CURRENT BULLETIN - MARCH 2020 ENVIRONMENT€¦ · 07.04.2020 · great Indian bustard, Bengal florican, oceanic white-tip shark, urial and smooth hammerhead shark. Globally, more

CURRENT BULLETIN - MARCH 2020

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ENVIRONMENTMIGRATORY SPECIES

Context With new additions to the wildlife list put

out by the Convention on the Conservationof Migratory Species (CMS), scientists saythat the total number of migratory faunafrom India comes to 457 species. Birdscomprise 83% (380 species) of this figure.

Background The new additions are the Asian elephant,

great Indian bustard, Bengal florican,oceanic white-tip shark, urial and smoothhammerhead shark.

Globally, more than 650 species are listedunder the CMS appendices and India, withover 450 species, plays a very important rolein their conservation.

About Migratory Birds The bird family Muscicapidae has the

highest number of migratory species. The next highest group of migratory birds is

raptors or birds of prey, such as eagles, owls,vultures and kites which are from the familyAccipitridae.

The country has three flyways (flight pathsused by birds): the Central Asian flyway, East

Asian flyway and East Asian-Australasianflyway.

Another group of birds that migrate in largenumbers are waders or shore birds.

In India, their migratory species number 41,followed by ducks (38) belonging to thefamily Anatidae.

About Migratory Mammals The estimate of 44 migratory mammal

species in India has risen to 46 after COP 13. The Asian elephant was added to Appendix

I and the urial to Appendix II. The largest group of mammals is definitely

bats belonging to the familyVespertilionidae.

Dolphins are the second highest group ofmammals with nine migratory species ofdolphins listed.

Highlights The total number of migratory fish species

from India under CMS now stands at 24. The oceanic white-tip shark and smooth

hammerhead shark are the new additionsto the list.

Seven reptiles, which include five speciesof turtles and the Indian gharial and saltwater crocodile, are among the CMS speciesfound in India.

There was no addition to the reptiles list.

Warning systems by INCOISContext: The Indian National Centre for Ocean

Information Services (INCOIS), Hyderabad


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has launched Small Vessel Advisory andForecast Services System (SVAS), Swell SurgeForecast System and Algal BloomInformation Service (ABIS) recently.

Small Vessel Advisory and Forecast ServicesSystem:

Small Vessel Advisory and Forecast Services System(SVAS) has been launched to improve operationson the numerous small marine vessels, particularlyfishing vessels that ply the coastal waters of India. It is an innovative impact-based advisory

and forecast service system for small vesselsoperating in Indian coastal waters.

The SVA system warns users about potentialzones where vessel overturning can takeplace, ten days in advance.

The advisories are valid for small vessels ofbeam width up to 7 m.

This limit covers the entire range of beamwidths of the fishing vessels used in all the9 coastal states and union territories ofIndia.

The warning system is based on the 'BoatSafety Index' (BSI) derived from wave modelforecast outputs such as significant waveheight, wave steepness, directional spreadand the rapid development of wind at seawhich is boat-specific.

Swell Surge Forecast System: The Swell Surge Forecast System has been

launched to provide swell surgeforewarnings for the coastal population ofIndia's vast shoreline, which experiencesdamages caused by the swell waves.

They are flash-flood events that take placewithout any noticeable advance change inlocal winds or any other apparent signaturein the coastal environment.

Hence the local population remains totallyunaware of these flooding events until theyactually occur.

These events have attracted attentionespecially after the 2004 Tsunami in theIndian Ocean, since most people mistakeKallakkadal to be Tsunamis.

Tsunami and Kallakkadal/Swell surge aretwo different types of waves with entirelyseparate causes or mechanisms.

What are swell surges? Kallakkadal is a colloquial term used by

Kerala fishermen to refer to the freakyflooding episodes and in 2012 UNESCOformally accepted this term for scientificuse.

During Kallakkadal events, the sea surgesinto the land and inundates vast areas.

Such events are intermittent throughout theyear.

Kallakkadal or Swell surge occurs along theIndian coast, particularly the west coast.

Kallakkadal are caused by meteorologicalconditions in the Southern Ocean, south of30°S.

A study by INCOIS scientists has revealedthat specific meteorological conditions inthe Southern Indian Ocean support thegeneration of long period swells.

These swells once generated, travelnorthward and reach the Indian coasts in 3-5 days' time, creating havoc in the coastalareas.


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The system will now predict Kallakkadal andwarnings will be given to concernedauthorities at least 2-3 days in advance,which will help the local authorities forcontingency plans and to reduce damage.

