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Vulture Action Plan

Why in News Recently, the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) launched a Vulture Action Plan 2020-25 for the conservation...

17 Nov 2020 Conservation
New Ramsar Sites

Why in News Recently, the Meteor lake at Lonar in Buldhana district of Maharashtra and the Soor Sarovar at Agra have been declared Ramsar sites, a...

16 Nov 2020 Conservation
New Species in Andaman

Why in News Recently a group of scientists has reported a new genus of treefrog from the Andaman Islands called Striped Bubble-nest frog. Key...

13 Nov 2020 Conservation
National Water Awards

Why in News The Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation of the Ministry of Jal Shakti, is organising the 2nd...

11 Nov 2020 Conservation
Panna Biosphere Reserve

Why in News Recently, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has included the Panna Biosphere Reserve (PBR)...

11 Nov 2020 Conservation
High Biodiversity in Ganga River

Why in News Recently, the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) in its survey of the Ganga river (the main river without its tributaries), has found...

10 Nov 2020 Conservation
Biodiversity Governance

This article is based on “Biodiversity governance” which was published in The Down to Earth on 06/11/2020. It talks about the issues...

09 Nov 2020 Conservation
Petition for Declaring ESA Unconstitutional

Why in News Recently, a Kerala-based NGO for farmers has moved the Supreme Court (SC) to declare the draft notification on the Western Ghats...

09 Nov 2020 Conservation
Rescued Exotic Animals

Why in News Recently six blue or hyacinth macaws and two capuchin monkeys were released in the Assam State Zoo-cum-Botanical Garden in...

09 Nov 2020 Conservation
Covid-19 Insurance to Green Soldiers: PTR

Why in News Recently, Pakke Tiger Reserve (PTR) in Arunachal Pradesh has become the first in the eight-State northeast to provide insurance cover...

07 Nov 2020 Conservation
Ganga Utsav 2020

Why in News Recently, the Ganga Utsav 2020 has begun which celebrates the glory of the National river Ganga. Ganga was declared as the National...

03 Nov 2020 Conservation
Shivalik Elephant Reserve: Uttarakhand

Why in News The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has asked the Uttarakhand government to consider avoiding sensitive...

31 Oct 2020 Conservation
Translocation of Corals in Mumbai

Why in News The National Institute of Oceanography will carry out the translocation of 18 coral colonies from the coast of Mumbai for the Mumbai...

31 Oct 2020 Conservation
Habitat Loss of Himalayan Brown Bear

Why in News Recently, a study conducted by scientists of the Zoological Survey of India on the Himalayan brown bear (Ursus arctos isabellinus) has...

31 Oct 2020 Conservation
Commission for Air Quality Management in the NCR

Why in News Recently, the President of India has signed ‘The Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining...

30 Oct 2020 Conservation
Dashboard for Monitoring Air Quality

Why in News CarbonCopy and Respirer Living Sciences, two environmental organisations, have released a dashboard which presents a comparative picture...

29 Oct 2020 Conservation
The Big Picture: Groundwater Extraction Norms

Why in News? With around one-sixth of assessed ground water units in the country facing over-exploitation, the Centre Govt has issued revised...

29 Oct 2020 Conservation
India - Australia Circular Economy Hackathon

Why in News Atal Innovation Mission (AIM- an initiative set up by NITI Aayog), in association with Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and...

27 Oct 2020 Conservation
Two New Ramsar Sites

Why in News Recently, Kabartal Wetland (Bihar) and Asan Conservation Reserve (Uttrakhand) have been designated as Ramsar sites, making them...

26 Oct 2020 Conservation
Seagrass

Why in News Recently, the restoration process of seagrasses has been taken up by Tamil Nadu in the Gulf of Mannar. Key...

