Feb-17Envi

Question 1

Feb-17Envi -Index

Answer 1

5. 1. Workshop on Preparation of Heat Wave Action Plan
6. 2. Solid Waste Management-Buffer Zone
7. 3. Draft Order on Ban on Pesticides
8. 4. Medicinal Plant from Kerela
9. 5. Kaziranga National Park
10. 6. Irrawady Dolphins
11. 7. New continent: Zealandia
12. 8. Food Legumes Research Platform (FLRP)
13. 9. India’s Only Active Volcano
14. 10. India and State Global Air Report 2017
15. 11. Chennai Oil Spill
16. 12. World’s First Transit Rating System
17. 13. World Wetlands Day
18. 14. Rip Tides

Question 2

5.1. WORKSHOP ON PREPARATION OF HEAT WAVE ACTION PLAN

Answer 2

Why in News?
 National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Government of Telengana organised a workshop on Preparation of Heat Wave Action Plan in order to mitigate the impact of the impending heat wave in 2017.
What are Heat Waves?
 Heat wave is a period of abnormally high temperatures (more than the normal maximum temperature) during summer months.
 It is predominantly prevalent in North-western parts of India during March-June. In some parts, it extends up to July.
 The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has underlined the following criteria for heat waves:
 Heat wave is not to be considered till the temperature of a station reaches at least 40°C (for plains) and 30°C (for hilly regions).
 When normal maximum temperature of a station is less than or equal to 40°C , then a departure of 5 to 6 degrees from the normal is to be considered heat wave while a departure of 7 degrees is to be considered severe heat wave.
 When normal maximum temperature of a station is more than 40°C then a departure of 4 to 5 degrees from the normal is to be considered heat wave while a departure of 6 degrees is to be considered severe heat wave.
 In case the normal temperature of station is more than 45°C then heat wave is to be declared irrespective.
 Heat waves often lead to dehydration, stress, heat exhaustion and sometimes a fatal heat stroke as well.
 NDMA released the Guidelines for Preparation of Action Plan – Prevention and Management of Heat Wave in 2016.
 With better preparedness and mitigation measures under place, casualties due to heat wave can be minimized if not eliminated.

Question 3

5.2. SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT-BUFFER ZONE

Answer 3

Why in News?
 Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has issued draft guidelines proposing to maintain buffer zones around landfills to minimize/prevent the impact of landfill waste disposal.
 The proposed guidelines will apply to all future treatment plants while the existing plants will have to incorporate measures such as planting trees and using odour free technology.
Current Status
 The current practice of solid waste management in India includes a host of options such as composting, vermin-composting, biogas, refuse derived fuel (RDF), pelletization and waste-to-energy measures.
 Disposal of garbage in landfill sites is the least preferred but a widespread option in India. It encompasses waste disposal/processing facilities.
 It affects the neighbouring environment by fostering air, water, land and noise pollution.
 Close to 62 million tonnes of solid waste is generated every year in the country. Out of this, 43 million tonnes is collected and only 12 million tonnes treated.
 The only guideline for landfills as of now is that they be at least 500 metres ways from habitable zones.
Pros
 The proposed buffer zones will act as a barrier and will provide assistance against flawed handling of waste during storage and transportation.
 It will help protect the surrounding environment against negative impacts of the landfill.
 It will promote responsible land management and conservation practices.
Cons
 The CPCB has in its draft guidelines allowed waste-to energy power plants to come within 20-100 metres of residential areas.
 This is a far cry from 300-500 metres specified in the solid waste management manual of the Swacch Bharat Mission.
 Unlike previously, the draft guidelines mention “incineration” as one of the methods of waste disposal.
Significance
 The proposed buffer zones will act as a barrier and will provide assistance against flawed handling of waste during storage and transportation.
 It will help protect the surrounding environment against negative impacts of the landfill.
 It will promote responsible land management and conservation practices.

Box–Buffer Zone
Buffer Zone refers to an area of no construction. Such an area is designated in order to segregate two regions (for environmental protection).
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.”