Algal Bloom Information Service: The Algal Bloom Information Service (ABIS)

has been launched to provide timelyinformation on harmful algal blooms, whichare detrimental to coastal fisheries and alsotend to induce respiratory problems withinthe coastal population from time to time.

The increasing frequency of algal blooms isa major concern due to its ill effects onfishery, marine life and water quality.

INCOIS has developed a service for"Detection and Monitoring of Bloom in theIndian Seas".

The target users are fishermen, marinefishery resource managers, researchers,ecologists and environmentalists.

The service also complements INCOIS'

marine fishing advisories i.e. PotentialFishing Zone advisories.

INCOIS-ABIS will provide near-real timeinformation on spatio-temporal occurrenceand spread of phytoplankton blooms overthe North Indian Ocean.

Accordingly, relevant data retrieved fromsatellites i.e. Sea Surface Temperature,chlorophyll-a, Algal Bloom Index -chlorophyll, rolling chlorophyll anomaly,rolling sea surface temperature anomaly,phytoplankton class/species, phyto-plankton size class and a composite imagedelineating bloom and non-bloom regionswill be disseminated daily through ABIS.

In addition, four regions have beenidentified as bloom hotspots: North Eastern Arabian Sea coastal waters off Kerala Gulf of Mannar, Tamil Nadu coastal waters of Gopalpur, Odisha

Indian National Centre for OceanInformation Services: Indian National Centre for Ocean

Information Services (INCOIS) provides anumber of free services for users in themarine realm.

The institute is an autonomous organisationunder the Ministry of Earth Sciences.

INCOIS prioritises requests for specificservices from its diverse user communitythat ranges right from fishermen to offshoreoil exploration industries.

Water scarcity in Himalayan regionContext: Study of water availability in the Himalayan

region.

Details: The research involved the survey of 13

towns across the Himalayan region of


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Bangladesh, Nepal, India and Pakistan. The study aimed to understand the

challenges faced by the urban inhabitantsof the regions.

The study notes that eight towns in theHimalayan region of Bangladesh, Nepal,India and Pakistan were nearly 20%-70%deficient in their water supply.

Concerns: The places surveyed were found to be

extremely dependent on springs for theirwater requirements (ranging between 50%and 100%).

The research warns that under currenttrends, the demand-supply gap may doubleby 2050.

Communities were coping through short-term strategies such as groundwaterextraction, which is proving to beunsustainable.

Rural areas have received much of theattention in terms of development in thisregion and issues surrounding urbanenvironments have been largely sidelined.Although only 3% of the total Hindu KushHimalayan population lives in larger citiesand 8% in smaller towns, projections showthat over 50% of the population will be livingin cities by 2050, placing tremendous stresson water availability.

Factors responsible: The study notes unplanned urbanization

and climate change as being the key factorsresponsible for the current state of affairs.

The increasing demand for resources andland for human habitation has led to theencroachment and degradation of naturalwater bodies (springs, ponds, lakes, canals,and rivers) and the increasing disappearanceof traditional water systems (stone spouts,wells, and local water tanks) across the

region. Global warming and the fast retreating

glaciers would only add to the challenge ofwater stress in the region.

Way forward: A holistic water management approach that

includes springshed management andplanned adaptation is extremely important.

Globally endangered species found inChilikalake Researchers conducting a study in

Odisha'sChilika Lake have found thepresence of a viable, breeding populationof a fishing cat and Eurasian otter in thebrackish water lagoon.

About the Project: The project was a collaborative effort

between The Fishing Cat Project, ChilikaDevelopment Authority, Wild Orissa,MahavirPakshiSurakshaSamity and ChilikaWildlife Division, Forest Department ofOdisha.

Fishing Cat: It is a globally endangered species that is

elusive and found in very few places inSouth and South-east Asia.


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Wild cat species usually hunt on ground butthe fishing cat hunts in water.

It has specialised features like partiallywebbed feet and water-resistant fur thathelps it to thrive in wetlands.

The flat-headed cat of south-east Asia is theonly other feline that shares similar features.

IUCN: Endangered

Eurasian Otter: Eurasian Otter is a semiaquatic mammal

native to Eurasia but it is found in thewaterways and coasts of Europe, many partsof Asia, and parts of northern Africa.

The Eurasian otter has a diet mainly of fish,and is strongly territorial.

IUCN: Endangered

Chilika Lake: Chilika Lake is a brackish water lake in the

Orissa state on the east coast of India. It is Asia's largest brackish water lake. It is the largest wintering ground for

migratory birds in the Indian subcontinent. The lake is home to a number of threatened

species of plants and animals. The lake is an ecosystem with large fishery

resources. The lagoon hosts over 160 species of birds

in the peak migratory season. Birds from as far as the Caspian Sea, Lake

Baikal, Aral Sea and other remote parts ofRussia, Kirghiz steppes of Mongolia, Centraland southeast Asia, Ladakh and Himalayasmigrate here.