24 Oct 2020 Conservation

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		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Vulture Action Plan',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong>Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC)</strong> launched a <strong>Vulture Action Plan 2020-25</strong> for the conservation of vultures in the country.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Background:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Vulture numbers saw a decline as much as <strong>90%</strong> in some species in India since the 1990s in one of the most drastic declines in bird populations in the world.</li>
<li>Between the 1990s and 2007, numbers of three presently <strong>critically-endangered species,</strong> the <strong>Oriental white-backed, long-billed and slender-billed vultures</strong> decreased massively with <strong>99%</strong> of the species having been wiped out.</li>
<li>The number of <strong>red-headed vultures,</strong> also <strong>critically-endangered</strong> now, declined by <strong>91%</strong> while the <strong>Egyptian vultures</strong> by <strong>80%</strong>.</li>
<li>The decline in vulture populations came into limelight in the mid-90s..</li>
<li><strong>Reason for decline:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/vulture-culture" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>cause of the decline</strong></a> was established as <strong>diclofenac, a veterinary nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) in 2004,</strong> which is used to treat pain and inflammatory diseases such as gout in carcasses that vultures would feed off.</li>
<li>Just 0.4-0.7% of animal carcasses contaminated with diclofenac was sufficient to decimate <strong>99%</strong> of vulture populations.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <strong>MoEFCC</strong> released the <strong>Action Plan for Vulture Conservation 2006</strong> with the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/no-clinical-trials-in-india-for-new-drugs" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI)</strong></a> banning the veterinary use of diclofenac in the same year.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Objectives of the Action Plan for Vulture Conservation 2020-2025.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Drug control:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>To ensure minimum use of <strong>Diclofenac</strong>.</li>
<li>To <strong>Prevent the poisoning</strong> of the principal food of vultures, the cattle carcasses, with veterinary <strong>NSAIDs</strong>, by ensuring that sale of veterinary <strong>NSAIDs</strong> is regulated and is disbursed only on prescription and by ensuring that treatment of livestock is done only by qualified veterinarians.</li>
<li>To carry out <strong>safety testing</strong> of available <strong>NSAIDs</strong> on vultures and to develop new ones which do not affect vultures.</li>
<li>To ensure that <strong>DGCI</strong> must institute a system that automatically removes a drug from veterinary use if it is found to be toxic to vultures. <br />
<ol style="list-style-type: lower-alpha;">
<li>Such a system would ensure that drugs other than <strong>diclofenac</strong> that are toxic to vultures like <strong>aceclofenac</strong> and <strong>ketoprofen</strong> are banned for veterinary use.</li>
</ol>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Upscaling conservation:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>To establish <strong>Additional Conservation Breeding Centres</strong> along with <strong>Vulture Conservation Centres</strong> with samples and information collected from the wild analysed and stored at these centres.</li>
<li>To implement the <strong>Vulture Safe Zone programme</strong> at eight different places in the country where there are existing populations of vultures.</li>
<li>To launch conservation plans for the <strong>Red-headed and Egyptian vultures,</strong> with breeding programmes for both.</li>
<li>To declare a <strong>Vulture Safe Zone</strong> only when <strong>no toxic drugs</strong> are found in undercover pharmacy and cattle carcass surveys, for two consecutive years, and the vulture populations are stable and not declining.</li>
<li>To build <strong>Four rescue centres</strong> for different geographical areas like Pinjore in the north, Bhopal in ventral India, Guwahati in Northeast and Hyderabad in South India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Other Efforts: </strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>National:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/reconstitution-of-central-zoo-authority" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Central Zoo Authority (CZA)</strong></a> and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/delhi-butterfly-corridors" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS)</strong></a> also established the Vulture Conservation Breeding Programme.</li>
<li>A <strong>Vulture Care Centre (VCC)</strong> was set up at Pinjore, Haryana in 2001 to study the cause of deaths of vultures in India.<br />
<ol style="list-style-type: lower-alpha;">
<li>The <strong>Jatayu Conservation Breeding Centre in Pinjore is the world&rsquo;s largest facility</strong> within the state&rsquo;s Bir Shikargah Wildlife Sanctuary for the breeding and conservation of Indian vulture species.</li>
</ol>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>International: SAVE (Saving Asia&rsquo;s Vultures from Extinction)</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The consortium of like-minded, regional and international organizations, created to oversee and coordinate conservation, campaigning and fundraising activities to help the plight of south Asia&rsquo;s vultures.</li>
<li><strong>Objective:</strong> To save three critically important species from extinction through a single programme.</li>
<li><strong>SAVE partners:</strong> Bombay Natural History Society, Bird Conservation Nepal, RSPB (UK), National Trust for Nature Conservation (Nepal), International Centre for Birds of Prey (UK) and Zoological Society of London.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Vultures in India</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India is home to nine species of <strong>vultures</strong>, but most of them face the danger of extinction.</li>
<li>The nine species of vultures &amp; their <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/iucn-red-list" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)</strong></a> status are:</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1605608252_image4.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1605608252_image4.png" width="563" height="1088" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Why vultures should be protected:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The scavenging lifestyle that gives them a bad reputation is, in fact, that makes them so important for the environment, nature and society.</li>
<li>Vultures feeding on dead animals help <strong>areas getting rid of carcasses</strong> that, otherwise, would provide foul smells and scenery for a much longer period hence also known as <strong>nature&rsquo;s cleanup crew</strong>.</li>
<li>Vultures also play a valuable role in keeping wildlife <strong>diseases in check</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/vulture-numbers-stabilising-moef-launches-action-plan-to-increase-population-7053910/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 7001,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'New Ramsar Sites',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong>Meteor lake at Lonar in Buldhana</strong> district of <strong>Maharashtra and the Soor Sarovar</strong> at Agra have been declared <strong>Ramsar sites</strong>, a conservation status conferred by <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/world-wetlands-day" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>International Ramsar Convention on Wetlands</strong></a>.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Earlier this year <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/two-new-ramsar-sites" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Kabartal Wetland (Bihar)</strong></a> and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/two-new-ramsar-sites" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Asan Conservation Reserve (Uttrakhand)</strong></a> were also designated as <strong>Ramsar sites</strong>.</li>
<li>With latest inclusions, the total number of <strong>Ramsar sites in India is 41</strong>, the highest in South Asia.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Lonar Lake<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1605521737_image6.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1605521737_image6.png" width="323" height="180" style="float: right;" /></a></strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Location:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/lonar-crater" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Lonar lake</strong></a>, situated in the Deccan Plateau&rsquo;s volcanic basalt rock, was created by the <strong>impact of a meteor</strong> 35,000 to 50,000 years ago.</li>
<li>The lake is part of <strong>Lonar Wildlife Sanctuary</strong> which falls under the unified control of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/melghat-tiger-reserve" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Melghat Tiger Reserve (MTR)</strong></a>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It is also known as Lonar crater and is a notified <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/lonar-crater" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Geo-heritage Monument</strong></a>. Geo-heritage refers to the geological features which are inherently or culturally significant offering insight to earth&rsquo;s evolution or history to earth science or that can be utilized for education.</li>
<li>It is the second Ramsar site in Maharashtra after <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/addition-to-ramsar-sites" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Nandur Madhmeshwar Bird Sanctuary in Nashik district</strong></a>.</li>
<li>The water in the lake is <strong>highly saline and alkaline,</strong> containing <strong>special microorganisms like anaerobes, Cyanobacteria and phytoplankton</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Soor Sarovar Lake:<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1605522163_image9.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1605522163_image9.png" style="float: right;" width="525" height="187" /></a></strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is also known as <strong>Keetham lake</strong> situated within the <strong>Soor Sarovar Bird Sanctuary</strong>, which was declared as a bird sanctuary in the year 1991.</li>
<li><strong>Location:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>This lake is situated alongside river <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/high-level-of-ammonia-in-yamuna" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Yamuna</strong></a> in Agra, Uttar Pradesh.</li>
<li>The <strong>Soor Sarovar</strong> bird sanctuary covered an area of <strong>7.97 sq km</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It is today home to more than <strong>165 species of migratory and resident birds</strong>.</li>
<li>It also has a <strong>Bear Rescue centre</strong> for rescued dancing bears.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Benefits:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>With <strong>Ramsar status,</strong> the sites will benefit in terms of <strong>international publicity and prestige</strong>.</li>
<li>They will get <strong>Financial aid</strong> through the <strong>convention&rsquo;s grant</strong> and also access to <strong>expert advice</strong> on national and site-related problems.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Ramsar Site</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Ramsar Convention on Wetlands</strong> is an <strong>intergovernmental treaty</strong> adopted in <strong>1971</strong> in the Iranian city of Ramsar, on the southern shore of the Caspian Sea.</li>
<li>It <strong>came into force for India on 1<sup>st</sup> February, 1982</strong>. Those <strong>wetlands which are of international importance</strong> are declared as <strong>Ramsar sites</strong>.</li>
<li>The <strong>Convention&rsquo;s mission</strong> is &ldquo;the conservation and wise use of all wetlands through local and national actions and international cooperation, as a contribution towards achieving sustainable development throughout the world.</li>
<li>The <strong>Montreux Record</strong> 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. It is <strong>maintained as part of the Ramsar List</strong>.</li>
<li>At present, two wetlands of India are in Montreux Record: <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Keoladeo National Park (Rajasthan) and</strong></li>
<li><strong>Loktak Lake (Manipur).</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/odisha-s-lake-conservation?__cf_chl_captcha_tk__=34601d32687e7c5ea393d0ffa5e610584f08b11a-1603699085-0-AU6KCDHq9wI_yOp5rdg1TxbRaqNvMxr154Z5fkLSIbJb1LebvXpQ5Xw3PEqzX24gZJL-3jkyOg6Yu7YGJhf5wxIKhhCsQR8hqce6N714GzEKPJFoMvi33GxziiGTh6KWC9IdFMR3ARKjT2KZ8a5fRKHh_x9L4mwlTrY17FiCU2X_2aqBO7iPfDE7MHuafruDQIXggacNULJhb-JWuYbs-FpACVDognIJcAaQltnti2cUK9p1inKWne7-nnMp0TPLMs4AJ8AnHMATTSStoM5MCEMq0wOHyy6dotQkVCiBtmd1TNzZixf-DVQtvms0Vj4DyR6IL0ZQ9HuG8tDNhsxXrfvDK7UpGEw_YIm1etRWn5w8mrdCILg29o6xWaMe0BbgCxJQ_MERpffAUVsfVJ_LfQCW6inG0hXD-oRIa8os26bVdDg6MzNjfSiz2mRsJE9ntJcXaVbgfEBhQ_1ArL_y0ll-FRWRyXyg1x_a9VnmKf0kppGG-DEstMAE0ttorh9pJd_IU9AI0wiWvxqxmIhy5F-Z-ZvKsQP-F3dPvt0oTiUjc4bD0zhjc30z1fh4Ze1WVYChjBSQbjBWR7kZ7Bt6Jsw" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Chilika Lake</strong></a> (Odisha) was placed in the record but later removed from it.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/lonars-meteor-lake-declared-ramsar-site-7050926/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 6986,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'New Species in Andaman',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently a group of scientists has reported a new genus of treefrog from the<strong> Andaman Islands</strong> called <strong>Striped Bubble-nest frog.</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1605253789_image4.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1605253789_image4.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" caption="false" /></strong></a></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Biological name:</strong> <em>Rohanixalus vittatus</em> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The new genus<strong> &lsquo;Rohanixalus&rsquo;</strong> is <strong>named</strong> after <strong>Sri Lankan taxonomist</strong> Rohan Pethiyagoda.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Striped Bubble-nest frog belongs to the genus of the Old World treefrog family <strong>Rhacophoridae.</strong></li>
<li>This is the first report of a tree frog species from the Andaman Islands.</li>
<li><strong>Bodily Features</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Small and slender body <strong>(2-3 cm long).</strong></li>
<li>A<strong> pair</strong> of <strong>contrastingly coloured lateral lines</strong> on either side of the body. Minute brown speckles scattered throughout the upper body.</li>
<li>Light green-coloured eggs laid in <strong>arboreal</strong> bubble-nests.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Arboreal means living in trees or related trees</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>They are also known as Asian Glass Frog or see through frogs.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>While the general background coloration of most glass frogs is primarily <strong>lime green,</strong> the abdominal skin of some members of this family is <strong>translucent</strong> (allowing light to pass through). The internal viscera, including the heart, liver, and gastrointestinal tract, <strong>are visible through this translucent skin, hence the common name.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The genus has several unique behavioural traits:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Maternal egg attendance:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The female (mother) attends the egg clutches until hatching and assists in release of the tadpoles into the water.</li>
<li>During the <strong>first three days</strong> after egg laying, the <strong>female sits over the eggs</strong> and produces a <strong>gelatinous secretion</strong> with which she glazes (covers) the egg mass through<strong> clockwise movement of her legs.</strong> This behaviour provides <strong>necessary moisture to the eggs laid on exposed leaf surfaces</strong> and protects them from <strong>insect predation.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Community egg attendance:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>A large number of egg clutches <strong>(over 50)</strong> of different developmental stages on a single leaf or plant. <strong>Multiple females</strong> usually attend such clutches in a behaviour termed as <strong>&lsquo;community&rsquo; egg attendance.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Frequent <strong>male-male combats</strong> involving pushing, kicking and dislodging to <strong>mate with a female.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/new-genus-of-treefrog-discovered-in-andaman-islands/article33083907.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 6976,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'National Water Awards',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <strong>Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/jal-shakti-mantralaya" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ministry of Jal Shakti</a></strong>, is organising the<strong> 2<sup>nd</sup> National Water Awards</strong> (NWAs) for the year 2019.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>National Water Awards:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The awards are organised by the <strong>Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal Shakti.</strong></li>
<li>The NWAs were launched in <strong>2007</strong> for the first time along with the <strong>Ground Water Augmentation Awards</strong> and the winners in different categories are given a <strong>citation, trophy and cash prize.</strong></li>
<li>These focus on the good work and efforts made by individuals and organisations across the country, and the government&rsquo;s vision for the path to <em><strong>&lsquo;Jal Samridh Bharat&rsquo;.</strong></em></li>
<li><strong>Objectives:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>To<strong> motivate</strong> individuals/organisations who are doing commendable work in the field of <strong>water resources conservation and management.</strong></li>
<li>To <strong>create awareness</strong> among the people about the importance of water and encourage them to adopt the best water usage practices.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Opportunities Provided: Start-ups, leading organisations and people</strong> can <strong>engage, deliberate and strengthen existing partnerships</strong> on issues concerning water conservation and management activities.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Need for Water Conservation and Management:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Depletion of water resources due to <strong>overuse and decline in water supplies due to climate change</strong> is pushing India closer to the tipping point of water scarcity.</li>
<li>Apart from these, several government policies especially pertaining to agriculture resulted in <strong>over-exploitation of water.</strong> These factors make India a water-stressed economy. In this context there is a need for <strong>water resource conservation and management.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Initiatives by the Government</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/sub-group-of-chief-ministers-on-coordination-between-mgnrega-and-agriculture" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act:</strong></a><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The huge workforce employed under the MGNREGA has <strong>enabled the government to introduce water conservation</strong> as a project under the Act.</li>
