Environment and Ecology. (1).docx

8/8/2019 Environment and Ecology. (1).docx

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Environment and Ecology

Dated: 17/02/2015

1. 16 New entries in the kaiga ird !ens"s: According to a report, 16 new birdshave been spotted during the Kaiga Bird Marathon 2015 organized by the KaigaAtomic ower !entre" #i$$ $ast year, the bird census had recorded 22% species o&birds" But, this year, the census report has registered 2'5 bird entries"

#he bird census is being conducted by N"clear #ower !or$oration o% &ndia'imited (N#!&') since 2011 under an environmenta$ awareness programme" #he bird survey covers the areas surrounding *aiga in +ttara *annada district.,he new entries are : A$pine swi&t, Ma$abar trogon, Booted warb$er, (hite)be$$iedwoodpec*er, +rienta$ turt$e dove, ndian pitta, Brown haw* eag$e, (hite)spottedpintai$, ndian b$ac*bird, -esser ad.utant stor*, !ommon wood stor*, /reater painted)snipe, addye$d warb$er, (hite chee*ed pintai$ and +rienta$ white)eye

Dated: 1-/02/2015

!anaries reathe easy as gadgets enter mines

(ith the advent o& a range o& portab$e e$ectronic toic gas detectors, the canariesare now set &ree and re$ieved &rom the dangerous .ob that they had been doing in the

coa$mines o& the Kothagudem region o& ingareni !o$$ieries !ompany -td" (ith thecompany introducing state)o&)the)art handhe$d gas detectors with sensors and a$armsystems &or deep ecavation, the birds are no $onger ca$$ed in to p$ay the role o% anearlywarning system &or carbon monoide and other toic gases in the mines"hy !anaries were "sed3

#he rapid breathing rate, sma$$ size and high metabo$ism o& the canaries ma*e themdie be&ore miners do on inha$ing toic gases" #he men can then be 4uic*$yevacuated" #he canaries used to be carried in cages and miners had to $oo* &ordistress signs in the birds"!ontroversyAnima$ rights activists have been raising ob.ections to the use o& the birds" !anaries

have become a &ast dwind$ing species now"o"rces: ,he 3ind".

4loal ertiliers "se to s"r$ass 200 million tonnes in 201-: 8 9e$ort,he wor$ds %ertilier cons"m$tion will grow over y 1.- a year through2017" #his has been conrmed through the 8 89ood and Agricu$tura$ +rganization:;eport, (or$ds 9erti$izers #rends and +ut$oo* 2017, a press re$ease" At the sametime the g$oba$ capacity o& &erti$izer products, intermediaries and raw materia$s wi$$increase &urther, the report added"As the potentia$ to produce &erti$izer outpace their use, the /$oba$ otentia$ Ba$ance,a technica$ term measuring the amount avai$ab$e over actua$ demand)wi$$ grow &or


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nitrogen, phosphate and potash)three o& he main soi$ &erti$izers"

Dated: 20/02/.2015

;illions at risk %rom ra$id sea rise in "nderans: t has $ed to a mi$$ioneodus out o& c$imate re&ugees creating enormous cha$$enges &or both ndia andBang$adesh" Mud emban*ments bui$d with crude hands are not enough &or thepurpose" -osing the 26,000 s4 *m area wou$d ta*e an environmenta$ to$$"9ole in the environment: ,he &reshwater swamps and the tang$es o&mangroves act as a natura$ bu appointed by the @nion Ministry o& nvironmentand 9orests 8Mo9: and !$imate !hange 8!!: to review environmenta$ $aws"9ecommendations o% the !ommittee: suggested sing$e window c$earancemechanism &or green nods" #he committee submitted its reports withrecommendations a&ter studying si environment $aws"

• #eo$le %or the Ethical ,reatment o% nimals (#E,) on 2% anuary 2015announced to create ndiaCs rst &enced e$ephant sanctuary at anerghattaNational $ark

Dated: 27/02/20151" orld>s ?rst all%emale $atrol $rotecting rhino$oaching in *r"ger>s

(o"th %rica): oaching *i$$s a rhino every seven hours in outh A&rica has beenbrought under some contro$ by emp$oying an a$$)&ema$e patro$ inside the /reaterKruger nationa$ par*" #hey are named as ,he lack ;amas are unarmed andmain$y consist o& unemp$oyed high schoo$ graduated &rom the ad.oining $oca$ity"

#heir main ro$e is to stop any group be&ore they poach a rhino" #he ;amas are


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the brain chi$d o& environmenta$ist and economist Mr !raig $encer. /iras retreating &ce may resha$e the earth (ater is me$ting away &rom the

icebergs o& Antarctic, hitting the oceans, at the rate i& 117 bi$$ion metric tonnes, &or thepast decade based on the studies conducted by DAA" n the worst case scenario, thisme$t cou$d push over the ocean water $eve$s to a height o& around 10 &eet wor$dwide ina century or two, curving heavi$y popu$ated coast$ines" ,ho"gh @7 o% ntarctic isstill covered with ice entire valleys are now %ree %rom it ice is thinnerelsewhere and glaciers have retreated"

Dated: 02/0A/2015,he &9, co"ntry to s"mit its !limate ction $lan: ,BE9'NDE the @D9!!" t a$so submits its &ntended nationality Determined !ontri"tion(&ND!) ahead o& the aris !$imate #a$*s committing to reduce the /?/ emissions by

50Fre$ative to 1%%0 $eve$s by 20=0" #he rich uropean country promised that =0F o& itsemissions wi$$ be contro$$ed in witzer$and itse$& and the remaining in the manycountries abroad where it carries out its pro.ects"

Dated: 0A/0A/20151. 4oogle ma$s go ,rekking in maon: hotos o& the rain&orests are now

visib$e at the treet Giew option o& the app" #his is done in collaoration withthe Environment #rotection gro"$ maonas "stainale o"ndation o%the to eC$lore a remote $art o% an maon rain%orest. ince /oog$edeve$oped the #re**er camera in 2012, the devise has been used in other unusua$

.ourneys as we$$" #he #re**er went scuba diving in the /a$apagos s$ands to ta*eunderwater photograph o& the preserve, and trave$$ed on a dog s$ed in the

!anadian Arctic to photograph the #undra"2. !lean sector energy seeks more clarity: #he renewab$e sector may nd it

diHcu$t to rea$ize the targets set &or them without the c$arity on the &unding o&various schemes announced in the budget, sector eports ana$yst said" #he &undthat prevai$ed ti$$ now was announced by then then 9in Min Mr ranab Mu*her.eewhen !oal &nd 'td was s"$$osed to $ay 9s 50 %or $er tonne coal it raisedas a cess (set "$ on the $rinci$le o% $oll"ter $ays) " t was put as a corpus&or &unding research and innovation in the renewab$e energy" Mr ait$ey raised thisto ;s 200 in the recent budget"

Dated: 0/0A/2015

1" De%orestation hits monsoon says re$orts: According to a new studyconducted by the researchers at the ndian nstitute o& cience in Banga$ore,(idespread de&orestation, especia$$y in the northern high $atitudes, has ta*en ato$$ on the monsoon across the northern hemisphere, with rains over ndiaparticu$ar$y bad$y a


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• uch de&orestation has reduced rains in the monsoon regions o& the Dorthern?emisphere" ndia was ais> 3o"se o% orshi$ at New Delhi ilk 9o"te ites in&ndiaF ri 3arimandir ahi and ;"ghal gardens in *ashmir are among therecommended sites among the '6 $isted"

Dated: 0@/0A/20151" "nderans loosing green cover and land massF says &98 st"dy:

According to a sate$$ite ana$ysis conducted by the ndian pace ;esearch+rganisation, the &ndian "nderans has lost A.71 o% its mangrove andother %orest cover while losing @@@0 hectares o% its landmass to erosionin one decade"

#he astern Lone Bench o& the Dationa$ /reen #ribuna$ which is hearing caseenvironmenta$ vio$ations in the underbans directed ho$ding the study",he st"dy also says the %ollowing:

• As much as 1,60I hectares o& the eroded area had vegetation"• uring the 10 years, 216 hectares o& $andmass had been added, o& which

121 hectares has green vegetation"• About @5.1 o% the green cover had not "ndergone any changeF

while %resh vegetation has come "$ with 1.1 o% the entire area"• #he dep$etion may be due to some natura$ and anthropogenic8human

intervention: process• #he %,600 s4 *m o& ndian underbans is high$y susceptib$e to coasta$

erosion and coasta$ $and dynamics" recent orld ank re$ort had also $ointed o"t that the carrying

ca$acity o% the landmass had eCceeded with the $o$"lationdensity o% over 1000 a sG.km.

dded #oints underbans covers approimate$y 10,000 s4uare *i$ometres 8=,%00 s4mi: o& which 60F is in Bang$adesh with the remainder in ndia" t is described as the@D!+ ?eritage ite" #his is the sing$e $argest b$oc* o& tida$ ha$ophyte vegetation inthe wor$d";angroves in &ndia acco"nt %or ao"t A o% the world>s mangrove vegetation.;angrove cover in &ndia is 662 sG. km which is 0.1 o% the co"ntry>s totalgeogra$hical area" undarbans in (est Benga$ accounts &or a$most ha$& o& the tota$


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area under mangroves in the country" Mangrove in ndia is &amous &or its rich variety o&Jora and &auna"9easons %or the de$letion o% the mangrove cover int eh co"ntry may e citedas %ollows:

• /razing and ep$oitation prob$ems• Deo tectonic movement o& the river courses• Abatement o& &resh water discharges due to construction o& dams and reservoirs"• ;apid trend o& the rec$amation o& mangrove &orests &or habitations

• o$$utant discharges &rom cities and industries etc"o"rces: the 3ind" 4& & iki.

