OFFICERS'

Pulse
February 2023 - IN DEPTH

Current Affairs Monthly

The PULSE of UPSC at your fingertips.
 1

Contents
1) Renewable Energy in India ................ 2 11) Trading more within Asia makes
2) India’s green hydrogen challenge ... 5 economic sense ..................................... 18

3) ISRO’s Small Satellite Vehicle ............ 7 12) Target reset ........................................ 19

4) Reconsideration of hydropower 13) Save Himalayan springs ................. 20

projects in the Himalaya ...................... 8 14) Safety from numbers ....................... 22
5) How to treat migrant workers? 15) Why India needs a ‘Mission
Lessons from Kerala ............................ 10 Adaptation’ in its climate change
6) Saving the land for better use ......... 11 strategy .................................................... 23

7) Warming of Oceans ............................. 12 16) Reset the clock ................................... 25

8) Tiger Conservation in India ............. 13 17) Understanding India’s Mental

Healthcare Act, 2017........................... 26
9) India can become a biodiversity
champion ................................................. 15 Model Questions ....................................... 29

10) Slow progress to creating a safe

workplace for women ......................... 16

For free learning, visit www.officerspulse.com


1) Renewable Energy in India
(GS3: Conservation, Environmental
Pollution and Degradation,
Environmental Impact Assessment)
Context
 Today, India is the world's third
largest producer of renewable
energy, with about 42 per cent of
our installed electricity capacity
coming from non-fossil fuel
sources.
 Source-wise representation of
installed capacity of electricity
generation in percentage is given
below:
Solar Power
 According to the estimates of the
Ministry of New and Renewable
Energy (MNRE), 5000 trillion
kWh energy is incident over
India's land area every year, with
most parts receiving 4-7 kWh per
sq. m per day.
 Solar energy has many advantages
among which the abundance in
supply, ability to generate power
on a distributed basis, and ability
for capacity addition in short
time leads are prominent.
 Estimates by National Institute of
Solar Energy suggest that
covering three per cent of the
waste land area with solar
For free learning, visit www.officerspulse.com
2
photovoltaic modules can
generate about 748 GW power.
 In 2010, Government of India
launched National Solar Mission
(NSM) with active participation of
States to promote sustainable
growth while addressing the
energy security challenges. This can
also contribute significantly to our
effort to tackle the challenges of
climate change.
Wind Power
 The study conducted by National
Institute of Wind Energy (NIWE)
identified seven states viz.
Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan,
Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh,
Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh
with significant potential for power
generation from wind.
 India, having a natural advantage of
7500 km long coastline, has the
potential of harnessing offshore
wind energy.
 In 2015, Government of India
notified National Offshore Wind
Energy Policy with the primary
objective of exploring and
promoting deployment of offshore
wind farms in the Exclusive
Economic Zone (EEZ) of the
country, including those under
Public Private Partnership.
 The NIWE has identified potential
zones for offshore wind energy
of 36 GW and 35 GW off the
coasts of Gujarat and Tamil Nadu
respectively.
Hydropower
 Since 2019, Government of India
has been recognising Large Hydro
Power Projects (LHPs) having
capacity of more than 25 MW as
part of renewable energy.
 According to the assessment made
by Central Electricity Authority
(CEA), India has the potential of
economically exploitable hydro-
power to the tune of 148 MW.

 However, only less than 30 per
cent of this is presently exploited
despite having long life, low cost
and high efficiency among many
other advantages.
Bio Fuels
 Ethanol and biodiesel are the two
most common types of biofuels in
use today. Ethanol is a renewable
fuel that can be made from various
plant materials, collectively
known as "biomass."
 The Government has been
implementing Ethanol Blended
Petrol (EBP) Programme wherein
the Oil Marketing Companies
(OMCs) sell petrol blended with
10 per cent ethanol.
 Biodiesel is a liquid fuel
produced from renewable
sources, such as new and used
vegetable oils and animal fats and
is a cleaner-burning replacement
for petroleum-based diesel fuel.
 Presently, biodiesel is produced
from imported palm-stearin oil in
the country. However, we are
phasing it out by using used
cooking oil as the feedstock.
 The National Policy on Biofuels
announced in 2018 is aimed at
accelerated promotion of biofuels
with indicative targets of achieving
20 per cent blending in Petrol by
2030. The target year was recently
advanced to 2025-26.
Biogas
 Biogas is one of the most popular
and versatile forms of renewable
energy deployed extensively in
rural India to serve many
purposes.
 Biogas plants generate the high
calorific value gas by
decomposition of organic
materials such as cattle dung,
agricultural wastes, poultry
droppings, night soil and municipal
wastes.
For free learning, visit www.officerspulse.com
3
 Most commonly, biogas in its raw
form is used as clean fuel for
cooking, lighting, motive power
and generation of electricity. It is
also used in diesel engines to
substitute diesel up to 80 per cent,
however, 100 per cent replacement
of diesel may be achieved by using
Biogas Engines.
 The digested slurry from biogas
plants, a by-product, is used as a
nutrient enriched organic
manure for improving crop yield
and also maintaining soil health.
Green Hydrogen
 Hydrogen is used as an energy
source in industry, mobility and
thermal applications. It is
produced by splitting water
through electrolysis using an
electric current.
 When the electricity used for
hydrogen generation is sourced
from renewable resources, that is
without emitting carbon dioxide,
it is called green hydrogen.
 The Government has launched the
National Hydrogen Mission to
make India a green hydrogen hub
which will help in meeting the
target of production of 5 million
tonnes of green hydrogen by
2030 and the related development
of renewable energy capacity.
Ocean and Geo-thermal
 Ocean energy refers to energy
derived from Wave Energy, Tidal
Energy, and Ocean Thermal
Energy Conversion. The
technology development in these
areas is at the research and
development stage.
 The estimated theoretical power
potentials for Tidal and Wave
energy are 12,455 MW and
41,300 MW respectively.
 Geothermal Energy is a source of
heat stored in the earth's crust,
which is manifested on the surface

as hot springs. In India, Geological
Survey of India (GSI) has
estimated that a tentative power
potential of 10 GW could be
extracted from geothermal energy.
Government Initiatives
1. PM-KUSUM:
 The Government of India approved
the PM-KUSUM (Pradhan Mantri
Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan
Mahabhiyan) Scheme in 2019 with
the objective of installation of
solar pumps and grid connected
solar and other renewable
power plants in the country. It was
launched by the Ministry of New
and Renewable Energy.
 Under the scheme, farmers are
provided subsidies for setting up
stand-alone solar pumps and to
solarise their grid-connected pump
sets.
 This scheme enables farmers to set
up solar power generation capacity
on their barren lands and to sell it
to the power grid.
2. National Solar Mission:
 It is implemented by the Ministry
of New and Renewable Energy
with the objective of increasing
the share of solar energy in the
total energy mix.
 The cumulative targets under the
mission for Grid Connected Solar
Power Projects consist of 40 GW
Grid connected Rooftop projects
and 60 GW large and medium
size land-based solar power
projects. The combined target is
now set at 100 GW.
3. Rooftop Solar Programme:
 With an objective to achieve 40 GW
of rooftop solar (RTS) capacity in
the country, the Government of
India has launched the Rooftop
Solar Programme.
 The Programme envisages
increasing the RTS capacity in the
residential sector by providing
For free learning, visit www.officerspulse.com
4
Central Financial Assistance and
incentives to DISCOMs.
4. GOBARdhan:
 Government India has launched a
dedicated GOBARdhan (Galvanising
Organic Bio-Agro Resources Dhan)
scheme in 2018 with twin
objectives to make the villages
clean and generate clean power
from organic wastes.
 The scheme aims to increase
income of farmers by converting
biodegradable waste into
compressed biogas (CBG).
Technical and financial
assistance under the scheme is
attracting entrepreneurs for
establishing community based CBG
plants in rural areas.
5. FAME India Scheme:
 The Department of Heavy
Industry (under the Ministry of
Heavy Industries & Public
Enterprises) formulated a Scheme
viz. Faster Adoption and
Manufacturing of (Hybrid &)
Electric Vehicles in India (FAME
India) Scheme in 2015.
 The objective of the FAME India
scheme is to promote
manufacturing of electric and
hybrid vehicle technology and to
ensure sustainable growth of the
same.
 The scheme encourages adoption of
Electric and hybrid vehicles by
offering upfront incentives on
purchase of Electric vehicles and
establishing a necessary charging
Infrastructure for electric
vehicles.
6. International Solar Alliance (ISA):
 ISA is an inter-governmental
organisation established as a joint
effort by India and France in
2015 on the sidelines of the 21
Conference of Parties (COP21) to
the United Nations Framework