<li>The government <strong>aims to improve groundwater harvesting, build water conservation</strong> and<strong> storage mechanisms</strong> through MGNREGA.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Jal Kranti Abhiyan:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Under it, the government is making active efforts to <strong>revolutionise villages and cities through block-level water conservation schemes.</strong></li>
<li>For example, the <strong>Jal Gram Scheme</strong> under the Jal Kranti Abhiyan is aimed at <strong>developing two model villages</strong> in water-starved areas to lead the other villages towards water conservation and preservation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>National Water Mission:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It was launched with the objective of <strong>conservation of water, minimising wastage and ensuring more equitable distribution</strong> both across and within states through integrated water resources development and management.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/solution-to-indias-water-crisis" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>NITI Aayog's Composite Water Management Index:</strong></a><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>With the objective of achieving effective utilization of water, <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/niti-aayog-national-institution-for-transforming-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>NITI Aayog</strong></a> has developed the Composite Water Management Index.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Jal Shakti Ministry and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/jal-jeevan-mission-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jal Jeevan Mission</a>:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The efforts like the<strong> formation of Jal Shakti Ministry</strong> (to tackle water issues holistically) and the goal to provide <strong>piped water to all rural households by 2024,</strong> under the Jal Jeevan mission, are steps in the right direction.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/atal-bhujal-yojana" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Atal Bhujal Yojana</a>:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is a <strong>central sector scheme worth Rs.6,000</strong> crore for sustainable management of groundwater with community participation.</li>
<li>It envisages people's participation through the formation of &lsquo;Water User Associations&rsquo;, water budgeting, preparation and implementation of Gram-panchayat-wise water security plans, etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/jal-shakti-abhiyan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jal Shakti Abhiyan</a>:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It was launched in <strong>July 2019</strong> as a<strong> campaign for water conservation and water security</strong> in the country.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>People tend to neglect the importance of water conservation because in most places it is <strong>free of cost or charged nominally,</strong> so it is important for them to realise its importance and be aware of its degrading status.</li>
<li>Initiatives like<strong> National Water Awards, along with the other government initiatives</strong> will help<strong> to create that awareness</strong> and motivate them to adopt the best water usage practices which will help India in becoming<strong> &lsquo;Jal Samridh Bharat&rsquo;.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1671677" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 6970,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Panna Biosphere Reserve',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/unesco-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization</strong></a> (UNESCO) has included the Panna Biosphere Reserve (PBR) in its <strong>World Network of Biosphere Reserves</strong> (WNBR).</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The PBR is the <strong>third in Madhya Pradesh</strong> to be included in the list after <strong>Pachmarhi and Amarkantak.</strong></li>
<li>Along with PBR, the <strong>Fuvahmulahand Addu Atoll in the Maldives</strong> has also been included in the WNBR.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Established in <strong>1981,</strong> PBR is located in the <strong>Panna and Chhatarpur districts of Madhya Pradesh</strong> with an area of around 540 km. sq.</li>
<li>It is situated in the <strong>Vindhya mountain range</strong> in the northern part of Madhya Pradesh.</li>
<li><strong>Ken River</strong> (one of the least polluted tributaries of the Yamuna River) flows through the reserve and the <a href="/to-the-points/paper1/ken-betwa-interlink-project" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Ken-Betwa river interlinking project</strong> </a>will also be located in it.</li>
<li>The region is also famous for<strong> Panna diamond mining.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Conservation and Recognition:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>1994:</strong> The <strong>Panna National Park</strong> got the status of <strong>Project Tiger Reserve</strong> as <strong>India&rsquo;s 22<sup>nd</sup> tiger reserve.</strong></li>
<li><strong>2011:</strong> It was <strong>notified as a Biosphere Reserve</strong> by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).</li>
<li><strong>2018:</strong> By 2018, it witnessed a <strong>remarkable turnaround in tiger population</strong> by increasing their numbers remarkably from zero estimated a decade ago.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Madhya Pradesh has the <strong>highest number of tigers</strong> in the country followed by <strong>Karnataka and Uttarakhand.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>2020:</strong> UNESCO included it in the <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/biosphere-reserves-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Man and Biosphere Programme</strong></a> (MAB).</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Biosphere Reserves</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/to-the-points/paper3/biosphere-reserves-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Biosphere Reserves</strong></a> (BRs) are representative parts of natural and cultural landscapes extending over large areas of terrestrial or coastal/marine ecosystems or a combination thereof and representative examples of biogeographic zones/provinces.</li>
<li>The idea of the biosphere reserve was initiated by <strong>UNESCO in 1974 under the MAB</strong> with the <strong>objective</strong> of obtaining international cooperation for the <strong>conservation of the biospheres.</strong></li>
<li>The<strong> first biosphere reserve of the world</strong> was established in <strong>1979</strong> and since then the network has increased to <strong>more than 600 in 119 countries</strong> across the world.</li>
<li>A scheme called <strong>Biosphere Reserve</strong> has been <strong>implemented by the Government of India since 1986.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Under it, financial assistance is given in a<strong> 90:10 ratio to the North Eastern Region States and three Himalayan states</strong> and in the ratio of <strong>60:40 to other states</strong> for maintenance, improvement and development.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The<strong> State Governments</strong> prepare the <strong>Management Action Plan</strong> which is approved and monitored by the Central MAB Committee.</li>
<li>India has a <strong>total of 18 Biosphere Reserves</strong> and with the inclusion of PBR, the number of <strong>internationally designated WNBR has become 12.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In <strong>2000,</strong> the <strong>Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve became the 1<sup>st</sup> BR from India</strong> to be included in the WNBR.</li>
<li>In<strong> 2018,</strong> the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/khangchendzonga-to-be-included-in-the-world-network-of-biosphere-reserves" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve became the 11<sup>th</sup> BR</strong></a> to be included in the list.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Man and Biosphere Programme</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Launched by the UNESCO in 1971,</strong> it is an<strong> intergovernmental scientific programme</strong> that <strong>aims</strong> to establish a scientific basis for the improvement of relationships between people and their environments.</li>
<li><strong>Every year UNESCO designates new Biosphere reserves and removes others</strong> to promote the <strong>conservation of biodiversity and resolve <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/man-animal-conflict-mac" target="_blank" rel="noopener">man-animal conflict</a></strong> at that site and enable sustainable use of natural resources.</li>
<li>MAB combines the natural and social sciences, economics and education to improve human livelihoods and the equitable sharing of benefits, and to safeguard natural and managed ecosystems, thus <strong>promoting innovative approaches to economic development that are socially and culturally appropriate, and environmentally sustainable.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/unesco-declares-panna-tiger-reserve-a-biosphere-reserve/story-UeIXY6iH9nlAfvI0CRvlsM.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: HT</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 5 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 6967,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'High Biodiversity in Ganga River',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Recently, the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/sal-forest-tortoise" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Wildlife Institute of India (WII)</strong></a> in its survey of the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/ganga-utsav-2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Ganga river</strong></a> (the main river without its tributaries), has found that 49% of the river has high biodiversity. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Increased biodiversity sightings, including of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/gangetic-dolphin-annual-census" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Gangetic Dolphin</strong></a> and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/fishing-cat-and-otters" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Otters</strong></a>, indicates <strong>reduced pollution levels and a healthier state of the river.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>The Study:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The study was initiated by <strong>WII</strong> on behalf of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-mission-for-clean-ganga" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Mission for Clean Ganga</strong></a>, one of the flagship projects undertaken by the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/jal-shakti-mantralaya" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Ministry of Jalshakti</strong></a>.</li>
<li>This is the first study ever done in the country on the <strong>entire river,</strong> and the first also of all its biodiversity.</li>
<li><strong>High Biodiversity Areas of Ganga:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>10% of the high biodiversity areas fall alongside national parks and sanctuaries such as <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/rajaji-national-park" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Rajaji national park in Uttarakhand</strong></a>, <strong>Hastinapur wildlife sanctuary in UP and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/gangetic-dolphins-found-in-mahananda-river" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Vikramshila gangetic Dolphin sanctuary in Bihar</a>.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Method Used:</strong> The institute has been tracking biodiversity through some key aquatic and semi-aquatic species such as the<strong> Gangetic Dolphins, gharials, otters, turtles and various species of water birds.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Findings:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Many species that used to be found in the main stem and had disappeared, are now coming back.</li>
<li>Nesting colonies of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/indian-skimmer" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indian Skimmer</strong></a> found.</li>
<li>Seibold&rsquo;s, a species of <strong>water snake,</strong> disappeared 80 years ago and has now resurfaced.</li>
<li>New distributions of the <strong>puffer fish</strong> found.</li>
<li>Many other species have started travelling back from tributaries to the main stem of the river i<strong>ndicating improving water quality and increasing Biodiversity.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Background:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The distribution and density of key aquatic species such as the <strong>Gangetic Dolphin, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/release-of-gharials" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the gharial</a> and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/ghodahada-reservoir" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the mugger</a></strong> had in earlier years, significantly reduced due to <strong>loss of suitable habitat conditions, and change in the river&rsquo;s morphology due to the construction of dams and barrages, bank alteration, agriculture and sand mining.</strong></li>
<li>In the early 19<sup>th</sup> century, 10,000 <strong>Gangetic Dolphins</strong> were estimated which reduced to 3,526 by early 2000, disappearing entirely in Haridwar and most of the Yamuna and becoming extinct in smaller tributaries.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Biodiversity Threat Higher in Freshwater Ecosystem:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Freshwater ecosystems account for <strong>0.01%</strong> of the earth&rsquo;s surface water but support <strong>10%</strong> of species.</li>
<li>According to the<strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/un-report-on-zoonotic-diseases" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> United Nations Environment Programme</a> World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC),</strong> decline in diversity of freshwater species is the highest, and surpasses losses in marine and terrestrial species.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC),</strong> is an executive agency of the <strong>United Nations Environment Programme which</strong> provides information for policy and action to conserve the living world.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Globally 20% of all known freshwater fish, 44% waterbirds and 42% amphibian species are under threat of extinction.</li>
<li>The highest loss of freshwater biodiversity has been reported from the Indian subcontinent, specifically the <strong>Gangetic plains.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Government Initiatives on River Ganga:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Ganga Action Plan:</strong> It was the first river action plan which was taken up by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in 1985, to improve the water quality by the interception, diversion and treatment of domestic sewage.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <strong>National River Conservation Plan</strong> is an extension to this plan, which aims at cleaning the Ganga river under<strong> Ganga Action Plan</strong> phase-2.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>National River Ganga Basin Authority:</strong> It was formed by the Government of India in the year 2009 under the <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/environmental-impact-assessment-1#:~:text=On%2027%20January%201994%2C%20the,Schedule%201%20of%20the%20notification." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Environment Protection Act 1986.</strong></a></li>
<li><strong>Clean Ganga Fund:</strong> In 2014, it was formed for cleaning up of the Ganga, setting up of waste treatment plants and conservation of biotic diversity of the river.</li>
<li><strong>Bhuvan-Ganga Web App:</strong> It ensures the involvement of the public in the monitoring of pollution entering into the river Ganga.</li>
<li><strong>Ban on Waste Disposal:</strong> In 2017, the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/national-green-tribunal-ngt" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Green Tribunal (NGT)</strong></a> banned the disposal of any waste in the Ganga.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Efforts made by the Indian government to save the biodiversity of Ganga are aligned with the <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-indias-sustainable-development-goals" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>sustainable development goal</strong> </a>no 15 that is to <strong>protect, restore and promote sustainable</strong> use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and<strong> reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.</strong></li>
<li>Government efforts to save ganga are being fructified in the form of improved water quality and increased biodiversity. There is a need to change the approach to development which must lay emphasis on understanding that how protecting nature is also about protecting ourselves.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/survey-sights-good-signs-high-biodiversity-in-49-of-ganga-main-river-7005477/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:IE</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 6 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 6961,
		'category_id' => (int) 22,
		'title' => 'Biodiversity Governance',
		'description' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://www.downtoearth.org.in/blog/wildlife-and-biodiversity/biodiversity-governance-the-agreements-and-laws-that-help-enforce-it-72094" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Biodiversity governance&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Down to Earth on 06/11/2020. It talks about the issues related to biodiversity governance in India.</p>
</div>
<p>Extensive biodiversity loss in the past decades has spared neither developed nor developing countries. This rapidly accelerating biodiversity loss led to a series of negotiations and agreements among countries like the <a href="/summary-of-important-reports/6th-national-report-to-cbd" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD).</strong></a></p>
<p>The CBD, in its spirit, laid the foundation for environmental ethics taking priority over mindless exploitation and recognised the right of states to their genetic resources and the rights of communities to their traditional knowledge.</p>
<p>With these guidelines in mind, most countries that signed the CBD Nagoya in Japan in 2010 and adopted the <a href="/current-affairs-news-analysis-editorials/news-analysis/31-12-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Nagoya Protocol</strong></a> that aimed to give effect to the fair and equitable sharing provisions of the CBD.</p>
<p>However, even after a decade, most of the world&rsquo;s biotechnology-based patents are owned by developed countries, with the resources to make them sourced from <a href="/current-affairs-news-analysis-editorials/news-analysis/26-11-2018#:~:text=Biodiversity%20Hotspots%20of%20India,%2C%20Bhutan%2C%20China%20and%20Myanmar)" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>mega-biodiverse countries</strong></a> like India. Thus, there is a need for a biodiversity governance system that can ensure fair and equitable sharing of genetic resources.</p>
<h3>Biodiversity Governance in India</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Nagoya Protocol sought to ensure commercial and research utilisation of genetic resources led to sharing its benefits with the government and the community that conserved such resources.</li>
