JICA- Thar afforestation

NABARD- Aravalli eastern side

Rajasthan related questions.

Q. tell us about locust attack?

Q. state animal of Rajasthan? State animal of Gujrat? State animal of Chandigarh? State
animal of Maharasta?
Rajasthan- Camel, Chinkara;
Gujarat- Asiatic lion
Chandigarh – Indian grey mongoose
MH- Indian giant squirrel
Q, state tree of Rajasthan?
Khejri
Q. state bird of Rajasthan?
GIB
Q. How many Ramsar sites are there in Rajasthan?
2- Sambhar and Keoladeo national park
Q.- recently in Sambhar lake, lakhs of birds died. What was the reason behind it?
Reason was Avian botulism
Q. what is avian botulism?
It a a disease which is caused due to bacteria clasutridium botulinum. It affects the nervous
system and skeleton system.
Q. what are possible causes of avian botulism at sambhar lake?
Salt mining extraction and pollution too.
1. Reduced water level: this might have increased salinity levels leading to death of living
organizms. The decaying plant or animal materials are capable of hosting the bacteria for a
longer period of time.
2. A bird-to-bird cycle: Since only insectivorous and omnivorous birds were affected and not
herbivores, the birds feeding on dead birds could have been a possible cause of such mortality.
Q. tell us about Sambhar Lake?
India’s largest salt water lake. Sambhar lake- Shakambari lake (nagaur and Jaipur district)
Subject to seasonal fluctuations. Important for winter waterbirds- flamningos
Human activities- salt extraction, livestock grazng, late efforts by the authorities,
It is a RAMSAR site. It is also an important bird area.
Q. measures taken by Government in this regard?
Independent body like Chilika lake model to monitor this.- Chilika Lake Development Authority
Regulated activities around.
Q. Why less forest fire?
Because of Open forest (>90%)
Q. what is RFA, tree cover and forest cover?

Forest area or Recorded Forest Area- a The area recorded as a forest in the Government records. It is
also referred to as “Recorded Forest Area”

Forest Cover- All lands, more than one hectare in area, with a tree canopy density of more than 10
percent irrespective of ownership and legal status. Such lands may not necessarily be a recorded forest
area. It also includes orchards, bamboo and palm

Tree Cover - It comprises of tree patches of size less than 1 ha occurring outside the recorded forest
area. Tree cover includes trees in all formations including scattered trees.

Very Dense Forest Lands with forest cover having a canopy density of 70 per cent and above.

Q. tell us about India State of Forest Report 2019’s description of Rajasthan?

Area- 3.4 lakh sq km

Total Recorded Forest Area (RFA)- 32737 (ranks 15th) , hence forest deficient state

% of geographical area- 9.57%

Very dense forest- 78 sq km

Moderately dense forest – 4342

Open forest – 12210

Total forest cover- 16630 sq km (4.86%) increased forest cover of 58 sq km.

In Rajasthan, during the period 1st January 2015 to 5th February 2019, a total of 2,834 hectares of
forest land was diverted for non-forestry purposes under the Forest Conservation Act, 1980 (MoEF &
CC, 2019) while as per the information received from the State during the last two years, a total of
42,633 ha of plantations were raised.

Wetland – 1.7% of total RFA

No of tree species- 65
No. of shrub species- 30

No. of herb species- 8

Types of forest in Rajasthan- Tropical Dry deciduous forest and tropical thorn forest (Champion and
Seth)

No of forest fire alerts

By MODIS- 386 and by SNPP VIIRS- 3025

Most of the forest cover around >90% area is less fire prone.

5 National Parks, 25 Wildlife Sanctuaries and 11 Conservation Reserves, 3 tiger reserves (SAriskra,
Ranthambore, Mukundra hills), 46 comomunity reserves constitute the Protected Area network of the
State covering 2.92% of its geographical area

KARAULI- RFA- 15.75%

Diameter class wise distribution of top 5 tree species inside RFA-

1. Butea monosperma
2. Acacia catechu
3. Boswellia serrata
4. Anogeissus pendula (Kardhai or Dhoy or DHOK)-
- drought hardy species
- timber, fodder, gum, tannin
- has s ecological significance for the Aravallis and other hilly areas
- essentially an inhabitant of dry and hot regions where the annual rainfall ranges between 400
and 800 mm
- The unique feature of this tree is that it can grow on the rocky surface with ease
- In winters the leaves turn red-brown. After a point, the tree sheds the leaves. This tree is rated
as one of top hardwood around.
- Also found in MP, Delhi, Haryana
- More of a shrub than a tree as doenst’ become very tall
- While hiking across Aravali, I noticed that this tree is being cut by the locals as a source of a fuel.
- RAJASHTHAN GOERNMENT SHOULD DO THE PLANTATION OF THESE TREES
5. Tectona grandis

Top 5 species in tree outside forest

- Prosopis cineraria (khejri)

- Acacia Arabica (babul)
- Prosopic juliflora (Bilayati babul)
- Azadirachta indica (Neem)
- D. Sisoo (Shisham)