Question 4

5.3. DRAFT ORDER ON BAN ON PESTICIDES

Answer 4

Why in News?
 The Government of India has decided to ban the use of 18 pesticides following the recommendations of the Anupam Varma Committee.
More on the Ban
 Complete ban of 12 pesticides would come into effect from January 1, 2018 while the rest 6 would be banned from December 31, 2020.
 The GOI has also sought objections and suggestions on this draft order from all stakeholders before taking a final decision.
 The Central Insecticide Board and Registration Committee (CIBRC) approves the use of pesticides in India.
Anupam Varma Committee
 This committee was constituted in July 2013 to review the use of 66 pesticides which are either banned or restricted in other countries.
 The Committee recommended banning 13 pesticides, phasing out 6 by 2020 and reviewing 27 others in 2018.
 The Committee did not review the use of Endosulfan as the matter was pending with the Supreme Court at that time.
Significance of the Ban
 The pesticides proposed to be banned are harmful not just to humans and animals but also leech into the soil and water bodies and harm the aquatic ecosystem.
 Therefore, the ban comes as a welcome step.
 India is likely to improve its reputation in countries (where the concerned pesticides are banned) which imports food related products (both manufactured and raw) from India.

Box–Endosulfan
Endosulfan is a hazardous pesticide which is banned in 80 countries.
It was used by the Karnataka Cashew Development Corporation and Kerala Government over cashew plantation to combat tea mosquito after 1970s.
It has been found to be responsible for various mental and physical deformities among the population of the two respective states.
In 2011, Supreme Court banned Endosulfan pan-India.

Question 5

5.4. MEDICINAL PLANT FROM KERELA

Answer 5

Why in News?
 Scientists at the Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic
Garden and Research Institute (JNTBGRI) confirmed the
multiple therapeutic properties of Neurocalyx calycinus.
About the plant
 It is used by the Cholanaikkan tribe to treat
inflammations and wounds.
 It is endemic to Western Ghats and Sri Lanka.
 In local parlance it is known as ‘Pacha Chedi’.
 The anti-inflammatory activity of the leaves was found to be similar to the drug diclofenac sodium.
 The plant also possesses high Vitamin E content and cytoprotective activity in its cell lines, increasing its prospects as an anti-cancer drug.
Significance
 Pre-clinical trials have proved the plant’s efficacy in acting as an analgesic, anti-cancer, anti-oxidant, wound and burn healer, immune system development etc.
 Patenting its herbal formulations would help in protecting the traditional knowledge of India.
 Commercial benefits of the usage of this plant can also benefit the dwindling Chilanaikkan Tribe.

Box–Cholanaikkan Tribe
It is a particularly vulnerable group of Kerala. They live in the deciduous forests of Karulai and Chungathara ranges in Nilambur in Malappuram district
They are the only surviving hunter gatherer tribe in India. They do not engage in farming.
They are the only tribal community in Asia that lives in rock-cave shelters.

Question 6

5.5. KAZIRANGA NATIONAL PARK

Answer 6

 Kaziranga National Park has consistently increased
its One Horned Rhino population (Population in
2015 – 2401) because of rigorous conservation
efforts in past few years.
Kaziranga National Park (Assam)
 Situated on the bank of river Brahmaputra it is one of the oldest wildlife conservancy reserves of India.
 It was declared a Wildlife Sanctuary in 1950 and later in 1974 was notified as Kaziranga National Park under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
 It is popularly known as the home of the “Big Five” - One Horned Rhinoceroses, Tigers, Asiatic wild buffalos, Eastern Swamp Deer, and Elephant.
 It hosts two-thirds of the world’s Great One-horned rhinoceros (68% of worldwide population).
 It has one of the highest densities of Tigers in the wild in the world and also houses almost entire population of the Eastern Swamp Deer.
 In 1985 it was declared as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO for its unique natural environment and Tiger reserve in 2006.
Different types of Rhinoceros
 White Rhinoceros (square-lipped rhino): It is a largest rhino species and has two subspecies namely:
 Southern white Rhino: IUCN status - Near Threatened. Can be found mostly in South Africa with smaller translocated population in Kenya, Zimbabwe and Namibia.
 Northern white Rhino: IUCN status - critically endangered (only 3 rhinos of its kind alive today).
 Black Rhino (hook-lipped rhino): It is smallest of the African rhino species and occurs throughout southern and eastern Africa. It has 4 sub species:
 Southern Central black rhino: IUCN status - Critically Endangered.
 Eastern black rhino: IUCN status - IUCN status: Critically Endangered.
 South Western black rhino: IUCN status - Vulnerable.
 Western black rhino: Extinct in 2011.

