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Water Conservation
              Water is an essential natural resource for the existence of life. Our body is made up of 70% of water. We need water
              for agricultural, industrial, household and recreational activities. We can conserve water by using the given measures:

              •  By doing rainwater harvesting.
              •  Setting up water treatment plants to reuse the water for irrigation or other purposes.
              •  Judiciously using water at homes, restaurants, social gatherings and workplaces.
              •  Growing more vegetation in rain deficient areas to trap rainwater and hold underground water.

              •  Proper disposal of sewage and industrial wastes, so that it does not contaminate the water bodies around it.
              •  Building dams and reservoirs.
              Soil Conservation

              Soil contains important minerals which are used as nutrients for plants. These plants are the basis of food for all
              living organisms including man. Soil is also a home of many microorganisms that fix nitrogen and decompose organic
              matter. Loss of soil and its fertility can be due to several reasons like land overuse, erosion, salinisation, and chemical
              contamination. We can conserve soil by using the given methods:
              •  Afforestation: Planting more trees on the land with few or no trees is called afforestation. Trees are used to anchor
                the soil and reduce the amount of soil erosion undergone by that area. It also helps to offset excess carbon emitted
                by industries.
              •  Terrace Farming: It is a method of cultivation of crops especially rice in hilly areas. In this method, the sloppy land
                is carved into steps for planting crops. Each step has a mud barrier to prevent the washing away of soil nutrients by
                the rain water. It also helps in reducing water loss and soil erosion.

              •  Changing  Agricultural  Practices:  Retaining  soil  nutrients  and  preventing  soil  erosion  can  be  done  by  following
                changed agricultural practices like:





















                   w Crop Rotation: It is the system of cultivating different varieties of crops on the same piece of land across different
                  seasons. This helps to conserve soil fertility as different crops have different requirements of soil nutrients.
                   w Contour Ploughing: In this method, the soil is ploughed along the contour to decrease the soil runoff. By growing
                  the crops in a contour pattern, plants can absorb more rain water and thus minimise the soil erosion.
                   w No-Till Farming: It is a method of growing crops without tilling the soil. This practice will not disturb the top
                  layer of soil and the last crop present in the top layer will be decomposed fast which helps in maintaining the soil
                  nutrients and preventing soil erosion.
              •  Wind Breaks: Dense rows of tall evergreen trees are planted around the boundaries of farm. This reduces wind
                pressure and helps in preventing soil erosion due to wind and rain water.



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