No Forest No Oxygen.

Can Deforestation bring down oxygen level?

by

Dr. Nitish Priyadarshi

Deforestation, or the removal of forests, is a major problem that has devastating effects all over the world. Europeans began clearing forests more than 500 years ago. The invention of modern machinery made the process even easier. By the end of the 19th century, most of the deciduous forest of North America, Australia and New Zealand had been cleared. In the 21st century, tropical forests are being cut and burned at alarming rates in South America and Southeast Asia. Asia as a whole has already lost about 90 percent of its forests.

With forest resources--"the lungs of the Earth"-- under attack in many regions, some have raised concerns about the planet's oxygen supply.

Oxygen is the most abundant chemical element, by mass, in our biosphere, air, sea and land. Oxygen is the third most abundant chemical element in the universe, after hydrogen and helium, but mainly in combination with something else. The stuff is all around us but we don’t see it. Chemically joined with other elements it accounts for more than a quarter of Earth’s total weight and almost half the mass of the crust. Free or dissolved molecular oxygen, however, represents only 0.01 percent of the total crust, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere taken together. Only seven of every billion atoms takes the form of molecular oxygen (O2), plus a neglible quantity as atomic or singlet O and ozone (O3). If the atmosphere contained much more oxygen, it would be inflammable. Remove oxygen and only anaerobic bacteria could survive.

How did plants come to alter the atmosphere? The key is the way in which plants create their own food. They employ photosynthesis, in which they use light energy to synthesize food sugars from carbon dioxide and water. The process releases a waste gas, oxygen. Those of us in the animal kingdom rely on oxygen to metabolize our food, and we in turn exhale carbon dioxide as a waste gas. The plant use this carbon dioxide for more photosynthesis, and so on, in a continuing system.

Oxygenic photosynthesis (synthesis by light) is by far the largest and most familiar source of O2. Upon its introduction at precariously trivial and fluctuating levels perhaps 2.8 aeons ago, oxygen began to play a role in the evolution of life and earth’s surface processes. After that, if not earlier, photosynthetic O2 and perhaps plate tectonism joined sunlight, gravity, and water as lead players on the evolutionary stage. Yet, for another 6 to 8 geocenturies it remained at vanishing low levels as a result of reactions with a variety of reduced substances.

Nor was oxygen-evolving photosynthesis the only source of oxygen. Physical splitting of H2O by photolysis was probably the prevailing initial process. Photolysis of CO2, as well as the release of oxygen from the metallic oxides as a result of microbial processes and chemical weathering, are potential but poorly understood sources.
On reaching present levels, perhaps 4 geocenturies ago, oxygen was still consumed by new reduced volcanic gases, erosionally exhumed carbon, and reduced matter in the hydrosphere right up to the present. Levels fluctuate with rates of erosion volcanism, and deforestation. The indefinite continuity of oxygen is not guaranteed.

Forests, a major source of oxygen to our atmosphere, are very important to the world’s climate because they help in rain formation and absorb carbon dioxide (CO2) from the air. As the forests disappear, the weather will change, and some places will dry up.

There are many benefits that we get from our forests. Some of these include cleaner drinking water, a home for plants and animals, economic growth, clean air, recreational opportunities. Another most important benefit we get from trees is called oxygen. If there were no trees to give us oxygen to breath, we would not be able to live. Trees are known as the oxygen supplier to our planet.

As vast forests such as the Amazon are denuded of their beauty and natural resources, our atmosphere is also seriously altered. The forests are stripped faster than they can be replanted, and when severely depleted, photosynthesis is greatly reduced. No photosynthesis, no oxygen. No oxygen, no life. But deforestation continues at a break neck speed in many areas of the world.

Earlier in Jharkhand forest played major role in balancing the temperature difference. But now forest cover is rapidly depleting. Even one of the biggest forest of Asia popularly known as Saranda Forest is also decreasing many fold due to rampant iron ore mining in Jharkhand State. Today the remaining forest areas are unevenly distributed. Bokaro has only 4.4% of area under forest. Similarly Sahebganj has only 2.31%, Dhanbad 12.72%, Deoghar 9.5% and Ranchi only 23.37% of area under vegetation.

