IAS Parliament Geo Environment - Full

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INDEX
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1. NOVEMBER - 2016
1.1 Delhi Air Pollution
Why in news?
In view of the intense air pollution in Delhi, visibility dropped to a distance of 200 metersand all schools were closed
for three days.
What are the reasons?
Satellite pictures reveal that crop burning in adjoining states is the major driver of the drastic drop in air
quality in the national capital region.
Large-scale trash-burning across the city is another factor.
The base level of pollution is already high due to rampant urbanisation.
Why Stubble is burned?
Stubble is the cut stalks of cereal plants left sticking out of the ground after the grain is harvested.
Rice is not a major crop in Punjab and Haryana.
But the cultivation is recently increased due to MSP and availability of secured market i.e government
procurement.
Farmers use Combine Harvesters (machines) to harvest because of the increased labour cost.
This leaves behind substantial amount of stubble. It is non-palatable and the cost of collecting is very high. So
it is burned to make the farm ready for winter wheat.
Wheats stubble is not burned as it being a traditional crop, there is a demand for it to use it as a cattle feed. So
it is collected by reaper after harvesting.
What are the measures taken?
Badarpur Thermal Power Plant closed for 3 days.
Construction works around the city was halted.
Odd-Even scheme was implemented.
What should be done?
All the above measures are temporary.
There is a need to move away from an approach that focuses on a single polluting source.
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Farmers should be made aware of the uses of stubble like Power generation, soil moisture retaining, medium
for growth for essential micro-organisms, organic manure, yeast making etc. They should also be supported
policy wise to initially take it up.
Smoke generating brick kilns should be modernised.
Roads must be paved.
Poor burn waste during winter to escape cold. Therefore proper heat and shelter to be provided.
Public transport should be mad efficient and private transport to be discouraged by measures like higher
parking fees.
1.2 Air pollution - Emergency measures from across the world
Why in news?
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) announced emergency measures to tackle pollution which will come into place
when air quality touches the severe limit.
What are the measures?
These measures include
1. Sprinkling water using helicopters,
2. Stopping construction activity,
3. Cleaning of dust from roads by mechanical. Manual cleaning only helps in regeneration of pollution,
4. Stopping stone crushing and
5. Stopping thermal power plants & diesel generator sets that cause more pollution than is permitted.
It should be noted that all these measures are temporary measures to handle extreme air pollution and not
long term measures.
Apart from this Delhi lacks effective monitoring mechanism and long-term plan to check industrial pollution.
Beijing
Once among the most polluted cities in the world, Beijing has had stringent emergency measures to combat
chronic air pollution in place since 2011. These were formalized in 2013.
The Chinese capital enforces an odd-even road-rationing scheme for private cars whenever a Red alert is
sounded, immediately pulling some 1.8 million cars off the roads for every day that the scheme is in force.
An alarm will be sounded and messages will be played in buses and trains asking people to be cautious.
All schools are closed so that children are not exposed to toxic air, factories are shut down, and fireworks
which are a major draw during the Chinese New Year celebrations are banned.
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Even outdoor barbecues, which are very popular in local markets, are stopped.
All government departments have to ensure that only 70% of their vehicles are on the roads.
An alert is sounded on the day before a heavy smog day based on forecasts.
Paris
When smog enveloped the iconic Eiffel Tower in March 2015, the French capital took half its cars off the
roads, much like Delhis odd-even scheme.
Only clean cars, those with uneven number plates or vehicles carrying more than three people have been
permitted to enter Paris and 22 surrounding areas
Heavy fines were imposed for flouting the ban, and the speed limit was set at a low 20 km per hour.
An estimated 750 police officers were dispatched from 5.30am onwards to about 100 busy roads and junctions
to hand out fines to those who ignored the measures.
Public transport and parking in residential areas were made free to encourage people to use public transport.
According to the government, the steps were successful and helped cut pollution significantly.
2015 was only the third time since 1997 that the city had to implement emergency measures.
Mexico City
When it declares an air emergency, Mexico City bans a fifth of private cars from roads on every day of
the week.
The temporary measure included ordering all cars to remain idle one day a week in response to the notoriously
smoggy capitals worst air-quality crisis
It also offers free rides on buses and trains.
The city started its battle with air pollution in the late 1980s and was the first to implement the odd-even
scheme.
1.3 Marrakech Climate Change Conference
Why in news?
The first session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement (CMA 1)
held in Marrakech, Morocco.
What happened earlier?
Rich and industrialised countries are obligated to provide climate finance to the developing nations to help
them deal with the impacts of climate change.
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The rich countries have promised to mobilise at least USD 100 billion per year from the year 2020.
Developing countries have been demanding to know the progress on this promise, but what has come from the
rich world has disappointed as well as angered them.
In an estimate released a few weeks ago, the rich countries have claimed that they were on road to raise at
least USD 64 billion just from public finance by the year 2020.
However, these estimates were based on a discredited OECD report released last year which had claimed
that more than USD 60 billion dollars in climate finance had already flowed from the developed to the
developing world between the years 2010 and 2014.
This both disappointed and angered the developing counties.
What happened in COP22?
It had the ambitious task of drawing up the first steps on enhanced finance and technology transfer,
which is vital to advance the Paris Agreement that entered into force on November.
If the UN framework convention (UNFCCC) is the Worlds Constitution for fighting climate change that
they all agreed to in 1992, the Paris Agreement is the equivalent of a law and Marrakech Conference
was supposed to come out as a rulebook for it.
Its a settled concept that rules are meant to facilitate the implementation of provisions of a law. But at
Marrakech the developed countries, tried to use the rule-making process to subvert the law the Paris
Agreement. Their hostility came as a surprise to many ill-prepared developing economies, including India.
One of the biggest victories the rich nations were able to score at Marrakech was in getting their report on
climate finance acknowledged into the formal negotiations, despite developing countries claiming that it
had used dubious accounting methods.
This OECD report could now become one of the bases for defining climate finance. The OECD countries had
tried this last year at Paris as well and failed. But, they got away with it at Marrakech.
They also got ensured to a considerable extent that there would be little new action to reduce emissions
or enhance climate funding till 2020.
The developing countries had demanded that the existing Adaptation Fund which provides funds to
developing countries from the rich nations continue to live under the Paris Agreement unconditionally. But
this was achieved with attached conditions that could constrict it or even eventually choke it by the time Paris
Agreement gets implemented.
Then there were a list of issues that needed to be sorted out that were likely to fall off the table in coming
years. For example;
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1. For developing countries one of these priority issues was to have a process for setting a new
collective quantified goal on climate finance.
2. For developed countries it was to have a common time frames in which countries revise their
targets periodically under Paris Agreement.
Was Indias aspirations met at Marrakech?
Climate Justice did not find a mention. Nor did Indias demand that developed countries adjust their
lifestyles to reduce their emissions considerably.
Even the reference to the long standing principles of equity and common but differentiated
responsibilities could find a very nominal space in the political statement called the Marrakech Action
Proclamation.
Indias actual negotiating team at the Moroccan capital remained strained for human-power and greater
political leadership. India was often found missing from crucial closed door and parallel talks on climate
finance.
India had to also deal with the fact that the BASIC group had become less coherent than ever before. It
comprises of South Africa, Brazil, China and India and stumped the EU in 2009 by becoming the group of big
developing economies that collectively bargained with the US at Copenhagen to shape the new climate regime.
But, South Africa drifted somewhat away from others in its national interest even before Paris Agreement. At
Morocco, Brazil demonstrating that its national interest and political alignments at climate talks had turned
closer to those of the US rather than to the BASIC group.
What is the way ahead?
The issues that were the most difficult to resolve at Paris have been all put on the plate for 2017 and 2018 to
resolve.
The next two years would be politically as low-key as Marrakech which may make political leaderships of
developing countries take it easy. Indias flip flop on ratification and then the weak political preparation this
year showed what the consequence can be.
A repeat over next two years could land India in a regime where the provisions of the Paris Agreement may say
the right things but its implementation would mean lead to just the reverse. The rules could un-write the law.
1.4 International Solar Alliance
Why in news?
More than 20 countries signed a Framework Agreement on International Solar Alliance which will take the shape of a
separate international treaty once it is operationalized.
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What is ISA?
The International Solar Alliance is an alliance of more than 120 countries, most of them being sunshine
countries, which come either completely or partly between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn.
The primary objective is to collectively work for efficient exploitation of solar energy to reduce dependence on
fossil based fuels.
This initiative was proposed by our Prime Minister of India first during his speech at Wembley Stadium,
London.
This initiative was launched at the India Africa Summit and a meeting was held among them before the
conclave of 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris on November 2015.
This is a treaty-based inter-governmental organization. The alliance will take the shape of an
international treaty once its rules are worked out.
The Headquarters is in India with its Interim Secretariat being setup in Gurgaon.
The agreement will become operational after atleast 15 countries have ratified it.
The framework agreement says that the members of ISA would take coordinated actions through programmes
and activities that will aggregate the demands for solar finance, solar technologies, innovation, research and
development, and capacity building.
The ISA aims to develop cost-efficient solar technologies and applications.
It is also expected to mobilise $1 trillion for funding solar energy projects by 2030.
What is the working plan of ISA?
The countries within the tropics also happen to be the ones in which the most growth in energy demand is
expected in the years to come.
The ISA is an effort to ensure that as these countries increase their electricity production, they should
predominantly use solar energy and avoid fossil fuels.
However, this can happen only if the costs of solar energy are competitive as compared to the
traditional sources of power.
The ISA seeks to do three things to bring down the costs of technology as well as of finance needed for a solar
project.
1. It seeks to boost global demand, which will result in further reduction in the prices of solar energy
deployment.
2. It seeks to promote standardisation in the use of equipment and processes for generating
electricity. Standardisation will make the manufacturing of equipment and other hardware cheaper.
3. And it seeks to boost research and development, particularly in areas of efficient storage
systems.
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Is ISA part of UN program?
Strictly speaking, the ISA agreement is separate from the United Nations-mandated climate change talks that
are held every year.
But it was proposed at the Paris Climate Conference last year, and has become a reality at the Marrakesh
meeting now, in the process getting linked closely with the UN climate process.
Can ISA be successful?
The revolution in the deployment of solar energy over the last several years has been made possible by a sharp
drop in the costs of production of electricity through solar cells. The costs have come down by 80%-85%
over the last 7 years, due to a rapidly growing demand.
The total installed capacity of solar energy across the world has risen by almost 8 times during the same
time.
In the light of these, the ISA has over the last year received solid support from a large number of countries,
including those that are not exactly tropical countries.
The US has repeatedly expressed its desire to join the Alliance, and France actually did so on Tuesday.
More countries are likely to sign up during the remaining days of the conference, and also later. The signing
has to be followed by ratifications by the signatory countries.
How significant is ISA to India?
The ISA gives India an opportunity to take global leadership in the fight against climate change.
The secretariat of the ISA is to be located in India. It will also host a meeting of ISA assembly every year.
India has promised to contribute $27 million for creating building infrastructure and recurring expenditure
for five years, till 2020-21.
A part of this money will also go towards creating a corpus fund that will generate revenues for the budget of
ISA.
What are the difficulties?
Raising a large amount of money, like $1trillion, is going to be difficult given that developed countries
have historically been stingy in funding renewable energy projects in developing countries.
Also such a large sum cannot be raised from public sources alone. The ISA will have to devise mechanisms to
mobilise private finances.
The new alliance will also have to work in tandem with other bodies such as the International Renewable
Energy Agency and the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership to bring a co-ordinated
effort.
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1.5 Green Norms
Why in news?
Indias mining major Vedanta has requested the Union mines ministry to arrange relaxation from the environmental
condition that makes it mandatory to use dismantallable drilling machine in the forest area of its gold mine.
How is the non-coal auction done?
Under the old mining law, the state governments only had the powers to grant the mining lease to any
company as per their discretion.
As per the new mining law Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2015
which came into effect from January 2015, the non-coal mines have to be auctioned by the respective
state governments.
The first ever non-coal auction in the country began in December, 2015.
The Union mines ministry has been calling the meeting of post-auction mining clearances and approvals
faciltator (PAMCAF).
A total of 17 mines, including the Baghmara gold block, has been auctioned till date.
JSW group whose firm JSW Steel is the largest steel company in the country won five iron ore mines in
Karnataka in October only. Karantaka has auctioned total seven iron ore mines till date.
In March, Essar Steel won the Ghoraburhani-Sagasahi iron ore block in Sundargarh district of Odisha.
What is a composite license?
The composite licence i.e. prospecting licencecummining lease is given for an area where there is
inadequate evidence of mineral contents. While prospecting licence is granted for exploring, locating and
proving mineral deposits, the mining lease is required finally to extract minerals.
What is a dismantallabe machine?
Dismantallable drilling machine can be disassembled easily once the drilling working is done. Therefore, it can be
carried without doing any damage to the forest area. This environmental condition has been put by the forest
department of Chhattisgarh government.
Why such a condition was put forth?
Baghmara gold mine has approximately 2,700 kg of gold metal, is spread across 608 hectares in Balodabazar
district of Chhattisgarh.
Vedanta won the composite license for Baghmara gold mine in the non-coal auction this February.
According to the company, around 90% of the auctioned area is forest land.
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As per the orders of state forest departments, the use of dismantallable drilling machine is necessary in order
to protect forest resources from adverse effects of carrying whole drilling machine.
Why the company opposes it?
In the third post-auction mining clearances and approvals faciltator (PAMCAF) meeting, the Vedanta representative
said that dismantallable drilling machine consume a lot of time and labour and delays the whole process of
prospecting.
1.6 Human Animal Conflict-Neighborhood Leopard
Why in news?
The leopard was captured on camera at the Yamuna Biodiversity Park (YBP) in Delhi and officials say it may have
become a 'resident' as its pugmarks have been regularly seen for two weeks.
What is the general perception?
Within 72 hours, officials decided to trap and shift the big cat in YBP to UttarakhandsRajaji national park or
Delhi zoo.
This was aimed at the safety of the animal as there was a lynching of another leopard in Haryana recently.
While worrying for the Yamuna leopards safety, officials wondered if the animal strayed from its group and
natural habitat and if it would keep wandering far and wide, causing trouble.
The perception that leopards belong to faraway forests is indeed common.
If a leopard is found amidst people, most believe that it must have lost its way. Or there must be a forest
famine that made the animal to move out looking for food.
The only remedy, they believe, is to catch it and put it back in some remote forest or the nearest zoo.
And if the authorities fail to do that, its natural that lynch mobs take over in self-defence.
What is the actual reason?
This perception is the problem. Animals dont stray. e.g If one tries to get rid of his house cat by abandoning it
many miles from home it will invariably find its way back. So grant the big cats its superior awareness of its
coordinates and purpose, it always knows where it is and why.
A leopard spotted in a village cropland or city outskirts is indeed looking for food. But not necessarily because
there is nothing to hunt in forests.
In fact, leopards make strict rules in choosing their prey. Some may go exclusively on non-wild diet. That is
how they evolved to live around people.
They use secondary forests or suitable cropland as cover during the day and walking the human
neighbourhoods after sunset.
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With people around, there is always food. Livestock, dogs, garbage dumps.
So given a patch in the vicinity to lie low during day hours, leopards will always be there among us. They are
the most adaptable of all cats, big or small, and great survivors.
When we rarely create fresh cover sugarcane fields or urban biodiversity parks, for example leopards may
get to extend their range.
So if you spot a leopard where you did not expect any, chances are that the animal is not a new arrival, that it
has always been using that space without ever blowing their cover. And without ever harming people.
What is the situation in India?
India has at least 12,000 leopards. Each of it must make a kill every week and most of them live among people,
by far the easiest prey.
Yet, human victims do not account for even 0.001 % of over six lakh kills leopards make annually.
But the lynching of leopards have become routine across India.
Those tranquillised or trapped are no luckier. Many die of injuries soon after.
If anything, their proximity to people has made leopards relatively easy meat for poachers. Estimates based on
body part seizures show that on an average four leopards are poached every week.
What has to be done?
Just because a leopard is sighted does not mean that the animal means harm.
Of course, both sides will panic in such a situation. Panic triggers two responses: flee or fight. If the leopard
gets surrounded by a crowd before it can slip away, which is the case most often, it will attack.
So is catching and releasing the animal back to a forest the solution? Unfortunately, that is a recipe of
disaster.
Cats are territorial. If removed, they try to trace their way back to where they belong. Imagine a leopard
traumatised by and possibly injured during capture, captivity and transportation trying to walk hundreds of
miles through unfamiliar territories and running into people it has learnt to despise. That is why the zones of
most acute conflict are around the leopard release sites.
By contrast, a leopard in its own traditional family territory is a safe bet. As a cub, it learnt the area-specific
dos and donts from its mother. It is familiar with the people around and their habits. If routine precautions,
such as not defecating outdoors or not leaving children unattended in the open, are followed,
living with a neighbourhood leopard is a lot safer than crossing the road or driving that kills around one and a
half lakh every year in India.
When a leopard is spotted, it should be given the cat space and let to slip away.
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Crowd management is the most crucial primary response that help avoid injuries and save lives. Never
surround the animal blocking its escape routes. A cute house cat can become a handful if cornered and it is
unreasonable to blame a large wild cat.
1.7 National Wildlife Action Plan (NWAP)

