ or on-site conversion
2. Ex-situ conservation
In-situ conservation:
Conservation of species in its natural habitat, in place where the species normally occurs
The strategy involves establishing small or large protected areas, called protected areas
Today in world, there are 9800 protected areas and 1500 national parks
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Review questions:
1. Define Environmental science
Environmental science is the study of the environment, its biotic and abiotic components and
their interrelationships.
2. What are the important components of environment?
Abiotic or non-living components
Biotic or living component
Energy component
3. What are the processes involved in hydrological cycle?
Continuous evaporation, transpiration, precipitation of surface run off and ground water
4. Define biogeochemical cycle. Give example.
The continuous circulation of all the essential elements and compounds required for life, from
the environment to the organism and back to the environment.e.g., carbon cycle
5. What are the functions of lithosphere?
It is a home for human beings and wild lives.
It is a store house minerals and organic matters
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Natural sources
1. Volcanic eruption
2. Forest fires
3. Biological decay
Primary pollutants
secondary pollutants
particulate air
pollutants
(CO2, NOX)
pollutants
(dust, mist)
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S. No. Pollutant
Sources
Effects on human
Aldehydes
Thermal
Irritates nasal and respiratory tracts
decomposition of fats
and oils
Ammonia
Arsenic
Cadmium
Damages kidney
Chlorine
Chemical industries
Hydrocarbons
Unburnt
vapours
Hydrogen Sulfide
Sewage
refineries
Nitrogen oxides
Motor
exhaust
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Ozone
Photochemical
reactions
11
Sulphur dioxide
Coal
and
combustion
12
Suspended solids
Industrial
manufactures
Eye
irritation,
asthma,
suffocation, lung cancer
air
b)WATER POLLUTION:
Presence of foreign impurities (organic, inorganic, biological) in such quantities so as to
constitute a health hazard by lowering the water quality and making it unfit for use.
Causes:
Point source Ex: flow of water pollutants from sewerage system, industrial effluent etc.
Non-point source Ex: agricultural land (pesticides, fertilizers, mining, construction sites)
Classification of water pollutants:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
suspended matter
thermal discharge
pathogens (bacteria, fungi, protozoa fungi)
natural organic pollutants
synthetic organic pollutants
inorganic chemicals
radioactive waste, oil, sediments
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Industrial waste
Urban waste
Agricultural practices
Radioactive pollutants
Biological agent
d) MARINE POLLUTION:The discharge of waste substances into the sea resulting in harm to living resources,
hazards to human health, hindrance to fishery and impairment of quality for use of sea water.
Causes:
Sources:
Rivers
Catchment area
Oil drilling and shipment.
Effects:
waste disposal
oil spill
thermal pollution (plants located nearby coastal areas)
ship breaking activities
aquaculture practices
nuclear test conducted in seas and oceans
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Permissible
noise level(dB)
Day
Night
Industrial
75
70
Commercial
65
55
Residential
55
45
Silent Zone
50
40
90 dB
Calcutta
85 dB
Mumbai
82 dB
Delhi
80 dB
The Union Government and all the state governments shall follow the guidelines of amendment
89 of env. (Protection) Rule 1986 framed under Env. (Protection) Act 1986 which says
1. The manufacture, sale or use of fire crackers generating noise level exceeding125dB shall
be prohibited.
2. For joined fire crackers the limit is taken as 5log 10 (N) dB; where N= no. of crackers
joined together
3. The use of fire crackers shall not be permitted except between 6.00a.m and 10p.m.
4. No crackers burning is permitted in/near silent zone areas near hospitals, educational
institutions, courts, religious places, etc.
5. The State Education Resource Centre shall take appropriate steps to educate students
about the ill effects of air and noise pollution.
Control of noise pollution:
Cooling towers
Cooling ponds
Spray ponds
Medical X-rays
Radio isotopes
Nuclear test
Nuclear installations
Nuclear reactor
SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT:Any material that is thrown away or discarded as unwanted is considered as solid waste.
Types: Garbage or food waste
Rubbish
Agricultural waste
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Collection of waste
Transportation
Storage
Segregation of waste
Disposal methods
Land fills
Incineration
Composting
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Resources
Renewable
Non renewable
Continuous
Extrinsic
FOREST RESOURCES:
Forests are one of the most important resources of the world. Apart from having high
commercial importance they provide high environmental services also. They act as a blanket on
the surface of the earth.
Around 1/3rd of world land area was found to be forests. 1/5 th of world forests were
found in Brazil and 6-7% was in Canada and USA. But the matter under high concern is the
declination of forest cover year by year.
USES OF FOREST:
Commercial uses: Forests provide timber, fire wood, food material, resin, gum, non edible oils,
drugs, medicine, rubber, fibers, bamboo and many other important items.
Ecological uses:
1.
2.
3.
4.
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Downstream problems
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
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Water scarcity
Water logging
Salination
alkalization
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Deforestation and lesser rainfalls coupled with cutting of trees for timber leads to
desertifictation.