 Javan Rhinoceros (Lesser one-horned rhino): They are one of the rarest mammals left on earth. They are found only at Ujung Kulon national park, western java, Indonesia. IUCN status- Critically Endangered.
 Sumatran Rhinoceros (Asian two-horned rhino or Hairy Rhino): Smallest among all species of rhinoceros. They are found in southeastern part of Asia including northeast India. IUCN status- Critically Endangered
 Indian Rhinoceros (Greater one-horned rhino): They are the second largest species of rhinos. They are found in India and Nepal, and particularly in the foothills of the Himalayas. Status- Vulnerable.

Box–1-Indian Rhino Vision 2020 (IRV 2020) has been launched in 2014 to achieve a wild population of at least 3,000 Greater one-horned rhinos in the Indian state of Assam by year 2020.

Box–2-UPSC IN PAST: Pre 2013
Q. Consider the following pairs:
National Park River flowing through the Park
1. Corbett : Ganga
2. Kaziranga : Manas
3. Silent Valley : Kaveri
Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?
(a) 1 and 2 (b) 3 only (c) 1 and 3 (d) None

Question 7

5.6. IRRAWADY DOLPHINS

Answer 7

 As per the 2017 census report by Odisha state forest department there are 55 Irrawaddy dolphins present in water bodies of Bhitarkanika National Park and Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary.
 In recent years Chilika Lake emerged as primary habitat of these dolphins with record count of 121 this year.
 Worldwide population of Irrawaddy dolphins is estimated to be less than 7500, Bangladesh has 6000.
 Besides Irrawaddy dolphins other dolphin species that were reported are Humpback, Bottlenose and Pantropical spotted dolphin species.
About Irrawady Dolphins (Also commonly known as Snubfin Dolphins)
 They can be found in rivers, lakes and seas across southern Asia, from the northwest Bay of Bengal, in India, to the south of Indonesia.
 Major threats: incidental mortality in gillnets and other fisheries gear; Habitat loss due to Dams, Deforestation, Mining (ex. Sand, gravel mining, etc); Live captures for display purposes, pollution from agrochemicals, etc.
 IUCN Red list of endangered species status: Vulnerable Species.

Box–UPSC IN PAST: Pre 2014
Q. Other than poaching, what are the possible reasons for the decline in the populations of Ganges River Dolphins?
1. Construction of dams and barrages on rivers.
2. Increase in the population of crocodiles in rivers.
3. Getting trapped in fishing nets accidentally.
4. Use of synthetic fertilizers and other agricultural chemicals in crop-fields in the vicinity of rivers.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 and 3 only (c) 1, 3 and 4 only (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

Question 8

5.7. NEW CONTINENT: ZEALANDIA

Answer 8

 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 conducted using upgraded satellite-based
elevation and gravity map technology found that the
region is 94 percent submerged, mostly as a result of
crustal thinning before the super continental break-up of
Gondwanaland about 80 million years ago.
 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.

 Currently there are 7 continents. In descending order of size they are: Asia > Africa > North America > South America > Antarctica > Europe > Australia.
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.
 Stewart Island, just south of the South Island, and many smaller islets are also a part of Zealandia.
 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.