Convention on Climate Change
(UNFCCC) held in Paris.
 Its objectives are scaling up solar
energy, and reducing the cost of
solar power generation through
aggregation of demand for solar
finance, technologies, innovation,
research and development, and
capacity building.
 The 'Towards 1000' strategy of
ISA aims to mobilise USD 1,000
billion of investments in solar
energy solutions by 2030 to
provide energy access to 1,000
million people by installing
1,000 GW of solar energy
capacity.
 This would help mitigate global
carbon emissions to the tune of
1,000 million tonnes of CO2
every year.
Way Forward
 The major hurdle in expanding and
popularising renewable energy
sources is its less competitive
position in terms of ease of
maintenance and useful life as
compared to conventional energy
sources.
 For example, regular cleaning of
solar panels, replacing batteries for
off grid-system, extent of area to
place solar panels, considerable
labor to fix failure in high-mounted
wind turbines and the disposal of
damaged panels and accessories
are a few areas where the science
can help.
 Research and development have to
be augmented in the direction of
generating more energy with
less space.
 There should be international
cooperation, synergy and
harmony in tapping the renewable
resources by way of exchange of
technology, sharing the benefits of
advancements in scientific research
and space technology, in assessing
For free learning, visit www.officerspulse.com
5
the global risks and making
informed choices.
2) India’s green hydrogen
challenge
(GS3: Conservation, Environmental
Pollution and Degradation,
Environmental Impact Assessment)
Context
 The Union Cabinet has recently
approved the National Hydrogen
Mission to make the country a
production and export hub of green
hydrogen with an initial outlay of
Rs 19,744 crore ($2.3 billion) over
the next five years.
 It aims at producing 5 MMT
(million metric tonne) per
annum of green hydrogen with an
associated renewable energy
capacity addition of about 125
GW (giga watt) by 2030.
 While the green hydrogen dream
seems appealing, critical challenges
must be examined to help design
appropriate pathways to realise
this vision.
Challenges
 Green hydrogen is defined as
hydrogen produced by splitting
water into hydrogen and oxygen
using renewable electricity.
 Green hydrogen could be a critical
enabler of the global transition to
sustainable energy and net zero
emissions economies.
 The challenges to produce and use
green hydrogen can be classified
into 4Es — electrolyser, energy
source, end use and endogenous
resources.
Electrolyser challenge:
 India to achieve its 2030 target, it
would need 12 times the
current global electrolyser
production capacity.
 The factors that could hinder
scaling up electrolyser

manufacturing capability in India
are:
o Negligible number of
projects to manufacture
electrolysers;
o Limited access to critical
minerals such as nickel,
platinum group metals and
rare earth metals such as
lanthanum, yttrium and
zirconium which are
concentrated in countries
such as China, Democratic
Republic of Congo (DRC),
Australia, Indonesia, South
Africa, Chile and Peru;
o Limited processing
capabilities in these
minerals.
Energy source challenge:
 As per current estimates a
completely efficient electrolysis
system would require 39 kWh of
electricity to produce 1 kg of
hydrogen.
o Green hydrogen requires
renewable energy as a
source of electricity,
however India has only
achieved 119 GW of the
175 GW targeted
capacity using solar, wind,
bio-power and small hydro
so far.
End use challenge:
 Currently, most of the demand
for hydrogen comes from the
chemical industry to produce
ammonia for fertilizers, followed
by refining for hydrocracking and
the desulphurisation of fuels.
o It can be a source of heat
for industry, especially in
sectors such as steel,
cement and aluminum
production.
o In the transport sector, it
can be used as fuel for
For free learning, visit www.officerspulse.com
6
heavy duty vehicles,
aviation and shipping.
o The conversion efficiency
from one form of energy
carrier to another in the
end use application will
determine the scale of
green hydrogen’s
applicability.
o Hydrogen is a highly
combustible and volatile
element and its potency in
other forms such as
ammonia or methanol is
only relatively reduced.
Endogenous resources challenge:
 It has been estimated that the
production of one kg of
hydrogen by electrolysis
requires around nine litres of
water.
o Several parts of India are
already severely water-
stressed.
o While desalination has
been suggested, this will not
only increase the physical
footprint of the required
infrastructure, but also
potentially add to
competition for land use,
impact biodiversity and
create challenges and
limitations in the location of
electrolysers.
How to address these challenges?
 India should set up large scale
electrolyser manufacturing,
secure geo-political
partnerships for procurement
of critical minerals and improve
overall technical and economic
viability of electrolysers year-
over-year while competing with
other global players.
 India should add close to 100
GW of overall renewable energy
capacity per year over the next
seven years and make available

dispatch corridors and
mechanisms.
 It is critical to establish safety
standards for storage and
transportation if green hydrogen
has to be produced and stored in
different forms for later use.
 The proposed green hydrogen
hubs have to strike a fine
balance between being
renewable energy rich, water
resource rich and being close to
hydrogen demand (end-use)
centers for them to be
economically feasible.
Conclusion
 The International Renewable
Energy Agency (IRENA) estimates
that hydrogen and its derivatives
will account for 12 percent of
global final energy
consumption by 2050 with two-
thirds coming from green
hydrogen.
 India aims to produce green
hydrogen in the range of Rs
100-150/kg by 2030 which is
much below the currently global
levelised cost of producing it. (Rs
250-650/kg).
 This would mean India will have
to address all the challenges listed
above as well as coordinate across
multiple institutional bodies both
public and private in record time.
3) ISRO’s Small Satellite Vehicle
(GS3: Achievements of Indians in Science
& Technology; Indigenization of
Technology and Developing New
Technology)
Context
 India’s space programme received a
major boost recently when the
ISRO’s Small Satellite Vehicle
(SSLV-D2) lifted off from the Satish
Dhawan Space Centre at
Sriharikota.
For free learning, visit www.officerspulse.com
7
About SSLV
 SSLV is the new small satellite
launch vehicle developed by ISRO
to cater the launch of small
satellites up to 500 kg to Low
Earth Orbits.
 It is configured with three solid
stages and a liquid propulsion-
based Velocity Trimming
Module (VTM) which helps
achieve desired velocity for the
insertion of the satellites into the
intended orbit.
 SSLV is capable of launching Mini,
Micro, or Nanosatellites (10 to
500 kg mass) to a 500 km orbit.
 It provides low-cost access to
Space, offers low turn-around
time, facilitates flexibility in
accommodating multiple satellites
and demands minimal launch
infrastructure.
 The vehicle’s first development
flight of SSLV-D1 that took place
last August after repeated delays
due to the pandemic, failed to
place the satellites in precise
orbit. SSLV-D2 implemented the
recommendations made by the
expert committee that analyzed
the shortcomings of SSLV-D1
flight.
Significance of SSLV
 SSLV-D2 launch aims to
commercialize the small
satellite launches through
industry on demand basis. It
caters to the increasing global
need of launching small satellites
into Space.
 Small satellites have utility in
fields as diverse as education,
defense, earth sciences,
emergency-related data
services and smart power
grids.
 With its PSLV (polar satellite launch
vehicle), ISRO carved a niche for
itself in the traditional launch