Dated: 11/0A/20151. +nited Nations: nat"ral Disasters will soon cost the world +D A1

illion ann"ally: #he @D +Hce &or isaster ;is* ;eduction 8@D;: in a reportstated that the said amount wi$$ be spent every year to meet annua$ average$osses &rom antura$ disasters $i*e earth4ua*e, tsunamis, tropica$ cyc$ones andriver Jooding",his re$ort serves as an alarm as the +N convene the Ard +N orld!on%erence on Disaster 9isk red"ction that will re$lace the 10 year old3H848 %ramework %or ction ado$ted on the 2005 +N !on%erence in*oe.t endai . !ountries are epected to announce their commitments on reducingthe impact o& disasters, which have c$aimed over 1"= mi$$ion $ives and cost theg$oba$ economy at $east N2 tri$$ion in the past 20 years"

2" lack !arons> &m$act on ecosystemlack !aron and now ;elt:

1" B! can acce$erate ice me$t when they accumu$ate on snow" #he brightsnow sur&aces reJects high amount o& so$ar energy bac* into space

2" B! absorbs substantia$ &actors o& this energy and re)emit it as heat" #heArctic and ?ima$ayas are there&ore vu$nerab$e"

=" B! on g$acia$ snow is a concern as it a$ters the me$t cyc$e o& the g$aciers

in regions that re$y on g$acia$ me$t to compensate the water supp$ythrough seasons'" #hese impacts are high$y regiona$, and dependent on the $oca$ pro$e

and the trend and transport o& po$$ution5" !onsiderab$e &ocus on the Arctic and a$pine g$acia$ regions and the

?ima$ayan g$aciers lack !aron and rains

1" Known to inter&ere int eh c$oud &ormation and the rain&a$$ pattern2" A$so reduces sun$ight that reaches the sur&ace and reJects bac* into

space=" May change precipitation patterns and sur&ace visibi$ity" cientists say

that p$umes o& emissions can suppress convections and stabi$ize the

atmosphere in ways that obstruct norma$ precipitation patterns'" t is a$so described as the dimming o& the arths sur&ace that reducespatterns o& evaporation that ma*es c$oud" & B! heats up the $ayer thatproduces c$ouds, then they wi$$ evaporate instead o& bringing in rains

5" #hey can no $onger reJect sun$ight bac* into space, and so the soot)$aced c$ouds end up in warming the atmosphere"

6" But B! that hangs over $ow $ying c$ouds have a di


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,h"s ! has oth $ositive and negative im$acts.

• A$$ partic$es necessari$y do not warm" ome have a coo$ing e


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Dated: 12/0A/20151. 9are now 'eo$ard s$otted in !hina: n the ,ianshan ;o"ntains in N

!hina Jin=iang $rovince> a&ter a gap o& 10 years" #hey were captured in in&ra)red cameras three in number" now -eopards are one o& !hina>s !ategory endangered animals are "s"ally %o"nd in the 3imalayan ranges in!entral and o"th sia. According to researchers, the pictures showed anincrease in the number o& the species within the area as we$$ as ba$ancedecosystems

2" s reattaking sand d"nes %ast losing their awe: And turninginto garbage dumps as a resu$t o& unregu$ated tourist Jow" Bro*en beer bott$es,@nchec*ed &oot&a$$, movement o& vehic$es right up to the dunes and came$ carts&errying tourists are ta*ing a heavy to$$ o& the natura$ sand dunes which used tobe ao"t 55 to 60 metres in height ao"t A0 years ago and have nowred"ced to hal% the locals claims" But, none seems to be comp$aining sincetourism is the main source o& $ive$ihood &or the $oca$ popu$ation in aisa$merdistrict which is very close to the international order along #akistan"Apart &rom these, p$astic wrappers and a$$ sorts o& environmenta$$y hazardousitems are not on$y being $e&t behind by the tourists but, more shoc*ing$y, buriedunder the sand by the camp operators"

=" 9hino n"mers rise in est engal: (est Benga$ is now home to the

second highest $o$"lation o% the onehorned rhinoceros in the co"ntrya%ter ssam with the n"mer growing to 250 in the tate" A tate 9orestepartment survey in anuary has revea$ed that the


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liG"id layer ao"t 50 %eet (1A7 metres) dee$" More $i*e$y, the water wou$dhave &ormed an ocean occupying a$most ha$& o& Mars northern hemisphere, insome regions reaching depths greater than a mi$e 81"6 *i$ometres:" n a$$, the redp$anets ear$y ocean wou$d have contained 20 mi$$ion cubic *i$ometres o& water,but since then, -7 $er cent o% that water has een lost to s$ace.!om$arisons: By comparing the ratio o& RheavyS water containing deuterium, aheavier &orm o& hydrogen, with regu$ar water, scientists elieved that ;arsm"st have lost a vol"me o% water 6.5 times larger than the amo"nt

tra$$ed in the $resent $olar ca$s"An ear$y ocean on Mars containing the $ost water wou$d have covered 1% per cento& the p$anets sur&ace, they said" By comparison, the At$antic +cean occupies 1Iper cent o& the arths sur&ace"

6" indh"d"rg comes alive with a L$ristine> coral collection #he Loo$ogica$urvey o& ndia 8L: has &ound three new records o& cora$ ree& on the indhudurgcoast near Ma$van o& Maharashtra during a recent survey"


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shac*s are $icensed be&ore every tourist season and have to be dismant$ed be&orethe monsoon season" #his wi$$ a$so $oo* into the issues re$ated to sewagemanagement and so$id waste management in beach shac*s"

Dated: 1-/0A/20151" New "tterMy s$ecies s$otted &n est engal: #his is considered to be a

signicant addition to the butterJy species" (i$d$i&e enthusiasts have &ound the;alayan 4reen anded #eacock 8Papilio palinurus:, a beauti&u$ specimen&ound in outh ast Asia, &or the rst time in ndia" #his was spotted in

!hintamany Kar (i$d$i&e anctuary in outh 2' pgs district in Benga$" ;e&erred toas the Magshi$ s$eciesK "tterMies are not only $ollinators o% Mowering$lants "t also "se%"l in monitoring environmental changes" (hi$e thereare about 600 *nown species o& butterJies in (est Benga$, ndia is home to about1,500 species o& butterJies"dditional &n%ormation (est Benga$ is probab$y the on$y tate which is hometo a wide variety o& peacoc* butterJies such as the rare *rishna #eacock l"e#eacock the relatively common #aris #eacock !ommon #eacock and!ommon anded #eacock. #he on$y other eacoc* butterJy &ound in thecountry is Buddha eacoc* or Ma$abar Banded eacoc*, which is endemic tosouth ndia"

o"rce: the 3ind"

2" &m$act o% rising tem$erat"re on $ests #he e

• (armer temperatures in temperate c$imates wi$$ resu$t in more types andhigher popu$ations o& insects" ome insects $i*e arctic moths ta*e severa$years to comp$ete one $i&ecyc$e"

• ome crop pests are Ustop and Ugo deve$opers in re$ation to temperatureWthey deve$op more rapid$y during periods o& time with suitab$etemperatures" ncreased temperatures wi$$ acce$erate the deve$opment o&these types o& insects, possib$y resu$ting in more generations per year"

• nsects that spend important part o& their $i&e histories in the soi$ may bemore gradua$$y a


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the total gloal tiger $o$"lation needed a systematic approach to preservethe wi$d $i&e species" #his initiative is ta*en to stop the poaching and severa$ otheri$$ega$ activities" #hus this initiative wi$$ be a strategic intervention &or thepreservation o& the tiger popu$ation across the country" #he Minster alsoreleased 8#s(tandard 8$erating #roced"re: on issues re$ated to ActiveManagement towards rehabi$itation o& #igers, +rphan #iger cubs and #igerdepredation on $ivestoc* which gives various detai$s o& steps being ta*en in thisregard"

dditional in%ormation: #98s%orests and their $rod"cts with an aim to ens"re their s"stainalemanagement" 9orest certication is a marketased mechanism whichensures that domestic &orest produce commands better price in the g$oba$mar*et, whi$e encouraging sustainab$e harvesting o& &orests in the country"!ertication $eads to better management o& &orest resources by promoting

responsib$e trade in &orestry"#rogress so %ar: &ndia has however made little $rogress in this regard• +& the tota$ I7"%2 mi$$ion ha &orest and tree cover in the country, on$y 0"7

mi$$ion ha o& &orests has been certied so &ar"• #he tota$ supp$y o& certied wood in ndia is $ess than 10 per cent o& the

tota$ demand"• ,he ma=or reason %or little $rogress has been the governments

re$uctance to sub.ect the &orests managed by it to an independent andthird party scrutiny 8-i*e any private owned insitutions, $i*e we have inmost o& the -atin Americanuropean countries:"

o"rce: Down to Earth5. !limate change migration "rdening "ran areas in ay o% engal:

;ising urban popu$ation &o$$owing &orced migration &rom r"ral areas is a res"lto% climate change and $oses a "rden "$on "ran riskred"ction eOorts ,aver eperts &rom Bay o& Benga$ countries" #he &orced migration as a resu$t o&c$imate impact is adding burden to manage urban ris* reduction e


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#he !harter was adopted in a wor*shop where ma.ority o& the B+B nations in Asia participated"oc"s sho"ld e on:

@rban centres must have the p$an to address the issues &or migrants to thecities and deve$op a comprehensive strategy to promote resi$ience withnecessary s*i$$s to address their vu$nerabi$ities"

#here is a$so the necessity to strengthen institutiona$ instruments to supportdata management, habitat p$anning and capacity bui$ding"

(ea* resource management as we$$ as &au$ty deve$opment design andinitiatives have created severa$ cha$$enges in urban areas such as Jood,hea$th re$ated prob$ems"mportance o& inc$usion o& socia$ parameterstrengthening the $in*ages between science, po$icy and practice &or acomprehensive engagement na$$y resu$ting in po$icies and strategies that$ead to benets &or the communities at ris*"

o"rce: ,he ,8&Dated: 20/0A/2015

1" ,he diOerentiated im$acts o% climate change/#art 1: DiOerent co"ntriesare acting diOerent given the m"ddling motives to change. !$imatechange is a g$oba$ phenomenon caused by a$$ o& us in di


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wo*en up to the dangers o& c$imate change and in typica$ !hinese &ashion, hasstarted to act" 9rom net to nothing, !hina has the $argest insta$$ed windpower capacity today and is targeting I0 /( o& so$ar insta$$ations by 201I" tis the wor$ds $argest so$ar pane$ manu&acturer" !hina has been bui$dinganother great wa$$ ) one made o& trees to prevent sandstorms over Bei.ing"

2" ,he diOerentiated im$acts o% climate change/#art 2: uropean $ead is apositive step, but ndian conse4uences sti$$ dire" uropean countries $oo* $i*e the

poster chi$dren o& action on c$imate change" missions o& greenhouse gases 8thecausative agents o& g$oba$ warming: are down since 1%%0 and> a &urther binding'0F reduction in greenhouse gases 8&rom 1%%0 $eve$s: is targeted by 20=0"!redibi$ity o& urope urope achieved its targets &or three reasons the 200%nancia$ crisis and the 2011 uro crisis caused the uropean economy to &a$ter8and $owered the amount o& energy it used:, the outsourcing o& production o& asubstantia$ &raction o& the Rstus $ayoOs i% stat"s G"o $ersists are very negative"nless everyone coo$eratesF !hinas is negative> @s is very mied> urope,though the status 4uo payo< is not very negative, by credib$y signa$$ing that theywi$$ a$ways cooperate, has made it more $i*e$y &or others to cooperate "


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#he depressing truth is that the di


