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CAT EGORY ARCHIVES: ENVIRONM ENT AND DISAST ER M ANAGEM ENT

Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment Disaster and disaster

management.

Hindu notes 14-21 June 2013Posted on June 21, 2013 by admin

Following topics are covered which were in news in The Hindu paper last week

ILO’s World of Work report, 2013

Proposed Judicial Appointment Commission – why it is threat to indepedence of Judiciary

Need of reforming existing collegium system of selection of SC judges

A project monitoring group within cabinet secretariat formed to fast track big infra projects – CCI

Update on Mental Health Bill

1. widens Definition of Metal illness

2. World Health Assembly adopted Mental Health action plan 2013-2020 – what are its objectives

and policy guidelines

3. Main features of Mental health bill

4. Status of mental health in India

Tianhe -2 – World’s fastest super computer – ~ 34 pentaflops speed next best is USA’s Titan at ~17.5

pentaflops

Katta panchayats in TN and Khap in North India – Rise of castiest political parties

Fifth and sixth schedule of constitution – special administrative measures for Tribal dominated areas.

Why Baxar wants a place in 6th schedule

Mayaram Committee recommendation of changing existing FDI caps

India’s Cyber Security Architecture – CMS- NCCC(covered in previous week’s notes), Cyber operation

centers, National critical Infrastructure protection centers

Another man made disaster – Flash flood in Uttarakhand and HP – causes – global and local

Carbon nanotube find application in saving water in steel industry

Dynamic photo therapy to treat skin and stomach cancer – a promising molecule developed indigenous

By 2050 – food production will be inadequate to feed population – projections

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Link of pdf

Posted in Environment and disaster management, Executive and the Judiciary, General Studies III,

Inidan Society, IT,space, robotics, nanotech, biotech and IPR, Welfare schemes and instituions for

vulnerable sections | Tagged carbon nanotubes, current affairs, cyber security, hindu notes, indian

constitution, judicial appointment commision, mental health bill | 1 Reply

Disaster management- meaning and classificationPosted on June 14, 2013 by admin

Topic of Disaster management is introduced in new syllabus of GS. It is also part of public administration

paper 2 syllabus. Therefore we need to thoroughly prepare this topic. To start with, here is meaning and

classification of disaster. Following topics are covered in pdf inserted in this post.

Definition of disaster and hazard

Difference between disaster and hazard

classification of disaster as was done by High powered committee under head of GC pant set up in

1999

1. Water and climate – Flood, cyclones, Drought, Hailstorm, Cloudburst, snow avalanche, sea

erosion etc

2. Geological – Earthquake, landslides, dam failure etc

3. Biological – Epidemics, Food poising, Pest attack

4. Chemical, Nuclear and Industrial

5. Accidental – Fire, building collapse, train accident etc.

Why Disaster management is a policy issue and a domain of Public Administration

Why Man is behind any disaster – either natural or man made

Overview of natural disasters in India – Floods, Drought, Cyclones, Earthquakes, avalanche

Overview of man made disasters – Rail and road accidents, Biological, chemical and nuclear, Tobacco

and alcohol related health problems, dysentery, diarrhea related deaths due to sanitation, cleanliness,

dirty water consumption, Communal riots etc

Vulnerability profile of India

Agro-forestry – definition, its significance in India

Disaster Risk due to urbanization

Why Good governance to reduce disaster risk

This pdf file can be downloaded. Find out download link of the pdf below.

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Diaster Managment – meaning and classification

Above file is downloaded from IGNOU site but has my handwritten comments and underlines and highlighted

sections of important points.

Posted in Environment and disaster management, General Studies III | Tagged bhopal gas tragedy,

cyclones, disaster, disaster management, earthquake, epidemics, hazard, man-made disaster,

public administration | Leave a reply

Coral reefs – recent findingsPosted on April 15, 2013 by admin

Coral reefs are underwater structures made from calcium carbonate secreted by corals.

Coral reefs are colonies of tiny living animals like calcareous algae, gastropods, green

algae, sino bacteria, oyester, mollusca etc found in marine waters. Coral reefs are often

called “rainforests of the sea” as they form some of the most diverse ecosystems on

Earth. Despite occupying less than 0.1% of the world’s ocean surface, they provide a

home for 25% of all marine species!