segment. But in its 44-year history,
the space research agency has
averaged less than five launches
a year.
 Today’s data-driven world
requires more frequent rocket
launches. Private players,
especially in China and the US, are
stepping up to this challenge.
 Elon Musk’s SpaceX, for instance,
launched an orbital mission once
every six days last year. Such
rockets can be assembled, on-
demand, at a fraction of the cost of
conventional satellites in three
to four days — the turnaround
time for the PSLV, in contrast, is at
least a month.
Involvement of Private Players
 The ISRO plans to transfer the
SSLV technology to private
players. In 2020, the government
set up the Indian National Space
Promotion and Authorisation
Centre (IN-SPACe) to enhance the
diffusion of ISRO’s research.
 However, the country has a long
way to go to become a significant
player in the small satellite-driven
space economy — its share is
about 2 per cent.
Conclusion
 The success of such players in the
US owes much to the enabling
partnerships forged with NASA.
India’s premier space research
agency would do well to emulate its
American counterpart.
4) Reconsideration of
hydropower projects in the
Himalaya
(GS3: Conservation, Environmental
Pollution and Degradation,
Environmental Impact Assessment)
Context
 Relevance of hydropower in the
Himalayan region is put into
For free learning, visit www.officerspulse.com
8
question after the crisis unfolding
in Joshimath and glacier burst
over the Rishiganga hydroelectric
project in Uttarakhand.
Hydropower in India
 Hydropower is often considered
green energy because it
generates electricity from the
natural flow of water without
releasing any emissions of
pollutants. It also does not rely
on fossil fuels.
 In India, the government has
identified hydropower as a key
renewable energy source.
Hydroelectric power projects in
Himalayas
 Most countries in the region,
including India, China, Nepal,
Bhutan, and Pakistan, have built
or are planning to build
hydropower projects in the
Himalaya which is a major water
source for much of South Asia.
o Nepal has many
hydropower projects in the
planning and development
stages, including the Arun
III Hydroelectric Project
and the West Seti
Hydroelectric Project.
o In Bhutan, hydropower is
the main source of
revenue, and the
government has set a
target to export surplus
electricity to India. The
country has built several
hydropower projects,
including the Chukha
Hydropower Project and
the Tala Hydropower
Project.
o In India, many
hydropower projects are
under construction or in
the planning stages in the
Indian Himalaya, including
the Subansiri Lower

Hydroelectric Project in
Arunachal Pradesh and
the Teesta Low Dam
Hydroelectric Project in
Sikkim.
Impacts of hydroelectric power
projects
 The Himalayas, which is a fragile
ecosystem and home to a diverse
range of flora and fauna, is
already threatened by
deforestation, overgrazing, and
construction activities that harm
the environment and local
communities that depend on it.
 The construction of dams can
disrupt the flow of rivers,
leading to changes in water
temperature and chemistry. It
can also cause erosion,
landslides, and sedimentation
which can have a negative impact
on the local environment.
 Dams also disrupt the migration
patterns of fish and other
aquatic species and impact the
local wildlife, particularly if the
dam’s construction leads to
habitat loss.
 Large-scale hydroelectric dams
displace local communities,
affecting their livelihoods and
cultural heritage and impacting
the overall well-being of the
local population.
 Besides environmental impacts,
there are also concerns about the
potential conflicts over water
resources in the region.
What are the alternatives to
hydropower?
Micro hydro power projects
 Micro hydro is a small-scale
hydroelectric power generation
system that typically generates
up to 100 kilowatts (kW) of
electricity.
 Micro hydro systems can be
classified into two main types –
For free learning, visit www.officerspulse.com
9
run-of-river and storage
systems.
o Run-of-river systems use
the natural flow of water
in a stream or river to
generate electricity.
o Storage systems use a
reservoir to store water
and release it as needed
to generate electricity.
Advantages of micro hydro power
projects
 They can be used for various
applications, including
powering homes, businesses,
and small communities.
 Micro hydro systems are typically
less expensive to build and
maintain than large hydroelectric
dams and have a smaller
environmental footprint.
 They can be located even in
inaccessible areas where it is
difficult to transmit electricity
from larger power stations, and
they can provide a reliable source
of energy to communities that are
not connected to the grid.
 Micro hydro systems can be
tailored to minimize the
ecosystem’s negative impact
and provide sustainable energy
solutions.
Way Forward
 As micro-hydropower projects
can even have some impact on the
environment and local
communities, a detailed
assessment should be carried out
to evaluate the potential impact
before proceeding with the
project.

5) How to treat migrant workers?
Lessons from Kerala
(GS2: Welfare Schemes for Vulnerable
Sections of the population by the Centre
and States and the Performance of these
Schemes; Mechanisms, Laws,
Institutions and Bodies constituted for
the Protection and Betterment of these
Vulnerable Sections)
Context
 Recently, four persons were
arrested in Tamil Nadu for
allegedly assaulting migrant
workers. The incident sparked
questions on the safety of migrants
in the country.
Migration in India
 According to official sources, over
37 per cent of the population of
the country are internal
migrants.
 Relatively less developed states
such as Bihar and Uttar Pradesh
have high net out-migration.
Relatively more developed states
such as Goa, Delhi, Maharashtra,
Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and
Karnataka exhibit net immigration.
What triggers migration?
 The most accepted reasoning is a
response to the uneven
distribution of opportunities
over space. This, in turn, creates
both benefits and problems for the
areas people migrate from, and to.
These consequences can be
observed in economic, social,
cultural, political and demographic
terms.
 The first and most obvious cause
and consequence for the source
region is economic. The
remittances sent by migrants not
only sustain the families but also
help in ground-level capital
formation such as housing
infrastructure, and funds for the
education and healthcare of the
family members left behind.
For free learning, visit www.officerspulse.com
10
 The social impacts of migration are
multifold. Migration leads to
innovative ideas on new
technologies, work culture,
social mores and awareness of
rights, besides intermixing of
people from diverse cultures. It
leads to the evolution of a unique
composite culture, breaking up the
narrow considerations and
widening the mental horizon of the
people at large.
 Migrants of all skill levels—from
gig workers to healthcare
professionals—spawn creativity,
nourish the human spirit and
spur economic growth.
Kerala Model
 The state of Kerala has been
proactive in initiating social welfare
schemes for migrant workers.
 While other states in the country
use the term “migrant workers”,
Kerala calls them “guest workers”
and “replacement workers”.
 Kerala is a pioneer in instituting
social welfare programmes for
migrant workers. The state
education department has
launched an inclusive programme
for the education of children of
migrant workers.
 In Kerala, the Kudumbashree
initiative for women’s
empowerment and poverty
eradication included migrant
workers from other states. During
the lockdown imposed to deal with
the Covid-19 pandemic, the Kerala
government ran more than 15,000
relief camps for migrant workers.
Community kitchens in
panchayats ensured no migrant
workers went hungry.
 The Kerala Department of Health
and Family Welfare, through the
National Health Mission (NHM),
introduced “link workers” in 2020
to enhance access to healthcare
 11

for migrant families. Leaders carrying capacity due to

identified among these workers mismanagement and
were trained to provide indiscriminate anthropogenic
information about the state’s activity.
healthcare services.  The per capita availability of
 The social justice department has arable land has shrunk from 0.48
set up mobile crèches for hectare in 1950 to merely 0.16
children of migrant workers at hectare now. This is much lower
their places of work and than the global average of 0.29
construction sites. hectare.
 The Department of Labour and Present State of Land Degradation in
Skills (DOLS) of the Kerala India
government launched three  Almost all states have reported
“worker facilitation centres”, one an expansion in degraded areas
each in south, central and north during the past couple of decades,
Kerala. with the most rapid
 The state has also launched its own deterioration in land quality
Interstate Migrant Workers being in the biodiversity-rich
Welfare Scheme (ISMWWS- but ecologically sensitive north-
2010), which includes insurance eastern region.
and housing programmes.  The National Rainfed Area
Conclusion Authority of India notes that 121
 The challenges faced by migrants million hectares (mha) of land in
are still to be fully addressed. the country has been affected by
Unless we view migrant workers as degradation which amounts to 36.8
a dynamic part of a changing India, per cent of the land mass i.e.
we will not be able to lead towards nearly one-third of the country’s
an inclusive society. land has become substandard.
 Rajasthan is the most land
6) Saving the land for better use degradation-prone state due to its
(GS3: Conservation, Environmental soil and climatic conditions
Pollution and Degradation, followed by Maharashtra and
Environmental Impact Assessment) Gujarat.
Context  In India, the economic loss due to
 “Arresting land degradation” land degradation and changes in
was included among the top land use pattern was estimated in
priorities by the G20 Working 2014-15 at Rs 3.17 trillion
Group on Environment and equivalent to 2.5 percent of that
Climate Sustainability in its year’s gross domestic product.
meeting held recently in Causes of Land Degradation
Bangalore.  The major causes of the land
 This issue is highly relevant to degradation are
India, which has to support 18 o deforestation
percent of the world’s o wind and water erosion
population on only 2.4 per cent o imprudent alteration of
land. land use
 More worryingly, a sizeable o excessive pressure on
segment of this land has already land beyond its carrying
lost part of its productivity and capacity

