SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

&
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES

SHRI SAPTARSHI NAG,

WBCS (EXE), BVSC & AH

http://saptarshinag1.blogspot.com/
E -WASTE

E waste or electronic waste is loosely defined as discarded,

surplus, obsolete, broken, electrical or electronic devices like
computers, printers, scanners ,CD/DVDs, mobile phones,
microwave ovens, refrigerators, televisions etc. Often they are
disposed off without thinking the consequences and they often
release toxic and harmful elements like Lead, Silicon, Cadmium,
Mercury etc, thereby causing irreparable damage to the
environment and human health. This has much to do with the
growing consumer culture all over the world. In a recent data
published by the Indian Institute of Material Management, the
total obsolete computers originating from government offices,
business houses, industries and household is of the order of 2
million nos.

There has been much debate over the disposal of such e-

waste. It has become a lucrative business for some
unscrupulous brokers who call themselves recyclers, of the
developed nations, to dump such products to developing
nations. Nations like China, South Korea or Taiwan have been
engaged in refurbishing such used products. Such refurbishing
has threatened the existence of traditional manufacturing
markets in countries like India.

The hazards associated with such unprocessed e -waste are

plenty
 • Some of such products are carcinogenic
• The degrading materials release toxic substances which
again turns water unsafe
• Air and soil pollution
• May lead to death of animals upon grazing on the fields
where such wastes are dumped
• Loss of physical beauty of the environment

The Solutions

• Strict international legislations on disposal, procurement

and dumping of such products
• Developing new technologies based on the socio economic
patterns of different regions for recycling of such
products
• Strict laws to regulate trade in e -waste.
• Global consensus on the negative impacts of such wastes
and international cooperation to combat the situation

In India, although the total e-waste production is much less

than that of US or EU, India suffers from absence of
sophisticated technologies to recycle the waste materials. At
present there are only two formal units of recycling of such
waste materials in India, whereas most of the recycling work is
done by informal sectors, often ignoring the socio-economic
status or demographic patterns of different regions. Although
rules like Hazardous waste (management and handling) Rules,
2003 and Municipal solid waste (Management & handling)
Rules, 2000 exist, the implementation have not been up to the
mark so far.

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MOBILE NUMBER PORATBILITY

Mobile number portability is basically switching from one

service provider to another without changing the number. Here
the old service provider is known as "donor" and new service
provider is known as "recipient”. In the International system,
the customer is required to contact the "recipient" to make
necessary arrangements for the process and is known as
"recipient
led porting" whereas UK is the only country where" donor led
porting" exists. The system routs all calls, messages and other
services to the new service provider database through a central
database. In India, the government has decided to launch MNP
from December. The country will be divided into two service
zones and eleven licensed service areas. However in the Indian
context some problems may arise like- quick spread of mobile
virus, less memory capacity to bear the switching exhaustion
and less capacity of the batteries to handle the additional load.

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SUPER COMPUTER

Super computer is basically a computer with higher processing

capacity and therefore it is able to do calculations at much
faster rate than the normal computers. It is required for
calculation intensive tasks like molecular modeling,
weather forecasting, nuclear researches, quantum mechanics
etc. It is widely used in military researches, weather houses or
various research organizations and universities. The speed of
Super computers is denoted by FLOPS along with certain
prefixes like TFLOPS(Tera
FLOPS),PFLOPS(PetaFLOPS)etc.A particular problem "Grand
Challenge" requires semi infinite computer resources and
thereby needs super computers. Such computer use variants of
LINUX or UNIX as Operating systems. Presently IBM's Road
Runner is the fastest super computer in the world. Blue Gene is
a Computer architectural Project to design and build super
computers. India’s EKA installed in Computational Research
Laboratory (CRL) is world's 4th fastest super computer. C-
DAC'S Pram Padma is the first super computer of India. The
challenges before super computers are that these become
heated very early and as the process and integrate
data very fast, there is need for more works on external
storage bandwidth.

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3G TECHNOLOGY

3G or 3rd Generation Technology is the latest technology for

the up gradation of mobile phone services. It simultaneously
enables to transfer voice and non voice data like downloading
or uploading, sending and receiving e-mails and instant
messaging. The bandwidth needed for 3G is 5 to 20 MHz. The
maximum download speed provided is 14.4 Mbps whereas
upload speed may be as high as 5.8 Mbps. The highlight of 3G
service is video telephony. This will provide the service
providers the opportunity to provide better quality service over
a large number of subscribers. It promises to improve mobile
phone operational standards in India by providing better
network connectivity, facilitation of e-governance and e-
commerce services, thereby bridging the urban-rural techno
divide. The technology followed in 3G is IMT 2000, endorsed
and accredited by International Telecommunication Union.
Presently the Government of India has allowed five foreign
players to bid for 3G Spectrum. The floor price is $20.20
billion. In 2009; BSNL launched its 3G service in India, although
the response even after half a year has not been satisfactory.
Many hazards like high operation cost, health hazards due to
excessive electromagnetic waves are some of the reasons
behind its lack of popularity in the initial periods despite having
tremendous potentials for future.