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. acred grooves o% *erala down to 1200: 9am$ant constr"ction andh"man activities have s$elt doom %or *erala>s sacred groves a recentre$ort taled in the state ssemly said" +ver the past si decades, Kera$ahas witnessed a drastic reduction in the number o& its groves" (hi$e the stateboasted o& more than 10000 groves at the time o% its %ormation in 1@56only aro"nd 1200 eCist now and among these many are "nder threat, thereport prepared by the tate Assemb$y !ommittee on 9orest andacred groves also called *av" in ;alayalam lang"age, are rich abodes o&

biodiversity" #hey are o&ten seen on the premises o& ?indu ancestra$ homes8tharavaadu: in the vi$$ages" t was a common practice among the $eo$le toassign a $ortion o% the land on which they "ilt ho"se to ser$ent godNaga or goddess D"rga" Felling of trees or even removing a twig from theselands were considered taboo" #he groves were $oo*ed a&ter and maintained by

.oint &ami$ies" stab$ishment o& sacred groves was a$so seen as traditiona$ e


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• ;are species o& trees shou$d be preserved in seed ban*s to ensure theiravai$abi$ity"

hat has een done till now:

• #he state has s$ent ao"t 9s -- lakh since 201112 to promote theconservation o& groves"

• n a bid to invo$ve students, 2'0 biodiversity c$ubs have been &ormed invarious higher secondary schoo$s and co$$eges"

• #he number o& these c$ubs wi$$ be increased to 500 by the end o& this year,

• #he government is a$so trying to create new groves in di


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#his shou$d act as an eye opener &or wor$d$eaders and institutions that &avour economic growth at the cost o& theenvironment" n +ctober $ast year, the wor$d saw the death o& the Ara$ eaWa

$a*e that was so big that it was ca$$ed a sea" ,his is among the iggestecological disasters o% modern times.&n the eginning #he Ara$ ea is an endorheic lake which means thataltho"gh it has s"r%ace inMow there is no s"r%ace o"tMow o% water. #heinJow into the sea is because o& two rivers, the Amu arya and yr arya"9easons that lead to the disaster #he ea started to shrin* because o& theambitious economic p$ans o& oviet $eader oseph ta$in" n 1%2%, he orderedcollectiviation o% %arms in !entral sia to achieve cotton independence" #he$asting $egacy o& this socia$ and economic trans&ormation was destruction o&traditiona$ irrigation in the Ara$ ea basin" n the 1%'0s, under ta$ins /reat $an&or the ,rans%ormation o% Nat"re, construction o& irrigation cana$s was startedon a $arge sca$e" Many o& the cana$s were poor$y bui$t, a$$owing water to $ea* or

evaporate"&n 1@-7 the sea se$arated into two water odiesQa sma$$ Ara$ ea in thenorth and a $arge Ara$ ea in the south" #he yr Jows into the &ormer, the Amuinto the $atter" n 1%%2, the $oca$ authorities constructed an earthen di*e to b$oc*outJow to raise the $eve$ o& the sma$$ sea"n August 2005, the di*e was rep$aced by a dam 8Ko*)Ara$: bui$t by Kaza*hstan" nthe case o& the sma$$ sea, the di*e and dam raised and stabi$ised the water $eve$,$eading to great$y improved eco$ogica$ conditions" But the $arge Ara$ ea was notso &ortunate" t continued to dry up and by the ear$y 2000s had divided into asha$$ow eastern $obe and a deep western $obe connected by a channe$"&n 8ctoer 201, the eastern loe dried "$ com$letely %or the ?rst timein modern times, according to DAA" #he seabed that emerged is now *nown as

the Ara$*um desert"actors res$onsile:

• (hi$e eperts ho$d the &ormer oviet @nions economic po$icies responsib$e&or the shrin*ing o& the sea, they a$so b$ame the areas geopo$itics &or thedeath o& the water body"

• #he Ara$ ea is $ocated in a p$ace which is sti$$ ;ussias bac*yard and where;ussian inJuence reigns and competes with &orces o& s$amic etremismand inic and (estern inJuence"


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• oviet centra$ government, by epanding irrigation in the basin beyond thepoint o& environmenta$ sustainabi$ity, dried up the sea"

• n &act, 201' saw a string o& events in the regions vicinityW;ussiananneation o& !rimea, unrest in @*raine, soured ;ussian)(est re$ations,g$oba$ .ihad and the continued rise o& !hina"

• A$$ these events indirect$y inJuence the &uture o& the sea" -oca$governments in the catchment area have a $ot o& other things to do now"aving the Ara$ ea is not the primary tas* &or them

Ecological and 3"man &m$act:• #he virant commercial ?shing ind"stry that deve$oped in the rst ha$&

o& the 20th !entury ended in the ear$y 1%70s as indigenous catch speciesdisappeared owing to rising sa$inity and $oss o& sha$$ow spawning and&eeding areas"

• #he sea basin, which was once a habitat &or more than I0 species o&mamma$s and =1% o& birds, has on$y =2 species o& mamma$s and 160 o&birds"

• Navigation on the sea a$so ceased by the 1%70s as e


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Dated: 2A/0A/2015

1. "stralian l"e$rint %or saving the 4reat arrier 9ee%: A p$an to saveAustra$ias /reat Barrier ;ee& &rom destruction was announced as rime Minister

#ony Abbott sought to persuade the @nited Dations that the (or$d ?eritage sitewas not Rin dangerS" ,he ree% has lost ao"t 50 $er cent o% its coral in the$ast A0 years, due part$y to ocean acidi?cation ca"sed y greenho"se gasemissionsF the d"m$ing o% s$oil %rom the dredging o% sea channelsF and$oll"tion %rom agric"lt"ral chemicals. $agues o& venomous crown)o&)thornsstarsh, which eat cora$, have a$so caused widespread damage" Austra$ias A5year $lan envisages spending more than Y1bn over the net decade to protectthe ree&" An initia$ sum o& Y52m wi$$ be used to cut the run)o< o& sediment,&erti$isers and pesticides into the sea, which teven Mi$es, the state o&Zueens$ands environment minister, said was the biggest medium)term threat",he ree% contri"ted ao"t SAn a year to the economy.

2. ;adhav 4adgil wins ,yler $rie: co$ogist ;adhav 4adgil has been chosen

&or the prestigious #y$er rize &or nvironmenta$ Achievement &or 2015"chievements: /adgi$ was the !hairman o% the estern 4hats EcologyEC$ert #anel (4EE#). r" /adgi$s re$ort on the $reservation o% the"niG"e ecosystem o% the estern 4hats was specia$$y cited as the reason &orthe honour, besides his contributions to the cra&ting o& the Dationa$ BiodiversityAct, 2002"ellow winners: /adgi$ wi$$ share the N200000 cash $rie with mericanmarine ecologist


19/74

'" Nine new %rog s$ecies %o"nd in the estern 4hats n 201', '1 new specieso& &rogs have been &ound, a$$ in the (estern /hats)))) ,he new s$ecies elongsto gen"s 9aorchestes" According to .ourna$ Dature, (estern /hats are one o&the eight [hottest hotspots[ &or biodiversity in the wor$d"

o"t the s$ecies: hat is 9aorchestest re&ers to a group o& &rog species &ound in south and outheast Asia" ome o& thesebush &rogs are sma$$ enough to t on the tip o& oneCs thumb, measuring anywherebetween 15 to '5 mm" A part o& the $arger &ami$y o& tree &rogs, they are ca$$ed bush

&rogs because they are &ound in $ower parts o& the &orest canopy, usua$$y in bushes,shrubs and sma$$ trees" Bush &rogs are nocturna$ creatures, very hard to spot, and mosteasi$y &ound by trac*ing their $oud ca$$s, especia$$y in the dar* or the midd$e o& the night"

5. &ndonesian %rog s$ecies %o"nd to show "niG"e re$rod"ctive ehavior: Limnonectes larvaepartus is the on$y s$ecies o% %rog known to give irth tolive tad$oles s$ecies o% %rog %o"nd on the &ndonesian island o%"lawesi has been &ound to be giving birth to $ive tadpo$es V a uni4ue behavioramong the wor$ds 6,000 &rog species" #he -imnonectes &ami$y is *nown as%anged %rogs eca"se o% twin $ro=ections on their lower =aws that are"sed in ?ghting.

6. !aron Emissions %rom %orests dro$ down y 25/20012015/ etter%orests ;anagement and de%orestation contri"te to emission

red"ction$owdown in g$oba$ de&orestation rates"/$oba$ emissions &rom de&orestation dropped & rom A.@ to 2.@ 4igatonnes (4t)o% caron dioCide (!82) $er year over the $eriod o% 20012015"e&orestation is dened as a $and)use change, &rom &orest to other $and uses"Among the signicant ones, inc$ude rail !hile !hina !a$e erde !osta9ica #hili$$ines 9e$"lic o% *orea ,"rkey +r"g"ay and iet Nam9A+ emphasized at the same time that despite the overa$$ reduction in carbonemissions &rom &orests $in*ed to $ess de&orestation, emissions &rom &orestdegradation have signicant$y increased between 1%%0 and 2015, &rom 0"' to 1"0/t !+2 per year9orest degradation is a reduction in tree biomass density &rom human or natura$causes such as $ogging, re, wind throws and other events"

9A+ pub$ished these gures &or the rst time on the occasion o& the nternationa$ay o& 9orests, ce$ebrated on 21 March 2015";ethodology ado$ted to this changeW

A more sustainab$e management o& &orests wi$$ resu$t in a reduction in carbonemissions &rom &orests and has a vita$ ro$e to p$ay in addressing the impacts o&c$imate change

9orests are critica$ to the arthCs carbon ba$ance and ho$d about three)4uarters asmuch carbon as is in the who$e atmosphere"ustainab$e agricu$ture is e4ua$$y important to reduce the pressure on &orests

&malances etween co"ntries and regions

#he absorption o& carbon by &orests he$ps to counterba$ance, a$though notentire$y, overa$$ emissions due to the conversion o& &orests to other types o& $anduse

9orests absorb and store an additiona$ two bi$$ion tonnes o& !+2 per year 82011)2015:, ec$uding emissions &rom de&orestation"

?a$& o& the &orest carbon sin* is re$ated to growth in p$anted &orests"Develo$ed co"ntries continue to represent the bu$* o& the overa$$ estimatedcarbon sin*, with a share o& 60 percent 82011)2015:" ))) #his share, however, hasdecreased &rom 65 percent 82001)2010:, main$y due to a decrease in theestab$ishment o& new p$anted &orests"

http://www.fao.org/forestry/international-day-of-forests/en/http://www.fao.org/forestry/international-day-of-forests/en/http://www.fao.org/forestry/international-day-of-forests/en/http://www.fao.org/forestry/international-day-of-forests/en/