For free learning, visit www.officerspulse.com

 12

o flawed farm practices of the United Nations, in its recent

o imbalanced use of report said sea levels rose by 4.5
chemical fertilisers millimeters (mm) a year on
o inadequate application average between 2013 and
of organic manures 2022.
o indiscriminate tillage.  This rise in sea levels is more
Government Measures than three times the rate at
 India is among the 123 countries which they rose between 1901
that have committed themselves and 1971.
to achieving Land Degradation  The report highlighted the fact
Neutrality (LDN) by 2030. that Mumbai, India’s financial
o This essentially means capital, is among the cities facing
upgrading land to a state the biggest threat from rising
where it can perform its sea levels.
normal ecological Why do the sea levels rise?
functions and services,  The rise in sea level is the result of
including supporting acceleration in the loss of ice
biodiversity, ensuring food from the Arctic and Antarctic
security, and meeting other regions as a result of global
needs. warming.
 India had originally set the target  The Indian Ocean is among the
of land restoration at 21 mha “hotspots” in this respect.
and it raised it to 26 mha during Impact of rising sea levels/warming
the 14th Conference of Parties to oceans
the United Nations Convention to Immediate Impacts
Combat Desertification, held in  Intensification of storm surges
2019. when tropical cyclones occur
Way Forward because rising sea levels cause an
 The stability and sustainability exponential increase in the
of the reclaimed land has to be height and velocity of sea
ensured. waves.
 Steps are also needed to o For example, Cyclone
safeguard the physical, Amphan, which hit India’s
chemical, and biological health east coast in 2020, brought
of the existing normal land. seawater 25 km inland and
 Investment in land improvement flooded the Sunderban
is needed. delta, which is, globally,
 Meticulous enforcement of a among the regions most
judicious land use policy based vulnerable to rising sea
on the capability classification of levels.
land is the need of the hour. Long-Term Impacts
 Subsidence, water and soil
7) Warming of Oceans salinity and diminishing
(GS3: Conservation, Environmental livelihoods.
Pollution and Degradation,  Coastal agricultural communities
Environmental Impact Assessment) will suffer falling productivity
Context from declining soil quality.
 The World Meteorological
Organization (WMO), an agency

For free learning, visit www.officerspulse.com


 Production of natural feedstock
for fish can be impacted due to
warming of oceans.
Mitigation Strategies
 Global approaches to mitigation
strategies largely focus on
containing emission and
reforestation to limit global
warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius
above pre-industrial levels.
 Investment in electric vehicles,
solar power, and green
hydrogen are key mitigation
strategies in India’s fight against
global warming. However, there
are shortcomings that need to be
addressed:
o Progress in implementing
these mitigation strategies
is patchy and not
comprehensive.
o Unwillingness of the
developed countries to
underwrite the costs
developing nations will
incur to cope with the
global warming and
climate change crisis.
Way Forward
 Reorienting fisherfolk to
alternative livelihoods and
creating infrastructure for
drinking water along the worst-
hit areas are solutions that can
profitably begin well before the
crisis grows out of control.
 Urban flooding and water
management are areas that
demand much more attention
than they get.
 Neighbouring, low-lying
Bangladesh is an example of a
country where an economic miracle
is threatened by rising sea levels; it
is among the countries that record
the highest number of “climate
refugees” who have lost homes
and livelihoods to warming oceans.
For free learning, visit www.officerspulse.com
13
 This is the last predicament India
should face as it seeks faster
economic growth.
8) Tiger Conservation in India
(GS3: Conservation, Environmental
Pollution and Degradation,
Environmental Impact Assessment)
Context
 In 2010, all tiger range countries
committed to doubling their
number of wild tigers. This was
an important summit at St
Petersburg, facilitated by the
Global Tiger Initiative of the
World Bank along with the
Russian Federation.
 The goal was named ‘Tx2’ by these
countries. A Global Tiger
Recovery Programme (GTRP)
was codified. The tiger range
countries that are part of the
programme are Bangladesh,
Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India,
Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar,
Nepal, Russia, Thailand, and
Vietnam.
 After more than a decade, South
Asia and Russia, at present,
maintain optimal wild-tiger
status. India and Nepal achieved
their Tx2. The current wild tiger
number globally is a little over
4,500.
About Tigers
 The tiger (Panthera tigris) is the
largest living cat species and a
member of the genus Panthera.
 It is territorial and generally a
solitary but social predator,
requiring large contiguous areas
of habitat to support its
requirements for prey and rearing
of its offspring.
 Habitat: Siberian temperate
forests to subtropical and tropical
forests on the Indian
subcontinent, Indo-china and a
single Indonesian island, Sumatra.

 Traditionally nine subspecies of
tigers have been recognized
namely Bengal Tigers, Caspian
tiger, Amur tiger, Javan tiger,
South China tiger, Bali tiger,
Sumatran tiger, Malayan tiger and
Indo-Chinese tiger, out of which
three (Javan tiger, Bali tiger and
Caspian tiger) are extinct.
India’s Success Story
 India is in a leadership position on
the tiger front. As of now, India
holds more than 70 per cent of
global wild tigers.
 Wild tiger governance stands out as
a role model of collective
responsibility between the
Centre and states.
India’s Tiger Efforts
Project Tiger, 1973
 Project Tiger is a Centrally
Sponsored Scheme of Government
of India which was launched in
1973 for in-situ conservation of
wild tigers in designated tiger
reserves.
 At present, there are a total of 53
Tiger Reserves in India governed
by Project Tiger.
 Almost 2.3 per cent of the
country’s geographical area is
under the fold of Project tiger.
National Tiger Conservation Authority
(NTCA)
 NTCA is a statutory body
constituted under the Wildlife
(Protection) Act, 1972 which gave
much-needed statutory backing
and in turn impetus to Project
Tiger.
Tiger Conservation Plan
 Two mutually complementary and
aggressive portfolios prescribe the
agenda for actions.
 The “exclusive” tiger agenda
focuses on viable tiger
populations in core areas
(national parks/sanctuaries)
For free learning, visit www.officerspulse.com
14
within the natural habitat
carrying capacity.
 The peripheral areas (buffer)
are governed by “inclusive”
actions to handle the co-
occurrence of people and wild
animals moving out of the core.
 The Tiger Conservation Plan
(TCP) is a statutory
requirement for every tiger
reserve which provides a site-
specific roadmap for such actions.
MoUs with Tiger Range Countries
 On the international front, there are
bilateral
instruments/Memorandums of
Understanding with several tiger
range countries (India, Nepal,
Bhutan, Bangladesh, China, and
Myanmar). This has worked.
 Based on our experience with
tigers, cheetahs have also been
brought back to the country. The
well-known co-predator, the
leopard, has also seen an increase
in numbers.
Challenges
 The number gains in big cats have
thrown up a lot of challenges. The
human-tiger interface is more
sensitive than ever.
 Corridor linkages need to remain
functional. The ongoing
transformations in tiger landscapes
call for envisioning a larger “zone
of influence” with a focus on
integration on several fronts,
namely, spatial, sectoral, intra-
sectoral, vertical; and resource
pooling.
 We need a landscape-scale
master plan to capture the
envisioned strategy, monitored by
the existing administrative
apparatus with due legal backing
and funding support from ongoing
schemes.