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LASER AND ITS VARIOUS USES

LASER or light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation

is spatially coherent which means that the light is emitted in
narrow, low divergent beams or can be converted into ones by
using optical tools like lenses, unlike other lights where the
light is spatially incoherent. Theodore Maiman demonstrated
the first working laser back in 1960.Since then it has become
multi billion dollar industry.
Laser uses a gain medium inside a highly reflective optical
cavity. Light which passes through the cavity becomes
amplified. It may be electromagnetic radiation of any
wavelength, not necessarily visible. This feature is used for
security purposes. Laser is usually labeled with a safety class
number to avoid any danger.
The single largest use of laser is in optical storage devices
such as compact discs where a semiconductor laser less than 1
mm wide scans the whole disc. Besides, it is widely used in
fiber optics communication. It is being used in medical
technology as well for blood less surgery, kidney stone
treatment, hair removal, eye treatment etc. In research laser
spectroscopy is a popular field. Laser shows are popular during
various festivals and ceremonies. In product development it is
widely used in developing pointer mouse, printers, scanners
etc. In defense, laser is gradually replacing radar for locating
targets. In industry laser is used for welding, cutting or
marking.
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BIOMETRICS

Biometric is an automatic method of recognizing a person by

physical, physiological or behavioral characteristics like finger
prints, retinal scan, and face recognition etc .It is widely used
in financial systems, IT security, immigration, law enforcement
sectors etc. It has much potential to be used in homeland
security.

It is a more accurate method of identification than the presently

used password or PIN systems. People have to remember their
passwords, ID proofs may be lost or stolen, PIN may be
cracked. However biometrics is free from such
hassles. It is fast, easy to use, reliable and accurate system.
Certain principles of biometrics

• Universality of character
• Permanent nature of character, e.g. - although retina scan
is a very useful method, the features of retina may be
changed with aging or eye diseases and thus impossible to
recover the data.
 • Technology must be difficult to be deceive

Apart from the above mentioned systems newly emerging

biometric techniques like keystroke dynamics (here a person is
recognized by his typing behavior and speed), behaviometrics
or behavioral biometrics like mouse gesture, facial
thermography, vein scan are also becoming popular.

However, it must be remember that, in biometrics once a

character is chosen, it is not possible to replace it with another
one. That has been an obstacle in the rising popularity of
biometrics.

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ANTIOXIDANTS

Antioxidants are the molecules which prevent oxidation of

other molecules.These are generally reducing agents like Theol
or polyphenols. Oxidative stress in the body produces free
radicals which cause irreparable damage to the body systems
and may in turn result in cancer, heart diseases, Alzheimer
disease, Parkinson’s disease, diabetes etc. Antioxidants prevent
the formation of free radicals and thereby prevent numerous
diseases.

Antioxidants are of two types-lipid soluble (prevents per

oxidation of cell membranes) and water soluble (reacts with
oxidative agents in plasma or cytoplasm).Vitamin C (ascorbic
acid), Vitamin E (Alfa Tocopherol), Glutathione, melatonin are
some of the important antioxidants. However strong reducing
agents like tannin or oxalic acid bind to dietary Fe or Zn and
cause nutritional imbalance.
Antioxidants have other uses as well, namely

• As supplement after exercise

• Food preservation
• Lubricant and cosmetics

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GM CROPS

GM Crops or Genetically modified crops have their DNA

modified through genetic engineering. Transgenic plants where
the plant genome is altered by Recombinant DNA Technology
also belong to this category. Soybean, canola, cotton, corn are
the common crops which are used for producing GM Crops.

Advantages:

• Herbicide resistant: Due to insertion of herbicide tolerant

genes., e.g.- Monsanto's Round Up Ready Soya bean
• Insect resistant: By inserting Bacillus thurigiensis into the
gene, e.g. - BT Cotton against Ball Worm and Bt Maize
against Maize Borer.
• Pest resistant
• Virus, bacteria, fungus resistant
• High yielding
• Reduction in the cost of pesticides
• Addition of essential nutritional factors through genetic
engineering into such crops, e.g.- "Golden Rice" contains
high amount of Beta Carotene
• Drought resistant/salinity resistant

Disadvantages:

• Potential gene flow from cultivated to wild species

 • There is apprehension that these crops will harm not only
insect pests but also other insects and thus will disturb
eco stability, e.g.- recent threat to the existence of
monarch butterfly
• Emergence of new viruses/ diseases through antigenic
shift, e.g.-Mad Cow Disease( caused by Prion) is believed
to have emerged from indiscriminate plantation of
Monsanto's Round Up Ready Soybean
• Due to potential gene flow, enforcement of patent in such
crops is often contentious

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ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Artificial Intelligence is the intelligence of machines and it also

refers to the section of science which seeks to create it. It is
also known as synthetic intelligence or computational
intelligence.

