30/Aug/2017

Now, textile dyeing to go organic

The News

Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) has identified 12 indigenous plants from Western Ghats that can be used to
colour (dye) silk and cotton.
The KAU has not revealed the names of the plants owing to patent issues.

News Summary

The biochemical properties of these natural dye compounds has been deciphered, which would help to identify
the biomolecules in them.
The 12 natural dyes with five different mordants have been screened.
All silk and cotton materials dyed with these pigments were tested in SITRA (South Indian Textile
Research Laboratory) for colour fastness to light and stability to washing.
Through this analysis, combinations of natural dye and natural mordant with good stability have been identified.

Historically used

Plant dyes were used for garment dyeing and wall paintings till the advent of synthetic dyes in the 16th century.
There is a treasure of traditional knowledge on temple wall paintings and in colouring traditional mats, among the
rural and tribal people.

Manufacturing natural textile dye

The research has opened up the possibility of using indigenous plants of Kerala as potential dye yielders.
Industrial production of natural dyes can be done for commercial textile industry.
The technology for using these plants for commercial textile industry has been standardised under the research
project sponsored by the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana.

Benefits

These dyes are cheaper and durable.

Eco-friendly – Use of these dyes helps our ecosystem and the lives of workers in dye manufacturing industry.
Safe clothing- For newborns and the people allergic to synthetic dyes.

27/Aug/2017

A new score in waste management

Why in News?

Scientists from CSIR‘s National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology, have been able to
produce ethanol from the discarded cotton stalks.

Chemicals used:

The cotton-stalks were treated with an acid, alkali and different enzymes to breakdown the complex organic
polymers of the stalk.
The treatment by acid and alkali exposed the Cellulose (the major component made of glucose).
 The enzyme helps in converting the cellulose into glucose.
Biological technique used:

To convert the glucose into ethanol, fermentation was carried out using a novel yeast strain.
The final alcohol obtained can be made to fuel grade bioethanol (>99% purity), after distillation and dehydration.

What is Fermentation?

It is a process in which incomplete oxidation of glucose is achieved under anaerobic conditions by sets of reactions.
Sugar and starches are converted to CO2 and ethanol.
Generally yeasts and bacteria (which contains enzymes) are used in the reaction.
Penicillin, some vitamins (such as riboflavin and B12), soy sauce, and yogurt are some fermented products.

What is Bioethanol?

Bioethanol is derived from renewable bio-mass resources.

It is a form of fuel, mainly produced by the sugar fermentation process.
The main sources of sugar required to produce ethanol come from fuel or energy crops. These crops are
grown specifically for energy use and include corn, maize and wheat crops, waste straw etc.
Ethanol or ethyl alcohol (C2H5OH) is a clear colourless liquid, it is biodegradable, low in toxicity and causes
little environmental pollution if spilt.
Ethanol burns to produce carbon dioxide and water.
Ethanol is a high octane fuel and has replaced lead as an octane enhancer in petrol, it is mandatory to blend
10% ethanol with petrol.
Bioethanol has a number of advantages over conventional fuels as it comes from a renewable resource.

Previously asked question in UPSC

Consider the following statements :
Maize can be used for the production of starch.
Oil extracted from maize can be a feedstock for biodiesel.
Alcoholic beverages can be produced by using maize.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

a) 1 only.
b) 1 and 2 only
c) 2 and 3 only
d) 1, 2, 3

Correct answer is:- d

26/Aug/2017

Claims on Bt cotton need to be probed: Panel

Why in News?

Recently, the Standing Committee on Science and Technology has released the report on GM crops.

News Summary:

The release of the report has reignited the debate on GM crops.

The government agencies have been accused of portraying a rosy picture on Bt Cotton which is far removed from
the truth.
The committee has recommended that no GM crop should be introduced unless bio-safety and socio-
economic desirability studies are done through a participatory, independent and transparent process.
 Bt Cotton:

Bt cotton is genetically modified cotton crop that expresses an insecticidal protein whose gene has been derived
from a soil bacterium called Bacillus thuringiensis, commonly referred as Bt.

Which insects does it control?

In 1996, Bollgard cotton ( a trade mark of Monsanto) was the first Bt cotton to be marketed in the U.S.
The Bollgard cotton produce a toxin called Cry 1Ac that has excellent activity on tobacco budworm and pink
bollworm. These two insects are extremely important caterpillar pests of cotton and both are difficult to and
expensive to control with traditional insecticides.
Bollgard II was introduced in 2003, representing the next generation Bt cotton.
Bollgard II contains a second gene from the Bt bacteria, which encodes the production of Cry 2Ab.
Bollgard II has a better activity on wide range of caterpillar pests.

Advantages of Bt Cotton:
Bt cotton has several advantages over non-Bt cotton. Some of them are:

Increases yield of cotton due to effective control of bollworms.

Reduction in use of insecticide.
Reduction in the cost of cultivation (depending on seed cost versus insecticide costs).
Reduction in environmental pollution by the use of insecticides.
Bt cotton is eco-friendly and does not have adverse effect on parasites, predators, beneficial insecticides
and organisms present in soil.
It promotes multiplication of parasites and predators which help in controlling the bollworms by feeding on larvae
and eggs of bollworm.

Disadvantages of Bt Cotton:

Bt cotton seeds are costly than non Bt cotton seeds.

The toxin producing efficiency of the Bt gene reduces after 120 days.
Ineffective against sucking pests like jassids, aphids, whitefly etc.

Introduction in India:

In India all the transgenic crops require environmental clearance under the Environment (Protection) Act,
1986 In 2002, Bt Cotton was granted approval and it became the first GM crop approved in India.
Mahyco became the first Indian company to commercialise transgenic cotton hybrids in India in 2002.
The commercial cultivation in Bt cotton was launched in Six States:- Andhra Pradesh,Gujarat, Karnataka,
Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu.

Some Issues related to Bt Cotton in India:

Farmers suicides in some cotton growing states.

Indiscriminate use of Bt hybrids instead of Bt straight.
Late maturing Bt hybrids are not suitable for rain fed conditions.
Health implications raised by Bt cotton.
Contamination of indigenous crops.
Environmental concerns and bio-safety issues.
Reduction in average yield of cotton over the years.

Related topic already covered:

https://lms.vajiramandravi.com/current-affairs/bt-cotton-falling-to-pest-maharashtra-tensed/595f7505b680d33714af9368/

25/Aug/2017

The return of the Irrawaddy dolphin

 Why in News?

After three decades, Irrawaddy dolphins( Orcaella brevirostris) has been spotted in the Rambha sector of Chilika
lake, Odisha.

Chilika lake

It is Asia's largest brackish water lagoon.

It lies in Odisha state on the eastern coast of India, at the mouth of the Daya River flowing into the Bay of Bengal.
Because of its rich bio-diversity and socio-economic importance, Chilika was designated as a Ramsar site in 1981
to afford better protection.
It is the largest wintering ground for migratory birds on the Indian sub- continent.

Irrawaddy Dolphins in Chilika lake

Chilika lake is the natural abode of Irrawaddy dolphin.

It is considered to have the highest single lagoonal population of Irrawaddy Dolphins.

Reasons why Irrawaddy stopped visiting Rambha sector

Rambha (one of the extreme end of Chilika Lake) is the ideal sector for dolphins to play, flock and mate because of
the stillness of the water in the bay area.
But Irrawaddy dolphins stopped coming to Rambha sector because of:
Illegal prawn enclosures- Enclosures hinder the movement of dolphins and squeeze the prey base of dolphins.
Unregulated boating- Dolphins had been under stress due to unregulated boating by the tourist in the Chilika lake.

Steps taken

To remove enclosures- The satellite imageries have found 14,590 hectare of the lagoon under manmade
enclosures for illegal prawn cultivation which were removed by Chilika Development Authority‘s (CDA). To curb
unregulated boating -CDA has enforced the stricter boating regulation.

Irrawaddy Dolphin

It is an aquatic mammal that lives in brackish water near coasts, river mouths and in estuaries.
It has established subpopulations in freshwater rivers, including the Ganges, the Mekong and in the Irrawaddy
River from where it takes its name.
The species has been classified in 'vulnerable' category in IUCN red list.
The species is listed in Appendix I of CITES.

Major threats

The estuarine and freshwater occurrence of this species makes it particularly vulnerable to threats from the
human activities that occur in these environments. Threats include:-
Direct mortality from fisheries interactions (particularly gill net entanglement)
Vessel strikes
Habitat loss and degradation (e.g.declining or altered freshwater flows due to dam and embankment
construction) Deforestation
Gold, sand and gravel mining are causing major changes to the geomorphologic and hydraulic features of rivers
and marine-appended lakes where Irrawaddy dolphins occur

24/Aug/2017
 Naveen launches rooftop solar project

Why in News?

Odisha Chief Minister has launched a grid connected rooftop solar programme through net metering system.

Odisha's Solar power potential

Odisha has the potential to generate more than 5,000 MW of solar power.
The State Government has set a target to tap 8 MW of the solar energy in the current financial year, of which 4
MW has been exclusively assigned to Bhubaneswar.

Grid-connected rooftop solar programme

Under this programme, the consumers can install small solar plants on their rooftops and consume the generated
solar power during daytime.
Excess power (if any) can be exported to the grid through the service cable.
The exported power is metered on a special type of metre that is Net-Metre, which is provided by the power
distribution companies.
The positive difference of import from the grid and the export to the grid is billed by the consumer.

Aim

The grid-connected rooftop solar programme will aim at adding renewable solar capacity through
people's participation.
It will help in strengthening the grid and reduce the power loses.

Benefits to the consumer

Reduced consumption of utility power

Reduced electricity bills

Subsidy

As the investment on a rooftop solar system is high, so the State government will provide subsidy of 30%
to consumers both for residential and institutional purpose.

Way Ahead

It is expected that in the years to come grid connected rooftop solar projects will proliferate in Odisha and it will
be helpful in meeting the State‘s expectations in addressing the climate change action plan.