Conclusion
 India is working on its new tiger
vision. The wild tiger is a mascot
for economic growth, ecosystem
services, adaptation to climate
change, and pandemic buffering.
9) India can become
biodiversity champion
(GS3: Conservation, Environmental
Pollution and Degradation,
Environmental Impact Assessment)
Context
 The sum and variation of our
biological wealth, known as
biodiversity, is essential to the
future of this planet.
 The importance of our planet’s
biodiversity was strongly
articulated at the United Nations
Biodiversity Conference in
Montreal, Canada. In December
2022, 188 country representatives
adopted an agreement to “halt and
reverse” biodiversity loss by
conserving 30% of the world’s
land and 30% of the world’s
oceans by 2030, known as the
30×30 pledge.
 India currently hosts 17% of the
planet’s human population and
17% of the global area in
biodiversity hotspots, placing it at
the helm to guide the planet in
becoming biodiversity champions.
Programmes with Potential
 In response to this call, the Union
Budget 2023 mentioned “Green
Growth” as one of the seven
priorities or Saptarishis.
o The National Mission for a
Green India aims to
increase forest cover on
degraded lands and protect
existing forested lands.
o The Green Credit
Programme has the
objective to “incentivize
environmentally sustainable
For free learning, visit www.officerspulse.com
15
and responsive actions by
companies, individuals and
local bodies”.
o The Mangrove Initiative
for Shoreline Habitats &
Tangible Incomes
(MISHTI) is particularly
a significant because of the
extraordinary importance of
mangroves and coastal
ecosystems in mitigating
climate change.
o The Prime Minister
Programme for
Restoration, Awareness,
Nourishment, and
Amelioration of Mother
Earth (PM-PRANAM) for
reducing inputs of synthetic
fertilizers and pesticides is
critical for sustaining our
agriculture.
o Finally, the Amrit Dharohar
scheme directly mentions
our biological wealth and is
expected to encourage
optimal use of wetlands, and
enhance biodiversity, carbon
stock, eco-tourism
opportunities and income
generation for local
communities.
Achieving Full Potential
 New missions and programmes
should effectively use modern
concepts of sustainability and
valuation of ecosystems that
consider ecological, cultural, and
sociological aspects of our
biological wealth.
 The future of our wetland
ecosystems will depend on how we
are able to sustain ecological
flows through reduction in water
use in key sectors such as
agriculture by encouraging changes
to less-water intensive crops such
as millets as well as investments in
water recycling in urban areas
 16

using a combination of grey and specific interventions,

blue-green infrastructure. develop a futuristic roadmap
 As far as the Green India Mission and advise the Prime
is concerned, implementation Minister accordingly.
should focus on ecological  This mission seeks to harness the
restoration rather than tree power of interdisciplinary
plantation and choose sites where knowledge — for greening India
it can contribute to ecological and its economy, to restore and
connectivity in landscapes enrich our natural capital for the
fragmented by linear well-being of our people, and to
infrastructure. position India as a global leader in
 Site selection should also be applied biodiversity science.
carefully considered for the
mangrove initiative with a greater 10) Slow progress to creating a
emphasis on diversity of safe workplace for women
mangrove species with retention (GS1: Role of Women and Women’s
of the integrity of coastal mud- Organization, Population and
flats and salt pans themselves, as Associated Issues, Poverty and
they too are important for Developmental issues, Urbanization,
biodiversity. their problems and their remedies)
Local Community Involvement Context
 Finally, each of these efforts must  The recent case of allegations of
be inclusive of local and nomadic sexual harassment faced by India’s
communities where these sportswomen has brought the focus
initiatives will be implemented. on sexual harassment of women at
 Traditional knowledge and workplace.
practices of these communities Structural Violence
should be integrated into the  Violence, in the form of sexual
implementation plans. harassment at the workplace, is
Way Forward both direct and structural.
 To further enhance the objectives of  While an enabling environment for
the above mentioned initiatives, the reporting direct violence has shown
government should immediately a gradual improvement, indirect
launch the National Mission on violence remains poorly
Biodiversity and Human addressed because it is embedded
Wellbeing, which is already deep in our social and economic
approved by the Prime Minister’s structures.
Science, Technology, and  It is more visible in the
Innovation Advisory Council employment imbalance
(PM-STIAC). prevalent between men and
o The PM-STIAC is an women, in the organised and
overarching Council that unorganised sectors. With more
facilitates the Office of the men at the workplace, they feel
Principal Scientific Adviser to entitled and empowered to take
the Government of India to undue advantage of the historical
assess the status in specific fact that the society is still
science and technology patriarchal and women are not
domains, comprehend only in a minority but also occupy
challenges in hand, formulate a few of the higher positions.

For free learning, visit www.officerspulse.com


 When the number of women in
leadership positions are not
enough to generate confidence in
subordinates, women in lower
positions feel reluctant to air
their grievances.
 The Periodic Labour Force
Survey (PLFS) annual report for
2020-21 shows that though the
Female Labour Force
Participation Rate has gradually
increased from 17.5% in 2017-18
to 25.1% in 2020-21, it is still
much less when compared to men.
Start early, and at home
 The absence of an enabling and
safe working environment is one
of the factors for the poor
participation of women in the
labour force.
 It is generally believed that most
women do not complain of sexual
harassment and the current
redress mechanism is either non-
existent or ineffective.
 Unless the mindset of treating
men and women as equals is
developed at an early stage of
character formation during
childhood, the stereotyped power
relation between the two would be
difficult to change later.
 Unless both parents respect each
other and treat their girl and boy
child on a par in all respects, they
grow up learning this inequality as
a normal phenomenon, which may
even lead to the development of
criminal tendencies in men.
Therefore, the beginning has to be
made at home.
Responsibility of Employer
 Providing a safe work environment
is the responsibility of the
employer. The employer needs to
ensure that the working
environment is safe and women
friendly.
For free learning, visit www.officerspulse.com
17
 However, it has been observed that
whenever allegations of sexual
harassment are levelled against
superior authorities, instead of
getting the complaint inquired into
expeditiously under the law, i.e., the
Sexual Harassment of Women at
Workplace (Prevention,
Prohibition and Redressal), Act,
2013, the accused either resorts to
multiple attempts at litigation to
stall the due process or attempts to
bring disrepute to the victim on
flimsy grounds.
o Refer Pulse November At A
Glance 2022 edition for
details about Sexual
Harassment of Women at
Workplace Act.
 The situation becomes more
complex when the accused himself
is at the helm of affairs.
Way Forward
 It is essential to fix goals to improve
the workplace environment for
women.
o The short-term goals may
include providing the
requisite women-friendly
infrastructure, the
constitution of internal
complaint committees, and
the spreading of
awareness about the law
and procedure of grievance
redress.
o Medium-term goals may
include the increase of
female participation in the
labour force, and providing
incentives to prevent
drop-outs such as paid
maternity leave.
o However, in the long-run, it
is essential to address the
deep-rooted structural
and cultural violence
which puts women in a
disadvantageous position.

 Unless society as a whole works
incessantly to bring about the
required changes in the existing
socio-cultural and economic
structures to eliminate indirect
violence, root and branch, the
status quo may not change.
11) Trading more within Asia
makes economic sense
(GS2: Bilateral, Regional and Global
Groupings and Agreements involving
India and/or affecting India’s interests)
Context
 The International Monetary Fund
(IMF) has warned that global
trade would slow down from
5.4% in 2022 to 2.4% in 2023.
 It underscores that South Asia
should now have a re-look at
regional trade across Asia.
Trade between South Asia and East Asia
 A recent study by the IMF argues
that a strong base exists for South
Asia trading more with dynamic
East Asia. Since the 1990s, South
Asia-East Asia trade has gathered
pace, which is linked to India’s
trade re-aligning towards East Asia
through its ‘Look East’ and ‘Act
East’ policies, South Asia adopting
reforms, and also China
offshoring global supply chains
to Asia.
 The total merchandise trade
between South Asia and East Asia
(in dollar terms) grew at about
10% annually between 1990 and
2018 to $332 billion in 2018, and
could reach about $500 billion
looking ahead.
 In addition, regional trade in Asia is
recovering after the COVID-19
pandemic and has opened
opportunities for South Asia to
participate in global value chains
and services trade.
What then needs to be done?
For free learning, visit www.officerspulse.com
18
 First, regional trade integration
across Asia can be encouraged by
gradually reducing barriers to
goods and services trade.
 Second, improve the performance
of special economic zones (SEZs)
and invest in services SEZs to
facilitate industrial clustering and
exports. South Asia has over 600
SEZs in operation. However, these
SEZs have a variable record in
terms of exports and jobs and
fostering domestic linkages.
o Improving SEZ processes
and outcomes in South Asia
requires ensuring
macroeconomic and
political stability, adopting
good practice regulatory
policies towards investors,
providing reliable
electricity and 5G
broadband cellular
technology, and also
upgrading worker skills.
 Third, pursue comprehensive
FTAs to provide for a regional
rules-based trade to insure
against rising protectionism.
 Fourth, a reinvented trade-
focused Bay of Bengal Initiative
for Multi-Sectoral Technical and
Economic Cooperation
(BIMSTEC) can facilitate stronger
trade ties and support the interests
of smaller members.
o Reinventing BIMSTEC
requires better resourcing
its Secretariat, concluding
the long-running BIMSTEC
FTA and building trade
capacity in smaller
economies.
Way Forward
 Slowing global trade means that
trading more within Asia makes
economic sense. Having the
political will to implement pro-

