Environment and Biodiversity (EnB) notes

Trophic Levels, Biotic Potential, Bio

Magnification
Food Chain
• For example, plants are eaten by insects, who are eaten by frogs, these frogs are eaten by
fish, who are eaten by human beings.
• Plant > insect > frog > fish > human.
• This sequence is known as Food chain.

What is Trophic Level?

• Each step in the food chain is called a “Trophic level”.
• In this food chain: Plant > Insect > Frog > Fish > human= five steps.
• The trophic level to which an organism belongs, indicates how far it is away from plants
in the food chain.

1. green plants (producers)= trophic level I

2. herbivores (primary consumers)= trophic level II
3. carnivores (secondary consumers)=trophic level III
4. top carnivores (tertiary consumers)= trophic level IV

• Herbivores (deer, cow etc.) are always @second trophic level.

• Higher trophic levels are made up of carnivores.
• An organism cannot always be assigned to one specific trophic level.
• E.g. man (omnivore), so he is both a herbivore (@2nd trophic level) and as a carnivore he
can be (@>2nd trophic level)

Type of Food Chains

Food Chain Description
1. Grazing Starts with green plants.e.g. Grass> grasshoppers> birds>
hawks.
2. Parasitic Also starts with green plants but here smaller organisms
depending on larger organism. e.g. Grass> cow> lice.
3. Detritus*/saprophytic
Starts with dead plant/animal/ waste material> decomposers.
*Detrius = dry leaves, dead plant, animal remains, dead skin cells, other organic waste (urine,
excreta).

Ecological Pyramids
• You already know about the food chain: grass –> Grasshoppers –>birds –>hawk.
• Each step or level is known as Trophic level.
• If we draw these trophic levels in a verticle fashion, a pyramid is created. This pyramid is
known as Ecological pyramid.
• The Autotrophs (green plants) = base of the pyramid
• The top carnivores (lion tigers) = tip (apex) of this pyramid.

Types of Pyramids
1. Pyramid of numbers,
2. Pyramid of biomass
3. Pyramid of energy or productivity

Food Web
• Food Chain:–> Grass> grasshopper >frog > fish > man
• Food chain assume the isolated linear line. But in real life, frog could be eating other
insects apart from grasshopper. Fish could be eating smaller fishes apart from frog. So
there exists an interconnected Network of (Food Chain + Food Chain + Food chain…).
• This interconnected network of food chains = food web.

Why is Food web important?

• Suppose in a jungle, the deer species is wiped out due to some human poaching/ diseases
/ natural disaster.
• Then its predators (lion,tiger) can feed on other animals such as fox, wolf, crane, peacock
etc. until deer population grows again.
 • Thus, food web= help living organism survive in case of minor or major setbacks in their
food chain.
• food web=provides stability to the ecosystem.

Energy Flow in the Ecosystem

• So far you know what is food chain and what is food web.
• You also know what is Trophic level. (each step in a food chain).
• When energy is passed from one tropic level to next trophic level, some part of energy is
wasted. So energy declines as we move up in the chain/ web / pyramid.

Why?
1. Because some energy is wasted as body heat.
2. No herbivore (deer, cow) can entirely digest and absorb the plant nutrients.
3. Some energy is wasted while capturing the prey. (e.g. Tiger chasing a deer.)
4. Some energy remains trapped e.g. Tiger only eats the flash of a deer. He doesn’t eat the
skin, hair, bone and teeth of a deer.

• So the energy stored in the skin, hair, bone and teeth of a deer =not moved up in the food
chain.
• However this energy is later utilized when scavenger (hyena) comes into picture. Because
Hyena’s stomach acid is so powerful, it can digest the skin, hair, bone, teeth and other
remnants of a deer corpse.

2nd law of themodynamics

• When energy changes from one form to another, some of the energy is Lost. Suppose a
jungle receives 1000 calories worth Sunlight everyday.
• Most of the sunlight is not absorbed; some is reflected back to space.
• Out of the sunlight that is absorbed, only a small portion is utilized by green plants
• Out of which the plant uses up some for respiration, therefore only 100 calories are stored
as energy rich materials.
• Now a deer, eats the green plant containing 100 cal of food energy.
 • The deer uses some of it for its own metabolism and stores only 10 cal as food energy.
• A tiger eats the deer gets an even smaller amount of energy.
• Thus usable energy decreases from sunlight to producer(green plant) to herbivore(deer)
to carnivore(tiger).
• Therefore, the energy pyramid will always be upright.

Connection: Trophic level vs Energy flow

• The loss of energy (explained in previous para) limits the number of trophic levels in the
ecosystem.
• Hence trophic levels are seldom more than five.
• This also explains why the steps in a food chain are limited to four or five.
•

Energy=Unidirectional

• Movement of Energy is Unidirectional (one-way).

• Because initial Solar energy trapped by an autotroph (plant) does not go back to Sun.
• Similarly, energy that passes from herbivore (deer) to carnivore (lion) does not pass back
to herbivore (deer).
• This unidirectional (one-way) and continuous energy flow=prevents the collapse of
Ecosystem.
• (otherwise, if lion ate deer and another rabbit ate lion then what will happen hahaha!)
Nutrients/Material=Cyclic
• The Movement of nutrients/materials is cyclic.
• e.g. grasshopper eats grass and dies.
• Its body is decomposed and again absorbed by some other plant/grass.
• In other words: The Decomposers break down the fecal matter, excretory products and
dead bodies of all plants and animals into inorganic materials.
• And this inorganic material is again reused by autotrophs (green plants).
• Ok here is a question? If you want to make the movement of nutrients unidirectional then
what should be done? Ans. Eliminate the decomposers.

Entry of DDT and other pesticides, damages this smooth cycle of nutrient movement. Let’s
check how:

DDT and Biomagnification

• DDT=dichloro-diphenyl trichloroethane.
• It is a “broad” spectrum pesticide (meaning it can kill variety of insects, not just one or
two.)
• It lasts for a relatively long time (nearly 20 years) after one application.
• DDT is cheap to produce, been extensively used across world.
• Problem: DDT cannot be metabolized (digested) by any living organism.

• Suppose DDT was sprayed on water.

• There are millions of planktons in the water. Each of them absorbed 5ppm of DDT. Since
they cannot digest DDT, it remains unprocessed in their body.
• A fish eats 8 such planktons, so it gets 8 x 5 =40 ppm of DDT in its body.
• A bird eats 50 such fishes, so bird gets 40 x 50 =2000 ppm of DDT in its body.
 • So the amount of DDT keeps increasing as we move up in the food chain. This
phenomenon is known as bio magnification.
• Bio magnification is bad because it produces variety of diseases in the species + its
offsprings (babies) via teratogenesis.
• Teratogenesis = formation of defective embryo.

To sum up
• Biomagnification is a man-induced process.
• Biomagnification occurs with non-degradable chemicals/substances/pollutants only.
• For example Pesticides, anti-knocking agents used in internal combustion engines, paints,
artificial perfumes etc.
• Biomagnification doesn’t occur with degradable chemicals/substances for example sugar,
tea, cheese, milk etc. because they can be digested by (some) living organisms.

Biotic Potential.
• Unlimited food + ideal environmental conditions =a species can produce offspring @
maximum rate. This is known as Biotic potential.
• It can be high or low, depending on how many offspring (children) can a species produce
in ideal conditions.

Biotic
Example Why?
potential
Bacteria, insects, mice,
High produce a large number of offspring in a short time.
rabbits
larger species like Gestation period is long. So they produce only a few
low elephants, tigers and offspring species during their lifetime, even if ideal food and
humans environment conditions are given.

Carrying Capacity
• It means the maximum population that an environment can support and sustain.
• When the carrying capacity is reached, birth rates equal death rates and the population
should maintain a steady state equilibrium.

Interspecies relations
Species Species
Interaction Example
A B
1. Mutualism
Enjoys Enjoys Bees and flowers (pollination)
 2. Commensalism
Enjoys Neutral Orchid plant growing on a mango tree.
3. Predation
Enjoys Harmed Tiger eating deer.
4. Parasitism
Enjoys Harmed Tapeworm in human digestive tract.
5. Competition Jungle Deers vs domestic goats grazing in same
Harmed Harmed
area.
6. Amensalism bread mold Penicillium secretes penicillin and it
Neutral Harmed
destroys other bacteria.

Btw, what’s the difference between

Predation vs Parasitism

Predation Parasitism
Tiger killing deer. Tapeworm in human digestive tract.
done only for food. Done for food + shelter.
Prey (deer) killed immediately Host not killed immediately
Predator is (usually) big in size. Smaller.
Predator’s biotic potential is usually very low. (tiger, Parasite’s biotic potential is usually
lion etc.) higher.

Mock questions
Q1. Correct statements about Bio magnification

1. It is a natural phenomenon occurring since stone-age.

2. It is associated with biodegradable chemicals.
3. Bio Magnification protects biodiversity.

a. Only 1 and 2
b. Only 2 and 3
c. Only 1 and 3
d. None.

Q2. Correct statements

In an ecosystem,

1. The flow of energy is cyclic

2. The flow of nutrients is unidirectional
 a. Only 1
b. Only 2
c. Both
d. None

Q3. Correct Statements about Trophic levels:

1. Each step in a food chain is called a “Trophic level”.

2. Carnivores always occupy trophic level 1 or 2.
3. Herbivores always occupy trophic level 3 or above.
4. Every species can be assigned a single unique trophic level.

a. Only 1 and 2
b. Only 1 and 3
c. Only 1, 2 and 3
d. Only 1

Q4. Which among the following is/are example(s) of bio magnification?

1. Tiger kills a cow. A (Human) poacher poisons the corpse of cow. Tiger comes back and
eats it. Tiger dies.
2. A factory discharges untreated chemical affluent into a pond. A Man regularly eats fishes
caught from the pond. Man gets cancer after some years.

a. Only 1
b. Only 2
c. Both
d. None

Q5. An ecosystem would collapse:

1. If flow of energy is not unidirectional.

2. If flow of nutrient is not cyclic.

a. Only 1
b. Only 2
c. Both
d. None

Q6. The usable energy decreases as we move up in the food chain. Which among the following
explains this phenomenon?

a. Newton’s third law of motion.

b. Einstein’s law of general relativity.
c. Second law of thermodynamics.
d. None of above.
Q7. When an ecosystem has reached its carrying capacity It means.

a. Birth rate = death rate

b. Birth rate < death rate
c. Birth rate > death rate
d. Birth rate greater than or less than death rate

Q8. Which among the following is/are example(s) of commensalism?

1. An orchid growing on a eucalyptus tree

2. Tapeworm in the intestinal tract of a child.
3. Plasmodium in Human blood.
4. Bees drinking nectar of a flower.

a. Only 2 and 3
b. Only 1 and 4
c. Only 1, 2 and 4
d. Only 1

Q9. Correct statement:

a. Biotic potential of tigers is higher than rabbits.

b. Biotic potential of rabbits is higher than tigers.
c. Both equal
d. None of above.

Q10. If one species benefits by harming another species. It may be

1. Parasitism
2. Predation

a. Only 1
b. Only 2
c. Either 1 or 2
d. None.
Biodiversity: Meaning and Types of Species+
Mock Questions for CSAT Environment and
Biodiversity topic
What the hell is Biodiversity?
Biodiversity = biological diversity.
It means number and variety of plants and animals.

• Jungle a has 10 tigers and 100 deers.

• Jungle b has 20 tigers in 200 deers.
• Jungle c has 10 lions and 10 tigers, 100 deers and 100 wild buffalos.

Here jungle c has the most biodiversity. [jungle b also has 220 animals but ‘variety’ is less.]