Box--Criteria for continents:
Elevation above surrounding area
Distinctive Geology
Well defined area
Crust much thicker than that found on ocean floor

—Fig—

Question 9

5.8. FOOD LEGUMES RESEARCH PLATFORM (FLRP)

Answer 9

Why in News?  On February 15, 2017 Union Cabined approved the setting up of Food Legume and Research Platform in Madhya Pradesh (Amlaha, Sehore) with the collaboration of International Center for Agricultural Research in Dry Areas (ICARDA) and India council of agricultural Research (ICAR). Highlights
 Department of Agricultural Research under the Ministry of
Agriculture would be linchpin between ICAR and ICARDA for all the technical modification in Agreement and establishment of FLRP.
 The Food Legumes Research Platform (FLRP) would be provided satellite Hubs in West Bengal (for pulses) and Central Arid Zone Research Institute (CAZRI), Rajasthan (for Natural Resource Management).
 Cabinet gave the In-Principle Approval to ICARDA for setting up of FLRP. Why Legumes Research Platform is needed?
 Food security is the mammoth task in front of Government. Research in Legumes (Pulses Crop) would play a pivotal role in this aspect.
 Global Climatic pattern is changing which in turn affecting the agriculture output. Thus, research in food Legume is need of the hour.
 India accounts 25% of world food legumes production.
Thereby, making it a good destination for accelerating the production of more varieties and nutritious food legume using genomics techniques.
 This platform will contribute significantly towards reducing poverty, improving food security, improving nutrition and health, and sustaining the natural resource base.

Significant of Research Platform
 Platform would work under the framework of “Research for Development (R4D)” and its impact on farmers.
 The research would carry out for Improving rangeland and pasture productivity.
 The ICARDA research expertise is in dry land area, which in turn, would be utilised in selected water deficient regions of MP and Rajasthan
 The research platform would work on crop-livestock systems, alternative feed resources and water productivity in arid regions.

Box–1-International Centre for Agriculture Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA)
ICARDA is a non-profit agricultural research for development institute, established in 1977.
Organisation aims is to improve the livelihoods of the resource-poor across the world’s dry areas.

Box–2-Four Dimensional benefits of Pulses (Legume Crop)
Reducing poverty
Pulses give 2-3 times higher market price than other cereal products.
These are locally produced by community action, especially by women.
Crop residue provide high protein value to livestock feed thereby cutting the cost of raising
Food Security
It provides affordable source of protein.
Give more food by using less land.
Involves less risk due to its ability to withstand drought.
Often grown in rotation as it fulfils the soil nutrients requirement (nitrogen)
Improving nutrients and health
Contains 3-4 time higher protein content than cereals crops.
Rich in nutrients like Calcium, Iron, Zinc and vitamin A.
Beneficial to women and child who are the risk of anaemia.
Sustainability for Environment
Pulses leads to nitrogen fixation, thereby reducing the cost and environmental impact of chemical fertiliser.
Leafy cover of pulses prevent to soil erosion.

Question 10

5.9. INDIA’S ONLY ACTIVE VOLCANO

Answer 10

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 Volcanic 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.

Box–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 Narcondam Hornbill.
Baratang Island in Andaman is famous for Mud volcanoes.

Question 11

5.10. INDIA AND STATE GLOBAL AIR REPORT 2017

Answer 11

Background
 It is the first report on air quality by using the latest global data from 1990 to 2015.
 Report is conducted jointly by the independent research institute; ‘Health Effects Institute (US-based non-profit corporation)’ and The Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation (Independent research institution-University of Washington)
 The report provides information under various titles of ‘Air Pollution level and Trend’, ‘Global Burden of Disease’ and ‘Health burden due to air pollution’.
Highlights of the report
 As per the report, approximately, 90% of the world’s population lives in areas with unhealthy air in 2015.
 There is a 7% increase in the concentration of ground-level ozone, especially in developing countries.
 Efforts to curb pollution from the burning of coal will not show results soon on the quality of air global scale.
 Exposure to PM2.5 (Particulate Matter) is considered as the fifth (most or highest?) risk factor for death, which is accounting for about 4.2 million deaths across the globe.
 The highest concentrations of PM2.5 in 2015 related to combustion sources are in South and Southeast Asia, China, and Central and Western sub-Saharan Africa.
India and State Global Air Report 2017
 The report highlighted that there is a significant increase in inhalable fine particles of PM 2.5 since 1990.
 Outdoor air pollution has increased the death rate in India, surpassing the most polluted country China.
 India is now competing against China for being the highest air pollution health burdens in the world, with both countries facing some 1.1 million early deaths from air pollution in 2015.
 The report highlights that the underlying reason for increasing pollution in India can be attributed to its growth, which is happening in terms of industries and its consumption of coal as the main source of energy.
 The report takes the cognisance of a new pollutant ‘ozone’. Though the casualties in India from ozone are far less than the well-known PM 2.5. However, the rate of increase in ozone-related deaths is alarming.
 The report is significant for India in providing more comprehensive pollution monitoring road map than currently in use Air Quality Index.

