Short Answer Questions

(a) The textile industry associated with the given images showing sericulture, is the Silk Industry.

(b) Silk industry is thriving in Karnataka.

Covered tanks are found in many places of the map extract for the following reasons:

1. Water Storage in Scarce or Seasonal Rain Areas — Covered tanks help store rainwater and prevent evaporation, especially in regions where rainfall is seasonal or water is not available year-round. This ensures a steady supply of water even during dry months.

2. Hygienic Water Supply — Covered tanks protect water from contamination by dust, animals, and debris, making them useful for drinking and domestic use in villages and towns.

Most of the area in the map shows cart tracks due to following reasons:

1. It is an underdeveloped village area where agriculture is the main occupation.
2. Underdeveloped rural areas don't have developed industries, hence no need for heavy vehicles and paved roads.
3. Lack of infrastructure development leads to people using bullock carts, handcarts, etc. for transporting goods from place to place.

It will take 9 hours for a person to move from Northings 85 to 94 in a straight line at a speed of 1 km per hour.

The most important occupation of the people living in this area is agriculture as most of the area is in yellow colour, which indicates cultivated land or agricultural areas.

(a) Two methods of irrigation commonly practised in the Northern Plains of India are — Tubewell and Canal irrigation.

(b) Tubewell Irrigation — Due to availability of plentiful underground water, Tubewell irrigation is commonly practiced in the Northern Plains of India.

Canal Irrigation — Due to presence of perennial rivers like the Ganga, Yamuna, and their tributaries, the Northern Plains of India have an elaborate system of canals.

(a) The method of irrigation depicted in the given picture is Drip Irrigation.

(b) Drip Irrigation is so named because it delivers water slowly and directly to the roots of plants in the form of 'drips', by perforated pipes placed between the rows of crops.

(a) The paddy is being sown in the given picture by Transplantation method.

(b) Two reasons due to which Transplantation method of rice cultivation is restricted only to the prosperous farmers of the country are as follows:

1. High Labour Cost — Transplantation requires a large number of labourers for preparing nurseries, uprooting seedlings, and replanting them in the main field. Hiring this labour involves significant expense, which only well-off farmers can afford.

2. Access to Irrigation Facilities — This method needs controlled irrigation at various stages of growth. Prosperous farmers usually have better access to reliable water sources like tube wells or canal irrigation, which is essential for successful transplantation.

Two ways in which the cultivation of millets can help promote sustainable agriculture are:

1. Millets grow well in dry areas and require very little water compared to crops like rice and wheat. This helps in conserving water resources, especially in drought-prone regions.

2. Millets are hardy crops that can grow in poor soil with little to no use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. This reduces soil pollution and promotes healthier farming practices.

(a) The agriculture sector provides raw materials to agro-based industries like sugar industry, cotton, jute and textiles industries, tea and coffee industries. Hence, high productivity in agriculture means higher availability of raw material for such industries.

(b) Two major problems faced by majority of India’s farming community are:

1. Small Landholdings — Most Indian farmers have very small plots of land, making it difficult to adopt modern and mechanized farming methods, leading to low productivity.

2. Lack of Irrigation Facilities — Many farmers still depend on unpredictable monsoon rains. Inadequate irrigation infrastructure limits the ability to grow multiple crops or maintain consistent yields.

Two suitable advantages of Road Transport are:

1. Roads link every nook and corner of the country.
2. The cost of road construction is lower than that of railways.

Manganese is a ferrous mineral which is hard, heavy and bulky, and is an important raw material in Iron and Steel industry. Whereas copper is a non-ferrous mineral, lighter than manganese and is known for its high electrical conductivity.

(a) Manganese is widely used in the Iron and Steel Industry.

(b) Manganese is an important raw material for smelting of iron ore and also used for manufacturing ferro alloys. It is also used to make steel tough and resistant to rusting.

(a) "CNG" in the given picture refers to 'Compressed Natural Gas'. It's a form of natural gas that is compressed under high pressure, making it easier to store and transport.

(b) CNG is being used in auto rickshaws because it is generally considered a cleaner and more efficient fuel alternative compared to petrol or diesel. It produces fewer harmful emissions like carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, and nitrogen oxides, helping reduce air pollution, especially in crowded urban areas.

"Dep" in grid square 3390 signifies a depression or low-lying area that is lower than its surroundings. The agent responsible for "dep" is wind (wind erosion).

Two reasons that have led to the development of Dantiwada as the largest settlement in the given map are:

1. Availability of water sources — Dantiwada proximity to a river provides water for drinking, irrigation, and daily use, which supports agriculture and human settlement.
2. Transport facility — Presence of road network (like cart tracks and roads) connects Dantiwada with nearby areas, making transportation and communication easier.

Two probable reasons for the highest number of heatwave days in April in Gangetic West Bengal in 15 years could be:

1. El-Nino effect leads to reduced cloud cover and rainfall, resulting in higher temperatures and more frequent heatwaves.
2. Global warming leads to higher average temperatures, which in turn increases the likelihood and severity of heat waves.

(a) Chennai is located on the Coromandel Coast (Tamil Nadu) and receives most rainfall from the Northeast Monsoon and the Retreating Monsoon. Bengaluru, located inland in Karnataka, primarily receives rainfall from the Southwest Monsoon. Hence, Chennai has more wet days than Bengaluru.

(b) Tropical cyclones are more common in the Bay of Bengal than in the Arabian Sea because the Bay of Bengal is surrounded by land that traps heat. Due to this, the Bay of Bengal has warmer sea surface temperatures, which provide more moisture and energy for cyclone formation.