20/74

Develo$ing co"ntries account &or the remaining '0 percent o& the tota$ carbonsin*"

At the regiona$ $eve$, A&rica, Asia and -atin America and the !aribbean a$$continued to re$ease more carbon than they absorb, a$though emissions &romA&rica and -atin America decreased between 1%%0 and 2015"

Brazi$ a$one represented more than 50 percent o& the overa$$ estimated reductionin carbon emissions between 2001and 2015"

#he &orests o& urope and Dorth America &unctioned as net carbon sin*s between

1%%0 and 2015 since they absorb more carbon than they re$ease, whereas+ceania did not show a c$ear trend in &orest emissions over the same period"

Dated: 27/0A/2015

1" olicy niggles $"t &ndia>s solar dream "nder a shadow)))(hi$e thegovernment wants to generate 100,000 Mw o& so$ar power by 2022, it is yet toserious$y imp$ement steps to meet production and transmission targets)))

2" !limate change costsWunpredictab$e weather may a


21/74

• #he ecretariat o& the acic ;egiona$ nvironment rogramme 8;:based in amoa

• Acumen 9und, nc" 8Acumen: #his is the rst time that the /!9 Board reviewed app$ications &or accreditation with the9und" +& the @ N10"2 bi$$ion p$edged to /!9, on$y N10' mi$$ion have been received so&ar" #he /!9 aims to accumu$ate N100 bi$$ion by 2020" n that sense, the p$edgedamount is on$y 10 per cent o& the targeted amount"

=" 9iver linking to climate change)) #he #am$a #arirakshana amiti (##:, an

eco group, has urged the government to abandon the #am$achencoilai$ar'ink #ro=ect (#'#) aimed at diversion o% water %rom the westMowing*erala rivers #am$a and chencoil to the ai$ar river in ,amil Nad", as itwou$d $ead to c$imate change over a period o& time"

• #he scientic community had a$erted the government on the a$armingenvironmenta$ issues in the event o& imp$ementing the various river)$in*ingpro.ects proposed in the Dationa$ ;iver -in*ing rogramme"

• #he environmenta$ conse4uences o& the reduced runo< &rom riverstargeted by the inter$in*ing programme" perts were o& the view that thereduced runo< &rom the rivers cou$d a


22/74

,he $lan $ro$osedQ

))))@nder the National #ers$ective #lan (N##) prepared by the Ministry o& (ater;esources, the D(A has identied 1 links "nder the 3imalayan !om$onent and16 links "nder the #enins"lar 9ivers !om$onent"))))• According to the D, the ?ima$ayan ;ivers eve$opment ro.ect envisagesconstruction o& storage reservoirs on the main 4anga and the rahma$"tra and theirprincipa$ tributaries in ndia and Depa$, a$ong with an inter)$in*ing cana$ system totrans&er surp$us Jow o& the eastern tributaries o& the /anga to the (est" t wi$$ a$so $in*the main Brahmaputra with the /anga"))))• #he eninsu$ar ;ivers eve$opment !omponent is divided into %o"r ma.or partsinter$in*ing o& Mahanadi)/odavari)Krishna)!auvery rivers and bui$ding storages atpotentia$ sites in these basins, inter$in*ing (est)Jowing rivers north o& Mumbai andsouth o& the #api, inter$in*ing o& Ken)!hamba$, and diversion o& other (est)Jowingrivers"

&ss"es with the &nter 'inking #ro=ectQ


23/74

))))nvironmenta$ists, hydro$ogists and economists around the wor$d have epresseddeep concerns at the irreversib$e damage that this sort o& a mega pro.ect can do to thecountrys environment and our water resources" ))))• Massive civi$ wor*s wi$$ beinvo$ved, $a*hs o& peop$e wi$$ be uprooted and vast sums o& money wi$$ be re4uired"))))• #he idea o& inter)basin trans&ers is based on the assumption that certain surp$us8Jood)prone: and decit 8drought)prone: areas eist so that water is readi$y avai$ab$ewithout any ob.ection to trans&er &rom the &ormer to the $atter"

))))• Any neat division between RdecitS and Rsurp$usS areas becomes more o& aprob$em in these times o& c$imate change when erratic weather patterns are more&re4uent$y seen" o the basic conditions o& prob$em)&ree trans&er o& water &rom thecountryCs Rsurp$usS to RdecitS areas simp$y do not eist" #he tensions are $i*e$y to bemuch greater when inter)basin trans&ers a$so invo$ve neighbouring countries"))))• Bio)iversity Jourishing in a particu$ar river system wi$$ react when it is $in*ed toanother river"

1. !limate change has health and economic ene?ts: claims st"dyQ If

countries limit global warming to 2°C, more jobs will be created andfewer pollution-related deaths will take place.

#he reportWssessing the missed ene?ts o% co"ntriesWana$ysed theemissions p$edges made by countries be&ore the aris @D !$imate ummitschedu$ed in ecember"

E"ro$e + and !hina to e ene?ttedW urope has promised '0 per cent reduction in emissions by 20=0" #his wi$$

create I0,000 &u$$)time .obs, prevent around 6,000 premature po$$ution)re$ated deaths and bring about a N =5"56)bi$$ion cut in &ossi$ &ue$ imports"

But i& emissions were reduced by around 55 per cent, a$$ these benetswou$d increase"

@A)) & the @ is ab$e to meet the 2`! target, it cou$d prevent 20,000premature deaths each year &rom air po$$ution" t wou$d a$so create170,000 &u$$)time green .obs in the domestic renewab$e energy sector andsave N 160 bi$$ion each year &rom reduced oi$ imports"!hina)) wou$d save over a mi$$ion $ives and create a$most 2 mi$$ion .obs"

witzer$and was the rst country to &orma$$y communicate its contributionto the @D c$imate change dea$ by promising 50 per cent reduction ingreenhouse gas emissions by 20=0


24/74

o"rce: Down to earth2" Hear 201: records in eCtreme climatic conditionsWaw record 8cean

heatF 3igh 'and s"r%ace tem$erat"res and devastating Mooding) #he year201' wi$$ be best remembered as the warmest year on record since modernmeasurements began in the mid)1700s"

• And this was despite an epected - Dino condition, which is typica$$y associatedwith e$evated g$oba$ temperatures, which &ai$ed to materia$ize"

• /$oba$ average sea sur&ace temperatures &or 201' were the warmest,

• Antarctic sea epanded to a record etent &or the third year in a row,The major events that occurred are depicted as follows —

=" rctic ea &ce hits a record low this winterQAs the p$anet gets hotter, Arcticsea ice gets a record me$ting percentage even this winter" n the @nsett$ing newmi$estone, Arctic sea ice, made o& &rozen seawater Joating in the ocean, usua$$yepands in the co$d winter months, reaching a [maimum[ around 9ebruary orMarch" But this year, the winter maimum appears to be the $owest on recordatellite investigations egan as earlier as 1@7@ when it was noted thatrctic ice declines at the eCtent o% A $er decade)))#he dec$ine in sea icehas been especia$$y pronounced during the summer months, where Arctic sea iceetent has dec$ined rough$y 0 $ercent over the past three decades, and the icehas $ost signicant vo$ume,+nce the sea ice hits its winter maimum, it wi$$ start me$ting over the spring andsummer months" Bac* in August 2012, Arctic sea ice etent hit its $owest$eve$ ever recorded, but then rebounded a bit in the summers o& 201= and 201'"cientists point out that the me$t is driven by /$oba$ (arming, as we$$ as by otherpo$$utants humans put into the atmosphere",his vanishing sea ice has the %ollowing conseGi"encesQ1" @n$oc*ing once &rozen areas o& oi$ and gas ep$orations2" otentia$$y muc*ing with weather patterns in Dorth America and urope"

& this dec$ine continues then we are $i*e$y to see a year when th Arctic wi$$ bepotentia$$y ice &ree in the summer months"

#he &ntergovernmental #anel on !limate !hange (!!: simp$y says an ice)&reeArctic in eptember is [$i*e$y[ be&ore 2050 under high g$oba$)warming scenarios"

http://psc.apl.washington.edu/wordpress/research/projects/arctic-sea-ice-volume-anomaly/http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/arctic-sea-ice-hits-record-low-scientists-say/2012/08/27/0e11a63a-efe6-11e1-892d-bc92fee603a7_story.html?hpid=z2http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/arctic-sea-ice-hits-record-low-scientists-say/2012/08/27/0e11a63a-efe6-11e1-892d-bc92fee603a7_story.html?hpid=z2http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/arctic-sea-ice-hits-record-low-scientists-say/2012/08/27/0e11a63a-efe6-11e1-892d-bc92fee603a7_story.html?hpid=z2https://www.ipcc.ch/pdf/unfccc/sbsta40/SB40_research_dialogue_hezel_wgI.pdfhttp://psc.apl.washington.edu/wordpress/research/projects/arctic-sea-ice-volume-anomaly/http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/arctic-sea-ice-hits-record-low-scientists-say/2012/08/27/0e11a63a-efe6-11e1-892d-bc92fee603a7_story.html?hpid=z2http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/arctic-sea-ice-hits-record-low-scientists-say/2012/08/27/0e11a63a-efe6-11e1-892d-bc92fee603a7_story.html?hpid=z2https://www.ipcc.ch/pdf/unfccc/sbsta40/SB40_research_dialogue_hezel_wgI.pdf


25/74

3"man &nter%erence responsibi$ity towards the increased me$tWn 2012, 8the$arge storm in august that year a$so p$ayed a viab$e ro$e to brea* apart the Arcticice:"one study conrmed that between I0 and %5 percent o& the Arctic me$t since1%I% has been caused by human activity" act numbers aside, itCs c$ear thathuman inJuence has p$ayed a big ro$e in the Arctic"

/$oba$ warming has drastica$$y heated up the region, with the Arctic warmingabout twice as &ast as the rest o& the wor$d

oot and other po$$utants &rom &actories and power p$ants in urope and Asia

trave$ up to the Arctic" (hen those dar* partic$es sett$e onto snow and ice, theyabsorb sun$ight and start sizz$ing" t a$$ $eads to $ess ice" ;elting rctic ice won>t raise "$ ea levels "t a melting 4reenland

might))9rozen seawater thatCs Joating in the ocean canCt raise sea $eve$s when itme$ts, because that ice was a$ready disp$acing its own weight))o me$ting Arcticsea ice wonCt, on its own, Jood our coasta$ cities"

But, As the new$y eposed Arctic +cean waters start absorbing more sun$ight, thebroader region wi$$ *eep heating up" And thatCs important when it comes tothe vast ice sheet covering /reen$and" /reen$andCs &reshwater ice is sitting on$and, so when it me$ts and Jows into the ocean, that does raise sea $eve$s"

/reen$andCs ice sheet is current$y 1"% mi$es thic* and contains enough ice to raiseg$oba$ sea $eve$s by about 25 &eet in a$$" And that ice sheet is indeed shrin*ng)))which is now loosing ice at an accelerated rate o% 2A gigatones $eryear.

