Aug-16Envi Flashcards
Aug-16Envi -Index
7.1. Environment Awareness Activities by MOEF
7.2. Finance Mechanism of Disaster Management in
India
7.3. Flood Management
7.4. CPCB Survey Findings: Air Pollution
7.5. Udaypur Declaration: BRICS
7.6. Ecological Experimental Zones
7.7. Portable Kit for Detection of Chromium
Contamination
7.8. Global Warming Impact on Ocean Currents
7.9. Steps Taken for Protection of Endangered Species:
MOEF
7.10. Disaster Risk Index of The World
7.11. Deforestation Reduces Summer Rain in Ganga
Basin, North-East
7.12. Impact of Deforestation on Rainfall
7.13. Clouds, Pollution and Monsoon
7.14. Eastern Himalayan Syntaxis is Moving Northwards
7.15. Global Green Award
7.16. Industrial Waste Recycle: Nano tech
7.17. Country’s First Tiger Repository
7.1. ENVIRONMENT AWARENESS ACTIVITIES BY MOEF
Swacchta Pakhwada Campaign
It is a part of the Government’s effort to accelerate efforts to achieve total sanitization and cleanliness by October 2, 2019 under Swacchh Bharat Mission.
Under it, a Swacchh Bharat Fortnight is being organised theme-wise by different Ministries.
For e.g. in June 2016, the Corporate Affairs Ministry observed Swachhta Pakhwada and asked firms and other stakeholders to carry out activities related to cleanliness for a fortnight.
Similarly, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change organised the Swacchh Bharat Pakhwada earlier this month.
It is totally voluntary and aims at creating awareness, targeting programmes, inviting pledges, spending of CSR etc.
Eco-Clubs
The Eco-Clubs established under the National Green Corps programme of the Ministry carried out various activities relating to Swacchhta such as Safai Abhiyan at nearby commercial areas and cleaning of public wells, ponds and rivers of the locality.
Other activities like tree plantation drive/greening neighbourhood, nukkad ‘nataks’were performed;
Volunteers took pledges on related themes; organised rallies and poster and slogan competitions on related themes.
National Green Corps Programme
National Green Corps is a major initiative of MoEF for creating environmental awareness.
It was launched in 2001-02 and aims at building cadres of young children working towards environmental conservation and sustainable development.
It is operated through Eco-clubs which are set up in schools and registered as members of NGC.
This programme exposes school children to in-depth field experiences, and provides opportunities to convert their ideas into creative action.
The programme has a cascading effect as it seeks to redirect the consciousness of students towards environment friendly attitudes and actions and goes beyond schools, promoting school-society interactions to sensitize the society.
Box–UPSC IN PAST: Pre 2016
Q. ‘Rashtriya Garima Abhiyaan’ is a national campaign to
(a) Rehabilitate the homeless and destitute persons and provide them with suitable sources of livelihood
(b) Release the sex workers from their practice and provide them with alternative sources of livelihood
(c) Eradicate the practice of manual scavenging and rehabilitate the manual scavengers
(d) Release the bonded labourers from their bondage and rehabilitate them
7.2. FINANCE MECHANISM OF DISASTER MANAGEMENT IN INDIA
Present Mechanism: National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF)
We have an NDRF under Section 46 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005 (DM Act). It replaced the erstwhile National Calamity Contingency Fund (NCCF) on the recommendations of 13th Finance Commission.
It is managed by the Central Govt for meeting the expenses for emergency response, relief and rehabilitation.
NDRF is constituted to supplement the funds of the State Disaster Response Funds (SDRF) of the states to facilitate immediate relief in case of calamities of a severe nature.
NDRF is financed through the levy of a cess on certain items, chargeable to excise and customs duty, and approved annually through the Finance Bill. The requirement for funds beyond what is available under the NDRF is met through general budgetary resources.
Need for a Mitigation Fund?
NDRF only takes care of post-disaster issues.
However, the spirit of DM Act 2005 and also the new National Disaster Management Plan and Sendai Framework, demands the focus to be on disaster prevention, preparation and mitigation.
Thus, projects exclusively for the purpose of mitigation need to have sufficient financial support and a separate fund called National Disaster Mitigation Fund needs to be constituted.
The Supreme Court, earlier in May 2016, had asked the government to constitute such a Fund.