Question 12

5.11. CHENNAI OIL SPILL

Answer 12

Why in news?
 Two vessels collided off the Kamarajar Port at Ennore near
Chennai resulting in oil spill in the sea.
Ecological Footprint of Oil Spill
 Damage to fish, turtles, crabs among other marine animals.
 Loss of livelihood to fisherman as venturing out into the sea
was not safe.
 Consumers’ reluctance to buy sea food added to woes of
fisherman.
 Environmental damage to coastal areas.
 Heavy metals released along with oil will poison marine life
all the way up the food chain.
Why Oil Spills are difficult to contain?
 When oil hits the sea, its surface is quickly dispersed by the
wind, while sea currents spread the lower layers in contact
with the water.
 This twin action creates a large, ever-expanding film of oil
called a “slick”.
 Along the shore, the oil mixes with sand and debris to form
a thick viscous sludge that gradually oxidizes into a toxic
brown mass that experts like to call “chocolate mousse”.
Measures at National and International Levels to Contain Harmful Impacts of Oil Spills
 The National Oil Spill-Disaster Contingency Plan (NOS-DCP), which was adopted in 1996, has routinely been updated and revised to reflect the latest in international safety and regulatory standards. But, it completely
failed in taking action on the ground.
 A state contingency plan has not been prepared even after Coast Guard demanding states to formulate a local plan to fight such disasters for over 20 years now.
 The International Convention on Civil Liability for Oil Pollution, 1969, of which India is a signatory, provides for adequate compensation for the damages involving oil tankers and has strict liability for ship owners.
 But, the domestic liability regime for environmental damage has been weak and underdeveloped.
 There’s an absence of clear definitions of environmental damage. Several jurisdictions in Europe include ecological and economic losses in environmental damages while most others limit to compensate only economic harm.
 Such an exclusion of ecological damage leads to
most long-term damage to marine environment, bio-diversity and natural resources go uncompensated.

Way Forward
 There is a need for a comprehensive legal mechanism to address issues of fault and no-fault based liability for environmental harms and introduce civil penalties for the same.
 Responsibility for any negligence on the part of any actor should be fixed.
 A detailed report should be prepared to learn from the mistakes or lapses and rectify them.

Box–Bioremediation techniques: Oilzapper
It is essentially a cocktail of five different bacterial strains that are immobilized and mixed with a carrier material (powdered orncob).
It feeds on hydrocarbon compounds present in crude oil and oily sludge and converts them into harmless CO2 and water. Oilivorous-S
It is a tad different from Oilzapper is an additional bacterial strain that makes the former more effective against sludge and crude oil with high-sulphur content.
Both Oilzapper and Oilivorous-S can be used in situ, thereby eliminating the need to transfer large quantities of contaminated waste from the site, a process that poses more threats to the environment.

Question 13

5.12. WORLD’S FIRST TRANSIT RATING SYSTEM

Answer 13

Why in news?
The DMRC, along with the US Green Building Council (USGBC) and the Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI), announced the world’s first LEED for transit rating system.
About LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)
 It is an international certification run by USGBC, which provides a framework to building owners and operators for identifying and implementing practical green building solutions.
 It concentrates its efforts on improving performance across five key areas of environmental and human health: energy efficiency, indoor environmental quality, materials selection, sustainable site development and water savings.
The LEED Transit Rating System
 Developed with inputs from the DMRC, the new LEED transit rating system will assess the functioning of metro stations based on five categories - energy, water, waste, transportation, and human experience.
 It will allow operational transit facilities to benchmark efficiencies and demonstrate continual improvement.
 DMRC will be the first metro network in the world to pursue the pilot transit rating for its station.
 The transit rating system will help advance sustainable development agenda and to minimize carbon footprint.