Which of the following statement is true? (wfst)

• Biodiversity is high in isolated islands
• Biodiversity is low in tropical forests and coral reefs.
• Biodiversity is higher in europe compared to south asia.

All statements are incorrect.

• Isolated islands have limited number of variety in plants and animals compared to
tropical rainforest or coral reefs. Because number of competitors and predators are
limited.
• In the subtropical and polar regions of Northern Hemisphere, the climate is very cold, the
region had gone through ice-ages = less population =less competition =less predators
=less evolution= less biodiversity of plants and animals (compared to African or
Brazilian jungle)
• In general, you will find less variety in plant and animal species in some European
country (Ukraine) compared to a tropical country like Vietnam.
• So, As you move from equator towards the poles, biodiversity decreases. (latitudes)

Talking about Europe, almost all plans eaten today in Europe have originated in the developing
countries around the equator.

• Coffee: Ethiopia
• Rice: India
• Wheat: turkey and Afghanistan
• Soya, cucumber, orange: china
 Actual UPSC question from csat -2011.
(81.) Consider the following statements (csat 2011 gs paper 1)
1. Biodiversity is normally greater in the lower latitudes as compared to the higher latitudes.
2. Along the mountain gradients, biodiversity is normally greater in the lower altitudes as
compared to the higher altitudes.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a.) 1 only
(b.) 2 only
(c.) Both 1 and 2
(d.) Neither 1 nor 2
ans. 1st statement is true. (europe vs africa). Second is true. Higher you go= colder atmosphere
= less biodiversity.

Keystone species
• These species determine the ability of a large number of other species to survive.
• When the keystone species becomes extinct. It has snowballing (=cascading) effect on
extinction of other species (just like increase in petrol price on inflation)
• Examples of keystone species
o Bees : pollination of fruits and flowers. Albert Einstein once said, “if the
honeybee goes extinct, we have four more years on earth”.
o Plankton : food of many fishes

Demo question: which of the following is not a keystone

species?
1. 1.Bees
2. 2.Plankton

Sentinel species: frogs

• They are sensitive indicators of environmental problem.
• For example, frogs, toads, salamander. They are amphibians (can live in both land and
water).
• Frogs breath through their moist skin, which is very sensitive to pollutants in
environment.
• In amphibians, fertilization is typically external, meaning that the sperm and egg join
outside of the female’s body.
• They lay unprotected eggs (without shell like chicken egg) in water or moist damp
places, so their eggs are also very vulnerable to pollution, temperature, humidity change
etc.
• Thus, a rapid decline in the population of frogs thus would indicate a looming
environmental problem.

birds and mammals maintain body temperatures well above the surrounding, cooler air temperature. Cold-blooded creatures take
on the temperature of their surroundings. They are hot when their environment is hot and cold when their environment is cold.
Warm-blooded animals keep thermal homeostasis; that is, they keep their core body temperature at a nearly consistent level no
matter the temperature level of the surrounding environment.
A list of warm-blooded pets would certainly include all animals and also birds (with very few exceptions), such as apes, monkeys,
whales, elephants, cheetahs, giraffes, pets, felines, pigs and humans.

cold-blooded animals have a variable body temperature level, which mirrors the ecological temperature level. Invertebrates, fish,
amphibians, and reptiles are taken into consideration to be cold-blooded.

• (Homework) difference between coldblooded and warm blooded animals.

Blue whales
• Largest mammals on Earth. Elephents are the largest mammals on land only.
• International whaling commission (IWC) was set up in 1946 to fix anyone hunting quotas
for the countries. Since 1980s IWC called for a halt on whale poaching
• But Japan, Norway and Ireland are major countries that still continue to indulge in whale
hunting, they are unhappy with IWC and cites restrictions.

Interval: which of the following Statements are true?

Polar bears are warm-blooded
• 1.Construction of large dam will increase the biodiversity in the area. mammals, which means that they
• 2.Fish and Amphibians are cold-blooded animals. can regulate their body at the
same temperature.
• 3.Whale is a cold-blooded fish.
• 4.Whale dives out of water to regulate its body temperature
• 5.Polar bear is a cold blooded animal because it goes in hibernation.
Mammals all are warm-blooded animals, they breathe air, have hair, and moms feed their
babies milk from mammary glands. Whales actually do all of these things! Whales are
Non-native species warm blooded, which means they keep a high body temperature that does not change in
the cold water.

• For example, in the 18th century, rabbits introduced in Australia for sport shooting.
• Since they were a non-native species in Australia, it meant they had no predators or
competitors to control their population. They destroyed a vast range of plants and reduced
the forest area.
• Rats of several species were unintended stowaways* on oceanic voyages, and thus spread
around the world.
• Infected humans took the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which caused aids from
Africa to the rest of the world.
• Stowaways= a person who hides aboard a ship or plane in the hope of getting free
passage

Bird : Another Sentinel Species

• Birds are very important for seed dispersal, insect and rodent control, scavenging
(vultures), and pollination.
• Many birds are also sentinel species e.g.Vultures
• Colombia has more than 1800 species of birds = most bird-diverse country
• India’s got about 1250 =we rank in top-10 in terms of bird diversity.

Vultures and Diclofenac

• Diclofenac is a painkiller medicine used mostly for arthritis in humans
• Veternary Diclofenac is used on cattle, as painkiller, stopping inflammation and fever.
 CHEMICAL CAN NOT BE
METABOLISE

Biomagnification

• When Animals are treated with Diclofenac, this drug keeps accumulating in their body.
When these animals die, Vultures eat them = kidney failure =death of vulture.
• Hence Government of India banned Veternary Diclofenac. Now farmers have to use
other expensive drugs instead of Diclofenac.
• Bigger Why should we care? Let the vultures die! What difference does it make to us or
to the environment ?
• Well, Less vultures= more dead animals for dogs to eat = dog population increases =
more problem of rabies.
• Secondly, vulture’s digestive system can destroy many parasites, but dog’s digestive
system cannot. Hence dogs who eat dead animals are more disease carriers than vultures.

What is biodiversity hotspot?

• It is an area unusually rich in biodiversity of birds and animals, but they are under
constant threat of overexploitation. Such an area is called a biodiversity hotspot
• Example of biodiversity hotspots in India : eastern Himalayas, western Ghats. (more in
separate articles)

Plant biodiversity and Green Revolution

• But under the green revolution program, the government introduced HYV (high yielding
variety) seeds. So, instead of 30,000 indigenous varieties of rice, now Indian farmers
plant only 12 HYV rice varieties.= reduced biodiversity of rice.

CITES: convention on international trade in endangered

animals and plant species.
AAKARSHAK
• The illegal smuggling of rare species, exotic pets (orangutan), ornamental plants (orchid,
cactus) is estimated to be $8 billion per year, which is second only to the illegal weapons
smuggling.
• Cites convention restricts the trade of endangered plants and animals and also the trade of
clothing, food, medicine, and souvenirs, produced out of these species.
• Cites is a step by world’s oldest global environmental organization IUCN = international
union for conservation of nature and natural resources (iucn), hq: Switzerland.
• The same ICUN maintains the red list of threatened species.

Interval : Which of the following statements are true? WFST

• 1.Introduction of high yielding verity of seeds increases biodiversity.
• 2.“Green Revolution” has increased biodiversity in India.
• 3.CITES convention regulates the whale poaching.
• 4.CITES is a convention made by UNESCO.
• 5.Western Himalaya and Eastern Ghats are examples of biodiversity hotspots.
 Biodiversity: In-situ and Ex-situ methods of
Conservation, Difference between Wildlife
sanctuary and National Park
What is biodiversity conservation?
First, what is biodiversity: number and variety of plants and animals.
Whatever we do, to protect the number and variety of plants and animals= biodiversity
conservation.

There are two Methods of biodiversity conservation

• 1. In-Situ (natural home)

• 2.Ex-Situ (artificial home)

Actual Question in CSAT 2011

(12.) Which one of the following is not a site for in-situ method of conservation of flora?

• (a.)Biosphere Reserve
• (b.) Botanical Garden
• (c.) National Park
 • (d.) Wildlife Sanctuary

In-situ biodiversity conservation (Natural Home)

• In this case, you identify an area with high biodiversity (= this area has lot of number and
variety of plants and animals)
• And then, you isolate and protect this area from human activities by establishing a natural
park/sanctuary/biosphere reserve etc.
• Very essential for Big animals like elephants, rhinos, tigers: they require huge area.

Difference between a national park, wildlife Sanctuary, and

a biosphere reserve
No human activity or settlement allowed.
National Park Villagers cannot graze their animals, Extremely strict rules about jungle produce
collection (Tendu leaves, Honey etc.)
People are not allowed to live (some exceptions though) but some human
activities are allowed, such as grazing, firewood collection.
Wildlife
Tourism is permitted.
Sanctuary
A Sanctuary can be upgraded as a National Park. However a National Park
cannot be downgraded as a Sanctuary.
Biosphere People are allowed to live, own private land and carry on their traditional
reserve activities. (In the outer-zone)

Ex-Situ biodiversity conservation (artificial home)

• examples: seed banks, zoo, botanical gardens, aquariums

Seed Banks
• They store seeds at extremely low temperature and humidity.
• Advantage: can save large variety of plant species in a very small space.

Seed Banks : Problems

• every seed has an expiry date, you cannot store it for an indefinite time. So every once in
a while, you have to take out the seeds, germinate them and get new seeds and store them
again.
• Multinational companies such as Monasoto have excellent infrastructure for these
activities, but they care for storing the seeds of commercially viable species only. Ex.
Wheat, maize, rice, potato, brinjal etc. for doing research and development on them, and
create new hybrid varieties.
---The Central Zoo Authority of India (CZA) -A STATUTORY BODY- is the body of the government of India responsible for oversight of
zoos.
---It is an affiliate member of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA).
---The Central Zoo Authority has been constituted under the Wild Life (Protection) Act-1972.
---The Authority consists of a Chairman (MINISTER INCHARGE), ten members and a Member Secretary.
--The main objective of the authority is to complement the national effort in conservation of wild life. Standards and norms for
housing, upkeep, health care and overall management of animals in zoos has been laid down under the Recognition of Zoo Rules,
1992.
----the Central Zoo Authority also regulates the exchange of animals of endangered category listed under Schedule-I and II of the
Wildlife (Protection Act) among zoos.

• They have no interest in protecting some unknown grass or fruit of jungle on the verge of
extinction, this duty falls on the (inefficient) government agencies.

Zoos
• You can bring some endangered species in zoo, try to breed them, and reintroduce their
offsprings in the jungle. (done in case of pandas, orangutans etc.)

CENTRAL ZOO AUTHORITY of India

• Enforces minimum standards and norms for upkeep and health care of animals in Indian
Zoos
• Restrains mushrooming of unplanned and ill-conceived Zoos that were cropping up as
adjuncts to public parks, industrial complexes and waysides.

Zoo Problems
• Not all species can breed in captivity. Life expectancy of Caged Ex-situ animal is less
compared to its in-situ cousin.
• Offsprings born in captivity, have problems in adjusting and surviving in jungles.
• Tiger cub born in zoo, feeding on readymade meat, living in a small area, cannot easily
survive in a jungle. It doesn’t know how to efficiently move in a jungle and hunt animals.
• Zoos require huge land, lot of funds, trained personnel.
• Zoos concentrate on protection and breeding of big and popular species such as Tiger,
Panda, orangutans, etc. as it brings more public support and funds.
• But small and unknown species such as frogs and birds get neglected.

