CLASS 8 – SOCIAL SCIENCE – CIVICS – MINIMUM LEARNING MATERIAL

  CLASS 8 – SOCIAL SCIENCE – CIVICS – MINIMUM LEARNING MATERIAL

1.     What is meant by public facilities? 

Public facilities are services provided by the government to its citizens. Some of the important public facilities include infrastructure, sanitation, public transport, health care, water, etc.

2.     Define Sanitation.

Sanitation refers to public health conditions related to clean drinking water and adequate treatment and disposal of human excreta and sewage. A sanitation system includes the capture, storage, transport, treatment and disposal or reuse of human excreta and wastewater.

3.     The Constitution of India recognizes the Right to Water as being a part of the Right to 
Life under which article? 


Article 21

4.     What is Sulabh International and which problem has been resolved by them? 
Suggest measures for solving the problem of water scarcity in cities. 


Sulabh is a non-government organisation which is working for three decades to address the problems of sanitation facing low-caste, low-income people in India. It has constructed more than 7,500 public toilet blocks and 1.2 million private toilets, giving access to sanitation to 10 million people.

Following measures should use to solve the problem of water scarcity in cities.

a)     Do not keep the tap open.

b)    use less amount of water.

c)     do not pollute water.

d)    keep water clean

5.     Why do you think that only the government and not the public must assume overall responsibility for all public facilities? OR 
Why should the government be responsible for providing public facilities? 

If democracy means the government of the people then it’s the responsibility of the government to look after the welfare of the people and provide all types of facilities. It is only the government that can do so because it has no profit motive of its own.

6.     Why does water flow is trickle in summer in most places of India? Explain. 

Demand of water rises during summer whereas the generation of water remains same or decreases in this season. People need more water for drinking and other household purpose. farmers need more water for irrigation and for their cattle. level of ground water goes down in many places making it difficult to explore water during summer season increases in summer. So, all these are reasons be cause of which water flow trickle in most places in India during summer.

7.     Who sets the minimum wages? 


The Government of India sets Minimum Wages.

An Act to provide for fixing minimum rates of wages in certain employments. The Minimum Wages Act 1948 is an Act of Parliament concerning Indian labour law that sets the minimum wages that must be paid to skilled and unskilled labours.

 

8.     Which gas leaked from the plant to cause death of thousands of people? 


In 1984 at Bhopal, the capital of Madhya Pradesh, the gas called methyl Iso-cyanide leaked from a factory. This caused thousands of people to die.

 

9.     Which Article of the Constitution prohibits employment of children below the age of 
14 in a factory or mines?

Article 24 


10.  Where and when did the world’s worst industrial tragedy take place? Which company 
was responsible for it? 

The World’s worst industrial tragedy took place at Bhopal in 1984. 
Union Carbide India Limited was the company responsible for it.

11.  What are conditions of workers in the power looms? OR 
How are workers economically exploited? 


Power loom workers have staged a number of demonstrations in the recent past against the failure of labour department and other government functionaries, but no action has been taken to improve their working conditions. These power looms lack even the basic facilities and do not offer service protection, old age benefits or social security to their workers. The workers complained that they were being paid very low wages for their 12 hours of hard work without any fringe benefits.

12.  What are the sources of environmental pollution? What are the steps being taken to reduce pollution?

The sources of environmental pollution are:

a)     Air: Transport and factories emitting more hazardous gases.

b)    Water: Disposal of factories waste in Yamuna river, immersion of idols, throwing of garbage in Yamuna river.

c)     Soil: Use of fertilizers and pesticides for cultivation.

Following steps should be taken to reduce pollution:

a)     Old vehicles should be banned. Diesel vehicles should be prohibited. Pollution norms should be checked strictly.

b)    Factories should be shifted out of the town area.

c)     Water disposal in Yamuna should be banned.

 

13.  Why are there sharp differences in safety standards across countries? 

Weak laws and cheap labour play a vital role in these sharp differences in safety standards across countries. Advanced countries like USA are relocating hazardous industries to developing countries like India to take advantage of the weaker laws in these countries.

 

14.  Explain what are the advantages to foreign companies in setting up production in 
India?

The advantages of foreign companies in setting up production in India are: 

a)     Foreign companies get cheap labour. Wages that the companies pay to workers in the USA are far higher than what they have to pay to workers in India. 

b)    Additional expenses such as for housing facilities for workers are also cheaper.




15.  Why do you think enforcement of safety laws is important in any factory? 


Enforcement or safety law is important in any factory because. the workers. get fair wages, and no overtime and ensure the safety of workers. and no workers should be discriminated on the basis of religion caste gender etc.