Related Questions: UPSC Prelims, 2016

Question:
‗Net metering‘ is sometimes seen in the news in the context of promoting the
(a) production and use of solar energy by the households/consumers
(b) use of piped natural gas in the kitchens of households
(c) installation of CNG kits in motor-cars
(d) installation of water meters in urban households

Answer: a

22/Aug/2017
 Plans afoot to make Bhubaneswar an ecotourism spot

Why in News?

The Odisha government has proposed to connect three major forests in and around the Bhubaneswar by bus service.

News Summary:

The forests of Nandankanan Biological Park, Chudanga and Bharatpur are to be connected by the bus service.
Connecting the forests will help the Odisha government to make optimum use of Bhubaneswar's ecotourism
potential. The forests of Nandankanan and Bharatpur are almost within Bhubaneswar and Chudanga is just two km
away from the city.
So the minimal investment would be required to make packaged ecotourism tours.
The Odisha government has taken a cue from Karnataka, which has been cashing in on the exquisite natural beauty
of the Bannerghatta Biological Park, spread over 732 hectares about 22 km from Bengaluru city.

Nandankanan Biological Park:

It was established in 1960, and spread over 437 hectares.

It became the first zoo in India to join World Association of Zoos and Aquariums in 2009.
Apart from the rich captive zoo population, it also has a botanical garden spreading over 173 acres.
Over the years, the forest department has developed several gardens including butterfly, medicinal, rose,
Japanese, bougainvillea and heritage inside the botanical garden.

Chudanga and Bharatpur Forests:

They both are the reserve forests.

They form the part of Chandaka Dompara Sanctuary.
Bharatpur was notified as forest in 1886. The Asiatic elephants, wild pigs, deer, hyena and pangolin can be sighted
in the forest.
The State government is contemplating the creation of two more safaris in Chudanga Reserve Forest and
Bharatpur Reserve Forest.

Eco-tourist in Odisha:

Nandankanan Biological Park has received more than 32 lakh tourists last year, while the botanical garden was
visited by over 2 lakh tourists.
As far as the people‘s choice is concerned, Nandankanan comes second only to the Mysuru zoo, which is ranked
first in the country.

19/Aug/2017

Stalled for decades, North Koel reservoir project gets Cabinet nod

Why in News?

The Union Cabinet has cleared the North Koel Reservoir irrigation project.

About the North Koel Reservoir Project

It is constructed on the North Koel river.

It is located in the most backward tribal areas of Palamau and Garhwa districts of Jharkhand State.
The project aims to provide irrigation annually to the most backward and drought prone areas of Palamu &
Garhwa districts in Jharkhand and Aurangabad & Gaya districts in Bihar.
The construction of the project was originally started in the year 1972 and continued till 1993.
 It was stopped due to objection by the Forest Department, Govt. of Bihar.

News Summary

The Cabinet has allocated Rs.1622.27 crore to complete the remaining works of the North Koel Reservoir Project.
The Cabinet has approved the reduction in Full Reservoir level (FRL) than what was envisaged earlier to protect
and reduce the submergence of Palamau Tiger Reserve.

With the reduction of FRL

The irrigation potential of the project will be reduced.

The power generation component has been done away.
The number of villages affected due to submergence will be reduced.
For the project to be functional the affected people will be given the compensation and rehabilitation packages in
the form of cash payment, plots or money to purchase land etc.

North Koel river

It is a tributary of Sone river, which, in turn, is a tributary of the Ganga.

It rises on Ranchi plateau, joins the Sone river at Haidarnagar and flows through Jharkhand.
The river along with its tributaries, meanders through the northern part of Betla National Park.
Its main tributaries are the Auranga and the Amanat.
It is a rain fed river.

Palamau Tiger Reserve

It was constituted in 1974.

It is one of the nine original Tiger reserves in India and the only Tiger Reserve in Jharkhand.
It forms the part of Betla National Park and Palamau Wildlife Sanctuary.
Apart from tigers; elephants, leopards, gaurs, sambars and wild dogs live in the reserve.

Norway could be world's first fully electric-powered country

The News

Norway can become the world's first fully electric-powered country.

According to energy think tank, the country is giving a concerted push for sustainability.
Energi Norge is an industry advisory body that sets out its green energy programme.
It has published a 24-point plan for the switch to electricity, including providing free charging for electric cars
across the country and tax exemptions for drivers.
 Shift from fossil power

Hydro power is currently the source of over 96% of Norway's electricity and there are more than 110,000 electric
cars in use in the country.
The country has declared that no vehicles powered by fossil fuels will be sold in Norway after 2025.
Greater sustainability has huge potential to assuage the dual problems of climate change and oil industry job
losses faced by Norway.
The move will enable the country to take a leading role in climate work while improving competitiveness.
The conversion to electricity would create new jobs and technologies.

17/Aug/2017

India has 27,312 elephants, census shows

Why in News?

The first ever synchronised all India Elephant population census was conducted.

News Summary:

The Elephants census report was released by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change.
The census was conducted by the Project Elephant Directorate and forest departments of 23 states with
the assistance of the Asian Nature Conservation Foundation (ANCF) and several NGOs.
The census covered the area of 1.10 lakh square kilometres across the four regions of the country: the
Northeast, East-central, South and North.

Census findings:

The estimated Asian elephant population in India is 27,312.

Karnataka has the highest number of elephants (6,049), followed by Assam (5,719) and Kerala (3,054).
There has been a marginal increase in elephant numbers since the 1990s.
A number of indices, including birth rate, indicates that the elephant population is increasing.
The geographical range of Elephants has increased.

Census Techniques:
The Elephant census techniques fall into two classes:
1. Direct counts:

In this the elephants are counted.

It can either be carried out from the air or from the ground.
In this the whole of the designated area is searched, and it is assumed that all elephants are located and
counted accurately.

2. Indirect counts:

In this the signs of elephants (dung-piles, tracks, feeding signs) are counted.
It is generally used where it is impossible to count elephants directly, as in the extensive forests.
The signs of elephants such as dung piles are used to provide an estimate of elephant numbers.

Matching the two:

In the just released India synchronised Elephant census, only direct count method has been used.
The estimates from direct count will be confirmed by using indirect dung-count method in next three months.

Previous census:

The previous Elephant population census was done in 2012.

The number of Elephants in latest census are lower than from the last census estimate of 2012 (between 29,391 and
 30,711).
But according to the experts, parallels cannot be drawn between the two census because in the 2012 census:
Different States used different methodologies to count the Elephants.
The counting the Elephants was not synchronised across the country which could have led to the errors
and duplication thus overestimating the numbers.

Man-animal conflict:

Due to the habitat fragmentation, elephants are moving out to agricultural landscapes leading to an increase in
man-elephant conflict.
Conflict leads to both crop damage and loss of lives.

Asian Nature Conservation Foundation:

It was established in 1997 as a charitable trust.

It has its headquarters at the Innovation Centre office of the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore.
It is a small group of conservation scientists, planners, information managers and administrators working together
to support the conservation of biological diversity in India.
It is actively involved in the conservation of the Asian Elephant, considered to be a keystone species in the
biologically rich forests of South and Southeast Asia.

Project Elephant:

It was launched in 1992 by the Government of India,

It was to provide financial and technical support of wildlife management efforts by states for their free
ranging populations of wild Asian Elephants.
It aims to ensure long-term survival of viable conservation reliant populations of elephants in their natural habitats
by protecting the elephants, their habitats and migration corridors.

16/Aug/2017

Aeroplanes may be affecting ozone, monsoon

The News

A study on effects of Black Carbon has been published in the ‗Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics‘ by
climate researchers from Indian Institute of Science and ISRO‘s Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre.
This is the first time that any group in the world has shown that Black Carbon (BC) from aircraft can go up to
the stratosphere and affect the ozone layer.
Though the BC is known to dissipate and settle down in a few months under the influence of rain and wind and
is unlikely to travel upward of 4 km.
But the climate researchers now have evidence that BC exists up to 18 km into the stratosphere and there are
about 10,000 of them in every cubic centimetre.
Due to the shape and presence of the BC in the stratosphere it can be argued that they could only be derived from
the emissions from aviation fuel.

What is Black Carbon?

It is the strongest, light-absorbing component of particulate matter (PM), formed by the incomplete combustion of
fossil fuels, biofuels, and biomass.
It is emitted directly into the atmosphere in the form of fine particles (PM2.5).
It can absorb a million times more energy than carbon dioxide (CO2).

Effects of BC
 Aggravate breathing disorders
Upset the monsoon- BC can strongly absorb solar and terrestrial radiations and heats up the atmosphere that
can upset the monsoon system
Quicken glacier melting- If BC is deposited on snow, it could accelerate the heating of snow and quicken the melting
of glaciers
May be depleting the ozone layer - As BC lingers long enough, it can provide a fertile ground for other
chemical reactions that can deplete the ozone layer

Rising count

The stratosphere is a stable region of the atmosphere.

BC particles absorb heat and they warm up the surrounding air, the air becomes lighter and rises to greater heights
by a process called ‗self lift‘ and BC persist in the air.
The sheer volume of air travel means that the black carbon count only continues to increase.

Kanjia lake undergoing restoration

The News

The Kanjia Lake is a wetland of national importance and lifeline for wildlife at the Nandankanan Biological Park
(NBP), Odisha.
It is now undergoing restoration as the dense thickets eclipsed the lake‘s beauty and choked its water discharge.

News Summary

Every year, the NBP authorities carry out minimal de-weeding to facilitate boating as well as supply water to
the Nandankanan zoo.
According to NBP, it is an important wetland lying to the south of the Mahanadi delta head, within the boundary of
the Nandankanan Biological Park.
In 2006, the lake was recognised as a wetland of national importance by the Ministry of Environment and Forest.
It is home to many local migratory birds. More than 37 species of birds have been spotted in the lake ecosystem.
The lake is a perennial water body and has a good aquifer which allows the groundwater to flow through the rocks.

Wetlands

Wetlands are areas where water covers the soil, or is present either at or near the surface of the soil all year or
for varying periods of time during the year, including during the growing season.
Wetlands vary widely because of regional and local differences in soils, topography, climate, hydrology,
water chemistry, vegetation and other factors, including human disturbance.
Wetlands are found from the tundra to the tropics and on every continent except Antarctica.
Many wetlands are seasonal i.e. they are dry one or more seasons every year, in the arid and semiarid regions.
These wetlands are wet only periodically.