Though hunters lose interest in RedPanda, traps still snare endangeredmammal

Context: A study by wildlife trade monitoring

network, TRAFFIC.

TRAFFIC: TRAFFIC, a wildlife trade monitoring

network, is a joint program of the WorldWide Fund for Nature (WWF) and theInternational Union for the Conservation ofNature (IUCN). It was founded in 1976.

TRAFFIC is a leading non-governmentalorganization working globally on the tradeof wild animals and plants in the context ofboth biodiversity and sustainabledevelopment.

The organization works to ensure that tradein wild plants and animals is not a threat tothe conservation of nature. Throughresearch, analysis, guidance and influence,it promotes sustainable wildlife trade (thegreen stream work) and combats wildlifecrime and trafficking (the red stream work).

The organization's priority is to promoteinternational cooperation to addresswildlife trade issues, with particularemphasis on CITES, the Convention onInternational Trade in Endangered Speciesof Wild Fauna and Flora.

Red Panda: The Red Panda (Ailurusfulgens) is a mammal

native to the eastern Himalayas andsouthwestern China.

It is also sometimes referred to as the lesserpanda, the red bear-cat, and the red cat-bear.

The reddish-brown arboreal mammal is theonly living member of the genus Ailurus. Itfeeds mainly on bamboo but also eats eggs,birds, and insects.


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Range: It is endemic to the temperate forests of

the Himalayas. An estimated 14,500 animalsare left in the wild across Nepal, Bhutan,India, China and Myanmar.

India accounts for the second largestpopulation of Red Pandas after China. About5,000-6,000 red pandas are estimated to bepresent in the four Indian states ofArunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Sikkim andWest Bengal.

Red pandas have been reported from 11districts of Arunachal Pradesh, which ispresumed to hold the largest red pandapopulation in the country.

Threats: The population of the Red Panda continues

to decline due to habitat loss andfragmentation, poaching, and inbreedingdepression. The animal has been hunted formeat and fur, besides illegal capture for thepet trade.

Conservation status: It is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red

List and is also listed in CITES Appendix I. It is listed under Schedule I of the Indian

Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and has thehighest legal protection at par with otherthreatened species in India.

Details:Study: The findings of the study on wildlife trade

by TRAFFIC have been compiled in thereport titled "Assessment of illegal trade-related threats to Red Panda in India andselected neighbouring range countries".

The study considered a ten-year periodfrom July 2010 to June 2019 and analyzedpoaching and illegal trade of the species.

Findings: The study has revealed that the poaching of

the Red Panda has decreased in India andBhutan. The researchers found no incidentsof poaching or illegal trade of Red Pandas ineither India or Bhutan in the study period.

The study attributes this trend to thedecreasing traditional demand for animalproducts among the younger generation ofpeople across the animal's Himalayanhabitat. This might be indicative of thesuccess of awareness campaigns undertakenin the areas.

Though there has been a decline in interestfor Red Pandas among poachers, worryingly,however, the Red Panda is falling to trapslaid for other animals, such as the musk deerand wild pigs.

Way forward: Given the fact that the red panda's survival

is crucial for the eastern and north-easternand the eastern Himalayan forests, there isa need for community-based conservationand protection for the species as its habitatstretches across remote areas.

The report recommends trans-boundary lawenforcement co-operation through the useof multi-government platforms like SAWEN(South Asia Wildlife Enforcement Network).

CPCB notifies contaminated sitesContext According to a March update by the Central

Pollution Control Board (CPCB) there are 128sites in India contaminated by toxic andhazardous substances.

Major Highlights: West Bengal led the list with 27 sites

followed by Odisha with 23 sites. Including those, there are 324 sites that may

be contaminated, with 196 still awaiting aninvestigation and confirmation.


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The Union Environment Ministry has beenmonitoring - and has begun to commissionclean-up jobs - at sites known to becontaminated.

Twenty sites in 6 States have seen agenciesprepare a detailed project reports, or a planof action, to clean up sites. Such actionfollows orders by the National GreenTribunal (NGT).

There are other such sites in Kerala, Odisha,Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal,Madhya Pradesh.

Oil contamination: These incidents include oil contamination

due to leakage of underground oil pipelinesof Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited inTamil Nadu, pesticide and heavy metalcontamination in creeks at Eloor, Kerala,chromium contamination at Rania,improperly disposed electronic waste lyingon the banks of river Ramganga, Mercurycontamination of the soil at Kodaikanal,Tamil Nadu, and Ganjam, Odisha, andchromium contamination at Ranipet, TamilNadu, and Uttar Pradesh.