Arguments Against
The central government has, however, recently ruled out the need for such a fund as the purpose of mitigation is already being served by the existing Centrally Sponsored Schemes / Central Sector (CS) Schemes such as Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana, Krishonnati Yojana, National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture, MGNREGA, Major Irrigation projects, Namami Gange-National Ganga plan, River Basin Management, National River Conservation Plan and Water Resource Management.
A separate Mitigation Fund would lead to duplication of efforts.
Additionally, Ministry of Finance has made a provision of 10% of total outlay for all CSS schemes (except for schemes that emanate from legislation eg. MGNREGA), as flexi fund which could be used for mitigation.
7.3. FLOOD MANAGEMENT
Why in news?
Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh were devastated by floods in August, this year. The main reasons were heavy rainfall in Himalayan foothill region, while U.P and Bihar at the times of floods had under normal rainfall recorded.
What is Flood?
Flood is a state of higher water level along a river channel or on coast leading to inundation of land that is not normally submerge. Flood therefore is a natural disaster which causes considerable damage to the crops, livestock and human life.
Causes of contemporary floods
The rivers bring heavy sediment load from catchments. These, coupled with inadequate carrying capacity of rivers are responsible for causing floods.
Drainage congestion and
Erosion of river-banks.
Obstruction of free-flow in rivers: Silting in deltaic areas
Other General Causes
About 75% of the annual rainfall in India is concentrated in 3-4 months of the monsoon season. As a result there is very heavy discharge from rivers during the period causing widespread floods.
Cyclones and Cyclonic circulations and cloud bursts cause flash floods and lead to huge losses.
Storm Surges and Coastal Inundation.
Meandering tendency of rivers
Urban Flooding: In the cities and the towns is a recent phenomenon caused by increasing incidence of heavy rainfall in a short period of time, indiscriminate encroachment of waterways, inadequate capacity of drains and lack of maintenance of the drainage infrastructure. For ex: Chennai floods.
Vulnerability
40 million hectares out of a geographical area of 3290 lakh hectares is prone to floods.
Every year 1600 lives are lost and the damage caused to crops, houses and public utilities is Rs. 1800 crores due to floods.
This year nearly 160 were dead in Bihar and at least 2,00,000 had to be rehabilitated.
Institutional Framework
As per the constitutional provisions, flood management is a state subject.
The central government has taken various initiatives: enactment of the National Disaster Management Act, December 2005 and setting up of the NDMA.
The National Executive Committee (NEC) with the Secretary of GOI of the ministry; and State Executive Committees (SECs) will cover the disaster aspect of flood management.
FMPS Flood management Plans: The central ministries and departments concerned and the state governments will prepare their FMPs which will be holistic, participatory, inclusive, eco-friendly and gender-sensitive in nature and the implementation of which will result in a flood- resilient India. The plans will focus on the community and the collective efforts of the government and NGOs.
Various programmes like Neeranchal-Watershed, River linking etc., are discussed below.
Flood Management
I. Minimizing flood risk
Phase-I: These activities include identification and marking of flood prone areas on maps, preparation of close contour and flood vulnerability maps by the Central Water Commission (CWC)/ Ganga Flood Control Commission (GFCC)/Brahmaputra Board,
Phase-II: These include implementation of the schemes for expansion and modernisation of the flood forecasting and warning network, execution of flood protection and drainage improvement schemes,
o The efforts of the CWC, IMD, NRSA and the state governments will be integrated
Phase-III: Implementation of activities, which include construction of dams and
catchment area treatment (CAT) works in India as well as neighboring countries.
II. Hard management techniques
Dams: used to trap and store water, which can be released later.
Embankments or Artificial levees : these are raised banks which makes the river’s cross section larger and so it can hold more water. They can be expensive but are effective. In the US they are called levees, some where breached
during Hurricane Katrina and flooded large amounts of adjacent land
Flood walls/ River defences/ Coastal defences are built around settlements to protect them from floods. They look artificial and are expensive but are effective.
Storage areas: Where water can be pumped out of the river and stored in temporary lakes. It can then be pumped back later.
Dredging the river basins
Inter-basin transfers
III. Soft management techniques:
Washlands: are sections of the flood plain which are allowed to flood, therefore they are usually left as sports fields and nature parks.
Land use zoning/ flood plain zoning: is designed to prevent development in areas most prone to flooding and developments is only allowed in ‘safe’ areas.