Why in news?
The Centre will soon come out with a new 14-year road map to strengthen measures for wildlife conservation in India.
What is NWAP?
The National Wildlife Action Plan 2017-31, has been finalised after consulting states and other stakeholders,
including conservationists.
It will be a comprehensive plan to increase number of protected areas (PAs) and manage them through high-
tech surveillance like drones and centralised web-based digital equipment.
It covers all important issues concerning conservation from rehabilitation of threatened species to integrating
climate change in wildlife planning, control of poaching and illegal trade, mitigation of human-wildlife
conflicts and management of tourism in wildlife areas.
It fixes timelines for not only increasing the number of protected areas, but also initiating a number of
measures to strengthen surveillance and creating database of endangered species.
Mobile technology - Besides promoting use of drones for surveillance, the plan talks about using mobile
technology to develop digital field guides for easy identification of various wildlife goods and their derivatives.
Under these all the forest guards will be trained to use such mobile-based technology which will use the data
from the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
National level audits - To conduct national level audit of wildlife trade using scientific methods to
understand the change in global and Indian wildlife trade patterns to ensure that preventive measures are in
place to counter trade trends in the early stages.
Population management strategy - On the issue of human-wildlife conflict, the plan seeks to ascertain
population status and trends for various species involved in intensive conflict situations with humans and
develop population management strategies for the various prioritised species and regions.
Holistic approach - The plan also gives detailed guidelines where different central ministries including
agriculture, water resources, power, mining, tribal affairs and human resource development can help the
environment ministry in one way or the other in the wildlife conservation plan.
1.8 Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction

Why in news?
The Government of India has hosted the first Asian Ministerial Conference for Disaster Risk Reduction (AMCDRR)
after the advent of the Sendai Framework for DRR.
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What is it?
It identifies targets and priority action areas towards reducing disaster risk.
It came to an end with the adoption of the New Delhi Declaration and the Asian Regional Plan for
Implementation of the Sendai Framework.
It also set a ten-point agenda for renewing our efforts towards disaster risk reduction.
New Delhi Declaration
It spells out the commitment of participating governments towards preventing and reducing disaster risk, and
strengthening the resilience of communities, nations and the Asian region.
It commits to a people-centred and whole-of-society approach towards DRR.
It also emphasises the need to enhance the capacity of communities and ensure participation of all stakeholders
towards achieving resilience.
Asian Regional Plan
It has arrived at a longer term road map of cooperation and collaboration, spanning the 15-year horizon of the
Sendai Framework.
It focuses on the how to reduce disaster risk at national and local levels.
10-point agenda
All development sectors must imbibe the principles of disaster risk management.
Work towards risk coverage for all starting from poor households to small and medium enterprises to multi-
national corporations to nation states.
Encourage greater involvement and leadership of women in disaster risk management.
Invest in risk mapping globally.
Leverage technology to enhance the efficiency of our disaster risk management efforts.
Develop a network of universities to work on disaster issues.
Utilize the opportunities provided by social media and mobile technologies.
Enhance local capacity based on using the best traditional practices.
Ensure that the opportunity to learn from a disaster is not wasted. Research should be done and papers should be
released so that more preparedness can be kept when same kind of tragedy happens again.
Bring about greater cohesion in international response to disasters.
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Sendai Framework
It is a 15-year voluntary, non-binding agreement which recognizes that the State has the primary role to reduce
disaster risk but that responsibility should be shared with other stakeholders including local government, the private
sector and other stakeholders.
1.9 Clear the Air for Children Report
Why in news?
Clear the Air for Children is a report released by UNICEF and it looks at how children, particularly the most
disadvantaged, are affected by air pollution.
What does it say?
220 million children in South Asia region, among nearly 300 million globally, currently live in areas where
outdoor air pollution exceeds international guidelines by at least six times.
Children are more vulnerable to air pollution, breathing faster than adults on average and taking in more air
relative to their body weight.
Every year, nearly 600,000 children under the age of five die from diseases caused or exacerbated by the effects of
indoor and outdoor air pollution.
Millions more suffer from respiratory diseases that diminish their resilience and affect their physical and cognitive
development.
Among the most dangerous pollutants are air particles known as PM2.5. They can come from fossil fuel
combustion and industry, and include natural sources such as dust.
They enter the bloodstream through the lungs, worsening cardiac disease and increasing the risk of stroke and
heart failure.
It even causes severe respiratory problems such as asthma and pneumonia.
It concludes by providing 4 concrete steps to take so that children can breathe clean, safe air.
1.10 Fly Ash Utilization Policy
Why in news?
Maharashtra became the first state in the country to adopt the Fly Ash Utilization Policy.
What is fly ash?
Fly ash is a byproduct from burning pulverized coal in electric power generating plants.
All fly ash includes substantial amounts of silicon dioxide, aluminium oxide and calcium oxide.
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Fly ash contains trace of heavy metals and other substances that are known to be detrimental to health in
sufficient quantities.
It also causes groundwater pollution.
Fly ash can be used to make bricks, blocks, tiles, wall panels, cement and other construction materials.
What does the policy say?
The policy aims to use the product as a resource by mandating its use in government infrastructure works.
It also aims to dispose of the entire quantity of fly ash produced in the state without causing environment and
health hazards.
The state government has also made it mandatory for all companies and developers located in a radius of 300
kilometres from a power plant to use fly ash in construction.
This will also control sand mining from rivers.
The policy will create new employment opportunities in the power plants and will also make available raw
material for construction at low cost to help 'Housing for All' projects.
A new fly ash council under the chief secretary will monitor the policys implementation.
1.11 Delhi Declaration on Agro-biodiversity Management
Why in news?
The first International Agro-biodiversity Congress held in New Delhi in November 2016.
What is the potential of agrobiodiversity?
Agro-biodiversity includes crop varieties, livestock and fish breeds, and agriculturally useful insect and microbial
species.
Significant progress has been made towards the documentation, conservation and use of agrobiodiversity related
genetic resources, yet much more needs to be done towards their sustainable use, greater exchange and knowledge
and technology transfer.
If conserved and used sustainably, it could make an important contribution towards resolving problems of
hunger, food insecurity, malnutrition and climate change.
Thus, it would also help in attaining the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Aichi Targets of the
Convention on Biological Diversity.
What was the declaration?
Nations must accord top priority to the agro-biodiversity conservation and their sustainable use towards achieving
targets of SDGs.
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Recognises importance of traditional knowledge on agro-biodiversity of farmers, pastoralists and other