Poor record: Independent organisations have long

warned that India has a poor track record indealing with chemical accidents.

According to ToxicsLink, an organisation thatdeals with hazardous waste disposal, therehave been four major chemical accidentsrecorded, on average, every monthbetween 2016-2019 and several accidentsare not duly recorded.

A committee constituted by the NGT in areport last January, on the state of themanagement of hazardous waste (HW) inIndia noted that "the inventory as preparedso far is not very comprehensive and cannotbe taken as holistic representative of the

actual scenario of HW management."

Central Pollution Control Board: The CPCB of India is a statutory organisation

under the Ministry of Environment, Forestand Climate Change (MoEFCC).

It was established in 1974 under the Water(Prevention and Control of pollution) Act,1974.

The CPCB is entrusted with the powers andfunctions under the Air (Prevention andControl of Pollution) Act, 1981.

Functions: It serves as a field formation and also

provides technical services to the Ministryof Environment and Forests under theprovisions of the Environment (Protection)Act, 1986.

It co-ordinates the activities of the StatePollution Control Boards by providingtechnical assistance and guidance and alsoresolves disputes among them.

It is the apex organisation in country in thefield of pollution control, as a technical wingof MoEFCC.

The board is led by its Chairperson, who isgenerally a career civil servant from theIndian Administrative Service appointed bythe Appointments Committee of theCabinet of the Government of India.

Permanent body to preserve Easternand Western Ghats

Context A public interest litigation petition has been

filed in the Madras High Court seeking adirection to the Centre and the Stategovernment to constitute a permanent bodyfor taking serious and practical steps tosafeguard the flora, fauna and other naturalresources in the Eastern and Western Ghatsin Tamil Nadu.


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Western Ghats: Western Ghats run around 1.6 lakh sq. km,

from Kanyakumari to Gujarat and spreadacross six states.

Western Ghats is a treasure trove ofbiodiversity and source of major rivers,including Godavari, Krishna and Cauvery.

The rolling hills of this area run parallel tothe western coast of the Indian peninsulaand span Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa,Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

The area is an important biologicallandscape. It hosts a variety of endemicspecies of flora and fauna.

Alongside such biodiversity, the Ghats alsosupport about 50 million people. Theiractivities, together with rainfall and featuresof the soil, have increased the incidence oflandslides.

Eastern Ghats: The Eastern Ghats are a discontinuous range

of mountains along India's eastern coast. The Eastern Ghats run from the northern

Odisha through Andhra Pradesh to TamilNadu in the south passing some parts ofKarnataka.

They are eroded and cut through by fourmajor rivers of peninsular India, viz.Godavari, Mahanadi, Krishna, and Kaveri.

The mountain ranges run parallel to the Bayof Bengal.

The Deccan Plateau lies to the west of therange, between the Eastern Ghats andWestern Ghats.

The coastal plains, including theCoromandel Coast region, lie between theEastern Ghats and the Bay of Bengal.

The Eastern Ghats are not as high as theWestern Ghats.

Gadgil Committee: The Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel,

commonly called Gadgil Commission undernoted ecologist MadhavGadgil submitted areport on Western Ghats in 2011.

The report had warned about the impendingnatural disasters threatening coastal states,unless critical steps were taken to conservethe ecologically fragile Western Ghats.

Major Recommendations: It suggested shifting from large-scale

cultivation of single commercial crops onsteep slopes, of Western Ghats which wasleading to soil erosion and increased run-off, and controlling massive encroachmentand deforestation in the catchment areas ofmajor rivers.

Referring to the region, as the "Protector ofthe Indian Peninsula", the report had raisedalarm on the rapid erosion of natural capitalfor man-made capital in the Western Ghats,which has led to "excessive, unnecessary


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environmental damage'. One key proposal was to designate the

entire Western Ghats as an EcologicallySensitive Area (ESA), and then assign threelevels of sensitivity to the regions.

These were Ecologically Sensitive Zone 1(ESZ1), Ecologically Sensitive Zone 2 (ESZ2)and Ecologically Sensitive Zone 3 (ESZ3)depending on the topography, climaticfeatures, hazard vulnerabilities, ecologicalresilience and origin of rivers, among otherfactors.

The panel recommended controls onmineral extraction and mining and statedthat no new mining licenses be granted, untilconditions improve.

No newer hill stations, no change of land-use from forest to non-forest use, or publicto private ownership and no more inter-basin diversions of rivers in the WesternGhats were some of the otherrecommendations.

