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NEO IAS Environment Current Affairs Prelims 2017

0484-3190310, 9446331522, 9446334122 9947618139 www.neoias.com Page 1

CONTENTS

1. Steps Taken by the Government to Ensure Protection of Species…………… 2

2. Luc Hoffmann Award………………………………………………………. 3

i) East Kolkata Wetlands…………………………………………………… 3

3. Country Gets Its First Tiger Repository…………………………………… 3

i) National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA)……………………….. 4

ii) Wildlife Institute of India (WII)………………………………………..... 4

4. Rhino Horn Verification Committee……………………………………….. 4

5. Greenland Sharks Longest-Living Vertebrates on Earth………………….. 5

6. Portable Kit to Detect Chromium in Water……………………………….. 5

7. Atlas for Narmada Mahseer……………………………………………….. 6

8. Eel…………………………………… ……………………………………… 6

9. Effect of Deforestation on Summer Monsoon Rainfall …………………… 6

10. Miscellaneous Information’s……………………………………………….. 7

i) Evidence for northern movement of Eastern Himalayan Syntaxis…….. 7

ii) China to Establish National Eco-Experimental Zones…………………. 7



1. STEPS TAKEN BY THE GOVERNMENT TO ENSURE PROTECTION

OF SPECIES RELEVANCE Information about steps taken by the Government to ensure protection of species is given by Minister of State

(Independent Charge) of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, in a written reply to a question in Lok

Sabha.

Information’s given by Minister o There are 909 entries of taxa (including species, genus, families, orders and classes) of animals, birds

and plants in the various Schedules of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972.

o Towards the protection of those species, the Government has established a country-wide protected

area network (730 Protected Areas including 103 National Parks, 535 Wildlife Sanctuaries, 26

Community Reserves, and 66 Conservation Reserves in different bio-geographic regions), under the

provisions of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 to conserve wild animals and their habitats of

threatened flora and fauna.

o Other steps taken by the Government to ensure protection of these species are as under:

Legal protection has been provided to wild animals against hunting and commercial

exploitation under the provisions of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972.

Special programmes like „Project Tiger‟ and „Project Elephant‟ have been launched for

conservation of these endangered species and their habitats.

A specific component of “Recovery programmes for saving critically endangered species and

habitats‟ is provided in the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of „Integrated Development of Wildlife

Habitats‟ for focused conservation action on selected critically endangered species.

Financial and technical assistance is provided to the State/ Union Territory (UT) Governments

under the Centrally Sponsored Schemes for providing better protection to wildlife including

endangered species and improvement of its habitat.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has been empowered under the Wild Life

(Protection) Act, 1972 to apprehend and prosecute wildlife offenders.

The Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) has been set up to ensure co-ordination among

various officers and State Governments in connection with the enforcement of law for control of

poaching and illegal trade in wildlife and its products. In this endeavor WCCB has undertaken

a number of steps like Intelligence led enforcement, sensitization on smuggling wildlife articles to

Border Guarding forces and Customs, Interagency coordination of enforcement, inclusion of

wildlife smuggling in bilateral and multilateral discussion and spreading awareness and education

campaigns for various stakeholders.

Biological Diversity Act, 2002, was inter-alia enacted to ensure protection of threatened species

and their habitats. Under the provisions of Section 38 of the National Biodiversity Act, 2002, the

species which are on the verge of extinction or likely to become extinct in near future as

threatened species, are notified. Ministry has already issued notifications for 16 states and 2 UTs

to this effect.

Botanical Survey of India has brought a number of endemic/threatened plants under cultivation

in its Acharya Jagdish Chandra Bose Indian Botanic Garden in Howrah, Botanic Garden of Indian

Republic, Noida and other associated botanic gardens of its regional centres for their ex-situ

conservation, thereby complementing the in-situ conservation of such species in protected areas

established in different bio-geographical regions of the country.

Offences detected and offenders arrested for offences against the scheduled species are dealt

with as per the provisions of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 by the concerned enforcement

agencies.



2. LUC HOFFMANN AWARD RELEVANCE

East Kolkata Wetlands, a swathe of water bodies spanning over 100 sq. km., is

fast shrinking due to illegal filling of fishponds, the scientist who mapped the area

and calculated its economic value has received one of the highest international

awards in environmental leadership.

o The steering committee of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural

Resources (IUCN) informed Dr. Dhrubajyoti Ghosh, the first Indian environmental activist to

receive the Luc Hoffman award.

o Dr. Ghosh was the key architect to map the wetlands and name it.