The term was first coined by John McCarthy in 1956.He

described it as “the science and engineering of creating
intelligent machines". But AI does not have to confine itself to
methods that are biologically observable.

The basic objective of this section of science is to create

machines capable of thinking. Such machines will posses
qualities like knowledge, planning, communication, reasoning,
perception apart from the general ability to move and
manipulate objects. Thus it will create a bridge between
computer science and Linguistics, Psychology, logic, cognitive
science and economics. In terms of moving and manipulating
objects this field is very closely related to robotics.

It is widely being used in software development, game

development especially chess, information analysis, speech
recognition etc. However as there is no concrete definition of
intelligence till now, the grading of AI or the success of it, is
difficult to judge.
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JUNK FOOD

The famous microbiologist Dr. Michael F. Jacobson coined the

phrase "Junk Food" in 1972 to describe unhealthy or non-
nutritious food. Junk food contains little or zero nutritious value
to the diet - it contains too much unnecessary calories and fat
which are useless and harmful to human health.

Junk food has been a part of the consumer culture for years and
now it has become an addiction for many people. Junk foods are
very convenient to purchase and consume, which is one reason
that millions of busy people don't think about a healthy diet or
spend the time to prepare healthy meals. Junk food is also very
popular among children, and with every passing day, its
addiction is increasing.

Moreover, spending millions of bucks by the corporates in

advertisement to promote junk food as symbol of modern
lifestyle is also another reason for its sky high popularity.

The effects of junk food are as below

Drowsiness

Obesity

Lethargy

Heart diseases
High blood pressure

To conclude, it can be said that junk foods can be used

occasionally, but using them on a regular basis is very
unhealthy and harmful.

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PROJECT ANTARIKSHA

Project Antariksha, a pioneering effort at networking Kerala

through an array of satellite-based automatic weather stations,
intends to bring out a weather and climate atlas of the State in
the near future. It is a collaborative project among the Indian
Space Research Organization, (ISRO) the Kerala State Planning
Board (KSBP) and the Centre for Monsoon Studies of the
Cochin University for Science and Technology (Cusat).

Two years into implementation, the project has seen 58

automatic weather stations being set up over Kerala and two on
the Lakshadweep Islands.

Project Antariksha seeks to reach real-time data, including

rainfall, on a Web-based system to reach the user groups.

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Advisories on precipitation and temperature anomalies are

being issued to the State Government. Farm advisories on
irrigation, pest infestation and yield prediction for major crops
would be provided to specific user groups through KSPB. Local
weather advisories are being sent through the Village Resource
Centers.

Proper knowledge about the nature of rainfall, humidity, wind

speed/direction and solar radiation will help them arrive at
preventive measures as well as initiate judicious plans for
raising production and controlling pest incidence and diseases
with minimum costs. The data From the AWSs is - expected to
help people extrapolate the extreme weather conditions to the
larger global warming and climate change scenarios. However
the real success of the ambitious project depends on how the
user groups, i.e., mostly local rural bodies can use the available
data by making them publicly available and educate them on
how to take effective preventive measures.

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BIODIVERSITY-CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES OF ITS

DEGENERATION

Biological diversity refers to the variety and variability

among living organisms and the ecological complexes in which
they occur. The term encompasses different ecosystems,
species, genes, and their relative abundance. The biodiversity
found on earth consists of millions of biological species as a
result of 3.5 billions years of evolution.

Extinction is a natural event and, from a geological perspective,

routine. In the modern era, due to human actions, species and
ecosystems are threatened with destruction to an extent rarely
seen in earth history. Probably only during the handful of mass
extinction events have so many species been threatened, in so
short a time. Below are the reasons.

Over-hunting has been a significant cause of the extinction of

hundreds of species and the endangerment of many more, such
as whales and many African large mammals.
Most extinction over past several hundred years is mainly due
to over-harvesting for food, fashion, and profit. Commercial
hunting, both legal and illegal (poaching), is the principal threat.

Habitat loss/degradation/fragmentation is an important

cause of known extinctions. As deforestation proceeds in
tropical forests, this promises to become the cause of mass
extinctions caused by human activity.

All species have specific food and habitat needs. The more
specific these needs and localized the habitat, the greater the
vulnerability of species to loss of habitat to agricultural land,
livestock, roads and cities. In the future, the only species that
survive are likely to be those whose habitats are highly
protected, or whose habitat corresponds to the degraded state
associated with human activity

Pollution from chemical contaminants certainly poses a further

threat to species and ecosystems. While not commonly a cause
of extinction, it likely can be for species whose range is
extremely small, and threatened by contamination. Several
species of desert pupfish, occurring in small isolated pools in
the US southwest, are examples. A changing global climate
threatens species and ecosystems. The distribution of species
(biogeography) is largely determined by climate, as is the
distribution of ecosystems and plant vegetation zones (biomes).
Climate change may simply shift these distributions but, for a
number of reasons, plants and animals may not be able to
adjust.