At the Survey and Settlement (1902-1910) the area under forests in the Ranchi districts approximated to about 2,281 square miles, i.e. about 32 percent of the total land area of the district. At the Revisional Survey and Settlement (1927-1935) this area shrank to about 1,956 square mils, i.e. 27 percent of the total land area. Thus during a period of 25 years, 325 square miles of forests had disappeared. When the forests were notified under the Bihar Private Forests Act,1946 and demarcation was done only about 1,065 square miles were found under forests in this district. Adding 213 square miles of reserve forests to this, the total area under forest in this district came to 1,278 square miles. Thus in course of a decade over 600 square miles of forests disappeared. Now it has reached up to 23 percent and gradually decreasing further.

The unusually high concentration of oxygen gas on Earth is the result of the oxygen cycle. The biogeochemical cycle describes the movement of oxygen within and between its three main reservoirs on Earth: the atmosphere, the biosphere, and the lithosphere. The main driving factor of the oxygen cycle is photosynthesis, which is responsible for modern Earth’s atmosphere. Photosynthesis releases oxygen into the atmosphere, while respiration and decay remove it from the atmosphere.

Regarding percentage of oxygen present in the atmosphere in the geological past, it was revealed that air bubbles trapped in fossilized amber had been analyzed and found to contain oxygen levels of 38%. Yet today it is well known that the average content of the oxygen in air is only 19% to 21%. If we believe on the report of oxygen level in the fossilized amber, it appears that since the early history of our earth there has been a stunning decrease of 50% in the average oxygen content of the air we breathe. According to other report, analysis of the air in various parts of the world today reveals the frightening fact that the oxygen content continues to decline. In fact in some of the larger and therefore more polluted cities the oxygen levels have been measured at a disturbing level of 12 to 15%. Scientists claim that anything under 7% oxygen content in the air is too low to support human life, even for short periods.

Historical trends, as explained in Atmospheric Oxygen, Giant Paleozoic Insects and the Evolution of Aerial Locomotor Performance by R. Dudley, JExB, show a high of about 35% just before the beginning of the Permian, with a rapid decline to a low of about 13-14% near the beginning of the Triassic, then a small spike at about 17% in mid Triassic, another drop to about 14-15% early in the Jurassic, a sudden climb to about 21% by mid-Jurassic, then a gentle climb to about 26% early in the Tertiary, and a rather constant, steady decline to the present "20.9%."
Our planet’s future is under threat as cutting back tropical forests we put our supply of oxygen gas at risk.
There is difference in opinion about oxygen depletion. Some scientists believe that our atmosphere is endowed with such an enormous reserve of this gas that even if we were to burn all our fossil reserves, all our trees, and all the organic matter stored in soils, we would use up only a few percent of the available oxygen. No matter how foolishly we treat our environment heritage, we simply don’t have the capacity to put more than a small dent in our oxygen supply.

But we can’t take any risk. If forest or plants provide oxygen, cutting or burning trees is definitely going to affect the oxygen balance of our atmosphere.

Sources:

Cloud,P. 1988. Oasis in space, earth history from the beginning. W.W. Norton & Company, New York.
http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/coal/quarterly/co2_article/co2.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxygen
http://www.sdpo.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=41&Itemid=61
http://www.columbia.edu/cu/21stC/issue-2.1/broecker.htm

Ranchi city of India is facing acute water crisis.

Water has decreased in Dams, Ponds and Rivers.

by

Dr. Nitish Priyadarshi

Surface Water has reduced in Kanke Dam

Flow of water in Kanke Dam has also reduced

All the small rivulets flowing through Ranchi city has dried up.

No water in rivulet

Water reduced in one of the important ponds of Ranchi city.

No water in local ponds

Inhabitants of Ranchi city of Jharkhand state of India are facing acute water crisis. Most of the dug wells and deep wells and the corporation taps of this populated area have run dry forcing people to consume polluted surface water. Extensive deforestation, urbanization and industrilisation has led to uneven spread of rainfall, on which the water supply from the dams to the city area is depended. Even the ground water table has been affected due to uneven rainfall. From last few years rainfall due to western disturbances during winter season has shown decline trend. This rainfall earlier used to recharge groundwater which helped to maintain water table in peak summer season.