#his is part$y due to raised Arctic air in the summer and part$y due to rising oceantemperatures which chews away the outer edges o& ice sheets"

#ossiilities %or the rctic ;elt) t cou$d, in theory, ma*e it easier &or oi$ andgas companies to ep$ore po$ar regions that were once inaccessib$e" Bac* in2012, &or instance, he$$ sent a dri$$ ship to the !hu*chi ea o< A$as*a to prepare&or oi$ ep$oration in the new$y thawed region" A$ternative$y, the me$ting Arcticcou$d a$so open up new shipping routes during the summer months"

,herePs also the $ossiility that a melting rctic co"ld lead to %resh

tensions among the nations that order it W the @nited tates, ;ussia,!anada, and so &orth" n theory, thereCs an Arctic !ounci$ thatCs supposed to sett$evarious )disputes that are $i*e$y to arise as the ocean opens up"

!ontrast to the studies o& the Arctic ce is the Antarctic ce which &or reasonsun*nown is growing",here are two ty$es i% ice in the ntarcticQea &ce and 'and &ce

8% them the ea &!e is that which covers vast tracts o% Moating in the

ocean aro"nd the continent. 9or reasons that are sti$$ unc$ear, the etent o&Antarctic sea ice has indeed been growing in recent years

,herePs also land ice. ,his is the snow and ice that sits on to$ o% land in

large ice sheets. -and ice is more re$evant to humans, since when that ice me$ts and drips into the

ocean, it pushes up g$oba$ sea $eve$s" 8#hereCs enough ice in (est Antarctica

a$one to raise the ocean 10 to 1= &eet""and according to current estimates,Antarctica is $oosing this $and ice" #hus a$though the Arctic and the Antarctic are behaving $i*e their $ocationsWpo$esapart, yet the g$oba$ rise in temperature can do more harm than being use&u$"

A. 4reenho"se gas hits recordsQ #he amount o& greenhouse gases in the atmosphere reached a new record

high in 201=, $ro$elled y a s"rge in levels o% caron dioCidethe orld ;eteorological 8rganiation re$orted ,"esday, raisingthe threat o& increased g$oba$ warming"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenland_ice_sheethttp://www.arctic.noaa.gov/reportcard/greenland_ice_sheet.htmlhttp://www.economist.com/news/international/21641240-hype-over-arctic-recedes-along-summer-ice-not-so-coolhttp://nsidc.org/cryosphere/seaice/characteristics/difference.htmlhttp://www.vox.com/2014/5/12/5710440/the-collapse-of-west-antarcticas-glaciers-appears-unstoppablehttps://www.wmo.int/pages/mediacentre/press_releases/pr_1002_en.htmlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenland_ice_sheethttp://www.arctic.noaa.gov/reportcard/greenland_ice_sheet.htmlhttp://www.economist.com/news/international/21641240-hype-over-arctic-recedes-along-summer-ice-not-so-coolhttp://nsidc.org/cryosphere/seaice/characteristics/difference.htmlhttp://www.vox.com/2014/5/12/5710440/the-collapse-of-west-antarcticas-glaciers-appears-unstoppablehttps://www.wmo.int/pages/mediacentre/press_releases/pr_1002_en.html


26/74

#he scientists warn that the EarthPs nat"ral aility to store andmediate the gases thro"gh oceans $lants and other means maye a$$roaching a sat"ration $oint which co"ld eCaceratec"rrent warming. Dot a$$ scientists agree, however"

#he (or$d Meteoro$ogica$ +rganizationCs annua$ report [shows that, &ar&rom &a$$ing, the concentration o& carbon dioide in the atmosphereactua$$y increased $ast year at the &astest rate &or near$y =0 years,

#his trend has to be reversed by cutting emissions o& !+2 and other /?/s

!arbon dioide $eve$s rose more between 2012 and 201= than during anyother year since 1%7'" #he report showed that between 1%%0 and 201=, the energy in the

atmosphere increased by =' percent" #he surge was driven by a concentration o& carbon dioide that is '2

percent higher than the $eve$ in the pre)industria$ era 8prior to 1I50:" ;ethane and nitro"s oCide were 15= percent and 21 percent higher,

respective$y, than pre)industria$ $eve$s, a$though their overa$$ numbers aremuch $ower than carbon dioideCs"

!a"tioning systemsQ1" Dorma$$y, ao"t a G"arter o% caron dioCide emissions into the

atmos$here are asored y $lants while another G"arter dissolves

into the ocean.2" But the abi$ity to p$ants and oceans to *eep on absorbing ecess greenhouse

gases may be s$owing as those systems approach what may be a saturationpoint,

=" #he record high $eve$s o& !+2 gas was re$ated to the r educed !+2 upta*e by theearthCs biosphere in addition to the steadi$y increasing !+2 emissions,

'" !+2 remains in the atmosphere &or many hundreds o& years and in the oceans&or more $onger" #hus it is a$so re$ated to the increased acidity in the oceanwaters

. 8one %acts +zone is a co$or$ess gas" !hemica$$y, ozone is very active> itreacts readi$y with a great many other substances"

Dear the arths sur&ace, those reactions cause rubber to crac*, hurt p$ant$i&e, and damage peop$es $ung tissues"But ozone a$so absorbs harm&u$ components o& sun$ight, *nown asRu$travio$et BS, or R@G)BS"

?igh above the sur&ace, above even the weather systems, a tenuous $ayero& ozone gas absorbs @G)B, protecting $iving things be$ow"

Doson +nit) #he obson @nit 8@: is the unit o& measure &or tota$ ozone" &you were to ta*e a$$ the ozone in a co$umn o& air stretching &rom the sur&ace o& the earth to space, and bring a$$ that ozone to standard temperature 80`!e$sius: and pressure 8101="25 mi$$ibars, or one atmosphere, or RatmS:, theco$umn wou$d be about 0"= centimeters thic*" #hus, the tota$ ozone wou$d be0"= atm)cm" #o ma*e the units easier to wor* with, the Robson @nitS is

dened to be 0"001 atm)cm" +ur 0"= atm)cm wou$d be =00 @"

8one 3ole)) ach year &or the past &ew decades during the outhern ?emispherespring, chemica$ reactions invo$ving ch$orine and bromine cause ozone in the southernpo$ar region to be destroyed rapid$y and severe$y" #his dep$eted region is *nown as theRozone ho$eS"

,he area o% the oone hole is determined %rom a ma$ o% total col"mn oone. &tis calc"lated %rom the area on the Earth that is enclosed y a line with a


27/74

constant val"e o% 220 Doson +nits" #he va$ue o& 220 obson @nits is chosen sincetota$ ozone va$ues o& $ess than 220 obson @nits were not &ound in the historicobservations over Antarctica prior to 1%I%" A$so, &rom direct measurements overAntarctica, a co$umn ozone $eve$ o& $ess than 220 obson @nits is a resu$t o& the ozone$oss &rom ch$orine and bromine compounds"

5. hat is meant y Ecoto"rism cotourism is a new approach in tourism sector" evera$ terms re$ating to

ecotourism such as, sustainab$e tourism, green tourism, rura$ tourism, community)

based tourism, responsib$e tourism etc have been emerged over the $ast 20 years or so"

co tourism means preserving trave$ to natura$ areas to appreciate the cu$tura$and natura$ history o& the environment, ta*ing care, not to disturb the integrity o& theecosystem, whi$e creating economic opportunities that ma*e conservation andprotection o& natura$ resources advantageous &or $oca$ peop$e"

#he potentia$ o& ecotourism as a strategy &or sustainab$e deve$opment wasrecognized during the arth ummit in 1%%2, when sustainab$e tourism was consideredas an environment &riend$y economic activity"

t can provide vita$$y needed income to poor communities, giving them

an economic sta*e in protecting the environment" t $ed to change in the touristperceptions, increased environmenta$ awareness and desire to ep$ore natura$environments" co tourism may &oster cu$tura$ echanges between peop$e) $eading togreater understanding"

ndia, the $and o& varied geography o


28/74

& ecotourism is not proper$y monitored it can be as damaging as the masstourism with negative impacts on eco$ogy, environment, socia$ and economic $i&e o& hostcommunities" (ith the increased &oot&a$$s o& tourists, the deep need today is thattourism $i*e other sector be p$anned and managed suitab$y"

Negative conseG"ence 'ist: commercia$ization, direct impact on environment, prob$em o& garbage and

po$$ution, impact on &auna and Jora, encroachment on virgin $and, heavy traHc in

eco$ogica$$y &ragi$e areas, adverse e


29/74

;adhav 4adgil re$ortQ2011)))was an environmenta$ researchcommission appointed by the Ministry o& nvironment and 9orests o& ndia"

#he commission submitted the report to the /overnment o& ndia on =1August 2011" t was considered to be too en!ironment friendl" when itrecommended banning o& comp$ete environment)hazardous activities inthe who$e o& (estern /hats starting &rom a$her)Mu$her to the Bi$giri;an.anhi$$s"Wthis report was a$so considered by @D!+, which added the =%seria$ sites o& the (estern /hats on the (or$d ?eritage -ist

*ast"ri 9e$ortWit see%ed to balance both the developmental front andthe environmental front " By watering down the environmenta$ regu$ationregime proposed by the (estern /hats co$ogy perts ane$s /adgi$report in 2012" ,he *ast"rirangan re$ort seeks to ring ="st A7 o%the estern 4hats "nder the Ecologically ensitive rea (E)ones W down &rom the 6'F suggested by the /adgi$ report" P7Q r" G""Gi.ayan, member o& the (estern /hats co$ogy pert ane$ 8(/: saidrecommendations o& the Kasturirangan report are undemocratic and anti)environmenta$"))))A crucia$ report on (estern /hats prepared by K" Kasturirangan)$edhigh)$eve$ wor*ing group 8?-(/: has recommended prohibition ondeve$opment activities in 60,000 *m2eco$ogica$$y sensitive areas spread

over /u.arat, Karnata*a, Maharashtra, /oa, Kera$a and #ami$ Dadu")))the =I per cent o& the tota$ area dened as the boundary o& the (estern/hats is eco$ogica$$y sensitive" +ver this area o& some 60,000 *m2, spreadover the tates o& /u.arat, Maharashtra, /oa, Karnata*a, Kera$a and #ami$Dadu,)))))#he Kasturirangan group had recommended dec$aration o& 56,725 s4*m o& the (estern /hat areas as eco$ogica$$y sensitive, which is much $essthan the /adgi$ committee suggesting de$ineation o& 1"2% $a*h s4 *m"

lso in the News))#he ministry has a$ready accepted the KasturirangangroupCs report &or demarcation o& the A zones in the (estern /hats andit is now under pressure o& the Dationa$ /reen #ribuna$ to dec$are the Azones at the ear$iest"

o"rce: 3erald8ther im$ortant a$$roach %or the estern ghatsQ

⇒ (estern /hats have been added to the enviab$e $ist o& @D!+s wor$d heritagesites on u$y 1, 2012 at a meeting in the ;ussian city o& t" etersburg"