About Luc Hoffmann Award

o The CEM Luc Hoffmann Award, named in honor of one of the foremost leaders in conservation over

the past 50 years, recognizes individuals who have made an exceptional contribution to

conserving ecosystems.

o The Commission on Ecosystem Management (CEM) develops and promotes the ecosystem

approach in support of IUCN’s mission on conservation of our biological diversity. That is more quickly

said than done.

o Commission on Ecosystem Management: A network of professionals whose mission is to act as a

source of advice on the environmental, economic, social and cultural factors that affect natural

resources and biological diversity

o CEM created the Luc Hoffmann Award for individuals that demonstrate initiative and environmental

leadership within their communities. People that are not paid for their activities but do this for their own

good reasons. CEM members are asked to nominate people that qualify.

o In 2012 the CEM steering committee decided to establish an award to bring (local) environmental

leaders into the spotlight. People that are not paid as such for their conservation activities, but who

have the vision to do it for their own good reasons. People that set inspirational examples for nature

conservation and ecosystem management.

RELATED INFORMATION i) About East Kolkata Wetlands

o Bengal's East Calcutta wetlands, through a system developed by local people over the years, has saved Kolkata the costs of wastewater treatment plants.

o It forms an urban facility for treating the city's wastewater and using the treated waste for pisciculture and agriculture, through the recovery of nutrients in an efficient manner - the water flows through fish ponds covering about 4,000 ha, and the ponds act as solar reactors and complete most of their bio-chemical reactions with the help of solar energy.

o It is described as a rare example of environmental protection and development management. o These wetlands are well known over the world for their multiple uses. The wetland comprises of

intertidal marshes including salt marshes, salt meadows with significant waste water treatment areas like sewage farms, settling ponds and oxidation basins.

o East Kolkata Wetland Management Authority (EKWMA) was constituted under the State Legislation in 2006 and as per the East Kolkata Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Act, 2006 to protect the 12,500-hectare East Kolkata wetlands declared as Ramsar site.

o Under threat due to the developers, over fishing and industrial waste.

3. COUNTRY GETS ITS FIRST TIGER REPOSITORY RELEVANCE The Wildlife Institute of India (WII) now houses the country‟s first repository on

tigers, under its new Tiger Cell.

About Tiger Cell

o Worked with the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) on tiger

conservation and population estimation in the process we WII have

generated a huge database



o If a tiger skin is recovered at a place then a properly maintained database can be used to check where

the tiger might have come from

o When a project needs environmental clearance, the spatial data can be used to overlay the project

plan on the maps and check whether the project would interfere (with wildlife habitats that must not be

disturbed)

o The Tiger Cell will be funded by the NTCA (a statutory body under the Environment Ministry)

o The Tiger Cell will assist in population assessment of tigers, law enforcement, wildlife forensics,

infrastructural development and mitigation, smart patrolling and advisory role in policy formulation

RELATED INFORMATION

i) National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA)

o The Govt. of India had launched “Project Tiger” on 1st April 1973 to promote conservation of the tiger.

o Project Tiger has been the largest species conservation initiative of its kind in the world.

o „Project Tiger’ is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme of the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, providing funding support to tiger range States, for in-situ conservation of tigers in designated tiger reserves, and has put the endangered tiger on an assured path of recovery by saving it from extinction.

o The implementation of Project Tiger over the years has highlighted the need for a statutory authority with legal backing to ensure tiger conservation. On the basis of the recommendations of National Board for Wild Life chaired by the Hon‟ble Prime Minister, a Task Force was set up to look into the problems of tiger conservation in the country. The recommendations of the said Task Force, interalia include strengthening of Project Tiger by giving it statutory and administrative powers, apart from creating the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau.

o Considering the urgency of the situation, Project Tiger has been converted into a statutory authority (NTCA) by providing enabling provisions in the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 through an amendment, viz. Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Act, 2006.

o This forms one of the urgent recommendations of the Tiger Task Force appointed by the Prime Minister. The Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Act, 2006 has come into force with effect from the 4th of September, 2006, and the NTCA has also been constituted on the same date.

o National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) is chaired by the Minister of Environment and Forest.

o NTCA co-ordinates, implements and monitors Project Tiger. ii) Wildlife Institute of India (WII)

o This institute was set up in 1982 by Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India.

o WII‟s aim is to develop wildlife science and promote its application in the field according to India‟s economic and socio-culture background. Research in Wildlife is the major activity of WII.

o Wildlife Institute of India was established in 1982 as an attached office of the Ministry of Environment and Forests. Subsequently, it was granted autonomous status in 1986.

o The institute is mandated by Government of India to carry out research on various aspects on Wild Life conservation, conduct training programmes for capacity building of Wild Life managers, build up repository of knowledge of Wild Life and provide technical and advisory services to the State and Central Governments in the country.