This summer season most of the ponds and small rivulets flowing through the city has dried up due to unbearable hot temperature. Earlier Ranchi was known for its cool climate even in the summer season. Temperature rarely went up to 41 degree centigrade. But now it is very common. It is a fact that before 1990s whenever temperature rose to 35 degree centigrade during day time, Ranchi plateau used to get evening rainfall which helped to recharge the ground water table as well as surface water table. But now this phenomenon has stopped. Now continuous dry season last for more than six months. From last few years the temperature is showing increasing trend.

The main reasons for this water scarcity are as follows:

Dams: There are three major dams (Kanke, Rukka and Hatia) in Ranchi city which is now filled with sediments affecting water table. Due to these sedimentations the storage capacity of all the three dams have decreased many fold. From the year of their constructions silts have never been removed which has not only depleted the water table but also made dame water contaminated.

Topography: General elevation of Ranchi city is 600 m. above the mean sea level and has a flat to gently undulating topography with occasional ridges. The Ranchi plateau gradually slopes down towards south east into the hilly and undulating region of Singhbhum. Due to this uneven topography the rain water are lost through surface runoff resulting in less water percolation below the surface. The thin soil layer of Ranchi plateau which is becoming more thin due to weathering is gradually loosing its water retaining capacity.

Geology and Urbanisation: The process of urbanization and industrilisation from last 20 years has caused changes in the water table as a result of decreased recharge and increased withdrawal. Many of the small ponds which were main source of water in the surrounding areas are now filled for different construction purpose affecting the water table. Lots of DEEP- BORING in the Ranchi city has also forced the water table to move down as well as Ranchi plateau consists of metamorphic rocks which are relatively impermeable and hence serve as poor aquifers. They bear groundwater only in their weathered top portion which rarely exceeds 10 meters.
Rainfall factor: Though Ranchi receives sufficient amount of rainfall (1000mm to 1200 mm every year) but it is not an accurate indicator of groundwater level changes. Recharge is the governing factor (assuming annual withdrawals are constant); it depends on rainfall intensity and distribution and amount of surface runoff. As Ranchi is the plateau area waste of rainwater in the form of surface runoff varies from 35% to 40%. So recharging is not so good.

Many houses have been built over the recharge area which are the major source of water to unconfined aquifer below, because an unconfined aquifer is one in which a water table varies, depending on areas of recharge and discharge and pumping from the wells.
Among the natural drinking water sources are ponds and lakes that too has their life span, is being threatened by early Eutrophication due to sedimentation, which hampers bottom discharge processes. Pollution growth of Algal bloom, weeds in the remaining ponds of Ranchi has made water unfit for domestic use imparting fowl smell.

The state of Jharkhand, although claims to be a store house of minerals in India, is not so rich in water resources. Most of the areas are occupied by the hard rock, which is in general protracted drought prone areas.

Hard rock which occupies major portion of the Jharkhand plateaus are devoid of primary porosity and occurrence and movement of groundwater is controlled by the joints, fractures and fissures present in them.

The need of the day is to conserve every drop of water and recharge the depleted aquifers. Mere slogan shouting will not carry us far. The time is now ripe for action with the involvement of the people who are beneficiaries.

Half- hearted attempts are being made at rainwater harvesting in Ranchi city and with much publicity given in the media. The scheme can benefit thousands of acres of arid lands, if small ponds are excavated at vantage points or small check dams are build in at particular intervals in the different rivulets to conserve soil moisture.

Remedies:

1. Identification of the recharge area or catchment areas in and around Ranchi city to ensure no further construction on those lands.
2. Construction of artificial water reservoirs in suitable area in and around Ranchi to collect the rain waters.
3. Cleaning of ponds, lakes, rivulets and dams periodically to rejuvenate their capacity of storage of water.
4. Providing proper consultancy to determine suitable areas for deep boring and hand pumps.
5. To ensure regular safe drinking water supply from the Municipal to stop reckless deep boring, because in absence of water supply people are forced go for alternative source of drinking water.
6. Water conservation measures from domestic level.
7. Metering and pricing of water.
8. Region wise, in-depth study of the water balance.
9. Further planning of plantation and aforestation to ensure regularity of water cycle.
10. Fostering an awareness of water as a scare resource and its conservation as an important principle-through NGOs.

Plant more trees to reduce carbon dioxide.

