Management of Land and Water Resources for Ecological Security

Abstract

Management of land and water resources has emerged as a vital issue in promoting biodiversity and ecological security programmes. The basic message of ecological security is not of containing development to save ecology but of managing ecology to promote development. What is good for development is equally good for ecology. Developmentalists point out that development not only provides for all-round expansion of the economy but also brings capacity for improving the quality of ecology. Therefore the basic issue is that the wheel of development must move on but it should advance within the supportive capacity of the ecosystem. Any desired development should have the ingredients of efficiency, equity and democracy. When this is done the people tend to take ecology-friendly decisions. The validity of the above ideas is tested through a case study on Palar river basin. Management of Palar river basin against water pollution requires effective monitoring and implementation of protective measures not only for the management of water care but also for the land care as well. In doing so, this study analyses the grave problems posed by tannery effluents and suggest measures for achieving sustainable development, environment and livelihood security.