tribal and rural communities and their role in its conservation.
Urge policy-makers and researchers to initiate, strengthen, and promote complementary conservation strategies
to conserve and use agro-biodiversity.
Asks researchers to employ modern technologies for characterization, evaluation and trait discovery using genetic
resources, to achieve equality, efficiency, economy and environmental security in agricultural production systems
and landscapes.
It emphasizes the necessity of global exchange of plant, animal, aquatic microbial and insect genetic resources
for food and agriculture to meet the growing food and nutritional needs.
It strongly recommends that the governments and societies put greater emphasis on public awareness and
capacity enhancement programs on agro-biodiversity conservation and use.
It suggests developing an agro-biodiversity index to help monitor conservation and use of agro-biodiversity.
Urges public and private sector partnerships to actively invest in and incentivize the utilization of agro-
biodiversity to address malnutrition and enhance ecosystem services.
The UN is urged to consider declaring soon a Year of Agro-biodiversity to draw worldwide attention and to
catalyze urgent action.
1.12 Environment Supplement Plan (ESP)
What is the issue?
Currently, developmental projects in India require Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) clearance.
Yet many are operating without even obtaining this clearance.
And if the construction of a developmental project begins without prior assessment and clearances, the
MoEFCC, as per its latest notification, will still consider the project for clearance.
What are the key features of EIA?
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), 2006 regulates the construction, expansion and modernization of
developmental projects that have a potential threat to the environment in different parts of India.
This law mandates prior environmental clearance to be obtained for a listed project.
It is obtained through a series of steps that includes preparation of EIA reports, engagement with project-
affected communities through public hearings, and an appraisal of project documents by a group of experts.
What is ESP?
Environmental Supplemental Plan (ESP) provides an escape mechanism to violators. Instead of following the
path of an EIA clearance, they can get away by paying a penalty through specific investment activities.
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As per the guidelines defined under ESP law:
An ESP is an environmentally beneficial project or activity that is not required by law, but that an alleged
violator of Environmental Impact Assessment Notification, 2006 agrees to undertake as part of the process of
environmental clearance.
Environmentally beneficial means an Environmental Supplemental Plan must remediate, improve, protect
the environment or reduce risks to public health or the environment.
ESP would allow violator companies to continue their activities by paying a financial penalty.
This would then be invested in an "environmentally beneficial project or activity" for an affected target group
of stakeholders.
What are the advantages?
Many developmental projects have been currently been stalled to non-compliance with EIA regime or for
preparing an improper EIA. ESP would enable reviving these projects.
The Bad Loans issue currently plaguing the Banking sector can be substantially resolved through reviving
the stalled projects.
What are the disadvantages?
ESP is a clever attempt to legalize EIA violation and gain corporate confidence, thereby allowing violator to
damage the environment and circumvent the EIA process.
Among all cases filed in the National Green Tribunal (NGT), around 41% are cases where the NGT found faults
with an EIA assessment. Thus, EIA violation is a major in developmental projects. Allowing such violators to
carry on, defeats the ultimate purpose of EIA.
Many experts argue that this indirectly allows pardoning of violations. Rather than building upon the
Polluters Pay Principle, the ESP looks like an attempt to promote corporate development by using a
contradictory "Pay and Pollute" principle.
MoEFCC stated the notification has legal basis in two judgments, one by the NGT and the other by the
Jharkhand High Court. But neither of the two judgments condones EIA violations to be regularized post facto
nor does it prescribe a way out of these for violators.
Valuation of environmental loss cannot be just compensated by pecuniary payment by the violator.
Whether the fine amount would be collected properly and utilized for restoration is doubtful. No mechanism
has been proposed to utilize the collected funds.
The track record of MoEFC taking any punitive actions against violators is very poor in India.
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2. DECEMBER - 2016
2.1 Circular Economy
What is Circular Economy?
A circular economy is an industrial economy that promotes greater resource productivity aiming to reduce
waste and avoid pollution by design or intention.
The material flows in circular economy are of two types
1. Biological nutrients - designed to reenter the biosphere safely, and
2. Technical nutrients - which are designed to circulate at high quality in the production system without
entering the biosphere as well as being restorative and regenerative by design.
This is contrast to a Linear Economy which is a 'take, make, dispose' model of production
What are the benefits of Circular Economy?
It can help transit towards a sustainable future where instead of extraction of natural resources, they are
reintegrated, regenerated and reutilised.
Drawing upon principles from approaches such as cradle-to-cradle and biomimicry, the circular economy
emphasises on eliminating the concept of waste, and the use of renewable energy and systems thinking.
Every component of a product can either be looped into its natural cycle or used as a resource for new
products.
Circular thinking in the food industry can help reduce food waste and capture value in cascading bio-
refineries.
Indias substantial organic waste streams can create business opportunities in cosmetics, livestock feed and
food additives.
In consumer electronics, innovation can help keep devices alive longer. The repair and resale market has a
vital role to play.
Indias legislation already places responsibility on producers to make options available for consumers to
return devices.
Global ocean biodiversity is severely affected by pollution.
According to Science Magazine , in India every year approximately 0.60 million tonnes of plastic waste goes
into the oceans.
Plastic tar roads can serve as a readymade landfill for ubiquitous urban trash such as shopping bags and foam
packaging.
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For greater traceability along the supply boundaries.chain, companies need to track their waste beyond
company
India produces 62 million tonnes of municipal solid waste (MSW) a year.
Over 81% is disposed at open dumpsites without treatment.
Planned efforts can lead to utilisation of about 65% of the waste in producing energy or compost, and 15% to
promote the recycling industry, which brings down the dumped waste to under 20%.
India uses only 38% of its total fly ash production for cement manufacturing, brick manufacturing, agriculture
and so on.
With continued reliance on coal, India will have 225 million metric tonnes of fly ash available for re-use by
2032.
At present, there are 8.7 million end of life vehicles, which will be 22 million by 2025. It is estimated that one
sharing car on the road can take up to 20 privately owned vehicles off the road.
Recycling activities in India are dominated by the informal sector and recycling quotas are not yet fully
exploited.
Secondary raw material usage in the manufacturing industries remains low (20-30 per cent) and much needs
to be done in closing the material loop.
What are the challenges?
Trade barriers in reverse logistic chains,
Consumer preferences,
Mis-labelling,
Acquiring of new skills, systems thinking and modelling to guide behavioural changes among stakeholders are
some of the major challenges.
Unless we put price on the negative externalities and change perceptions regarding the true value of natural
resources, achieving a circular economy state may be difficult.
The financing, education, industry collaboration platforms and true valuation of processes will enable
conditions that will help India transition to a more regenerative and restorative economy.
Indias e-waste rules and plastic waste management rules should focus on extended producer responsibility to
promote the integration of environmental costs.
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Waste streams have to be documented and critical points identified for capacity development and technical re-
alignment of the informal sector which contributes positively towards growth.
e.g Because of the presence of the informal sector, almost 60% of plastic is being recycled in India compared to
a mere 6.5% being recycled in the US.
Special programmes to empower stakeholders, especially women, in the waste management and recycling
business will help reinforce the social and professional appreciation of the informal sector.
Including waste management in school curricula and leveraging the interest of various stakeholders in policy
conscripting will help achieve the objectives.
Correct labelling of product lifespan will help promote a repair culture and oblige manufacturers to share the
recycling costs of products with planned obsolescence.
2.2 Human Animal Conflict Elephants & Railway Tracks
What is the issue?
Elephants have no use for roads and trains.
And yet, at 10-20 deaths on tracks per year, over 100 elephants were killed by trains in the first decade of this
century, according to Elephant Task Force.
The last five months have witnessed at least 15 elephant casualties on tracks.
On every occasion, locomotive drivers are accused of flouting the speed limit of 40-50 km/h in elephant
corridors.
Is the speed limit an effective solution?
Of the 88 identified elephant corridors in India, 40 have national highways running through them, 21
have railway tracks, and 18 have both.
It makes little economic sense to impose restrictions on speed or night traffic along such lengths of Indias
ever-expanding linear network.
Also, accidents can happen even at low speeds due to human errors and the unpredictability of animal
movement.
Speed restrictions are feasible only in short, singular stretches, such as the 11 km killer stretch near
Berhampore in Odisha, the 8 km stretch that cuts through Jharkhands Palamu, or the 4 km death trap
in the Palghat Gap.
It is not an option on steep gradients, such as Assams KarbiAnglong, where trains have to accelerate to
climb the slope.
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What is an effective solution?
Speed restrictions must be guided by real-time inputs from forest staff on elephant movements to help
locomotive drivers.
Similar protocol put in place in Rajaji National Park helped avert elephant casualties for 12 long years.
But where a track or road cuts across several wildlife corridors over a longer stretch, the real solution is
realignment.
e.g, It makes little sense to restrict the speed of trains along the 80 km Alipurduar-Siliguri stretch, when there
is a less vulnerable alignment available through Falakata.
Where realignment of a longer stretch is not possible we need elevated tracks with underpasses for safe,
unhindered animal movement.
This requires major investment, and all forest routes across the country cant be realigned or elevated
overnight.
But the Railways needs to prioritise, and consider the aspects of speed and safety while planning new projects
or expanding existing ones.
It isnt only about conservation either. Collisions with elephants almost invariably damage and derail
locomotives, lead to temporary suspensions of service, impose costs on the exchequer and may lead to major
passenger casualties.
These considerations should help offset the cost burden of route realignment or constructing underpasses.
Given their size, elephants do not venture into narrow, low passages.
They dont climb vibrating ramps to cross a highway or railway track either. Funnelling the animals towards
designated passageways is also critical because herds stick to their traditional routes.
But since 2010, we have evidenced in India that adequately-built underpasses allowed regular herd
movement.
When the NH 152 was ready in 2010, it offered two 30-foot high and 100-foot wide passageways, which
elephant herds started using within months.
The solutions dont have to be necessarily expensive. In many areas, it may be also possible to funnel
elephants with fencing to designated level-crossing zones where they will not struggle to climb up or down the
tracks.
But site-specific, scientific remedies need to be decided upon, and implemented irrespective of the cost.
12th century Western Chalukya king Somesvara III in his Manasollasa, wrote that the healthiest forests were
the ones in which elephants thrived, and it was the sovereigns duty to protect those forests.
Eight centuries later it is still relevant.
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2.3 Etroplus Canarensis
The Central Institute of Brackish Water Aquaculture, a research centre at Chennai have breed
EtroplusCanarensis, a breed of fish.
The fish is endemic to the Western Ghats.
This fish was assessed as Endangered by International Union of Conservation because of its distribution in
only two locations such as Kumaradhara and Nethravathi Rivers in Karnataka.
It feeds on Mosquito larvae and breeds after monsoon.
It can tolerate low salinity range and survive in low saline brackish water ecosystem.
2.4 First 2g Ethanol bio-refinery
Why in News?
First, 2nd generation ethanol bio-refinery will be set up in Bathinda in Punjab by HPCL.
What are bio fuels?
Biofuels are fuels produced directly or indirectly from organic material biomass, including plant materials and
animal waste.
Biofuels can be solid, gaseous or liquid.
Biofuels may be derived from agricultural crops, including conventional food plants or from special energy
crop
Biofuels produce less greenhouse gases overall than fossil fuels
What are variants of bio fuels?
A distinction is made between primary and secondary biofuels.
Primary biofuels are organic materials are used in an unprocessed form, primarily for heating, cooking or
electricity production.
Secondary biofuels result from processing of biomass and include liquid biofuels such as ethanol and biodiesel
that can be used in vehicles and industrial processes.
What is ethanol blending?
Ethanol blending is the practice of blending petrol with ethanol.
It reduce the vehicle exhaust emissions and import burdens of crude oil.
Ethanol burns cleaner and burns more completely than petrol if it is blended into.
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In India, ethanol is mainly derived by sugarcane molasses, which is a by-product in the conversion of sugar
cane juice to sugar.
What are the significance of this bio-refinery?
To encourage the production of Second Generation (2G) Ethanol from agricultural residues
Provide additional sources of remuneration to farmers.
It support the Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) programme for achieving 10% Ethanol Blending in Petrol.
To Reduce the CO2 emissions from the paddy straw which currently is burnt after harvesting.
It will produce bio-fertiliser that can be used as soil nutrient.
It will produce Bio-CNG which can cater to transport and clean cooking requirements.
Quick fact
Generations of Biofuels
1.First Generation Biofuel
They are produced directly from food crops.
wheat and sugar cane are the most widely used feedstock
2.Second Generation Biofuel
They are produced from marginal croplands unsuitable for food production. For example- Jatropha
It overcomes over food vs fuel debate in first generation biofuel.
3.Third Generation Biofuel
Uses specially engineered energy crops such as algae as its energy source.
The algae are cultured to act as a low-cost, high-energy and entirely renewable feedstock.
Algae will have the potential to produce more energy per acre than conventional crops.
4.Fourth Generation Biofuels
Aimed at producing sustainable energy and also capturing and storing carbon dioxide.
Carbon dioxide is captured which can be then geo-sequestered.
This is carbon neutral technology.
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2.5 Safety measures in coal mines
What is the issue?
An open cast coal mine collapsed in Lalmatia in Jharkhand, which proves the poor safety measures of the mining
industry.
What is open caste mining?
It is a surface mining technique of extracting rock or minerals from the earth by their removal from an open
pit or borrow
This form of mining differs from other mining methods that require tunnelling into the earth.
Open-pit mines are used when deposits of commercially useful minerals or rocks are found near the surface
Open-pit mines that produce building materials and dimension stones are commonly referred to as "quarries".
Why open caste mining is widely followed in India?
Open cast mining requires less infrastructure investment.
Quick returns of investment capital.
Large scale mechanization is made possible.
No risk of gas explosion.
Availability of less skilled wages.
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What are the issues with open caste mining?
Open caste mining is prone to weather
Land degradation is highest disadvantage
Leads to Pollution and deforestation
No occupational safety is provided for the workers
What are the safety measures need to be addressed?
Training on accident investigation should be provided to officers and workers.
Multi-pronged strategy for occupational safety should be initiated.
Safety standards as prescribed by ILO and national standards related to safety should be strictly adhered to.
Precautions should be taken against exposure to airborne contaminants present in the working environment.
Any lapse of the safety requirements in mining must be investigated and punished.
What are the Government initiatives on mining safety?
Mines Act 1952 covers protection of health and safety of workers in mines.
Major incidents are investigated by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.
Root Cause Analysis (RCA) and lessons learnt report is shared with oil companies to prevent similar incidents.
Ministry of Mines has recently started Anti-collision system for dumpers.
2.6 Cyclone Vardah

Why in News?
Cyclone Vardah made a landfall on Chennai in December causing heavy rainfall.
What is a Landfall?
A landfall is the intersection of the centre of tropical cyclone with a coastline.
A landfall is often accompanied by strong winds, lashing rain and rising sea waves.
What are Cyclones?
Cyclones are characterized by low-pressure centres, strong winds and thunderstorms that cause heavy rain.
India is exposed to nearly 10% of the worlds tropical cyclone owing to its long coastline.
Majority of cyclones originate in the Bay of Bengal and therefore mostly hit the east coast of the Indian sub-
continent.
The Indian coast line was hit by other cyclones in 2016 such as Roanu and Nada.
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What are the facts about Cyclone Vardah?
Cyclone Vardah is a tropical storm that originated in the Bay of Bengal.
Tamil Nadu has to bear a loss of around Rs. 6,749 crore ($1billion) due to the destruction caused by Vardah.
The cyclone has caused damages to buildings, uprooted trees, and damaged plantations.
What are the recommendations for the cyclone response?
Building storm water drains, removing encroachments in the flood prone areas to be done
Early warning and disaster response machinery should be active.
The availability of open, unbuilt lands and water bodies must be maintained
Native vegetation cover and a healthy network of water bodies are needed to enhance local water security.
Making climate sensitive choices is needed in the urbanization process.
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2.7 Winter fog experiment WINFEX
Why in news?
Ministry of Earth Sciences has launched Winter Fog Experiment (WIFEX 2016-17).
What is status of fog in India?
Fog is a visible mass consisting of cloud water droplets suspended in the air or near the Earths surface.
Maximum fog occurrence over the Northwest India is about 48 days per year.
It occurs mostly during the December-February time period.
Land use changes and increasing pollution are responsible for Fog.
What are the impacts of fog in India?
Fog in India during the past 10-15 years have prompted significant socio-economic concern.
It has impacts on aviation, road transportation, economy and public life in the worlds most densely populated
region.
What is the need for this experiment?
The main objective of this project is to study the characteristics and variability of fog events.
It will help to achieve better understanding of fog life cycle and ultimately improve capability in fog prediction.
It will help reduce its adverse impact on aviation, transportation and economy, and loss of human life due to
accidents.
2.8 Parliamentary committee report on forest fire
Why in news?
Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science and Technology submitted its report on forest fires.
What is forest fire?
A forest fire is an uncontrolled fire occurring in nature.
They can wipe out an entire forest and destroy almost every organic matter in it.
It may happen either naturally or due to anthropogenic factors.
What are the facts and figures of the report?
The frequency of forest fires across Central Indian forests and the Himalayan Pine forest have increased by
55% in 2016.
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Chir pine needles are the prominent factor in occurring and spreading of forest fires.
Chir pine needles has high resin content, and are highly inflammable.
The States of Odisha, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh accounted for 1/3rd of the forest fires.
Large number of posts of front line forest staff were lying vacant.
Fire-fighting equipment is rudimentary in many cases.
What are the Major Recommendations of the committee?
Chir pine trees in forest can be replaced by broad leaves trees.
Sweeping machines to clear roadsides of chir pine needles and dry leaves in vulnerable areas can be procured.
Advocated large-scale incentives and programmes to collect pines for use as fuel should be initiated.
A dedicated toll-free number for reporting incidents of forest fire in each state.
Use of corporate social responsibility funds for creating awareness campaigns on forest fires.
Fire brigade officers of all states should be trained and equipped to handle forest fires.
Dependency on the central agency like NDRF for fighting such disaster should be reduced
To put off the forest fires maintenance of water bodies in and around forest areas should be encouraged.
The Committee suggested that a national policy on managing forest fires should be prepared.
Quick fact
Parliamentary Standing Committee on S & T
It is under the ministry of S&T and Environment and forests.
It is composed of 21 members from LokSabha.
It has 10 members from RajyaSabha.
2.9 Water Day
Why in news?
The central government has decided to observe April 14 every year as water day.
Background
Water is increasingly becoming a scarce resource with per capital availability of water going
down to 1545 cubic meters as per the 2011 census as compared to 1816 cubic meter as per 2001 census.
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The importance of economic use and better management of water arises as most of the water is not available
for use and secondly it is characterized by its highly uneven spatial distribution.
The Water Day is being observed to raise the awareness among people about conservation of water,
minimizing wastage and need for more equitable distribution both across and within states.
Way Forward
National Water Commission as recommended by Mihir Shah Commission should be implemented.
Efforts should be made to promote and raise awareness about efficient use of water among people.
Mihir Shah Committee Recommendations
Committee has suggested that an urgent overhaul of the current water management system is
required
Change is required both in surface water as well as ground water management policies to face the
new challenges that are emerging
The committee has suggested a restructuring of Central Water Commission and Central Ground
Water Board. It has recommended the establishment of National Water Commission to be
established as the nations apex facilitation organization dealing with water policy, data and governance.
It has suggested that industrial water should be brought under its ambit, which is rapidly
increasing.
Panel has warned against the perils of dependence on large dam projects and also about the dismal spread
of irrigation facilities over decades
The Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh model of participatory last-mile connectivity should be
deployed across the country.
States should only concentrate on technically and financially complex structures, such as main
systems up to secondary canals and structures at that level.
Tertiary level canals and below, minor structures and field channels should be handed over to Water Users
Associations of farmers and Integration into the planning and cost developing process for all irrigation
projects.
The key recommendation of the committee is to shift focus from construction to decentralized
management and maintenance in order to ensure that the promise of Harkhetkopani under Pradhan
Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana does not go unfulfilled
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2.10 Eco-sensitive zone: Sanjay Gandhi national park