It even recommended issuing a moratoriumon ongoing projects such as dams and minesthat can impact water resources, until aWestern Ghats Ecology Authority was set upfor proper scrutiny and decide on whetherto allow them to progress or not.

Most of the rivers in the Western Ghats areeither dammed or diverted. West-flowingrivers have been virtually made into east-flowing rivers by violating all natural laws.

Many of the reservoirs, especially in thesteep valleys, are silting up prematurely dueto the massive encroachment anddeforestation of catchments consequent todam construction.

It also raised concerns over large-scale shiftto cultivation of soil-eroding monocultureplantations of tea, coffee, cardamom,rubber, banana, pineapple and timber on

steep slopes, leading to increased surfacerun-off and low seepage deep into the soil.

Decommissioning of dams and thermalprojects that have crossed their viable lifespan (for dams, the threshold is 30-50 years)in a phased manner.

Kasturirangan Committee: The Kasturirangan committee was headed

by KrishnaswamyKasturirangan, formerchairman of the Indian Space ResearchOrganisation.

This committee's report watered down thefocus on preserving the environment andrecommended that only 37% of the WesternGhats region be classified as an ESA.

The report essentially split the Ghats intotwo landscapes - cultural and ecological,with the percentage of ecological landscapestanding at 37%.

The report removed the system of gradationrecommended by the Gadgil commission.

Instead, the former banked on an existingsystem of 'red', 'orange' and 'green'categorization of activities according to theirpolluting effects.

Kasturirangan recommended that 'red'category industries (like mining andquarrying) be banned, 'orange' ones (likefood processing, hotels and restaurants,automobile servicing) be regulated and'green' (like processing of grains, apparel-making) be allowed to function as usual.

With respect to activities like sand-miningand quarrying, which fall in the 'red'category, the Kasturirangan report providedsome relief: existing operations would beallowed to continue until their lease expiredbut that the lease would not be renewed.

However, conservationists had issues withthe dilutions of the Gadgil report. Becauseonly 37% of the Western Ghats were to be


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regarded as an ESA, the threat posed to theregion by developmental activities likehydropower projects remained becausethey could be setup in the remaining 63%,and still fragment and degrade thelandscape.

The Kasturirangan report was submitted tothe environment ministry in 2013 and wasquickly met with resistance from politiciansas well as members of local communities.

Global Coalition for BiodiversityContext The European Commission launched the

'United for Biodiversity' coalition made upof zoos, aquariums, botanical gardens,national parks, and natural history andscience museums from around the world,on World Wildlife Day 2020,

Rationale: The coalition offered the opportunity for all

such institutions to join forces and boostpublic awareness about the nature crisis,ahead of the crucial COP-15 of theConvention on Biological Diversity inKunming, China in October 2020.

Major Highlights: The coalition adopted a common pledge,

citing the Intergovernmental Platform onBiodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES)Global Assessment finding that one millionspecies were already at risk of extinction,and appeals to visitors to each of theirinstitutions to "raise their voice for nature".

These developments are vital not only forcataloguing and preserving the naturalworld, but are indispensable and invaluablecentres for education and mobilization -particularly for young leaders and decision-makers of the future.

World Wildlife Day: World Wildlife Day is an opportunity to

celebrate the many beautiful and variedforms of wild fauna and flora and to raiseawareness of the multitude of benefits thattheir conservation provides to people.

At the same time, the Day reminds us of theurgent need to step up the fight againstwildlife crime and human-inducedreduction of species, which have wide-ranging economic, environmental and socialimpacts.

Theme of World Wildlife Day 2020:Sustaining all life on Earth.

The Sustainable Development Goal 15focuses on halting biodiversity loss.

The year 2020, known as "biodiversity superyear," will host several major global eventsthat place biodiversity at the forefront.

It provides a unique opportunity to delivertransformative progress for theconservation and sustainable use of thespecies of wild animals and plants.

Environment Impact Assessment

Context A set of key updates to India's Environment

Impact Assessment (EIA) Act, the law thatgoverns how the threat posed by largeinfrastructure projects to the environmentought to be evaluated, proposes to reducethe time given to people to air objections.

What is the proposal? The draft EIA notification proposes to be an

update to the EIA of 2006, which specifies a"minimum of 30 days" for people to respond.

The current version of the update, whichwill likely become law in 60 days, gives a"minimum of 20 days" of notice period.

It also requires that the public-hearingprocess be wrapped up in 40 days, asopposed to the existing norm of 45 days.


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Environment Impact Assessment (EIA): An EIA is an assessment of the likely human

environmental health impact, risk toecological health, and changes to nature'sservices that a project may have.

The purpose of the assessment is to ensurethat decision-makers consider environ-mental impacts before deciding whether toproceed with new projects.