Decision Making question in CSAT Paper-II

You are the superintendent of Kankaria Zoo, Ahmedabad. Recently you have received funds
from an international charity organisation to purchase animals.
Your Subordinate staff has given you a suggestion→

There is a sharp decline in number of zoo visitors, we hardly get any money from ticket sales and
mostly relying on Government funds (just like AirIndia) so Better purchase popular animals.
Currently Panda and Tigress are hot favorite among kids after the movie “Kung Fu Panda #2”.
Kids will beg their parents to visit our zoo every weekend, we will also sell stuffed toys and
souvenirs of those animals for extra-income.

Verbal instruction from Environment Minister→

Buy a pair of African Lions because it is our party’s election symbol. In return I’ll see to it that
your zoo gets more fund allocations in next year’s budget.
 Demand by Local Civil Society and NGO lobby→

Buy certain small frogs, birds and snakes from Brazilian Rainforest, because they’re on verge of
extinction, they cannot survive in the natural habitat given the tree-cutting and pollution and
must be protected in an Ex-situ habitat. They’ll require less space and expenditure than typical
big animal such as Lion or Panda.

What will be your decision as the zoo superintendent?

• 1. Buy Kung Fu Panda and Tigress , to bring more of visitors and earn more ticket
revenue.
• 2. African Lion, the election symbol of ruling party to get more funds in next budget.
• 3. Those Small frogs, birds and snakes, on the verge of Extinction.
• 4. No purchase, return the money back to that Charity org. African elephants have large ears The larger
surface area of their ears helps to keep African
elephants cool . Asian elephants have their
ears are smaller.
Interval WFST:
African elephants have fuller, more rounded
heads, and the top of their head is a single
Which of the following is true about Indian and African Elephants dome. Asian elephants have a twin domed head
with an indent in the middle.

• A. For African Elephants: Only males have tusks but females don’t.
• B. For Indian Elephants: Only females have tusks but males don’t.
Only male Asian elephants grow tusks and even then,
not all males will have them.
Continuing the discussion further, another ex-situ method In African elephants, both sexes generally (but not
always) exhibit tusks.

Botanical Gardens (Ex-situ)

• for example, BOTANIC GARDEN OF THE INDIAN REPUBLIC (BGIR), NOIDA has
been set up to facilitate ex situ conservation and propagation of rare and threatened
indigenous plants of the country
• Problem: area and funds :
• They do not get as much media attention, public support and charity like the zoos.

WFST: which of the following statements are true?

• 1. Ex-situ is the most convenient and effective method for saving big animals.
• 2. Central Zoo authority looks after the matters related to prevention of cruelty to
animals.
• 3. Human activities are allowed in National parks but not in wild-life sanctuaries.
• 4. India has more National parks compared to Wild-life sanctuaries.
• 5. Wild Ass is only found in Ranthambhor, Rajasthan.
• 6. Bactrian camel (Two Humped Camel) is a native to Central America.
• 7. Aquarium is an example of In-situ method of biodiversity conservation.
The wild Bactrian camel (Camelus ferus) is a critically endangered species of camel living in parts of northern China and
southern Mongolia.
It is closely related to the Bactrian camel (Camelus bactrianus).
Both are large, double-humped even-toed ungulates native to the steppes of central Asia
The Bactrian camel has two humps on its back, as does the wild Bactrian camel (a separate species), in contrast to the
single-humped dromedary camel.
A small number of feral Bactrian camels still roam the Mangystau Province of southwest Kazakhstan and the Nubra
Valley in India- located to the north east of Ladakh valley..
 National Seabuckthorn Initiative
What is Seabuckthorn?
• Seabuckthorn (Leh berry) is a shrub
• It grows in the dry temperate and cold desert of the Himalayas.
• Found extensively in Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttatrakhand, Sikkim and
Arunachal Pradesh.

What are the uses of Seabuckthorn?

• Has multi-purpose medicinal
and nutritional properties,
besides being useful for soil
conservation and nitrogen
fixation.
• Since this is the only plant that
can grow in high altitude
regions it can be easily used
for water and soil
conservation.
• Can aid in climate change
mitigation and provide
livelihoods support thereby
reducing pressures on the
ecosystem.
• Ideal plant for desertification
control.
• Every part of the plant viz.
Fruit, leaf, twig, root and
thorn has been traditionally
used as medicine, nutritional
supplement, fuel and fence,
and therefore, seabuckthorn is
popularly known as

1. ‘Wonder Plant’,
2. ‘Ladakh Gold’,
3. ‘Golden Bush’ or
4. ‘Gold Mine’.
What is National Seabuckthorn Initiative?
• India’s National Action Plan on Climate Change
• It has a key Mission called “Green India Mission”
• Under this Green India Mission, there is a Sub-Mission on Cold Desert Ecosystems
• This Sub-Mission will include the National Seabuckthorn Initiative.
• In 2010, Ministry of Environment & Forests (MoEF) and the Defense Research and
Development Organisation (DRDO) have jointly launched a major new national initiative
for seabuckthorn cultivation in the high altitude, cold desert ecosystems of the country.

What will they do?

• Under this initiative, Eco Task Force Battalions and Women’s Self-help groups will be
mobilised for plantation of seabuckthorn in remote areas.
• Research and Development (R&D) for cultivation and commercial processing in
collaboration with China, Russia, Pakistan, Germany etc nations where this plant is
found.

CSAT 2012 Actual Question

Government of India encourages the cultivation of 'sea buckthorn'. What is the importance of
this plant?

• It helps in controlling soil erosion and in preventing desertification.

• 2.It is a rich source of biodiesel.
• 3.It has nutritional value and is well-adapted to live in cold areas of high altitudes.
• 4.Its timber is of great commercial value.

Which of the statements given above is /are correct?

(a)1 only
(b)2, 3 and 4 only
(c)1 and 3 only
(d)1, 2, 3 and 4

Explanation#1
• It is a shrub and not a tree, so you cannot take “timber” (wood) of ‘great commericial
value’ out of it! So, Eliminate Options involving Statement #4.
• Both Statement #1 and Statement #3 are correct from above article.
• Therefore, Final answer (C)

Source:
Press Note by Ministry of Environment and Forest.
Explanation#2
• According to some websites, Seabuck has potential as biodiesel provider [although
commercial extraction is yet to be started in India]
• According to some other websites,Local people use it as timber [although the phrase
"great commercial value" is debatable]
• So All Statements are correct.

Final Answer: (D)

Verdict
Wait for UPSC to give official answerkey in RTI reply next year (2013)

Mock Questions for GS Mains (Paper I)

1. Eco Task Force Battalions.
2. Salient features of Green India Mission
3. Discussion the National Action Plan on Climate Change
4. Write a brief note on Cold Desert Ecosystems of India.
5. What’re the initiatives taken by Government to combat desertification in India?
 National Aquatic Animal
• The River Dolphin is found in the River Ganges.
• In 2009, The Ganga River Dolphin was declared the National Aquatic Animal of India by
the National Ganga River Basin Authority which is chaired by the Prime Minister.
• The Ganga River Dolphin is basically found in the Ganga and Brahmaputra river
systems.
• Around 1500-2000 River Dolphins are found in the aforementioned two river systems.
• The scientific name of the Ganga River Dolphin is Platanista Gangetica.

Problems faced by River Dolphins

• The habitats of the Ganga River Dolphins are shrinking as smaller rivers are drying up
and bigger rivers do not have uninterrupted flow of water in various parts.
• Thus the Ganga River Dolphins are perhaps one of the few creatures which face
extinction due to the destruction of their habitat instead of being hunted or poached.
• Although, these river dolphins are hunted for their oil and sometimes they get stuck in the
nets of the fishermen and die.
• By declaring the Ganga River Dolphin as the National Aquatic Animal of India there will
be some focus on the plight of these animals.
Landslides in Himalayas: Reasons, Solutions
Three main geological divisions of India.
1. Himalayas, also known as the Extra-Peninsula
2. Indo-Gangetic Plains
3. Peninsula

Classification of Himalayas
Method #1
• Himalayas are classified, from west to east, into four regions:

1. Punjab Himalaya – area between Indus and Sutlej rivers.

2. Kumaon Himalaya – area between Sutlej and Kali rivers
3. Nepal Himalaya- area between Kali and Tista rivers.
4. Assam Himalaya- area between Tista and Brahamputra rivers.

Method#2
 • three regions: the Western, Central and Eastern Himalaya
• Nepal Himalaya constitutes the Central Himalaya and the mountainous area to its west
and east are known as Western and Eastern Himalaya respectively

Hazards in the Himalayan Eco-System

• All major types of disasters, prominently

1. earthquakes,
2. landslides,
3. avalanches,
4. flash floods
5. forest fires
6. soil erosion

Regions and disasters

Altitude Type of disaster
Over 3500m snow avalanches and glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs)
500 to 3500 m flash floods; landslides and mudflows

Landslides: Reasons
1. indiscriminate chopping down of trees.
2. slash and burn cultivation technique called ‘JHUM,’
3. Road construction and mining.
4. Every increasing population, grazing, urbanization etc. has destroyed the dense natural
evergreen forest cover.

Such activities have disrupted the ecological balance, thereby resulting in loosening of the soil.
During the heavy rain, this leads to soil erosion and frequent landslides

Landslides: Damage
• Every year, landslides in the region kill dozens of people and cause widespread damage
to several villages such that they have now become almost unfit for habitation.
• They create blockades in the road network and river system, which in turn, cause floods.
• The terraced farm fields have been destroyed that cannot be easily renovated or made
productive again.
• The road network remains closed for long periods causing indescribable hardship to the
villagers who get their basic supplies and provisions from the neighbouring areas.
• Water source is also disrupted due to landslides as they are breached from several places
and are choked by the debris.
 • The sediment load of rivers has also increased considerably, causing problems like
irregular courses and frequent breaching of the banks, which create uncertainty regarding
the river course and unexpected floods.
• The water channels are affected from the up hillside due to which the villagers are devoid
of water for irrigation purposes. This adversely affects agriculture production in the
region.

Suggestions to fix problem

1. Excess water should be stored in the catchments areas, which will reduce the fury of flash
floods, recharge the ground water and improve the environment.
2. Runoff collection ponds in the catchments, though they might get silted up in a few years,
will be more useful than the measures in the lower reaches.
3. To prevent rapid siltation of tanks, the contributing catchments (even if they are not
cultivated but used for grazing or forestry purposes) need to be well managed so that soil
erosion is prevented.
4. All common lands should be put under fuel/fodder trees.
5. Planting of barren areas, especially on slopes, with grass cover is an important
component of integrated watershed management programme.
6. Grazing should be completely restricted. After the area is completely protected from
grazing, better grasses can be planted.
7. The grasses of industrial importance should also be planted so that there is some
economic return to the farmers as well.
8. The surface vegetative cover will not only protect the land from the beating action of rain
drops and bind the soil particles but would also decrease the velocity of flowing water
and cause less of soil erosion .

Ref
IGNOU MPA 018/Chapter 3.
 Globally Important Agricultural Heritage
Systems (GIAHS)
What is GIAHS?
• Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS)
• Purpose of GIAHS is to create public awareness, safeguard world agricultural heritage
sites.
• It was started in 2002 by FAO (Food and agricultural organization).

What is FAO?
• FAO an intergovernmental organization, headquartered at Rome with 191 member
nations. Aims at helping world population get ensured food security, eliminate hunger,
poverty.

What are the objectives of GIAHS?

• To understand and appreciate the nature friendly agricultural practices of local and tribal
populations around the world.
• To document indigenous knowledge.
• To conserve and promote these knowledge at global scale to promote food security,
sustainable development.
• Providing incentives for local population by measures like eco-labeling, eco-tourism.

Why is it done?
• Globalization, increasing population pressure, environment degradation putting food
production under stress.
• Loss of Biodiversity, loss of livelihood and economic returns for marginalized and poor-
major impacts.
• To overcome all these, combat climate change, move towards MDGs, eradicate poverty
this initiative undertaken.

