Which of the following types of land degradation is only caused by human action?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → Mining and industrial wastelands
Land degradation is induced by two processes: natural, and created by human beings. Wastelands are grouped by the processes that created them: some by natural agents, some by natural as well as human factors, and some by human action.
Option (1) Water logged and marshy areas — Incorrect. Waterlogged and marshy areas are caused by natural as well as human factors, not by human action alone.
Option (2) Land degradation due to flooding — Incorrect. Flooding is not one of the wasteland types caused by human action alone.
Option (3) Mining and industrial wastelands — Correct. Mining and industrial wastelands are created by human action.
Option (4) Land affected by salinity in coastal areas — Incorrect. Land affected by salinity and alkalinity is caused by natural as well as human factors.
NCERT (2026-27): “There are two processes that induce land degradation. These are natural and created by human beings. … There are other types of degraded lands such as waterlogged and marshy areas, land affected by salinity and alkalinity and land with or without scrub, which have largely been caused by natural as well as human factors. There are some other types of wastelands such as degraded shifting cultivation area, degraded land under plantation crops, degraded forests, degraded pastures, and mining and industrial wastelands, are caused by human action.” |