trade policies can improve the lives
of Asians.
 India is South Asia’s largest
economy and its G-20 presidency
can be a good platform to initiate
these changes.
12) Target reset
(GS3: Conservation, Environmental
Pollution and Degradation,
Environmental Impact Assessment)
Context
 Compressed Biogas (CBG), also
called Bio-Compressed Natural
Gas or Bio-CNG, is just the fuel
India needs.
 With a calorific value similar to
that of CNG, it can replace the
fossil fuel for which India largely
depends on imports. Bio-CNG also
holds a win-win solution to the
country's air pollution problem.
Potential of Bio-CNG
 Bio-CNG is an advanced version of
biogas produced from animal
manure and food waste and has
been traditionally promoted across
rural areas.
 It is a form of renewable natural
gas produced by the anaerobic
digestion of organic matter. It is
composed primarily of methane
and carbon dioxide.
 Bio-CNG involves the commercial
refining of biogas to increase its
methane content to above 90 per
cent.
 Since the plants require these
biomass materials in large volumes,
they use municipal solid waste
and agricultural waste such as
paddy stubble—the burning of
which is a significant cause of air
pollution in north India during the
winters.
 Moreover, the residue or
digestate obtained at the end of
Bio-CNG production can be used as
bio-fertiliser.
For free learning, visit www.officerspulse.com
19
 Bio-CNG has calorific value and
other properties similar to
Compressed natural gas (CNG)
and hence can replace CNG in
automotive, industrial, and
commercial areas.
Need for Bio-CNG
 It can provide a buffer against
energy security concerns caused
by crude oil price fluctuations.
 It can help lower pollution and
carbon emissions.
 The slurry left after biogas is
extracted from the digester can be
used as fertilizer.
 It can provide additional sources
of revenue to the farmers.
Government Initiatives
GOBARdhan Scheme
 Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro
Resources (GOBAR)-Dhan was
launched by the Government of
India in 2018 as a part of the
biodegradable waste
management component under
the Swachh Bharat Mission-
Gramin.
 The scheme focuses on managing
and converting cattle dung and
solid waste on farms into compost,
biogas, and bio-CNG.
 The initiative aims at attracting
entrepreneurs for establishing
community-based CBG plants in
rural areas.
 In the latest Union Budget, Finance
Minister Nirmala Sitharaman
announced the setting up of 200
bio-CNG plants in the country
under GOBARdhan scheme.
SATAT
 The SATAT (Sustainable Alternative
Towards Affordable
Transportation) initiative was
launched in 2018, by the Ministry
of Petroleum and Natural Gas to
promote the production and use
of compressed biogas (CBG) as a
transportation fuel.

 The scheme envisages targeting the
production of 15 MMT (million
tons) of CBG by 2023, from 5000
Plants.
 It aims to produce CBG from waste
and biomass sources like
agricultural residue, cattle dung,
sugarcane press mud, Municipal
Solid Waste (MSW), and sewage
treatment plant waste.
Challenges in the production of Bio-CNG
 There are challenges, like the
arrangement of feedstock,
technology and equipment
availability, and distribution of
the gas.
 The short window of the harvest
season is a challenge in the case of
agri-feedstock-based plants.
 There is also not enough
infrastructure and machinery to
collect the waste.
 There is little demand for the
digestate from bio-CNG plants as it
needs to be enriched with
nutrients.
Way Forward
 India can increase the availability
of feedstock by encouraging the
use of agricultural and municipal
waste as feedstock for bio-CNG
production.
 India can improve the efficiency of
bio-CNG production by investing
in research and development to
enhance feedstock conversion into
bio-CNG.
 Developing infrastructure for
bio-CNG distribution by building
more bio-CNG refueling stations
and by making bio-CNG more easily
accessible to consumers is
essential.
 India can encourage private sector
investment in bio-CNG production
by providing financial incentives
and creating a favorable policy
environment for bio-CNG
production.
For free learning, visit www.officerspulse.com
20
13) Save Himalayan springs
(GS3: Conservation, Environmental
Pollution and Degradation,
Environmental Impact Assessment)
Context
 According to a recent NITI Aayog
report, nearly 50% of springs in
the Indian Himalayan Region
(IHR) have already dried up or
have reduced discharge.
 The drying up of these important
water sources in the Himalayan
region will have a profound impact
on people and the ecosystem.
Himalayan Springs
 Springs are groundwater
discharge points in the mountains
where the water-bearing layers
(aquifer) intersect with the
ground surface and water seeps
out of rock pores, fissures,
fractures, or depressions.
 There are 5 million springs across
India, of which nearly 3 million
are in the Indian Himalayan
Region alone.
 Over 50 million inhabitants
depend on springs in the Indian
Himalayan Region.
Reasons for drying up of springs in IHR
 Reduction in the long-term
rainfall in the region:
o While some places receive
excessive rain that leads to
landslides and floods, the
average annual rainfall in
the region has decreased.
 Change in land cover and land
use:
o Some places in the
Himalayan states have seen
a reduction in forest cover
and natural farming, due
to both infrastructural
development and land-use
changes.
 Landslides:
 21

o Mass movements of rock conservation and

and debris tend to destroy management of springs.
springs.  The Spring Water Atlas:
 Several such areas in Jammu and o It is an initiative of the
Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Ministry of Tribal Affairs
Pradesh, Uttarakhand and and United National
northeastern states have been Development Programme
affected by the causes that lead to (UNDP).
drying up of springs. Apart from o It is a GIS-enabled online
India, this problem is also seen in inventory of springs which
Nepal and Bhutan. will help in mapping
Impact of drying up of springs springs, quality of water,
 Himalayan springs form the base discharge capacity and other
flow of rivers such as the Ganga, physical, chemical, and
Yamuna, and Brahmaputra. biological properties.
Drying up of springs will cause the Recommendations
base flow of the river channels to  NITI Aayog in its “Resource Book
drop, especially during summer. on spring shed Management in
 Acute water stress in the IHR the Indian Himalayan Region
affects the livelihood of (IHR)” published in 2021 provides
mountain communities the following recommendations:
dependent on spring water. o Formation of National
 The drying springs will further Springs Mission (NSM)
add to the work burden of which will facilitate
women since they are forced to improved coordination,
manually carry water from springs efficient execution, and
during the lean season. scaling up of spring shed
 It also affects water security for management initiatives in
wildlife inside forests and national India;
parks. o Enhancing support for
Initiatives for Rejuvenation of existing, state, and national-
Himalayan springs level science-policy-practice
 National Mission on Himalayan consortiums to facilitate
Studies (NMHS): capacity building amongst
o It is an initiative to revive stakeholders.
springs in the Himalayan Conclusion
states of Himachal  Involvement of the local
Pradesh, Uttarakhand and community, educating various
Sikkim. stakeholders, especially the
o The initiative involves communities depending on spring
digging percolation pits, water as well as those located in
contour trenches, and the recharge zone about resource
plantation of suitable native protection, preventing
species with the support of contamination of the aquifer that
local communities. supplies water to springs and land
o Water User Committees use management and control are
are formed at the crucial to arrest the adverse
community level to create impacts on the spring ecosystem.
awareness on the