Importance of Wetlands:

The frequency of disasters worldwide has more than doubled in just 35 years, driven by climate- and weather
related hazards like flooding, tropical cyclones and droughts. UN Water estimates that 90% of all natural hazards
are water-related.
Wetlands play an important role in reducing the impact of extreme weather events such as floods, droughts
and cyclones.
Wetlands act as a natural sponge, absorbing and storing excess rainfall and reducing flooding. During the dry
season, they release the water stored, delaying the onset of droughts and reducing water shortages.
 Ramsar Convention on Wetlands

The Convention on Wetlands, called the Ramsar Convention, is an intergovernmental treaty that provides the
framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and
their resources.
The Convention was adopted in the Iranian city of Ramsar in 1971 and came into force in 1975.
The convention entered into force in India on 1 February 1982.
India currently has 26 sites designated as Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar Sites), with a surface area
of 689,131 hectares.

15/Aug/2017

Largest volcanic region on earth lies in Antarctica

Why in news:

The researchers from the University of Edinburgh in Britain, have found out the largest volcanic region on Earth.

Summary:

The region, which has nearly 100 volcanoes, lies two km below the surface of the vast ice sheet in West Antarctica.
The height of these newly discovered volcanoes range from 100 to 3,850 metres.
These active peaks are concentrated in a region known as the West Antarctic rift system, which stretches 3,500
km from Antarctica‘s Ross ice shelf to the Antarctic peninsula.
Till now East Africa‘s volcanic ridge is being considered as the area of the densest concentration of volcanoes in
the world.
According to the Geologists, the newly discovered volcano range might overtake the East African ridge area.

Eruption concerns:

The activity of the newly discovered volcano range could have worrying consequences.
Eruption of one of these volcano would destabilise west Antarctica‘s ice sheets as eruption of volcano will lead to
the melting of ice which will speed up the flow of ice into the sea.
So it is important to quickly determine that how active these volcanoes are.
12/Aug/2017

Political storm hits Athirappilly project

Why in News?

The setting up of a transformer at the project site of controversial Athirappilly hydel project by KSEB has led to
a political spark in the State.

Why KSEB has done so?

The Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has set up the deadline of August 18 to start
the work at Athirappilly hydel project, as after this the environmental clearance of the project will expire. To meet this
deadline, Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) has taken this step.

Activists object the KSEB’s attempt to commence work for various reasons:

KSEB is accused of commencing work at the hydel project even when a writ petition is pending against the project
in the Kerala High Court.
The work has been started without going through the tender process.
It has been accused of fooling both the MoEFCC and the people of Kerala, as the land has not been handed over
to the KSEB.
The technical and economic clearance granted for the project had also expired in 2008.

Athirappilly hydel project:

The 163-MW Athirappilly hydro-electric project was proposed in 1996 by the Kerala State Electricity Board.
This project is on the Chalakkudy river in the Vazhachal Forest Division.

Reasons for opposing the project:

It will affect the endemic species of flora and fauna in the region.
As per the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel, Athirappilly hydel project is economically and technically unfeasible.
It would affect 138 hectares of forest land.
 Environment activists alleged that the Athirappilly waterfall could dry up in future
Human rights groups pointed out that the primitive tribal group would be displaced in the process. The Kadar
tribals opposed the project on the basis of Community Forest Rights (CFR).

08/Aug/2017

Jackfruit fete to kick off tomorrow

The News

A maiden international workshop on ‗Production, Value Addition, and Marketing of Jackfruit‘ will be held at
the Regional Agricultural Research Station at Ambalavayal, Wayanad in Kerala.

Jackfruit Fete

The fete will be organised jointly by the Ministry of Agriculture and Kerala Agricultural University in association
with India Council for Agricultural Research, International Fruit Network and National Horticulture Board.
The six-day programme will focus on preparation of value-added products from the fruit, scope of marketing and
export of jackfruit products.
More than 200 stalls, including a stall from Malaysia, would be put up at the venue for selling value-added
products prepared from the fruit.
An international exhibition with 200 ready-to-eat products from jackfruit will be the major cynosure of the event.
In 2011, Thiruvananthapuram witnessed the state‘s first Jackfruit Fest, led by a non-profit organisation, to
promote jackfruit as a staple food, vegetable and medicine.
Its partners included NABARD (National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development), Small Farmers
Agribusiness Consortium, State Horticulture Mission, Kerala Agricultural University, Kerala State Biodiversity
Board and several others.

The need to oragnise the fete

Jackfruit has enormous potential in the State, but it is yet to be tapped properly owing to the dearth of network
and marketing opportunitie.
The international event, with participation of experts from various countries, will set the stage for formulation
of potential value addition, processing and marketing avenues for the fruit.

JACKFRUIT

The botanical name of the fruit- Artocarpus, is derived from the Greek words artos (bread) and carpos (fruit).
The name jackfruit is derived from the Portuguese jaca, first mentioned by the physician and naturalist Garcia De
Orta in his 1563 book Coloquios Dos Simple E Drogas da India.
It is the world‘s largest fruit and is called by a variety of names — chakka, kathal, panasa, phanas, jaca,
nangka, kanoon, mit, etc.
Largely due to the odor of the ripe fruit and traditional preference for tapioca, jackfruit never gained popularity in
the country unlike in the Far Eastern nations.
It‘s only recently that the agro-scientists have woken up to the potential of jackfruit.
In 2012, the department of biotechnology, government of India, initiated a five-year long study with University
of Agriculture Sciences, Bengaluru, which has led to the identifying of 105 genotypes of jackfruit nationwide.

Origin and Habitat

Its origin identified with the evergreen rainforests of Western Ghats, the fruit also grows in Tamil Nadu,
Karnataka, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar,
Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and the northeastern states.
 Potential of jackfruit

Grown in homesteads mostly without any management practices, jackfruit can be identified as one of the
promising fruits grown organically by default.
Researchers believe that jackfruit could be a replacement for wheat, corn and other staple crops under threat
from climate change.
Jackfruit is easy to grow, survives pests and diseases and is drought and high temperature-resistant.
It achieves what farmers need in food production when facing a lot of challenges due to climate change.

07/Aug/2017

After SC order, focus on chemicals in firecrackers

Why in news?

The Supreme Court had recently banned the use of five chemicals - antimony, lithium, mercury, arsenic and lead -
in the manufacture of firecrackers to prevent air pollution.

Summary:

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has also labelled another chemical - strontium - as toxic. The court
has also asked the CPCB to clarify on the use of strontium.
The ban has turned the focus on what chemicals are used in firecrackers to produce spectacular visual effects
and noise.
The Tamil Nadu Fireworks and Amorces Manufacturers‘ Association, which produces most of the fireworks in
the country, says none of the specific products banned by the court are used.

Different chemicals used in crackers:

Sulphur, aluminium powder and charcoal - as fuel

Potassium nitrate and barium nitrate - as oxidising agents

Sound and colours:

Aluminium powder, sulphur and potassium nitrate go into noise-making

crackers Barium nitrate (green) and strontium nitrate (red) produce colours.
 Nandankanan zoo to get 12 vultures

Why in news?

The Central Zoo Authority (CZA) directed authorities of the Gandhi Zoological Park in Gwalior to provide 12
rescued long-billed vultures to the Nandankanan Biological Park (NBP) in Odisha.

Vultures in India:
Endangered:

Experts said that breeding and conservation of vultures has become very important as the bird species are
now endangered.
Almost 95% of vultures in India have disappeared.
They were said to have perished after consuming carcasses of cattle, which were tainted with Diclofenac, a pain-
killer drug.

Vulture breeding:

The NBP is one of six institutes selected for the vulture breeding programme.
With financial support from the CZA, construction on a conservation breeding centre for white backed vultures began
in 2011-12 in an off-exhibit area of Nandankanan.
However, it has been struggling to find vultures for captive breeding.
Now, with CZA ordering transfer of vultures to the Nandankanan zoo, its conservation breeding of white-
backed vultures is expected to be back on track again soon.

Central Zoo Authority:

In India, functioning of zoos is regulated by an autonomous statutory body called Central Zoo Authority which has
been constituted under the Wild Life (Protection) Act.
Its main objective is to complement the national effort in conservation of wild life.
Under the Recognition of Zoo Rules, 1992, standards and norms for housing, upkeep, health care and
overall management of animals in zoos have been laid down.
Every zoo in the country is required to obtain recognition from the Authority for its operation. It also provides
technical and financial assistance to the zoos.
The Central Zoo Authority also regulates the exchange of animals of endangered category listed under Schedule-I
and II of the Wildlife (Protection Act) among zoos.
Exchange of animals between Indian and foreign zoos is also approved by the Authority before the
requisite clearances under EXIM Policy and the CITES permits are issued by the competent authority.

06/Aug/2017

Erratic monsoons, vanishing vipers

The News

There is a reduction in the number of Malabar pit viber snakes.

The Malabar pit viper, is one of the Indian snake found only in the Western Ghats.
In an exhibition held at Goa titled ‗The Malabar Pit Viper - a wonder of the Western Ghats‘ many facets of the
snake were shown.
The exhibition will travel from Goa to Pune, Mumbai and Bengaluru till December.

Reasons for reduction

 The life-cycle of viper is linked to water, main reasons for reduction in vipers are:-

1. Erratic monsoons.
2. Spells of water scarcity.
3. Irreversible habitat change.
4. Rise in temperatures.
5. Large scale deforestation.
6. Death of female snakes (impacts the reproduction).

Malabar pit viber

It is a venomous pit viber snake.

Distribution: It is Endemic to Western Ghats- Found in Western Ghats of Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra
and Tamil Nadu.
Characteristics for identification: Typical Pit Viper has varied colour morphs (appearance), this could be due to
habitat adaptation. Wet evergreen forests have darker shades and dry deciduous, light ones. International Union for
Conservation of Nature (IUCN) status: Least concern category.

Pit viber initiative

It an initiative to study the impact of climate change on the population of Pit viber.
The scientist are collecting large number of snake samples so that the study have scientific strength.
Citizens and volunteers also contributing in this initiative by providing pictures and data.