⇒ #hirty nine sites o& the /hats have been se$ected as heritage sites by the (or$d?eritage !ommittee

⇒ i$ent va$$ey, one o& the must see destinations in a mans $i&e a$so be$ongs to the/hats"

⇒ #he ma.or seven c$usters o& (estern /hats are Agasthyama$a, eriyar, Anama$a,Di$agiri, #ha$a**averi, Kudhramu*h and ahyadri"

⇒ #he topmost pea* o& (estern /hats is Anaimudi &ound in the du**i istrict o&Kera$a"⇒ #he three ma.or rivers that originate in the western ghats and Jow to the east

and transverse a great distances right across the peninsu$a are)1: #he /odavari2: #he Krishna=: #he Kaveri

⇒ #he habitat and bio$ogica$ hotspot o& 5000 Jora, 16 never ever seen endemicbirds, 1I% omnivorous species and 1%1 pure water shes)1'0)Mamma$ species

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ministry_of_Environment_and_Forests_(India)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Government_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UNESCOhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Heritage_Listhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gadgil_Committee#cite_note-8http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Ghatshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K._Kasturiranganhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ministry_of_Environment_and_Forests_(India)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Government_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UNESCOhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Heritage_Listhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gadgil_Committee#cite_note-8http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Ghatshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K._Kasturirangan


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510)Bird species170)Amphibian species260);epti$e species

;a=or threats to the 4hatsQ

• #he eco$ogica$ imba$ance and the regu$ar rhythm o& the nature is main$yattributed to the un&ettered aing o& trees and thus paving the way &or thedesertication o& the zone"

• #he ;ed ata Boo* pub$ished in 2012 signa$ that the &auna o& the /hats is

increasing$y dep$eted and decimated over the years"• @nscientic methods over shing especia$$y e$ectro)shing, dynamiting,

industria$ eXuents, introduction o& eotic species"• $$ega$ mining is &ound rampant especia$$y in /oa and Karnata*a" Mining

activities bad$y necessitate enormous 4uantum o& water which in turn causessiphoning o< water into mining pits" Datura$$y, there is dearth o& water &or&arming and drin*ing"

• #he $arge sca$e therma$ p$ants such as cement, iron and stee$ in the states o&the /hats heighten the temperature o& nearby regions by disso$ving toicchemica$s &rom air"

• #herma$ power p$ants emit Jy ash containing $ead and mercury which is

deposited in river and thereby turn detrimenta$ to the reproductive cyc$e o&shes"te$s taken y the 48&Q

• #he /+ &o$$owed the mandate o& the Dationa$ eve$opment !ounci$,promu$gated the eecution o& the (estern /hats eve$opment rogramme in the9i&th 9 81%I')I%:

• %th 5 onwards wherein watershed based deve$opment approach became thewatchword) in order to chec* the water erosion, optimize the use o& natura$resources

;a=or !ommittees ormedW1" Madhav /adgi$ !ommittee 8pecied: Madhav /adgi$, &amous eco$ogist, was

deputed to be the chairman o& (estern /hats co$ogy pert ane$" #he main

ob.ective o& the !ommittee is to study the eco$ogica$ and environmenta$ issueshovering around (estern /hats and give sa$utary recommendations)?e submitted co$ogica$$y ensitive Lones 8L: into three zones"Lone 1 Deeds highest protection"Lone 2 Deeds intermediate protection"Lone = Deeds moderate protection

2" Kasturirangan !ommittee))#he Kasturirangan pane$ was set up by /+ to studythe /adgi$ committee report on (estern /hats" #he !ommittees report wasbrought to $ight on 170'201=" ome o& the crucia$ recommendations are) #here shou$d be comp$ete ban on mining activities in co$ogica$$y ensitive

Areas 8A:" #he ongoing mining activities shou$d a$so be banned within 5 years or as

and when mining $ease is epired" %0F o& the natura$ &orests $e&t in the /hats to be conserved under the A

provisions" #he ane$ did not recommend an outright re.ection o& the Athirapa$$i

hydroe$ectric pro.ect in Karnata*a and /undiya am in Karnata*a" #he &orest area &a$$ing within the A covers '156 vi$$ages and so the

vi$$agers shou$d be invo$ved in decision ma*ing on the &uture pro.ects" #he township or construction over the size o& 20,000 s4m in the A to be

banned"


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=" 'eo$ard n"mers across the co"ntry down y -0 9o$$owing the spates o& recent ?uman)-eopard conJicts, which indicated that $eopard numbers were onthe rise" A study conducted by three wi$d$i&e scientists &or over &our years has&ound that the $eopard popu$ation, on the contrary, has dec$ined by a whopping#-$ per cent o!er the past % "ears& #he study was primari$y based on genetic ana$ysis #he popu$ation estimation o& $eopard numbers has been done &rom di


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%actors ehind this $henomenon. 3ow can El Nino e disastro"s %orthe world>s coral ree%sI &ll"strate))))))

-a*shadweep is one o& the best regions o& ndia &or cora$ &ormation and o& $ate this hasbeen &acing a dec$ine in cora$ &ormation"As reported in ear$y 2010, the cora$ cover o& the area was 2IF which dropped ti$$ 11Fbecause o& the May 2010 b$eaching" #he e


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1" ,he 4reat &ndian "stard a critical analysisW/enera$$y recognized asCriticall" 'ulnerable and (ndangered) protected in the sanctuaries o& /u.aratand ;a.asthan needs specia$ care and protection due to its rapid dec$ining trend"!a"se o% "lnerailityW egradation o& /rass$and @nprotected -e**ing sites +vergrazing o& grass$ands ?unting

9era$ dogs @nprotected eggs

&ntegrated meas"resW8a: &m$rovisation o% 4rasslandWBetterment o& grass$and with specia$ care and

protection8b: wareness) An integrated process o& ub$ic awareness contributed by the

natura$ist and specia$ist can ta*e specia$ measures to protect nesting ground>le%%ing sites which can substantia$$y raise the popu$ation o& great ndian bustard"

8c: 4overnment EOorts))/overnment egovernment> natura$ist and above a$$ common peop$e can save them"

s water vapor more disastrous than !arbon di oide /$oba$ (arming ssue• (ater vapor, which accounts &or %7 percent o& the greenhouse e


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• (e *now, &or eamp$e, that the atmospheric water content over the oceanshas increased 89: by 0"'1 *i$ograms per s4uare meter every 10 years since1%77"

• (e$$, over that same time period, g$oba$ emissions o& carbon dioidehave soared"

• And un$i*e water vapor, which returns to arth as precipitation within a wee* o&entering the atmosphere, !+2 stic*s around &or between 50 and 200 years"

• !arbon dioide accounts &or approimate$y 25 percent o& the greenhouse e


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• ?owever severa$ &actors come into pa$y be&ore considering -ion as thenationa$ anima$))) ,igers are %o"nd across 17 states in &ndia whereaslion is %o"nd in only one

• n a recent countrywide assessment, it was %o"nd that &ndia is home tomore than 2200 tigers whereas the siatic lion $o$"lationestimated at 11, is conned to /u.aratCs /ir"

• #iger was adopted as the nationa$ anima$ at a meeting o& the ndian Board &or(i$d$i&e 8now DB(-: in 1%I2 in view o& its [wor$dwide importance, eistence in

the entire country and the need &or its protection["• & you rea$$y want to ma*e $ion the nationa$ anima$, yo" sho"ld ?rst restore

at least 1015 nat"ral haitats which are s"itale %or lions. #hen the$ions shou$d be re$ocated there &rom /ir" +therwise, as things stand now, $ionsare staring at a genetic bott$enec*, which is common in popu$ationsconcentrated in sma$$ poc*ets,

• D"e to inreeding the single $o$"lation o% lions at 4ir is s"sce$tileto genetic disorders" A$so, an epidemic or a natura$ disaster wou$d sea$ their&ate, conned as they are to .ust 257s4 *m"

• A re$ocation pro.ect was proposed in 200', where some o& the endangered bigcats were to be shi&ted &rom /ir to Madhya radeshCs Kuno (i$d$i&e anctuary

to save them &rom etinction'" at$"ra ,iger 9eserve)) atpura #iger ;eserve has become a paradise &orsummer breeding birds, main$y due to reduction in water $eve$ in bac*waters o&

#awa reservoirs 8tarns sh eating birds:" B$ac* be$$y tern, an endangered species,was spotted breeding at atpura, which is encouraging news &or the sanctuaryopu$ation o& this species is on the dec$ine, main$y due to increase in humanpressure on river eco)systemWthus the increase o& these species in this area isencouraging news"

5" *en etwa 9iver 'inking/ #anna ,iger reserve))) ;ed Jagging Ken)Betwariver)$in*ing pro.ect, anna #iger ;eserve 8#;: authorities have submitted anadverse report saying it wou$d hurt the prized tiger habitatWhence theimp$ementation o& this pro.ect cannot be recommended" More than 200 s4uare

*m o& #; wou$d be submerged i& pro.ect is imp$emented"• the pro.ect is embroi$ed in controversy over its environment impactassessment 8A:" #he assessment report mentions presence o& angai, anendangered brow)ant$ered deer, which is on$y &ound in Manipur, at the Kenbasin" #he angai sighting c$ause has triggered an uproar withenvironmenta$ists

• #he ;s %,=%=)crore pro.ect invo$ves %,000 hectares, ha$& o& which is &orestarea" & the pro.ect is c$eared, 10F o& the tiger reserve wi$$ be ta*en away"

March @pdates V1" A&ter years o& the wor$d becoming RmodernS as many as 2"6I bi$$ion peop$eWover'0 per cent o& the wor$ds peop$eWsti$$ burn biomass in their ineHcient and dirtycoo* stoves" #his is another wic*ed prob$em"


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2. Dark %"t"re o% !oalQndia is $"shing %or a more coalased $ower generation "t recent re$ortsraise serio"s concerns overthe viaility o% coal?red $lants

• ndias coa$)based power p$ants have doub$ed in capacity over the past two $anperiods between 2002 and 2012 and current$y stands at 160 gigawatt or /( 860 percent o& tota$:"

