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NEO IAS Environment Current Affairs Prelims 2017

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

CONTENTS

1. Eco-Sensitive Zone…………………………………………………………..………. 2

2. National Green Tribunal……………………………………………………..………. 2

3. Jets to Clean Delhi's Air………………………...…………………………..………...3

4. Sumatran Rhino……………………………………….……………………..………..4

5. Dzud…………………………………………...……………………………..………. 4

6. Giraffe………………………………………………………………………..………. 4

7. Second Generation Ethanol Bio-Refinery…………………….……………..………. 5

8. Ant-Like Desert Bees………………………………..………………………………. 5

9. Pangolin………………………………..………………………………………….…. 5

10. Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI)………………………………..……….. 6

11. Protected Areas in News……………………………………….…………..………... 6

12. Miscellaneous Information’s………………………………………………..……..…. 6



1. ECO-SENSITIVE ZONE RELEVANCE Govt notified Eco-Sensitive Zone in Sanjay Gandhi National Park About Ecosensitive Zone or Eco-Fragile Zone

o Ecosensitive zones are the transition zones around the Protected areas o It is guidelined by the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) by the National Wildlife Action

Plan (2002-2016). o It is declared as Eco sensitive zone under the Environmental (Protection) Act, 1986. o The land falling within 10km of the boundaries of Protected Areas are declared as Eco sensitive

zone/ Eco fragile zone, to prevent ecological damage caused due to developmental activities around National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries by acting as a shock absorber or transition zone.

o The objective of notifying Eco-Sensitive Zones is to create a buffer as further protection around Protected Areas (PAs) such as National Parks and Wildlife sanctuaries.

o The guidelines for the Eco sensitive zone were issued in a notification letter dated 19 February, 2011. The methods to manage such zones are by classifying the activities in to Prohibited, Regulated and Permitted.

o The guidelines said activities prohibited are, commercial mining, setting of saw mills and industries causing pollution, commercial use of firewood, establishment of major hydro-power projects, use or production of any hazardous substances, undertaking activities related to tourism like flying over protected areas by aircraft or hot air balloon, and discharge of effluents and solid waste in natural water bodies or terrestrial areas.

o The activities regulated in the areas are, Felling of trees, drastic change in agriculture systems and commercial use of natural water resources including groundwater harvesting, setting up of hotels and resorts, erection of electrical cables, use of polythene bags by shopkeepers, widening of roads, movement of vehicular traffic at night, introduction of exotic species, protection of hill slops and river banks, air and vehicular pollution and sign boards and hoardings.

o Activities permitted in the areas include ongoing agriculture and horticulture practices by local communities, rainwater harvesting, organic farming, use of renewable energy sources, and adoption of green technology for all activities.

About Sanjay Gandhi (Borivilli) National Park

o Located in Mumbai o The park is in the hill ranges to the east of the suburb of Borivilli. o Part of the Western Ghats Biodiversity complex o SGNP forms roughly 20 per cent of Mumbai's geographical area o SGNP’s biodiversity is greatly influenced by elements of the Sahyadri Hills to the east

2. NATIONAL GREEN TRIBUNAL RELEVANCE The central zonal bench of National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Rajasthan government to cancel allotments of salt pans in Sambhar Salt Lake that fall within the wetland and run contrary to the mandate of Wetland Rules, 2010. About NGT (NATIONAL GREEN TRIBUNAL)

o Established on 18.10.2010 under the National Green Tribunal Act 2010 o Established for effective and expeditious disposal of cases relating to environmental protection

and conservation of forests and other natural resources including enforcement of any legal right relating to environment and giving relief and compensation for damages to persons and property and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

o It is a specialized body equipped with the necessary expertise to handle environmental disputes involving multi-disciplinary issues.

o The Tribunal shall not be bound by the procedure laid down under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, but shall be guided by principles of natural justice.

o The Tribunal's dedicated jurisdiction in environmental matters shall provide speedy environmental justice and help reduce the burden of litigation in the higher courts.

o The Tribunal is mandated to make and endeavour for disposal of applications or appeals finally within 6 months of filing of the same.



o Initially, the NGT is proposed to be set up at five places of sittings and will follow circuit procedure for making itself more accessible. New Delhi is the Principal Place of Sitting of the Tribunal and Bhopal, Pune, Kolkata and Chennai shall be the other four place of sitting of the Tribunal.