4. RHINO HORN VERIFICATION COMMITTEE RELEVANCE The verification of rhino horns to check their genuineness and updating of

the complete inventory of horns kept in various treasuries in the custody of

Assam government since 1980

o The first treasury to be opened will be Golaghat with the highest

number of rhino horns in government custody with most from

Kaziranga National Park

o The Rhino Horn Verification Committee, is under the chairmanship



of former Assam State Information Commissioner Mohan Chandra Malakar

o The 12-member committee has four wildlife experts, two representatives from media, one RTI activist,

one forensic scientist beside four high officials of Assam Forest Department.

o The forensic experts have set up a field lab at the Golaghat circuit house for scientific verification.

o The entire verification process will be streamed live for transparency.

o The committee will visit every treasury of Assam where the horns are stored and are expected to file

the report within 60 days

o The rhino horns are scattered in 12 treasuries of Assam, the maximum being in Golaghat followed by

Nagaon, Guwahati and Tezpur

5. GREENLAND SHARKS LONGEST-LIVING VERTEBRATES ON EARTH

RELEVANCE Now scientists calculated that one female Greenland shark which is

in the cold waters of the Arctic is the Earth’s oldest living animal

with a backbone. Researchers used radiocarbon dating to

determine the ages of 28 of the animals, and estimated that one

female was about 400 years old. Until now, that record holder was

a bowhead whale that hit 211 years old.

o Using a novel dating technique, an international team of

biologists and physicists estimated the age of 28 dead female Greenland sharks based on tissue in

their eyes. Those tissues form while the shark is still developing inside the mother‟s uterus and

measures of carbon in them won‟t change after birth

o The shark was probably born sometime between 1500 and 1740 with the most likely birth year 1620.

o The team found that the sharks grow at just 1cm a year, and reach sexual maturity at about the age

of 150.

o The former vertebrate record-holder was a bowhead whale estimated to be 211 years old.

o But if invertebrates are brought into the longevity competition, a 507-year-old clam called Ming holds

the title of most aged animal.

o Greenland sharks are huge beasts, which can grow up to 5m in length.

o They can be found, swimming slowly, throughout the cold, deep waters of the North Atlantic.

6. PORTABLE KIT TO DETECT CHROMIUM IN WATER RELEVANCE The Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) has developed a portable kit to check chromium

contamination in water.

About BARC’s kit o Simple, user-friendly, quick and cost-effective for onsite determination of Cr (VI)

o Meets IS10500 as well as US Environmental Protection Agency criterion

o It provides the much needed solution to measure the level of chromium contamination in drinking

water and tap water, lakes, rivers as well as ground water.

o The portable kit involves adding a specified amount of specific reagents to the water sample and

identifying the developed colour. The colour develops within 5 minutes and the distinction can be

made with the naked eye. For ease of comparison, a colour chart is provided with the kit.

o While the existing imported kit for on-site detection of chromium (VI) costs about Rs. 100/sample,

analysis using the BARC kit will cost Rs16/sample

o Once tested, water samples can be immediately categorised as being safe or toxic for drinking from

the Chromium(VI) point of view

o According to IS10500 standards for drinking water, the maximum permissible concentration of Cr(VI)

in drinking water is 50 microgram per litre.

o The EPA recommends a lower permissible concentration of 10 microgram per litre.



RELATED INFORMATION o Chromium, which is widely used in industries such as leather, steel, chrome plating, paint

manufacturing and wood preservation, is one of the major effluents found in water in several parts of

the country.

o Hexavalent Chromium Cr (VI) is toxic and the World Health Organisation has classified it as

carcinogenic, adding that its presence in water can cause stomach ulcers and cancers and severe

damage to kidneys and liver.

7. ATLAS FOR NARMADA MAHSEER

RELEVANCE While radio-collaring of tigers is now common, an atlas for the

endangered state fish of Madhya Pradesh — Narmada

Mahseer (Tor tor) — is being prepared in a first of its kind

experiment in the country.

o The forest department has begun identifying the

occurrence of Narmada Mahseer and is mapping them

in protected areas with Global Information System (GIS) technology.

o GIS helps in capturing, checking, storing and displaying data on earth's surface and can show different

kinds of data on one map.

o Forest department had also constructed an artificial flowing water repository in Barwah to conserve

Narmada Mahseer.