Why in news?
Sanjay Gandhi National Park has been notified as Eco-Sensitive zone
What is Eco-Sensitive zone?
ESZ is notified under Section 3 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 by the Union Ministry of
Environment and Forest.
It is created to act as a buffer for further protection around Protected Areas (PAs) such as National Parks and
Wildlife sanctuaries.
Activities around such areas are regulated and managed so as to protect the environment.
What are the classification of activities under ESZ Guidelines?
It classify activities under three categories:
Prohibited: Commercial Mining, Setting of Saw Mill, Setting of industries causing pollution, establishment of
major hydroelectric projects etc.
Regulated: Felling of Trees, Establishment of hotels and resorts, erection of electrical cables, drastic change of
agricultural systems etc.
Permitted: Ongoing agriculture and horticulture practices by local communities, rain water harvesting,
organic farming etc.
What are the issues with ESZ?
Many states are opposed to ESZ because of presence of minerals and resources side by side.
Local people in many areas are also opposed to ESZ for loss of livelihood due to restriction placed by it on
various activities.
How the issues can be addressed?
Local communities should be incentivized and their participation should be ensured for successful
implementation of ESZ.
State governments should balance the need for development, aspirations of local people and environmental
conservation needs.
Quick fact
Sanjay Gandhi National Park
It is part of Western Ghats Biodiversity complex.
It is located in northern Mumbai.
Mammals found - leopard, wild boar, four-horned antelope, black-naped hare, wild cat, jackal and porcupine.
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Birds- Lesser grebe, Purple Heron, Smaller Egret, Lesser Whistling Teal, Pariah Kite.
Reptiles - Indian Cobra and Viper.
2.11 Amur Falcons
The Amur Falcon is a small raptor of the falcon family.
It breeds in south eastern Siberia and northern China and migrates over the Arabian Sea to South Africa
during winter.
It passes through Nagaland state and Central India. Nagaland was declared as Falcon Capital of the World.
Doyang Lake in Nagaland was declared as ecotourism spot due to presence of Amur falcon during its
migration.
3. JANUARY - 2017
3.1 Big Data for the next green revolution
What is big data?
The term "big data" often refers simply to the use of predictive analytics, user behavior analytics, or certain
other advanced data analytics methods that extract value from data, and not just to a particular size of
data set.
The availability of data is on the grow because they are increasingly gathered by cheap and numerous
information-sensing mobile devices, aerial (remote sensing), software logs, cameras, microphones, radio-
frequency identification (RFID) readers and wireless sensor networks
What big data can do?
Seed Selection - Big-data businesses can analyse varieties of seeds across numerous fields, soil types, and
climates and select the best.
Crop disease - Similar to the way in which Google can identify flu outbreaks based on where web searches
are originating, analysing crops across farms helps identify diseases that could ruin a potential harvest.
Irrigation - Precision agriculture aids farmers in tailored and effective water management, helping in
production, improving economic efficiency and minimising waste and environmental impact.
Weather - Advanced analytics capabilities and agri-robotics such as aerial imagery, sensors help provide
sophisticated local weather forecasts can help increasing global agricultural productivity over the next few
decades.
Climate change - Since, climate change and extreme weather events will demand proactive measures to
adapt or develop resiliency, Big Data can bring in the right information to take informed decisions.
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Food processing They help in streamlining food processing value chains by finding the core determinants
of process performance, and taking action to continually improve the accuracy, quality and yield of
production. They also optimise production schedules based on supplier, customer, machine availability and
cost constraints.
Loss control - In India, every year 21 million tons of wheat is lost, primarily due to scare cold-storage centres
and refrigerated vehicles, poor transportation facilities and unreliable electricity supply. Big Data has the
potential of systematisation of demand forecasting thus reducing such losses.
Pricing - A trading platform for agricultural commodities that links small-scale producers to retailers and
bulk purchasers via mobile phone messaging can help send up-to-date market prices via an app or SMS and
connect farmers with buyers, offering collective bargaining opportunities for small and marginal
farmers.
What are the opportunities and challenges?
The challenges and opportunities of data is immense in a country like India with 638,000 villages and 130
million with 140 million hectares of cultivable land under 127 agro climatic regions capable of supporting
3,000 different crops and one million varieties.
Self-driven vehicles can already drive themselves across fields using Global Positioning System (GPS) signals
accurate to less than inch of error thus helping farmers plant more accurately.
But the real potential is what happens when this data from thousands of tractors on thousands of farms is
collected, grouped and analysed in real time.
There is need to formulate a business model wherein value can be captured from the scale of data being
captured by different players in the agri-supply chain.
Companies must act now to focus, simplify and standardise big data through an enterprise-wide data
management strategy.
3.2 Graded Response Action Plan
Why in news?
The union Environment Ministry recently notified a Graded Response Action Plan against air pollution for Delhi and
the National Capital Region.
What does a graded response mean?
The plan was prepared by the Supreme Court-mandated Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA).
A graded response lays down stratified actions that are required to be taken as and when the concentration of
pollutants i.e particulate matter, reaches a certain level.
For eg, at the level of 100 microgrammes per cubic metre (g/m) of PM 2.5 mechanised sweeping and water-
sprinkling along roads has to start.
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Traffic police personnel have to ensure smooth flow of traffic, and all pollution control measures that are
already in place such as stopping landfill fires, and enforcing Pollution Under Control (PUC) norms and a
ban on firecrackers have to be imposed strictly.
The response will change as pollutant levels increase.
In January 2016, the average PM 2.5 concentration was 211 g/m, with concentrations crossing 300 g/m
on a few days. If this level persists for more than 48 hours, an emergency will be declared.
This will mean a return of the odd-even road rationing scheme, ban on construction activity, and no entry of
trucks in Delhi unless they are carrying essential commodities.
The actions under the graded response plan are cumulative in nature i.e the actions under the previous level
will be continued along with actions recommended in the current level.
What was the need for such a system?
According to EPCA, the idea is to put in place graded response actions in a way that the emergency level is
never reached.
The plan focuses on taking progressively tougher actions as pollution crosses each level, without waiting
to impose strict measures when the emergency situation has already been reached.
During the first week of November 2016 post Diwali pollution levels were so high that several actions
were taken simultaneously, including stopping construction, restricting the entry of trucks into Delhi, and
shutting the Badarpur power plant.
Such knee-jerk reactions will not be required if the graded plan is followed.
Beijing and Paris have implemented graded action plans over the past few years. Paris recently implemented
the odd-even road rationing scheme when PM 2.5 levels crossed 95 g/m.
Several Chinese cities have a road rationing scheme when pollution reaches severe levels.
How will the system work?
The concentration of pollutants will be communicated to EPCA. This will be an average for the entire city.
The EPCA will be ensuring implementation of the action plan.
It will delegate the responsibility to the concerned departments like the municipal corporations of all NCR
towns, the traffic police, police, transport departments, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation etc.
Each body has been set a task that it will have to carry out when EPCA asks it to, based on the concentration of
pollutants.
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What are the challenges?
A large number of agencies, from different states, will have to work together.
Some agencies have already pointed out problems in implementing the plan. e.g Odd-even has to be imposed
during an air quality emergency. But the Delhi government has stated that it will be very difficult to implement
the scheme without at least a weeks notice.
Thus a system will have to be devised to smooth out these problems.
3.3 New Delhis first vehicle-free zone
Why in news?
Connaught Place is going to become the Capitals first vehicle-free zone from February.
The move will keep out cars and other vehicles from its middle and inner circle roads, during a three-month
trial programme.
What will be done for commuting?
Those who want a ride to go from the parking complexes to Connaught Place will be able to hire cycles.
Battery-operated vehicles will also be made available. The NDMC is going to provide this and the cost will be
borne by them.
Urban design in India is the preserve of State governments and local bodies, which have failed spectacularly to
provide a safe, comfortable and accessible experience for walkers.
Connaught Place is an intensive activity zone dominated by large scale movement of pedestrian traffic, which
makes for 80 to 90 per cent of passenger trips.
The pilot project in the national capital represents a refreshing change, taking a leaf out of the book of global cities
that have pedestrianised their landmarks.
Prominent examples: Times Square in New York and the route along the Seine in Paris, and the curbs on cars
in central avenue in Madrid.
Why traders oppose the move?
The traders contend that Connaught Place has ample space for pedestrians but less parking area.
CP is a commercial centre not a tourist destination. The moment the inner circle will be made vehicle-
free, the outer circle will be choked.
Do the restrictions affect commercial activities?
Contrary to apprehensions that restrictions affect commercial activity, the experience around the world has
been quite the opposite.
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Better walking and public transport infrastructure and availability of food plazas attract more people, improving
the local economy.
In America, pedestrian injuries decreased after vehicles were removed from Times Square, beginning seven years
ago. Globally this has been the trend too when cities curb car use and clean up the air.
What is the loss arising from congestion?
A study by Transport for London in 2014-15, that found the British capital losing 5.5 billion a year in
financial costs arising from congestion.
In the intermediate phase, many cities find it rewarding to levy a stiff congestion charge on personal vehicles
entering designated areas. This is a mature idea and needs to be tested in India, under its ongoing smart cities
programme.
It should be mandated by law that all proceeds would go towards funding walking, bicycling and emissions-free
public transport infrastructure.
What will be the real challenge?
Delhis real challenge is to meet the demands of capital-intensive public transport. As any Delhi commuter will tell
you, mobility is not the problem in the city. Accessibility is.
Most people rely on private vehicles for their daily commute for work, shopping etc., because public transport
remains patchy and last-mile connectivity is missing.
Delhis collapsing bus system cannot sustain the passenger load that any restriction on private vehicles will shift to
it.
With just 4,121 buses, the fleet size today is at a six-year low. For any anti-car measure to succeed, the government
has to fix these basics first.
Measures to unclog cities are often posed, wrongly, as detrimental to the economy and efficiency. While cars will
continue to remain relevant for longer-distance travel, dense urban areas need relief from excessive
motorisation.
Urban Development Minister has favoured people-centric ideas for Connaught Place, including aesthetic features
such as water fountains and areas for relaxation.
These are not expensive to put in, and State governments must extend the template to all cities and towns,
acknowledging the wider social benefits.
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3.4 Issues in Financing Climate Resilience
Why in news?
Despite the progress made on several technical fronts at the UNs climate summit in Marrakesh (COP22) last
November, a deadlock persists over climate finance which, despite several international commitments remains
marginal to global capital flows.
What are the fiscal constraints?
Developed countries, however, are fiscally constrained and momentum is gathering around the need to
mobilise private and institutional finance in meeting the commitment of $100 billion a year for adaptation
and resilience in the developing world.
The World Bank estimates that some $158 trillion worth assets could be in jeopardy without preventable
action.
What is the ground reality?
Many actions to improve climate resilience take place within local markets such as water-efficient irrigation
technologies, storm resilient building materials, water harvesting services, flood control, climate resilient
crops and seeds.
However, these private transactions are rarely accounted for under labels such as climate resilience or
climate adaptation.
Developing countries fails in securing viability-gap funding either from governments, or

multilateral development banks.
As much of these market activities, products and solutions related to climate resilience remain largely
unrecognised.
Projects to adapt to climate change rarely offer a clear rate of return due to high upfront cost, a longer
gestation period capacity constraints and technological limitations.
No industry has done more analysis on the issue of climate-related risks than the insurance sector, and
promising models such as parametric insurance schemes are being piloted across the globe.
What is needed now?
What is needed is a deeper understanding of the benefits offered by climate resilience to better inform
business decisions regarding climate risk transfer schemes such as insurance.
But insurance against climate risks is prohibitively costly, unavailable or likely to disappear without a strong
government support.
Here the Government should intervene in facilitating privately-funded risk mitigation activities
by establishing sound regulatory framework, and market- enabling policies.
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In addition, public vehicles can be efficiently designed to allow the private sector to insure a large portion of
risk, while leaving only a residual risk (in very extreme circumstances) to public sector funding.
Due attention should be given for improving capacity for bankable project development, implementation and
monitoring, and evolving commonly acceptable technical standards.
The financial sector globally needs to develop markets for instruments to invest in resilience main streamed
projects.
Instruments such as catastrophe risk insurance, contingency fund, disaster-relief fund,

restoration fund, contingent credit at preferential rate, micro-credits; climate bond, social
protection-bond need to be soundly designed and rightly targeted to beneficiaries needs.
Improve the quality of project proposals and increase the share of state budget.
Where change is needed?
Even for the Indian State governments climate finance is evolving as an important avenue to finance their
climate change action plan.
However, climate finance, in its current form, is just the cumulative costs of projects identified under this
plan, whereas technically it refers to the incremental cost of climate proofing of the investment that takes into
account potential climate risks and, the costs of making the infrastructure more resilient to such risks.
Thus an analytical framework is necessary to combine potential climate risks with a systematic cost-benefit
analysis which can help decision-makers prioritise adaptation measures.
Favourable policy and institutional actions are important preconditions for successful introduction or
scaling up of financial instruments.
Such actions, through public-private partnership, can help tackle the underlying drivers of inadequate
insurance, especially lack of risk awareness or experience with risk management products and practices;
unaffordability, especially among lower-income households or small enterprises; and fundamental limits to
insurability.
Policy actions need to focus on how the Government can encourage financiers and investor to take the long-
term view on climate financing by harnessing the public balance sheet, market incentives, blended finance,
environmental legislation, market coherence, encouraging cultural transformation and, enhanced information
flows among the stakeholders.
Majority of the capital intensive items in the State climate plans are mixed actions and contribute to
conventional development activities.
Examples include agricultural research and extension, irrigation, forestry conservation and urban
infrastructure.
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3.5 Pollution around Golden Temple
What is the issue?
Golden Temple, the holiest shrine for Sikhs in Amritsar, attracts approximately seven million tourists in a
month. It is gold-plated and almost 430 years old.
The increasing numbers of tourists, the widening tourism industry and poor waste management have become
a serious threat to the temple.
Amritsar has now been ranked among the 30 most polluted cities in the world in terms of fine particulate
matter (PM 2.5) levels in the air, as per WHO reports.
What are the problems?
About 1.4 million Indians were killed by illnesses related to air pollution in 2013.
The Management Committee Golden Temple (SGPC) has taken appropriate action to control the pollution
generated from the kitchen.
It has switched from burning wood or coal to cooking with gas and electric machines.
But the government has done little to control the pollution caused by open construction or the burning of
garbage on the narrow streets.
The mixed waste from across the city is transported every day in garbage-lifting trolleys to Bhagtanwala,
which is just a kilometer away from the Golden Temple.
Around 600 metric tonnes of garbage is generated every day.
It affects around 60,000 people in its neighborhood.
The dumping site should be shifted and a waste treatment plant should be built.
But it has been caught up among various political issues for more than five years now.
3.6 Import Ban on Skins
Why in news?
The Government of India has banned the import of skins of reptiles, mink, fox and chinchillas.
What was the need?
At present Indias import policy allows import of raw hides, skins, leather, fur skins of reptiles, mink, fox and
other fur skins.
But they are subject to Indias Wild Life (Protection) act, 1972 and CITES.
These exotic animals are held captive in factory farms for their fur and skin.
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The methods used in factory farms across the world are remarkably poor and designed to maximize profits,
always at the expense of the animals.
E.g. Reptiles like crocodiles, alligators and others are crowded in barren concrete pits for months or even
years before being skinned alive or slaughtered for their skins
Similarly, thousands of minks and foxes are kept in filthy and wire-floored cages until they are gassed and
finally slaughtered for their fur.
Quick Facts
PCA act,1960
The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act (PCA), 1960 allows the slaughter of animals only for subsistence, and this too
is regulated to minimise the pain and suffering of animals.
CITES
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) is an international agreement between