Afforestation: The planting of trees in a river’s catchment to increase interception, reduces soil runoff and also the uptake of water through the soil.
Warning systems: issued by flood protection agencies to enable people to react to the danger.
IV. Capacity Development and Response:
Flood Education
Emergency search and Rescue
Emergency relief
Way forward
More consultative decision-making process in operations of large and medium dams that have an impact across state boundaries. This is important, the floods in Bihar can be attributed to release of waters from Bansagar dam, MP.
A nation-wide Silt Management Policy. This can prevent the future floods of those types which took place in Bihar.
NDMA guidelines:
Shifting the focus to preparedness by implementing FMPs.
Ensuring regular monitoring of the effectiveness and sustainability of various structures and taking appropriate measures for their restoration and strengthening.
Continuous modernization of flood forecasting, early warning and decision support systems.
Ensuring the incorporation of flood resistant features in the design and construction of new structures in the flood prone areas.
Drawing up time-bound plans for the flood proofing of strategic and public utility structures in flood prone areas.
Improving the awareness and preparedness of all stakeholders in the flood prone areas.
Introducing appropriate capacity development interventions for effective FM (including education, training, capacity building, research and development, and documentation.)
Improving the compliance regime through appropriate mechanisms.
Strengthening the emergency response capabilities.
—Fig—
7.4. CPCB SURVEY FINDINGS: AIR POLLUTION
Why in news?
As per the latest analysis released by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), in 2015, 41 Indian cities with a million-plus population faced bad air quality in nearly 60% of the total days monitored.
Report details
Climate: Most cities recorded high percentage of good days during monsoon season and low percentage of good days during winter season.
Geography: Coastal cities have recorded higher percentage of good days compared to the land locked cities,
Regional: Southern and western cities have recorded higher percentage of good days.
Causes: major sources being fuel wood and biomass burning, fuel adulteration, vehicle emission and traffic congestion.
In autumn and winter months, large scale crop residue burning in agriculture fields
On Action: In Delhi, there is some action as there is a very strong public opinion against it. But in rest of the country, especially tier-II cities which are rapidly growing, the air quality
condition is rapidly deteriorating. Smaller cities are more polluted
Impacts
Air pollution in India is so bad that it kills half a million (5th largest killer) people every year.
Steps taken
A pilot programme to run two-wheeler scooters on CNG was launched in New Delhi.
Scrapping old cars, and stepping to BS VI standards.
The Construction and Demolition Waste Management Rules, 2016 notified by the environment ministry aim at creating a process to recover, recycle and reuse this waste. Construction activity is one of the main reasons for high air pollution in Indian cities.
New measures like Congestion charges, license quota system, registration capping, parking charges, staggered working hours etc. should also be considered
(For more on air pollution look in 7.14- April CA, and 7.2 July CA, 2016)
—Fig—
7.5. UDAYPUR DECLARATION: BRICS
Why in news?
A meeting of BRICS ministers on Disaster Management was held in Udaypur, Rajasthan. It ended with the adoption of Udaypur Declaration.
Major takeaways
It laid bare the common thread of challenges on disaster issues faced by all the BRICS nations. These were:
mainstreaming of disaster risk reduction,
use of advanced technology in providing early warning,
need for adequate funding to deal with rehabilitation and reconstruction after a disaster
the impact of climate change on disasters
Member nations have resolved to set up a dedicated Joint Task Force for Disaster Risk Management for regular dialogue, exchange, mutual support and collaboration.
Agreement on a road map for implementation of the three-year Joint Action Plan on exchange of Information/ experiences on disaster management, research & technology exchange on forecasting and early warning for floods and extreme events and capacity building.
Significance
This is a new milestone in collaboration and cooperation among BRICS countries in the field of disaster management.
Since all member nations face similar challenges it would be effective to address them jointly.
7.6. ECOLOGICAL EXPERIMENTAL ZONES
Why in news?
China will set up several national ecological experimental zones to carry out reforms in the “ecological civilization” in a bid to improve the environment damaged by fast-paced development in the past three decades.
Aim
The aim is to incorporate certain ecological friendly practices in these zones which are also aligned with the development needs.
Consequently, these zones can be projected as ‘ecological civilizations’
The best practices will be replicated all across the country.