Conditions required for coral reef formation:

They are found in clear tropical ocean water usually between 30N to 30S latitudes

The water temperature must be between 20-25C

Coral reef can form to depth of 90 meters since at this depth algae can form food

through photosynthesis.

Coral are not found near mouth of river where lots of sediments are unloaded into

ocean.

Coral are formed only in saline water with almost 27ppp (parts per million).

Types of Coral reefs:

1. Fringing reef: A coral reef which is attached to the shore is known as fringing reef.eg Andaman Nicobar, Lakshadweep, Coast of Florida

2. Barrier Reef: A lagoon formed between continent and corals are known as barrier

reef. eg Great barrier reef of Australia

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3. Atoll: A ring shaped coral reef formed by barrier reef over long period of time is

known as atoll. eg Tobalu Island.

Recent Findings:

A recent study taken up by a team of researchers from the Zoological Survey of India

(ZSI), Chennai, brought to light the serious threat of extinction the coral reef colonies

and mangrove forests in the Palk Bay are facing. At present, only two per cent of the

coral reefs survive in the area.

Global warming, siltation, release of untreated raw sewage into the water bodies and

overgrowth of algae were stated to be the three important reasons for the possible

disappearance of coral colonies and its associated organisms from the Palk Bay area.

The study showed that release of untreated raw sewage from the nearby areas into the

water bodies, which ultimately drained into the sea, led to diseases in coral colonies,

due to which they died. The mix of sewage water into the sea water had a cascading

effect, resulting in coral colonies being covered with an increased growth of algae. This

also led to the disappearance of corals

At present, a small colony of bolder corals, a resilient species, is only found in the Palk

Bay region.

“A decade ago, the entire region used to be filled with a lot of life forms and it was a

paradise for researchers. But, today, the place is totally deserted,”

Apart from these problems, the conflicts of interest between the traditional fishermen

and the trawler operators also took a toll on the biodiversity of the Palk region.

Australian scientists have discovered the molecular mechanism that leads to mass death

of corals worldwide as the Earth’s climate changes. Coral bleaching is one of the most

devastating events affecting coral reefs around the planet, which is triggered by rising

water temperature.It occurs when the coral & its symbioyic algae come heat-stressed,

and the algae, which feed the corals, either die or are expelled by the coral.Now,

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scientists from the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies and James Cook

University have revealed that a complex cascade of molecular signals leading up to the

self-inflicted death of corals and their symbiotic algae is triggered as sea water begins to

warm.

Sadly, more than three-quarters of the corals in the Caribbean Sea have been lost in the

past 35 years and half the cover in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef has died since 1960.

A report released by the International Coral Reef Symposium has stated that more than

85% of reefs in the “Coral Triangle” (covering Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New

Guinea, the Philippines, The Solomon Islands and East Timor) is under threat from

pollution, sedimentation, overfishing and climate change.

But there is one factor emerging as the biggest threat to the reefs, that is being called

“climate change’s equally evil twin.” This factor is he rising acid levels in oceans.

Acidic oceans

Like global warming, ocean acidification to is driven by is driven by excessive levels of

carbon dioxide.

Oceans absorb about a quarter of the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, forming

carbonic acid. This increases sea acidity. Scientists initially assumed that the carbon

dioxide absorbed by the water would be sufficiently diluted as the oceans mixed shallow

and deeper waters.

But most of the carbon dioxide and the subsequent chemical changes are being

concentrated in surface waters. Higher acid levels make it tough for coral skeletons to

form and lead to its deterioration.

Oceans’ rising acid levels have emerged as one of the biggest threats to coral reefs,

acting as the “osteoporosis of the sea” and threatening everything from food security to

tourism to livelihoods

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Some attempts to address the problem are already under way. Instruments that

measure changing acid levels in the water have been installed in some areas to warn

oyster growers when to stop the flow of ocean water to their hatcheries.

But that is only a short-term solution, say scientists. The most critical element is

reducing carbon emissions.

