Passage 1
‘The new line to be constructed was the Indus Valley Railway between Multan and Sukkur, a distance of nearly 300 miles. At the rate of 2000 sleepers per mile this would require 600,000 sleepers 10 feet by 10 inches by 5 inches (or 3.5 cubic feet apiece), being upwards of 2,000,000 cubic feet. The locomotives would use wood fuel. At the rate of one train daily either way and at one maund per train-mile an annual supply of 219,000 maunds would be demanded. In addition, a large supply of fuel for brick-burning would be required. The sleepers would have to come mainly from the Sind Forests. The fuel from the tamarisk and Jhand forests of Sind and the Punjab. The other new line was the Northern State Railway from Lahore to Multan. It was estimated that 2,200,000 sleepers would be required for its construction.’
E.P. Stebbing, The Forests of India, Vol. II (1923)
Questions / Answer:
Question 1: How many sleepers were required for the construction of the Indus Valley Railway between Multan and Sukkur?
Answer: The construction required 600,000 sleepers, considering a distance of nearly 300 miles at a rate of 2000 sleepers per mile.
Question 2: What were the dimensions of the sleepers mentioned in the passage?
Answer: The sleepers were specified to be 10 feet by 10 inches by 5 inches, or 3.5 cubic feet apiece.
Question 3: How much wood fuel was estimated to be required for the locomotives on the Indus Valley Railway?
Answer: It was estimated that the locomotives would use wood fuel, with an annual demand of 219,000 maunds, assuming one train daily either way and at one maund per train-mile.
Question 4: Where were the sleepers primarily sourced from for the construction of the Indus Valley Railway?
Answer: The sleepers were mainly sourced from the Sind Forests.
Question 5: What was the estimated number of sleepers required for the construction of the Northern State Railway from Lahore to Multan?
Answer: It was estimated that 2,200,000 sleepers would be required for the construction of the Northern State Railway.
Passage 2
Baigas are a forest community of Central India. In 1892, after their shifting cultivation was stopped, they petitioned to the government: ‘We daily starve, having had no foodgrain in our possession. The only wealth we possess is our axe. We have no clothes to cover our body with, but we pass cold nights by the fireside. We are now dying for want of food. We cannot go elsewhere. What fault have we done that the government does not take care of us? Prisoners are supplied with ample food in jail. A cultivator of the grass is not deprived of his holding, but the government does not give us our right who have lived here for generations past.’ Verrier Elwin (1939), cited in Madhav Gadgil and Ramachandra Guha, This Fissured Land: An Ecological History of India.
Questions / Answer:
Question 1: Who are the Baigas, as mentioned in the passage?
Answer: The Baigas are a forest community residing in Central India.
Question 2: What action was taken against the Baigas’ traditional practice of shifting cultivation, and when did this occur?
Answer: In 1892, the government stopped the Baigas’ traditional practice of shifting cultivation.
Question 3: What was the petition presented by the Baigas to the government, and what were their grievances?
Answer: The Baigas petitioned to the government expressing their dire circumstances, stating that they were starving without foodgrain, lacked adequate clothing, and were suffering from cold nights by the fireside. They questioned why prisoners received ample food in jail while they were neglected despite being long-time inhabitants of the area.
Question 4: What was the only possession of wealth mentioned by the Baigas in their petition?
Answer: The Baigas mentioned that the only wealth they possessed was their axe.
Question 5: How did the Baigas describe their plight in relation to their traditional way of life and the government’s neglect?
Answer: The Baigas lamented that despite being long-standing residents of the region, they were deprived of their rights by the government. They emphasized their desperation, stating that they were dying due to lack of food and had no alternative but to suffer in their current circumstances.
Why CBSEJanta.com for Class 9 Social Science?
- Detailed Chapter Solutions: Get comprehensive solutions for every chapter in History, Geography, Civics, and Economics.
- Important Concepts and Key Points: Concise notes on crucial concepts to aid in understanding and revision.
- Extra Practice Questions: Practice your learning with extra questions and answers based on the latest syllabus.
- Interactive Learning: Audio-visual explanations for better grasp of challenging topics.
Download the CBSEJanta App Now!
Download the CBSEJanta App Now!
With CBSEJanta.com, understanding Social Science has never been easier! 📚✨ Get FREE chapter-wise solutions, summaries, key concepts, and practice exercises to boost your exam preparation.
Visit CBSEJanta.com or download the CBSEJanta app today for a smarter, easier learning experience.
This structured post gives a subject-wise breakdown for Class 9 Social Science, making it easy for students to understand the chapters while encouraging them to use CBSEJanta.com for comprehensive learning and exam preparation.