<li>India&rsquo;s <a href="/current-affairs-news-analysis-editorials/news-analysis/31-12-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Biological Diversity Act 2002</strong></a> (BD Act), is in close synergy with the Nagoya Protocol.</li>
<li>The BD Act was hailed as an important step towards preserving India&rsquo;s vast biodiversity, as it recognised the sovereign right of countries over its natural resources.</li>
<li>Under the BD Act, an important regulatory mechanism was the emphasis on<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/sixth-national-report-to-the-convention-of-biological-diversity" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> access and benefit sharing</strong> </a>(ABS) to local populations.</li>
<li>The BD Act seeks to address issues of managing bio-resources in the most decentralised manner possible.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The BD Act envisages three layered structures: the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) at the national level, the state biodiversity boards (SSBs) at the state level and biodiversity management committees (BMCs) at the local level.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It assumes significance because it imposes prohibitions on the transfer of genetic material originating from India without specific approval from competent authorities.</li>
<li>The act also strengthens the country&rsquo;s stand with respect to anyone claiming an intellectual property right over biodiversity-related knowledge.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Associated Issues</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Exclusion of Agriculture &amp; Conventional Practices:</strong> The Nagoya Protocol noted that each party shall consider the importance of genetic resources for food and agriculture and their special role for food security.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Thus, traditional agriculture and conventional practices are exempted from the purview of benefit-sharing.</li>
<li>Due to this, India has been a victim of misappropriation or bio-piracy of its genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge. Well-known examples of this include neem and turmeric.</li>
<li>Further, the challenge would be to protect the intellectual property rights of the traditional farmer who is under constant threat from external agencies.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Erosion Traditional Breeding Systems:</strong> As industrialisation advanced, so did commercial agriculture and the need for more efficient breeds increased. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This led to a gradual reduction of traditional breeding systems and a consequent loss of agro biodiversity.</li>
<li>Further, there was a steady loss of traditional knowledge associated with ancient breeding systems.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>No Adequate Protection for Animal Genetic Resources:</strong> Access to crop genetic resources is not covered under the purview of Nagoya Protocol, it is protected under the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>However, for animal genetic resources, an equivalent instrument is absent.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>No Recognition of Traditional Knowledge:</strong> The main hindrance to protection of local biodiversity is the absence of recognition of traditional knowledge and a lack of legal protection against usurping the knowledge of indigenous communities.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Promoting Agricultural Societies:</strong> Traditionally, most agricultural societies in India integrated preservation of crop species into the social and religious milieu.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This has helped preserve hundreds of species that would have been lost otherwise with the rise of commercial agriculture.</li>
<li>Thus, there is a need for promotion and preservation of such agricultural societies.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Integration of International Treaties:</strong> ABS implementation of Nagoya Protocol cannot work in isolation and thus must be commensurate with other international treaties. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Therefore, integration between ABS and the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA) need to consider the legislative, administrative and policy measures that cross each other&rsquo;s path.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Note:</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>ITPGRFA, popularly known as the International Seed Treaty, is a comprehensive international agreement in harmony with CBD.</li>
<li>It aims at guaranteeing food security through the conservation, exchange and sustainable use of the world&rsquo;s plant genetic resources for food and agriculture (PGRFA), as well as the fair and equitable benefit sharing arising from its use.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>People&rsquo;s Biodiversity Register (PBR):</strong> PBR should aim to document folk knowledge of status, uses, history, ongoing changes and forces driving changes in biodiversity resources, and people&rsquo;s perceptions of how these resources should be managed.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>PBRs can be useful to preserve the rights of farmers or communities over the traditional knowledge they may hold over a particular variety.</li>
<li>Additionally, PBRs provide geographical identity to the bioresources and can be useful in providing a tool for clarification when disputes over biopiracy and intellectual property rights arise.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Engaging Industries:</strong> The integration of legislations such as <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/corporate-social-responsibility-csr-expenditure" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>corporate social responsibility</strong></a> with ABS can be beneficial to industries who wish to closely share benefits accrued from use of biological resources.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>India is a key mega-biodiversity country and possesses a repository of genetic resources related to flora and fauna. It is, therefore, essential to re-evaluate the integration of resource availability with mankind&rsquo;s development needs.</p>
<p>Apart from it, biodiversity governance should ensure that any utilisation of knowledge of bio-resources has a direct benefit to the communities that have been custodian of this traditional knowledge.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1604924782_image%200.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1604924782_image 0.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="800" caption="false" /></a></p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #fefff0;">
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>Biodiversity governance should ensure that any utilisation of knowledge of bio-resources has a direct benefit to the local communities. Comment.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
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		'article_id' => (int) 6959,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Petition for Declaring ESA Unconstitutional',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, a Kerala-based NGO for farmers has moved the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/supreme-court-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Supreme Court</strong> </a>(SC) to declare the draft notification on the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/ecologically-sensitive-areas-in-western-ghats" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Western Ghats Ecologically Sensitive Area</strong> </a>(ESA) unconstitutional.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It has sought a direction to the government to <strong>not implement the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/green-tribunal-steps-in-to-conserve-ghats" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Madhav Gadgil and Kasturirangan committees&rsquo; reports</a></strong> on the conservation of the Western Ghats.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Background:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel</strong> (WGEEP), also known as<strong> Gadgil Committee,</strong> and the <strong>Kasturirangan Committee, a High-Level Working Group,</strong> were constituted to<strong> conserve and protect the biodiversity of Western Ghats</strong> while allowing for sustainable and inclusive development of the region.</li>
<li>They recommended that <strong>identified geographical areas falling in the six States of Kerala, Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu</strong> should be declared as ESA.</li>
<li>A <strong>draft notification related to the same was issued in 2018</strong> mentioning the areas to be notified in the ESA.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Issues Highlighted by the Petition:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The draft notification would declare 123 agricultural villages in Kerala as ESA <strong>converting the semi-urban villages in the region into forests with no facilities and roads.</strong> It will <strong>affect 22 lakh people</strong> and <strong>cripple the economy</strong> of Kerala.</li>
<li>The Centre had <strong>wrongly branded people</strong> who had been residing in the Western Ghats area,<strong> as the &ldquo;destroyers of the biodiversity and agents of ecological damage.&rdquo;</strong></li>
<li>Apart from that, it suggested that <strong>ESA in Kerala should be restricted to <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/indian-forest-act-1927" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reserved forests</a> and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/extension-of-krishna-wildlife-sanctuary" target="_blank" rel="noopener">protected areas.</a></strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Gadgil Committee:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It recommended that<strong> all of the Western Ghats should be declared as the ESA</strong> with only limited development allowed in graded zones.</li>
<li>It classified the Western Ghats into <strong>ESA 1, 2 and 3</strong> of which <strong>ESA-1 is a high priority zone</strong> where almost all of the <strong>developmental activities</strong> (mining, thermal power plants, etc) should be<strong> restricted.</strong></li>
<li>It also recommended the <strong>constitution of Western Ghats Ecology Authority</strong> (WGEA), as a statutory authority under the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) with the powers under <strong>Section 3 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.</strong></li>
<li>It was <strong>criticised for being more environment-friendly</strong> and<strong> not in tune with the ground realities.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Kasturirangan Committee:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It sought to <strong>balance the development and environment protection</strong> in contrast to the system proposed by the Gadgil report.</li>
<li>The committee&rsquo;s <strong>major recommendations were:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Instead of the total area of Western Ghats, <strong>only 37% of the total area to be brought under ESA.</strong></li>
<li>A complete <strong>ban on mining, quarrying and sand mining</strong> in ESA.</li>
<li><strong>No thermal power projects</strong> to be allowed and <strong>hydropower projects to be allowed only after detailed study.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Red industries</strong> (highly polluting industries) to be strictly <strong>banned.</strong></li>
<li>Exclusion of inhabited regions and plantations from the purview of ESAs making it a <strong>pro-farmer approach.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Ecologically Sensitive Areas</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/to-the-points/paper3/eco-sensitive-zones" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Eco-Sensitive Zones or Ecologically Fragile Areas</strong></a> are located <strong>within 10 km of Protected Areas, National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries.</strong></li>
<li>ESAs are <strong>notified by the MoEFCC under Environment (Protection) Act 1986.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Aim:</strong> To regulate certain activities around National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries so as to minimise the negative impacts on the fragile ecosystem encompassing the protected areas.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The matter pertains to the debate of &lsquo;Development versus Conservation&rsquo;, which highlights that destruction in the name of development should not be encouraged and sustainable development should be given priority.</li>
<li>A proper analysis based on scientific study followed by consensus among various stakeholders by addressing respective concerns is required to solve the differences in a timely manner.</li>
<li>Delays in implementation will only accentuate degrading of the prized natural resources of the country hence, with a holistic view of threats and demands on the forest land, products and services, devising strategies must be developed to address them.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/plea-in-sc-against-centres-notification-demarcating-56825-sqkm-in-6-states-as-western-ghats-esa/article33052304.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 8 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 6955,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Rescued Exotic Animals',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently six<strong> blue or hyacinth macaws</strong> and two <strong>capuchin monkeys</strong> were released in the <strong>Assam State Zoo-cum-Botanical Garden in Guwahati.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Earlier, a large consignment of exotic animals was confiscated by the <strong>Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI)</strong> in the same region.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Provisions Related to Illegal Wildlife Trade:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Illegally exotic animals are <strong>confiscated under Section 111 of the Customs Act, 1962</strong> which is read with the provision of the<a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/cites" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora CITES</strong> </a><strong>and the Foreign Trade Policy (Import-Export Policy) of India.</strong></li>
<li>Also, Sections 48 and 49 of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/wild-life-protection-act-implementation-and-failure" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Wildlife Protection Act</strong> </a>prohibit trade or commerce in wild animals, animal articles or trophies.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Concerns:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The possibility of spread of <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/zoonotic-diseases" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>zoonotic diseases</strong></a> on account of smuggling in such exotic species is increasingly becoming a global concern against the backdrop of <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/covid-19-and-india-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Covid-19.</a></strong></li>
<li>Illegal wildlife trade was ranked the <strong>fourth largest transnational organised crime</strong> globally, after the smuggling of narcotics, counterfeit goods and human trafficking.</li>
<li><strong>West Bengal and northeast India</strong> are vulnerable to cross-border wildlife smuggling because of their proximity to the Bangladesh and Myanmar borders, and to Thailand.</li>
<li>Many international organisations involved in wildlife crime use the Indo-Bangladesh Border for various other illegal activities, such as smuggling of drugs, commercial goods, and even gun-running, apart from illegal movement of foreign currency.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Assam State Zoo-cum-Botanical Garden</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Guwahati Zoo was established in 1957.</li>
<li>The Zoo is located in the <strong>Hengrabari Reserve Forest</strong> in the capital city of Guwahati.</li>
<li>Owing to its rich fauna, the Assam State Zoo is popularly known as <strong>"Green Lung"</strong> of the Guwahati city.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Blue Macaws<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1604914233_image3.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1604914233_image3.png" style="float: right;" width="200" caption="false" /></a></strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Scientific Name: <em><strong>Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus</strong></em></li>
<li>It is a parrot native to central and eastern South America.</li>
<li>With a length of about one meter it is longer than any other species of parrot.</li>
<li>It is the largest macaw and the largest flying parrot species.</li>
<li><strong>Threat:</strong> Habitat loss and the trapping of wild birds for the pet trade have taken a heavy toll on their population in the wild.</li>
<li><strong>Protection status :</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/iucn-red-list" target="_blank" rel="noopener">International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List</a>: Vulnerable.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES):</strong> Appendix I.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Capuchin Monkeys<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1604914215_image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1604914215_image2.jpg" style="float: right;" width="300" caption="false" /></a></strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Scientific name: <strong>Cebus.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Capuchin Monkeys,</strong> also called <strong>sapajou,</strong> is a common Central and South American primate found in tropical forests from Nicaragua to Paraguay.</li>
<li>They are named for their &ldquo;caps&rdquo; of hair, which resemble the cowls of Capuchin monks.</li>
<li><strong>Protection status:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List:</strong> Least concerned.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/guwahati-zoo-becomes-home-for-rescued-exotic-animals/article33051833.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:TH</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 9 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 6945,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Covid-19 Insurance to Green Soldiers: PTR',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently,<strong> Pakke Tiger Reserve</strong> (PTR) in <strong>Arunachal Pradesh</strong> has become the <strong>first in the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/destination-north-east-festival" target="_blank" rel="noopener">eight-State northeast</a></strong> to provide insurance cover against <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coronavirus-disease-named-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19</strong></a> for &ldquo;green soldiers&rdquo;.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Eight-State northeast includes Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>57 <strong>frontline staff</strong> (referred to as<strong> green soldiers</strong>) of the Park have been insured for nine months against health issues due to the infection by the Covid-19.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>forest guards are rightly the green soldiers</strong> in the frontline of India&rsquo;s wildlife, and the onus of wildlife conservation pretty much falls on them.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The<strong> Wildlife Trust of India</strong> (WTI), an NGO, paid the insurance amount with support from Foundation Serge.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The NGO has been <strong>supporting India&rsquo;s frontline forest staff with accident cover</strong> for the last 20 years.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The<strong> insurance coverage is of Rs. 1 lakh each</strong> but a few who would be<strong> retiring</strong> soon has been insured for <strong>Rs. 50,000.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Pakke Tiger Reserve</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>PTR (declared in 1999-2000) lies in the foothills of the eastern Himalaya in the East Kameng district of <strong>Arunachal Pradesh</strong> and is<strong> also known as Pakhui Tiger Reserve.</strong></li>