• (e ran* third in the wor$d behind !hina and the @ in terms o& coa$)based powergeneration"• -arge reserves coup$ed with &avorab$e economics have spurred capacity addition in

coa$ power over the past decade"• n 2012, the $anning !ommission 8now rep$aced by D# Aayog: had &orecast that

capacity addition wi$$ continue at this robust pace and a$most doub$e again by 2022"

n 2011, a study by rayas nergy /roup &ound that more than 200 4 o% coalased ca$acity had eena$$roved by the @nion environment ministry &or the 12th 9ive ear $an period 8ti$$201I: a$one againsta re*uirement of # + "

Another 500 /( was awaiting approva$" #he study noted that this combined capacitywas three times the capacity additions re4uired ti$$ 20=2" #his cou$d resu$t in $oc*ingup o& signicant nancia$ resources and create stranded assets in generation andtransmission"

According to a report by !oa$warm and ierra !$ubW oom and ust. /racking the+lobal Coal Plant Pipeline Wa $arge number o& these pro.ects have either beensta$$ed or she$ved"

!onstruction began on .ust % /( o& the proposed 500 /( between up to mid)201'"Between 2010 and 2012, the ratio o& comp$eted to cance$$ed pro.ects was about 21"Between 2012 and 201', this increased to a shoc*ing 61, high$ighting the severity o&prob$ems in the sector"

,rigger %or $rotests(orsening air 4ua$ity, disp$acement due to $and ac4uisition, &orest destruction, impactso& Jy ashdisposa$ and conJicts over water use have triggered protests &rom $oca$ communitiesagainst setting upo& p$ants"

#he !entre &or cience and nvironments 8!: /reen ;ating ro.ect 8/;: notes thattheenvironmenta$ impacts o& this epansion have been severe"n its recent pub$ication, tit$ed ?eat on ower P'Q , /; observed that p$ants in critica$$ypo$$uted areas in ndia 8as dened by !omprehensive nvironmenta$ Assessment o&ndustries or !: contributed to more than a third o& the tota$ insta$$ed capacity"ven eisting new p$ants are su


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R#he &ocus &or coa$)based power sector shou$d be eHcient management, especia$$y inthe areas o& -9,eHciency improvement, po$$ution contro$, water consumption and ash uti$isation"(hether there rea$$yis a need &or more coa$)based generation needs to be debated a&ter ta*ing into accountthe pro.ectsa$ready in the pipe$ine and the aggressive epansion o& renewab$es, main$y so$ar,S said@mesh Bapat,

&ormer vice)president 8operations: o& #ata ower !ompany -imited"ho will %"nd themI

4loal ?nancial instit"tions like orld ank have also committed to not?nance dirtyK coal $ro=ects )))))#his means pro.ect deve$opers have to see* out domestic sources o& &unding"?owever, domestic9inancia$ institutions are a$ready &acing massive accumu$ation o& non)per&orming assets8DAs: on account o& the power sector, and are un$i*e$y to $end given the uncertaintiesinvo$ved"

#he impacts are a$ready being &e$t by B?-, ndias $argest power generation e4uipment

ma*er" ts prots s$umped by I0 per cent consecutive$y in the second and third 4uartero& 201')15 due to $ac* o& orders"

@ncertain coa$ supp$y is an added constraint &or p$ants" !oa$ ndia -imited 8!-: isnotorious$y ineHcientin coa$ production and has a monopo$y over coa$ supp$y in ndia"ts average productivity per)man)per10shi&t is three times be$ow the g$oba$ average"$ans are a&oot to doub$e !-s production and captive coa$ b$oc*s are being auctionedto ease supp$y" ?owever, these measures are not $i*e$y to ta*e e


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espite this, mountain peop$e $iving on the ridges and hi$$ s$opes have $imitedaccess to water &or drin*ing and agricu$ture"

#hroughout the mountain region, springs are reported to be drying, and mountainagricu$ture has su whi$e hydropower is one o& the sources o& sustainab$e deve$opmentin the ?K? region having a potentia$ estimated to be 500,000 M(" #hus theregion has abundant opportunities &or hydropower deve$opment")))))nergy security can open up opportunities &or deve$opment and emp$oyment

and contribute to the nationa$ /"))))Moreover, innovative so$utions such as e$ectric transportation and a c$eansource o& domestic and industria$ energy supp$y wou$d signicant$y improve thedeteriorating environmenta$ condition o& the region")))))?owever, many countries in the region have been ab$e to tap on$y a sma$$&raction o& their avai$ab$e potentia$"))))+ut o& the '2,000 M( potentia$ reported in Depa$, on$y about 2 per cent isharnessed so &ar, whereas a*istan has harnessed 11 per cent o& its tota$potentia$"ti$$, peop$e in both these countries &ace many hours o& schedu$ed power cuts"

2" ater and environmentWGita$ ro$e &or ecosystem services esp in riparianareas>9reshwater ecosystems in particu$ar $arge$y depend on the specic Jowregime o& rivers passing through them"))))?owever, due to intervention o& in&rastructure deve$opment, the Jow regimechanges in the downstream areas, where, in many cases, communities depend onwater resources &or $ive$ihoods such as shing")))) ma=or concern is how to make s"re that a certain minim"m Mow ismaintained so as to s"stain %reshwater s"$$ly and s"$$ort de$endentecosystems" #here is very wea* monitoring o& the minimum Jow re4uirement inthe region"

=" ater %or ood)Both being essentia$ ingredients &or human surviva$ anddeve$opment" gric"lt"re is a ma.or contributor to the / o& countries in ?K?"n Depa$, it contributes to =5 per cent o& the nationa$ /"

#he ndus river system is a source o& irrigation &or about 1'',%00 hectares o&$and, whereas the /anges basin provides irrigation &or 156,=00 hectares o&agricu$tura$ $and" Access to water resources &or &ood production and theirsustainab$e management is a concern &rom the $oca$ to nationa$ $eve$" Amid rapidenvironmenta$ and socio)economic changes, the growing popu$ation wi$$ re4uiremore water and &ood, and e4uitab$e access to vita$ resources has become a ma.or4uestion" ustainab$e so$utions to these prob$ems re4uire eHcient use o& waterresources &or agricu$tura$ use in which techno$ogica$ innovation p$ays a vita$ ro$e

'" ater and disaster))ue to its physica$ setting, the ?K? region is prone tovarious water)induced hazards 8$ands$ides, Joods, g$acia$ $a*e outburst Joods,


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and droughts:" very year, during the monsoon season, Joods wrea* havoc onthe mountains and the p$ains downstream" #hese Joods are o&ten trans)boundary"4loally 10 $er cent o% all Moods are transo"ndary, and they cause over=0 per cent o& a$$ Jood casua$ties and account &or c$ose to 60 per cent o& a$$ thosedisp$aced by Joods"

#he socia$ and economic setting o& the region ma*es its peop$e more vu$nerab$eto natura$ hazards" -ac* o& supportive po$icy and governance mechanisms at the$oca$, nationa$ and regiona$ $eve$s, and the $ac* o& care&u$$y p$anned structura$ and

non)structura$ measures o& mitigation $ead to increased vu$nerabi$ity"5" 9egional !or$oration))#he eamp$es above show that water has both benecia$and adverse traits, its management is comp$e, and o&ten a regiona$ approach isnecessary" #he hydropower potentia$s are primari$y concentrated in the mountainregions but the ma.or users o& the energy are the urban areas and industries inthe p$ains" trong technica$ and po$itica$ barriers separate those regions, which isone o& the ma.or reasons o& s$ow progress in hydropower deve$opment" ?owever,recent trends have shown some positive change" n the recent 17th AA;!summit in Kathmandu, the AA;! member countries signed a 9ramewor*Agreement on nergy !ooperation" #his agreement has opened up the energymar*et in outh Asia, and thereby possibi$ities &or cooperation in the energysector" ?owever, it remains to be seen to what etent the co$$aboration wou$d

p$ay a ro$e in energy security"Keeping in mind the a&oresaid &actors there is strong indication that the ?K? region wi$$undergo a c$imate change in recent yearsWwith temperature rise a$ong with rise o&precipitation" And the impacts on the sustainab$e deve$opment o& the region cannot beanswered without the regiona$ corporation"3ence some regional cor$oration eOorst has to e $romoted in the regionwidely likeQ


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4#Qganga ction #lan was la"nched y the then #; 9a=iv 4andhi in

order to c$eaning the 2,500 *m mighty river" n August 200%, /A was re)$aunched with a river basin authority in charge"

8=ective o% the N49))is to ensure that there an e whi$e its &unctions inc$udes p$anning andeecution o& the programmes to *eep the river c$ean and Jowing" n the $ast =0years, /A had &ai$ed to improve the 4ua$ity o& river water to acceptab$e standards8dened as bathing water 4ua$ity standards:"

Around ;s %50 crore were spent in the name o& c$eaning the river in two phasesWand at one instance among the two ndia a$so got aid &rom the (or$d Ban* &or thesame"

"t the sit"ation remained grimQwith a holistic action missing %rom the

scene.;ain iss"esQ

/rowing o$$ution -oad o& the ;iverW8u$y 201=: Around ;s %50 crore were spentin the name o& c$eaning the river in two phases" And in the upper stretches $i*e in;udraprayag and evaprayag, they remain in appreciab$e amounts whatsoever"

#hus an inade4uate Jow &or di$ution persists even in these upper stretches, whicha$so are high$y oygenated" #hus in these higher stretches, water etraction &orhydropro.ects is endangering the overa$$ hea$th o& the river

Midd$e course prob$ems))the amount o& water etracted &rom the river increasesto meet irrigation and drin*ing water needs" n this stretch o& the river, &rom;ishi*esh to A$$ahabad, there is a$most no water during winter and summermonths" n other words, the river stops Jowing" But the waste water Jow does notebb" #he river at these times receives on$y waste and turns into a sewer drain"B+ $eve$s are high downstream o& ?aridwar, Kannau. and Kanpur and pea* atGaranasi> and the po$$ution is getting worse day by day"

+vera$$, &reshwater inta*e &rom the river is increasing" n this way, water is drawn&or agricu$ture, industry and cities but what is returned is on$y waste.

ay ahead/ #ossiilities o% changeW(hen the new government was &ormed under Modi, c$eaning /anga was one o& the top)most priorities?owever, Modis dream o& c$eaning the ho$y river does not seem to be happening in thenear &uture")))))#his is in spite o& the &act that an integrated 4anga !onservation ;issionNamami 4anga, was estab$ished"

&n the latest "dget $resented in er"ary not m"ch attention was %oc"sedon cleaning the river. #he interim budget presented $ast year ta$*ed o& over 9s2000 crore ec$usive$y &or c$eaning /anga" #i$$ date, no imp$ementation has been seenon ground" #he on$y actions observed were arrangement o& meetings &or discussions,$i*e the 4anga ;anthan and