Carbon dioxide on the rise.

by

Dr. Nitish Priyadarshi
Carbon is found in all living things –plants, animals, and humans- and nearly everywhere on the Earth. It is found in the atmosphere in the gas carbon dioxide, and dissolved in water in oceans and lakes. It is also found in soil, fossil fuels stored deep in ground, certain types of rocks, and in the shells of animals.

The carbon cycle is a complex cycle that circulates carbon between plants, animals and soils. The exchange of carbon between living and non-living things is very closely balanced. About 100 gigatonnes of carbon is captured by plants and oceans each year and about the same amount is released back into the environment. But this natural balance is disturbed by human activities such as burning fossil fuels and deforestation. Burning fossil fuels releases more carbon dioxide into the air. Deforestation or thin forest cover on the other hand, results in less carbon being removed from the atmosphere. It is clear from the pictures below where more carbon concentration (in Red colour) is seen in the atmosphere on the areas (Northern Hemisphere) where the forest cover is thin as compared to southern hemisphere where forest covers are sufficient. Green plants are known as carbon sinks. This means that they remove carbon from the atmosphere and store it.

Fig. 1. [Picture showing the forest cover on our Earth in green colours]
source: NASA's Terra satellite.

Fig.2. [Red colour is the concentration of carbon dioxide. Concentration of CO2 is high where forest cover is thin.]

An international team of scientists, including researchers from CIFOR, have discovered that rainforest trees are getting bigger, storing more carbon from the atmosphere and slowing climate change.

According to the findings, tropical trees in undisturbed forests around the world are absorbing nearly a fifth of the carbon-dioxide (C02) released by burning fossil fuels. That is significantly more than the greenhouse gas emissions produced by the world’s transport sector.

The researchers estimate that remaining tropical forests remove a massive 4.8 billion tonnes of CO2 emissions from the atmosphere each year. This includes a previously unknown carbon sink in Africa, mopping up 1.2 billion tonnes of CO2 each year.

Published on February 19 in Nature, the 40-year study of African tropical forests, which account for one third of the world’s total tropical forest, shows that over decades each hectare of intact African forest has trapped an extra 0.6 tonnes of carbon per year.

Over the past 140 years, forest clearing and fossil-fuel burning have pushed up the atmosphere’s CO2 level by nearly 100 parts per million. The average surface temperature of the Northern Hemisphere has mirrored the rise in CO2. the 1990s was the warmest decade since the mid- 1800s, and 1998 the warmest year.

While all living plant matter absorbs CO2 as part of photosynthesis, trees process significantly more than smaller plants due to their large size and extensive root structures. In essence, trees, as kings of the plant world, have much more “woody biomass” to store CO2 than smaller plants, and as a result are considered nature’s most efficient “carbon sinks.”
According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), tree species that grow quickly and live long are ideal carbon sinks.

Forests are carbon stores, and they are carbon dioxide sinks when they are increasing in density or area.

As the human population increases, forests are cleared for land and to provide firewood and timber to build houses. Today, almost all of the forests in Europe and North America have been cleared. The forests that remain are mostly in tropical areas like the Amazon region of Brazil and Southeast Asia.

The terrifying fact is that tropical forests are also being destroyed across the planet at accelerating rates. Current estimates indicate that as much as 17 million hectares of tropical forests are being destroyed each year, with up to six million hectares alone of that destruction taking place in the Brazilian Amazon. Saranda forest (one of the biggest forest area of Asia} of Jharkhand State of Eastern India is also being destroyed due illegal iron ore mining which is rampant in the area.

These forests are disappearing at an alarming rate. Data obtained from satellites show that the rate of destruction in these places has increased to between 64,000 square kilometres and 204,000 square kilometres. Scientists estimate that by 2030, 80 percent of the world’s forest will be lost forever. As wood decomposes or is burned for fuel, the carbon stored in trees goes back into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide. According to the scientists, deforestation accounts for about 20 per cent of the increase in the release of human related carbon dioxide since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution.

In the mid-1700s, people began to invent machines to help them do work. Like vehicles today, these machines burned fossil fuels for energy, which released green house gases into the atmosphere. More and more machines were built and used. In less than 200 years, the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere increased from 280 parts per million to 360 parts per million. This means that if we divided a sample of air into a million parts, 360 of those parts would be carbon dioxide.