How is a GIAHS site chosen?

• The provision of local food security
• High levels of agricultural biodiversity and associated biological diversity,
• Store of indigenous knowledge and
• Ingenuity of management systems.
-A site with all the above characteristics, if under stress or threat of degradation is chosen.
Various sites across the world from china, srilanka, argentina, peru etc. have been recognized
under GIAHs.
Now our focus: two sites recognized in India and 6 more recognized as potential sites:

GIAHS Sites in India:

Koraput, Odisha State
• This region has rich biodiversity, growing several varieties of paddy, millets, pulses,
oilseeds, vegetables.
• Region primarily a tribal district inhabited by khonds, bonda tribes practicing poddhu
(shifting) cultivation.
• Shifting cultivation – loss of forest cover = hurting the biodiversity.
• Soil erosion, Soil degradation, habitat loss.
• Illiteracy, large family, small farm holding size.
• The socio-economic indicators are very poor here nearly 84% living in abject poverty.

Kashmir Valley, Pampore region

Saffron Heritage Site of Kashmir in India

• Grains such as maize, rice, rajmah/lentils, fruit and vegetable crops and pulses.

• A set of unique low-tillage traditional agricultural practices are carried

• During the fallow period, growth of fruit, fodder and mulberry trees along the farm
boundaries (Agro-forestry) is practiced, thereby maintaining traditional agro-biodiversity.

Problems
1. Loss of productivity due to the lack of agricultural management practices
2. Climate change vulnerabilities, water scarcity and weather vagaries
3. Efforts from the younger generation to appreciate and conserve heritage systems absent.

Kuttanad:
• Kuttanad is a delta region of about 900 sq. km situated in the west coast of Kerala State,
India.
• Unique feature: Below sea level rice cultivation site, only such system in India.
• Farmers of Kuttanad have developed and mastered the spectacular technique of below sea
level cultivation over 150 year ago.
• They made this system unique as it contributes remarkably well to the conservation of
biodiversity and ecosystem services including several livelihood services for local
communities.
What will GIAHS do in Indian Sites?
• Contribute to awareness-raising
• promote use of modern technologies to conserve the heritage systems.
• Documenting the traditional knowledge.
• Provide capacity building training for farmers to increase productivity and marketing
practices.
• Modernization, commercialization strategies establishing standards, eco labeling.
• Establishing sustainable practices amongst the tribals utilizing their knowledge, modern
technologies.

Other Potential sites:

Ladakh:
• Ladakh is located on the high Tibetan plateau between India and the Himalayan
Mountains to the south, China and the Karakoram Mountains to the north, and Indian
Kashmir to the west.
• Four types of land are cultivated: Zhing (cultivated land), Zhing Zhang (well fertilized
land), Rizhing (stony land), Thang Zhing (pasture land). Apricots, apples and walnuts are
cultivated in deep valleys.
• Organic composting is said to be an indigenous technique here
• Western cultural intrusion, urban consumerism are said to be threatening factors.
• Promoting its uniqueness especially amidst harsh terrains is essential.

Raikas:
• The Raikas are a pastoral caste Camel herding is their heritage. They live in groups of 4-
20 families on the outskirts of villages and combine crop production during the summer
rains with pastoralism during the autumn-spring dry season.
• The Raikas face several threats: Camel herding is no longer profitable, Droughts,
Decrease in common pasture lands, disease and fodder scarcity, privatization of land
• Government support, help to withstand climate change, drought conditions need to be
provided to preserve this heritage group.

Korangadu:
• The Korangadu silvo-pastoral system exists in the semiarid tract of the Erode,
Coimbatore, Karur, Dindigul districts of Tamil Nadu.
• Innovative fencing mechanism of land by live “mullukiluvai” (Commiphora berryi), a
thorny drought resistant shrub.
 • No fertilizer or nutrients, use of natural animal droppings, use of Phaseolus trilobus, a
crop which provides a very nutritious feed. The leaves and pods of Albizia amara serve as
a natural hair conditioner.
• Now monocropping, horticulture, tube wells haunt the natural heritage of this area.
Deficient monsoon, water scarcity have also changed the cultivation patterns.
• The Korangadu pastureland shows people how to live with nature, while conserving it ,
utilizing it and this needs to be preserved, propagated.

Catamaran Fishing, Tamilnadu:

• Catamaran- Two words in Tamil: Kattu-to tie, Maram- Tree;
• The Bay of Bengal waters source of unique resources, marine biodiversity. People of
coastal tamilnadu have shown a sustainable way of exploiting the marine resources which
is very important as India is the world’s fourth largest fishing nation.
• Modern fishing problems: pollution, stress over exploitation. Also problems of
mechanization in this area and 2004 Tsunami effects still threatening the livelihoods of
these people.
• It thus represents a set of Agricultural Biodiversity of Global Significance (ABGS),
associated knowledge systems and cultural practices which are endangered and needs
international recognition.

Soppina bettas systems, Western Ghats:

• Western Ghats of Karnataka- 16 varieties of rice grown
• Compost made from foliage and leaf litter (Soppina Bettas) used as fertilizer-local
innovation.
• Soppina Bettas provide manure, botanical pesticides, fuel wood, fodder, medicine and
timber to the communities.
• The existence of this unique self-sustaining system is threatened due to over exploitation,
conversion of land and lack of awareness.
 Kyoto Protocol, Carbon Trading,
Copenhagen Accord: Meaning, Explained
What is Rio Summit/ Earth Summit ?
• It was a United nations summit, held in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) in 1992.
• It led to creation of United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
(UNFCCC)

What is the UNFCCC?

COP 17

• United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)

• Created because of the Rio Summit/ Earth Summit of 1992.
• It is an international treaty for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
• Nearly every country on Earth is a party to the UNFCCC. 2000
The Hague,
The Netherlands
What is Conference of the Parties (COP)? COP 6

COP 11 (or COP

11/CMP 1) took • The nations, who’ve signed UNFCCC convention, meet every year to discuss climate
place in 2005, in
Montreal, Quebec, change strategy.
Canada. It was the • These meetings are called Conference of the Parties (COP)
first Meeting of the
Parties (CMP 1) to • The first COP (COP 1) was held in Berlin. 1995- Germany
the Kyoto Protocol • Third COP (COP 3) held in Kyoto, Japan. It was here the famous Kyoto Protocol came in
since their initial
meeting in Kyoto to existence.
in 1997 • 2011: COP held in Durban, S.Africa. COP 17/ CMP7
• 2012: COP will be held in Doha, Qatar in November 2012 (so it becomes important topic
for next prelims!) COP 18/CMP8 2015: COP 21/CMP 11, Paris, France

2016: COP 22/CMP 12/CMA 1, Marrakech, Morocco-first

Meeting of the Parties (CMA 1) to the Paris conference
What is Kyoto Protocol?
2018: COP 24/CMP 14/CMA 3, Katowice, Poland

• 1997: third meeting of UNFCC nation (also known as Conference of Parties/COP3),

• In this meeting Kyoto Protocol was created.
• Kyoto protocol wants the Industrialised nations to reduce their green house gas emission
by around 5.2% by 2012. (measured against 1990 levels)
• Before dwelling much into Kyoto, some important terms.

What is “common but differentiated responsibilities”?

• The developed countries such as US,UK have already polluted the atmosphere with
greenhouse gases (GHGs) through industrialization. So they’re the one who
created/started global warming and all the mess.
 • While Developing countries (India and Brazil) have started polluting the world only
recently.
• Therefore, the developing countries such as India, Brazil should share less of the burden
of lowering overall emissions.
• And Developed countries (US,UK) should bear more responsibility in fixing this global
warming mess etc. because they’re the one more responsible for it.
• So, while it is the “Common” responsibility of every nation of this world, to reduce
Green house gas emission, but there should be some difference between the responsibility
given to developed countries and developing countries.
• Kyoto Protocol follows that principle and assigns separate responsibilities to the
countries.

Annex
Annex means some elaboration/detail given at the end of a book/treaty.
They include
the 24
original Annex What?
OECD • List of industrialized countries and economies in transition: US, France, Japan
members, the
European etc.
Union, and Annex I • These countries had pledged to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions to 1990
14 countries
with levels by the year 2000.
economies in
transition.
(Croatia, • A sub-group of Annex 1 Countries, these Annex II countries are required to
Liechtenstein Annex give financial assistance and technology to the developing countries (non-Annex
, Monaco, and
Slovenia II countries). Annex II Parties include the 24 original OECD members plus the
joined Annex European Union.
1 at COP-3,
and the Czech • Developing countries like India, Brazil, China.
Republic and Non • They donot have compulsory binding targets to reduce green house gas
Slovakia
replaced Annex emission, although they are encouraged to do it.
Czechoslovak
ia.)
It gives the list of 6 Green House gases that are responsible for the whole problem
AIR QUALITY INDEX:
It is determined on the
1. Carbon dioxide (CO2); basis of concentration of
2. Methane (CH4); 8 pollutants, including
Annex Particulate Matter (PM
3. Nitrous oxide (N2O); 2.5, PM 10), sulphur
A
4. Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs); dioxide (SO2), nitrogen
5. Perfluorocarbons (PFCs); and dioxide (NO2), carbon
monoxide (CO), ozone
6. Sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) (O3), ammonia (NH3)
and lead (Pb).

• This gives the Annex I countries (Developed countries) – compulsory binding

Annex targets to reduce green house gas emission.
B • For example USA is required to cut down its emission by 7%
Back to Kyoto Protocol
• Ok, so far we learned that
• In Earth Summit, Rio De Janero, Brazil, they formed a treaty called UNFCCC
• The UNFCCC gangsters meets every year, there is item song, gun-firing, consumption of
desi-liquor and deliberations on how to fix the global warming problem and these
meetings are called Conference of Parties “COP”.
• In third such COP meeting @Kyoto, Japan, they come up with an idea under which
o Developed nations like US, will compulsorily reduce their green house gas
(GHG) emission by 2012.
o Developing nations like India, should reduce GHG emission but not compulsory.
• Although various countries signed Kyoto Protocol in 1997, it did not came into force
immediately.
• Kyoto protocol came into force only after required number of Annex 1 Countries ratified
it.
• So this was achieved only in 2005.
• Thus, Kyoto although signed in 1997, came into force in 2005.

Kyoto protocol: How does it actually work?