The Military and the Environment

Many military forces of the world also have an effect on
the environment. Sometimes, the scale of problems they leave
when they move out of a training area or conflict is
considerable. In some nations, such as the United States, the
military can be exempt from many environmental regulations.
By no means a complete set of examples, the following
illustrate some of the issues:

In the Gulf War and Kosovo crisis, the US and UK used

depleted Uranium which have environmental consequences as
well.
In the Vietnam war, the US used Agent Orange to defoliate the
entire Vietnamese rainforest ecosystem. The effects are still
being felt.

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, various forces often kill

gorillas and other animals as they encroach upon their land.
In Okinawa, the large US military bases also affect the
environment for the local population.

Consequences

Food Security: Biodiversity ensures our food security. Thus

indiscriminate hunting of animals leads to food crisis. This in
turn affects human health as well because of lack of resources
for a balanced diet for many communities due to over
exploitation of the species.

Natural Disasters: Loss of biodiversity has resulted in

increasing natural disasters in the last few decades or so.
Various mangroves or coral reefs act as excellent natural
buffers to protect the lands from floods or storms. Thus loss of
coastal biodiversity makes the coastal communities prone to
natural disasters.
Energy security: Even today people of many communities
and countries depend upon traditional woods for fuel needed for
cooking, heating and other purposes. Unavailability of such fuel
resources due to loss of biodiversity creates severe problems
and leads to malnutrition, high infant mortality and death.
Zambia is a classical case where human problems are mostly
due to over exploitation of natural resources.

Water scarcity: Loss of rain forests and watersheds reduces

the quality and availability of water resources for drinking and
agriculture which in turn produces irreversible impacts on
human life.

Social impacts: Eco systems play a great role in binding

human beings with socio cultural or religious bonds. Destruction
of biodiversity thus changes the social fabric and encroaches
upon human relations. The Chipko movement was the
manifestation of popular discontent over such social damage
caused by loss of biodiversity.

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PLASTIC HAZARDS
Plastic is a synthetic substance produced by chemical
reactions. Almost all types of plastics are produced from
petroleum except a few experimental resins prepared from corn
or other sources. Plastic is widely used in packaging materials
or for preparing bags or containers. Its easy availability and
cost effectiveness make it a popular choice for various
purposes. However the hazards associated with plastics are
plenty.

Hazards:

• The "use and throw away" culture associated with plastics

causes its improper disposal and is one of the cardinal
reasons for unclean, unhygienic environment
• Improper disposal of plastics causes blockage in the
drainage system, unclean water and water borne diseases
• They remain in the soil for long period and cause
infertility of soil.
• Certain plastics when burnt produces carcinogenic
substances and Green House Gases
• The littering of plastic reduces rain water percolating and
causes low ground water level
 • Consumption of plastic by animals and fishes causes death
or other health hazards.
• Exposure to the chemicals in plastic produces
toxicological effects on human health. The circulatory,
endocrine, reproductive and urinary systems are most
affected.

Remedies:

• Educating people on proper disposal of plastics

• More R& D activities to produce cheap bio degradable
plastics
• Subsidizing bags or containers made from traditional
materials
• Taxation on the use of plastics
• Penalties for improper disposal of plastics

It must be noted that plastics have become part and parcel of

the modern material culture. It has uses in almost every sphere
of human activities. It is therefore almost impractical to do
away with this valuable material. Thus the quest for bio
degradable, environment friendly plastics has become the need
of the hour.
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BIO PIRACY

Biopiracy is the theft or usurpation of genetic material

especially of plant or other biological origin by using the patent
process. In simple, practical term it is the theft of genetic
material or traditional knowledge of the biodiverse third world
countries by the western nations by using their money power. A
classic example would be the use of turmeric for healing
wounds. This has been in use in India from the ancient age.
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However in 2003 two US based people were granted the patent

of using turmeric for using against wounds. It was simply an
intrusion into our cultural tradition and theft of our traditional
knowledge to enrich the pockets of a few.

The Texmati case where a strain of Basmati, a native of India

was crossed with a semi dwarf variety of rice by Rice Tech, a
US based company is another example of Bio Piracy. This way
Basmati which traditionally has been a communal property of
the Sub Himalayan region of India has been” Hijacked" by the
patent process by USA and poor Indian farmers have been left
at the receiving end. Use of Kala Jira or Kalaunji,Jamun, Methi
have been pirated by the West by using the patent process and
this has left thousands of Indian farmers impoverished.

The basic logic behind patents is that it is a mechanism to

promote innovation, by ensuring that the "inventor" would have
the exclusive right to sell and distribute the "products he has
"invented". Unfortunately the Western corporates have resorted
to unethical practices of swindling our very own knowledge or
genetic resources to entrench their own pockets in the most
unethical way.