For free learning, visit www.officerspulse.com


14) Safety from numbers
(GS1: Urbanization, their problems and
their remedies)
Context
 The Indian Himalayan Region
(IHR), with its rich biodiversity,
glaciers, water resources and
cultural diversity, attracts a large
number of visitors from all over
the world.
 According to NITI Aayog, as of
2018, West Bengal sees the
highest inflow of tourists, while
the northwestern and central
Himalayan states and Union
Territories (UTs) of Jammu and
Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh,
Uttarakhand, Assam, Meghalaya,
Sikkim and Tripura also record
large numbers.
Himalayan Tourism
 The Himalayan region offers
conditions suitable for several
tourism-related activities, including
recreation, adventure, or religious
pilgrimages.
 Tourism is also an important
source of income and livelihood
for people living in these states and
UTs.
 In the Indian Himalayan Region
tourism has experienced
continued growth and increasing
diversification over the last few
decades.
Impact of Mass Tourism in IHR
 In the Himalayan region, there are
areas that suffer due to mass
tourism, while some others have
not fully reached their tourism
potential. Even within states, there
are regional disparities.
 Seasons also play a role. Major
tourist activity is confined to just
a few months in a year—during
the peak summer season, largely
from April to June, and in winter
from the last week of December to
For free learning, visit www.officerspulse.com
22
February, or sometimes mid-March,
depending on the snowfall.
 The higher density of native and
floating populations in IHR leads to
more generation of solid waste,
ambient air pollution, water
pollution, and deforestation.
 In winter, the influx of people and
vehicles and other allied activities
also contributes to the shift seen in
snowfall and melting patterns
due to climate change-related
impacts.
 As a consequence of all these
adverse pressures, local
communities and resources of the
Himalayan region are at great risk.
Reduce Mass Tourism
 One way to reduce the threats of
excessive tourism is by inculcating
a spirit of conservation.
 Regional disparities can be
minimized by promoting
ecotourism (which involves
responsible travel and safeguarding
of local environment and
ecosystems). This includes
decentralisation of tourism
activities based on the available
resources in any place.
 It is also important to develop new
tourist destinations as this would
promote remote areas to be
brought under mainstream
development and thereby provide
livelihood and income
opportunities for residents, thereby
reducing migration.
Combating Pollution
 IHR generates a large amount of
solid waste, much of which is
biodegradable in nature. It is
suggested to use microbial bio-
composting.
 Psychrophilic and mesophilic
bacteria, which grow in moderate
to cold conditions, can be used to
break down the biodegradable
waste into bio-compost.
 23

 Air pollution in the region can be different stakeholders on

addressed by creating green belts sustainable and economic solutions
using locally available tree to threats posed by mass tourism in
species that can help remove the IHR.
pollutants suspended in the air.
 Introducing electric vehicles, and 15) Why India needs a ‘Mission
using non-conventional energy Adaptation’ in its climate change
sources like solar, geothermal, and
strategy
wind power can be implemented to
(GS3: Conservation, Environmental
combat regional-level ambient air
Pollution and Degradation,
pollution.
Environmental Impact Assessment)
Government Initiatives
Context
National Strategy for Sustainable
 In the latest Union Budget, climate
Tourism and Responsible Traveller
change mitigation has received a
Campaign:
clear mention — especially with
 It was launched by the Ministry of
the focus on green growth
Tourism in partnership with the
initiatives targeted at reducing the
UN Environment Programme in
carbon intensity of the economy
2022.
such as green mobility, energy
 Strategic pillars of the strategy
efficiency and the green hydrogen
include:
mission announcement.
o Promoting Environmental,
 But climate change adaptation
Economic and Socio-
has been addressed only
cultural sustainability,
indirectly.
o Protecting Biodiversity,
Budget Announcements
o Capacity Building and
 Certain budgetary allocations
Governance.
towards nature-based solutions
Swadesh Darshan 2.0:
such as the mangrove plantation
 It is a centrally sponsored scheme
initiative (MISHT) and the
with the vision to develop
community-based wetland
sustainable and responsible
conservation scheme (Amrit
tourism destinations. The scheme
Dharohar scheme) promise to
aims to promote responsible
have potentially positive impacts
tourism in various projects and
in mitigating climate change and
initiatives in the Himalayan region.
climate adaptation.
 It also aims to create jobs
 The initiative to make India a
including self-employment for local
global hub for millets is also likely
communities and preserve and
to help reap adaptation benefits.
enhance local, cultural and
Millets are more climate resilient
natural resources.
and require less water compared
Conclusion
to rice and wheat.
 Any sustainable approach
 However, crucial concerns like
undertaken to protect and preserve
accounting for climate change-
the pristine Himalayan ecosystem
induced risks — Joshimath being
should involve the participation of
the most recent example — do not
local communities.
find explicit mention in the
 There is a need to encourage skill
budget.
and capacity-building programs
 Measures towards enhancing the
to spread awareness among
resilience of communities and

For free learning, visit www.officerspulse.com


habitations to climate change’s
impact — crucial given India’s high
vulnerability to climate change —
do not find an explicit mention
either.
 This is concerning given the
increasing frequency at which
climate-related stress is occurring
and is expected to occur.
Adaptation vs. Mitigation
 Adaptation means anticipating
the adverse effects of climate
change and taking appropriate
action to prevent or minimise
the damage they can cause, or
taking advantage of
opportunities that may arise.
 Examples of adaptation
measures include large-scale
infrastructure changes, such as
building defenses to protect against
sea-level rise, as well behavioral
shifts, such as individuals reducing
their food waste. In essence,
adaptation can be understood as
the process of adjusting to the
current and future effects of
climate change.
 Mitigation means making the
impacts of climate change less
severe by preventing or reducing
the emission of greenhouse gases
(GHG) into the atmosphere.
 Mitigation is achieved either by
reducing the sources of these
gases — e.g. by increasing the
share of renewable energies, or
establishing a cleaner mobility
system — or by enhancing the
storage of these gases — e.g. by
increasing the size of forests. In
short, mitigation is a human
intervention that reduces the
sources of GHG emissions and/or
enhances the sinks.
Less Attention on Adaptation
 Adaptation has traditionally
received far less attention than
mitigation in the global climate
For free learning, visit www.officerspulse.com
24
discourse. Consequently, funding
for adaptation has been far less.
 In India, for example, as per one
estimate by the Climate Policy
Initiative, the ratio of funding for
climate adaptation to mitigation
stands at 1:7; Rs 35,000 crore and
Rs 2,69,000 crore (2020).
 An important reason for this is that
adaptation solutions often do not
give an immediately palpable
return on investment (ROI).
Because of this, capital flowing into
adaptation is scant.
 Given the uncertainties,
complexities and risks, climate
adaptation has largely remained a
publicly-funded endeavour in
India. Further, international
funding has also remained scarce
due to this skewed discourse on
climate change.
Significance of Climate Adaptation
 Ultimately, climate adaptation
must come to be seen as a strategic
investment by the public sector,
which it must make in order to
climate-proof lives, livelihoods,
the environment and the
economy.
 Climate shocks are anticipated to
get more frequent and severe,
and in the absence of resilience-
building for communities and
habitations, the impact could be
devastating.
 If there can be a strategic,
proactive approach to building
adaptive capacity, it could prevent
undue distress, and help India
achieve its development needs
despite the challenges of a climate-
changed world.
Way Forward
 Given this strategic imperative, the
government should adopt “Mission
Adaptation” to create a
supportive ecosystem for all
entities, including the private

sector, non-profits and civil society,
to come together and work towards
developing and scaling up
locally-sound adaptation
solutions.
16) Reset the clock
(GS1: Urbanization, their problems and
their remedies)
Context
 The town of Joshimath in
Uttarakhand is witnessing an
unprecedented crisis. Wide Cracks
have appeared on the roads and on
several residential and commercial
buildings in the town.
 Authorities have declared
Joshimath as a landslide and
subsidence-hit zone.
Himalayan Region
 The Himalayas have recorded
calamities like earthquakes,
avalanches, cloud-bursts,
landslide lake outburst floods
(breaching of lakes formed by
obstructions due to landslides), and
glacial lake outburst floods
(sudden release of a significant
amount of water retained in a
glacial lake).
 It is susceptible to landslides and
earthquakes as it is formed due to
the collision of Indian and Eurasian
plates, and the northward
movement of the former puts
continuous stress on the rocks,
rendering them weak and prone
to natural calamities.
Why is Joshimath sinking?
 Joshimath is a town situated in the
Chamoli District of Uttarakhand. It
is located in the Middle Himalayas
at an altitude of 1875 m.
 Joshimath is a religious and
tourist place and is situated near
the holy shrine of Badrinath (one
of the Char Dhams in
Uttarakhand).
For free learning, visit www.officerspulse.com
25
 In 2021, cracks were reported for
the first time in Joshimath owing to
frequent landslides and flooding
in Chamoli, Uttarakhand.
 Reports revealed that several
pockets of Joshimath are sinking
due to both natural and
anthropogenic factors. It was found
that structural defects and
damages throughout the city were
caused due to the removal or
displacement of subsurface
materials.
Reasons for Land subsidence in
Joshimath
 Land subsidence is the “sinking
of the ground because of
underground material
movement”.
 Joshimath city has been built on an
ancient landslide material, which
doesn't have a high load-bearing
capacity making the area
extremely vulnerable to land
subsidence.
 The town falls in high-risk seismic
Zone-V and is traversed by
running streams with a high
gradient from Vishnuprayag, a
confluence of the Dhauliganga and
the Alaknanda rivers.
 Unplanned urbanization has led
to the blocking of the natural
flow of water, which eventually
results in frequent landslides.
 It might have been triggered by the
reactivation of a geographic
fault, defined as a fracture or zone
of fractures between two blocks of
rock (where the Indian Plate has
pushed under the Eurasian Plate)
along the Himalayas.
 Studies in the last two decades
suggest that poor civic planning,
mainly in terms of drainage and
household waste disposal, could
have played a role in increasing
Joshimath’s vulnerability to
subsidence.