governments and it aims to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten
their survival.
Animal Welfare Board of India
The Animal Welfare Board of India was established in 1962 under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
Act,1960.
It is a statutory advisory body.
It has its headquarters in Chennai, India
It is under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
3.7 India Ratified Kyoto Protocol
Why in news?
The Centre gave its nod to ratify the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol.
What are the implications?
It underlines Indias leadership in the comity of nations committed to the global cause of environmental
protection and climate justice.
Ratification of the Kyoto Protocol by India will encourage other developing countries also to undertake this
exercise.
It will attract some investments in India as well.
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What is Kyoto protocol?
It is an international treaty negotiated under UNFCCC.
It was adopted in 1997 in Kyoto, Japan. It came into force in 2005 and has a total of 192 parties.
It gave binding targets to Annex I countries.
The Kyoto Protocol implemented the objective of the UNFCCC to fight global warming by reducing
greenhouse gas concentrations .
The Protocol is based on the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities.
It puts the obligation to reduce current emissions on developed countries on the basis that they are historically
responsible for the current levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
First Commitment Period - The Protocols first commitment period started in 2008 and ended in 2012.
By 2008-2012, Annex 1 countries have to reduce their GHG emissions by an average of 5% below their 1990
levels (for many countries, such as the EU member states, this corresponds to some 15% below their expected
GHG emissions in 2008).
Second Commitment Period - A second commitment period was agreed on in 2012, known as the Doha
Amendment to the protocol.
Until now, 75 countries have ratified the Doha Amendment of the Kyoto Protocol and falls far short of the
144 needed to bring it into force.
What are the targets?
Target under this protocol applies to Carbon Dioxide (CO2), Methane (CH4), Nitrous Oxide (NO2) and
Sulphur Hexafluoride (SF6)
It also includes two groups of gases Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and Perfluorocarbons (PFCs)
Kyoto Protocol includes "flexible mechanisms" which allow Annex 1 economies to meet their GHG targets by
purchasing GHG emission reductions from elsewhere.
Annex I countries
Industrialized countries and economies in transition
Annex I countries which have ratified the Protocol have committed to reduce their emission levels of
greenhouse gasses to targets that are mainly set below their 1990 levels.
There are 43 Annex I countries and the European Union is also a member.
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Annex II countries
Developed countries which pay for costs of developing countries
Annex II countries are a sub-group of the Annex I countries.
They comprise the OECD members, excluding those that were economies in transition in 1992.
There are 24 Annex II countries and the European Union.
Turkey was removed from the Annex II list in 2001 at its request to recognize its economy as a transition
economy.
Non-Annex I countries - Developing countries
Developing countries are not required to reduce emission levels unless developed countries supply enough
funding and technology.
They can sell emissions credits to nations whose operators have difficulty meeting their emissions targets .
They get money and technologies for low-carbon investments from Annex II countries.
Developing countries may volunteer to become Annex I countries when they are sufficiently developed.
India is Non Annex party to UNFCC.
3.8 Unusual Deaths of Olive Ridley
Why in News?
Many carcasses of Olive Ridley turtles are found on Shore of Hope Islands beaches in Andhra Pradesh.
Why Olive Ridley turtles are found here?
They commence their journey from the Indian Ocean during their mating season in October and
November.
When they reach the Bay of Bengal, the females lay eggs on the beaches.
The sandy stretches of Hope Island of the Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary have turned into a breeding area for
a few hundred turtles every year.
A female lays 100 to 150 eggs in a pit dug by it carefully and leaves the shore after covering the hollow with
sand.
Six weeks later, the newly hatched turtles start the journey to their Indian Ocean habitat.
They exhibit masas nesting behaviour called arribadas.
The breeding cycle of the endangered species has been dealt a severe blow this year by mechanised fishing
boats.
Owners of mechanised boats are not taking precautions to protect the turtles.
Most of the turtles are crushed under the boats and succumb to injuries.
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The Fisheries Department tried to encourage the mechanised boat owners to fit a Turtle Excluder Device
(TED) to their trawl nets to allow the animals to pass.
Quick Fact
Olive Ridley Turtle
The olive ridley sea turtle is also known as the Pacific ridley sea turtle.
It is found in warm and tropical waters, primarily in the Pacific and Indian Oceans.
They can also be found in warm waters of Atlantic Ocean.
International Union for conservation of Nature (IUCN) has accorded vulnerable status.
They are protected under the Wildlife (Protection) Act.
Gahirmatha located in the Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary, Odisha houses the world largest mass nesting
site of these turtles.
Past few years, Sandy stretches of Hope Island of the Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary, Andhra Pradesh have
also emerged as a breeding ground for these turtles.
The Indian Coast Guard recently launchedOperationOliva in Odisha with a mission tosave the
endangered olive ridley turtles.
3.9 Rescue plan for the Vaquita
The Vaquita (Phocoena sinus) is a rare species of porpoise.
They are small toothed whales that are very closely related to oceanic dolphins.
It is endemic to the northern part of the Gulf of California.
It is the most endangered marine mammal species in

the world.
IUCN status - Critically Endangered.
International Committee for the Recovery of the Vaquita

(CIRVA) was created by the Mexican Ministry of
Environment to eliminate illegal fishing, removing gill nets
and relocating remaining Vaquita to a temporary sanctuary
and thereby conserving the species.
3.10 World Record in Carbon Storing
The Scandinavian bay in Denmark has the world record in carbon storing due to the presence of potential sea
grasses. The carbon stored by them is called Blue carbon.
Why Denmark bay? Sea grasses in this bay are more protected and productive. So when the plants die,
they remain in the sea and carbon stored by it remains in the meadow itself in the form of sediments.
Sea grass is not seaweed, but a plant with flowers, leaves and roots. Denmark eelgrass Zostera Marina is the
most common sea grass.
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It needs light and grows only in shallow water.
Importance of Sea grass
1. Sea grasses are home for many small and large animals including commercial species such as
Shrimps, cod and flatfish.
2. Sea grasses function as particle filters, keeping the water clean.
3.11 Warmest Year
The year 2016 was the warmest year since record-keeping began in 1880.
The global average surface temperature last year was 0.94C higher than the 20th century average and July
was the warmest month ever recorded.
Two phenomena were responsible for this. One was climate change and other was El Nino.
Previously 2014 was the warmest year and the record was broken in 2015 and subsequently now in 2016
showing a continuous rise in the earths temperature.
This is only the second time that the annual temperature record has been broken three years in a row. The
previous trio was during World War II.
All 16 years in our current century rank among the 17 warmest on record.
3.12 Ocean acidification and shell formation
The surface layer of the ocean is in equilibrium with the atmosphere.
Thus any increase in carbon dioxide (CO2) in atmosphere also increases the CO2 content in the ocean which
further decreases the pH and results in ocean acidification.
Ocean acidification makes the shellfish and corals difficult to form limestone because acidification causes
calcium carbonate to dissolve easily in acidic water.
CO2 + H2O H2CO3 (Carbonic acid) H+ + HCO3- (Bicarbonate ions)
Now researchers found a species single-celled shellfish foraminifera which makes their shells better in
acidic water.
Foraminifera expel large amounts of hydrogen ions through their cell wall and take up the increased
concentration of CO2 quickly through its cell wall.
A low acidity prevails inside the organism due to the massive excretion of protons. Under these conditions the
ingested carbon dioxide is again converted to carbonate, which reacts with calcium to form lime.
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4. FEBRUARY - 2017
4.1 Role of Ponds in Global Warming

Why in news?
A study has found that due to the seven years of higher-than-ambient temperatures, the ability of a pond to absorb
carbon dioxide reduced by 50% but the release of methane nearly doubled.
What is the Greenhouse Effect?
The GHGs are transparent to incoming solar radiation, but are opaque to some wavelengths of heat radiated from
the Earth.
So they trap heat, which leads eventually to a warming of the lower atmosphere. This is called Greenhouse effect.
The main source of man-made carbon pollution is the burning of fossil fuels, accounting for more than 70% of
global greenhouse gas emissions.
The rest comes from deforestation, the livestock industry, and agriculture.
For each greenhouse gas, a Global Warming Potential (GWP) has been calculated to reflect how long it remains in
the atmosphere and how strongly it absorbs energy.
Gases with a higher GWP absorb more energy, per pound, than gases with a lower GWP, and thus contribute more
to warming Earth.
The order of most abundant GHGs in the Earth's atmosphere is Water vapor, Carbon dioxide, Methane, Nitrous
oxide, Ozone, Chlorofluorocarbons.
Methane is about 25 times more effective in trapping the suns radiation in our atmosphere than carbon
dioxide, which is the dominant GHG.
What is the new finding?
The new finding is important because small ponds play an huge role in the planets carbon cycle, i.e., the balance
between input and output of greenhouse gases.
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The ponds are also responsible for about 40% of methane emissions from inland waters.
Findings show that warming fundamentally alters the carbon balance of small ponds over years, thereby reducing
their capacity to absorb carbon dioxide and increasing emissions of methane.
This could ultimately accelerate climate change
This danger has been greatly overlooked.
Until now, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) models do not take into account the
amplification effects of warming on these aquatic ecosystems.
4.2 Unprepared for Paris
Why in news?
A week after the budget speech which included the Centres commitment to promote clean energy, the government has
developed cold feet over emission norms for thermal power plants.
What is the need for reduction of emission?
Coal is a major culprit for climate change. It powers more than 80% of the electricity consumed in the country.
The Paris agreement hinges on voluntary targets, or the Intended Nationally Determined Commitments
(INDCs).
Indias INDCs relies greatly renewable energy.
But itwill still require thermal power plants to generate 60% of its energy requirements in 2030.
That makes reducing emissions from these coal-fired plants crucial to the countrys Paris commitments.
In the run-up to the Paris climate change meet in 2015, the government stressed on reducing the share of this
fossil fuel in the countrys energy mix and using it in a climate friendly manner especially reducing the
emissions from thermal power stations.
Over 140 such stations were assigned targets for improving energy efficiency.
But now the government finds these standards too stringent.
This raise questions about Indias commitment to its Paris targets.
Why the voluntary measures are implemented?
The lack of coordination between different government agencies that has affected almost every environment-
related initiative in the country has dogged the endeavour to reduce the climate footprints of thermal power
plants.
In 2015 the National Thermal Power Corporation opposed the emission norms for thermal plants were being
discussed.
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The government set aside the objections of the biggest player in the sector and submitted its INDC
document to the United Nations Framework Convention of Climate Change.
The environment ministry is also gave clearances to new plants without specifying the new standards, well
after it had the norms in place.
What is the way ahead?
The failure of thermal power plants to comply with the emission norms does not show the countrys
preparedness in good light.
Most thermal power plants in the country work at efficiencies below 33%.
There are still three years before India has to comply with its Paris climate targets.
While there has been much convincing talk on emission targets for these plants, the technological inputs
required for the purpose have received very little attention.
It is time the country braces for the challenge.
4.3 B.S IV Deadline
What is the issue?
As a response to precipitous decline in air quality, the government had initiated the Bharat Stage IV (BS-IV)
that weresupposed to come into effect across the country from April 2017.
But most players in the automobile sector are now asking the government to relax the deadline.
What are BS norms?
BS emission standards, introduced in 2000, have been set up to regulate the output of air pollutants from
internal combustion engine equipment, including motor vehicles.
The different norms are brought into force in accordance with the timeline and standards set up by the Central
Pollution Control Board.
The BS norms are based on European regulations.
In 13 major cities, Bharat Stage IV emission standards were put in place in April 2010.
Typically, the higher the stage, the more stringent the norms. The current norms in India are BS IV in 33 cities and
BS III in the remaining country.
Implementation of the BS V standard that was earlier scheduled for 2019 has now been skipped.
BS VI, originally proposed to come in by 2024 has been now advanced to 2020, instead.
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Why is the shift to BSIV necessary?
The studies suggest that vehicular pollution is one of the key contributors to the high levels of pollution in Indian
cities.
A recent study on Delhis pollution showed that 28% of the pollution is due to vehicular emissions.
The shift to BS IV will require cleaner fuel quality and improvements in engines and exhausts like fitting the
vehicles with diesel particulate filter (DPF), selective catalytic reduction (SCR) etc.
Hence this will reduce the vehicular pollution therby increasing the air quality.
Why the industrys demand is flawed?
Currently the automobile sector wants a relaxation of the deadline again.
This reflects poorly on the industrys commitment to improving air quality.
The overall demand for private vehicles is quite rigid in India and, therefore, any increase in cost that affects all
producers equally will not significantly impact industry-level sales in the long run.
The vehicular pollution, significantly worsens the health of all Indians therefore cannot be taken lightly on the cost
of economic development.
Also, being at the frontline of global standards, will improve the ability of Indian automobile sector to compete
globally.
What is the way forward?
The government should remain firm on auto emission norms deadline
Given the alarming rise in pollution levels, the government might even consider advancing the BS VI deadline
from 2020 to an earlier date.
Europe has achieved the result only after facing stiffer timelines.
Also, the industrys tendency to lobby for delays can be checked if deadlines are staggered.
If the environmental norms are applied in one go , the deadline of BS-IV norms applied to sales of older
technology vehicles will make it worthless.
But a staggered deadline will allow companies to gradually shift production to better engines and avoid a situation
where producers are stuck with unsold inventory.
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4.4 Issue of Carbon Tax
What is carbon tax?
A carbon tax is a fee for making users of fossil fuels pay for climate damage their fuel use imposes by releasing
carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, and for motivating switches to clean energy
India introduced a nationwide carbon tax in 2010, which is currently Rs.400/tonne
Is India overdoing the greening of energy?
In the aggregate terms, India is now in the third highest emitter of carbon dioxide but not in per capita terms.
Firstly, the coal cess that was introduced a few years ago is now at Rs400 per tonne, almost one-
fifth the cost of mining coal.
This is something like a 20% carbon tax.
India has the worlds third largest endowment of coal, which can help double our per capita electricity usage at
a relatively low cost.
Due to the coal bidding scams and the coal cess, India now might have become the most expensive place to
produce coal-fired electricity.
It is greatly hurting our competitiveness, and will directly undermine industry as it faces an onslaught of
imports from China and other trade partners.
We also already have a system of renewable purchase obligations (RPOs) on all electricity distribution
companies and captive producers.
There is often not enough solar or wind energy available for purchase, within state boundaries.
Across states, wheeling of solar is not yet possible and the RPOs burden goes up steadily every year.
This increases the cost of energy production.
What is the solution?
It is not as if India should stay away from global joint efforts at curbing greenhouse gases.
Green energy, apart from mitigating climate change has great potential for job creation.
India is uniquely blessed with sunshine almost all the time, and hence solar can contribute hugely to our
energy needs.
But it is not necessary for India, whose per capita consumption of electricity is barely half the world average,
to embrace the highest rate of carbon taxes in the world.
Success in mitigating climate change requires global and absolute cooperation.
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4.5 Ways to improve the Solar Sector