About Mahseer o Longest-living freshwater fish o Native to mountain and sub-mountain regions. o Belongs to the genus Tor o Purely carnivorous o Also known as the tiger of Indian rivers o Hunted for sport and food o Declared endangered by the International Union of Conservation of Natural Resources (IUCN).

8. EEL

RELEVANCE Scientists have discovered a new species of eel, a snake-like fish, from the

northern Bay of Bengal along the West Bengal coast.

About Eel o The newly discovered species be called Indian unpatterened moray

o The species Gymnothorax indicus is slender-bodied, about one feet-long and edible.

o The eel has 194 vertebrae. Its dorsal fin has a black margin.

o Eels are found mostly at the bottom of rivers and seas.

o Globally, about 1,000 species of eels have been identified and, in India, the number is around 125.

Though considered a delicacy in many countries like Japan, the consumption of eels in India is limited

to coastal areas.

o With over-exploitation of fishing resources both freshwater and marine, scientists believe that these

newly discovered species may contribute to food security in the future.

9. EFFECT OF DEFORESTATION ON SUMMER MONSOON RAINFALL RELEVANCE Using satellite data and regional climate models, IIT Bombay researchers have found that deforestation

(converting woody savanna to crop land) in north-east India and north-central India (Ganga Basin) has led

to a 100-200 mm reduction in summer monsoon rainfall in these two regions.

o During the initial phase of a monsoon, oceanic sources play a major role in bringing rain and charging

the soil with moisture.

o At the end of the monsoon period, evapotranspiration from vegetation contributes to rainfall.



o Evapotranspiration is a local moisture source for rainfall.

o Recycled precipitation contributes to 20-25 per cent of the total monsoon rainfall during the end of the

monsoon and is very prominent in the Ganga Basin and north-east India.

o Because of deforestation, there is 1-2 mm reduction per day in rainfall during the end of the monsoon

in the Ganga Basin and north-east India.

10. MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION’S i) Evidence for northern movement of Eastern Himalayan Syntaxis

o The eastern Himalayan syntaxis (convergence of mountain ranges, or geological folds), a gorge

along the Parlung river in Tibet, is tectonically active. The coincidence of high mountains and strong

rivers that cause erosion makes it a good place to study the

role of surface activity, such as erosion, in controlling

tectonics.

o A recent study, published on August in Science, finds that the

syntaxis is moving northwards.

o This contradicts a belief that the surface erosion due to the

powerful river and other factors would pin the high-erosion

zone to its location. For this purpose the researchers use a

new technique called Optically Stimulated Luminescence

(OSL) thermochronometry.

o The topography of mountain ranges comes to be as a result of various factors such as tectonics,

climate and surface processes. In this context, the study contributes to a debate about the relevance

of surface processes such as river erosion and other activities to tectonics.

o The control of tectonics by surface processes was thought to be demonstrated by pinning of a high

erosion zone by the very erosive rivers. The new data show that this zone was not pinned, but rather

continued to migrate northwards.

o The eastern Himalayan syntaxis is an ideal location to study the effects of erosion on tectonics — very

tall mountains over 7,000 metres high and powerful rivers. Because the surface processes are so

intense, the erosion is rapid.

o The researchers used a new technique to measure the migration of the fold of land known as OSL

thermo chronometry. As rocks get “exhumed,” or rise to the surface from the earth‟s crust, they start

cooling down. At specific temperatures, the minerals such as quartz contained in the rocks start

capturing electrons while continuing to rise, and they cool correspondingly. By observing the history of

concentrations of electrons, the researchers estimate the temperature profile against the time and then

translate this into knowledge of the depth as a function of time. This gives them an understanding of

the rate at which the rocks rose to the surface.

o New data showed that the rate of erosion had increased in the last 1 million years, to rates which

could not be explained simply by river incision.

ii) CHINA TO ESTABLISH NATIONAL ECO-EXPERIMENTAL ZONES

o China will set up several national ecological experimental zones to carry out reforms in the

“ecological civilisation” in a bid to improve the environment damaged by fast-paced

development in the past three decades.

o The guideline, issued by the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Cabinet aimed at

carrying out reforms on ecological civilisation system.

o According to targets set in the guideline, major progress shall be achieved by 2017 and fully-fledged

ecological civilisation systems shall be established by 2020

o Main experiments will include establishing a natural resource property rights system, compiling

natural resource balance sheet, optimising land and space planning, and incorporating ecological

performance into officials‟ evaluation.



Documents

9446331522, 9446334122, 0484-3190310 ...€¦ · o East Kolkata Wetland Management Authority (EKWMA) was constituted under the State Legislation in 2006 and as per the East Kolkata