Major NTFP species in RJ

 - Butea monosperma
- Boswellia serrata
- Diospyros melanoxylon

Major invasive species in Rajasthan

- Lantana Camara
- Prosopis juliflora
- Senna occidentalis
- Cassia tor

Carbon stock –

- 1.52% of total forest carbon stock of country

Desertification

- The International Convention to Combat Desertification defines desertification as the

degradation of arid, semi-arid and sub-humid dry areas caused by various factors, including
climatic change and human activities.
- This process of degradation is the result of complex interactions between physical, biological,
political, socio-cultural and economic factors.
- Great Indian Desert, is spread over four states in India, viz., Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat
and two states in Pakistan. It covers an area of about 4,46,000 square kilometers, of which
2,78,000 sq.kms are spread over in India and the rest in Pakistan

65% of RJ area under threat. What are reasons of desertification or land degradation?

- Vegetation loss (drought) and unsustainable agriculture

- Overgrazing
- Deforestation
- Wind erosion
- Improper agriculture practices
- Illegal sand mining and Aravalli
- Canal  salinity and soil quality degradation

Measures –

- Integrated watershed management

- Wind shelters
- Sand dune stabilization
- Social and agro-forestry
- Check dams, anicuts,  improving water table
- Inter-cropping
- Micro-irrigation practices,
- Tankas, Johars.

Desertification – current status

https://www.thequint.com/news/environment/how-a-rajasthan-village-fought-desertification
Pakistan – 1 billion trees

China- Great Green Wall in Gobi (Mulching)

Soil and wind erosion –

Israel case study

Rajasthan government schemes-

Q. tell is about GIB?

Great Indian Bustard- CR, heaviest flying bird, hunting why? grassland species , decline in grassland
hence population down, Jaisalmer, Barmer, Wind and solar power plant (Jaisalmer) , slow breeder
animals , eggs eaten by dogs

Rajasthan steps:

1. Captive breeding on GIB

2. Project GIB – RJ Govt initiative
3. Species recovery program (CR- Govt_

Great Indian Bustard, the Lesser Florican and the Bengal Florican, three of the four bustard species
found in India, in January last year. The fourth one, Houbara, is a migratory species.

GIB- MP, MH (Sholapur- GIB sanctuaries)

Way forward- ex-situ then in-situ

Q. What are fallouts on nuclear test environmental fallouts

There is no official data on impact on environment. However, skin cancer and groundwater
contamination and genetic disorder cases.

Marshall island.

Why were nuclear test

Q. Why pokharan were chosen test sites?

Primarly, Pokhran is located in a desert location wherein the month of May - the prevailing
winds will create serious sandstorms !! The dust haze lasts for days, denying the American
spy satellites a clear view. "Even tyre tracks, usually a great signature of activity, get
obliterated very soon. Moreover, infra-red sensors, one of the more potent weapons in the
surveillance game, have a problem picking out such activity, particularly in daytime when
desert tempratures soar up to 50 degrees celsius." Pokhran might have been chosen with
these intentions that the sand clouds in that region can effectively blind the two [SiC] KH-11
"Keyhole" photo-imagery US spy satellites.

Secondly, Pokhran will experience some blind periods during which the spy satellites will be
elsewhere. These periods are about 3 to 7 hours long with a frequency of 2 per local day.
This favors the Indian scientists to be out and carry out the works at the location.

Indira Gandhi Canal

- It is fed by beas and Sultuj

- Importance-
o S
- Effects/impacts –
o The excessive irrigation and intensification of agriculture over the years has caused
environmental degradation and creation of new wastelands. There have been
problems with water-logging caused by excessive irrigation, seepage from canals
and poor drainage. These factors produced a rise in the water table, increased
salinity and finally submergence of the land. These problems have been exacerbated
by the cultivation of water intensive

Indira Gandhi canal

The Indira Gandhi Canal (Originally: Rajasthan Canal) is the longest canal of India . It starts from
the Harike Barrage at Harike, a few kilometers below the confluence of the Satluj and Beas rivers in
the Indian state of Punjab and terminates in irrigation facilities in the Thar Desert in the north west
of Rajasthan state. Previously known as the Rajasthan Canal, it was renamed the Indira Gandhi
Canal on 2 November 1984 following the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
The canal consists of the Rajasthan feeder canal with the first 167 kilometres (104 mi) in Punjab
and Haryana state and a further 37 kilometres (23 mi) in Rajasthan followed by the 445 kilometres
(277 mi) of the Rajasthan main canal, which is entirely within Rajasthan. The canal enters Haryana
from Punjab near Lohgarh village then runs through the western part of the Sirsa district before
entering Rajasthan near Kharakhera village in the Tibbi tehsil of the Hanumangarh district. The canal
traverses seven districts of Rajasthan: Barmer, Bikaner, Churu, Hanumangarh, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur,
and Sriganganagar.