COMPOSITION OF THE TRIBUNAL

o The Tribunal shall consist of

1. A full time Chairperson; 2. Not less than ten but subject to maximum of twenty full time Judicial Members as the Central

Government may, from time to time, notify; 3. Not less than ten but subject to maximum of twenty full time Expert Members, as the Central

Government may, from time to time, notify. o The Chairperson, Judicial Members and Expert Members of the Tribunal shall be appointed by the

Central Government. The Chairperson shall be appointed by the Central Government in

consultation with the Chief Justice of India. The Judicial Members and Expert Members of the

Tribunal shall be appointed on the recommendations of such Selection Committee and in such manner

as may be prescribed.

ELIGIBILITY o Chairperson: He/she must has been, a Judge of the Supreme Court of India or Chief Justice of a

High Court. o Judicial member: judge of the High Court shall also be qualified to be appointed as a Judicial

Member. o Expert member

(1) A degree in Master of Science (in physical sciences or life sciences) with a Doctorate degree or Master of Engineering or Master of Technology and has an experience of fifteen years in the relevant field including five years practical experience in the field of environment and forests in a reputed national level institution or

(2) Need an administrative experience of fifteen years including experience of five years in dealing with environmental matters in the Central or a State Government or in a reputed National or State level institution.

About Sambhar Lake o Sambhar lake in Rajasthan is the largest salt water lake in India o Surrounded on all sides by the Aravalli hills o It is surrounded by sand flats and dry thorn scrub and fed by seasonal rivers and streams. o The site is important for a variety of wintering waterbirds, including large numbers of flamingos. o It is a declared Ramsar site in India o Over the years the extensive catchment of the lake spread over 7,560 sq km, has been encroached

upon for sand mining and agriculture activity. As a result there has been a substantial decline in inflow of water to the lake, a situation worsened by low rainfall and construction of dams and check-dams. Add to that over-exploitation of ground water by private salt manufacturers has ruined the ecosystem.

3. JETS TO CLEAN DELHI'S AIR RELEVANCE A team led by Moshe Alamaro, a scientist from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and Iyyanki V Muralikrishna, a former professor of Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, is pursuing an idea that could help disrupt the winter inversion layer. About the Project

o In winter, Delhi's air quality deteriorates drastically because of a temperature inversion, which traps pollutants close to the ground. During an inversion, the air temperature near the ground becomes less than above, up to a certain height.

o The scientist’s plans to pilot a project under which de-commissioned jet engines will be placed close to a power plant.

o The turbojets and turboprop engines will be directed upwards to form powerful updrafts and disrupt the winter inversion.

o The energy from these jets is enough to penetrate through the inversion layer and dissipate the energy trapped below the inversion layer.



o This will ensure that emissions from the power plant are trapped and brought above the inversion layer o A technical paper by the team shows that a single jet engine can address the smog generated by a

1,000MW coal power plant. o The added emissions due to the jet operation are roughly 0.1% of the emissions from the power plant.

Furthermore, the jet engines do not operate continuously. They will work only during foggy conditions, which could last for 30-50 days a year. Therefore, the emissions due to the jet engines are negligible in comparison to the emissions generated by the power plant

Additional Information’s o Nearly 60% of India's total power generation is fuelled by coal, which amounts to 1,86,242 MW. The

country is expected to add 124 gigawatts of coal-fired electricity by 2020. Coal power production in India is linked to millions of cases of asthma and respiratory ailments. About 10,000 children under the age of five were fatal victims in 2012 alone

4. SUMATRAN RHINO

RELEVANCE There are no more than 100 left on the entire planet and Andatu, a four-year old male is one of the last remaining hopes for the future of the species. About Sumatran rhinos

o Sumatran rhinos are the smallest of all rhinos, and the only Asian variety with two horns.

o Sumatran rhino are one of the rarest large mammals on Earth. o Unlike their better-known cousins in Africa, Sumatran rhinos are

born covered in shaggy, reddish-brown fur, earning them the nickname "hairy rhino".

o They once roamed the vast, dense forests of Sumatra, Borneo and Malaysia but land-clearing and poaching have devastated their numbers.

o Sumatran rhinos are solitary by nature and often clash upon interaction. o Andatu's birth in 2012 was heralded as a milestone: he was the first Sumatran rhino born in an Asian

breeding facility in more than 140 years. o In 2015, the species was declared extinct in the wild in Malaysia, leaving just tiny herds of two to

five rhinos scattered across Sumatra and Indonesian Borneo. o Sumatra is the sole place where wild rhinos, orangutans, tigers and elephants roam together.