Why in news?
Madhya Pradesh's Rewa Ultra Mega Solar Project, the world's largest solar park, will now produce the
cheapest solar power in the country at just Rs 2.97 per unit.
This is the first time in the history that the tariff of electricity based out of Solar Power Plants is going to be at sub-
3 level.
What are some of the lacunae?
The National Solar Mission, inaugurated in 2010, is an initiative of the Government of India to promote renewable
solar power.
It has set a target of achieving 20GW by 2022 which was later increased to 100 GW in 2015.
An important missing aspect in the national policy on renewables is the failure to tap the investment potential of
the middle class.
The grid-connected large-scale installations have received maximum attention, while the rooftop solar sector was
largely ignored.
What needs to be done?
The progress in solar sector must be deepened with policy incentives, for several reasons. The most important
being, the need to connect millions of people who are without access to electricity.
Adding more than 10 GW capacity annually over the next six years will require active participation and investment
by both residential and commercial buildings sector.
This can be kick-started using mass participation by citizens.
State electricity utilities should be given mandatory time frames to introduce net-metering systems.
In Germany, where a robust solar expansion has been taking place, illustrates the benefits of policy
guarantees for rooftop installations and feed-in tariffs i.e payment made to households or businesses
generating their own electricity.
Also, tariffs paid both for large plants and smaller installations require periodic review.
4.6 Human Animal Conflict - Nagarhole Tigers

Why in news?
In one month, seven tigers including a six-month-old cub have died in the Nagarhole-Bandipur reserves in Karnataka.
Where is Nagarhole National Park?
Nagarhole National Park also known as Rajiv Gandhi National Park, is a national park located in Kodagu and
Mysore district in Karnataka.
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This park was declared as a Tiger reserve under Project Tiger in 1999.
The reserves form an integral part of the Nilgiri biosphere which holds worlds single largest tiger population
estimated over at 570 tigers.
It is located to the north-west of Bandipur National Park and the Kabini reservoir separates the two parks.
Bandipur and Nagarahole hold more than 221 tigers cumulatively.
In terms of tiger mortality, however, the two reserves have taken a huge hit since 2010, with 68 deaths .
What is the reason for the deaths?
Protection against poachers and habitat manipulation has seen the prey base increase.
With the increase in the weaker tigers (injured or older tigers and younger males) are pushed to the periphery.
Coffee and areca nut plantations are prevalent near Nagarhole Tiger Reserve.
Tigers enter the plantation in search of rabbits and wild boars.
They get caught in the barbed-wire fence cannot extricate itself from the wire and dies.
They also get trapped in the snares setup by humans.
The snare is a loop of wire in the form of a noose.
When an animal enters the noose, any slight weight on the dangling string makes it tighten. The more the
animal struggles, the tighter it gets.
Why snares have been set up?
The snares are often set for rabbits and wild boars.
They are source of food for locals and the estate owners encourage it as a way to deal with the crop loss due to
boar raids.
They result in killing the tigers, and the panicked people who set the trap, dump the body of the tiger and
clears the evidence of the snares.
Forest officials ended up in this speculation because the body of the tigers dead are left with nails, claws and
skin untouched. This rule out the role of poachers.
The post-mortem showed of some dead tigers showed that they have had lost their canines and their stomachs
were empty.
This confirms that the tigers that are unable to hunt in the wild move to the peripheries to hunt slow-moving
livestock.
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The recent government order allowing hunting of wild pigs to reduce crop damage may be a prime driver for
the increase in the number of snares.
What has been done?
The forest department resolved to weed out all these traps.
Elephant camps have been mobilised to aid the search. Over 200 snares were found in the first two days.
The operations are concentrated around LakshmanaTirtha River.
There is no way to find out who has placed the traps.
Also the forest officials do not want to antagonise locals as they need them for conservation.
This trend will continue as long as unscientific ways of dealing with crop loss continue.
In the reserve and surrounding areas, the anger among the people is generally against wild boars and
elephants.
Dynamites and Pellet Guns have been used against elephants, while cases of electrocution have also been
witnessed. This also should be seriously addressed.
But the presence of the tiger is largely tolerated.
These lands are considered as sacred groves and the big cat are worshipped.
They do not want the tiger killed. They only ask for was protection for the people and livestock.
This sentiment should be harnessed and enough awareness about snares should be made to conserve tigers.
4.7 Ennore Oil Spill
Why in news?
Two vessels collided off Ennore port and resulted in the oil spill that spread southward beyond Marina beach, about
25km from the accident spot.
What happened?
A LPG tanker and an oil and chemical tanker collided within the port limits in Ennore on 28th Jan 2017.
The incident happened about two nautical miles outside the harbour.
By the time the Coast Guard was informed later in the morning, great damage had already been done.
In two days, a thick layer of floating oil was found on the shoreline of the Marina beach, which is more than 20km
from Ennore port.
The INCOIS report has mentioned that the spillage has polluted 24.06km of the citys shoreline.
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What were the impacts?
Ecologists assert that there will be long term negative impact of this oil spill on Chennais marine ecology.
The biggest source of toxins is through inhalation and crude oil has benzene, which is a carcinogen.
The sludge is reported to have a heavy concentration of nine heavy materials such as zinc, lead and arsenic
which are non-biodegradable and cannot be removed even by bioremediation.
This will remain in the ecosystem, poisoning marine life all the way up the food chain and causing irreparable
damage to humans as well as to the marine ecosystem.
Reports indicate that the slick has spread to Cuddalore in the south, will soon reach the Pichavaram
mangroves and then northwards to affect the Pulicat mangroves.
What is NOS-DCP?
The National Oil Spill Disaster Contingency Plan is an action oriented plan and covers such aspects as
reporting, communication, alerting, assessment,operations, administration, finances, public relations and
arrangements with other contiguous states.
It also assigns responsibility for various tasks to relevant government departments, identifies trained personnel,
equipment, and surface craft, and aircraft and means of access to these resources.
It was sanctioned in 1993and adopted in 1996.
What are the objectives of NOS-DCP?
To establish an effective system for detection and reporting of spills;
To establish adequate measures for preparedness for oil and chemical pollution;
To facilitate rapid and effective response to oil pollution;
To establish adequate measures for crew, responders, and public health and safety, and protection ofthe marine
environment;
To establish appropriate response techniques to prevent, control, and combat oil and chemical pollution,and
dispose-off recovered material in an environmentally sound manner; and
To maintain the evidences for the purpose of identifying the polluter and taking suitable administrative, civil or
criminal action against the polluter.
Is the NOS-DC Plan effective?
In 2015, the Coast Guard had revised the NOS-DCP to meet international standards, setting up an Online Oil
Spill Advisory system.
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This placed India amongst a select list of countries that have indigenously developed capabilities for prediction of
trajectory of oil spills.
However, a comprehensive plan is yet to be drawn up.
The first response to the collision was seriously deficient as the port authorities initially denied any significant
environmental damage from oil.
But as the scale of the disaster began to unfold, the failure calls into question the efficacy of the NOS-
DCP.
The entire clean-up was done manually as the available equipment is meant for clearing oil spill in deep seas.
What does the incident underscores?
The Indian Coast Guard has been demanding, for over 20 years now a State contingency plan from States. Despite
this, Tamil Nadu has not furnished such a plan.
The State now needs to tell its people why a local contingency plan has not been put in place.
There is no disaster-related information, especially details regarding the current status of the spill, or
precautions to be taken the public and fishermen.
An independent inquiry is necessary to determine whether the training and acquisition of equipment to
handle such accidents for all agencies is effective or not.
Obfuscation of facts after an oil spill is counterproductive, since the impact is prolonged and it could
erode the confidence of the international community in the countrys ability to fulfil its commitments to protect
marine life and biodiversity.
Failure to safeguard marine turtle and bird habitats is a clear violation of the provisions of the Convention on the
Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals.
The efficacy of chemical dispersants to degrade oil at sea still remains controversial.
All this underscores the importance of timely advice from agencies such as the INCOIS, which is mandated to
forecast the course of an oil spill.
4.8 Solid waste Management - Buffer Zone
Why in news?
Central Pollution Control Board proposes buffer zones around landfill sites
What is the problem in present system?
The current solid waste management practice in India envisages different treatment technologies.
Then it is garbage is disposed in secured landfill sites.
These landfills severely impact the surrounding environment.
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Landfill sites encompass waste processing facilities, which become sources of pollution in terms of air, water,
land and noise pollution besides emitting foul smell.
So buffer zones are mandatory to reduce these effects.
Though the Municipal Solid Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2000 had specified the terminology
of Buffer Zone, the rule was silent about its dimension.
What is the purpose of a buffer zone?
Buffer Zone refers to an area of no construction.

Such an area is designated in order to segregate two regions.
The term buffer zone was first specified by the government in Municipal Solid Waste (Management and
Handling Rules), 2000.
The revised rules as under Solid Waste Management (SWM) Rules, 2016 made it a duty of CPCB to issue
guidelines regarding buffer zones.
According to the SWM Rules, 2016, a buffer zone of no development shall be maintained around solid waste
processing and disposal facility, exceeding five tonnes per day of installed capacity.
Buffer zone acts as barrier, absorber and to some extent as remedial measures against emissions of pollutants
observed during handling of waste, storage, transportation.
It is also equally important for any processing facility as the processing activities directly or indirectly generate
pollution in the area.
What are the objectives of the current move?
To minimize the risk of adverse impacts on the environment.

To promote responsible land management and conservation,
To promote responsible management of hazards and loss of amenity.
To encourage new technological interventions.
4.9 India and State Global Air Report 2017
Why in news?
Health Effects Institute and the Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation released the State of Global
Air 2017 study.
What are the highlights of the report?
In 2015, long-term exposure to PM2.5 contributed to 4.2 million deaths and to a loss of 103 million
years of healthy life.
Around 92% of the worlds population lives in areas with unhealthy air.
Globally, there was 60% rise in ozone attributable deaths
In India there is 67% increase.
China and India together accounted for 52% of the total global deaths attributable to PM2.5.
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Bangladesh and India, have experienced the steepest rise in air pollution levels since 2010 and now
have the highest PM2.5 concentrations among the countries.
They also the steepest rise since 2010.
China, India, Bangladesh, and Japan increases in exposure, combined with increases in population
growth and aging, resulted in net increases in attributable mortality.
The report also points out that dirty air doomed 91 out of one lakh Indians to early death in 2015.
For the first time since 1990, India has lost more people to outdoor air pollution than China.
The State of Global Air Report ranks outdoor air pollution as the third leading health risk in India.
4.10 New continent: Zealandia

Why in news?
A study published by the Geological Society of America,found that New Zealand and New Caledonia are part of
a huge 4.9 million sq. km single slab of continental crust that is separate from Australia.
The study says that Zealandia should be considered a geological continent, rather than the previously-held
theory that it was a collection of continental islands and fragments.
About Zealandia
Zealandia is about half the size of Australia, but only 7 percent of it is above sea level.
Most of that terrestrial land makes up the two large islands of the country of New Zealand the North
Island and the South Island.
Zealandia is a very tectonically active region. Part of it is on the Australian plate, while the other part
is on the Pacific plate.
New Caledonia, a collection of islands governed by France, makes up the northern tip of Zealandia.
The submerged part of Zealandia is rich in mineral deposits.
Zealandia's submerged fossils provide valuable clues to life during those time periods.
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Criteria for continents:
1. Elevation above surrounding area
2. Distinctive Geology
3. Well defined area
4. Crust much thicker than that found on ocean floor
4.11 Indias only Active Volcano
Why in news?
Barren Island is the only active Volcano along the volcanic chain from Sumatra to Myanmar.
Moreover, it is the only active volcano in India.
The Volcano erupted on January 23, 2017.
The first Record of Volcanic eruption on significant scale was in 1787. Since 1991, the volcano has been
showing sporadic activity and erupted in 2005.
Barren Island
The Island is situated in Andaman Sea, of the north-eastern part of Port Blair (Andaman and Nicobar
Islands).
It is a Submarine emergent Volcano, which lies above the subduction zone of India and Burmese
plate.
The Island is uninhabited and devoid of any significant vegetation and wild life.
Other volcanoes in India
Doshi Hill is an extinct volcano in north-west part of Aravalli range of Mahendergarh (Haryana).
Dhinodhar Hills is an extinct volcano in Kutch district of Gujarat.
Narcondam Island in Andaman and Nicobar is a volcanic island and classified as dormant volcano by
Geological Survey of India. The island is listed under UNESCO World Heritage Sites and famous for its
endemic NarcondamHornbill.
Baratang Island in Andaman is famous for Mud volcanoes
4.12 Pangolin
Pangolins are nocturnal mammals, often called scaly anteaters, are covered in tough, overlapping scales.
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These burrowing mammals eat ants and termites using an extraordinarily long tongue, and are able to quickly
roll themselves up into a tight ball when threatened.
There are eight different pangolin species can be found across Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.
They are the most trafficked mammal in the world.
They are hunted for the bush meat and their scales made of keratin
used in traditional medicines.
Recently, UN's Convention on International Trade in Endangered