To ensure that there are legal mechanisms in place to ensure

that this knowledge is not freely appropriated, the Indian
government is in the process of finalizing a law titled the
Biological Diversity Bill. The bill contains various provisions for
regulating access to biological resources, patent claims, and
indigenous knowledge protection. This bill is a beginning,
though inadequate. What we must understand is our right to our
resources-genetic, human or knowledge. Awareness of the
common people along with proper legislation and international
cooperation can curb this menace.

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HYDROGEN FUEL

Hydrogen—nature’s bounty, which is available in abundance—

has the potential to help resolve the global energy crisis. India
has already joined the global quest to find ways to harness this
valuable resource for large-scale commercial application.

The advantages of Hydrogen fuel are many

• It is available in plenty. It is present in water. So no

chances of its scarcity or being exhausted like fossil fuels.
It is the most abundant element in the universe,
constituting about 93% of all atoms.
• When combusted with Oxygen, it is converted into water.
So no chances of pollution and other curses like Global
Warming
• It can be used in running motors, producing electricity or
in domestic uses. It is used in space programmes as well
• It yields three times more energy than ordinary fossil
fuels.
• The fuel cells are compact and lightweight--not overly
bulky or heavy, thus light weight vehicles may be
produced
The other side of the coin

• High Cost: Initial technology involved is costly. It costs

around $1 million to produce a Hydrogen fuelled car.
• Lack of a hydrogen refueling network: The refueling
option is difficult due to scarcity of Hydrogen fuel stations
• Initial response: It is difficult for the manufacturers to
convince the consumers to switch over to this newly
developed technology.

There have been several demonstration and pilot projects

around the world that have proved the efficacy of hydrogen
energy and fuel cell technologies, but most of these are suitable
for small-scale operations. The challenge before the world is to
harness this natural bounty for commercially viable large-scale
operations, which includes production, safe storage,
transportation and delivery etc.

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ORGANIC FARMING

Any agriculture system has a duty towards feeding the earth

and it has to fulfill this responsibility using safe and sustainable
methods and technologies. Organic farming is a set of simple
practices which bring into picture a diverse, healthy and
sustainable crop production system, without the use of
poisonous chemicals like pesticides and fertilisers. It is a
responsible way of farming which ensures that healthy,
chemical-free food is produced without harming the
environment.
It is a fallacy that organic farming leads to loss in productivity -
it is proven that after a short period of a drop in yields, organic
farming is more productive than chemical farming. Organic
farming is also cheaper to practice than chemical agriculture. It
is turning out to be the only way to farm, taking into account
farmer conditions, environmental conditions and the health
needs of the consumer.

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In India there are some negative fallouts of traditional way of

farming. These are

1. Loss of seed diversity

S Contamination of water resources by pesticides - the

twin controversies in 2003 regarding pesticide content in
bottled drinking water and aerated beverages in India hardly
came as a surprise to many working with the environment
and in farming. Even if we blame beverage manufacturers
(and rightly-so) for allowing pesticide residue in their
products and treating human health so cheaply, the fact
remains that pesticides got into the water supply in the first
place only because of the agriculture system which uses
them

3. Falling ground water levels - agricultural chemicals require

plenty of water to respond, hybrids also usually need more
water compared to local varieties

S S Greater dependence of farmers for external inputs, and

increased risks incurred by them on account of higher crop
production expenses and lower net returns

5. Poor soil quality.

Some tested techniques of Organic Farming

Biological / natural pest and weed control

Composting

Cover cropping

Crop rotation

Diversity on the farm

Do-nothing farming

Effective Microorganism (EM)

Green manuring and green leaf manuring

Homa farming

Indigenous seeds

Intercropping

Integration of systems

Living fences

Microbial biofertilisers

Mulching

Multicropping

Multipurpose trees

Permaculture

Polyculture

Reduced tillage

Soil and water conservation

Specialised organic farming techniques

Vermicomposting

According to the International Fund for Agriculture and

Development (IFAD), about 2.5 million hectares of land was
under organic farming in India in 2004. Further, there are over
15,000 certified organic farms in India. India therefore is one of
the most important suppliers of organic food to the developed
nations. No doubt, the organic movement has again started
in India

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Courtesy: Sattvic Farms

Flat 4A, North Tower, 4th floor

2/3 Judges Court Road

Kolkata - 700027, India.

CYBER TERRORISM

The most popular definition of cyber terrorism is that “It is the

premeditated use of disruptive activities, or the threat thereof,
against computers and/or networks, with the intention to cause
harm or further social, ideological, religious, political or similar
objectives, or to intimidate any person in furtherance of such
objectives."

The increased reliance on the Internet by business, government

and society has made it a prime target for terrorist intent on
disrupting our economy and way of life. Security professionals
have expressed their increasing concern over not only the
increase in frequency of attacks against the Internet, but also
the increase in the level of sophistication of these attacks.

The intention of a cyber terrorism attack could range from

economic disruption through the interruption of financial
networks and systems or used in support of a physical attack to
cause further confusion and possible delays in proper response.
Although cyber attacks have caused billions of dollars in
damage and affected the lives of millions, we have yet witness
the implications of a truly catastrophic cyber terrorism attack.