Major progress to be achieved by 2017 and full-fledged systems to be established by 2020.
Targets were set in the plan, including the water quality of over 90 per cent of water systems in the province will reach optimal level, 23 cities will enjoy good air quality on over 90 per cent of days, and forest coverage will pass 66 per cent by 2020.
Implementation
Main experiments will include the following:
Establishing a property rights system of natural resource assets as well as systems that reflect market values of ecological products, thereby introducing economic incentives into ecological protection.
Optimising land and space planning by explicitly reserving land and space for ecological protection, and never overstepping the ‘red line’.
Improving officials’ performance evaluation to reflect their ‘ecological performance’ such as resource depletion or environmental degradation on their watch.
Compiling natural resource balance sheet and natural resource asset auditing.
Significance
The strategy is something which the world especially developing countries like India would look forward to and to replicate the efficient policies.
Its success can be a boon to the world environment as China is the biggest polluter in the world.
7.7. PORTABLE KIT FOR DETECTION OF CHROMIUM CONTAMINATION
Why in news?
Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) has developed a portable kit to check chromium contamination in water.
Significance
As per Indian standard IS10500 for drinking water, the maximum permissible concentration of Cr(VI) in drinking water is 50 microgram per litre.
Detection of Cr(VI) at such low levels is technically challenging and involves collection of water samples from affected areas, transport to laboratory, storage and finally analysis.
BARC has developed a simple, user friendly, quick and cost effective kit for onsite determination of Cr(VI), which meets IS10500 as well as EPA criterion.
About Chromium
Chromium is widely used in various industries like leather, steel, chrome plating, paint manufacturing, wood preservation etc.
Hexavalent Chromium Cr(VI) is toxic and the World Health Organization has classified it as carcinogenic and can cause stomach ulcers and cancers and severe damage to kidneys and liver.
7.8. GLOBAL WARMING IMPACT ON OCEAN CURRENTS
Why in news?
Scientists have used a group of elephant seals to observe changes in the circulation of the world’s oceans.
Details
The research showed how “bottom water” - a dense type of water created by salt leaching out of sea water when it freezes over during the Antarctic winter - is being affected by melting ice shelves.
Thermohaline circulations: are thereby affected. Also its depth is getting affected, making it shallower.
Impact
Melting rate of ice-shelves can increase.
Affect the production of bottom water.
Changes in the production of bottom water would also impact Antarctic sea life that relies on the nutrients and gases in the water to survive.
Can have far reaching impacts on climate i.e., on Gulf stream and North Atlantic Drift over the long term.
7.9. STEPS TAKEN FOR PROTECTION OF ENDANGERED SPECIES: MOEF
Why in news?
In a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha on steps taken for protection of Endangered species, this information was given by Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
Details
1. Legal protection: has been provided to wild animals against hunting and commercial exploitation under the provisions of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972. (For ex: Schedule 1 animals etc.,)
2. The Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 has been amended and made more stringent.
The punishment for offences under the Act has been enhanced. The Act also provides for forfeiture of any equipment, vehicle or weapon that is used for committing wildlife offence(s).
3. Protected Areas:
National Parks, Sanctuaries,
Conservation Reserves and Community Reserves
Covering important wildlife habitats have been created all over the country under the provisions of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 to conserve wild animals and their habitats.
4. Financial and technical assistance by centre under:
‘Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats’ – Recovery programs for sixteen species have been prioritized for taking up such recovery programs which include:
i. Mammals: Snow Leopard, Bustards (including Floricans), Hangul, Nilgiri Tahr, , Asian Wild Buffalo, Manipur Brow-antlered, Malabar civet, the great one-horned rhinoceros, Asiatic Lion, Swamp deer
ii. Aquatic: River Dolphin, Marine Turtles, Dugongs and coral reefs,
iii. Birds: Edible-nest Swiftlets, Nicobar Megapode, , Vultures, and Jerdon’sCourser.
‘Project Tiger’ and ‘Project Elephant’ for providing better protection to wildlife, and improvement of its habitat.
7.10. DISASTER RISK INDEX OF THE WORLD
Why in news?
India has been ranked 77th on the World Risk Index, topped by Island state of Vanuatu.
About the Report
The World risk report analyses the role that infrastructure plays in shaping a country’s disaster risk.