Species, known as CITES, placed the eight species of pangolin on the convention's "Appendix I".
Thus adding pangolins under "Appendix I" will prohibits any cross-border movement in the animals or their
body parts for commercial purposes.
4.13 Pilot Whales
Oceanic dolphins are a widely distributed family of dolphins that live in the sea of the order Cetaceans.
Cetaceans consist of the whales, dolphins, and porpoises.
Oceanic dolphins include several big species whose common names contain "whale" rather than "dolphin",
such as the killer whale and the pilot whales.
Pilot whales grow to about 7.5m and are common around New Zealands waters.
They were named "pilot whales" because the group of these animals are often "piloted" by a leader.
4.14 Co-existence of Predators
Usually, big cats and wild canids live in different locations to avoid each other.
But in four relatively small reserves in Western Ghats region researchers have found that Tigers, leopards, and
dholes (Asian wild dog) co-exist, despite competing for much of the same prey i.esambar deer, chital, and pigs.
Each species has remarkably different adaptations to prey on different prey sizes, use different habitat types
and be active at different times.
Because of small and isolated nature of these high prey densities in these reserves, such adaptions are helpful
for conservationists trying to save all three
Dhole is listed as Endangered by the IUCN.
4.15 The Blue Carbon Initiative
The Blue Carbon Initiative is a global program working to mitigate climate change through the restoration and
sustainable use of coastal and marine ecosystems.
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The Initiative is coordinated by Conservation International (CI), the International Union for Conservation of
Nature (IUCN), and the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of the United Nations Educational,
Scientific, and Cultural Organization (IOC-UNESCO).
Blue carbon is the carbon stored in coastal and marine ecosystems.
The Blue Carbon Initiative currently focuses on carbon in coastal ecosystems - mangroves, tidal marshes and
seagrasses, which are found on every continent except Antarctica.
4.16 Arc
Arc is a Green Building Performance Monitoring Platform developed by the US Green Building Council
(USGBC)
The Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA), Delhi has adopted first-of-its-kind Arc for Terminal 3.
It is already operational and the adoption of "Arc" is in line with the continued focus on Environment
Sustainability and is aligned to make Delhi a Smart airport.
5. MARCH 2017
5.1 Moving beyond BS III
Why in news?
The Supreme Court in its recent judgement ordered a freeze on the registration and sale of BS-III fuel compliant
vehicles by any manufacturer or dealer on and from April 1.
What are Bharat stage (BS) norms?
Bharat stage emission standards' are emission standards instituted by the GOI to regulate the output of air
pollutants from internal combustion engine equipment, including motor vehicles.
The standards, based on European regulations were first introduced in 2000.
The standards and the timeline for implementation are set by the Central Pollution Control Board under the
Ministry of Environment & Forests and climate change.
It is the work of minister of petroleum and natural gas to make the fuel compatible for various Bharat stages.
The higher the number gets, the stricter the Bharat Stage emission norms get.
All new vehicles manufactured after the implementation of the norms have to be compliant with the
regulations.
What is the present scenario of BS?
Since October 2010, Bharat Stage (BS) III norms have been enforced across the country.
In 13 major cities, Bharat Stage IV emission norms have been in place since April 2010.
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In 2016, the Indian government announced that the country would skip the BS-V norms altogether and adopt
BS-VI norms by 2020.
The phasing out of 2-stroke engine for two wheelers, the cessation of production of Maruti 800 & introduction
of electronic controls have been due to the regulations related to vehicular emissions.
The apex court in its recent judgement said that the right to health is more important than the commercial
interests of a few auto companies.
Last year it cracked down on diesel vehicles in the national capital region, disallowing registration of cars of
over 2000-cc engine capacity.
What are the problems in the implementation?
It takes years for automakers to develop a new kind of an engine.
Even after the research and development is over, the task of setting up full scale production is much bigger.
All of this comes at a cost which eventually makes the vehicle more expensive for the end customer of the
product.
This can be a cause of concern for automakers given the price sensitivity of the Indian market.
There is a huge stock of vehicles left to be sold into the market that are BS-III compliant and the latest SC
decision might make them redundant.
The companies are holding stock of around 8.24 lakh such vehicles.
But SC said manufacturers were then allowed to sell their inventory after the deadline.
There is also the requirement of cleaner fuel to run these vehicles that comply with a stricter emission
regulation.
It is not feasible to make internal combustion engines pollute less while using poor quality of fuel.
This will require a huge amount of investments to make the oil refineries capable of producing a better quality
of fuel to make that fuel available across the country.
The Centre has spent around Rs 18,000 to 20,000 crore for producing cleaner fuel.
But it is also to be noted that the increase in private cost is offset by savings in health costs for the public, as
there would be lesser amount of disease by air pollution.
What was the industries demand?
The industries had been asking for an extension of the deadline.
It said that the entire industry was stuck with more than 800,000 vehicles, mostly two-wheelers and three-
wheelers.
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But the SC rejected the plea stating that the health of the people is more important than the commercial
interests of the manufacturers.
Why extension should not be allowed?
Established guidelines - The road map for the upgrade from BS-III to BS-IV was clearly laid out.
For new models, the new norms were supposed to come into effect from April 1, 2016.
For the existing models, the industry was given 12 months to transit to BS-IV norms.
This was done because companies needed to make investments in plant and machinery.
The Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) had been working with the
manufacturers since October last year to help manage the transition.
Yet, close to the deadline, the industry was seeking an extension, claiming huge inventory.
Precedence - If allowed, it would have undermined policy credibility and adherence.
Such a transition is neither the first one nor the last.
An extension now would lay down a wrong precedent for the future when India intends to adopt BS-V and BS-
VI norms.
Also the transition to BS-IV is not a new development.
13 Metro cities adopted this norm way back in April 2010.
Discriminatory - The extension would penalise those manufacturers that followed the rules.
e.g Bajaj Auto had upgraded its factories to produce BS-IV vehicles. It argued that companies such as itself
were being priced out of the market because of the extra cost, and price, of such enhancement.
Manufacturers are unwilling to make investments in safety and environment protection, claiming that India is
a highly price-sensitive market and any such upgrade bumps up the price.
But this can hardly be an excuse to compromise on safety and emissions although it reflects poorly on Indian
consumers priorities as well.
The Supreme Court judgment should make automobile manufacturers wary of asking for an extension when
the emission norms are upgraded next.
5.2 Western Ghats notified as Ecologically Sensitive Area
Why in news?
The government has notified 56,825 square km area in the Western Ghats (WG) region as ecologically sensitive area
(ESA).
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What does the notification mean?
The notified land is spread over six states of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
In the ESA, all kinds of mining activities, thermal power plants and highly polluting industries would no longer be
allowed.
The existing mines shall be phased out within five years from the issue of final notification or on the expiry of the
existing mining lease, whichever is earlier.
All new Red category industries and the expansion of such existing industries shall be banned.
Other kinds of projects and activities, like operation of hydropower plants, and orange category of
industries, will be strictly regulated in the ESA.
New expansion projects of building and construction with built-up area of 20,000 square meters and above shall
be prohibited too.
Why Western Ghats is so important?
It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
It is one of the eight "hottest hot-spots" of biological diversity in the world.
It has over 7,402 species of flowering plants, 1,814 species of non-flowering plants, 139 mammal species, 508 bird
species, 179 amphibian species, 6,000 insects species and 290 freshwater fish species.
Thus, the demarcation of an ESA is an effort to protect the fragile eco-system from indiscriminate
industrialisation, mining and unregulated development.
Two committees Gadgil and Kasturirangan were appointed in the last eight years to identify the areas that
needed to be kept out from such activities.
Gadgil committee Kasturirangan committee
The report distinguishes between cultural and

It designated the entire Western Ghats as an ESA
natural landscape.
Cultural landscapes include human settlements, agri

It classified Western Ghats into Ecologically fields and plantations and covers 58.44% of the
Sensitive Zones (ESZ) 1, 2 and 3. Western Ghats.
90% of the remaining natural landscape is marked as
an ESA.
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It called for a complete ban on mining, quarrying and

It called for complete ban on high capacity
sand mining in this area but allowed HEP after
storage dam and sand mining in ESA 1.
scrutiny.
It adopted bottom to top approach i.e. from Gram

It calls for top-down approach
Sabhas to top.
It suggested the formation of a Western Ghats

Ecology Authority (WGEA), a statutory authority It proposed to strengnthen the existing legal
which enjoys the powers under the Environment framework
(Protection) Act
The major criticism it faced was that it was more Usage of techniques like remote sensing while
environment-friendly and is not in tune with ignoring ground realities have created many errors in
the ground realities. the report
5.3 Enhancing the status of Rivers
What is the issue?
The Uttarakhand High Court declared the rivers Yamuna and Ganga as legal or juridical persons,
enjoying all the rights, duties and liabilities of a living person.
It is the first time that an element of the natural environment has been declared a legal person.
Indian courts, previously have granted this status to temple deities, religious books, corporations, etc.,
What was this case about?
The two issues before the High Court were:
1. removal of illegal constructions on the banks of a canal in Dehradun, and
2. the division of water resources between U.P &Uttarakhand (not resolved since the formation of the
new state).
In December 2016, the High Court directed the removal of the constructions.
It also directed the constitution of the Ganga Management Board (a statutory body under the U.P.
Reorganisation Act 2000) and prohibited mining of the Ganga riverbed.
On the issue of resource division, the court directed the Central government to notify the settlement reached by
the two States in a time-bound manner.
Three months later, when the matter came up before the court once again, the encroachments were still there, the
settlement between the States was yet to take place, and the board had not been constituted.
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What logical leaps did the court has taken?
Extraordinary situation: First, for the court, an extraordinary situation had been created which required
extraordinary measures for the protection of the Ganga and the Yamuna.
In a clear breach of statutory duties under the U.P. Reorganisation Act, the case had became the one concerning
the protection of the health and well-being of the two rivers.
Physical & spiritual sustenance: Second, the court recorded how the rivers provide physical and spiritual
sustenance to half the Indian population.
It found the constitution of the board to be necessary for various purposes including irrigation, water supply, and
power generation.
Parenspatriae: Third, the court decides to exercise the parenspatriae jurisdiction to declare the rivers and
all their tributaries, etc. as living persons.
It literally parent of the country. It is an inherent power of the sovereign, and not the courts, to provide
protection to persons unable to take care of themselves.
In this case, several high level people have been appointed as the custodians, i.e., persons who will act in the
place of parents for the two rivers.
These officers are now expected to act on behalf of the rivers for their protection and conservation.
Is there any unanswered questions?
The High Courts declaration is crisp and it raises several questions.
In the eyes of the law, living persons such as companies, associations, deities etc., have rights and duties and
primary among these being the right to sue and the capacity to be sued.
Which implies that from now on, the rivers can sue persons acting against their interests.
But what for? Do they have a right not to be a receptacle for tons of sewage? If yes, then who will sue whom?
Do other riparian State governments now have less of a role in the protection of the rivers as they are not
the identified custodians?
The judgment does not take away existing statutory and constitutional rights and duties of citizens and
government agencies to counter the pollution and degradation of these rivers.
What it does do is to identify three officers who will be the first-line defenders for the rivers.
What will be impact?
The Court relies on the copious list of rights that humans have as citizens of India.
But are these rights enjoyed by the overwhelming majority of the citizens?
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Even a basic right such as security of life and limbs is difficult for women to enjoy from the pre-birth life in a
womb till old age.
Men may do better but not by much, unless they are in the top echelons of income and caste.
If we treat them so badly when they are divine, what hope is there that we will do any better calling
them human?
5.4 Separate time zone for Northeast
Why in news?
The Guwahati High Court has dismissed a PIL seeking a direction from the Central government to notify a separate
time zone for the Northeast.
What did the judgment say?
People of Northeast States have often complained about the effect of IST on their lives, and pursued the issue of
having a separate time zone.
It felt that having two time zones would be unsuitable.
The court cites a high-level committee study that recognised the difficulties faced by a single time zone in eastern
India but concluded that IST should nonetheless be retained.
What is the basis of the demand?
India stretches from 97.4 East in Arunachal to 68 East in Gujarat.
The time difference between the two extreme points is approximately two hours.
In the Northeast, the sun rises as early as four in the morning and in winter it sets by four in the evening.
By the time government offices or educational institutions open, many daylight hours are already lost.
In winters much more electricity has to be consumed.
Advancing IST by half an hour would result in saving 2.7 billion units of electricity every year.
What is Daylight Saving Time?
DST is the practice of turning the clock ahead as warmer weather approaches and back as it becomes
colder again so that people will have one more hour of daylight in the afternoon and evening during the warmer
season of the year.
Less than 40% of the countries in the world use DST.
Countries in equatorial and tropical climates do not observe Daylight Saving Time.
DST usually starts in March-April and ends in September-November when the countries return to standard time.
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Why their demand is getting rejected?
Two time zones is not advisable for India considering the

country's demographics.
People would have to adjust to multiple time zones &

administrative integration would be difficult.
Indian railways is not yet automated enough to handle

time shifts mid-journey and this could induce major accidents
due to human error.
There is also a strong political dimension to granting a

separate time zone.
The unstated assumption is that the grant of a different time

zone is only the first temporal step towards conceding
spatial autonomy.
5.5 Elephant Census