Posted in Environment and disaster management, Geophysical phenomena and geographical

features | 1 Reply

Plastics RecyclabilityPosted on March 18, 2013 by admin

Hindu Link

Since plastic is cheap and versatile, its abuse presents a serious environmental menace.

It is derived from petrochemicals, so is inherently unsustainable. It degrades slowly

(taking up to 500 years) and in the process releases persistent organic pollutants that

can be ingested by organisms in the biosphere, contaminating not just the atmosphere

but also the food chain.

The MOEF released plastic waste management rules in 2011, giving us a basic

framework to examine the plastic that enters our lives. Some of the salient points are:

Plastic carry bags should not be distributed free

Manufacturers should indicate the thickness of plastic and indicate whether it is

compostable or recyclable

Plastic carry bags should be only in white or use BIS permitted colours

Carry bags are to be 40 microns or thicker (against the earlier 20 microns)

An interesting point in the rules has been the formal recognition of the role of

rag-pickers. The Ministry requests Municipalities to constructively engage with rag-

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pickers for better waste management. This is important because rag-pickers have

always known what we educated citizens do not: that all plastics are not the same.

The term ‘recyclability’ of plastic is incorrect. Recyclability implies that if we pulp and

process a plastic bag, we should get something of similar strength and durability.

However, plastics cannot be recycled, only ‘down’ cycled. So if your plastic bag is

processed, in the best case, you will get a lower grade that holds less weight and won’t

last as long.

This is because plastics, when compared to other material like paper, glass or metal, are

more complex to process. They require a sophisticated system to separate different

blends and grades in order to properly recover value.

Different types of plastics like PET and PVC cannot be processed together. This is a

vital reason why responsible citizens must segregate waste at source.

Colours and additives also interfere with recycling: it is difficult to process a red

toothbrush and a green bottle together even if they are of the same type and thickness.

Now, we see that plastic waste management does not end with carrying a cloth bag to

the store, although that is a noble first step. We should educate ourselves about the

materials we use and choose those that stand a good chance of being recycled.

Posted in Environment and disaster management, General Studies I | Leave a reply

Melting Ice in Arctic – boon or bane?Posted on March 18, 2013 by admin

At the first Arctic Summit organised by The Economist in Oslo, though India was not

represented, climate change issues figured as much as the region’s undiscovered natural

resources, which many countries and oil companies are eyeing.

China’s Interest:

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While India set up a research station in the Arctic in the 2008, and is keen on a say in

the area, its neighbour is far ahead of it. A Chinese icebreaker made a three-month

journey in the Arctic Ocean last year, thus becoming the first Asian ship to navigate

through the treacherous waters.

China was keen on exploration in the Arctic and there were a lot of trade needs. If a

new sea route could be opened due to the ice melt, it would be an opportunity fot

china. While everyone was seeing the bad aspects, China was enthused by the

prospects of trade and transport. Last year China carried out its fifth Arctic expedition.

Three possible Arctic sea routes were being explored and the Arctic sea route, if

operational by 2030, could take half the container ship traffic. China would double its

economy size by 2020 and the new sea routes would boost Chinese trade hugely as

per the Polar Research Institute’s calculations. The new sea routes would be shorter

and also reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

Environmental Concerns:

There is huge pressure on the Arctic and its resources,there are no systems in

place to handle a shipwreck or oil spill.

The Arctic Council might have an overriding responsibility for the region, but it

might not be able to manage the environment. The region was witnessing a race

for its resources without anyone understanding the importance of ice in the region,

For the roughly 4.5 million inhabitants of the Arctic region, climate change was not

a distant phenomenon, said Lars Kullerud, president of the University of the

Arctic, a group of academics. There are 40 different communities in the Arctic

region and they were already seeing signs of change in the form of early spring,

winters being less cold, and snow being no longer dry. Animals used to dig through

the dry snow for food, but that had changed. Fish stock had moved due to the

changing climate and hunting seals had become difficult since the ice had melted.

In the past, thick ice allowed transport to communities and mining centres, but

now melting ice made it difficult for trucks to move.

Environmentalists called for better regulation and first studying possible impacts on the

region before jumping in.

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