One example of cyber terrorists at work was when terrorists in

Romania illegally gained access to the computers controlling
the life support systems at an Antarctic research station,
endangering the 58 scientists involved. In May 2007 Estonia
was subjected to a mass cyber-attack in the wake of the
removal of a Russian World War II war memorial from
downtown Talinn.ven more recently, in October 2007, the
website of Ukrainian president Viktor Yushchenko was attacked
by hackers.Other examples include "Love Bug" or "Millennium
Bug" virues.

The effects of cyber terrorism can be summed up as

─ Secret information appropriation and data theft

─ Privacy violation
─ Demolition of e-governance base which in turn can harm
(1) International relations;
(2) National security (including defiance) and public safety;
(3) Investigation, detection and prevention of crime;
(4)Information received in confidence from a source outside the
Government;
(5) Information about scientific discoveries.
─ Tarnishing the image of individuals
─ Network damage and disruption

In India The Information Technology Act, 2000 has given some

ways to combat such form of terrorism. It must be noted that
the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) has
been designated as the single authority for issuing of
instructions in the context of blocking of web sites.

Some suggested ways to combat cyber terrorism

• Global consensus on this menace and enacting comprehensive

international laws to curb it
• Enhancing public awareness
• The judiciary must come forward with novel ideas to curb the
menace
• The government sector must institute tougher penalties for
cyber crimes and increased funding for law enforcement efforts
to fight it.
 Easier said than done. This must be accomplished with a high
degree of collaboration globally.
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ALTERNATE ENERGY SOURCES

Alternative energy is an umbrella term that refers to any

source of usable energy intended to replace fuel sources
without the undesired consequences of the replaced fuels. The
increased power demand, skyrocketing fuel prices, depleting
fossil fuel resources and growing environmental pollution have
led the world to think seriously for other alternative sources of
energy. Basic concept of alternative energy relates to issues of
sustainability, renewability and pollution reduction. In reality
alternative energy means anything other than deriving energy
via fossil fuel combustion. Various forms of alternative energy
sources are solar, wind, biogas/biomass, tidal, geothermal, fuel
cell, hydrogen energy, small hydropower ,geo thermal energy
etc.
Due to limited oil reserves, India has to depend on substantial
imports for meeting its present and future requirement. The
bulk of demand for oil is from transport sector and in order to
reduce the pressure from this sector it is necessary to explore
possibilities of developing substitute fuels like biomass and
producer gas.
BENEFITS OF ALTERNATIVE ENERGY OPTIONS:
Renewable and environment friendly
Provide sustainable fuel system
Have the potentials to reduce India's high fuel import cost and
thus reduce foreign debt
Provide local employment opportunities
Low cost energy supply
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Solar Energy: Most popular alternate energy source. Solar

cells, solar ponds, solar cookers are the devices to trap solar
energy. Solar photo voltaic system which uses solar cells to
convert solar energy into electrical energy is the most
promising and progressive source of it.

Wind energy: It is in the form of kinetic energy. A blade of

windmill is moved by blowing winds and can be exploited for
doing work. Theoretically around 60% of wind energy can be
converted into other forms of energy. Suzlon, an Indian-owned
company, emerged on the global scene in the past decade, and
by 2006 had captured almost 8 percent of market share in
global wind turbine sales.

Geothermal energy: It is also a potential source of energy. In

India, Godavari delta, Pegu valley are the potential sites for
such energy.

Bio Fuel : The popularity of bio fuel is increasing everyday.

Plants like Jatropha, Pongomia are being cultivated for such
energy. The sugarcane extracts are also being used for this
purpose.
Tidal Energy: By using turbine the kinetic energy of tides can
be converted into electrical energy. It is popular in the coastal
regions.

Importance of Biodiesel
• Environment friendly
• Clean burning
• Renewable fuel
• No engine modification
• Increase in Engine life
• Biodegradable & non toxic
• Easy to handle and store

Biomass energy: It utilizes waste materials and excreta to

convert into energy. However due to lack of processing
facilities the potential in this sector is still underutilized.

These sources of alternative energy promise a new horizon in

sustainable matter and with proper utilization of the available
resources, our fuel crisis can be tackled.

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STEALTH TECHNOLOGY
Stealth technology also known as LO technology (low
observable technology) is a sub-discipline of
military countermeasures which covers a range of techniques
used with aircraft, ships, submarines, and missiles, in order to
make them less visible (ideally invisible)
to radar, infrared, sonar and other detection methods. Attacking
with surprise gives the attacker more time to perform its
mission and exit before the defending force can counter-attack.
The term "stealth" in reference to reduced radar signature
aircraft became popular during the late eighties when the
Lockheed Martin F-117 stealth fighter became widely known.
The first large scale (and public) use of the F-117 was during
the Gulf War in 1991. However, F-117A stealth fighters were
used for the first time in combat during Operation Just Cause,
the United States invasion of Panama in 1989.
Presently USA and Russia have acquired such technology while
many other developed nations are in the quest for acquiring it.
The use of such technology has revolutionized modern day
warfare. Anti stealth detection system is yet to be developed.