Forest scientists have come to a surprising conclusion regarding old growth forests and their majestic, mature trees: They’re not just relaxing in their arboreal old age, but are still actively taking in carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The new study suggests that protecting old growth forests may be just as important as planting new trees in efforts to reduce carbon dioxide levels and fight global warming.

Previously, researchers believed that only young, fast-growing trees absorbed enough carbon dioxide to be considered significant “carbon sinks.” Old, crowded forests don’t allow for much new growth: The only new growth occurred in the small spaces that opened up when large old trees died and decomposed, releasing their accumulated carbon. The forests at large were therefore considered to be carbon neutral, and accounted as such in climate models [Nature News]. But the new study shows that the slow but continuous growth of old trees means that they continue to suck up more carbon than they release. These forests need to be protected not just because they help to absorb carbon dioxide, but also because destroying them could release huge stores of greenhouse gases.
Already we have pumped out enough greenhouse gases to warm the planet for many decades to come. We have created the environment in which our children and grandchildren are going to leave.

Sources:

Bunyard, P.,1999. Eradicating the Amazon rainforests will wreak havoc on climate. The Ecologist. Volume.29, no.2.

National Geographic Magazine, September,2004.

Our Warming Planet, 2004. Times Editions, Singapore.

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2008/09/11/want-to-capture-carbon-protect-old-trees/

GLOBAL WARMING THREATS JHARKHAND,INDIA

GLOBAL WARMING THREATS JHARKHAND- SOME FACTS

Reforestation is not going to help much
Different diseases may rise

By
Dr. Nitish Priyadarshi


Are we already seeing the effects of global warming in Jharkhand State. From last several years Jharkhand is facing extremes of the climate. In year 2005and 2006 Jharkhand had spells of excessive rainfall. In the month of February and March 2007 Jharkhand faced heavy rainfall followed with hail storms which is unusual in Jharkhand at this time. We have faced extremes of climate in very quick interval this year till now. Few years earlier people of Jharkhand used to keep away the blankets and warm clothes in the month of March especially during Holi festival. But this year every thing was unusual. Big sizes of the hails indicated big turbulence in the upper atmosphere. Hail storms affected many parts of the state. This happened because temperature increased earlier above the normal in the month of February which is not a normal phenomenon.
On June 13th more than 15 people were killed due to lightning including 5 children. Recent researches has shown that global warming is the major cause of such phenomenon. One of the major cause of global warming is carbon dioxide. Models have been developed that predict atmospheric increases in carbon dioxide. One such model predicts that a doubling carbon dioxide could increase the amount of lightning occurrences by 30-77%. With the growing effects of global warming, potential increases in severe weather will certainly result in more lightning activity leading to more damage to human life.

In 1960's and 1970's peoples of Ranchi (the then summer capital of Bihar Jharkhand united) rarely used fans even in summer seasons. This facts can be justified by the following statements published in Ranchi Gazetteers in the year 1970- " The climate of the Ranchi plateau is cool and pleasant. It is only during the month's of April or May that the temperature rises occasionally. The general elevation of 2,180 feet above sea level gives it a uniformly lower range temperature than the plains."

According to the report maximum temperature rises above 40 degree centigrade in the last month of April or May but only for few days. But at present in Ranchi the trend in rise in temperature starts from March itself. And now use of A.C. and cooler is very common.
Jharkhand is already facing storms, flash floods, droughts, heat waves, drastic increase in disease transmissions, etc. This doesn't mean that Jharkhand has not faced this phenomenon earlier but now the fact is that this is happening frequently. All this indicates that global warming or in other way it will be more justified to call as Regional Warming, is slowly sowing its impact on Jharkhand.

In Jharkhand Warming may caused primarily by the very foundation on which modern civilisation is built- the burning of coal and oil.

There is no doubt that climate is changing in Jharkhand and we are responsible for it by emitting green houses gases like carbon dioxide and methane in larger amount.

Since 1970 mean temperature is rising with little variation. This doesn't mean that this warming phenomenon is recent. Earlier too Jharkhand has passed through different phases of warming. It happened million years ago. Jharkhand has already passed through different climatic changes in the geological past. From cold to hot and dry. This has been researched by different geologists in different coal basins of Jharkhand where the evidences of the climate changes are found in the rocks. Global Warming is natural phenomenon but now it is being triggered by the civilisation.