<li>It falls within the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/andaman-nicobar-islands-rich-faunal-diversity" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Eastern Himalaya Biodiversity Hotspot.</strong> </a></li>
<li>It is home to over 2000 species of plants, 300 species of birds, 40 species of mammals, etc. Many species of the flora and fauna are globally threatened, and PTR is one of the last remaining strongholds left for these species.</li>
<li>It is<strong> known for its amazing sightings of four resident <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/hornbill-habitat-loss" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hornbill species.</a></strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>great hornbill</strong> is the state bird of Arunachal Pradesh and it is <strong>&lsquo;vulnerable&rsquo;</strong> under the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/iucn-red-list" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> IUCN Red List.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Other Protected Areas in Arunachal Pradesh:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Talle Wildlife Sanctuary.</li>
<li><a href="/daily-news-analysis/khangchendzonga-to-be-included-in-the-world-network-of-biosphere-reserves" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Dihang Dibang Biosphere Reserve.</strong></a></li>
<li>Eagle Nest Wildlife Sanctuary.</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-s-eastern-most-village" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Namdapha Tiger Reserve.</strong></a></li>
<li>Mouling National Park.</li>
<li>Sessa Orchid Sanctuary.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/covid-19-insurance-for-frontline-staff-of-arunachal-tiger-habitat/article33039421.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 10 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 6910,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Ganga Utsav 2020',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong>Ganga Utsav 2020</strong> has begun which celebrates the glory of the <strong>National river Ganga.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Ganga was declared as the National River of India on <strong>4<sup>th</sup> November 2008.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Ganga Utsav:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-mission-for-clean-ganga#:~:text=National%20River%20Ganga%20Basin%20Authority,'National%20River'%20of%20India." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Mission for Clean Ganga</strong></a> (NMCG) celebrates the festival every year.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>NMCG is the <strong>implementation wing of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/first-meeting-of-national-ganga-council" target="_blank" rel="noopener">National Ganga Council</a></strong>, set up in 2016, which replaced the National Ganga River Basin Authority (NRGBA).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The<strong> three-day festival</strong> aims to <strong>promote stakeholder engagement and ensure public participation.</strong></li>
<li>It celebrates mystical and cultural river Ganga through storytelling, folklores, dialogues with eminent personalities, quizzes, displaying traditional art forms, dance and music performance by renowned artists, photo galleries and exhibitions and much more.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Programmes Held During the Festival:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Ganga Task Force</strong> (GTF) conducted an <a href="/daily-news-analysis/ganga-vriksharopan-abhiyan" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>afforestation drive</strong></a> with <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/expansion-of-the-ncc" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Cadet Corps</strong></a> (NCC) cadets and educational tour for youth.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>GTF is a<strong> unit of battalion of ex-servicemen deployed in the services of the Ganga</strong> with the approval of the Ministry of Defence for the period of four years till December 2020.</li>
<li>It was approved by the Cabinet under the <strong>Public Participation component of the Namami Gange Programme</strong> and the <strong>first battalion was raised in March 2016.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Mini <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/ganga-quest" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ganga Quest</a></strong>, designed to make youth and students aware of environmental issues and explain their role in conservation.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Ganga Quest is <strong>a pan India bilingual quiz</strong> to increase public participation in Namami Gange program and encourage the youth.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Suggestion on the innovative ways in which <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/15-point-directive-to-clean-ganga" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Namami Gange</a></strong> can engage in activities throughout the year.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In <strong>2014,</strong> Namami Gange Programme was launched to accomplish the<strong> twin objectives</strong> of <strong>effective abatement of pollution and conservation,</strong> and <strong>rejuvenation</strong> of Ganga.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Government Initiatives on River Ganga:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Ganga Action Plan:</strong> It was the <strong>first river action plan</strong> which was taken up by the <strong>Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in 1985,</strong> to improve the water quality by the interception, diversion and treatment of domestic sewage.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The<strong> National River Conservation Plan</strong> is an extension to this plan, which aims at<strong> cleaning the Ganga river under Ganga Action Plan phase-2.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>National River Ganga Basin Authority:</strong> It was formed by the Government of India in the year <strong>2009</strong> under<strong> Section-3 of the <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/environmental-impact-assessment-1#:~:text=On%2027%20January%201994%2C%20the,Schedule%201%20of%20the%20notification." target="_blank" rel="noopener">Environment Protection Act 1986.</a></strong></li>
<li><strong>Clean Ganga Fund: </strong>In<strong> 2014,</strong> it was formed for cleaning up of the Ganga, setting up of waste treatment plants and conservation of biotic diversity of the river.</li>
<li><strong>Bhuvan-Ganga Web App:</strong> It ensures the involvement of the public in the monitoring of pollution entering into the river Ganga.</li>
<li><strong>Ban on Waste Disposal:</strong> In <strong>2017,</strong> the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/national-green-tribunal-ngt" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Green Tribunal</strong></a> (NGT) banned the disposal of any waste in the Ganga.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>River Ganga</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is the<strong> longest river of India</strong> flowing over 2,510 km of mountains, valleys and plains and is<strong> revered by Hindus</strong> as the most sacred river on earth.</li>
<li>It <strong>originates in the snowfields of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/concentration-of-black-carbon-on-gangotri-glacier" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gangotri Glacier</a></strong> <strong>in the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/re-measuring-mount-everest" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Himalayas</a></strong> as the Bhagirathi River and is joined by other rivers such as the Alaknanda, Yamuna, Son, Gumti, Kosi and Ghagra.</li>
<li>The Ganga river <strong>basin is one of the most fertile and densely populated areas</strong> of the world and covers an area of 1,000,000 sq. km.</li>
<li>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/gangetic-dolphins-found-in-mahananda-river" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Ganges River Dolphin</strong> </a>is an <strong>endangered</strong> animal that specifically habitats this river.</li>
<li>The Ganga widens out into the <strong>Ganges Delta in the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/sunderbans-damaged-in-cyclone-amphan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sundarbans</a> swamp of Bangladesh,</strong> before it ends its journey by emptying into the Bay of Bengal.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1604398820_image0.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1604398820_image0.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="650" caption="false" /></a></p>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1669540#:~:text=Amidst%20COVID%2019%20precautions%2C%20Ganga,with%20much%20fun%20and%20festivities&amp;text=The%20much%2Dawaited%20Ganga%20Utsav,childhood%20in%20conversation%20with%20Mahiya." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 11 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 6891,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Shivalik Elephant Reserve: Uttarakhand',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has asked the Uttarakhand government to consider avoiding sensitive areas of the Shivalik Elephant Reserve while exploring land suitable to use for the expansion of Dehradun&rsquo;s Jolly Grant Airport.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Background:</strong> The<strong> area proposed for the expansion,</strong> is a<strong> part of the Shivalik Elephant Reserve</strong> and it falls <strong>within a 10-km radius of Rajaji National Park. </strong></li>
<li><strong>Protests:</strong> Children and social activists have tied protective strings around the trees marked to be cut, similar to the <strong>Chipko movement</strong> of the 1970s, when villagers in Chamoli hugged trees to stop contractors from felling them.</li>
<li><strong>Concerns:</strong> The expansion will threaten hundreds of species of fauna in Thano (near Rajaji National Park) and the elephant corridor nearby. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The State<strong> also falls in <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/seismometers-defunct-in-earthquake-prone-zones" target="_blank" rel="noopener">seismic Zone IV and V</a>,</strong> as per the Earthquake Zoning Map, and uprooting Thano will lead to <strong>soil erosion</strong>, a factor that exacerbated the <strong>2013 Kedarnath floods,</strong> endangering countless lives.</li>
<li>Earlier, social activists had <strong>criticised <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/chardham-pariyojana" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chardham Pariyojana</a></strong> on environmental grounds.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It is a programme taken up by the <strong>Ministry of Road Transport and Highways</strong> for connectivity improvement for Chardham (Kedarnath, Badrinath, Yamunotri and Gangotri) in Uttrakhand.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Recently, the <strong>Supreme Court</strong> upheld the 2011 order of the Madras High Court (HC) on the Nilgiris elephant corridor, affirming the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/right-of-passage-of-the-animals" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> right of passage of the animals</strong> </a>and the closure of resorts in the area.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Shivalik Elephant Reserve:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It was <strong>notified in 2002</strong> under the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/world-elephant-day-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&lsquo;Project Elephant&rsquo;.</strong></a><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Project Elephant was launched by the Government of India in the year 1992 as a <strong>Centrally Sponsored Scheme</strong> with following objectives:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>To protect elephants, their habitat &amp; corridors.</li>
<li>To address issues of man-animal conflict.</li>
<li>Welfare of captive elephants.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <strong>Kansora-Barkot Elephant Corridor</strong> is located near to it.</li>
<li>It is considered to have <strong>one of the highest densities of elephants</strong> found in India.</li>
<li>The<strong> Indian elephant (Elephas maximus)</strong> occurs in the central and southern Western Ghats, North-east India, eastern India and northern India and in some parts of southern peninsular India. As per the Elephant Census, 2017, <strong>Karnataka has the highest population</strong> of Indian elephants.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It is included in <strong>Schedule I of the Indian <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/wild-life-protection-act-implementation-and-failure" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972</a></strong> and in <strong>Appendix I of the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/cites" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna (CITES).</a></strong></li>
<li>It is<strong> &lsquo;Endangered&rsquo;</strong> as per the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/iucn-red-list#:~:text=The%20IUCN%20Red%20List%20of,of%20plant%20and%20animal%20species.&amp;text=Critically%20Endangered%20(CR)%2C%20Endangered,to%20be%20threatened%20with%20extinction." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>IUCN Red List.</strong> </a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Rajaji National Park:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Location:</strong> Haridwar, along the foothills of the Shivalik range, spans 820 square kilometres.</li>
<li><strong>Background:</strong> Three sanctuaries in the Uttarakhand i.e. Rajaji, Motichur and Chila were amalgamated into a large protected area and named Rajaji National Park in the year 1983<strong> after the famous freedom fighter C. Rajgopalachari; popularly known as &ldquo;Rajaji&rdquo;.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Features:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>This area is the <strong>North Western Limit of habitat of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/koundinya-wildlife-sanctuary" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Asian elephants.</a></strong></li>
<li>Forest types include sal forests, riverine forests, broad&ndash;leaved mixed forests, scrubland and grassy.</li>
<li>It possesses as many as 23 species of mammals and 315 bird species such as elephants, tigers, leopards, deers and ghorals, etc.</li>
<li>It was declared a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-tiger-conservation-authority" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Tiger Reserve</strong> </a>in 2015.</li>
<li>It is <strong>home to the Van Gujjars in the winters.</strong> Van Gujjars are one of the few <strong>forest-dwelling nomadic</strong> communities in the country.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Other Protected Areas in Uttarakhand:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Jim Corbett National Park (first National Park of India).</li>
<li>Valley of Flowers National Park and Nanda Devi National Park which together are a <a href="/to-the-points/paper1/world-heritage-sites-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>UNESCO World Heritage Site.</strong></a></li>
<li>Govind Pashu Vihar National Park and Sanctuary.</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/uttrakhand-approves-land-transfer" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Gangotri National Park.</strong></a></li>
<li>Nandhaur Wildlife Sanctuary.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Though the expansion project is of strategic importance, the government needs to remember that the Shivalik Elephant Reserve is a biodiversity hub of Uttrakhand, home to elephants, leopards and endless other avian and mammals species.</li>
<li>Government before passing laws should consider that India is on board global climate agreements like the <strong><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/unfccc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)</a> and the Kyoto Protocol</strong>, implying that it has some international commitments.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/centre-to-uttarakhand-explore-alternative-land-to-expand-airport-6910713/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 12 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 6890,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Translocation of Corals in Mumbai',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/assessment-of-plastics-along-the-west-coast-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Institute of Oceanography</strong></a> will carry out the translocation of 18 coral colonies from the coast of Mumbai for the Mumbai Coastal Road Project.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Corals:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong><a href="/to-the-points/paper3/coral-bleaching" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Corals</a> exhibit characteristics of plants, but are marine animals</strong> that are related to jellyfish and anemones.</li>
<li>They are made up of <strong>genetically identical organisms called polyps,</strong> which are tiny, soft-bodied organisms. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>At their base is a hard, protective limestone skeleton called a<strong> calicle, which forms the structure of coral reefs.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>These <strong>polyps have microscopic algae called zooxanthellae</strong> living within their tissues. The <strong>corals and algae have a mutualistic (symbiotic) relationship.</strong> i.e.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The coral provides the zooxanthellae with the compounds necessary for photosynthesis.</li>
<li>In return, the zooxanthellae supply the coral with organic products of photosynthesis, like carbohydrates, which are utilized by the coral polyps for synthesis of their calcium carbonate skeletons.</li>
<li>Zooxanthellae are also responsible for the unique and <strong>beautiful colors of corals.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>There are 2 types of corals:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Stony,</strong> shallow-water corals&mdash;the kind that build reefs.</li>
<li><strong>Soft corals</strong> and deep water corals that live in dark cold waters.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Coral Reefs:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/significance-of-dead-coral-reef" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Reefs</strong></a> <strong>begin</strong> when a <strong>polyp attaches</strong> itself to a <strong>rock on the seafloor, then divides, or buds, into thousands of clones.</strong> The polyp calicles connect to one another, <strong>creating a colony</strong> that acts as a single organism.</li>
<li>As colonies grow over hundreds and thousands of years, they join with other <strong>colonies, and become reefs.</strong></li>
<li>Coral reefs cover less than 1% of the ocean floor but they are among the most productive and diverse ecosystems on Earth. They are referred to as <strong>the rainforests of the sea</strong> for their biodiversity.</li>
<li><strong>Benefits:</strong> Coral reefs are like underwater cities that<strong> support marine life.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>According to the <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/emission-gap-report-by-unep" target="_blank" rel="noopener">United Nations Environment Programme</a> (UNEP)</strong>, they provide at least half a billion people around the world with food security and livelihoods.</li>