• Suppose Abdul, Bhide and Champak (ABC) goto a Gujarati dining hall. This hall serves
only ‘fixed dish’ i.e. 1 sabji, 4 roti,dal and rice. And each dish costs Rs.50. If you want
more roti then you’ll have to pay extra 5 rupees per roti.
• Now Champak is an old man so he cannot eat all the 4 rotis served in his plate. He eats
only two rotis.
• On the other hand, Abdul and Bhide are quite hungry, so they want more, they take 1-1
roti each from Champak’s plate and agree to pay 5-5 rupees to him.
• Another example: You know how broadband internet billing works= there are plans for
example 2GB plan for Rs.500 That means as long as you download music, movies etc.
worth less than or equal to 2GB then you’ll get bill of Rs.500 but if you download more
files above 2GB quota, then company will charge you Rs.1 per MB of extra download.
• Similarly, Under Kyoto Protocol, each Annex-B country is given emission target “quota”
(Kyoto Units).
• For example, for the year 2009, Australia’s allowed quota was 2,957,579,143 Kyoto
units. (each unit is equivalent to 1 ton of carbon dioxide)
• Now, as long as Australia emits that much green house gas= no problem.
• So first of all, Australian Government should do all steps to make sure it doesn’t cross
that quota for example
o Making compulsory anti-pollution laws: for example a Tire making company with
daily output of 200 tires must not emit more than 200 tonnes of green house gas
per year.
o Promoting solar energy, reducing tax on solar cells, wind mill equipments etc.
o If a family buys second car then it will have to pay higher tax (just like China’s
one child policy but with cars!)
 o if a kid is found bunking his college lecture and loitering on his motorbike then
he’ll be fined for polluting the environment.
• But even after all these measures, if Australia wants to emit more green house gas, then it
will have to buy additional ‘quota or units’ from another country. Kyoto Protocol allows
three mechanisms to do so

#1 Emissions Trading / Carbon Trading

• Suppose two Annex B parties are Japan and Australia.
• Japan was given quota of 100 units
• And Australia was given quota of 200 units.
• But Austrialian Government is unable to maintain this limit and Australia emits 210
units of green house gas, in given year.
• On the other side, Japanese Government takes very strong steps to control emission and
hence they only emit 90 units of Green House gas. So it has spare 10 Kyoto Units.
• Now, under Emission trading system, Australia can buy this 10 spare kyoto units from
Japan and thus remain within its limit.
• In real life scenario, each annex B country makes law giving fixed quota to the
companies.
o Suppose steel factory cannot emit more than 1 ton of Green house gas
o Tire company cannot emit more than 2 tonnes of green house gas.
o So if tire company owner buys superfine machinaries that produce less gas so he
has some spare credit/quota (say 1 ton)
o While Steel factory emits more than its allowed quota (suppose it was allowed 2
tonnes but emitted 3 tonnes)
o Then the steel company can pay the tire company and get a certificate that we’ve
purchase 1 ton quota from this xyz tire company. This Is the essence of “Carbon
Trading.”
• Here are some charts to understand it better..
#2 Clean Development Mechanism (CDM)
• Suppose Annex B country Australia is given emission quota of 200 units, but it emits 210
units of green house gas.
• But Australia can finance a solar power project in some village of India (Non-Annex or
developing Country) and get certificate that the solar plant led to reduction of 10 units of
green house gas. In this way, Australia will remain in its quota/limit.
• Similarly, suppose Australian Government has passed a law that a steel production
company with output of 200 tonnes of steel per a day, must not emit more than 10 units
of green house gas in a year.
o But this company wants to produce more steel, then its green house gas emission
has increased to 11 units. (1 more unit above the quota)
o So this company can also do some solar-projects in India, Brazil etc. and get a
certificate that it has led to reduction of 1 unit of GHG emission. = problem
solved.

#3 Joint Implementation (JI)

• This is identical to CDM.
• In CDM, Australia can do good project in a non-Annex country (developing country) e.g.
India.
• In Joint Implementation, Australia can do the good project in another Annex B country
e.g. Japan to meet the quota.

Why USA did not ratify Kyoto Protocol?

• US President George W Bush refused to ratify Kyoto protocol saying that it would
gravely damage the US economy.
• for example a US steel company would need to either buy Carbon Credits from another
company or invest in some projects in a developing country), while an Indian or Chinese
Steel company has no such obligation so their cost of production = low, hence they can
sell their products @lower MRP = US steel company will loose customers.
• So US Government feels is that the treaty is fatally flawed, because it does not require
developing countries (especially India and China) to commit to emissions reductions.
• After President Bush, President Obama too, didn’t ratify Kyoto protocol for the same
reason. (plus we should also understand that the powerful US industrialist lobby may stop
election funds to a candidate, if he is in favor of Kyoto protocol, so USA is unlikely to
ratify Kyoto or any such future protocols that are legally binding!)
Canada Quits Kyoto protocol
• In 2011, Canada, become the first country to quit the Kyoto Protocol on climate
change, saying the 1997 accord was handicapped because top green house emitters like
the United States and China not covered by it. (Because USA has refused to ratify the
treaty and China being an Annex II country –has no compulsory responsibility to cut
down emission.)

What is the Copenhagen Accord?

• Recall that UNFCCC countries meet every year and it is called Conference of Parties
(COP).
• 15th such meeting was held @Copenhagen, Denmark = COP15 2009
• In the meeting, the BASIC bloc—Brazil, South Africa, India and China—and the U.S.,
came up with a political agreement.
• This agreement is known as the Copenhagen Accord.
• It says all countries should pledge to reduce Green House Gas (GHG) emission but all of
the pledges made under the Copenhagen Accord are voluntary; There are no binding
obligations placed on these pledges by the UNFCCC or any other international body.
• UNFCCC acknowledged the Copenhagen Accord and has assisted in collecting the GHG
reduction pledges of various countries.
• Copenhagen Accord also lays the groundwork for financial commitments from developed
countries (US,UK) to developing countries (India,Brazil etc) for climate change
mitigation and adaptation efforts.

Important Players in climate change

• The First commitment period of Kyoto will end in 2012.
• That’s why, the next meeting (COP18, Doha, Qatar in Nov’2012) becomes very critical.
• So nowadays UNECC nations are trying to form factions (small gangs) to discuss what
should be their stand in that meeting?
o either extend commitments under Kyoto or
o create a successor of Kyoto Protocol: a post-2012 international climate treaty.

United States
• China is the world leader in total annual Green House Gas emissions
• U.S. is second.
• EU is third.
• United States is the only Annex I country that has not ratified the Kyoto Protocol.
• In line with the Copenhagen Accord, the U.S. has pledged a 17% reduction in GHG
emissions, against a 2005 baseline, by 2020. (but this is not legally binding).
• As we saw earlier, US is not in favour of any legally binding commitments. Besides,
Obama has to face election in November.
 BASIC Countries
• Brazil, South Africa, India and China,
• this group includes the world’s major emerging economies and some of its largest
emitters
• together, the group accounts for around 30% of global GHG emissions.
• BASIC countries, along with the US, were the authors of the Copenhagen Accord and
will continue to be some of the most influential players in the negotiations.
• All of the BASIC countries have ratified the Kyoto Protocol.
• But they’re not under any binding obligation to meet a specified target. (because these
countries are not part of Annex B countries of Kyoto Protocol).
COP-15, 2009 • Under the Copenhagen Accord, China and India have pledged to reduce their carbon
intensity—the amount of GHG emissions per unit GDP—by 40-45% and 20-25%,
respectively, against 2005 levels by 2020. (again not legally binding).
• BASIC countries recently met in Brazil in September 2012, and declared their intentions
(what they want in COP meeting @Doha, Qatar in Nov.2012): COP-18, 2012
1. rich countries should take on more of a burden to reduce emissions because of
their historical contribution to global warming.
2. new agreement should “respect the principles of equity and common but
differentiated responsibilities,”
3. new Kyoto commitment period should start on January 1, 2013

European Union (EU)

• EU is a Party to both the Convention and the Kyoto Protocol.
• EU is the 3rd largest GHG polluter, accounting for about 12% of global emissions
• EU states have ratified Kyoto.

Alliance of Small Island State (AOSIS)

• Not really a ‘player’, these are the future victims if green house gas emission is not
reduced.
• AOSIS is an team of 43 small island and low-lying coastal countries (Barbuda,
Bahamas, Barbados, Cuba etc.)
• More green house gas = rise in global temperature = ice melts= sea level rise =many of
these areas to become uninhabitable.
 IPCC- Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change: Meaning and functions
What is IPCC?
• Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
• H.Q in Geneva
• The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is the leading international body
for the assessment of climate change.
• It was established by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and
the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) in 1988.
• To have a clear view on the present scenario of Climate change and its future impact on
Enviornment, Livelihood, Economics.
• It does not conduct any research nor does it monitor climate related data or parameters.
It merely assesses the most recent scientific, technical and socio-economic information
produced worldwide relevant to the understanding of climate change.
• Thousand of scientists contribute to provide info voluntarily.
• It is open to all member countries of the United Nations (UN) and WMO. Currently 195
countries are members of the IPCC.

The Structure of IPCC

Each group assess the report in their respective proficiency and then a succinct conclusion can be
configured out.
IPCC reports: how are they prepared?

Assessment Reports Year of Publication

first 1990
Second 1995
Third 2001
Fourth 2007

Why important?
The fourth Assessment Report (AR4) of the intergovernmental panel on climate change (IPCC)
said that most of the warming that has taken place since the middle of the last century is very
likely the result of increase in the concentration of human-induced greenhouse gases. A hot
topic.
Fodder material can be mug up through the Yojana – Disaster Management in India, comprising

• Harnessing technology to employ systems which can efficiently predict monsoon, Early
Warning System and bla.. bla.
• Formulating a National Action Plan.
• Implementation and regular assessment
• Ascertaining the post disaster effects which are generally not counted in monetary terms
as well as social terms.
• Encourage the people to emit less and to plant more and all that.
• Formulating the new policies like Carbon Trading, whose target is to ultimately bring
down the concentration of GHG irrespective of the nations.
 SC Ban on Tiger Tourism, Core and Buffer
Areas, Project Tiger, NTCA Guidelines
explained
Before discussing Supreme Court’s ban on Tiger Tourism, Let us go through some basics.

What is core zones and Buffer Zone?

1972
• Under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, the state governments have to notify the list of core
and buffer areas of tiger reserves in their territory.
• Core zone (critical tiger habitats): This is where tigers usually rest, reside, feed and breed.
Therefore, Government should prevent any disturbance in such areas, including tourism.
• Buffer zone = areas that lie in the periphery of the core zone.
• Buffer zones constitute the fringe areas (=The outside boundary or surface of something)
of tiger reserves up to 10 kms. Following map should clear the concept:

Core Zone and Buffer Zone

What is Project Tiger?
• A 100% Centrally Sponsored Scheme, by Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF)
• It was launched in 1973, in nine reserves of different States (Assam, Bihar, Karnataka,
Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal)
• Right now it covers total 41 tiger reserves in 17 states.
• It is a program for “in-situ” conservation of Tigers.
• In crude words,
o It provides for staff, equipment, and infrastructure in tiger reserves.
o Provides for money, in case a man or cattle is killed by wild animals, crop is lost,
rehabilitation of villages etc.

What is NTCA?
• National Tiger Conservation Authority
• It is a provided in the Wildlife Protection Act (Ameneded in 2006).
• Therefore NTCA is a statutory body. The Minister of Environment and Forest, is the
chairman of this NTCA. (Jayanthi Natarajan right now).
• It coordinates, implements and monitors Project Tiger.
• It prepares annual reports, which are laid down in the parliament.

Why is Tiger population threatened?

• Deforestation because of
o Human pressure: farming, mining, illegal felling of trees.
o Grazing of domestic animals
• Because of Deforestation, the size of tiger-prey (Deer, sambar etc.) has declined.
• Hence tigers have to come outside the protected areas to hunt for animals, including
domestic cattle. This leads to man-animal conflict, tiger deaths in road accidents, and
provides ample opportunities to poachers.
• Tiger breeding/ reproduction is reduced/disturbed due to highways, noise pollution,
tourism etc.
• Tiger is a territorial animal, which advertises its presence in an area through urine
marking and maintains a territory. Therefore, to support a population of 80-100 tigers,
you’d need a protected area of atleast 1000 sqkm- totally undisturbed. Otherwise the male
tigers would fight, maim and kill eachother and the weaker ones would be forced to hunt
in surrounding villages- leading to man-animal conflicts.
• But because of the highways, villages, farming activities, the Habitats are getting
fragmented. Habitat Fragmentation = bad for tigers. They cannot move, hunt or breed
freely in small and fragmented habitats.
• Insurgency in North East and naxals in Central India= Forest dept. cannot efficiently
work and protect tigers.
Concept of Umbrella Species: Why do we need to protect
Tiger?
1. Tiger is an “umbrella species”. It resides at the top of the jungle food chain.
2. A healthy tiger population indicates that the other ecological components in its habitat are
equally robust, since tigers need large amount of prey and good habitat.
3. If the Umbrella species is protected, it will also ensure viable populations of other wild
animals (co –predators like Leopords and prey like dears) and the habitat (trees, shrubs,
water).
4. Thus, when you’re protecting the tiger, you’re indirectly protecting the whole jungle and
all the species that live in it.
International Cooperation
1. India has a bilateral understanding with Nepal on controlling trans -boundary illegal trade
in wildlife and conservation,
2. India has signed a protocol on tiger conservation with China
3. India has signed a protocol has with Bangladesh for conservation of tigers in Sunderban
region.
4. India has Constituted a group on tiger and leopard conservation with Russia.
5. India is a party to Convention on Inter national Trade in Endangered Species of Wild
Fauna and Flora (CITES)
6. Unlike China, India doesn’t support captive breeding of tigers (breeding tigers on a
commercial scale, to sell their hides and bones later, just like a poultry farm).
7. India made an appealing to China to phase out tiger farming and eliminate stockpiles of
tiger body parts and derivatives.

