These case-based questions from ‘Minerals and Energy Resources’. These extracts will help you test your understanding and application skills. Regular practice will make you confident, improve your speed and accuracy, and help you score full marks in the board exams.
Case based Questions:
Q.1 Read the given extract and answer the following questions.
Rat-Hole Mining. Do you know that most of the minerals in India are nationalised and their extraction is possible only after obtaining due permission from the government? But in most of the tribal areas of the north-east India, minerals are owned by individuals or communities. In Meghalaya, there are large deposits of coal, iron ore, limestone and dolomite etc. Coal mining in Jowai and Cherapunjee is done by family member in the form of a long narrow tunnel, known as ‘Rat hole’ mining. The National Green Tribunal has declared such activities illegal and recommended that these should be stopped forthwith.
i) In most parts of India, minerals are: (1)
a) Privately owned and freely mined
b) Nationalised; extraction needs government permission
c) Owned by village panchayats
d) Owned by foreign companies
Answer: b) Nationalised; extraction needs government permission
ii) In many tribal areas of North-East India, minerals are usually:
a) Controlled only by the central government
b) Owned by individuals or communities
c) Leased only to foreign firms
d) Free to mine without any permission
Answer: b) Owned by individuals or communities.
iii) What is “rat-hole” mining? (2)
Answer: It is a small, family-run method of coal extraction in which miners dig long, very narrow tunnels (like rat burrows) into the hillside to reach thin coal seams.
Q.2 Read the given extract and answer the following questions.
Energy is a basic requirement for economic development. Every sector of the national economy – agriculture, industry, transport, commercial and domestic – needs inputs of energy. The economic development plans implemented since Independence necessarily required increasing amounts of energy to remain operational. As a result, consumption of energy in all forms has been steadily rising all over the country. In this background, there is an urgent need to develop a sustainable path of energy development. Promotion of energy conservation and increased use of renewable energy sources are the twin planks of sustainable energy. India is presently one of the least energy efficient countries in the world. We have to adopt a cautious approach for the judicious use of our limited energy resources. For example, as concerned citizens we can do our bit by using public transport systems instead of individual vehicles; switching off electricity when not in use, using power-saving devices and using non-conventional sources of energy. After all, “energy saved is energy produced”.
i) The twin planks of sustainable energy are: (1)
a) Thermal and nuclear power
b) Energy conservation and renewable energy
c) Coal and petroleum expansion
d) Importing more crude oil
Answer: b) Energy conservation and renewable energy
ii) India is presently one of the least energy-efficient countries in the world. Is it true? (1)
Answer: Yes
iii) Suggest any two simple actions citizens can take to save energy. (2)
Answer: People can use public transport instead of personal vehicles. They can switch off lights, fans and appliances when not in use.
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