Pit viber snakes

Snakes are cold-blooded (poikilothermic), need to sun-bask to maintain their body temperatures.
These snakes are named after the infra-red sensing pit between their nose and eyes which they use to identify
warm-blooded prey.
India is home to 21 species of pit vipers.

Three pit vipers endemic to the Western Ghats

1. Trimeresurus gramineus (Bamboo pit viper)

2. Trimeresurus strigatus (Horseshoe pit viber)
3. Trimeresurus malabaricus (Malabar pit viper)

Horseshoe pit viper( Trimeresurus strigatus)

It is a venomous pit viber snake.

It is endemic to the Nilgiri hill ranges in the Western Ghats.
It gets its name from a pale beige horseshoe-shaped mark on its nape.

Two new species of Cycas found

The News

Research conducted on lone a tree found in the Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Indian Botanic Garden in
West Bengal has revealed two new species of Cycas to the world. The tree had been a puzzle to botanists and
scientists for years
The initial studies on the lone tree revealed that it was Cycas and further research based on its morphological and
anatomical characters led to the discovery of new species of Cycas pschannae and Cycas dharmrajii in the
Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
 This discovery takes the number of Cycas species found in the country to 14.

CYCAS

Cycas are one of the most ancient plants whose fossils date to the Jurassic period and are often referred to as
―living fossils‖.
According to scientists, Cycas evolved on the earth as the first seeded plants and they grow very slowly, adding only
a few centimetres every year.
Nearly 65% of Cycas are threatened but what makes the flora unique is that despite being a contemporary of
the dinosaur, the genus continues to thrive.
There are over 100 species of Cycas found across the globe.

Cycas dharmrajii

Cycas dharmrajii is characterised by the abnormal branching habit of its giant trunk and its swollen base.
What makes the Cycas dharmrajii distinct from other Cycas found in the country is the well-defined 10 to 28 hook-like
structures in the apex of the mega sporophyll (sporophyll are spore-bearing leaf-like female sex organ of the plant).

Cycas pschannae

The sporophylls of Cycas pschannae are characterised by the presence of two lateral horn-like structures.

04/Aug/2017

Commercial fish in Chilika face threat of depletion

The News

The Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute (CIFRI) has carried out biological and ecological survey for
measuring the length, frequency, spawning season, spawning ground and fishery resources in the Chilika lagoon.
During the survey, CIFRI found out that commercially important fish species in Chilika Lake are majorly being
affected by the adverse ecosystem and they face the threat of depletion.

Reasons for depletion

Unrestrained use of mesh nets to catch the variety of fishes which migrate from sea to Chilika Lake leads to
the destruction of larval and juvenile stages of many commercial fishes. Overfishing damages the fish
breeding.
Destructive fishing practice like fish enclosure (ghery) for aquaculture leads to obstruction in the migration of
fish between the sea and the lake.

Impact of depletion

Apart from ecological imbalance, it will hamper the livelihood of traditional fishing communities that live near the lake.

Step taken

Massive ghery eviction has taken place in Chilika lake.

Chilika Lake
 It is Asia's largest brackish water lagoon.
It lies in the state of Odisha, on the eastern coast of India, at the mouth of the Daya River flowing into the Bay
of Bengal.
Because of its rich bio-diversity and socio-economic importance, Chilika was designated as a Ramsar site in 1981
to afford better protection.
It is the largest wintering ground for migratory birds on the Indian sub- continent.

Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute (CIFRI)

The CIFRI was established in 1947.

Its headquarters are located at Barrackpore, West Bengal.
It comes under the administration of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Ministry of Agriculture.
It is a premier Institute in Asia in the field of Inland Fisheries Research, Extension and Training.

India Post catches up with wildlife smugglers

Why in news?

Discovery of parts of endangered animals in parcels has led to alert across the country to use of postal services
for wildlife smuggling.

Summary:

The Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) recently found that smugglers are using the postal service to sell parts
of endangered animals.
Such crimes are being found majorly in West Bengal and neighbouring states of Jharkhand and Odisha.
Grey jungle foul: They stumbled upon feathers of the grey jungle fowl being smuggled out by the hundreds.
These feathers with eyespots are used as fishing lures and were being sent to certain European countries.
Pangolin: Earlier this year, they found that Pangolin scales were smuggled to Southeast Asian countries, using
the services of India Post.
Turtles: West Bengal is a transit route for turtle smuggling. During last winter, over 15,000 turtles were seized
from West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh.

Strategy to prevent it:

 In an attempt to formulate a cross-state strategy to check the crime, an inter-agency co-ordination meeting
was organised by the WCCB, Eastern Region in Kolkata.
Representatives of more than a dozen investigating and law enforcement agencies, border security forces and
forest departments of the different eastern states participated.
Workshops will be held to sensitize and train the postal department and other enforcement agencies and
familiarise them with wildlife articles and modus operandi of criminal networks.

Tribal hunting:

Keeping strict vigil during traditions like the Shikar Utsav (hunting festival) of the tribal regions of south Bengal,
Odisha and Jharkhand was also reviewed.
A large number of deer, wild boar, jungle fowl and other animals, which fall under the Schedules of The
Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, are killed during this summer festival.

Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB):

Wildlife Crime Control Bureau is a statutory multi-disciplinary body established by the Government of India under
the Ministry of Environment and Forests, to combat organized wildlife crime in the country. The Bureau has its
headquarter in New Delhi.
Under Section 38 (Z) of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, it is mandated:
To collect and collate intelligence related to organized wildlife crime activities and to disseminate the same
to States and other enforcement agencies
To establish a centralized wildlife crime data bank
To co-ordinate actions by various agencies in connection with the enforcement of the provisions of the Act
To assist foreign authorities and international organization to facilitate co-ordination and action for wildlife
crime control
To take up capacity building of the wildlife crime enforcement agencies

03/Aug/2017

Coconut palm declared state tree of Goa

The News

The cabinet has passed an amendment to restore tree status of the Coconut palm.
The tree will also be designated as the ‗State Tree of Goa‘.

Details

Coconut tree (Cocos nucifera) is of cultural, economical and ecological value.

The government in 2016 had amended the Goa Daman and Diu (Preservation of) Trees act 1984 in 2016 to drop
the tree status accorded to the coconut tree.
The move was seen as a bid to hasten real estate and industrial development at the cost of environment by
selectively allowing mass removal of coconut plantations.

News Summary

The new provision is proposed to encourage farmers to replace existing coconut trees which are non-productive
or which can cause damage to property or endanger lives.
Agriculture Officers will be appointed to issue the guidelines for management of coconut plantations.
The amendment to the Trees Act is likely to be tabled in the Assembly during the ongoing monsoon session.

Crocodile Bark Tree

The present state tree of Goa is Matti (Terminalia elliptica) for more than a quarter century which is also known as the
 crocodile bark tree.
Matti was declared so because:

1. It is an indigenous forest tree and plays an important ecological role.

2. It has the capacity to store water for the dry season.
3. Its bark is fire resistant.

01/Aug/2017

Five chemicals banned from firecrackers

Why in news?

The Supreme Court has prohibited the use of five chemicals in the manufacture of firecrackers.

The News:

The Supreme Court has banned the use of Antimony, Lithium, Mercury, Arsenic and Lead in any form,
in manufacturing of firecrackers.
These chemicals have been labelled as toxic by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
CPCB has also labelled another chemical - strontium - as toxic.
The court has also asked the CPCB to clarify on the use of strontium.

Ensuring compliance:

The Court said that it is the responsibility of the Petroleum and Explosive Safety Organisation (PESO) to
ensure compliance of the latest order, particularly in Sivakasi.
Sivakasi is the hub of Fireworks manufacturing activities in India, catering to 90% of demand of fireworks of
entire Country.
There are 800 factories manufacturing firecrackers in Sivakasi, with over 1.6 lakh workers' families working in them.

Need for clear standards:

The manufacturers said CPCB should clearly state the specifications the percentage of chemicals to be used
rather than conduct the exercise of randomly picking up samples.
There is a lack of clarity on the pollutive impact of explosive substances used in firecrackers.
The CPCB had earlier filed a report indicating that most firecrackers contain a large amount of sulphur, a major
cause of air pollution.
The CPCB is currently preparing detailed report on the environmental impact, especially air pollution, caused
by firecrackers.
This study will be used to ultimately fix some kind of standards and regulations in the use of chemicals in firecrackers.

Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO):

Its Head Office is at Nagpur.

This Organisation comes under the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
It deals with matters relating to safety in manufacture, storage, transport and handling of explosives,
petroleum, compressed gases and other hazardous substances.
It administers the responsibilities delegated under the Explosives Act 1884 and Petroleum Act 1934 and the
rules made thereunder.

Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB):

It is a statutory organisation, constituted in 1974 under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974.
CPCB was also entrusted with the powers and functions under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act,
1981. Some functions of CPCB:
 Advise the Central Government on any matter concerning prevention and control of water and air pollution
and improvement of the quality of air.
Plan a nation-wide programme for the prevention, control or abatement of water and air pollution and see to its
execution.
Co-ordinate the activities of the State Boards and provide technical assistance as necessary.

31/Jul/2017

Whitefly pest sighted in Punjab cotton producing districts

The News

The Agriculture Department has asked farmers to keep a vigil as whitefly sighted in the cotton belt districts of
Punjab due to the prevailing hot and humid weather conditions.
The hot and humid conditions with dry spell continue is a reason to worry.
To combat the whitefly threat, an inter-State consultative and monitoring committee has also been set up.

WHITEFLY

It is a small (1-2 mm) white-coloured insect affecting cotton, and also occurring on vegetables and other crops
in tropical and sub-tropical regions.
The whitefly sucks sap from the phloem or living tissue carrying organic nutrients, causes yellowing and upward
curling of the leaves.
The insect also deposits sticky honey dew excretion, which promotes sooty mould fungi that interfere
with photosynthesis.
In north India, whitefly is present throughout the year, due the wide range of crops grown, shifting from one crop to
the other.
But more damage is caused by the cotton leaf curl virus that is transmitted by the same insect.
There are no control measures for this virus.
The disease-affected plants are stunted, with fewer numbers of bolls and reduced yields. The infected plants
also serve as source of inoculums and infestation for the remaining healthy fields.