Now coming to the topic of SC Ban on Tiger Tourism

Timeline of Events
July 2012: SC bans tourism
One Mr.Ajay Dubey (NGO named “Prayatna”) filed a public interest litigation (PIL) in Supreme
court.

He argued that

1. Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 implies that tourism to all “core” tiger habitats in India
should be banned.
2. But yet, Several state Governments have allowed the construction of hotels, resorts and
shops inside the core areas of tiger reserves.

So, Supreme court looked into the matter and imposed a temporary ban on all tourism in the core
areas of tiger reserves.

Pro-Tourism Arguments
Misleading information by Media
• Consider this- Supreme Court has only banned tourism activity in the “CORE” zone and
not in the “buffer” zone.
• Yet the media covered the whole news in such a sensationalized manner that potential
tourists thought SC has completely banned tourism in tiger reserves. Hence they
cancelled their trips.
 • The truth is, the tourism was still permitted in buffer zones and many a times, tourists can
get a glimpse of tigers and other wildlife, while touring in the buffer zones.
• For example, in Uttarakhand’s Jim Corbett National Park and Assam’s Kaziranga
Wildlife Reserve, nobody is allowed to go into 95% of the core area. So even before the
SC ban, for all these years, tourists were seeing the buffer area only.

Employment
1. Tiger tourism is an 18 million dollar$ industry.
2. In Madhya Pradesh Alone, more than 20,000 people earn their livelihood through tiger-
tourism activities related activities.
3. There are entire towns that rely on tourism. Ranthambhore [a National Park in Jaipur]
alone gets 2 lakh tourists per year and provides employment to almost 4,000 local people
directly (from hotel managers, travel guide, waiters, cooks etc) and perhaps 10 times that
amount indirectly (rickshaw drivers, fruit-vegetable-milk suppliers etc.)
4. Tourist season is October to March. And generally they get huge bookings during Diwali
Season. But if tourism activities are banned then all those potential customers might
prefer to go vacation elsewhere. Thus severely affecting the livelihood of so many
people.

Tourism actually helps the tigers

1. Presence of tourists provides extra eyes and ears to the Forest Department.
2. It helps protect the animals by deterring poachers and loggers,
3. It does not affect the animals’ willingness to hunt or breed.
4. Seventeen tiger reserves have few or no tigers left in them. No tourism has ever been
allowed in or near these reserves. Instead, loggers arrived, thinned the jungle then tigers
were forced to hunt outside core areas and poachers got easy opportunities to kill them.
5. Poachers are the largest threat to tigers, not tourism. And the solution thus, is
improvement in law enforcement rather than a ban on tourism.

Ban on Tourism hurts the tigers

1. The complete ban on tourism = ban would result in loss of livelihood (income) to local
populations (Who work as tourist guides, supply vegetables etc to the hotels etc.)
2. And then they would be forced to be more dependent on forest for their livelihood e.g.
cutting trees, selling jungle produce illegally, may be hunting and poaching. so overall,
this ban will damage the jungles and wildlife.

Anti-Tourism Arguments
1. The tour operators run ‘wildlife safaris’ day and night. All the vehicle movement,
honking, shouting, camera flashes disturb the tigers.
2. Construction of hotels, shops etc = deforestation.
 3. The garbage created by tourists, hotels = not good.

Sept-Oct 2012: NTCA frames guidelines

Recap: SC had banned tourism in core areas of tiger reserves. So, if Government wanted to get
this ban lifted, it’d need to convince the supreme court that we are doing everything to protect
the tigers and make sure tourism doesn’t hurt the tigers.

Union Government >> Ministry of Environment and Forest >> National Tiger Conservation
Authority (NTCA). This NTCA framed new guideline for State Governments regarding the
Tiger Tourism.

Here are the salient guidelines / main recommendations:

1. Allow tourist activities, only up to 20 percent of the core/critical tiger habitat.

2. Instead of the conventional wildlife tourism, promote a new type of tourism (ecotourism)
that conserves the environment, educates the tourists about tiger conservation and
improves the well-being of the local people.
3. Make sure that no new tourism infrastructure (resorts, hotels, shops etc) is created in the
core areas of tiger reserves.
4. If there are already any permanent tourist infrastructure (resort,hotels etc) inside the core
areas, then they’ll be removed in phased manner. The procedure will be regulated by a
Local Advisory Committee. This Local Advisory Committee will comprise of divisional
commissioner, local MLA and district collector.
5. Charge a conservation fee ranging from Rs 500 to Rs 3000 from the tourism -depending
upon the number of beds in a particular resort. And use this money for the benefit of local
community.(education, health, etc)
6. Visitors be kept at least 20 meters from all forms of wildlife and nobody will be allowed
to lure or feed any wildlife creatures.
7. each tiger reserve should calculate the maximum number of visitors and vehicles that can
be permitted on any given day considering their potential to disturb wildlife. E.g. At
Kanha, the limit will be 25 vehicles in forenoon and 15 in afternoon
8. Use of battery operated vehicles, instead of diesel or petrol operated vehicles, to reduce
noise pollution.
9. 10 per cent of the revenue generated from pilgrim centres located in tiger reserves, should
be spent for to develop local communities via Gram Sabha.
10. All tour guides and drivers shall compulsorily go through a short course in rules and
regulations of tiger-reserves, followed by an oral examination. Only after passing the
exam, they’ll be allowed to conduct tours.
11. All certified guides and drivers shall wear special uniforms with name tags and badges.
12. Prior to every tourist season, certified guides and drivers shall go through a refresher
course or workshop.
13. The use of wood as fuel shall be prohibited, except for campfires
14. All tourist facilities, old and new- must be environment friendly.
1. Have low height
 2. Shall aim to generate at least 50 % of their total energy and fuel requirements
from alternate energy sources (solar and biogas)
3. Waste recycling, water management,
4. Natural cross-ventilation (to reduce the need for AC),
5. No use of asbestos,
6. Discharge of only treated sewage,
7. No air pollution,
8. Minimal outdoor lighting outside the building
9. They should merging with the surrounding landscape, via right combination of
wall colors and aesthetic architecture.

Now, Union Government filed an affidavit in the Supreme court and said “Please see this list of
guidelines framed by NTCA. We’ll make sure that tourism doesn’t harm the tigers. Now please
lift the ban.”

October 2012: UPSC asks the question

UPSC Conducts Civil Service (Mains) General Studies Exam, and asks following question.

Q. The issue of tourism in core areas of tiger reserve forests in the country is a subject matter of
debate. Critically examine various aspects of this issue, keeping in view relevant recent judicial
pronouncements. (250 words, 25 marks)

October 2012: SC Lifts the Ban

• Supreme Court considers the plea of Government and passes judgment: ok well very,
since you’ve framed the new guidelines, We lift the ban.
• but from now onwards, all the tourism activities must be regulated in very strict manner.
And We also direct the state governments to prepare their tiger conservation plan within
in six months and submit it to the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) for
approval.

Conclusion
• In last century, there were more than 40,000 tigers in India, now barely 1700 left.
• Tiger protection is not the job of Forest Department alone. It requires coordination
between and stakeholders, including the departments forestry, agriculture, social welfare,
tourism, fisheries, tea -coffee estates, road and rail transport, mining, thermal power
plants, irrigation projects, temples, tour operators, tourists, Gram Sabha, local villagers.
• Unless each and every one of them is sensitized about the issue, tiger may not survive to
see the next century.
Roleplaying question for interview.
Suppose you’re the administrator of a tiger reserve. Give us a list of essential men and material
requirements to run the organization.

1. Police/forest guards/ex- army personnel, with wireless handsets, weapons, ammunition,

and handcuffs for apprehending offenders.
2. Compass, range finder, Global Positioning System (GPS), camera traps, radio collars,
binoculars and night vision goggles., to petrol the jungle and keep an eye on tigers.
3. Kerosene, tent, medicine, field kit, mosquito net, torch etc.
4. Vehicles (Gypsy, Jeep, Truck, Tractor, boats) to ferry the men and injured animals.
5. elephants (for patrolling in core areas- because jeeps would disturb the tigers)
6. Money to Rewards the informers about poaching and tree cutting.
7. Tranquilizer guns, cages in case there is need to capture a man eater tiger/leopard or in
case they attack on nearby villages.
8. A 24/7 Veterinary doctor to deal with injured animals.
9. Residential accommodation for the family and children of frontline staff (forest guards,
doctors etc. in nearby towns or villages)

Cheetah
A side note for for GK

• Ministry of Environment and Forests has decided to take up reint roduction of cheetah in
the States of Rajasthan (Shahgarh area) and Madhya Pradesh (Kuno- Palpur and
Noradehi Wildlife Sanctuaries).
• The said States would receive 100 % support towards village relocation.

Appendix 1: List of 41 tiger reserves in India

It may not be possible to memorize the whole list, but atleast for the interview and State PSC
exam, mugup the names of reserves in your state and in the surrounding states.

Here is the Statewise Alphabetical list.

Name State
Kawal Telengana
Andhra Pradesh
largest tiger
Nagarjunsagar -Sri Salaim Andhra Pradesh reserve in
india
Namdapha Arunachal Pradesh
Pakke Arunachal Pradesh
Manas Assam
Nameri Assam
Kaziranga Assam
Valmiki Bihar
Achanakmar Chattisgarh
Udanti-Sitanadi Chattisgarh
Indravati Chhattisgarh
Palamau Jharkhand
Biligiri Ranganatha Temple Karnataka
Bandipur Karnataka
Bhadra Karnataka
Dandeli-Anshi Karnataka
Nagarahole Karnataka
Periyar Kerala
Parambikulam Kerala
Kanha Madhya Pradesh
Pench Madhya Pradesh
Bandhavgarh Madhya Pradesh
Panna Madhya Pradesh
Satpura Madhya Pradesh
Sanjay-Dubri Madhya Pradesh
Sahyadri Maharashtra
Melghat Maharashtra
Tadoba-Andhari Maharashtra
Pench Maharashtra
Dampa Mizoram
Similipal Odisha
Satkosia Odisha
Ranthambore Rajasthan
Sariska Rajasthan
Anamalai Tamil Nadu
Kalakad-Mundanthurai Tamil Nadu
Mudumalai Tamil Nadu
Dudhwa Uttar Pradesh
Corbett Uttarakhand
Sunderbans West Bengal
Buxa West Bengal

New Tiger reserves

The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has granted approval for creation of 5 new
tiger reserves viz

1. Pilibhit –UP
2. Ratapani –MP
3. Sunabeda –Odisha
4. Mukundara Hills –Raj.
5. Satyamangalm TN

And, Final approval has also been accorded to Kudremukh (Karnataka) for declaring as a tiger
reserve.