Pollution of soil with solid waste, industrial effluents etc makes land useless and dry
Population explosion in man and livestock leads to enhanced requirement of timber, fuel
wood, grazing
Shifting cultivation
Effects:
Loss of biodiversity
Control measures
Watershed management
Prevent deforestation
Encourage afforestation
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Political resources
Terrorism
Military targets
Development disputes
Causes:
Euphrates, Nile, Ganges - plataneous in upper basin, reduced in lower basin due to
extensive use.
Conflicts management:
Power must be given to national water authority and river basin authority
and river s-basin authority for equitable distribution of basin waterdemand fo0r nationalization of water needs
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Overgrazing
modern agriculture
Land degradation
Soil erosion
micronutrients imbalance
nitrate pollution
Eutrophication
Pesticide related problems
Water logging
Salinity
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Land degradation-leads to organically poor, dry, compacted soil cannot be used for
further cultivation
Soil erosion-cover of vegetation gets removed from soil
Loss of useful species-good quality grasses and herbs with high nutritive value, when
grazed lose even the root stocks which carry the reserve food for regeneration get
destroyed which gives raise to secondary species like parthenium, Lantane, Xanthium etc
To prevent match the forage supplement to the herds requirement.eg.Switch grass
Modern agriculture:
The practice through which specific plant species are cared and managed so as to obtain
maximum yield of consumable parts of plants agriculture
Makes use of hybrid seeds and selected and single crop variety, high tech equipment and
lots of energy subsides in the form of fertilizers, pesticides and irrigation water e.g. green
revolution
Damage to soil
Water contamination
Water scarcity
Global climate change
Water logging-results when soil is over irrigated
Soil salinity-increase plant productivity, interferes with water uptake by plants
Fossil fuels and pesticides produce air pollution
Impacts related to high yielding varieties:
Monoculture ie the same genotype is grown over vast areas. Disease spread easily
Micronutrient imbalance e.g Zinc deficiency-affect soil productivity
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Energy
renewable
Advantage
Energy
non
renewable
1. Wide availability
2. Low cost
3. Decentralized power
production
4. Low pollution
5. Available for the
future
1. Available in high
concentrated form
2. Easy to store
3. Reliable supply
4. Lower cost
Disadvantage
1. Unreliable supply
2. Produced in small
quantity
3. Difficult to store
4. Cost more
1.highly pollution
Available only in few places
High running cost
Limited supply and will one
day get exhausted
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Comes from damming of rivers and utilization of high pressure, its kinetic energy is
transformed into turbine blades and used to generate electricity
Tidal Energy
Uses the natural motion of tides to fill reservoirs which are then slowly discharged through
electricity producing turbines
Ocean thermal energy
Energy available due to the difference in water temperature. The surface of the tropical ocean
and at deeper level is called OTE. A difference of 20 0c or more is required for operating OTE
power plants.
Geothermal energy
Energy harassed from the hot rocks inside earth. eg. natural geysers in Manikaran,kully,sohana
Biomass energy
Organic matter produced by plants
Types:
1.Energy plantations:
Solar energy is trapped by green plants through photosynthesis and converted to biomass e.g
Leucaema,Sugarcane, sweet sorghum, Sweetbeet aquatic weeds like hyacinth, Sea
weeds,potato,cereal-energy plantations
Produce energy by burning directly or by getting converted into burnable gas or converted to
fuels by fermentation.
Petro crops
Latex containing plants Euphorbias, oil palms rich in hydrocarbons and yield oil like substance
under high temperature and pressure-refined to form gasoline
LAND RESOURCE
Land is critically important national resource which supports all living organisms including
plants and animals. The soil profile of land determines its ability to serve socio-economic needs.
It has been estimated that more than 5000 million tonnees of top soil is eroded annually
along with 5 million tones of nutrients. About 1/3 of this is lost in sea while the rest in
reservoirs and rivers leading to flood.
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massive deforestation
erratic agricultural practices
road building
Unscientific quarrying etc.
Engineering. Constructions
Soil erosion:
1. Terracing: Terracing reduces soil erosion on steep slopes by concerting the land into a
series of broad, level terraces. This retains water for crops at each level and reduces soil
erosion by water run off.
2. Contour Farming: This method is adopted for gently sloped land. This involves planting
crops in rows across the contour of gently sloped land.