5. DZUD RELEVANCE Mongolia's traditional nomads are facing a natural disaster known as "dzud", where frigid temperatures and heavy snow cause widespread livestock deaths, threatening herders' livelihoods.

o Dzuds have become more frequent as a result of climate change

o The dzud of 2009-2010, one of the most severe in history, saw a total of 9.7 million livestock deaths. As many as 1.1 million heads of livestock died last winter.

o Mongolia is one of the most sparsely populated countries in the world, and the extreme cold and snow storms of a "dzud" are a major issue for herders travelling between far-flung towns.

6. GIRAFFE RELEVANCE Because the giraffe population has shrunk nearly 40 percent in just 30 years, scientists put it on the official watch list of threatened and endangered species worldwide, calling it “vulnerable.”

o The main threat is habitat loss o Scientists called what’s happening to giraffes a silent extinction. o Giraffe is put on the IUCN Red List of threatened species



7. SECOND GENERATION ETHANOL BIO-REFINERY RELEVANCE India's first second generation ethanol bio-refinery to be set up by Hindustan Petroleum Corp (HPCL) at Bathinda in Punjab

o The government is encouraging production of second generation ethanol from agricultural residues to provide additional sources of remuneration to farmers, address the growing environmental concerns and support the Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) programme

o The project shall also help in reducing CO2 emissions from the paddy straw which currently is being burnt after harvesting

o The bio-refinery will also produce bio-fertiliser that can be used as soil nutrient. o It will also produce of Bio-CNG per annum which can cater to transport and clean cooking

requirements

About Second generation biofuels o Second generation biofuels are also known as advanced biofuels. o What separates them from first generation biofuels the fact that feedstock used in producing second

generation biofuels are generally not food crops. The only time the food crops can act as second generation biofuels is if they have already fulfilled their food purpose. For instance, waste vegetable oil is a second generation biofuels because it has already been used and is no longer fit for human consumption. Virgin vegetable oil, however, would be a first generation biofuel.

o Because second generation biofuels are derived from different feed stock, Different technology is often used to extract energy from them. This does not mean that second generation biofuels cannot be burned directly as the biomass. In fact, several second generation biofuels, like Switchgrass, are cultivated specifically to act as direct biomass.

8. ANT-LIKE DESERT BEES RELEVANCE Studying a diverse group of solitary, desert bees, researchers have reported identification of nine new species of the genus Perdita, including two ant-like males.

o In a study published in the journal Zootaxa, the researchers described curious ant-like males of two of the species, which are completely different in appearance from their mates.

o Their (the beas) activity during the hottest part of the day may be a way of avoiding predators

o They appear to be important pollinators of desert plants commonly known as Crinklemats

o Crinklemats - flowering plants of the genus Tiquilia, grow low to the ground and feature ridged, hairy leaves and small, trumpet-shaped blue blossoms.

9. PANGOLIN

RELEVANCE Over 20 instances of the seizure of several kilos of pangolins scales were reported across the country. In New Delhi alone, the CBI, in October, seized 86 kg of pangolin scales. About Pangolin

o They are actually scaly-skinned mammals o A nocturnal animal o Also called scaly anteaters because of their preferred diet o Has scales from tip to tail o When in danger it can curl into a ball exposing only the tough scales for protection o Hunted for its expensive scales used in Chinese medicine o Their meat is considered a delicacy and pangolin scales are used in traditional medicine and folk

remedies to treat a range of ailments from asthma to rheumatism and arthritis o Pangolins are increasingly victims of illegal wildlife crime—mainly in Asia and in growing amounts in

Africa—for their meat and scales.



o All eight pangolin species are protected under national and international laws but that is not stopping the massive international illegal trade in pangolins, which has increased in recent years because of growing demand.