NTCA has also requested the State Governments, to file proposals to create Tiger reserves in
following areas.

1. Bor (Maharashtra),
2. Suhelwa (Uttar Pradesh),
3. Nagzira-Navegaon (Maharashtra)
4. Gu ru Ghasidas National Park (Chhattisgarh)
5. Mhadei Sanctuary (Goa)
6. Srivilliputhur Grizzled Giant Squirrel / Megamalai Wildlife Sanctuaries / Varushanadu
Valley (Tamil Nadu).
Appendix 2: Maps of Tiger Reserves in India
 Krill-Food chain,Non Native Species,
Nisargruna Biogas
Krill and food chain
• The whale is not a fish but a mammal
• Krill= Shrimp-like planktonic creatures = they’re favorite food of whale.
• Krill eat phytoplankton, which are microscopic plants that live near the surface of oceans
and lakes.
• Phytoplankton are mainly one-celled organisms and are autotrophic.

Planktons

• autotrophic= they depend on the sun for the energy they need to produce their food.
• Thus microscopic phytoplankton are very important to all living organisms in the sea.
• The blue whale feeds throughout the summer on krill that are abundant in the cold, polar
water of both the northern and southern hemisphere.
• In the late fall, the blue whale migrates on the warmer waters of the tropics where the
water is warmer.
• There are no krill in tropical areas of the ocean so the blue whale must live off its blubber
for the entire time it spends there. (Blubber = fat stored in Whale body)
• When there is oil-spill, it reduces the planktonic creature and thus affects the whole food
chain.

Hydrocarbon-eating bugs
• In early 2012, there was an oil spill in Gulf of Mexico- from British Petroleum’s
Deepwater Horizon rig.
 • Scientists found growing population of carbon-eating bacteria about six miles from the
leak. (oceanospirillale)
• Each time the scientists got back to the laboratory to test the sea-water samples, the bugs
had already eaten all the oil in them.

Adipic acid: Nylon

• Adipic acid is produced from fossil fuel, and the pollution released from the refinement
process contributes significantly to global warming
• Adipic acid is required for nylon production.
• Now scientists have came up with process to produce eco-friendly adipic acid.
• They’ll convert cheap sugars into adipic acid, instead of using fossile fuel.

Rhino horn powder

• Rich and affluent people in Vietnam, are using Rhino horn power to spice up their
alcoholic drink in parties. (miracle cure for cancer, AIDS..you get the idea, just like tiger
bones)
• Because of this demand, more and more rhinos are hunted in Africa.
• Vietnamese government, is accused of not taking the crisis seriously, despite pressure
from the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites).
• Vietnam is the only country in the world where rhino horn grinding bowls are mass
produced. It shows that Vietnamese Government is not serious in cracking this illegal
business.

Non-native/Invasive species: Asian Ladybug

• Aphids= plant sucking insect.
• Asian ladybug= these were introduced into Europe and USA to combat aphids problem.
• But these Asian ladybugs are displacing the native European ladybugs. (Because Asian
Ladybugs eats aphids as well as European ladybygs.) and thus, its population exploded,
now infesting the buildings.
• Thus Asian ladybug = a threat to native species and biodiversity in Europe and America.

Asian Ladybug
New Sperm Freezing method
• Previously, elephant breeders could only use a limited number of elephant bulls living in
zoos, as semen could not be frozen and had to be used within twelve hours. But scientists
have now solved this problem using the new sperm freezing method.
• This new freezing method could also be used with other endangered species like
rhinoceros and gorilla

Nisargruna biogas technology

• developed by the Mumbai-based Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC).
• This technology can produce more methan and organic manure from biowaste (compared
to the conventional gobar gas plant)
• This methane enriched biogas can be used directly for heating (instead of LPG) or for
generating electricity.

Biodegradable electronic devices

• electronic devices such as integrated circuits, chips and tools etc. when discarded, they
are called e-waste.
• It is estimated that e-waste alone accounts for over 70 per cent of toxic wastes currently
found in landfills
• we use electronic devices such as pacemakers and other sensors that are implanted in our
bodies. The trouble with them is that once they are past their use, we need to surgically
remove them (and perhaps implant a fresh one). How nice it would be if only they
dissolve away and get removed from the body; much the way we discard our body liquids
and solids every day!
• Scientists are now working on such biodegradable electronic devices.

Agro related
Senescence in fruits
• The non-greening of leaves is called senescence.
• ripening in fruits also involves chlorophyll loss and an increase in production of yellow,
orange, red or purple pigments.

Why Water=Transparent?
• Light is a form of an electromagnetic energy with a wide range of wavelengths.
• If a material absorbs all the visible range of light, then it ‘looks’ black to us because there
is hardly any visible light left from the object to reach our eyes.
 • If a material does not absorb any part of the visible range of light, then the object either
appears colourlessly transparent
• Water has molecules that do not have the kind of electrons which absorb any portion of
the visible range (but have electrons that absorb only in the invisible ultraviolet range) of
light
• That is why water appears transparent. Several other liquids, such as benzene, alcohol,
chloroform, coconut oil, etc also look transparent for this reason.

Sapota
• Tropical fruit plant. (chikoo)
• Grown widely in India for its fruit and milky latex which is the source of chicle used to
make chewing gum.

Rice blast
is a fungal infestation known to occur in all the rice growing areas of the county. The disease
attacks all the parts of the crop growing above the soil.

Chawki
• refers to young silk worms reared from hatching to second moult stage. The quality of
these worms forms the crux of successful silkworm rearing.
• If the chawki worms are not reared properly, the later stages will result in crop losses.

Chawki Rearing

PSTOL1
• It is a gene that helps the rice plants to grow in phosphorus-deficient soil.
• The absence of PSTOL1 from modern rice varieties underlines the importance of
conserving and exploring traditional rice varieties.
Disasters
1. Mt Tongariro- Volcano erupted here, in New Zealand
2. L’Aquila quake -
• Occurred in Italy, in 2009.
• The scientists of Italy’s top disaster body had failed to predict it accurately.
• Now Italian court sentenced them to jail.
• This has outraged the international science community

3. Climate change and Rainfall

• With every 1 degree Celsius rise in temperature, tropical regions will see 10 per cent
heavier rainfall extremes, with possible impacts for flooding in populous regions

Ref
The Hindu S&T section, Sept-Oct 2012
 Amur Falcon Massacre, Nicobar Megapod,
Narcondam Hornbill
Amur Falcon
• A Migratory bird from Russia.
• Every year, in October, they arrive in northeast India from Siberia en route to their final
destination — Africa.
• During their flight, they stop the jungles of Nagaland for a while, for food and rest.
• Why in News? Because some environment activists found that 120,000 to 140,000 birds
are being slaughtered in Nagaland every year during their passage through the state, and
sold for their meat @local markets.
• They’ve requested Environment Ministry to take action.
• India, is a signatory to the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS), therefore it is
Government’s responsibility to provide safe passage to all migratory birds, turtles etc.

Amur Falcon

Nicobar scrubfowl/Megapod
• A bird, only found in Nicobar island.
• Why in news? Because Navy wanted to setup a missile testing site at Tillanchong
Sanctuary in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Environment Ministry rejected it, missile
testing project would destroy the habitat of this bird.
• This Bird is also called Nicobar megapode —because of its large legs.
• This bird is considered sacred by the Nicobarese people, was hit badly by the Indian
Ocean tsunami that destroyed vast swathes of its habitat and nesting grounds.
• Navy Chief said, “We know that Environment ministry has its reservations. But the fact
is we cannot do without our firing range”
Nicobar scrubfowl/Megapod

Narcondam Hornbill
• Narcondam is an extremely remote, tiny island in the Andaman and Nicobar Island
group, and is home to about 300 Narcondam hornbills, a species that is found nowhere
else in the world.
• Why in news? Because The Coast Guard wanted to set up a surveillance radar here, but
environment ministry rejected the proposal.

Narcondam Hornbill
Andaman Nicobar Map

Mock Questions
MCQs
Q1. Which of the following statements are correct?

1. Amur falcon is a bird species native to North East India.

2. Nicobar Megapod is a critically endangered insect under IUCN.

Q2. Narcondam Hornbill Is found in…

a. Wheeler’s island, Orissa

b. Salim Ali National Park, Kashmir
c. Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary, Goa
d. Andamand Nicobar islands.
Mains
1. Write a short note on the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS). 10marks

Interview
1. With respect to, the tussle between Navy/Coast Guards vs. Environment Ministry, What
is more important: National security or conservation of an endangered species? And
why?
2. What do you know about Migratory Species? Do you know names of any sites your
state/district, that are frequented by migratory species?
3. There are reports of large scale poaching of Migratory birds in your area. This is the only
source of livelihood for many villagers and favorite dish among urban class. Forest
officers are reluctant to detain anyone, fearing possible protests and unrest in the
villages. As the District collector what steps will you take?
 IUCN, Red Databook, CITES Agreement :
Meaning, Features, Mock Questions for
CSAT
What is IUCN?
• International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN)
• also known as the World Conservation Union.
• The IUCN is the world’s oldest global environmental organization. (WWF in 60s, UNEP
in 70s, IPCC in 80s, Kyoto etc in 90s) Observe this Timeline

• IUCN includes both Nations and NGOs.

• HQ=Gland, Switz.
 • The IUCN enjoys “observer status” at the United Nations General Assembly.

What is IUCN Red List?

1. It is a system of classifying plants, animals etc on basis of their likelihood of extinction.
2. This classification contains total 9 groups. Observe following chart.

Taken From Encyclopedia Britannica

3. Each year thousands of scientists around the world assess or reassess species. The IUCN
Red List is subsequently updated. Latest updated list was released @RIO +20 summit.
4. This list helps Governments and NGOs prioritize their efforts to save the particular plant,
animal etc. For example more money and manpower should be spent on red species
compared to orange or green species in the list. And the sale of red species products must
be banned under CITES.
5. The IUCN Red List has listed 132 species of plants and animals as Critically Endangered
from India.

Limitation IUCN red-list

• Red list/ Red Data book contains 9 groups.
• 9th Group is NE (Not Evaluated) species, it also contain thousands of species.
• It is likely that many of these species have become or are in the process of becoming
extinct, but not receiving Government/NGO efforts and public funding because they’re in
the 9th group.
What is CITES?
• CITES= Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and
Flora.
• CITES is an international agreement, brainchild of IUCN, Made in 70s.
• HQ=Geneva, Switzerland. (Secretariat administered by UNEP.)
• CITES aims to stop illicit trade of wildlife.

Why illegal trade of wildlife?

• According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 80 percent of the world’s
population uses traditional medicines derived from animals and plants.
• In traditional Chinese and Asian medicine systems the bones, tissues, blood of tigers,
bears, elephants, rhinos etc= used to treat arthritis, impotence, Cancer and AIDS(!)
• Rapid Growth of human population without rapid growth of education = increased
demand for (stupid) medicines.
• So, animals are hunted not only for their hides but also for their bodyparts, to make those
(stupid) medicines.
• Mobiles, Internet, online money transfer, faster modes of transports= good for illegal
trade.
• Experts believe this is a multibillion dollar industry just like narcotic drugs trade.
• International cooperation is necessary because illegal wildlife trade involves involves
import and export between countries.

How does CITES work?

• CITES has no enforcement authority (i.e. doesn’t have its own police force or militia).
• CITES classifies species into three categories Appendix I, II and III and regulates their
trade via cooperation of various nations.