30/Jul/2017

Rare birds return to safer, better managed Seshachalam

The News

Protective measures taken by A.P. forest department and changing weather conditions, have brought back
many species which once abandoned the forest.
The birds are back due to the improved ecosystem.

Why birds abandon the forest?

Reasons why birds abandon the forest are:-

1. Falling and smuggling of red sanders

2. Consumption of ground nesters by people
3. Hostile weather conditions

Some species who abandon forest

 The Black hooded Oriole, Golden Oriole, Black-naped Monarch and Indian Nightjar etc.

Some species which are coming back

Brahminy kites (it is the species specified to Western Ghats but has been spotted in Seshachalam), Giant
squirrel, Emerald dove and painted Spurfowl etc.

Black Hooded Oriole

It belongs to the corvidae family and is a common resident bird of Seshachalam forest in the Eastern Ghats.
Besides India, the Black-hooded Oriole is seen in Srilanka and Indonesia.

Conservation efforts

Some efforts by the Forest Department in conserving the environment which have yielded results are:-

1. Restoring more water bodies

2. Ensuring the availability of food
3. Protecting several ground-nesting birds through fire-lines (fire barriers to prevent forest fires), water holes and pits

Seshachalam Forest

It is a part of Eastern Ghats, located in Andhra Pradesh

It is one of the richest regions in terms of biodiversity.

23/Jul/2017

A Sunderbans denizen staves off extinction

Northern River Terrapin (Batagur baska):

Physical features: It is a 60 cm long turtle, recognized by 4 claws in front feet where as other turtles have 5.
Habitat: The terrapin is found in tidal areas of large rivers, sandbars and riverbanks.
Status:
Presumed to be extinct in several Southeast Asian countries.
Described as the world‘s second most endangered turtle (Yangtze giant soft shell turtle being the
most endangered freshwater turtle).
In the Critically Endangered (CR) list of IUCN.
Protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972, India.
Included in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES),
making international trade in this species illegal.
 Batagur turtles in India:

Of six large fresh water turtles of the genus Batagur, three are found in India:

1. Batagur kachuga (Red-crowned roofed turtle)

2. Batagur dhongoka (Three-striped roofed turtle) - found in the tributaries of the Ganga, such as Chambal.
3. Batagur baska (The Northern river terrapin) - the most endangered of the three species.

News Summary:

A decade ago, the presence of Northern river terrapin had declined to "undetectable in the wild" in West Bengal
and Odisha.
Since than, officials of the Sunderbans Tiger Reserve and experts from Turtle Survival Alliance (TSA), are running
a recovery program, through captive conservation breeding.
Getting new enclosure for the breeding programme would protect the species against natural risks, and also
facilitate genetic management.
The Northern river terrapin is set to get a new home - three fresh water ponds in the Sunderbans Tiger Reserve.
The turtles will be released with satellite transmitters to determine survival and dispersal.

Turtle Survival Alliance (TSA):

It was formed in 2001 as an IUCN partnership for sustainable captive management of freshwater turtles and tortoises.
It was formed in response to the Asian Turtle Crisis.
Since then it has become a recognised force in turtle and tortoise conservation globally.

19/Jul/2017

World's northernmost coral reef bleached

Bleaching in Japanese waters:

Researchers found that bleaching has damaged the world's northernmost coral reef off the coast of Tsushima island
in Japan.
This lies in the temperate zone, near the Kyushu islands.
 Earlier, there was large-scale coral bleaching in Japan's subtropical Okinawa chain of islands last summer.
In response, coral in Okinawa were taking refuge in waters with lower temperatures, expanding their habitat range
to (waters off) Kyushu, Shikoku and Honshu.
But now coral in refuges are also threatened, and the situation is serious.

High ocean temperatures:

It is the latest example of a global phenomenon that scientists have attributed to high ocean temperatures.
Since 2015, all tropical coral reefs have seen above-normal temperatures, and more than 70 percent
experienced prolonged high temperatures that can cause bleaching.

Importance of corals:

Healthy coral reefs protect shores from storms and offer habitats for fish and other marine life, including
ecologically and economically important species.

Coral Bleaching:

Corals are in a symbiotic relationship with zooxanthellae (algae) that grow inside of them.
Algae are vital to the coral. Corals use the organic products of photosynthesis produced by algae to help it grow.
The algae also gives the corals their vibrant colours.
Coral bleaching occurs when corals are stressed by changes in conditions such as temperature, light, or nutrients.
When this happens, the zooxanthellae leave the corals‘ bodies.
This changes the color of corals to white (as color of coral are due to algea) and can also in effect starve them
of nutrients.
The loss of algae makes the host vulnerable to disease and can lead to their death.

After bleaching:

However, coral can recover if the water temperature drops and the algae are able to re-colonise them.
While coral can recover from mild bleaching, severe or long-term episodes are often lethal.
After coral dies, reefs quickly degrade and the structures that coral build erode.

Strong winds heat up west Antarctic ice

Why in news?

Strong winds in eastern Antarctica are causing ice to melt in the west Antarctic peninsula, located as far away as
6,000 km, according to a study.
 Summary:

The study found that winds in east Antarctica can generate sea disturbances that spread around the continent at
700 kmph via a type of ocean wave known as the Kelvin wave.
When the waves encounter the underwater topography of the peninsula, they push the warmer water toward the
ice along the coast..
The warm Antarctic Circumpolar Current passes quite close to the continental shelf in this region, providing a
source for this warm water.
It is this combination of available warm water offshore, and a transport of this warm water onto the shelf, that has
seen rapid ice shelf melt along the West Antarctic sector over the past several decades.

Linked to climate change:

The changes in the Antarctic coastal winds, particularly along east Antarctica, could also be related to climate
change. This is because as Earth warms the strong westerly winds associated with storms over the Southern Ocean
contract toward the poles, in turn changing the winds near the Antarctic continent.
The altered winds could drive warming of up to 1°C of the waters around the floating ice shelves along the
Western Antarctica Peninsula.
Even small increases in ocean temperatures can substantially increase melt rates around the Peninsula.

Sea levels:

Researchers warn that melting in western Antarctica could contribute to an increase in the sea level by a metre by
the end of the century, at the current rate of emissions.

18/Jul/2017

GM mustard policy: SC gives govt. time

THE NEWS

The government has informed the Supreme Court that a policy decision on the commercial release of the
Genetically Modified (GM) mustard crop is yet to be finalised as the Centre was poring through the various
suggestions on and objections to the commercial rollout of the GM crops.
The hearing was conducted on the basis of a petition where the petitioner had alleged that the government was
sowing GM seeds without the relevant tests.
The government had assured the court that there would be no commercial release of GM seeds till the views of
the public were collected and placed before the appraisal committee.
SC has advised centre to take a well-informed and considered decision, as once it is allowed, the effect will
be irreversible.
 GM Mustard

Mustard is one of India‘s most important winter crops, sown between mid-October and late November.
Dhara Mustard Hybrid (DMH -11), the transgenic mustard has been developed by a team of scientists at
Delhi University under a government-funded project.
It uses a system of genes from soil bacterium that makes mustard better suited to hybridisation than current methods.

Why there are objections to it & is it justified?

GM technology has already been commercialised in India through Bt cotton.

Bt Cotton is based on incorporation of foreign genes derived from a soil bacterium- Bacillus thuringiensis.
The country‘s cotton production has gone up more than 2½ times since Bt hybrids were first planted in 2002.
So far there's no evidence of Bt cotton causing any adverse human or animal health effects.
The opponents of GM mustard point out that cotton is not a food crop, while mustard is India‘s largest edible
oil-yielding crop.
But there are many inconsistencies in this argument too:

1. First, cotton-seed yields not only fibre, but also oil and oilcake (meal fed to animals). Cotton-seed oil is the second
largest produced edible oil in the country (1.4 million tonnes) after mustard (2 million tonnes). That makes cotton
no less of a food crop.
2. Secondly, India annually imports 3 million tonnes of soyabean oil and another 0.4 million tonnes of rapeseed oil,
which are predominantly GM.

Merits

The transgenic technology is necessary for India to be scientifically relevant as well as have better seeds to
address threats from climate change.
According to industry body Association of Biotech Led Enterprises-Agriculture Group, the GM mustard variety has
the potential to increase the yield by more than 25% and thereby reduce the country‘s edible oil import bill.

17/Jul/2017

Bengals medicinal plants face threat

Why in News?

The West Bengal Forest Department has documented 581 species of medicinal plants found across different
regions of South Bengal in a 600 page book.

About Documentation:

The book titled ' Medicinal Plant Resources of South Bengal' is part of ongoing measures taken up by the State
Forest Department to conserve medicinal plants.
Out of 20,000 medicinal plants listed by the World Health Organisation (WHO), India‘s contribution is about
5,000 species.
The publication lists 581 species, which means that one of every 10 species of medicinal plants found in India
have been listed in the book.
A large number of plants compiled in the book are from the Amlachati Medicinal Plant Garden, which boasts of
the largest collection of medicinal plants in the country.

Data collected:

The compilation includes medicinal plants both in situ (that is, where the plants are naturally found) and ex
situ (conserving in an area where the plants were not originally found) conservation sites.
Uses of various medicinal plants:

Asparagus officinalis is used for the treatment of jaundice and rheumatism

Asparagus racemosus is used to treat human ailments and also that of cattles.
Gloriosa superba have certain anti-carcinogenic and anti-malarial properties.
Saraca asoca (commonly called Asok tree) is used in the treatment of a number of ailments, including heart disease.
Cassia fistula (amaltus) has medicinal properties for treating skin diseases in humans.

Cause of extinction:

Increasing use of medicinal plants as raw materials by different pharmaceutical companies has pushed many of
the medicinal plant species to the brink of extinction.

Futuristic approach:

This publication will not only serve as a very important data bank of medicinal plants in the country, but will also
generate interest among common people to come forward and conserve medicinal plans by growing them into
their home gardens.

Safe haven for endangered Egyptian vultures

Why in News?

Breeding of the rare and threatened Egyptian vultures has been seen in human habitat at the Punjabi
University campus in Patiala.