Currently, The Ministry of Environment andForests (MoEFCC) uses EnvironmentalImpact Assessment Notification 2006 as amajor tool for minimizing the adverse impactof rapid industrialization on environment.

Evolution of EIA in India: There are two types of EIA models -

statutory model which makes theassessment of impact compulsory under anenacted law and administrative modelunder which an administration exercises itsdiscretion to find out whether an impactstudy is necessary.

Till 1992, India was following theadministrative model of EIA.

In 1994, Ministry of Environment andForests, under the Environmental(Protection) Act 1986, promulgated an EIAnotification making EnvironmentalClearance (EC) mandatory for expansion ofany activity or for setting up new projectslisted in Schedule 1 of the notification.

New EIA was issued in 2006 in supersessionof EIA 1994.

The EIA 2019 replaced the EIA 2006.

Stages of The EIA Process: Identifying and Defining the Project or

Activity: Although this step may seemrelatively simple, defining a "project" forthe purposes of an EIA can become complexand even controversial if a mining project islarge, has several phases, or involves

multiple sites. Screening: The screening process

determines whether a particular projectwarrants preparation of an EIA.

Scoping: Scoping is a stage, usually involvingthe public and other interested parties, thatidentifies the key environmental issues thatshould be addressed in an EIA.

Preparing Terms of Reference: The Terms ofReference serve as a roadmap for EIApreparation and should ideally encompassthe issues and impacts that have beenidentified during the scoping process.

Preparing Draft EIA: A draft EIA is preparedin accordance with the Terms of Referenceand/ or the range of issues identified duringthe scoping process.

Public Participation : Best EIA practiceinvolves and engages the public atnumerous points throughout the processwith a two-way exchange of information andviews.

Preparing Final EIA: This step produces afinal impact assessment report thataddresses the viewpoints and comments ofthe parties that reviewed the draft EIA.

Decision: A decision to approve or reject amining project is generally based on the finalEIA, but in some instances, an environmentalclearance may be just one step in the minepermitting process.

Administrative or Judicial Review:Depending on the jurisdiction, there may beopportunities for a party to seekadministrative and/or judicial review of thefinal decision and the EIA process.

Project Implementation: Provided allregulatory requirements are met andpermits are obtained, mine developmentwill proceed following the project decisionand once opportunities for administrative


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and/or judicial review are exhausted. Monitoring: Monitoring is an important part

of project implementation.

Benefits of EIA: Reduced cost and time of project

implementation Cost-saving modifications in project design Increased project acceptance Avoided impacts and violations of laws and

regulations Improved project performance Avoided treatment/cleanup costs A healthier local environment Improved human health Maintenance of biodiversity Decreased resource use Fewer conflicts over natural resource use.

Indian VultureContext A unique 'restaurant' in Himachal Pradesh

has attracted the attention of the localpopulace for conserving several species ofvultures.

Vulture Restaurant: Being natural scavengers, vultures have

suffered from rapid urbanization anddeteriorating climate.

Their population has dwindled as anincrease in man-made activities reducedtheir food sources.

The 'Vulture Restaurant' - established atSukhnara vil lage in Kangra district,

Himanchal Pradesh is a unique initiative toconserve vultures.

The state forest department's wildlife wing- which operates it allows the localpopulation to bring their dead pets andlivestock as food for vultures.

Conservation efforts: The state government had sought to protect

the dwindling number of vultures in 2004,when figures revealed there were only 26vulture nests with 23 baby vultures in thedistrict's Pongdam wetland area.

After the 'restaurant' was established in2008, this number increased to 387 nests,carrying 352 baby vultures in 2019.

Eight of the world's 16 vulture species -including the Himalayan vulture andEuropean vulture - have been sighted at therestaurant.

The concept of a vulture restaurant is,however, not a new one. The first suchrestaurant was created in South Africa in1966.

Inspired by this concept, similar restaurantswere created in several other countries,including Cambodia, Switzerland, Spain andNepal.

Indian Vulture: A vulture is a scavenging bird of prey. The Indian vulture (Gyps indicus) is an Old

World vulture native to India, Pakistan andNepal.

The population of vultures have severelydeclined due to kidney failure caused bydiclofenac poisoning.

IUCN: critically Endangered.

Diclofenac: Diclofenac is a nonsteroidal anti-

inflammatory drug (NSAID). This medicineworks by reducing substances in the bodythat cause pain and inflammation.


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Population of three Gyps vultures in SouthAsia decreased by about 95% in the 1990s.

A major contributing factor in decliningpopulations of vultures is believed to bewidespread use of drugs such as diclofenac,once commonly used as a livestock anti-inflammatory drug.