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+ne hopes the p$an prepared by #s does not &ocus on$y on things $i*e setting upsewage treatment p$ants but a$so ta*es into consideration that most o& the cities a$ongthe river have on$y 20)=0 per cent sewered areas" #he conveyance o& waste must be re)conceptua$ised and imp$emented at the time o& p$anning treatment p$ants"

5. Electricity %rom $addy straw/#ower generation/&ndia A 10)mw power p$ant based on rice straw, the rst o& its *ind in the wor$d, willP

ecome o$erational in


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7" /+ &reezes /reenpeace accountsW/reenpeace ndias a$$ GD ban* accountshave been &reezed by the /+ with immediate e and wi$$&u$$y suppressing detai$s on sa$ary paymentby /reenpeace nternationa$ to R/reenpeace activistS /reg Muttitt, whowor*ed on secondment with /reenpeace ndia &or over ve months in201=)1'

• conomist interests hurt)) tating that acceptance o& &oreign contributionsby /reenpeace ndia has pre.udicia$$y a


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&estiva$s, the petition brought to the courts attention that 77 persons inc$udingI1 mahouts were *i$$ed in accidents re$ating to captive e$ephants in three yearsbetween 200I)10" #he same period saw 215 e$ephants *i$$ed as a resu$t o& crue$treatment"))))) #he petition, $ed a year a&ter the upreme !ourt said anima$s have theconstitutiona$ right to $i&e and dignity under Artic$e 21, wants the court to protectcaptive e$ephants &rom crue$ treatment, sa$e and trans&er under the guise o& gi&tor donation and use &or commercia$ and re$igious activities"

))))) t said the $ast government census o& captive e$ephants was way bac* in2000" t showed that over =,600 were in chains, in the possession o& privateentities, inc$uding re$igious institutions and trusts"

10"Management practice &or mango ma$&ormationW(hich is now discovered to be a&unga$ disease" It was reported for the first time from Darbhanga, Bihar.

⇒ The disease is more in northwest than in the northeast and South India.

⇒ Malformation is one of the most important problems of mango and a serious threat. Thisdisorder is widespread in flowers and vegetative shoots.

⇒ Broadly three distinct types of symptoms are there. These are vegetative malformationand floral malformation. Later, these were grouped under two broad categories that is

vegetative and floral malformation.

⇒ ommonly found! "a# vegetative malformation$which is found in the young seedlings% "b#

&loral Malformation which s found in panicles'inflorescences.Management

1" Diseased plants should be destroyed. (se disease free planting material2" Scion stic)s from infected trees should not be used.=" *s soon as the disease appears, the affected terminals along with the basal +!- cm healthy

portion should be removed or pruned and burnt. If more than - per cent affected plants, de! blossoming at bud burst stage should be done to delay the flowering.

'" Spraying of /lanofi0 "- ppm# during the first wee) of 1ctober followed by deblossoming at bud burst stage is recommended.

5" * single foliar application of +, ppm cobalt sulphate prior to flower bud differentiationsuccessfully reduce the floral malformation.

11"mart techno$ogies &or water management in !rops!$imaAdapt)))) rrigationpro.ects have a$ways been part o& the top agenda in any government po$icy" achadministration has a$ways introduced something new &or its part on the waterissue" (a$amtari is a government organisation in ?yderabad serving &armers o&both #e$angana and Andhra radesh tates"• resent$y they are wor*ing on $ow cost sensors &or water use eHciency, soi$

moisture and environmenta$ parameters, through a pro.ect ca$$ed !$imaAdapt,supported by the Dorwegian /overnment"

• #oday severa$ smart techno$ogies $i*e sensors are avai$ab$e to monitor waterresources distribution and uti$isation" #he cost o& monitoring water usage withthe aid o& these techno$ogies is more re$iab$e and convenient as compared to

human resources engaged &or monitoring• &armer needs to do is to buy and insta$$ one or two sensors in his e$d andirrigation out$ets in the e$ds &or measuring water Jow, soi$ moisture,temperature and re$ative humidity in the atmosphere" +nce every two to threehours in&ormation on the above is sent to the &armers mobi$e as a message"

• A&ter setting up the sensors in their e$ds, which are prices between rs" 2,000to ;s" =,000")))&armers can get in&ormation every three hours on his mobi$eabout the water Jow, air temperature, soi$ moisture etc on his mobi$e phone"

• Being a /overnment organisation, it does not mar*et sensors commercia$$y"


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• #hough this is a new concept in an area that a$ready &aces severa$ prob$ems,the need o& the hour is &or &armers across the country to become aware aboutthis concept and try them persona$$y"

12"ndia has %77 species on the @!D ;ed -ist))) ndia has added 15 more species tothe R;ed -istS o& threatened species pub$ished by the nternationa$ @nion &or!onservation o& Dature 8@!D: in 201', but the country has c$imbed down a spotto the seventh position" By the year)end, ndia had %77 threatened species on the $ist, which $ists

critica$$y endangered, endangered and vu$nerab$e species" n 201=, thenumber was %I=" (ith 65% species in 2007, the increase over seven years is 50 per cent, in part

due to better research identi&ying more threatened species and de&orestation" By adding =I species, !hina seemed to have he$ped ndia improve its ran*"

Apart &rom habitat $oss, it is research and surveys that add species to the U;ed-ist" tudies &or some endemic species are yet to be conducted in ndia, togive a better picture o& their status

#his is denite$y a concern #here is a tendency o& decision)ma*ers to &ocuson Ucharismatic mamma$s &or conservation, whi$e others are $e&t out o&programmes A more ho$istic approach is needed to conservation in ndia"

A recent (or$d Ban* mapping o& endangered mamma$s shows ndia as having

the &ourth $argest number o& threatened species in the wor$d, =1 o& themendemic to the region.

1="ndia and Bird !ount)))ndia has become the country with the second highest birdcount in the wo$rdWwith I=5 species> a&ter 4uador awith I7' species"ro&essiona$ and amateur bird watchers use a variety o& too$s today, inc$udingon$ine porta$s to *eep counts o& species" #hey update this &re4uent$y" #hus, whenthe /reat Bac*yard Bird !ount 8/BB!: was conducted in mid)9ebruary, ndiabecame the country recording the second highest bird count at I=5 species, a&ter

cuador with I7' species"• birds are most active ear$y in the morning" #he best time to watch them is

between 6 and %, with a pea* in activity in between" Morning wa$*ers spotmany species in their bac*yard"

• uring the recent bac*yard bird count, participants in @ttara*hand came inrst with =7= species, #ami$ Dadu with =2', Karnata*a with =22 and Kera$awith 2%%" A$$ these tates have good bird diversity, and so do some others"


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• A&ter the common crow, the other most &re4uent$y encountered species inndia were common Myna, ;oc* igeon, B$ac* rongo, and Asian Koe$, as perthe /BB!"

• @n$i*e agricu$ture, which is a monocu$ture, cities can be made biodiverse withsevera$ di


46/74

)))) Acting as eHcient channe$s o& south)to)north air Jow, the mountainva$$eys cou$d a$$ow the air po$$utants to easi$y penetrate throughout the?ima$ayas,

;egard$ess o& where the po$$utants come &rom, the study has providedcompe$$ing evidence that they are due to biomass burning" (e must stepup the g$oba$ e


47/74

)))Another ridge prevai$ed over the centra$ At$antic +cean which a$$owedstorm systems to move through urope into southeast urope and theMidd$e ast))) A wea*ness between a coup$e o& such ridges a$$owed storm systems tomove into A&ghanistan, a*istan and northern ndia over the past coup$e o&winterssprings, he ep$ains"

⇒ et treams)))(ide$y used weather mode$s, such as the /$oba$ 9orecastystem, are consistent$y showing the movement o& new upper air troughs

into ndia" uch troughs in the .et streams 8narrow bands o& strong windsJowing in the upper troposphere: cou$d be a


48/74

b: #he &act that *hari& yie$d in 201' was be$ow norma$ ma*es the situationeven more grim

c: And the impact o& crop damage has a$ready started perco$ating toconsumers" Gegetab$e prices increased by =0)'0 per cent a&ter rains ine$his who$esa$e mar*ets"

d: As states ca$cu$ate crop $oss, there are reports o& &armer suicides inMaharashtra and @ttar radesh"

e: Maharashtra, which has been strugg$ing with drought and is now &aced

with ecessive rain and hai$storm, has announced a compensationpac*age o& ;s"I,000 crore"&: ?owever, compensation are pais on$y when the $osses are more than 50F

16"endai ;esi$ienceW• /overnments o& 17I @D member states have adopted a 15)year p$an with targets

to substantia$$y reduce deaths and economic $osses &rom disasters"• !a$$ed the endai 9ramewor* &or isaster ;is* ;eduction, it is the rst ma.or @D

agreement on the post)2015 deve$opment agenda consisting o& &our ma.or aimsand seven targets to be met by 20=0"

• #he endai p$an, adopted $ast wee* at the @D !on&erence on isaster ;is*;esduction, wi$$ rep$ace the eisting ?yogo 9ramewor* &or Action 82005: that endsthis year"

• #his rst ma.or @D agreement on the post)2015 deve$opment agenda wi$$ drivethe &uture &or a sustainab$e and disaster)resi$ient wor$d a$ong with the sustainab$edeve$opment goa$s and the aris c$imate agreement to be decided in eptemberand ecember respective$y this year"

• #he main aim o& this is to bui$d up a D( disaster 9ramewor*• #i$$ now isaster 9ramewor* was based on))# he ?yogo 9ramewor* &or Action ,

which is even as the 10)year b$ueprint epires this year"• +ver these 10 years, disasters continued to ta*e a heavy to$$ on $ives and

property" +ver I00,000 peop$e $ost their $ives, over 1"' mi$$ion were in.ured andapproimate$y 2= mi$$ion were made home$ess as a resu$t o& disasters" #he tota$economic $oss was more than N1"= tri$$ion" Besides, around 1'' mi$$ion peop$e

were disp$aced by disasters between 2007 and 2012"• And the wor$d is sti$$ &ar &rom been prepared> evera$ gaps remain in addressingthe under$ying disaster ris* &actors to &ormu$ate goa$s and priorities &or action andensuring ade4uate resources &or imp$ementation"

•

http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/Political_Declaration_WCDRR.pdfhttp://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/Political_Declaration_WCDRR.pdfhttp://www.unisdr.org/2005/wcdr/intergover/official-doc/L-docs/Hyogo-framework-for-action-english.pdfhttp://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/Political_Declaration_WCDRR.pdfhttp://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/Political_Declaration_WCDRR.

Environment and Ecology. (1).docx

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