Why in news?
Four States - Odisha, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand have decided to conduct elephant census
synchronously.
Why this census is significant?
This will be the first regional synchronous elephant census with an identical set of rules for direct and indirect
counting methods.
The direct elephant counting method is based on sightings of elephants.
In the indirect method, surveyors follow a dung decay formula for arriving at population estimation
which is being used by Tamil Nadu and Karnataka at present.
A variation of about 8% to 9% has been noticed between the two methods.
What are the advantages of synchronised census?
According to the 2015 census, Odisha has 1,954 elephants, while Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and West Bengal
have approximately 700, 275 and 130 elephants respectively.
Elephants travel long distances and an exhaustive information base on regional elephant distribution will help
plan a proper intervention for their conservation in the long run.
The synchronised census will indicate the size, distribution, structure and density of the elephant population
in the region.
A simultaneously conducted census would eliminate underestimation, duplication.
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This approach helps to produce a good map on the distribution of elephants in different landscapes,
highlighting the abundance and density of elephants.
This will lead to better regional planning.
5.6 East Kolkata Wetlands
What is the issue?
The state government is planning a proper utilisation of the land currently lying along the east Kolkata wetlands.
What is Ramsar Site?
The east Kolkata wetlands is the biggest ecological asset of the city and a Ramsar Site.
A Ramsar Site is a wetland (shallow waters) which is designated to be of international importance under the
Convention on Wetlands, an intergovernmental environmental treaty established nearly 50 years ago (1971)
by UNESCO.
It came into force in 1975 and takes its name from Ramsar, the Iranian city where the convention was adopted.
What is the significance of East Kolkata Wetland?
The east Kolkata wetlands are a fascinating natural resource to which tremendous value has been added by
traditional knowledge.
The wetlands have been historically created by a natural shift of the Bidyadhari, a tributary of the
Ganga.
The land on which Kolkata is built slopes to the east.
So the British created canals to take out the citys waste water into in the wetlands.
What happens to this waste water?
The traditional knowledge is used to treat this waste water.
For the past century, the waste water has been first fed into settling ponds.
There the biodegradation of organic components takes place.
Then the nutrient-rich sewage is transferred into a fish pond to improve the organic quality of the water.
Fish is grown in this pond and the used water is transferred to fields to irrigate crop.
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How else is the wetland helpful?
In the 12,500 hectares of wetlands, water bodies account for almost 50%, agricultural land - 39%, garbage
landfills - 5% and urban and rural settlements over 10%.
The wetlands grow 10,500 tonnes of fish per year and 150 tonnes of vegetables per day, providing livelihood
for over 50,000 people.
The solid waste brought to the landfills is composted in pits and used for growing paddy and vegetables.
The natural process saves Rs 500 crore annually in sewage treatment costs.
What is the current problem?
The government has assured to maintain the balance between ecology and development.
But the reality is that the wetlands are slowly and steadily disappearing.
Satellite imagery indicates that in Bhagabanpur, a part of the wetlands, water bodies have shrunk from 77% to
14% of the area since 2002.
This is corroborated by census data which say that during the 2001-11 decade, there was a fourfold rise in the
number of houses and population density in the area.
The nature of the liquid waste coming to the wetlands from the city is changing.
The presence of non-biodegradable chemicals is increasing as income and lifestyle in the city change.
With the increase in lead and mercury used for the manufacture of batteries, paint and glass, city will have to
forget about relishing the fish and vegetables that come out of the wetlands.
Therefore the timely warning to be taken seriously to reduce the chemicals in the sewage and to save the
wetlands.
5.7 Waste Water
Why in news?
March 22 is celebrated as the World Water Day with this years theme being Waste Water.
What are the dangers of waste water?
The sources of waste water are many: domestic, industrial, commercial, agricultural, surface run-off or storm
water, and sewer inflow.
Untreated waste water is contaminated with urban waste containing not only a mix of chemical and biological
pollutants, but also high levels of pathogens from excreta.
This generally impacts human health.
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Waste water is discharged directly into water bodies, overloaded rivers, lakes and the ground with toxic
chemicals and wastes.
This consequently poisons water resources and supplies.
These toxins feed their way into plants and animals, causing severe ecological toxicity at various levels,
including in the human food chain.
This leads to biological magnification i.e the increasing concentration of a substance, such as a toxic chemical,
in the tissues of organisms at successively higher levels in a food chain.
e.g The River Ganga receives roughly 500 million litres per day (MLD) of partly treated or untreated industrial
effluents from over 700 polluting industries, and about 3,000 MLD waste water from urban bodies.
Globally, only 10% of waste water is treated.
In India, about 69% of water is untreated
39% of its actual operating capacity does not meet the regulatory standards.
What are the various uses of waste water?
Waste water is a resource in a circular economy.
Waste water, once treated, can be recycled and/or reused for drinking purposes, in industry, in the artificial
recharge of aquifers, in agriculture, in the rehabilitation of natural ecosystems and so on.
Recycling waste water is not just an ecological imperative.
By 2050, it is estimated, India will be water-scarce in terms of per capita availability of water per year.
Indias demand for water is growing in all sectors, given continuing economic growth and improving lifestyles.
Climate change, due to human induced interventions, will affect the variability of water supply in many
countries, including India.
This is difficult to achieve unless water is conserved, recycled and reused.
It is also crucial to the growth of smart cities.
What is the international practice?
One of the best international examples in urban water recycling is Yokohama in Japan.
About 99% of Yokohamas population is connected to sewers.
Its treated waste water is precious, and is being supplied to various locations of the city.
Indian smart cities could take a lead from the Yokohama example for maximising their waste water
management.
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The National Water Policy 2012 recognises that recycle and reuse of water should be the general norm.
Waste water is emerging as a thrust area for investment opportunities and is expected to grow in value and
volume.
But the current waste water treatment market is largely unorganised with small and medium-sized domestic
players.
Market mechanisms need to improve for recycling waste water.
The governments, at the Centre as well as in the States, should give incentives to various players in this regard.
In the case of waste water treatment it is imperative to follow WHO guidelines in India.
e.g These guidelines prescribe discontinuation of irrigation with untreated waste water for a few days before
harvesting of crops in order to allow pathogens to die in sunlight.
These regulatory norms should be strictly enforced.
5.8 Noise Pollution
What is the issue?
A study by a German company across 50 cities in the world finds that noise is robbing nearly two decades of healthy
hearing from the inhabitants of Delhi and Mumbai.
What is noise pollution?
Noise pollution or noise disturbance is the disturbing or excessive noise that may harm the activity or balance
of human or animal life.
Outdoor noise is summarized by the word environmental noise.
Poor urban planning may give rise to noise pollution.
Noise can also have a detrimental effect on wild animals.
It increases the risk of death by changing the delicate balance in predator or prey detection and avoidance, and
interfering the use of the sounds in communication, especially in relation to reproduction and in navigation.
What are the levels of discomfort?
According to a 2015 report commissioned by the European Commission on the impact of noise on
health, it is estimated that that 1.3 billion people worldwide suffer from hearing impairment due to noise
exposure.
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World Health Organization (WHO) estimates 10% of the global population is currently exposed to noise levels
that could lead to hearing impairment.
The same body recommends that unprotected exposure to sound levels greater than 100 dB should be limited
in duration of four hours and frequency of four times a year.
Additionally, it should never exceed 140 dB in adults and 120 dB in children.
But a firecracker normally generates about 125 dB of noise.
Indias Central Pollution Control Board conducts studies of ambient noise in commercial, residential and
industrial townships and has found that noise levels in Delhi, Mumbai and Lucknow routinely break the
national limit of 75 dB.
What are the findings of the study?
Age irreversibly destroys the tiny hair in your inner ear, making it harder to hear high-pitched tones.
The older you are, the less the range of frequencies perceived.
The study is done by playing tones at various frequencies that cover the range of human auditory perception
from 20-20,000 Hz to the participants.
It determined how far, on average, peoples hearing abilities deviated from whats ideal for their age.
Residents of Vienna were found to have the smallest average HL of 12.59 years, meaning that a hypothetical
30-year-old had the hearing of a 42-year-old.
Delhi performed the worst with an HL of 19.34, meaning that a 30-year-old Delhiite had the auditory
level of a 49-year-old; Mumbais is 18.58.
The study also found that 64% of the hearing loss measured in people of a city could be explained by the
regions noise pollution levels.
5.9 Survey on Gangetic Dolphins
Why in news?
The Centre launched the first ever across-the-river survey in the Ganga to determine the population of aquatic life,
including that of the Gangeticdoplhin.
What are the key facts?
The authority is conducting the survey through Wildlife Institute of India (WII), under the NamamiGange
programme.
The survey will create a baseline scientific data for the government to take suitable measures to improve
quality of the river water.
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The first leg of the census was launched in Uttar Pradesh to establish the number of the national aquatic animal.
The study will find out stretches where dolphin is habitating, what are the conditions there and the level of
threat the species is facing in a particular belt.
Apart from number of dolphins, number of gharials and turtles in the river will also be ascertained.
Gangetic River Dolphin
The Ganges dolphin, or susu, inhabits the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna and Karnaphuli-Sangu river systems of
Nepal, India, and Bangladesh.
It is threatened by removal of river water and siltation arising from deforestation, pollution and entanglement in
fisheries nets.
Alterations to the river due to barrages are also separating populations.
This dolphin is among the four obligate freshwater dolphins.
Although there are several species of marine dolphins whose ranges include some freshwater habitats, these four
species live only in rivers and lakes.
It is categorized as Endangered by IUCN.
5.10 Web Portal for obtaining CRZ Clearances

Why in news?
Government has launched the web portal for obtaining Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) clearances with an intent of
improving Ease of Doing Business.
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What are the key facts?
The objectives of the web portal include enhancing efficiency, transparency and accountability in the process of
CRZ clearances; enhance responsiveness; ease of business and convenience of citizens in accessing information
and services; standardised procedures and processes across Central and State levels.
The Portal is a web-based system for obtaining clearances required under the CRZ by the Project proponents.
The system will enable the Project proponents and the concerned bodies like the State Coastal Zone Management
Authorities (SCZMAs) in tracking the status of their proposals.
The Portal enables submission of applications for CRZ clearance in a single-window interface and facilitates quick
flow of information related to CRZ clearances.
The portal allocates a unique identity for each proposal for all future references.
What is CRZ?
The coastal land up to 500m from the High Tide Line (HTL) and a stage of 100m along banks of creeks, estuaries,
backwater and rivers subject to tidal fluctuations, is called the Coastal Regulation Zone(CRZ).
While CRZ-I pertains to places that are ecologically sensitive areas between 0 to 100 metres. Exploration of
natural gas and extraction of salt are permitted here.
CRZ-II covers areas that have already been developed up to or close to the shoreline. Unauthorised structures are
not allowed to construct in this zone.
The areas beyond, between 100 metres to 500 metres fall under CRZ-III. Only certain activities related to
agriculture even some public facilities are allowed in this zone.
CRZ IV includes the aquatic area up to the territorial limit (12 nautical miles). Fishing and allied activities
permitted in this zone.
5.11 Removal of Seemaikaruvelam Trees
Why in news?
The Madurai bench of the Madras high court has directed the Tamil Nadu government to enact a law with
prohibitory and penal clauses within two months to eradicate seemaikaruvelam trees (prosopisjuliflora).
It also directed the government to release perennial funds to the district collectors in the state for removing of
the seemaikaruvelam trees.
What are the problems?
Prosopis Juliflora is a shrub or small tree in the family Fabaceae commonly known as Seemai Karuvelam.
It is native to Mexico, South America and the Caribbean.
It was initially introduced in India during colonial times.
76
Later in 1960s it was Seed Bombed i.e aerially seeded by helicopter in Southern Tamilnadu to meet firewood
demand.
Since then it has become invasive species.
It causes stomach poisoning in livestock by inducing a permanent impairment of its ability to digest cellulose.
It causes drying up of water bodies and ground water as it absorbs more than 4 litres of water to obtain one kg
of biomass.
It cannot even shelter birds as it produces less oxygen and more carbon dioxide.
It causes land erosion due to the loss of the grasslands that are habitats for native plants and animals.
Dispersal of the species is mainly through animals by endozoochory (dispersal by vertebrate animals).
5.12 IMD warning that even hill stations will be hotter this year
Why in news?
India Meteorological Department has forecast above normal temperatures across most of the country.
Key facts
The IMD weather model, used to prepare the forecast, shows a 47% probability of summer temperatures being
above normal.
Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir are expected to be particularly hot with predicted
temperatures, on average, likely to be well above 1 degree C above their normal summer temperatures.
Punjab, Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Jharkhand,
West Bengal,Odisha and Telangana are other States in the core heat zone that are likely to see significantly
warmer temperatures.
The summer forecast is in line with a generally warm trend over previous months. 2016 was the warmest year
in a century, according to the IMD, with the country 0.91 C warmer than the 1961-1990 average.
Studies indicate increasing trends in the frequency and duration of heat waves over the country.
This can be attributed to increasing trends in the greenhouse gases and the warming of the sea surface
temperatures over the equatorial Indian and Pacific oceans.
5.13 New Tiger Reserves in Uttarakhand
The Uttarakhand state is soon to get two new tiger reserves.
The Nandhaur Wildlife Sanctuary across India and Nepal and Surai Range in Terai are the two
proposed tiger reserves.
Presently, the state has two tiger reserves the Corbett tiger reserve and the Rajaji tiger reserve.
77
With the addition, Uttarakhand would become the first state in North India to get four tiger reserves.
Uttarakhand state has the second highest tiger population in the country after Karnataka.
Corbett tiger reserve is also the oldest national park in India and it was the first to come under the Project
Tiger initiative.
To get the tiger reserve status to a national park, the state government has to send a proposal to National Tiger
Conservation Authority (NTCA). After NTCA has given its final approval, the State Government can notify the
tiger reserve based on NTCA recommendation.
The National Tiger Conservation Authority is a statutory body created under Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972,
for strengthening tiger conservation.
5.14 Ropar Wetland
Recent Asian Waterbird census revealed that only fewer winter migratory water birds from central and north
Asia were sighted at the Ropar Wetland.
Asian Waterbird census is part of International Waterbird census of Wetlands International, South Asia.
Ropar in Punjab is a riverine wetland and it has been designated as Wetlands of International Importance
i.eRamsar Site.
The Convention on Wetlands was created after an intergovernmental treaty signed in Ramsar, Iran in the year
1971 for the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands.
The convention entered into force in India on 1 February 1982 and India currently has 26 Ramsar sites.
The Montreux Record is a register of wetland sites on the List of Wetlands of International Importance
where changes in ecological character have occurred, are occurring, or are likely to occur as a result of
technological developments, pollution or other human interference.
The record is maintained as part of the Ramsar List.
*******

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A Shankar IAS Academy Initiative

1.1 Delhi Air Pollution

What are the reasons?

Large-scale trash-burning across the city is another factor.

The base level of pollution is already high due to rampant urbanisation.

Why Stubble is burned?

Rice is not a major crop in Punjab and Haryana.

What are the measures taken?

Badarpur Thermal Power Plant closed for 3 days.

Construction works around the city was halted.

Odd-Even scheme was implemented.

What should be done?

All the above measures are temporary.

Smoke generating brick kilns should be modernised.

Roads must be paved.

1.2 Air pollution - Emergency measures from across the world

What are the measures?

These measures include

1. Sprinkling water using helicopters,

2. Stopping construction activity,

4. Stopping stone crushing and

It also offers free rides on buses and trains.

1.3 Marrakech Climate Change Conference

What happened earlier?

This both disappointed and angered the developing counties.

What happened in COP22?

Was Indias aspirations met at Marrakech?

What is the way ahead?

1.4 International Solar Alliance

The ISA aims to develop cost-efficient solar technologies and applications.

What is the working plan of ISA?

Is ISA part of UN program?

Can ISA be successful?

How significant is ISA to India?

What are the difficulties?

1.5 Green Norms

How is the non-coal auction done?

What is a composite license?

What is a dismantallabe machine?

Why such a condition was put forth?

Why the company opposes it?

1.6 Human Animal Conflict-Neighborhood Leopard

What is the general perception?

The perception that leopards belong to faraway forests is indeed common.

What is the actual reason?

What is the situation in India?

But the lynching of leopards have become routine across India.

What has to be done?

1.7 National Wildlife Action Plan (NWAP)

1.8 Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction

New Delhi Declaration

It commits to a people-centred and whole-of-society approach towards DRR.

Asian Regional Plan

Encourage greater involvement and leadership of women in disaster risk management.

Invest in risk mapping globally.

Develop a network of universities to work on disaster issues.

Utilize the opportunities provided by social media and mobile technologies.

Enhance local capacity based on using the best traditional practices.

Bring about greater cohesion in international response to disasters.

1.9 Clear the Air for Children Report

What does it say?

It even causes severe respiratory problems such as asthma and pneumonia.

1.10 Fly Ash Utilization Policy