Question 14

5.13. WORLD WETLANDS DAY

Answer 14

Why in news?
 World Wetlands Day was celebrated at Bhoj Wetlands on February 2 to mark the Day the Convention on Wetlands was adopted in the Iranian City of Ramsar in 1971.
 The theme of World Wetlands Day for 2017 was ‘Wetlands for Disaster Risk Reduction’.
About Wetlands
 Wetlands are areas of land where the water level remains near or above the surface of the ground for most of the year.
 There are several kinds of wetlands such as marshes, swamps, lagoons, bogs, fens and mangroves.
Importance of Wetlands: Wetland directly and indirectly support lakhs of people, providing goods and services:
 They help stabilize water supplies, cleanse polluted waters, protect shorelines and recharge groundwater aquifers and provide food, timber, drinking water, medicines.
 They help check floods, prevent coastal erosion and mitigate the effects of natural disasters like cyclones and tidal waves.
 Wetlands can act as sponges, storing peak rainfall and releasing water gradually during lean season.
 The extensive food chain and biological diversity in wetlands make them ‘biological supermarkets’.
Wetlands in India and Their Conservation
According to the Directory of Asian Wetlands (1989), wetlands occupy 18.4% of the India’s area.

Ramsar Convention on Wetland
The Convention on Wetlands, signed in Ramsar, Iran, in 1971, is an intergovernmental treaty which provides the framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources.
Major obligations of countries which are party to the Convention are:
 Designate wetlands for inclusion in the List of Wetlands of International Importance.
 Promote, as far as possible, the wise use of wetlands in their territory.
 Promote international cooperation especially with regard to transboundary wetlands, shared water systems, and shared species.
 Create wetland reserves.
National Wetland Conservation Programme (NWCP)
Under the programme, which was started in 1985-86, 115 wetlands have been identified till now by the Ministry of Environment and Forest and Climate Change which requires urgent conservation and management initiatives
Aim of the Scheme: Conservation and wise use of wetlands in the country so as to prevent their further degradation.
Objectives of the Scheme:-
 To lay down policy guidelines for conservation and management of wetlands in the country;
 To undertake intensive conservation measures in priority wetlands;
 To monitor implementation of the programme;
 To prepare an inventory of Indian wetlands.
Other Suggested Measures for Wetland Conservation
 Assessment of wetland ecosystem health should be made a part of District level disaster planning processes.
 Wetland management, conservation and restoration plans should have an in-built component of disaster risk reduction to address the likely impacts of disasters on ecosystem health.
 States should constitute Wetland Authorities as nodal agencies for integrated policy, planning and regulation of wetlands.
 Representation of Disaster Management Authorities should be ensured within the State Wetland Authorities.
 Mass awareness campaigns should be undertaken to educate stakeholders from all walks of society, particularly local communities on the value of wetland ecosystems.

Box–Bhoj wetlands is situated in Madhya Pradesh and is one of the 26 sites that India has designated under the Ramasar Convention.

Question 15

5.14. RIP TIDES

Answer 15

Why in News?
 ISRO in collaboration with a private lifeguard agency appointed by the Goa government has conducted a study (Ripex 2017) on rip tides along the beaches of Goa.
What are Rip Tides?
 Rip tides (also known as ebb jet or tidal jet) are powerful currents running perpendicular to the shore.
 They pull the water out into the ocean.
 The term rip tide is a misnomer as tides occur due to moon’s gravitational pull while rip currents are caused due to shape of the shoreline or due to formation of sandbar.
 These currents may extend 200 to 2,500 feet lengthwise and less than 30 feet in width.
 Rip tides are dangerous because they catch swimmers unaware and pull them deep into the ocean.

—Fig—