Intermediary climate zones
 Intermediary climatic zones in the
Indian Himalayan Region are areas
intermediate between glaciated
and non-glaciated terrain. These
are regions that receive both
snowfalls as well as rainfall.
 They serve as potential sites for
tourism activities, development of
river valley projects, etc.
 While the entire Himalayan region
is fragile due to active erosional
and weathering processes, the
intermediary zones may be
regarded as the most fragile and
unstable belt on account of the
interplay of glacial and fluvial
(dominated by rivers and streams)
processes.
 Further, most of the disastrous
catastrophes, including the
Kedarnath floods of 2013, the
Chamoli flash floods of 2021, and
the recent Joshimath crisis have
occurred in such intermediary
climatic zones.
Major recommendations by Mishra
Committee 1976
 The land subsidence in Joshimath is
an old issue and was first reported
in 1976, after which the
government appointed a Schemes; Mechanisms, Laws, Institutions
committee under M C Mishra to
examine the reasons for the
instability.
 The Mishra committee
recommended to stop open drain
water to avoid seepage, closing of
soaking pits and construction of
concrete sewage lines for
sewerage.
 It recommended that when
repairing roads or building
structures, the boulders should
not be removed by digging or
blasting the hillsides as this would
remove toe support, increasing the
likelihood of landslides.
For free learning, visit www.officerspulse.com
26
 The committee recommended that
cement blocks should be
positioned in areas of the river
bank that are susceptible to erosion
in order to stop the bank from
eroding.
Way Forward
 The Joshimath Crisis is a reflection
of the harmful impacts of
uncontrolled development in
geologically unstable and
ecologically sensitive regions.
 It is necessary to cover strategies
for strengthening resilience in the
most vulnerable places, including
stronger early warning systems
and higher-quality buildings.
 The multiple crises in the region
necessitate a relook at the present
development model.
 An implementation plan that
considers the carrying capacity of
the terrain is the need of the hour,
as is a proper land zonation and
land utilisation strategy.
17) Understanding India’s Mental
Healthcare Act, 2017
(GS2: Welfare Schemes for Vulnerable
Sections of the population by the Centre and
States and the Performance of these
and Bodies constituted for the Protection
and Betterment of these Vulnerable
Sections)
Context
 The National Human Rights
Commission (NHRC) in a report
flagged the “inhuman and
deplorable” condition of all 46
government-run mental
healthcare institutions across the
country.
 The facilities are “illegally”
keeping patients long after their
recovery, in what is an
“infringement of the human rights
of mentally ill patients”, the report
notes.

 The report also notes that the
perennial shortage of doctors,
lack of infrastructure, and
proper amenities speak of a very
pathetic and inhuman handling by
different stakeholders.
 The human rights body’s
observations were made after visits
to all operational government
facilities, to assess the
implementation of the Mental
Healthcare Act, 2017 (MHCA).
The Mental Healthcare Act, 2017
 The MHCA discourages long-term
institutionalization of patients
and reaffirms the rights of people
to live independently, and within
communities.
 As part of Section 19, the
government was made responsible
for creating opportunities to access
less restrictive options for
community living — such as
halfway homes, sheltered
accommodations, rehab homes, and
supported accommodation.
 The Act also discourages using
physical restraints (such as
chaining), objects to unmodified
electro-convulsive therapy (ECT),
and pushes for the rights to
hygiene, sanitation, food,
recreation, privacy, and
infrastructure.
 Importantly, the Act recognised
people have a capacity of their
own — unless proven otherwise.
Challenges to Implementation
 While the MHCA safeguards the
rights of people in mental
healthcare establishments,
enforcement challenges remain.
 Almost 36.25% of residential
service users at state psychiatric
facilities were found to be living
for one year or more in these
facilities.
 It is due to absence of community-
based services, and social stigma
For free learning, visit www.officerspulse.com
27
that looks at a person with mental
illness as a “criminal” deserving of
incarceration.
 Under the MHCA, all States are
required to establish a State
Mental Health Authority and
Mental Health Review Boards
(MHRBs) – bodies that can further
draft standards for mental
healthcare institutes, oversee their
functioning and ensure they comply
with the Act.
 In the majority of the States, these
bodies are yet to be established or
remain defunct. The absence of
MHRBs renders people unable to
exercise rights or seek redressal
in case of rights violations.
 Poor budgetary allocation and
utilization of funds further create
a scenario where shelter homes
remain underequipped,
establishments are understaffed,
and professionals and service
providers are not adequately
trained to deliver mental
healthcare.
Rehabilitation of recovered people
 While the Act says a person can
walk out if they are recovered, in
practice, people still need
somebody– a caregiver or the
state -- to take them out.
 In many cases, families refuse to
take them because of the stigma
attached to incarceration or the
idea that the person is no longer
functional in society.
 Gender discrimination plays a
role here: women are more likely
to be abandoned due to family
disruption, marital discords and
violence in intimate relationships.
 Moreover, most people who live in
mental healthcare facilities have
histories of homelessness,
poverty, and a lack of education –
and they thus have no place to go
after recovery.
 28

 The dearth of alternative  In the absence of rehabilitation,

community-based services -- in institutions are the only spaces
the form of homes for assisted or available for many persons living
independent living, community- with mental illness.
based mental healthcare services,
and socio-economic opportunities –
further complicates access to
rehabilitation.
Way Forward
 States have begun experimenting
with the model of reintegration
and recovery: Chennai’s Institute
of Mental Health launched five
halfway homes in 2021, where
people can access the confidence
and skills needed to manage
themselves outside a structured
institution.
 Kerala has also started half-way
homes and community living
centres, providing rehabilitation to
people who are abandoned by
family members, who don’t wish to
return to their families, who have
no memory of their families, and
those who have mental disabilities
and are unable to work.

For free learning, visit www.officerspulse.com

 29

Model Questions

1) Discuss the potential of Renewable Energy in India and challenges associated with it.

2) The National Green Hydrogen mission launched recently has its own advantages and
limitations. Discuss.

3) Successful launch of SSLV-D2 added a new feather to the cap of ISRO. In this context
explain about SSLVs and their significance in the space sector.

4) Enumerate the challenges associated with hydro electric power projects in the Himalayas
region with suitable examples.

5) Discuss the measures needed to address the problems faced by migrants in the country.

6) What are the causes and effects of land degradation? Discuss India’s efforts towards
arresting land degradation.

7) Why do sea levels keep rising? Discuss its impacts and suggest measures to be adopted
to counter the threat of rising sea levels.

8) India leads the world by its commendable tiger conservation efforts. Discuss in Indian
and international context.

9) The government of India has recently undertaken several programmes with potential to
improve biodiversity. List some of them and analyse in detail the need for science based
implementation along with the involvement of local communities.

10) Women are subjected to violence or sexual harrasment at the workplace more often by
men. Enumerate the ways to reduce this and analyse the ways of implementing best
practices at the workplace.

11) Southasian trade is dwindling and it needs to be stopped at any cause. Analyse the
measures to overcome this challenge and the India's possibility of joining RCEP.

12) List the benefits of using Compressed biogas. Identify the challenges faced by this sector.

13) Identify the reasons for the drying up of Himalayan springs. List the various steps
undertaken for the rejuvenation of Himalayan springs.

14) While throwing light on the Swadesh Dharshan 2.0 scheme, enumerate the impacts of
mass tourism in the Indian Himalayan region.

15) Explain the difference between climate adaptation and mitigation. Discuss about the
role of adaptation in addressing the looming threat of climate change.

16) In light of the Joshimath crisis, discuss the reasons for land subsidence in the Indian
Himalayan region.

For free learning, visit www.officerspulse.com

 30

17) Mental Health Care Act 2017 is the watershed moment in the right to health movement
in India. Discuss in detail with respect to the challenges in implementation of the act
within the prevailing society.

For free learning, visit www.officerspulse.com