The drug is administered to the cows, andvultures when scavenge on their carcassesintake this drug which is toxic to them,resulting in renal failure and death.

Though the government had banned theveterinary use of diclofenac in 2006 after itwas found that it had decimated the oncethriving vulture population in the countryto near extinction, but the humanformulations of diclofenac are still usedillegally to treat animals.

Road through Pakke Tiger Reservestalled

Context The Arunachal Pradesh government has

suspended the survey work for a roadthrough the Pakke Tiger Reserve (PTR). Theproject had attracted criticism from wildlifeactivists, film personalities and politicalleaders.

What was the controversy? A 40km stretch of the 'East-West Industrial

Corridor' road proposed to connect Seijosain PakkeKessang district and Bhalukpong inWest Kameng district of the State passesthrough PTR, a biodiversity hotspot of theeastern Himalayas.

Various environmental activists had througha Right to Information (RTI) petition raisedthe alarm over the proposed road throughPTR.

Pakke Tiger Reserve: Pakke T iger Reserve aka Pakhui T iger

Reserve, is a Project Tiger reserve in the

PakkeKessang district of Arunachal Pradeshin north-eastern India.

The reserve is protected by the Departmentof Environment and Forest of ArunachalPradesh.

It is bounded by Bhareli or Kameng River inthe west and north, and by Pakke River inthe east.

It is surrounded by contiguous forests onmost sides.

Towards the south and south-east, thesanctuary adjoins reserve forests andAssam's Nameri National Park.

The main perennial streams in the area arethe Nameri, Khari and Upper Dikorai.

Biodiversity hotspot: It has a subtropical climate with lowland

semi-evergreen, evergreen forest andEastern Himalayan broadleaf forests.

PTR is a home to over 2,000 species of plants,300 species of birds, 40 species of mammals,30 species of amphibians and 36 species ofreptiles, is one of the most protectedsanctuaries in the country and the pride andtreasure of Arunachal Pradesh.

Mass nesting of Olive Ridley begins

Context The mass nesting of Olive Ridley sea turtles

started at Odisha'sGahirmatha MarineSanctuary in Kendrapara district on March14, 2020. The sanctuary is considered to bethe world's largest rookery of sea turtles.


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Arribada: Arribada is a Spanish term for mass nesting. Nearly 15,000 sea turtles came ashore at

Nasi-1 and Nasi-2 islands famous for massnesting.

Nasi - 1 and Nasi - 2 are two tiny islands thatare part of the sanctuary and are sixkilometres long.

They offer an excellent nesting site for theturtles as there are no predators and humanhabitation on or near them.

Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary: It is a marine wildlife sanctuary located in

Odisha and is a very popular touristattraction of Odisha in India.

It is the world's largest nesting beach forOlive Ridley Turtles.

The rookery at Gahirmatha was declared amarine sanctuary covering 1,435 squarekilometres from the mouth of river Dhamarato Hukitolaisland in 1997.

Olive Ridley Turtles: The Olive Ridley turtles are the smallest and

most abundant of all sea turtles found in theworld.

They inhabit only in the warmer waters ofthe Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans.

They are best known for their unique massnesting called Arribada, where thousands offemales come together on the same beachto lay eggs.

Though found in abundance, their numbershave been declining over the past few years.

The Olive Ridley turtles live in the IndianOcean, but come all the way to the Bay ofBengal by travelling thousands of kilometresto mate and to lay eggs.

The turtle eggs normally take 45 days tohatch. After this, tiny hatchlings come outand make their way to the sea.

Protection: IUCN: Vulnerable.

Protected under the Wildlife Protection Act,1972.

Policy agreements on climate changemust take water into account: UN report

Context Climate change will not only strain water-

stressed countries, but also create similarproblems in regions that have not beenseverely affected so far, according to aUnited Nations World Water Developmentreport.

The UN theme for Water Day 2020 was'Water and Climate Change'. The reportexplored how the two issues areinextricably linked.

Highlights of the report International policy frameworks addressing

climate change must take water into account,as water is the key to reducing carbonemissions.

In the last century, water use has increasedsix-fold and continues to increase by aboutone per cent every year. In such a scenario,climate change will affect the availability,quality and quantity of water needed.

Deterioration of the situation would hinderachievement of Sustainable DevelopmentGoals (SDG) 6, according to which access tosafe drinking water and sanitation must beguaranteed for all within ten years.


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Failure to adapt to climate change alsojeopardises the achievement of other SDGs.And while SDG 13 (climate action) includesspecific targets, there is no formalmechanism linking SDG 13 to the goals ofthe Paris Agreement, resulting in parallelprocesses.