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SETHUSAMAUDRAM PROJECT

The proposed Sethusamudram Shipping Channel Project aims to

create a link between Palk Bay and Gulf of Mannar between
India and Sri Lanka by creating a shipping channel through the
shallow sea known as Sethusamudram. The project recently got
a nod from the central government although it was first
conceived by Alfred Dundas Taylor in 1860.

The proposed project envisages breaking the limestone shoal

known as Rama Sethu and creating a continuous navigable
channel across the Indian peninsula. Thus it will save around
400 nautical miles of sailing distance and 30 hours of journey
time. Once the project is finished, ships will be able to move
freely between East and West coast, thus saving the time to
circumnavigate SriLanka.

However various organizations have raised objection over the

project for economic, religious and environmental issues. There
is apprehension that the project will cause much damage to the
Marine National Park in the Gulf of Mannar especially to the
coral reef and other flora and fauna therein. Moreover fishing
activities win the region may be disrupted as well. Besides,
there is an opinion breaking the Ram Sethu may hurt religious
sentiments in India. However, a study conducted by National
Environmental Engineering Research Institute suggests that by
the apprehensions of financial or environmental damage are
unfounded.

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GLOBALIZATION AND CLIMATE CHANGE

By definition, climate change is a global issue. The composition

of the atmosphere which surrounds the planet is altering as a
result of the emissions of tonnes of polluting gases (called
greenhouse gases - GHGs) from industry, transportation,
agriculture and consumer practices. With this thickening
blanket of gases, the atmosphere is gradually warming. The
entire planet will be affected by the climatic changes and
impacts which are predicted e.g. increased droughts and floods,
rising sea-levels, more extreme temperatures, etc.
The willingness of countries around the world to cooperate in
the negotiation of treaties to address this global problem is a
positive example of globalization - or perhaps this is better
referred to as internationalism. Intensive discussions over an
18-month period before the 1992 Rio Earth Summit led to the
adoption of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.
Negotiations have continued subsequently to develop another
agreement for more specific emission reduction targets for
industrialized countries.

There are many environmental impacts of economic

globalization: transnational corporations moving operations to
developing countries to avoid the stricter environmental
regulations of their home country; free trade agreements which
restrict the capacity of national governments to adopt
environmental legislation; destruction of southern rain forests
to provide exotic timber for northern consumers and to create
pasture land for beef for northern hamburgers, oil spills in the
seas and oceans destroying oceanic environment because of
increasing number of business treaties and increasing shipping
are to name a few.
The climate change issue illustrates how inter-related the
world is both in terms of the causes of the problem and the
options for addressing it.

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Social Forestry

The term social forestry was first used by the National

Commission on Agriculture, Government of India. In a broad
sense the term signifies plantation of tress in and around the
agricultural fields, along railway tracks and roadsides, river and
canal banks, government and panchayat wastelands in order to
take the pressure off the forests and for optimum use of the
waste and fallow lands. The objectives of social forestry can be
summed up as

• Improvement of environment for protecting agriculture

from adverse climatic effects
• To ensure steady supply of wood, fuel, fodder and minor
forest produce
• To provide employment for unskilled workers
• Reclaim wastelands
• Improvement of the standard of living of the rural
population
• Improvement of the scenic beauty of rural India
Social forestry can be categorized into four groups

1. Farm forestry
2. Community Forestry
3. Extension Forestry
4. Agro-Forestry

The weaknesses noticed so far in this program are

• Lack of awareness of the benefits of social forestry

among rural people
• Indiscriminate cutting of community forests
• Corruption and misuse of funds
• Unsatisfactory implementation by the state governments

However it must be noted that it is one of those less highlighted

yet highly successful programmes undertaken by the
government. A visit through the roads of rural India is the
documentary evidence of the success of this mammoth task.
However considering very little forest coverage of the country
the program has to be implemented with more enthusiasm and
better public cooperation.

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WETLANDS

Wetlands are transitional areas between terrestrial and aquatic

zones, where the water table is near the land surface and the
land is covered by shallow water. The Ramsar Convention,
1971 was held to protect the wetlands of international
importance and ensure the sustainable use of such wetlands.
The science dealing with wetlands is called paludology.
Such wetlands are the life support systems for the people
living in the zones, winter resort for the migratory birds and
they work as bulwark against encroachment by the sea, buffer
against storms and hurricanes and provide habitat to various
flora and fauna in the region. Moreover they are important as
tourist places, scientific and educational interests, and they
provide ample vegetables for the people and green fodder for
the livestock. Moreover, they provide habitat to mangroves and
play very important role in maintaining biodiversity of the
world.
Some of the important wetlands of India are
Pichavaram,Vembanad,Chilka,Harike,Bhitarkanika,Bhoj,Loktak
etc. With the looming threat of climate change and food scarcity
it is the need of the hour to develop international and national
strategies to conserve the wetlands so that they are allowed to
play their role in ecology.