The Index, calculated by the University of Stuttgart, ranks 171 countries according to their risk of becoming a victim of a disaster as a result of natural hazards
Details
Risk: Inadequate infrastructure and weak logistic chains substantially increase the risk that an extreme natural event will become a disaster.
Response: Challenges mostly lie in the ‘last mile’ of the logistics chain: organising transportation despite destroyed streets or bridges and ensuring fair distribution when there is a shortage of (for example) water, food, and shelter.
Relief: Crumbling transport routes, unreliable electricity grids, and dilapidated buildings not only hinder humanitarian aid from overseas, but also delay crucial aid.
—Fig—
7.11. DEFORESTATION REDUCES SUMMER RAIN IN GANGA BASIN, NORTH-EAST
Why in news?
Using satellite data and regional climate models, IIT Bombay researchers have found that deforestation (converting woody savanna to crop land) in north-east India and north-central India has led to a 100-200 mm reduction in summer monsoon rainfall in these two regions.
Observations
During the initial phase of a monsoon, oceanic sources play a major role in bringing rain and charging the soil with moisture.
But at the end of the monsoon period, evotranspiration from vegetation contributes to rainfall. Evotranspiration is a local moisture source for rainfall. Recycled precipitation contributes to 20-25 per cent of the total monsoon rainfall during the end of the monsoon and is very prominent in the Ganga Basin and north-east India.
Because of deforestation, there is 1-2 mm reduction per day in rainfall during the end of the monsoon in the Ganga Basin and north-east India.
So Land use and Land-cover changes has to be regulated.
7.12. IMPACT OF DEFORESTATION ON RAINFALL
Why in news?
A team from IISc sought to gauge the composition of the rain in the city through isotopes of oxygen and hydrogen. The quantities of these isotopes vary in the ocean and land, and their composition in the rainfall can give an indication to the source of the rain.
Details
The phenomenon of oceans heating up during Indian summers —and other global weather phenomena — leads to much of the moisture during the monsoon.
However, as the swirls of wind and cloud make their way inland, they pick up evaporation and moisture of the rainforests, vegetation and inland waterbodies.
This recycling over time makes a significant contribution to the rainfall as the monsoon progress inlands and loses some of the oceanic contribution,
For the Northeast monsoon, when moisture is picked up from the Bay of Bengal, the patches of green in the Eastern Ghats contribute to the rainfall here.
7.13. CLOUDS, POLLUTION AND MONSOON
Why in news?
Researchers have found that the high pollution in Northern and Central India, can affect the monsoonal systems. This happens due to change in formation of clouds.
How?
The Indian summer monsoon season begins when the land surface becomes hot enough to drive a powerful rising motion of air in the atmosphere, producing heavy precipitation. Cooler, humid air over the Arabian Sea flows inland to compensate for the rising air. Air in this compensating circulation encounters the surface heating and also rises, perpetuating the cycle.
At the smallest scales, an increase in tiny particles in the atmosphere can
shade the land surface while absorbing sunlight aloft, causing a reduction in the heat that reaches the surface.
Clouds that do form in these polluted environments are less likely to rain and more likely to persist because the droplets are smaller. These longer-lived clouds further cool the surface and weaken the circulation.
In this way more air pollution can mean weakening of monsoonal systems.
—Fig—
7.14. EASTERN HIMALAYAN SYNTAXIS IS MOVING NORTHWARDS
Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) thermochronometry is a new technique being used to study the northward movement of the Himalayan syntaxis (convergence of mountain ranges, or geological folds), a gorge along the Parlung river in Tibet.
The eastern Himalayan syntaxis is an ideal location to study the effects of erosion on tectonics — very tall mountains over 7,000 metres high and powerful rivers.
As rocks rise to the surface from the earth’s crust, they start cooling down.
At specific temperatures, the minerals such as quartz contained in the rocks start capturing electrons while continuing to rise, and they cool correspondingly.
In this new technique, by observing the history of concentrations of electrons, the researchers estimate the temperature profile against the time and then translate this into knowledge of the depth as a function of time.
This gives them an understanding of the rate at which the rocks rose to the surface.
The new data showed that the rate of erosion had increased in the last 1 million years, to rates which could not be explained simply by river incision but the help of tectonic uplift was essential to explain it.
Previous studies on the wider geological context, also indicated continued northward migration of the dome, which are consistent with the new data.
