All people around the world should contribute to the plantation, we are at that stage where we can't afford to lose more forests and trees around our county, state, city, or neighbourhoods. We are going to look at some major points about the water level and deforestation. Especially we are going to talk about the 'Jungle of Hasdeo'
Overview
- Drinkingcable water resources
- Impact of Deforestation
- Impact of cutting Hasdeo forest in upcoming years (Chhattisgarh)
- Conclusion
Drinkingcable water resources
The percentage of drinking water on Earth compared to total water is relatively small.
About 97.5% of Earth's water is saline and found in oceans and seas, making it unsuitable for drinking without desalination. The remaining 2.5% is freshwater, but a significant portion of this freshwater is locked up in glaciers, ice caps, and permanent snow, leaving only a fraction available as liquid freshwater for human consumption.
Of the liquid freshwater, the majority is stored in groundwater aquifers (around 30.1%), followed by glaciers and ice caps (about 68.7%). Surface water sources such as rivers, lakes, and reservoirs account for a smaller percentage, approximately 0.3% of the total freshwater.
Only a fraction of this available freshwater is accessible for human use as drinking water. This accessibility depends on water quality, infrastructure, and environmental conditions.
Efficient management and conservation of freshwater resources are essential to ensure a sustainable supply of safe drinking water for human populations worldwide. This includes protecting water sources from pollution, implementing water conservation measures, and investing in water treatment and distribution infrastructure.
Impact of Deforestation
Deforestation can have significant impacts on water scarcity and the hydrological cycle. Here's how:
1. Reduced Evapotranspiration: Trees play a crucial role in the water cycle by absorbing water from the soil through their roots and releasing it into the atmosphere through a process called transpiration. This moisture contributes to cloud formation and precipitation. When forests are cleared, there is a reduction in evapotranspiration, which can lead to decreased cloud cover and rainfall in the region.
2. Soil Erosion: Tree roots help bind the soil together, preventing erosion by rainfall and runoff. Deforestation removes this protective cover, leading to increased soil erosion. Sediment from eroded soil can clog waterways, reduce water quality, and disrupt aquatic ecosystems. Additionally, eroded soil carries away nutrients needed for plant growth, further impacting vegetation and reducing the land's ability to retain water.
3. Changes in Streamflow: Deforestation can alter the timing and magnitude of streamflow in rivers and streams. Without trees to intercept rainfall and regulate water flow, water runoff can occur more rapidly, leading to increased peak flows during storms and decreased base flows during dry periods. Depending on the region and the extent of deforestation, this can exacerbate flooding and drought conditions.
4. Loss of Watershed Function: Forests often serve as natural watersheds, collecting rainfall and slowly releasing it into streams and rivers over time. Deforestation disrupts this natural function, leading to changes in the hydrological behaviour of watersheds. This can affect downstream water availability and quality, impacting both human communities and ecosystems that rely on these water sources.
5. Impacts on Groundwater Recharge: Trees play a role in groundwater recharge by allowing rainfall to infiltrate into the soil and percolate down to replenish underground aquifers. Deforestation reduces this process, leading to decreased groundwater recharge rates. In regions where groundwater is a critical water source for drinking, agriculture, and industry, this can exacerbate water scarcity issues.
Impact of cutting Hasdeo forest in upcoming years (Chhattisgarh)
The Hasdeo Anand forest is situated in the Surguja and Korba districts of Chhattisgarh, covering an extensive area of approximately 170,000 hectares. It is part of the larger Maikal range of hills and forms a crucial corridor connecting various forested regions in central India.
Hasdeo Anand is home to around 10,000 people from Goad, Oraon and many other tribes. The forest also generates 60-70% annual income of these people not only that but the forest is also home to 82 species of birds, and 170 (approx) varieties of vegetation out of which 18 are considered threatened, and endangered butterfly species. Hasdeo Anand is also home to a wildlife habitat consisting of Elephants, and other Hurbievoureos animals and Tigers.
In 2014 Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh cleared the proposal of Hasdeo Anand to be in the National Green Tribunal (NGT) which suspended the mining work but the order was stayed by the Supreme Court, where the matter remains pending.
Here the irony many things happened since then but the Greed Adani group and the BJP blindly cut down more than 30,000-40,000 trees has been cut down. Without a vision without realising any effect of deforestation. Hasdeo had been the land of many tribes and the Natural habitat of the Wildlife. It will raise conflict between humans and wildlife as well as the problem ecosystem(including the water level).
CONCLUSION
Addressing deforestation requires a multifaceted approach that combines forest conservation, sustainable land management, reforestation, and community engagement. Protecting and restoring forests is essential for mitigating the impacts of deforestation on human lives and building a more sustainable and resilient future.
Overall, deforestation can contribute to water scarcity by disrupting the natural processes that regulate water availability and quality. Addressing deforestation through sustainable land management practices and forest conservation efforts is essential for maintaining healthy watersheds and ensuring sufficient water resources for both humans and ecosystems.
Salute to those brave people who stood against cutting trees and all those tribes and people who came to support Hasdeo Anand
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