<li>Coral reefs also act as<strong> &lsquo;wave breaks&rsquo;</strong> between the sea and the coastline and minimise the impact of sea erosion.</li>
<li>According to a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/significance-of-dead-coral-reef" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>recent study of University of Queensland (UQ), Australia,</strong></a> <strong>more life can be supported by dead coral remains than live corals.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Protection:</strong> In India, they are under <strong>Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act (WPA), 1972.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Threats:</strong> Climate change remains one of the biggest threats to corals.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Around the world, this threat has been visible in the<strong> &ldquo;bleaching&rdquo; of corals.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Coral Bleaching:</strong> It is a process during which corals, under stress from warm weather, expel the algae that give corals their brilliant colours and live in their tissues and produce their food.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Australia</strong> has suffered six mass bleaching events due to warmer than normal ocean temperatures in 1998, 2002, 2006, 2016, 2017, and now 2020.</li>
<li>The Great Barrier Reef is a<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/kailash-mansarovar-in-tentative-list-of-world-heritage-sites" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> UNESCO World Heritage site</strong></a> and <strong>home to one of the largest collections of coral reefs</strong> on the planet.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Biorock Technology:</strong> It is a method <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coral-restoration-through-biorock" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>to restore coral reefs</strong></a> using biorock or mineral accretion.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Under this low voltage electrical currents through seawater is applied, causing <strong>dissolved minerals to crystallize on structures,</strong> growing into a white limestone (CaCO<sub>3</sub>) similar to that which naturally makes up coral reefs and tropical white sand beaches.</li>
<li><strong>Biorock,</strong> also known as Seacrete or Seament, refers to the substance formed by electro-accumulation of minerals dissolved in seawater.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Coral Translocation:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The translocation of corals is at a <strong>nascent stage along the Indian coastline.</strong> It is difficult and has<strong> not been very successful in India.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Pilot projects at various sites including, Lakshadweep islands and Andaman islands have been undertaken to study the survival rate, method and site of translocation, and creation of high heat-resistant coral colonies, etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Transplanted corals are <strong>more susceptible to storm surges and bleaching from warming ocean waters.</strong></li>
<li>Experts are of the view that <strong>for a high survival rate, it is important to translocate corals in a place with similar environmental characteristics</strong> such as depth, current flow, amount of light, and pressure.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1604136243_image2.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1604136243_image2.png" width="600" caption="false" /></a></p>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/mumbai-coastal-road-project-translocation-of-corals-explained/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 13 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 6889,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Habitat Loss of Himalayan Brown Bear',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, a study conducted by scientists of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/skinks-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Zoological Survey of India</strong> </a>on the <strong>Himalayan brown bear</strong> <em>(Ursus arctos isabellinus)</em> has predicted a <strong>significant reduction in suitable habitat and biological corridors</strong> of the Himalayan brown bear <strong>due to climate change.</strong></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The study titled<strong> &lsquo;Adaptive spatial planning of protected area networks for conserving the Himalayan brown bear&rsquo;</strong> was carried out in the<strong> western Himalayas.</strong> It has predicted a <strong>decline of about 73%</strong> of the bear&rsquo;s habitat by the year 2050.</li>
<li>The total habitat loss can make 8 out of 13 PA completely uninhabitable by 2050.</li>
<li>The <strong>western Himalaya</strong> where significant <strong>brown bear population is distributed</strong> is most <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-melting-of-himalayan-glaciers" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>vulnerable to global warming</strong></a> as this elevation belt is <strong>getting warmer</strong> faster than other elevation zones of Himalayas.</li>
<li>To keep a check on this, scientists have recommended preemptive <strong>spatial planning of PAs in the Himalayan region</strong> for the long-term viability of the species.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The spatial planning of PAs is <strong>aimed at minimising the risks and uncertainty of climate change.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Spatial Planning</strong> is an activity centered on making decisions relating to the location and distribution of land use activities. It allows monitoring of changes, both in climate and socio-economic situations.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Himalayan Brown Bear</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Range:</strong> North-western and central Himalaya, including India, Pakistan, Nepal, the Tibetan Autonomous Region of China and Bhutan.</li>
<li><strong>Habitat:</strong> High altitude open valleys and pastures.</li>
<li><strong>Status: <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/iucn-red-list" target="_blank" rel="noopener">IUCN Red List</a>- Critically endangered.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/cites" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CITES</a> - Appendix I</strong></li>
<li><strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/wild-life-protection-act-implementation-and-failure" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972</a> - Schedule 1</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Food:</strong> Omnivorous.</li>
<li><strong>Threat:</strong> Human-animal conflict, rapid habitat loss, poaching for fur, claws and organs and, in some rare cases, bear baiting.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1604135536_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1604135536_image1.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="568" height="344" /></a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/study-predicts-massive-habitat-decline-for-the-himalayan-brown-bear-by-2050-due-to-climate-change/article32935974.ece#:~:text=The%20Himalayan%20brown%20bear%20is,in%20the%20highlands%20of%20Himalayas.&amp;text=The%20study%20carried%20out%20in,habitat%20by%20the%20year%202050." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:TH</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 14 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 6881,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Commission for Air Quality Management in the NCR',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the President of India has signed &lsquo;The Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Ordinance, 2020&rsquo;.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Ordinance sets up a <strong>statutory authority - </strong>the<strong> Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region (NCR) and Adjoining Areas.</strong></li>
<li>Through the Ordinance, the Centre has also <strong>dissolved the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/epca-on-early-burning-of-crop-residue" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA)</a></strong> for the NCR.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Background:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>monitoring and management of air quality</strong> in the Delhi NCR region has been <strong>done by multiple bodies</strong> including the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/cpcb-notifies-contaminated-sites" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)</strong></a>, the <strong>state pollution control boards,</strong> the state governments in the region, including <strong>Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan, and the EPCA.</strong></li>
<li>They, in turn are<strong> monitored by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC),</strong> and the <strong><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/supreme-court-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Supreme Court</a></strong> itself, which monitors air pollution as per the judgment in<strong><em> &lsquo;M C Mehta vs Union of India&rsquo;, 1988.</em></strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>EPCA is a Central Government constituted committee in the year 1998 for the National Capital Region in compliance with the Supreme Court order dated 7<sup>th</sup> January, 1998.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The<strong> Ordinance</strong> seeks to create an <strong>overarching body </strong>to<strong> consolidate all monitoring bodies,</strong> and to bring them on one platform so that air quality management can be carried out in a more comprehensive, efficient, and time-bound manner.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Composition of the New Commission:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Commission will be headed by <strong>a full-time chairperson</strong> who has been a <strong>Secretary to the Government of India, or </strong>a <strong>Chief Secretary to a State government.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The chairperson will <strong>hold the post for three years or until s/he attains the age of 70 years.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It will have <strong>members from several Ministries</strong> as well as representatives<strong> from the stakeholder States.</strong></li>
<li>It will have <strong>experts</strong> from the CPCB, <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/indian-space-research-organisation-isro" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)</strong></a> and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/role-of-ngos" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Civil Society.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Powers:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In matters of air pollution and air quality management, the Commission will <strong>supersede all existing bodies</strong> such as the CPCB, and even the state governments of Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh. It will have the <strong>powers to issue directions to the states.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>CPCB and its State branches</strong> have the<strong> powers</strong> to implement provisions of the <strong>Environment Protection Act, 1986</strong> for air, water and land pollution. Their powers <strong>continue.</strong> However, <strong>in case of dispute or a clash of jurisdictions,</strong> the <strong>Commission&rsquo;s writ will prevail</strong> specific to matters concerning air pollution.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Commission will also <strong>coordinate efforts of state governments</strong> to curb air pollution, and will <strong>lay down the parameters of air quality</strong> for the region.</li>
<li>It will have <strong>powers to restrict the setting up of industries</strong> in vulnerable areas, and will be able to conduct <strong>site inspections</strong> of industrial units.</li>
<li>If its <strong>directions are contravened,</strong> the Commission will have the <strong>power to impose a fine of up to Rs. 1 crore and imprisonment of up to 5 years.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>NGT&rsquo;s Role:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Only the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/national-green-tribunal-ngt" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Green Tribunal (NGT)</strong></a>, and <strong>not civil courts,</strong> is <strong>authorised to hear cases</strong> where the Commission is involved.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>EPCA vs New Commission</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Jurisdiction</strong>: The <strong>EPCA,</strong> which was set up in 1998, <strong>looked at the NCR;</strong> the purview of the new <strong>Commission extends to &ldquo;adjoining areas as well&rdquo;.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Statutory Status: EPCA</strong> was <strong>not a statutory body</strong> but drew <strong>legitimacy from the Supreme Court.</strong> It did have the <strong>authority to issue fines or directions</strong> and guidelines to the governments in other states. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>However, it had <strong>no state representatives,</strong> just two permanent members.</li>
<li>The <strong>Commission,</strong> on the other hand, will have <strong>representation from the state.</strong> It is a <strong>permanent and statutory body.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Performance:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Experts say that <strong>EPCA has failed miserably</strong> in cleaning the air even after being in force for more than 20 years. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>However, the key contributions of the EPCA include - the <strong>notification of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/graded-response-action-plan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Graded Response Action Plan</a></strong> that lists out measures to be taken in case of worsening pollution, the <strong>construction of the Regional Rapid Transport System</strong> and <strong>early adoption of <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/policy-watch-india-will-shift-to-bs-vi-norms" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BS-VI fuel standards</a></strong>, among other measures.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <strong>new Commission&rsquo;s performance will be gauged by changes in the status quo</strong> when it comes to ground implementation and strict action on polluters.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Appreciation</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Jurisdiction:</strong> This Commission will <strong>specifically look at the Delhi NCR and adjoining areas</strong> only.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Whereas, the mandate of the CPCB is to serve the whole country.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Stubble Burning: </strong>A <strong>regulatory mechanism</strong> for <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/stubble-burning-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>stubble burning</strong></a> is being put into place for the first time.</li>
<li><strong>Coordination:</strong> Earlier, there was no single body, authority, Ministry or state which was empowered or dedicated to ensure <strong>coordination</strong> among stakeholder states.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Criticism</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Overrepresentation of the Central Government:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Commission<strong> has a large number of members from the central government,</strong> which has not gone down well with the states.</li>
<li>States, on the other hand, will have <strong>just one member each. </strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Concerns of States:</strong> States are <strong>not happy with the overarching powers</strong> being vested in the Commission.</li>
<li><strong>Political differences</strong> will also play a part in the functioning of the Commission.</li>
<li><strong>Dissolution of EPCA:</strong> By forming a new commission, the government has<strong> taken the issue of air pollution out of the purview of the judiciary.</strong> It has been said that new law is needed when the old one fails. The centre has not even tried implementing old laws fully.</li>
<li><strong>Not a air-shed based approach:</strong> According to some experts, the Commission is a lost opportunity to explicitly set the ground rules for an air-shed based approach &mdash; one that could have been deployed in polluted areas across the country.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>An air-shed is an area covered by a volume of air that has similar characteristics and is separated from other volumes of air by weather patterns or topography.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Legal and regulatory changes to tackle public issues like air pollution, need a<strong> democratic conceptualisation.</strong></li>
<li>There is a need for the <strong>massive augmentation of intra-city public transport,</strong> and to move industries, power plants and other users away from polluting fuels like coal to natural gas, electricity and renewable energy to ensure clean combustion.</li>
<li>The government should undertake<strong> a thorough review</strong> of the various laws and institutions in order to look at their efficacy and utility; it must have <strong>detailed consultation</strong> with all relevant stakeholders, especially those outside Delhi, which includes farmers&rsquo; groups and small scale industries and the public at large.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/delhi-air-commission-ncr-pollution-6909339/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 15 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 6871,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Dashboard for Monitoring Air Quality',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>CarbonCopy and Respirer Living Sciences, two environmental organisations, have released a <strong>dashboard</strong> which presents a <strong>comparative picture of particulate matter (PM) for 122 Indian cities</strong> since 2016.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The dashboard establishes a <strong>three-year rolling average trend for PM2.5 and PM10 levels</strong> across the cities from <strong>2016 to 2018</strong>.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Recently, the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/state-of-global-air-2020-hei#:~:text=Recently%2C%20a%20global%20study%2C%20State,pollution%27s%20global%20impact%20on%20newborns." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>State of Global Air 2020</strong></a> revealed that <strong>India had faced the highest exposure to toxic air</strong> in the world last year.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>122 cities are referred to as <strong>non-attainment cities</strong> under the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-clean-air-programme" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Clean Air Programme (NCAP)</strong></a>.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Particulate Matter</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Also called <strong>particle pollution</strong>, it is a term for a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets found in the air.</li>
<li><strong>It includes:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>PM10:</strong> inhalable particles, with diameters that are generally 10 micrometers and smaller; and</li>