Benefit –

- Green revolution in RJ
- Living standard
- Sand dune stabilization

Environmental problems

- The excessive irrigation and intensification of agriculture over the years has caused
environmental degradation and creation of new wastelands. There have been problems
with water-logging caused by excessive irrigation, seepage from canals and poor
drainage. These factors produced a rise in the water table, increased salinity and finally
submergence of the land. These problems have been exacerbated by the cultivation of water
intensive
- Great Indian bustard
 - Invasive species and destruction of native species

Q. reasons behind Chambal (Bedlands) formation?

Ravines are fluvial erosional features and are result of constant vertical erosion by rivers and streams.

Reasons –

1. Climate- supplying the water in the form of rain or snow as well as providing the temperature
variations
2. Neo-tectonic activities- due to tectonic movements the base level may be lowered further thus
energising the river and re activating the erosion. This is known as River Rejuvenation.
In case of Chambal, this river rejuvenation happened multiple times.

National park vs wildlife sanctuary

Q, tell us about Keoladeo national park

- Migratory bird
- Why? –artificial wetland (hunting ke liye banaaya tha)
- 1900- Lord Curzon  Lord Linlithgow
- World heritage site
- Montreaux, ramsar site world heritage site
- 2 reasons for montreaux –
o Regular drought
o Overgrazing
- Invasive species- prosopis Juliflora
- African catfish – invasive fish – magur
- Wetland  Fishing contract more fishing  African catfish
- Government project every year catfish are extracted from water and thrown out.
- Point- boundary wall
- Siberian crane
- Winter
- Keoladeo because Shiva temple which is only GOD. (KEVAL) and there was also kele ka ped
- Ghana- dense woody species
- Siberian crane- last came in 2002.
- The climax vegetation of a swamp or riverbed, i.e., Kadam
- On November 12, 1938, the world record of duck shooting—4373 birds in a day—was set here
by Lord Linlithgow, the then Viceroy of India
- The Keoladeo National Park (KNP), situated at the confluence of the Gambhiri and Banganga
rivers
- khus grass

Q, tell us about Blackbuck.

Blackbuck is an indian antelope. It has ringed horns. It is least concerned. WPA – Schedule 1.

Bishnoi Samaj/ Amrita Devi/ Chipko Andolan

1793 – Jodhpur Raja  khejrali  Amrita devi

The foundations of Bishnoi

The Bishnois are known for their love for nature worship and wildlife conservation. It was this
community that pursued this matter with a conviction for the killings which is deemed to be a crime, not
only towards the animal but also to their belief. The Bishnois of Jodhpur consider the blackbuck to be
the reincarnation of their religious Guru Bhagwan Jambeshwar also known as Jambaji. A Bishnoi,
therefore, would never tolerate the killing of wild animals or the cutting down of a tree. The origins of
the Bishnois community go as far in the past as the late 15th Century.

Q. Difference between deer and antelopes? What is difference between horns and antlers?

Antlers are found on cervids (deer), are made of bone, are typically branched, and are shed every year.
Horns are found on bovids (antelope, gazelle), are made of a bony core with a keratin sheath, are not
branched and are a permanent part of the animal.

Antelope vs deer

Antelope has horns while deer has antlers. Antlers are found in male only while horns are found in male
and female

Blackbuck – Antelope and hence has horns. Though more found in male

Blackbuck vs chinkara

1. blackbuck larger in size

2. horns of blackbuck are larger
3. blackbuck – dark brown to black while chinkara- reddish brown

Chinkara.

1. Belongs to Gazelle species

Gazelle vs antelope

1. all gazelles are antelopes, but not all antelopes are gazelles
2. Gazelles are usually also much smaller than other antelopes.
3. Most species of gazelles both male and female animals have horns while in antelope only male
have horns.

Sand-mining and Aravalli degradation

700 kms long. RJ, GJ, HR, MP, mount abut peak (1722meter)
Many rivers – Luni, Sabarmati

Arid and dry climate

Ranthambore, sariska, Chambal sactuary, Jaisamand WL sanctuary are part of Aravalli range.

Benefits of Aravalli–

1. stop desertification from spreading

2. stop sand dunes and dust storms  deforestation in Aravalli, mining caused gaps duststorms
in Delhi region
3. cause monsoon in Udaipur
4. Delhi  helps in pollution control

Threats of Aravalli –

1. Mineral rich region  mining heavy  destruction

2. National projects  DMIC, western freight corridor
3. Major span of Aravalli is not under legal protection
4. Delhi part of Aravalli  urbanization and waste disposal of Delhi
5. Prosopis Juliflora
6. . A 2018 report by Supreme Court-appointed Central Empowered Committee (CEC) says that 25
per cent of the Aravalli range has been lost due to illegal mining in Rajasthan

Legal

1. Ban on mining activities by SC in 2002

2. SC order- Delhi- Gurugram range residential colonies of Aravalli should be removed
3. Mountabu should be declared ecosensitive zone

Q. What Rajasthan Government is doing for Aravallis?

Supreme Court pulled up the Rajasthan administration and said, "The entire government machinery is
rotten in Rajasthan, and the officials are hand in glove with those who have been indulging in illegal
mining in Aravali area of the state.

Q. afforestation plans of Rajasthan.

Pollution in rajasthan

Godavan – panther

Tribes?

Afforestation plans of government

JFM

Flood in rj?
Waterlinkimg

DFO