News Summary:

The Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus) among the globally threatened vulture species found in India.
The species is popularly known as safed giddh (white vulture) in Hindi.
According to BirdLife International, the present global breeding population of the Egyptian vulture is estimated to
be 12,000 to 38,000 individuals.
Habitat: They build their nests on ledges, in caves, on cliffs , crags and rocky outcrops, but occasionally also in
large trees, buildings (mainly in India), electricity pylons and exceptionally on the ground.
Food: The species rarely hunts for food — they mostly feed on dead carcasses of animals. They also eat
carrion, tortoises, organic waste, insects, young vertebrates and eggs.

IUCN status:

Egyptian vultures are classified under the ‗Endangered‘ (EN) red list of the International Union for Conversation
of Nature (IUCN).

Threats to their population:

Lead poisoning (from ammunition used in hunting)

Direct and secondary poisoning
Electrocution (by power lines)
Collisions with wind turbines
Reduced food availability
Habitat change

Conservation Actions:

Globally various conservation actions like Monitoring programmes, supplementary feeding and campaigns
against illegal use of poisons, including awareness-raising, are in place.
The veterinary drug diclofenac has been banned by the Indian government. Diclofenac leads to renal failure in vultures
 (when they eat dead animals) damaging their excretory system.
In many countries vultures have been fitted with satellite-tags to study juvenile dispersion, migratory movements
and wintering areas.
Method of captive-breeding is carried in Italy.

Distribution:

BirdLife International:

It is the world‘s largest nature conservation partnership.

It has 120 BirdLife Partners worldwide, one per country or territory and growing.
It strives to conserve birds, their habitat and global biodiversity.
It is working with people towards sustainability in the use of natural resources.

14/Jul/2017

Openbill storks visit Jagannathpur

Why in News?

Openbill storks have started building their nests on large trees in Ganjam district of Odisha.

News Summary

It is a welcome sight for nature lovers as these birds have preferred to nest and breed in an area that has
been impacted by urbanisation.
According to forest officials, openbill storks have been sighted near water bodies and swampy regions on the
periphery of Berhampur for more than a decade.
It was believed that they were coming from adjoining Andhra Pradesh.

ASIAN OPENBILL STORK

 The Asian openbill or Asian openbill stork is a large wading bird.
It is greyish or white with glossy black wings and tail.
They make distant movements in response to weather change and food availability.

Distribution

It is found mainly in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia.

Habitat: They are usually found near inland wetlands.

IUCN status: Least Concerned

12/Jul/2017

Supreme Court extends Madras HC stay on cattle trade rules to entire country

Why in news?

The Supreme Court stayed the Centre‘s May 26 notification, banning cattle sale in livestock markets for slaughter
and religious sacrifices.

Background - New rules on cattle trade:

The Supreme Court had earlier directed the government to form an inter-ministerial committee to recommend ways
of preventing cattle smuggling.
The committee recommended rules to be framed under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960 to
regulate livestock markets.
In May, the environment ministry notified stringent 'Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Regulation of Livestock
Markets) Rules, 2017' under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, to regulate animal markets.
 Under the new rules, animal markets can no longer be used to sell or buy cattle (bulls, cows, buffaloes, steers,
heifers and camels) for purposes of slaughtering them for meat.
Those who wish to sell cattle at markets may do so only after they formally state that the animals have not
been brought to the market for sale for slaughter.
Sellers and buyers at the markets have to give undertaking that cattle are not bought or sold in the markets
for slaughter purpose.

Stayed by Madras HC:

Hearing a petition against the new rules, the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court stayed the Centre‘s decision
to ban the sale of cattle meant for slaughter.
The court said that the subject (slaughter of animals) of the law under consideration is in the state list.

SC extends the stay:

The Supreme Court extended the Madras High Court‘s stay order on the Centre‘s May 23 notification, banning
sale and purchase of cattle from animal markets for slaughter, to the rest of the country.

Government is amending the rules:

The order came after the central government said it was considering the various representations from the States
about the law's impact on livelihoods.
The centre said that it would take a relook at certain provisions and make amendments to the rules if needed.

Sensor network to map and predict pollution, effluents in Godavari

Why in News?

Researchers are working on a system to map pollution trends of the river Godavari.

News Summary:

Through cloud-based data collection and real-time mapping systems, the researchers intend to demonstrate the
importance and value of detecting and anticipating pollutants that enter the river in the form of human waste,
organic materials, and chemical contaminants.
The project is part of a Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to support the programme of the Administrative
Staff College of India (ASCI) to provide city-wide sanitation improvements in urban Andhra Pradesh. The
project started eight months ago and so far two ―hotspots‖ of pollution have been identified.
Objectives:

To detect and anticipate pollutants that enter Godavari in form of human waste, organic materials, and
chemical contaminants.
To access raw data to understand the efficacy of a proposed faecal sludge treatment plant and
behavioural interventions (including incentives or punishments).
The long-term objective is to be able to inform State officials and citizens of a probable spike in levels of
dangerous microbes or effluents.

Exercise:

The sampling exercise is being done along some areas of East Godavari and West Godavari districts in
Andhra Pradesh.
Parameters measured are total dissolved salts, nitrate, pH, temperature, turbidity (cloudiness of a fluid caused by
large numbers of individual particles) and electrical conductivity.
Data measured is relayed to a website called Thoreau, a wireless sensing network maintained at the University
of Chicago to map environmental parameters, for analysis.
Some river attributes such as microbial levels require to be measured in laboratories, though eventually low-
cost sensors may be used to measure them, too, in real time.

Tools and techniques used:

Satellite-monitoring
Traversing stretches of the river to collect water samples
Using special sensors to measure bacterial and chemical pollution
Cloud-based data collection
Real-time mapping systems

Use of Sensor method In India:

Sensors to monitor river pollution are an emerging technological approach in India.

 40 proposals to make the sensors, to monitor river and environmental pollution had come up with Department
of Science and Technology (DST), and two would be short-listed soon.

09/Jul/2017

Studying the health of Arabian Sea

Why in News?

The Centre for Marine Living Resources and Ecology, and the Integrated Coastal and Marine Area
Management Project Directorate are undertaking the project to study the Arabian Sea.

News Summary:

Biogeochemical and biological studies of the marine ecosystems of Arabian sea will be done which will throw light
into the ocean dynamics and economy.
The National Institute of Oceanography, Kochi, and Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad, and a host of
fisheries and scientific research institutions are expected to join the project.

Areas to be studied:
The researchers will be studying the following areas:

Health of the sea: The ecosystem status of western coastal India will be assessed for biological resources, which
are influenced either by natural processes or man-made effects.
Marine carbon credits: The green house gas emissions from the ecosystems would be assessed for
redefining marine carbon credit, as part of India‘s commitment to the 2016 Paris Climate Change Summit.
Trawl ban effect: The impacts of annual ban on trawl fishery and its impact on fishery resources will be assessed.
Oceanography: The influence of coastal upwelling and associated phenomenon on coastal fishery, including
their mortality, will be studied.
Biological productivity: The factors behind the formation/intensification of seasonal hypoxia (deoxygenation)
and greenhouse gases production along the Arabian Sea shelf will be studied.

Centre for Marine Living Resources and Ecology(CMLRE):

CMLRE was founded in 1998 at Cochin.

It is under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India.
It works in the areas of mapping of the living resources, preparing inventory of commercially exploitable living
marine resources and their optimum utilisation through ecosystem management.

Integrated Coastal and Marine Area Management Project Directorate (ICMAM PD):

ICMAM PD was established in 1998 at Chennai.

Its office is attached to the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), Government of India.
It works in the area of Coastal Research.

07/Jul/2017

New Israeli flower named after PM Modi

Why in News?

A farm in Israel named a flower as 'Modi'.

News Summary:

In a special gesture to mark the first visit of an Indian Prime Minister to the Jewish nation, the Danziger flower farm
in Israel named a Israeli Chrysanthemum flower as 'Modi'.

Danziger Flower Farm:

The farm was founded in 1953, it is one of Israel's leading floriculture companies.
It has approximately 80,000 square meters of state-of-the-art greenhouses specialising in reproduction of plants.
It specialises in research and development of new varieties and cultivars of plants and flowers.

Features of Chrysanthemum Flower:

Chrysanthemum is perennial herb and is commonly referred as "mums".

Its genus is Chrysanthemum and it belongs to the Asteraceae family.
The flower of the herb blossoms in late summer and early fall season.
The flower blooms in different shapes and sizes.
Flower originally is of yellow colour, but it can blossom in approximately 21 different colours (except blue) this makes
it morphologically different from other flowers.
Flower has a medicinal value. It is used for treating various diseases like photopsia, vertigo, fever,
headache, xerophthalmia, amblyopia, ophthalmia, hypertension etc.

Israeli Horticulture techniques:

Israel, despite being a semi-arid country with limited water resources and rain-deficit conditions, is a leading
producer of agricultural commodities.
This is due to various revolutionaries techniques used by Israel.
Various Israeli horticulture techniques are used in India, including:
Vertical farming - it helps in saving space on the ground by growing the crops
vertically Drip irrigation - it has about 90 per cent water use efficiency
Soil solarisation - it is a non chemical method for controlling soil borne pests using high temperatures
produced by capturing radiant energy from the Sun by mulching the soil and covering it with the trap.
Bt cotton falling to pest, Maharashtra tensed

Why in News?

Bt cotton is no longer resistant to pink bollworm in Maharashtra, prompting the state government to write to the
Union government to seek its intervention.

Research Report:

A research report from Central Institute of Cotton Research (CICR), shows that pink bollworm has
developed resistance to Bollgard-II Bt cotton in Maharashtra and other cotton-growing states as well.
Maharashtra government wants the intervention of the Union government to come up with a clear set of guidelines.

Cotton in Maharashtra:
Maharashtra is the largest cotton-growing state in the country.
Nearly 40 lakh hectares or 35% of the cultivatable area is under cotton production.
Nearly 96% cotton-growing farmers in the state use BG-II Bt cotton seeds for cultivation.
Pink bollworm is a major pest in Maharashtra.

Pink Bollworm:

It is a small, thin, grey moth with fringed wings.