<li><strong>PM2.5:</strong> fine inhalable particles, with diameters that are generally 2.5 micrometers and smaller.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Sources of PM:</strong> Some are emitted directly from a source, such as <strong>construction sites, unpaved roads, fields, smokestacks or fires</strong>.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Most particles form in the atmosphere as a result of <strong>complex reactions of chemicals</strong> such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, which are pollutants emitted from power plants, industries and automobiles.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Harmful Effects:</strong> Small particles less than 10 micrometers in diameter pose the greatest problems, because they can get deep into the lungs, and some may even get into the bloodstream. Particle pollution exposure has been <strong>linked to a variety of problems</strong>, including irregular heartbeat, aggravated asthma, decreased lung function and increased respiratory symptoms, such as irritation of the airways, coughing or difficulty breathing.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>National Clean Air Programme</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Centre had launched the National Clean Air Programme in 2019 to <strong>address air pollution in 122 cities</strong>. These cities are referred to as <strong>non-attainment cities</strong> as they <strong>did not meet the national ambient air quality standards</strong> for the period of 2011-15 under the <strong>National Air Quality Monitoring Programme</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About the Dashboard:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is a <strong>National Air Quality Monitoring Programme (NAMP) based dashboard,</strong> built on data from the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/cpcb-notifies-contaminated-sites" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Central Pollution Control Board&rsquo;s</strong></a> <strong>National Ambient Air Quality Monitoring (NAAQM) Network</strong> which was started in 1984-85 and covers 344 cities/towns in 29 states and 6 UTs. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Under the NAMP, each station records about 104 observations a year covering <strong>four pollutants</strong>&ndash; Sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), suspended particulate matter (SPM), and respirable suspended particulate matter (RSPM).</li>
<li><strong>State pollution control boards</strong> and the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/neeri-indair" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI)</strong></a>, Nagpur <strong>carry out the monitoring</strong>, and the <strong>Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change oversees the operation under the NCAP</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Other Monitoring Systems:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>SAFAR:</strong> System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research, known as "SAFAR", for <strong>greater metropolitan cities of India</strong> to provide location specific information on air quality in near real time. It was introduced by the <strong>Ministry of Earth Science</strong>.</li>
<li><strong>AQI:</strong> Air Quality Index (AQI) is a tool for <strong>effective communication of air quality status to people</strong> in terms, which are easy to understand. There are <strong>six AQI categories</strong>, namely Good, Satisfactory, Moderately polluted, Poor, Very Poor, and Severe. AQ sub-index has been evolved for <strong>eight pollutants</strong> (PM10, PM2.5, NO<sub>2</sub>, SO<sub>2</sub>, CO, O<sub>3</sub>, NH<sub>3</sub>, and Pb) for which short-term (upto 24-hours) National Ambient Air Quality Standards are prescribed.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/graded-response-action-plan" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Graded Response Action Plan for Delhi and NCR</strong></a> has been prepared for implementation under different AQI categories.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A majority of health models which establish the relationship between air pollution and public health are based on western models due to a lack of health data available in Indian context.</li>
<li>When this data can be made available, it will give a true sense of the <strong>burden of respiratory diseases in the country by geographical distribution</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Performance on PM 2.5 level:</strong> A total of<strong> 59 of 122 cities</strong> had PM2.5 data available.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Noida ranked the worst</strong> with 119, followed by Agra, Delhi, Lucknow, Ghaziabad, Muzzaffarpur, Kanpur, Chandigarh, Howrah and Kolkata.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Performance on PM 10 level: Delhi ranked as the most polluted state</strong> on an average of 3 years&rsquo; PM10 monitoring data, followed by <strong>Jharkhand</strong> and <strong>Uttar Pradesh</strong>.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Maharashtra,</strong> which has the <strong>maximum number of non-attainment cities</strong> in the NCAP, has seen air quality worsen since 2016. State capital, Mumbai, for instance witnessed a year-on-year increase in PM10 levels from 119 in 2016, to 151 in 2017 and 165 in 2018.</li>
<li><strong>Tuticorin in Tamil Nadu</strong> has recorded <strong>progressive and substantial improvements in PM10 levels</strong> between 2016 and 2018 - by 24% in 2017, in comparison to 2016 levels, and another 23% in 2018 in comparison to the previous year.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The dashboard can help identify the need for more monitoring stations and address data gaps. At a time when the Central government aspires to bring out a new law to address air pollution in the National Capital Region, it is important to evaluate the existing regulations as the first step towards effective crisis management.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/dashboard-to-monitor-air-quality-of-indian-cities-6907849/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 6868,
		'category_id' => (int) 15,
		'title' => 'The Big Picture: Groundwater Extraction Norms',
		'description' => '<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/eTyaAyM3nbU" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<h3>Why in News?</h3>
<p>With around one-sixth of assessed ground water units in the country facing over-exploitation, the Centre Govt has issued revised <strong>guidelines for groundwater use</strong>. The new guidelines aim to ensure a more robust groundwater regulatory mechanism in the country.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Earlier in December 2018, the <strong>CGWB (Central Ground Water Board)</strong> issued a draft notification that proposed a &lsquo;water conservation fee&rsquo; for industrial extraction and this was roundly criticised. The <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/national-green-tribunal-ngt" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Green Tribunal</strong></a> stayed the draft in January 2019 terming it &ldquo;unsustainable,&rdquo; and having &ldquo;serious shortcomings.&rdquo;</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The guidelines have <strong>pan-India applicability</strong> which was never there before.</li>
<li>Certain categories have been exempted from these guidelines under particular conditions.</li>
<li>The guidelines include the restoration and extraction charges for groundwater.</li>
<li>Saline groundwater is also exempted as it needs to be extracted as much as possible.</li>
</ul>
<h3>The Guidelines</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Prohibition of industries:</strong> The new guidelines prohibit new industry and mining projects in over-exploited zones and makes it mandatory for existing industries, commercial units and big housing societies to take &lsquo;no objection certificate&rsquo; (NOC).</li>
<li><strong>Exemption:</strong> The domestic consumers, rural drinking water schemes, armed forces, farmers and micro &amp; small enterprises (that withdraw upto 10 m3 water per day) are exempted from the requirement of a no objection certificate from the CGWB.</li>
<li>The guidelines have also encouraged the use of recycled and treated sewage water by industries, mentioned a provision of action against polluting industries and mandated the requirement of digital flow meters, piezometers and digital water level recorders</li>
<li><strong>Compensation:</strong> The guidelines notified by the CGWB under the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/jal-shakti-mantralaya" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Jal Shakti Ministry</strong></a> prescribes a minimum environmental compensation of ₹1 lakh on industrial, mining and infrastructure users for extracting groundwater without a no objection certificate (NOC). This can rise, depending on the quantum of water extracted and the duration of the breach.</li>
<li><strong>Abstraction charges:</strong> All residential apartments/ group housing societies/ Government water supply agencies in urban areas would be required to pay ground water abstraction charges.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>All industries/mining/ infrastructure projects drawing groundwater in safe, semi-critical and critical assessment units will have to pay groundwater abstraction charges based on the quantum of groundwater extraction and category of assessment unit.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Central Ground Water Board</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a subordinate office of the <strong>Ministry of Water Resources</strong> and is the <strong>National Apex Agency</strong> entrusted with the responsibilities of providing scientific inputs for management, exploration, monitoring, assessment, augmentation and regulation of groundwater resources of the country.</li>
<li>It was <strong>established in 1970</strong> by renaming the Exploratory Tubewells Organization under the Ministry of Agriculture and later on <strong>merged</strong> with the Groundwater Wing of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/indian-navy-signs-mou-with-geological-survey-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Geological Survey of India</strong></a> during 1972.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>India and Groundwater</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India is the <strong>largest user of groundwater in the world,</strong> extracting groundwater to the tune of <strong>253 billion cubic meter (bcm)</strong> per year.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is about <strong>25%</strong> of the global groundwater extraction.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Out of the total of <strong>6584</strong> assessment units, <strong>1034</strong> have been categorized as <strong>&lsquo;Over-exploited&rsquo;</strong>, <strong>253</strong> as <strong>&lsquo;Critical&rsquo;</strong>, <strong>681</strong> as <strong>&lsquo;Semi-Critical&rsquo;</strong> and <strong>4520</strong> as <strong>&lsquo;Safe&rsquo;</strong>. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The remaining <strong>96</strong> assessment units have been classified as <strong>&lsquo;Saline&rsquo;</strong> due to non-availability of fresh groundwater due to salinity problems.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Availability of Water:</strong> India has about <strong>1123 billion m<sup>3</sup></strong> of water resources available, out of which <strong>690 bcm</strong> is surface water and rest <strong>433 bcm</strong> is groundwater. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Out of total groundwater available, <strong>90% of it is used for irrigation purposes</strong> which is mainly for agricultural purposes.</li>
<li>The remaining 10% accounts for domestic and industrial purposes combined.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Steps Taken</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/atal-bhujal-yojana" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Atal Bhujal Yojana</a>:</strong> It seeks to revive village-level Water User Associations (WUAs). The scheme will strengthen the financial state of the WUAs, including allowing these bodies to retain a significant portion of irrigation fees.</li>
<li><strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-aquifer-mapping-and-management-programme" target="_blank" rel="noopener">National Aquifer Mapping</a>:</strong> National Aquifer Mapping and Management program (NAQUIM) envisages mapping of aquifers (water bearing formations), their characterization and development of Aquifer Management Plans to facilitate <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/india-s-water-crisis-every-drop-counts" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>sustainable management of groundwater</strong></a> resources.</li>
<li><strong>Read more:</strong> <a href="/summary-of-important-reports/selected-best-practices-In-water-management" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Selected Best Practices in Water Management</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<h3>Issues Involved</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Although the new rules exempt farmers from the need for obtaining an NOC from CGWA, it highlights a key factor that leads to excessive <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/depleting-groundwater" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>groundwater extraction</strong></a> in the agriculture sector. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Exempting the agricultural sector from the guidelines would not provide much improvement as the sector alone is responsible for 90% usage of groundwater.</li>
<li><strong>Water use efficiency</strong> is very low in the agricultural sector and water guzzling crops worsen the situation.</li>
<li>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/power-subsidy-in-agriculture-and-related-issue" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>free electricity supply</strong></a> provided to the farmers also contributes to excessive groundwater extraction.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>No consideration of incentive</strong> has been taken into account for those industrial sectors who use groundwater less than the defined limit.</li>
<li><strong>Impact on industries:</strong> Although industries are responsible for less than 10% of consumption, still it will be the highest affected sector by these guidelines.</li>
<li><strong>Use of money collected:</strong> Ensuring that the money collected from imposed charges is used for making reforms in the same field only is a possible challenge.</li>
<li><strong>Water is a state subject</strong>. The primary entry in the Constitution relating to water is indeed <strong>Entry 17</strong> in the <strong>State List</strong>. It brings water including water supplies, irrigation and canals, drainage and embankments, water storage and water power under state list.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>But it is explicitly made subject to the provisions of <strong>Entry 56 in the Union List</strong> which enables the Union to deal with inter-State rivers if Parliament legislates for the purpose.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Micro irrigation:</strong> or drip irrigation should be encouraged. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In drip irrigation, water is run through pipes (with holes in them) either buried or lying slightly above the ground next to the crops. Water slowly drips onto the crop roots and stems.</li>
<li>Unlike spray irrigation, very little is lost to evaporation and the water can be directed only to the plants that need it, cutting back on water waste.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Extraction charges:</strong> The extraction charges collected, should be used for restoration of groundwater.</li>
<li><strong>Water guzzling crops:</strong> Discouraging water guzzling crops such as sugar canes.</li>
<li><strong>Target specific areas:</strong> Although the guidelines are pan-India, they should certainly target the states that have exploited/ overexploited groundwater. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Punjab, Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka are some of the states.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Artificial recharge of groundwater:</strong> It is the process of spreading or impounding water on the land to increase the infiltration through the soil and percolation to the aquifer or of injecting water by wells directly into the aquifer.</li>
<li><strong>Groundwater management plants:</strong> Installing groundwater management plants at local levels, will help the people in knowing the groundwater availability in their area making them use it wisely.</li>
</ul>',
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	(int) 17 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 6851,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'India - Australia Circular Economy Hackathon',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/aatmanirbhar-bharat-arise-atal-new-india-challenge" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Atal Innovation Mission</strong> </a>(AIM- an initiative set up by NITI Aayog), in association with <strong>Australia&rsquo;s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation</strong> (CSIRO), will organise a two-day hackathon on circular economy, <strong>&lsquo;India-Australia Circular Economy Hackathon (I-ACE)&rsquo;,</strong> in December 2020.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>idea of I-ACE was conceived during a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-australia-virtual-summit" target="_blank" rel="noopener">virtual summit</a> on 4th June, 2020,</strong> between the Indian and Australian prime ministers, exploring innovative ways to boost the circular economy in India and Australia.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Focus:</strong> I-ACE will focus on <strong>identification and development of innovative technology solutions</strong> by students, startups and MSMEs of both nations.</li>
<li><strong>Key Themes:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Innovation in packaging, reducing packaging waste.</li>
<li>Innovation in food supply chains, avoiding waste.</li>
<li>Creating opportunities for plastic waste reduction.</li>
<li>Recycling critical energy metals and e-waste.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Selection of Winners:</strong> Shortlisted students and startups/MSMEs will be called for the hackathon, where two winners (one student and one startup/MSME) per theme from each country will be announced at an award ceremony.</li>
<li><strong>Cash Prize:</strong> Winning teams from both the countries will get cash prizes. The winning Indian student and startup/MSME will be awarded a prize of Rs. 2 lakh and Rs 5 lakh, respectively, coupled with post-hackathon product development opportunities.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Circular Economy</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Meaning:</strong> It is an economy where products are designed for durability, reuse and recyclability and thus almost everything gets reused, remanufactured, and recycled into a raw material or used as a source of energy.</li>
<li><strong>Efficient Use of Resources:</strong> It includes <strong>3 R&rsquo;s (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle),</strong> Refurbishment, Recover, and Repairing of materials.</li>
<li><strong>Example:</strong> If a person is planning to discard his/her mobile, it can be given to someone else (i.e. giving the mobile second life-Reuse), rather than throwing it just like that.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Once the mobile reaches its end of life, it can be ensured that everything embedded in it, aluminum, copper, plastic etc. should be brought back to production cycle so that the circle of the economy gets completed.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Response to the Linear Process:</strong> Many countries follow a linear process in which raw materials are taken from the environment, turned into new products which are then disposed of after use.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1603786065_image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1603786065_image2.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="500" caption="false" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Benefits:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>For Industry:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Fulfills the need for raw materials:</strong> The output produced by industries in a circular economy comes back to the industries in the form of input, for example, when parts of a mobile will be segregated, copper and aluminum will become raw materials for some industries.</li>
