Explain degradation of land by human activities.

Land degradation by human activities:

(i)We have sowed our land with the past generations and will have to do so with the future generations too.

(ii)Ninety-five per cent of our basic needs for food, shelter and clothing are obtained from land.

(iii)Human activities have not only brought about degradation of land but have also aggravated the pace of natural forces to cause damage to land.

(iv)At present, there are about 130 million hactares of degraded land in India. Approximately, 28 per cent of it belongs to the category of forest degraded area, 56 per cent of it is water eroded area and the rest is affected by saline and alkaline deposits.

(v)Some human activities and quarrying too have contributed significantly in land degradation.