About the report The United Nations World Water

Development Report is a global report thatprovides comprehensive assessment of theworld's freshwater resources.

It is produced annually by the World WaterAssessment Programme and released byUN-Water.

Glaciers in Sikkim melting at faster paceContext Scientists from Wadia Institute of Himalayan

Geology, Dehradun an autonomous researchinstitute for the study of Geology of theHimalaya under the Department of Scienceand Technology, have found that glaciers inSikkim are melting at a higher magnitude ascompared to other Himalayan regions.

Outcomes of the study: The study assessed the response of 23

glaciers of Sikkim to climate change for theperiod of 1991-2015.

The study revealed that the glaciers inSikkim have retreated and deglaciatedsignificantly from 1991 to 2015.

Compared to other Himalayan regions, themagnitude of dimensional changes anddebris growth are higher in the Sikkim.

A major shift in glacier behaviour hasoccurred around 2000.

Contrary to the western and centralHimalaya, where glaciers are reported tohave slowed down in recent decades, the

Sikkim glaciers have shown negligibledeceleration after 2000.

Summer temperature rise has been primedriver of glacier changes.

Significance: Accurate knowledge of magnitude as well

as the direction of glacier changes can leadto awareness among common peopleregarding water supplies and possibleglacier hazards.

The study can provide ample baseline dataon glacier changes and systematicallyexplore the causal relationship betweenglacier parameters and various influencingfactors.

A clear understanding of glacier state willhelp orienting future studies as well astaking necessary measures.

Air quality improves due to lockdowneffect

Context Lockdown has reduced vehicular traffic

across the country, leading to a drop in PM2.5,NOx levels.

Pollution status: According to the Centre-run System of Air

Quality and Weather Forecasting andResearch (SAFAR), the measures againstCOVID-19 have led to a drop in PM2.5 (fineparticulate pollutant) by 30% in Delhi andby 15% in Ahmedabad and Pune,respectively.

The level of Nitrogen Oxide (NOx)pollution, which can increase the risk ofrespiratory conditions, has also reduced.

NOx pollution is mainly caused due to a highmotor vehicle traffic. In Pune, NOx pollutionhas reduced by 43%, in Mumbai, by 38% andin Ahmedabad, by 50%.


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Generally in March, pollution is in the"moderate" category (Air Quality Indexrange: 100-200) while currently, it is in the"satisfactory" (AQI 50-100) or "good" (AQI 0-50) category.

Factors responsible: It is the lockdown impact. Local factors like shutting down of industries

and construction and traffic havecontributed in improving the air quality.

Rain is also helping, but the curbs on localemissions are playing a significant role.

Air Quality Index: Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate

Change launched National Air Quality Index(AQI) under Swachh Bharat Mission(Cleanliness Mission), based on therecommendations of IIT Kanpur and theExpert Group formed in this regard.

About NAQI: National Air Quality Index (AQI) transforms

complex air quality data of eight pollutantsinto a single number (index value),nomenclature and colour.

AQI is considered as 'One Number- OneColour-One Description' for the commonman to judge the air quality within hisvicinity.

AQI was launched to disseminateinformation on air quality in an easilyunderstandable form for the general public.

The measurement of air quality is based oneight pollutants namely,

Particulate Matter (size less than 10 µm) or(PM10),

Particulate Matter (size less than 2.5 µm) or(PM5),

Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2), Sulphur Dioxide (SO2), Carbon Monoxide (CO), Ozone (O3), Ammonia (NH3) It may be noted that ambient air quality

standards are specified separately in Indiafor around 12 pollutants including the 8 thatconstitute the Air Quality Index.

AQI has six categories of air quality. These are: Good, Satisfactory, Moderately

Polluted, Poor, Very Poor and Severe.

Associated Health Impacts: Good (0-50): Minimal Impact Satisfactory (51-100): May cause minor

breathing discomfort to sensitive people Moderately polluted: (101-200) May cause

breathing discomfort to people with lungdisease such as asthma, and discomfort topeople with heart disease, children andolder adults.

Poor (201-300): May cause breathingdiscomfort to people on prolongedexposure, and discomfort to people withheart disease.

Very Poor (301-400): May cause respiratoryillness to the people on prolonged exposure.Effect may be more pronounced in peoplewith lung and heart diseases.

Severe (401-500): May cause respiratoryimpact even on healthy people, and serioushealth impacts on people with lung/heartdisease. The health impacts may beexperienced even during light physicalactivity.

Documents

CURRENT BULLETIN - MARCH 2020 ENVIRONMENT€¦ · 07.04.2020 · great Indian bustard, Bengal florican, oceanic white-tip shark, urial and smooth hammerhead shark. Globally, more