10. WILDLIFE PROTECTION SOCIETY OF INDIA (WPSI) RELEVANCE The records of the Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI) show that at least 129 tigers and 419 leopards died in 2016 as compared to 91 tigers and 397 leopards in 2015. Of these, at least 50 tigers and 127 leopards were poached, a record in the last 10 years. About Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI)

o Founded in 1994 by Belinda Wright, its Executive Director, who was an award-winning wildlife photographer and filmmaker till she took up the cause of conservation.

o From its inception, WPSI's main aim has been to bring a new focus to the daunting task of tackling India's growing wildlife crisis.

o It does this by providing support and information to government authorities to combat poaching and the escalating illegal wildlife trade - particularly in wild tigers.

o It has now broadened its focus to deal with human-animal conflicts and provide support for research projects.

o With a team of committed environmentalists, WPSI is one of the most respected and effective wildlife conservation organisations in India.

o It is a registered non-profit organisation, funded by a wide range of Indian and international donors. o The Society’s Board Members include leading conservationists and business people. o They collaborate with state governments to monitor the illegal wildlife trade and provide them

with hands-on training and support to combat poaching and the illegal wildlife trade. o They conduct Wildlife Law Enforcement Workshops for enforcement agencies.

11. PROTECTED AREAS IN NEWS

o Gulf of Mannar - Tamil Nadu

o Kaziranga National Park - Assam

o Dudhwa National Park – Uttar Pradesh

o Ranipur Wildlife Sanctuary (WLS) - Uttar Pradesh

o Veerangna Durgavati WLS - Madhya Pradesh

12. MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATIONS

i) China has passed a new law to levy environment tax o Battling recurring pollution enveloping its cities, China has passed a new law to levy environment tax

on polluters, specially on heavy industries. However, carbon dioxide, one of the major contributors to global warming, is not included in the levying list. The law only targets enterprises and public institutions that discharge listed pollutants directly into the environment.

ii) Rainbow-headed snake o A rainbow-headed snake, a dragon-like lizard and a newt that looks like a Klingon from the Star Trek

series are among 163 new species found in the ecologically diverse but threatened region of Greater Mekong, according to a new WWF report released today.

o In all, nine amphibians, 11 fish, 14 reptiles, 126 plants and three mammalian species discovered last year in the Mekong region in Southeast Asia were described for the first time in the new report by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

o The new rainbow-headed snake, Parafimbrios lao, found in Laos has been likened to David Bowie's "Ziggy Stardust" character.

o It has unique colouration pattern and different number of scale rows and upper teeth. Not only was this snake a new species, it was part of a whole new Genus: Parafimbrios. The 'Klingon Newt' (Tylototriton anguliceps) is the fourth newt species found to exist in Thailand.

http://www.wpsi-india.org/projects/legal_training.php



iii) Majuli to be India's first ever carbon neutral district:

o Assam government has initiated a project to make river island Majuli the country's first ever Carbon Neutral district by 2020.

The project titled 'Sustainable Action for Climate Resilient Development in Majuli' (SACReD, Majuli) has been initiated by Assam's department of Environment and Forest and was launched by Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Biodiversity and Climate).

The project, SACReD, Majuli has been initiated to combat climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions

iv) Ancient trees at China's famous Mountain get digital ID cards

o About 20,000 ancient trees on the renowned Mount Tai in east China's Shandong Province now have digital ID cards.

o The cards will provide a range of info about the environment, climate, diseases & pests o The system can calculate whether a tree is healthy, weak or dying o There are 18,195 ancient trees on Mount Tai, and 1,821 of them are classified as first-class ancient

trees, which are more than 300--years-old, particularly rare, or of historical significance. The mountain is home to several famous trees such as a pine named "yingkesong" (literally guest-welcoming pine).

o As a popular tourist attraction on Mount Tai, the over 500-year-old pine was put on the World Cultural and Natural Heritage list. Mount Tai, one of China's Five Sacred Mountains, holds great historical and cultural significance. Its peak is referred to as the "Jade Emperor Peak" and is approximately 1,500 meters above sea level.

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