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RAINWATER HARVESTING

It is basically accumulation and storage of rainwater in a

scientific way to combat the increasing water crisis of the
present day. It is advantageous in many ways, such as

• Use of ancient concept in a sustainable manner

• Low cost technology
 • Can be performed even in common households without
much apparatus or technical knowledge
• It can supply plenty of water for consumption, irrigation or
other works
• The areas where ground water is saline, rainwater can
solve agricultural crisis.

Rainwater can be harvested in many ways from simple rooftop

harvesting to complex commercial harvesting.

Rooftop harvesting

• Here catchments area is available free of cost

• Supply is done at the zone of consumption

Pond, lake or other water bodies

• This can be used to recharge ground water aquifers

• Here subsurface dyke may be used.

Rain water is generally free of harmful minerals and in most

cases chemicals, but can be adversely affected by air pollutants
and/or contaminated by animals in the catchments area. Due to
increasing levels of pollutants, city and bottled water providers
are increasingly turning to use of sophisticated treatment
processes and chemicals to ensure a quality product.
Consequently, rainwater for drinking should be carefully stored
and treated prior to consumption. Several technologies exist for
home treatment including: ozone sterilization, UV and
distillation.

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WATER CRISIS IN INDIA

In a list of 122 countries on the availability of quality potable
water prepared by UNEP, India ranks 120.This is surprising,
considering the fact that India has 4% of total water reserve of
the world. According to the census report 2001 only 68% of the
total households have access to quality potable water.37% of
the population, of whom 75% are children are affected by water
related diseases. In around 20 states, 60 million people are at
high risk due to excessive amount of fluoride in water. While
the permissible limit of Fluoride in water is 1 mg/lit, in
Haryana it is as high as 48 mg/lit. Around 10 million people are
at high risk of exposure to excess amount of arsenic in water.
This is most severe in West Bengal. Due to excessive use of
fertilizers, poor sanitation standards, the amount of nitrate in
water in India is ever increasing. Moreover, water borne
diseases like hepatitis, cholera, and diarrhea are frequent in
India. High salinity of land is causing irreparable loss to
agriculture. By 2020, India will be a water starved nation.

Some facts:

• Per capita availability of water during independence was

5000 cu mt/year. Now it has come down to 1800 cu
mt/year.
• Water has been one of the cardinal reasons of inter state
problems and inter regional clashes.
• According to a survey by World Bank, out of 27 Asian
Cities with more than a million population, Delhi, Chennai,
Kolkata and Mumbai occupy the bottommost position in
terms of water availability per day
• Excessive nitrogen content in water leads to
eutrophication or growth of aquatic weeds rendering
water unsafe for consumption
• Waste of human resources due to traveling long distances
in search of water.

Solutions:
 1. Polluters Pay- a tax for polluting water in urban areas in
both industrial and domestic levels.
2. Better solid waste management
3. Developing Public private partnership and chalking out a
holistic plan for conservation and better management of
water and proper execution of the plan through community
development programs, extension networks
4. Rainwater harvesting
5. Water management system to recycle water waste in each
industry.
6. Popularizing organic farming.

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INDIA'S MISSILE INITIATIVES

Tracking the history though India perhaps is the first country in

the world where missiles were used in war (by Tipu Sultan
against the British), India woke up to its missile potential much
later. After two failed efforts, i.e. Valiant Program and Project
Devil to develop ballistic missiles SAM in 1970s, in 1983 India
started a missile development program under the aegis of
DRDO. National security, threat from China and Pakistan, power
balance in the South East Asian region are the main factors
behind India's missile initiatives. Under Integrated Guided
Missile Development Program, started in 1983, Indian Missile
development today is under two groups
- Tactical missiles, such as the Brahmos, Astra, LRSAM and
the SRSAM
- Strategic missiles such as Agni III, Agni-V, AAD, AD-1, etc.

One of the earliest missiles is Prithvi, a surface to surface

missile with a range of 250 km.Its naval version is Dhanush
with a range of 150 km. Nag is a third generation, anti tank
missile using fire and forget technology. Agni is a re entry
technology demonstrator missile. A-I,II and III are part of the
project, with range varying from 500 to 3500km.Astra is air to
air targeting missile whereas Brahmos is the latest anti ship
cruise missile developed in collaboration with Russia. Shourya
is being developed as inter continental ballistic missile.
Some of the future missiles of India's arsenal include HSTDV,
SRSAM, and LRSAM etc.
Although India depends on countries like Israel, Russia for the
development or import of missiles, it must be noted that within
just a quarter century India has made a remarkable progress
towards being self sufficient in missile technology. The role of
DRDO and the "missile man" Dr A.P.J Abdul Kalam's name in
this regard hold much significance.

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