<li><strong>Efficient utilization of resources:</strong> This helps industries in earning cash profits equivalent to 3-5% of their turnover. Ultimately, QCDF (Quality, Cost, Delivery, and Flexibility) and sustainability level of industries get improved.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>For Environment:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/a-better-way-of-waste-management" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Problem of disposal of waste</strong></a> <strong>gets solved</strong> as in a circular economy, waste is converted into raw materials.</li>
<li>Also <strong>solves the problem of air pollution, water pollution, and land pollution.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>For Consumers:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Cost-Effective:</strong> The products in the circular economy are more cost effective for consumers as they tend to be more efficient, besides having a longer shelf life.</li>
<li><strong>Efficient Products:</strong> Increased Efficiency leads to a reduction in the cost of maintenance as well as that of disposal, which otherwise a consumer has to incur in a huge amount.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Global Response:</strong> Germany and Japan have used it as a binding principle for reorganizing its economy, whereas China even has a law on it (Circular Economy Promotion Law).<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Further, the <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/sustainable-development-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Sustainable Development Goals</strong></a>, adopted by the United Nations Member States in 2015, include many related ambitions.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Circular Economy and India</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India is already on its path to the circular economy. Initiatives of the National Productivity Council (NPC) and government show that. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>NPC</strong> is an autonomous organisation under the Ministry of Commerce &amp; Industry. <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-productivity-council" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Productivity Week 2019 Theme</strong></a> was &lsquo;Circular Economy for Productivity and Sustainability&rsquo;.</li>
<li><a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-digital-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&lsquo;Digital India&rsquo;</strong></a> Program contains a significant component of the recycling of electronic wastes. <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/swachh-bharat-mission-urban#:~:text=Swachh%20Bharat%20Mission%2DUrban%20(SBM,certified%20through%20third%2Dparty%20verification." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Swachh Bharat Mission</strong></a> is also about making wealth out of wastes.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>India has a <strong>huge potential for reuse and recycling</strong> as only around 20% of the total waste generated goes into the recycling process.</li>
<li>Manufacturing Sector, especially MSMEs can help a lot in transformation towards a circular economy. The sector should &lsquo;DECIDE&rsquo; i.e.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Designing processes for refurbishment and easy cycling.</li>
<li>Educating masses on Circular Economy and its benefits.</li>
<li>Collaborative Models for smooth implementation of Circular Economy.</li>
<li>Innovating Products for circularity.</li>
<li>Digitization for transparency, virtualization, dematerialization, and feedback driven intelligence for saving resources.</li>
<li>Energy-Efficient for environmental sustainability.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India and Australia have had a strong and productive bilateral partnership since a decade and their collaborations across a broad range of areas have yielded significant results.</li>
<li>Circular Economy can lead to the emergence of<strong> more sustainable production and consumption patterns,</strong> thus providing opportunities for developed and developing countries to achieve economic growth and inclusive and sustainable industrial development (ISID) in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.</li>
<li>The transition towards a circular economy requires systematic innovations including new innovative financing models, partnerships, business models and close integration of <strong><a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-industrial-revolution-4-0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">industry 4.0</a> principles.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1667604" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 18 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 6841,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Two New Ramsar Sites',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently,<strong> Kabartal Wetland (Bihar)</strong> and <strong>Asan Conservation Reserve (Uttrakhand)</strong> have been designated as <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/world-wetlands-day" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Ramsar sites</strong></a>, making them<strong> &lsquo;Wetlands of International Importance&rsquo;.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Earlier in 2020, India <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/addition-to-ramsar-sites" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>designated 10 more wetlands as a Ramsar site</strong></a>, taking the total number from 27 to 37.</li>
<li>With 2 more inclusions, the <strong>total number of Ramsar sites in India</strong> is <strong>39,</strong> the <strong>highest in South Asia.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Kabartal Wetland:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Also known as <strong>Kanwar Jheel,</strong> it covers 2,620 hectares of the Indo-Gangetic plains in the Begusarai district of Bihar.</li>
<li>It acts as <strong>a vital flood buffer</strong> for the region besides providing livelihood opportunities to local communities.</li>
<li><strong>Significant biodiversity</strong> is present, with 165 plant species and 394 animal species recorded, including 221 bird species. It is also a<strong> valuable site for fish biodiversity</strong> with over 50 species documented.</li>
<li>It is an<strong> important stopover along the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/east-asian-birds-spotted-in-andaman" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Central Asian Flyway</a></strong>, with 58 migratory waterbirds using it to rest and refuel.</li>
<li><strong>Five critically endangered species</strong> inhabit the site, including<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/vulture-culture" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> three vultures</strong> </a>&ndash; the <strong>red-headed vulture</strong> <em>(Sarcogyps calvus)</em>, <strong>white-rumped vulture</strong> <em>(Gyps bengalensis)</em> and <strong>Indian vulture</strong> <em>(Gyps indicus)</em> &ndash; and two waterbirds, the <strong>sociable lapwing</strong> <em>(Vanellus gregarius)</em> and <strong>Baer&rsquo;s pochard</strong> <em>(Aythya baeri)</em>.</li>
<li><strong>Major threats</strong> to the Site include water management activities such as drainage, water abstraction, damming and canalization.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Asan Conservation Reserve:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>ACR is a <strong>444-hectare stretch of the Asan River</strong> running down to its confluence with the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/water-quality-improves-in-yamuna#:~:text=The%20river%20Yamuna%2C%20a%20major,in%20Uttarkashi%20district%20of%20Uttarakhand.&amp;text=Important%20Tributaries%3A%20Chambal%2C%20Sindh%2C%20Betwa%20and%20Ken." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Yamuna River</strong> </a>in Dehradun district of Uttarakhand. It is <strong>Uttarakhand's first Ramsar Site.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The damming of the River by the <strong>Asan Barrage in 1967</strong> resulted in siltation above the dam wall, which helped to create some of the Site&rsquo;s bird-friendly habitats.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>These habitats<strong> support 330 species of birds</strong> including the <strong>critically endangered red-headed vulture</strong> <em>(Sarcogyps calvus)</em>, <strong>white-rumped vulture</strong> <em>(Gyps bengalensis)</em> and <strong>Baer&rsquo;s pochard</strong> <em>(Aythya baeri)</em>.</li>
<li>Other non-avian species present include <strong>49 fish species,</strong> one of these being the <strong>endangered Putitora mahseer</strong> <em>(Tor putitora)</em>. Fish use the site for feeding, migration and spawning.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Ramsar Site</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Ramsar Convention on Wetlands</strong> is an <strong>intergovernmental treaty</strong> adopted in <strong>1971</strong> in the Iranian city of Ramsar, on the southern shore of the Caspian Sea.</li>
<li>It<strong> came into force for India on 1<sup>st</sup> February, 1982.</strong> Those <strong>wetlands which are of international importance</strong> are declared as<strong> Ramsar sites.</strong></li>
<li>The <strong>Convention&rsquo;s mission</strong> is &ldquo;the conservation and wise use of all wetlands through local and national actions and international cooperation, as a contribution towards achieving sustainable development throughout the world&rdquo;.</li>
<li>The <strong>Montreux Record</strong> 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. It is <strong>maintained as part of the Ramsar List.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>At present, <strong>two wetlands</strong> of India are in Montreux Record: <strong>Keoladeo National Park</strong> (Rajasthan) and <strong>Loktak Lake</strong> (Manipur).</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/odisha-s-lake-conservation?__cf_chl_captcha_tk__=34601d32687e7c5ea393d0ffa5e610584f08b11a-1603699085-0-AU6KCDHq9wI_yOp5rdg1TxbRaqNvMxr154Z5fkLSIbJb1LebvXpQ5Xw3PEqzX24gZJL-3jkyOg6Yu7YGJhf5wxIKhhCsQR8hqce6N714GzEKPJFoMvi33GxziiGTh6KWC9IdFMR3ARKjT2KZ8a5fRKHh_x9L4mwlTrY17FiCU2X_2aqBO7iPfDE7MHuafruDQIXggacNULJhb-JWuYbs-FpACVDognIJcAaQltnti2cUK9p1inKWne7-nnMp0TPLMs4AJ8AnHMATTSStoM5MCEMq0wOHyy6dotQkVCiBtmd1TNzZixf-DVQtvms0Vj4DyR6IL0ZQ9HuG8tDNhsxXrfvDK7UpGEw_YIm1etRWn5w8mrdCILg29o6xWaMe0BbgCxJQ_MERpffAUVsfVJ_LfQCW6inG0hXD-oRIa8os26bVdDg6MzNjfSiz2mRsJE9ntJcXaVbgfEBhQ_1ArL_y0ll-FRWRyXyg1x_a9VnmKf0kppGG-DEstMAE0ttorh9pJd_IU9AI0wiWvxqxmIhy5F-Z-ZvKsQP-F3dPvt0oTiUjc4bD0zhjc30z1fh4Ze1WVYChjBSQbjBWR7kZ7Bt6Jsw" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Chilika Lake</strong></a> (Odisha) was placed in the record but<strong> later removed</strong> from it.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/asan-conservation-reserve-becomes-uttarakhand-s-first-ramsar-site/story-cDnNE6eCzPYTLvbGr3zk7N.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: HT</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 19 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 6831,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Seagrass',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong>restoration process of seagrasses</strong> has been taken up by Tamil Nadu in the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-1st-june-2019#:~:text=in%20Mandapam%20cluster.-,Gulf%20of%20Mannar,miles%20(160%20km)%20long." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Gulf of Mannar.</strong></a></p>
<h3><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1603533009_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1603533009_image1.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="350" caption="false" /></strong></a>Key Points<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1603532962_image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1603532962_image2.jpg" caption="false" width="250" style="float: right;" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Seagrasses:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>These are <strong>flowering plants</strong> that<strong> grow submerged in shallow marine waters</strong> like bays and lagoons.</li>
<li>These have<strong> tiny flowers</strong> and <strong>strap-like or oval leaves.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Evolution:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Terrestrial plants</strong> evolved about <strong>850 million years</strong> ago from a group of green <strong>algae</strong> and seagrasses evolved from terrestrial plants that recolonised the ocean <strong>70-100 million years ago.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Food Production:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Like terrestrial plants, seagrasses also <strong>require sunlight for photosynthesis</strong> from which these<strong> manufacture their own food </strong>and<strong> release oxygen.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Reproduction:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Sexual Reproduction Method:</strong> The <strong>pollen from the flower of the male plant is transferred to the ovary of the female</strong> flower through this method.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>This is known as <strong>submarine pollination.</strong> Most species undergo this process and complete their life cycle underwater.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Asexual Reproduction Method:</strong> Seagrasses can also reproduce asexually by <strong>branching off at their rhizomes</strong> (modified subterranean plant stem that sends out roots and shoots from its nodes).<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Because of this character, they <strong>can recover after being cut by grazers or disturbed by storms.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Order and Species:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>There are <strong>60 species</strong> belonging to four families in the <strong>order <em>Alismatales.</em></strong></li>
<li>Some of the important seagrasses are <strong>Sea Cow Grass</strong> <em>(Cymodocea serrulata),</em> <strong>Thready Seagrass</strong> <em>(Cymodocea rotundata),</em><strong> Needle Seagrass </strong><em>(Syringodium isoetifolium), </em><strong>Flat-tipped Seagrass</strong><em> (Halodule uninervis)</em>, etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Habitat:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Though seagrasses <strong>inhabit all types of substratas</strong> (layers) from mud to rock, the lush green seagrass beds are <strong>found extensively in muddy and sandy substratas.</strong></li>
<li>These occur all <strong>along the coastal areas of India</strong> and are abundant in the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-sri-lanka-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Palk Strait</strong></a> and Gulf of Mannar in Tamil Nadu.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Seagrasses are considered<strong> &lsquo;Ecosystem Engineers&rsquo;</strong> as they are known for providing many ecosystem services and are also called<strong> &lsquo;the lungs of the sea&rsquo;</strong> as they release oxygen into the water through photosynthesis.</li>
<li><strong>Sequesters up to 11% of the organic carbon</strong> buried in the ocean even though they occupy only 0.1% of the ocean floor and <strong>absorb 83 million tonnes of carbon from the atmosphere annually.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Seagrasses can capture carbon from the atmosphere <strong>up to 35 times faster than tropical rainforests.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Help maintain water quality</strong> by trapping fine sediments and suspended particles in the water column and increase water clarity.</li>
<li><strong>Filter nutrients released from land-based industries</strong> before they reach sensitive habitats like <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/significance-of-dead-coral-reef" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>coral reefs.</strong></a></li>
<li><strong>Prevent soil erosion</strong> as the extensive vertical and horizontal root systems of seagrasses stabilise the sea bottom.</li>
<li><strong>Provide food as well as habitat</strong> for fishes, octopuses, shrimp, blue crabs, oysters, etc.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Endangered marine organisms like <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/world-dugong-day-2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>dugong</strong> </a>(Sea Cow), <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/two-headed-green-turtle" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>green turtle</strong></a>, etc,<strong> graze directly</strong> on seagrass leaves.</li>
<li><strong>Bottle-nosed dolphins feed on the organisms</strong> that live in seagrass areas.</li>
<li><strong>Detritus</strong> (natural waste) of decomposed dead seagrass <strong>supplies food for worms, sea cucumbers, crabs,</strong> etc.</li>
<li><strong>After decomposition,</strong> it releases <strong>nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus</strong> which are absorbed by seagrasses and phytoplankton.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Protect</strong> juvenile and small adult fish<strong> from large predators</strong> and also protect worms, crabs, starfishes, sea cucumbers, sea urchins, etc,<strong> from strong currents.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Provide ideal nursery sites</strong> for important commercial marine life like squids and cuttlefish.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Threats:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Seagrass beds are facing <strong>decline all over the world at the rate of 2-5% annually.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Around 30,000 square kilometres of seagrass has been lost during recent decades at a global level.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>These face <strong>natural disturbances</strong> like grazing, storms, <strong>ice-scouring</strong> (abrasion and erosion of seabeds by glaciers.) and <strong>desiccation</strong> (extreme dryness).</li>
<li><strong>Human disturbances</strong> like <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/marine-pollution#:~:text=Eutrophication%3A%20When%20a%20water%20body,depletion%20of%20the%20water%20body." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>eutrophication</strong></a>, mechanical destruction of habitat, overfishing, release of nutrients, coastal engineering construction, pollution, etc are destructive for them.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>If seagrass habitats are lost, the marine organisms that depend on them for their survival may also face extinction, resulting in the loss of marine ecosystem productivity.</li>
<li>Protection and restoration should be attempted at a global level as it can play a significant role in mitigating climate change.</li>
<li>There is an urgent need to take earnest measures to conserve seagrasses and their habitats. For that, the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/iucn-red-list" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>International Union for the Conservation of Nature</strong> </a>(IUCN) should intervene immediately and study the status of the different seagrass species before they become extinct.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.downtoearth.org.in/blog/wildlife-biodiversity/why-we-must-conserve-the-world-s-seagrasses-73852#:~:text=Seagrass%20habitats%20protect%20juvenile%20and,%2C%20etc%2C%20from%20strong%20currents." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: DTE</strong></a></p>',
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