Page 18 - SST Class 04

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crops, such as jowar bajra wheat maize pulses etc. These crops do not need a large
amount of water.
Only a few rivers are there in the desert. These rivers either drain into salt lakes or
disappear into the sands. The only river which drains into the Rann of Kutch is the
Loni River .

Deficient of water, the western desert finds some solace from the Indira Gandhi Canal
which has been dug here. It brings water from the Sutlej River for irrigation. This canal
has turned some parts of the desert green and fertile, due to which agriculture has
become possible. This proves that if water is supplied here, the land can be made green
and fertile.

Owing to scarce water resources, the atmosphere is very dry. Harsh living conditions
prevail here, so the population is very sparse.

Shifting dunes make it difficult to build roads and lay railways. Therefore, the chief
means of transport are horses and camels. A camel has padded feet, so it can walk on
sand easily. Also, it can live without food and water for a few days, so it is the most
suitable animal for the desert. For this reason, it is popularly called the ship of the

desert .

desert : an area deficient in rain and water.
sand dune : a small hill of sand formed by the wind.
oasis : an area in the desert where groundwater has come to the surface.

Facts

• A desert is an area where it rains little.
• The large desert in western part of India is called the Thar or Indian Desert.
• Sand dunes are formed from loose soil; these dunes keep shifting their place.

• Scarce water makes it hard for plants and trees to grow.
• An oasis has some water and greenery so people settle there and grow some crops.
• Availability of water can transform a desert into a green and fertile land.

• Horses and camels are the chief means of transport in the desert.

XERCISE

A. Tick (3) the right option :
1. Living conditions in a desert are ____________ .
(a) very harsh (b) very comfortable (c) pleasant

18 Contemporary Social Science-4