In Jharkhand main source of increasing carbon dioxide is burning of fossil fuels, especially coal through Thermal Power Plant. Coal fired electricity generation gives rise to nearly twice as much carbon dioxide as natural gas.

A 1,000 (one thousand) megawatt electrical coal-fired power station burning coal has typical fuel requirement of almost 3.2 million tonnes of black coal a year. Burning of brown coal would require 9.3 million tonnes of fuel. Each year the 1000 MW coal-fired power station produces about 7 million tonnes of carbon dioxide , perhaps 200,000 tonnes of sulfur dioxide.

In Jharkhand thermal power generation capacity is 1260 MW which includes Patratu Thermal, Tenughat Thermal and Bokaro Thermal. If they are working in full capacity you can imagine how much carbon dioxide is coming in our atmosphere from the last 40 years i.e. from the year of working.

The figure is dangerously high i.e. more than 7 million tonnes of carbon dioxide per year. If we calculate the total 40 years ± 5 years it crosses to more than 280 million tonnes. Only relief is that Jharkhand coal contain less sulfur. So the contribution of sulfur to the atmosphere is less.

Even the coal burning in the open coal mines like that of Jharia, Dhanbad, North Karanpura coalfield is contributing carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. So we can easily imagine the serious conditions regarding drastic climatic changes in the Jharkhand due to this carbon emission.

When the electricity comes from coal, every kilowatt hour of it results in about a kilogram of carbon dioxide being emitted.

With higher temperatures there is more energy driving the Jharkhand climatic systems which in turn causing more violent weather events.

One dreadful fact regarding carbon dioxide is that a large proportion of the carbon dioxide we put into the atmosphere remains there, warming the planet, for around 200 (two hundred) years.

The other green house gas giving threat to Jharkhand is Methane. It is some 20 times more powerful than carbon dioxide. It is being contributed through the leaks from the coal mines containing Methane gas. Ranchi and other cities in Jharkhand many open and abandoned areas are being used as landfills which are also the main contributors of Methane gas to the atmosphere. Even the termite mounds which are common in Jharkhand contributes Methane gas, but they are known to be natural sources not Anthropogenic. Methane's residence time in the atmosphere is approximately 12 years.

Earlier in Jharkhand forest played major role in absorbing excess carbon dioxide and balancing the temperature difference. But unfortunately due to deforestation in large scale in Jharkhand may have increased the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere many fold. Today the remaining forest areas are unevenly distributed. Bokaro has only 4.4% of area under forest. Similarly Sahebganj has only 2.31%, Dhanbad 12.72%, Deoghar 9.5% and Ranchi only 23.37% of area under vegetation.

At the Survey and Settlement (1902-1910) the area under forests in the Ranchi districts approximated to about 2,281 square miles, i.e. about 32 percent of the total land area of the district. At the Revisional Survey and Settlement (1927-1935) this area shrank to about 1,956 square mils, i.e. 27 percent of the total land area. Thus during a period of 25 years, 325 square miles of forests had disappeared. When the forests were notified under the Bihar Private Forests Act,1946 and demarcation was done only about 1,065 square miles were found under forests in this district. Adding 213 square miles of reserve forests to this, the total area under forest in this district came to 1,278 square miles. Thus in course of a decade over 600 square miles of forests disappeared. Now it has reached upto 23 percent and gradually decreasing further.

This doesn't mean that deforestation is causing warming phenomenon. Fact is that with deforestation green house gases especially carbon dioxide is also increasing. Earlier these forests use to trap excess carbon dioxide to some extent which balanced the temperature.

The lower percentage of forest cover in the districts has been influenced by the nature of land as well as by the human interference in the form of mining activities and industrial-cum-urban development. In Sahebganj, Pakur and Godda districts, the forest has not been spared even on hills. The Damodar Basin has also recorded remarkable depletion of forest cover because of wanton cutting of forests, exploitation of mining areas and development of urban localities. The forest in this area is confined to the north and west.

Now comes the motor vehicles which is also contributing green house gases in the form of carbon monoxide, nitrous oxide etc. After the formation of Jharkhand motor vehicles have increased many fold. The districts with the largest number of registered vehicles in Jharkhand are East Singhbhum with 2,75,121 followed by Ranchi (2,15,794) and Dhanbad (1,72,033).