It is the most damaging of all pests that attack cotton crop in the country.

How it attacks?

The female moth lays eggs on cotton balls and larvae emerge only to destroy entire fields by chewing through
the cotton lint to feed on seeds.

Time of attack:

The pest attacks the crop around 90 days after it is planted.

The first picking cycle of crop begins after 110 days, so the farmer has only 20 days to spot the pest and take
preventive steps. It leaves the farmer with very little time to react and any delay can ruin the entire crop.

Bt Cotton:

Bt cotton is genetically modified cotton crop that expresses an insecticidal protein whose gene has been derived
from a soil bacterium called Bacillus thuringiensis, commonly referred as Bt.
Many subspecies of Bacillus.thuringiensis are found in soils and are in general known to be toxic to various genera of
insects but safe to other living organisms.
Bollgard-II Bt cotton - It is the stronger version of Bt hybrid variety that was introduced in 2010.
Two major Benefits of Bt cotton:-
It controls bollworm, thus protecting the yield.
It reduces the use of insecticides and pesticides, thus reducing the total cost of production by 40-45%.

Central Institute of Cotton Research (CICR):

It is a central research institute established in 1976 at Maharashtra.

It promotes long term research efforts in cotton production and provide support and conduct applied research on
cotton with the active involvement of State Universities.

Previously asked related question by UPSC in 2012:

Q. What are the reasons for the people’s resistance to the introduction of BT brinjal in India?

1. BT brinjal has been created by inserting a gene from a soil fungus into its genome.
2. the seeds of BT brinjal are terminator seeds and therefore, the farmers have to buy
the seeds before every season from the seed companies.
3. There is an apprehension that the consumption of BT brinjal may have adverse impact on health.
4. There is some concern that the introduction of BT brinjal may have adverse effect on the biodiversity.
 Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
a) 1, 2 and 3 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 3 and 4 only
d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

Correct answer is: c

06/Jul/2017

Of plant species few and far between

Why in News?

Scientists have recorded the Rare Endemic and Threatened(RET) plants and trees in the Western Ghats.

News Summary:

The Botanical Survey of India (BSI) was conducting the project on endemic tree resources in the southern
Western Ghats and have documented about 250 ‗RET‘ species
Some of these species were not even assessed by international conservation bodies for nearly two decades.

Benefits of the project:

The chemical constitution, pharmacological values and economic importance of these RET plants can be studied.
Increased participation of tribal people as others are unaware of many RET plants.

Botanical Survey of India (BSI):

It was established in 1890. In 1954, the Government reorganised the BSI.

Objectives:

It explores the plant resources of the country and identifies the plant species with economic virtue.
It undertakes the intensive floristic surveys and collects accurate information on the occurrence, distribution,
ecology and economic utility of plants in the country.

Why Western Ghats?

Western Ghats has been recognised as one of the 34 hotspots ecosystems in the world in terms of species
and endemism.
Among the 5500 flowering plants, 2015 are endemic.
The Southern Western Ghats consisting of Southern parts of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Naidu are richest in
terms of Bio-diversity.
In terms of plant diversity, 1500 plants out of 4500 are endemic.

What are Biodiversity Hotspots?

The British biologist Norman Myers coined the term "biodiversity hotspot" in 1988.
They are the biogeographic regions characterised both by exceptional levels of plant endemism and by serious
levels of habitat loss.
To qualify as a hotspot a region must meet two strict criteria:
It must contain at least 1,500 species of vascular plants (> 0.5% of the world‘s total) as endemics.
It has to have lost at least 70% of its original habitat.
 Biodiversity Hotspots in India:

Himalayas: Includes the entire Indian Himalayan region (and that falling in Pakistan, Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan, China
and Myanmar).
Indo-Burma: Includes entire North-eastern India, except Assam and Andaman group of Islands (and
Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and southern China)
Sundalands: Includes Nicobar group of Islands (and Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Philippines)
Western Ghats and Sri Lanka: Includes entire Western Ghats (and Sri Lanka)

Previously asked questions in UPSC prelims:

Question 1:
Three of the following criteria have contributed to the recognition of Western Ghats-Sri Lanka and Indo-Burma regions
as hotspots of biodiversity (2011)
1. Species richness
2. Vegetation density
3. Endemism
4. Ethno- botanical importance
5. Threat perception
6. Adaptation of flora and fauna to warm and humid conditions

Which three of the above are correct criteria in this context?

(a) 1, 2 and 6
(b) 2, 4 and 6
(c) 1, 3 and 5
(d) 3, 4 and 6

Correct answer: c

Question 2:
Which of the following can be threats to the biodiversity of a geographical area?(2012)
1. Global warming
2. Fragmentation of habitat
3. Invasion of alien species
4. Promotion of vegetarianism

Select the correct answer using the codes given below :

(a) 1, 2 and 3 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 4 only
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

Correct answer: a

04/Jul/2017
Elephant population sees marginal rise in Odisha

Why in News?

The Indian Institute of Science carried out the elephant census in country's four eastern region states (Odisha,
West Bengal, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh).

Elephant census:

It is the first ever synchronised elephant census carried out in the country‘s eastern region.
With the count of 1,976 elephants in this census, it has been seen that the jumbo population has gone up marginally
by 22 elephants from 2015.

Methods used to Count:

Direct method like direct sighting was used.

Indirect methods like estimation of elephant through dung decay rate.

Status of Elephant in India:

The Indian elephant (Asiatic elephant or Elephas Maximus) occurs in the central and southern Western Ghats,
North-east India, eastern India and northern India and in some parts of southern peninsular India. It is included in
Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 .
It is included in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Flora and
Fauna (CITES).

Major threats to Elephants:

Habitat loss, fragmentation and degradation of habitat

Illegal killing for ivory
Train accidents
Electrocution
Human-Elephant conflict: Odisha has recorded one of the worst man-elephant conflicts in the country. Since
2013-14, 311 elephants have been killed with annual average elephant deaths estimated at over 70. During the
same period, 275 humans lost their lives in elephant depredation.

Steps taken by Government of India to protect Elephants:

1. Project Elephant:

It was launched by government of India in 1992 with the following objectives:

To protect elephants, their habitat and corridors.
Welfare of domesticated elephants.
To address man-elephant conflict issue.
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change also provides the financial and technical support to
major elephant range states in the country.

2. Elephant Reserves:

Singhbhum Elephant reserve in Jharkhand was the first reserve to be notified in the country in 2001.
Since then, 32 Elephant Reserves have been notified, with highest number of such reserves in Kerala.

3. Monitoring the Illegal Killing of Elephants (MIKE):

The overall goal of MIKE is to provide information needed for elephant range States to make appropriate
management and enforcement decisions.
Its aim is to measure levels and trends in the illegal hunting of elephants.
03/Jul/2017

Aerosols shrinking Indias monsoon

Why in News?

Researchers of the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology(IITM) think that aerosols are weakening the rainy
season even more than GHGs (Green House Gases).

News Summary:

Researchers of IITM have published in the journal ' Climate Dynamics', that a mix of GHGs, aerosols and changes
in forest and agricultural cover are affecting the strength of the monsoon.
The strength of the monsoon is known to be weakening over the last 50 years
This result is based on mathematical modelling and computer simulation.
The relative contribution of the individual factors, however, is not clear.

Upgraded forecasting model:

For this research, the scientists have used an upgraded forecasting model.
It was used this year by the India Meteorological Department for the forecasts.
The model will help to prepare India‘s first home-grown forecast of impact of global warming on climate change.
It will be part of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports.

Aerosols:

Aerosols are solid or liquid particles suspended in a mixture of gases.

Aerosols covers a wide spectrum of small particles, like sea salt particles, mineral dust, pollen, drops of sulphuric
acid and many others.

Sources:
Aerosols originate from a wide variety of natural and anthropogenic sources. Some of them are:-

Vehicular exhaust
Half-burnt crop residue
Dust particles
Chemical effluents

Impact:

Aerosols have a great impact on several atmospheric phenomena.

They influence the heat budget of the Earth.
They impact the hydrological cycle.
They have influence on atmospheric circulation.
They form the dust clouds which shield the earth from the sun‘s rays, depressing land and sea temperatures.

Removal of aerosols:

Aerosols can be removed from the atmosphere by different ways depending upon their size and disposition.
Aerosol particles can be removed by Wet deposition process (by this 80–90% of aerosol particles are removed)
and Dry deposition process (by this remaining 10%-20% of aerosol are removed).

Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM):

It was founded in 1962 at Pune.

It is an autonomous institute which works under the Ministry of Earth Sciences.
It works to generate scientific knowledge in the field of meteorology and atmospheric sciences.
It functions as a national centre for basic and applied research in monsoon meteorology.
Nine more bird, biodiversity areas in Kerala

Why in News?

Nine more locations in Kerala are being identified as Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs).

IBAs:

They are the places of international significance for the conservation of birds and other biodiversity.
They are the distinct areas amenable to practical conservation.

Who release the list of IBAs?

The new list of IBA's is released by the Bombay Natural History Society, a partner of BirdLife International, in its
recent publication called "Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas in India - priority sites for conservation"

Kerala's IBAs:

Kerala now has 33 IBAs with addition of nine new IBAs.

Kerala IBAs include endangered, vulnerable, three critically endangered species(Whiterumped Vulture, Indian
Vulture, and Red-headed Vulture) and near-threatened bird species.

Conservation threats faced by the birds:

Anthropogenic pressure on the forests is very intense.

Due to human interventions, birds (like Malabar Pied Hornbill, Orange-breasted Green-pigeon) of the low altitude
flight suffer.
Habitat fragmentation in high altitude areas is a major cause for concern as many species have no place to go.
The high altitude areas are now surrounded by tea estates or plantations, leaving very limited habitat for species
(such as White-bellied Blue Robin, Nilgiri Blue Robin, and Blackand-Orange Flycatcher).

Bombay Natural History Society:

It is a pan-India wildlife research organisation.

It was founded in 1883 with the aim of conservation of nature - primarily Biological Diversity through action based
on Research, Education and Public Awareness.

BirdLife International:

It is the world‘s largest nature conservation partnership.

It has 120 BirdLife Partners worldwide, one per country or territory and growing.

