Soil

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First published in Sanctuary Asia, Vol. 31 No. 9, September 2011

Bad irrigation techniques could lead to salinisation of soil. Large areas in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Karnataka are affected by salinity. Deforestation, a major cause of soil degradation could result in laterisation (hard soil due to accumulation of minerals). It has been estimated that the economic loss due to soil degradation could be in the range of 89 to 232 billion rupees. This implies a loss of about 11 per cent to 26 per cent of our agricultural output.

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