Ranchi topped the list of increase in vehicle registrations in 2001-2002, the largest in buses, cars, taxis, jeeps, two-wheelers and three wheelers were recorded in Ranchi.

East Singhbhum was number two districts in buses, cars, jeeps, two wheelers and three wheelers. But the maximum number of trucks increased in Dhanbad (344), followed by Giridih (244) and Hazaribagh (191) during 2001-2002.

Most part of the place in Jharkhand is a plateau area having heights of 400 meter to 800 meter above the mean sea level. Such height receives more solar radiation than plains. Generally it is in the form of sunlight and whose warmth we can feel. The place will have stable temperature so long as there is an approximate balance between the energy received from the sun and that returned to space. In Jharkhand State excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere prevents some of the extra energy going back to space. This phenomenon increases the temperature of the place either for short period or sometimes for long period.

Effects due to this warming:

Major health problems may spread in Jharkhand due to gradual warming in the State. They are likely to be severe and many many people are going to be affected.

The health effects can be divided into two categories: direct and indirect. Direct effects will result from direct exposure to the weather extremes that climate change will cause, for example: heat stroke, death or injuries due to storms and also some times flash floods in different drainage basins, rivulets and rivers. In year 2006 we saw the fury of Damodar river near Rajrappa temple were most part of the temple was submerged and many shops were gutted.

Indirect effects will result from subsequent changes in environment and ecosystems- for example: the spread of vector borne diseases into new areas, nutrition problems resulting from crop faliure and even the mental health problems which may result from social and political dislocation.

Regarding direct effects, death from stroke, various cardiovascular illness and influenza in particular may become more common during extremes of weather.

Malaria (mosquito borne disease) is already on rampant in very big area in Jharkhand affecting millions. Due to the warming it is no doubt that this disease will multiply and spread in new areas. In year 2006 many cases of Dengu fever was also reported in the State which was never reported earlier.

Other diseases which may threat the people of Jharkhand are Lymphatic Filariasis, Guinea worm, etc. Old and children are to be worst affected.

Different water borne disease is already on the rampage and is increasing gradually. The new threat may be Cholera, often assumed to be a largely a disease of the past. Water related diseases like typhoid, hepatitis A, diarrhoeal diseases are likely to multiply and spread too. One obvious, but often overlooked, consequence of the health problems which climate change is preparing to visit on us, is the financial cost of dealing with the problem.

Continuous depletion of ground water and increase of contamination in the water of different rivers like Damodar, Swarnrekha etc. are also the outcome of this warming. As the temperature rises the water evaporates speedily decreasing the water level and quantity and thereby increasing the toxicity.

Many sensitive ecosystems, however, may disappear in the face of hotter, dryer conditions. Changes are not expected to be evenly distributed through out Jharkhand. Night will be more warmer. Some animal and insect species may migrate or vanish as the climate warms. Many wild plant and medicinal plant may go extinct. Many scientists have reported that nitrogen oxide in carbon dioxide enriched air reduced the growth of several horticultural species. Scientists found that, with tomato, 1 ppm (parts per million) nitric oxide reduced the photosynthesis rate by 38%.
How can we reduce the threat of Climate Change.

Once greenhouse gases enter the atmosphere, most are therefore 50-12- years. So a delay of even a decade or so in reducing these emissions can make it much more difficult and costly to slow the rate and momentum of global warming and avert or lessen the more extreme consequences.

One way is to plant trees to remove excess carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Unfortunately studies indicate that a reforestation program in which each person in the world planted and tended an average of 1,000 trees every year would offset only about 3 years of current carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels. Also, this is only a temporary approach because the rate of removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere by photosynthesis decreases as trees mature and grow at a slower pace. In addition, trees release their stored carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere when they die and decompose or if they catch fire.

So reforestation in Jharkhand is not going to solve this problem in great amount. Now it is essential to find out the other possibilities to reduce the increased carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Alternative methods for generating electricity other than thermal power plants are nuclear plants as there is no emission of carbon dioxide from such plants, or to establish hydro electric plants or geothermal plants.

This research report has been prepared by
Dr. Nitish Priyadarshi
Geologist
Fellow Member Geological Society of India
Lecturer in Department of Environment and Water Management
J.N. College, Ranchi University.