Aims:

It strives to conserve birds, their habitat and global biodiversity.

It is working with people towards sustainability in the use of natural resources.

2015 UPSC Prelims question:

With reference to an organization known as ‗Birdlife International‘ which of the following statements is/are correct?
1. It is a Global Partnership of Conservation Organizations.
2. The concept of ‗biodiversity hotspots‘ originated from this organization.
3. It identifies the sites known/referred to as ‗Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas‘.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

a) 1 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1 and 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3

Correct answer: C
02/Jul/2017

Climate change impact: Sunderbans steadily losing its famed mangroves

Why in News?

Mangrove Forest Cover Changes in Indian Sundarban (1986-2012), a publication by the School of Oceanographic
Studies, Jadavpur University, reveals that from 1986 to 2012, 124.418 sq. km. mangrove forest cover has been lost.

News Summary

The total forest cover of the Indian Sunderbans as assessed by remote sensing studies for the year 1986 was
about 2,246.839 sq. Km, which gradually declined to 2122.421 sq km in 2012. The loss in the mangrove forest in
the Indian Sunderbans is about 5.5 %.

Mangroves

Mangroves are salt-tolerant plants.

They are present in tropical and subtropical inter-tidal regions of the world.
The specific regions where these plants occur are termed as 'mangrove ecosystem'.
They are highly productive but extremely sensitive and fragile.

Threats to the Mangroves

The threats to the mangrove ecosystem could be broadly grouped into two:

1. Natural threats : Climatic changes, Cyclones and Physical processes.

2. Anthropogenic threats : Diseases, deterioration, pollution, grazing, agriculture, aquaculture and
human encroachment(including reclamation), etc.

Reasons for the loss of Mangroves

The main reasons which contribute to the phenomenon of losing land including mangroves forests in the Sunderbans are:-

Climate Change
Sea level rise leads to:

1. Coastal erosion
2. Coastal flooding
3. Increase in the number of tidal creeks
4. Less fresh water flow and sediment supply, leads to the loss of land.

Concerns

The continuation of loss of mangrove cover in response to climate change and sea level rise poses a serious
threat. Such as:-

1. Ecosystem of the Indian Sunderbans is getting fragile.

2. Many other ecosystem services are getting affected.
3. Carbon sequestration potential is decreasing.
4. Due to lack of freshwater inflow change in mangrove successions is taking place.
5. Freshwater loving species of mangroves are replaced by salt-water loving ones.
6. Fishing community is getting affected.
 Sunderbans

The Sundarbans delta is the largest mangrove forest in the world.

The Sundarban Delta is situated on the border of India and Bangladesh, where the Ganges, Brahmaputra and
Mehgna rivers converge in the Bengal basin.
The area itself gets its name from the large number of Sundari (Heritiera fomes) trees in the region.
It is also home to the Royal Bengal Tiger.

30/Jun/2017

Horn? Not OK please!

Why in News?

Hearing a petition related to the effective implementation of the Noise Pollution Rules, 2000, the Bombay High
Court asked the State Government what it had been doing on this front.

News Summary:

Maharashtra‘s Legislative Assembly had enacted the Maharashtra Transport and Roads Safety Act, 2017.
The State Government is waiting for the Presidential assent to this law.

Aim of the act:

Penalising needless honking of vehicles.

Reducing noise pollution
Creation of a separate fund for road safety.

Noise Pollution:

Noise pollution refers to the presence of noise or sound to such a level in the environment that is disturbing,
irritating and annoying to living beings.

Factors responsible for Noise Pollution:

Urbanisation
Industrialisation
Growth in Population
Poverty & Illiteracy
Non-Cooperation of Governmental Agencies
Customs, Festivals or Religious Ceremonies

Sources:
The sources of noise pollution may be broadly classified into two classes:
Industrial Sources:

The industrial sources may include noise from various industrial operations in cities, like boilers,
machineries, foundries, flour mills, cutting machines, etc.
Pollution due to big machines working on a high speed have high-noise intensity.

Non-Industrial Sources: These include loudspeakers, construction works, automobiles, trains, aircrafts, projection
of satellites into space etc.

Steps taken by Indian Government to control Noise Pollution:

 Ambient noise standards were notified in 1989, which formed the basis for State Pollution Control Boards to
initiate action against violating sources.
The vehicular noise standards, notified in 1990, are being implemented by Ministry of Science and Technology,
to reduce traffic noise.
Noise standards for fire-crackers were developed in 1999.
The Noise Rules, 2000, regulates noise due to Public Address System/ Loud speakers and also prescribed
procedures for noise complaint handling.
Setting up of National Ambient Noise Monitoring Network (NANMN) through CPCB and the state pollution
control boards (SPCBs) to monitor noise on a 24x7 basis in India's large cities.

29/Jun/2017

Sea pollution blamed for mass fish death along Ganjam coast

Why in News?

The State fisheries department of Odisha has found out the reasons behind the mass death of fish and other
marine animals in Ganjam district.

News Summary

After the continuous rain for few days a large number of dead marine animals have been reported along the
fishing jetty adjacent to Gopalpur port.
The State fisheries department has conducted an investigation into the mass death.

Reasons

1. Seepage of urea

One of the prime reasons is the seepage of water from the damaged roof of the godown and mixing with the
urea stored in it.
When urea mixes with sea water, it increases the ammonia level.
Ammonia drastically reduces the presence of dissolved oxygen in the water.
Lack of oxygen for respiration in turn kills the marine animals.
 2. Sand deposits

The mouth of the channel is blocked by the sand deposits.

This prevents mixing of water near fishing jetty with the water from the open sea.

3. Dissolved Oxygen

It is the amount of gaseous oxygen (O2) dissolved in the water.

Oxygen enters the water by various ways. Some of them are :-

1. Direct absorption from the atmosphere

2. By rapid movement
3. As a waste product of plant photosynthesis

It is an important parameter in assessing water quality because of its influence on the organisms living within a
water body
Dissolved oxygen level that is too high or too low can harm aquatic life and affect water quality.
Oxygen levels that go below 1-2 mg/L for a few hours may result in large fish kills.

28/Jun/2017

Uttarakhand challenges human status to rivers

THE NEWS

The Uttarakhand government has moved the Supreme Court challenging an Uttarakhand High Court order
granting the rivers Ganga, Yamuna and their tributaries the status of living human entities.

‘Questions of law’

Seeking a stay on order of the High Court the State government has urged the apex court to consider
substantial questions of law arising from the verdict.
The three-month-old verdict bestowed on these rivers, their tributaries and water bodies fed by them the same
legal rights as enjoyed by a person and declared the State chief secretary as their local guardian (loco parentis).
According to State government there are some questions that need to be answered.
The petition questions whether in case of human casualties in a flood, the affected people can file suit for
damages against the chief secretary of the State and whether the State government would be liable to bear such
financial burden.

Meaning: Rivers as Legal Entities

The status accorded to the Ganga and the Yamuna would mean that if anyone was found polluting the rivers, it would
 amount to harming a human being.
Recognizing the rivers as a living entity grants them new found legal identity and all rights laid out in the Constitution
of India.
The two rivers thus have the right to be legally protected and not be harmed/destroyed.
They can also be parties to disputes.
Any interference with the river as a whole, including construction of dams, takes away from its essential and
basic character.
Such a move by court would involve a re-look into construction activities across the river such as sand mining
and construction of dams.

About the rivers

The two rivers, which are sacred for the Hindus, sustain millions of people in the country.
However, they have been in a state of neglect and even though several government initiatives are aimed at
restoring their health, not much has been achieved yet.
The Ganga, often called India‘s lifeline, has significant economic, environmental and cultural value attached to it.
Originating in the Himalayas and flowing into the Bay of Bengal in the east, it travels for more than 2,500km
through the plains of northern and eastern India.
The river flows through Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal.
Over 1500 million litres of raw sewage is discharged into the Ganga every day. This joins 500 million litres of
industrial waste dumped by more than 700 highly polluting industries located along it.
The decision is likely to boost the Namami Gange (Clean Ganga) Mission, a project launched to clean and revive
the river.
The centre approved an outlay of Rs20,000 crore for five years for the centrally financed mission and created
a ministry to focus on it.
To reach out to people along the river, the government has been working on developing villages as part of
its programme.

27/Jun/2017

At 399 ppm, India matches the world in atmospheric carbon dioxide levels

Why in News?

In the first-ever picture it has been seen that the concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) in India is
way above the safety mark, leading it to match other countries of the world.
News Summary

Scientists have been measuring the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere since 1950.
A report published in 2015 by the Current Science shows that the average CO2 level in India was 399 parts per
million (ppm).
Anything beyond 350 ppm CO2 molecules, is considered unsafe.

Spread of CO2 over India

Satellite imagery revealed that in India :-

Southern India and the western coast has somewhat lower CO2 concentrations between 395 ppm and 400 ppm.
Central and northern regions registered between 400 and 405 ppm.
Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh has CO2 concentrations between 405 ppm and 410 ppm.

Reason
Possible reasons for higher CO2 concentration over India:-

Lack of a CO2 sink.

Point sources like forest fires or biomass burning.
Gaseous transport from neighbouring regions.

Sources of CO2
1. Natural sources

Decomposition
Ocean release
Respiration

2. Human sources

Industrial emissions
Vehicular emissions
Forest fire
Deforestation
Burning of fossils like coal,gas.

Impacts
Some of the impacts of rise in CO2 Concentration are:-

Increase in global temperature.

Melting of glaciers and ice sheets.
Rise in sea level.
Change in the climatic patterns of the world.
Increase in instances of extreme rainfall.
Moisture and temperature create favourable conditions for disease outbreaks( like Malaria)
Hurricanes and other storms are likely to become stronger.
Floods and droughts will be more common.
Availability of fresh water will be less.

Way Forward

The recent rise in CO2 concentration is a cause of concern for India.

But India is committed to fulfil its INDC's(Intended Nationally Determined Contribution) by following ways :-

1. Creating awareness among people

2. Afforestation drive
3. Implementing Bharat stage IV vehicular emissions norms
4. Schemes like Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojna( LPG to every Indian household) will truly materialise the India's vision.
5.