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Most developed countries like USA, Canada, Japan, Australia have 22% of natural
resources, use 88%.73%of its energy and command 85%of its income
Less developed countries has 78% of population, 12% Usage of natural resources, 27%
of energy, 15% of income
Gap arises due to increase in population distribution of resources and wealth
Problem solved by equitable distribution of resources and wealth
Global consensus has to be reached for more balanced distribution of basic resources like
safe drinking water, food, fuel etc. So poor low developed countries able to sustain their
life
Two basic cause of unsustainability are over population in poor countries and over
consumption of resources by rich countries generate wastes
Rich countries lower down their consumption level
Poor countries fulfilled by providing them resources
Review questions
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A symbiotic relationship between consumer human race and producer natural system
Compatibility between ecology and economics
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Loss of land
Loss of recourse
Unsatisfactory comp[enasation
Social and cultura problems
Changes in tradition of indigenous people
Spread of disease
Submergence of valuable forest
Waterlogging
Extinction of wild life
Environmental ethics:Over exploitation of forests, land, water as well as various living components of
biosphere and failure to tackle the problem of pollution and environmental degradation are
exposing the humanly to the thread of a global environment crisis.
It emphasis that real development cannot occur unless the strategies which are formulated
are implemented are environmentally sustainable. Even though our government is
formulating several rules, regulations, policies, laws, it is the duty of each and every one to
protect our nature.
Therefore human beings are ethically responsible for the preservation of the worlds
ecological integrity. The environment ethics literally means conscious efforts to protect
environment and to maintain its stability from the pollutants. Following are some of the
ways to safeguard environment.
1. To sacrifice the consumption of some of the good which reduces environment quality
2. Minimize the resource utilization and conservation
3. Adopt sustainable and eco friendly development. (e.g) reduction of waste, recycling,
waste management and harvesting non conventional energy
If we change as individuals then the society will also change by itself. The society is
nothing but an extension of the individual.
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MDC
LDC
No. of people
low
High
Low
Waste generated
Low
high
Over all environmental impact of these two types of consumerism may be same or even
greater in case of MDC.
Global value %
USA
India
Population
4.7
16
Production of goods
21
Energy use
25
25
CFC Production
22
0.7
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Review Questions
1. Define the term environmental ethics.
Environmental ethics refers to the issues, principals and guidelines relating to human
interactions with their environment
2. What are the effects of global warming?
Increase the sea level
Negative effect on crop production and forest growth
Decrease the water resource
Increase the drought
3. Explain the factors affecting watershed
Overgrazing, deforestation, mining, construction activities degrades watershed
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Smoke control
Landuse
Pest control
Water pollution
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Allowscouples to describe their family size and also time spacing of their
offspring
Provide importance, knowledge and benefits of their small family to people
Education in held and family welfare system
Sex education awareness
WHO estimated 50% of worlds married couples adopted family planning measures, 300 million
couples not assessed to family planning
Environment and human health:
Environment is defined as man along with his surroundings, which consists of biotic, abiotic and
sociological components. Therefore, when we cause danger to these components, which
surrounds us, they in turn affect our health.
The environmental dangers created by man are many: Population explosion, unregulated
urbanization, creating water, air and landscape pollution, deforestation, desertification, use of
pesticides in agriculture etc. Every one of these has implications for the health of the individual
as well as society as a whole. None can be ignored because the scale of potential calamity is
increasing day by day.
Health hazards may be arising from: water contamination or pollution, air pollution, use of
pesticides enters through food chain, radiation effect of nuclear water, diseases caused from
improper disposal of solid wastes and also due to noise pollution.
Human rights:
1. Human rights means that a human being must enjoy on this earth
2. Foundation of human was laid in 13th century. But positive hopes for all people for a
happy, dignified and secured living condition wee raised only after Universal
Declaration of Human Rights (UNDHR) by UNO on 1012.1948
3. It highlights on protection to all individuals against injustice and human right violation
4. UNDHR defines specific rights to life, liberty, security, freedom of thought, association,
freedom of movement right of equal pay for equal work, right to form or join union, right
to health care, education etc.
5. Universal declaration rights are universal but disparity between developing and
developed countries.
6. Poverty and population leads to violation of human rights.
WHO estimates
-One out of every five is malnourished, lacks clean drinking water, lacks hygienic
conditions and health facilities.
-one out of 3 lack fuel for cooking
-1/5 is desperately poor
-every year 40 million people die due to contaminated water
7. Acute scarcity of employment
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Persistent fever
Fatique, weekness
Diarrhea
Wait loss
Low number of T cells in blood
Swelling lymph nodes, neck
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education
prevention of blood borne HIV transmission
primary health care
counseling services
drug treatment
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Hearing damage
Domestic sewage
Industrial effluents
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Synthetic detergents
Agro chemicals
Oil
Thermal pollutants
Run off from land fills
Pollution prevention
Pollution control
The
proper
control
measures
practiced
to
minimize the pollution
level.
Primary pollutants
Secondary pollutants
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Advantage
Energy
non
renewable
Disadvantage
Wide availability
Unreliable supply
Low cost
Produced
in
small
Decentralized
power
quantity
production
Difficult to store
Low pollution
Cost more
Available for the future
Available
in
high highly pollution
concentrated form
Available only in few places
Easy to store
Reliable supply
High running cost
Lower cost
Limited supply and will one
day get exhausted
Subsurface drainage and bio drainage by trees like Eucalyptus trees are adopted
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