Appendix
• There are almost 1000 plant and animal species in this list.
Appendix
• Their trade =totally banned, unless exeptional situation.
I
• Species that are not necessarily threatened, but will get threatened if their
trade is not controlled.
• Businessmen will need to get licence from relevant authorities to export such
Appendix
plants/ animals/their products.
II
• The Government can give licence if it certain that that trade will not be
harmful to the survival of the species in the wild

Appendix
• list of species included at the request of any one nation but needs the
III
 cooperation of other countries to prevent unsustainable or illegal exploitation.

What is Conference of Parties?

• The countries that have ratified the CITES are called “parties”.
• Although CITES is legally binding on the Parties, it does not take the place of national
laws. Rather it provides a framework respected by each Party. So These parties have to
do two things

1. Make laws to regulate import and export of wildlife species.

2. Establish licenseing authority for trade of wildlife species and their products.

These Parties meet @regular interval. Such meetings are called Conference of Parties (COP).

In COP, they contemplate about progress, achievement; need to update the species appendix etc.

Criticism, limitation of CITES:

#1: No police of its own
• CITES has no enforcement authority, but rather depends on the voluntary development of
laws and enforcement procedures within each nation.
• However, laws among nations vary greatly, and even when strong laws exist, many
national authorities lack the resources, political will, or both to enforce them.
• Many believe that CITES has become a battleground between developed nations, which
typically promote bans on endangered species trade, and developing nations, which often
seek such trade as a viable economic strategy.

#2: Non-Native Species

• Confiscated endangered species in some countries have been released into nature
preserves without adequate consideration of potential ecological impacts.
• For example, Malayan pangolins, does not naturally occur in China, but have been
released into China, where they can compete with native animals. (Non-Native Species)

#3: Appendix are Counterproductive

• The inclusion of a species in Appendix I can drive up black-market prices for that
species, encouraging more poaching and stockpiling of commodities, including
rhinoceros horn, elephant ivory, and tiger bone.
• Sometimes it is hard to distinguish parts of an endangered species from parts of a
nonendangered species. For example, all bear gallbladders look to that of nonendangered
animals as domestic pigs= problem in legit trading of domestic pigs’ bodyparts.
#4: Not Comprehensive
• Major threats to endangered species come from deforestation, Habitat destruction, and
other environmentally destructive policies.
• But they’re are outside the scope of CITES.

Mock questions on Environment and Biodiversity

Q. What is the correct Chronological order (older to younger)?

a. IUCN, IPCC, UNEP, UNFCC

b. IUCN, UNFCC, UNEP, IPCC
c. UNEP, IPCC, UNFCC, IUCN
d. None of Above.

Q. Which of the following is correct about Red List of Endangered species?

1. It is jointly prepared by IUCN and UNEP under UNFCCC.

2. It classifies species in 3 categories only.

a. Only 1
b. Only 2
c. Both
d. None

Q. Which of the following is correct about CITES?

1. It contains provisions to protect wildlife species from illegal trade, habitat destruction and
climate change.
2. It releases Red List of Endangered species with the help of IUCN.

a. Only 1
b. Only 2
c. Both
d. None

GS Mains
1. Steps taken by India, to stop illegal trade of wildlife. 10m
2. What do you understand by the term CITES? What steps, apart from those mentioned in
CITES, should be taken to protect the wildlife? 15m
3. Name any three critically endangered species in India, according to the IUCN Red list.
Enumerate the measures taken to protect them. 25m
Convention on Biodiversity (CBD): Prologue
to Cartagena, Nagoya, Aichi, COP-11
What is UNEP?
• United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
• An organization under United Nations. (1972)
• The United Nations General Assembly elects the UNEP governing council members.
• HQ= Nairobi, Kenya
• Two important terms associated with UNEP

UNEP keeps constant surveillance on environment, through

Earthwatch
this program.
Global Environment Outlook UNEP publishes this report.5th such report (GEO-5) released in
(GEO) 2012.

Earth Summit?
• Conference held in Rio-De-Janerio, Brazil in 1992
• Formal name: United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED)

What is the connection between UNEP and Earth Summit?

• In the late 80s, the UNEP members decided we should have some sort of international
agreement to protect biodiversity.
• They worked on a draft Agreement. (Nairobi Conference)
• In 1992, when Earth Summit was held in Rio, Brazil, these UNEP people put that draft-
agreement on the table, and requested various countries to sign it.
• This signed international agreement is known as “Convention on Biodiversity.” (Official
name =Convention on Biological Diversity)

Kids of Earth Summit

• Earth summit,1992 gave birth to many things. But three important kids were

Mission Earth Summit’s result

1. CBD
Protect Biodiversity
2. UNFCCC
Reverse Climate Change
 3. Agenda 21
Promote Sustainable Development

As the year progressed, these three kids (CBD, UNFCC, Agenda 21) grew up, had their own
kids.

Earth Summit’s
Mission Their kids
result
1. Aichi Targets
2. Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety
1. Protect Biodiversity
CBD 3. Nagoya Protocol on Genetic
Resources

1. Kyoto Protocol
2. Reverse Climate Change
UNFCCC 2. Copenhagen Accord

3. Promote Sustainable
1. RIO+20
Development Agenda 21

We can summarize this in an equation and a Chart as below:

Earth Summit=> CBD (Cartagena+ Aichi+Nagoya) +UNFCCC (Kyoto+Copanheggan) +
Agenda 21(RIO +20)

Once ^this is clear, observe the following timeline to see the ‘bigger picture’ of how every piece
fits into the puzzle.
What is CBD?
• Convention =International Agreement.
• Convention on Biodiversity is the brainchild of United Nations Environment Programme
(UNEP)
• HQ= Montreal, Canada. It works under UNEP.
What does CBD want?
Convention on Biodiversity wants three things and it leads to three more things.

Wants to Leads to
1. Protect biodiversity
COP meetings, Aichi Targets.
2. Safe use of bio-technology
Cartagena Biosafety Protocol
3. Stop unfair use of Genetic resources
Nagoya Genetic Resources Protocol

Objective#1: Protect Biodiversity

• Convention on Biodiversity, as the name suggests = has something to do with
biodiversity.

CBD accepts/wants following things

1. Biological diversity is a common concern of humankind.
2. States have sovereign rights over their own biological resources.
3. But at the same time, States are responsible for conserving their biological diversity.
4. Therefore, States are required to create National Biodiversity Strategies and Action
Plans (NBSAP).
5. Sustainable use of biological diversity =important for food security, health and other
needs of public.
6. Biological diversity is being significantly reduced by certain human activities.
7. But We’ll protect biodiversity via in-situ and ex-situ methods.
8. We recognize vital role of women and NGOs in protecting biodiversity.
9. Our rich members (developed countries) will give money and (secret James Bond)
technology to the middle class and poor members (developing nations and Least
developed countries)
10. We’ll give special attention to the least developed countries (L.D.C.) and small island
States, because they’re more vulnerable.
11. We’ll also give special attention to developing countries, especially those with arid and
semi- arid zones, coastal and mountainous areas.
12. + add public awareness, sensitization, knowledge -sharing and other diplomatic-legal
fodder.

Where is the money?

• To fund various projects, activities under CBD, you need truckload of cash.
• This cash comes through an organization named as Global Environment Facility (GEF).
 • GEF gets money from world bank, UN, various (rich) nations and trust organization,
companies etc.
• GEF gives that money to finance many environment related activies including

1. Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)

2. United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)

How does CBD work?

• Convention = international agreement.
• Legally speaking, “agreement” involves two or more “parties”.
• So CBD doesn’t have “members” it has “parties”: rich parties on one side, middle class
and poor parties on the other.
• These parties meet at regular interval. These meetings are called Conference of Parties
(COP).
• In these Meetings, the leaders, delegates consume desi-liquor (to provide sustainable
livelihood to local communities) and evaluate their past achievements; lay down future
course of action, money and technology transfer to third world.
• Each party has one vote. Decision taken by majority vote. These meetings led to
Cartagena Biosafety Protocol (2000).
• 10th Such meeting was held at Nagoya, Japan (2010). It led to Nagoya Protocol on
Genetic Resources + Aichi Targets.
• 11th such meeting (COP-11) was held in Hyderabad, India in 2012

Mock Questions
Q. Which of the following statements are correct?

1. Parties of UNFCCC are required to create National Biodiversity Strategies and Action
Plans (NBSAP).
2. Nagoya and Cartagena Protocols are part of Agenda 21.

a. Only 1
b. Only 2
c. Both
d. None

Q. which of the following is incorrectly matched?

1. Nagoya
Genetic Resources
2. CITES
Sustainable Development
3. Copenhagen Accord
Climate Change
 a. Only 1
b. Only 2
c. Only 2 and 3
d. Only 1 and 3

Q. Which of the following is correctly matched

1. Agenda 21
Biohazard
2. Cartagena Protocol
Biosafety
3. Aichi Targets
Biodiversity

a. Only 1 and 2
b. Only 2 and 3
c. Only 1 and 3
d. All of them.

Q. Which of the following statements are correct?

1. Headquarter of CBD is in Kenya

2. Headquarter of UNEP is in Switzerland

a. Only 1
b. Only 2
c. Both
d. None

Q. Which of the following is correct chronologically (old to new)

a. Aichi Target, Earth Summit, Convention on Biodiversity, Cartagena Protocol on

Biosafety
b. Earth Summit, Convention on Biodiversity, Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, Aichi
Target
c. Convention on Biodiversity, Earth Summit, Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, Aichi
Target
d. None of above.
 Aichi Targets for Biodiversity Protection
under CBD

Earth Summit led to=>

1. Biodiversity protection: CBD (Cartagena+ Aichi+Nagoya)

2. Reverse Climate Change: UNFCCC (Kyoto+ Copenhagen)
3. Sustainable Development: Agenda 21, RIO+20

COP-10 under CBD

• The Parties (Countries) under Convention of Biodiversity (CBD), meet at regular
interval.
• These meetings are called Conference of Parties (COP)
• 10th such meeting was held at Aichi precinct (district) of Nagoya, Japan.
• This COP-10 gave birth to two things

1. Nagoya Protocol on Genetic Resources

2. Aichi Targets for biodiversity

What is Aichi Target?

In the COP-10 meeting, the parties agreed that previous biodiversity protection targets are not
achieved, So we need to do comeup with new plans and targets.

Plan Timeframe
Mid/Long term By 2050
Short term By 2020

• This short term plan is officially known as “Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020”.
• It is a a ten-year framework for action by all countries to save biodiversity.
• This short term plan provide a set of 20 ambitious yet achievable targets, collectively
known as the Aichi Targets.

Aichi Targets= 20 targets, divided into 5 sections (A to E).

Strategic goal A
Address the causes of biodiversity loss
 1. Make people aware about the values of biodiversity
2. Integrated biodiversity values in development + poverty reduction plan
3. Subsidies which are harmful to biodiversity= and eliminate them, phase them out or
reform them
4. Sustainable production and consumption.

Strategic Goal B:
Reduce the direct pressure on biodiversity and promote sustainable use

5. Reduce the rate of natural habitat loss + forest loss by at least 50%
6. Reduce overfishing
7. Agriculture, aquaculture and forestry in sustainable manner
8. Reduce pollution and excessive use of fertiliser
9. Prevent invasive alien species (non-native)
10. Minimise the choral reflow destruction, ocean acidification

Strategic Goal C
Safeguard ecosystems, species and genetic diversity

11. Conserve terrestrial and inland water, coastal – marine areas

12. Prevent extinction of threatened species
13. Maintain genetic diversity of agro-plants, domesticated animals and minimising genetic
erosion

Strategic Goal D
Biodiversity benefits to all

14. Safeguard ecosystems for women, tribals, and poor.

15. Combat desertification and restore the degraded ecosystem
16. Operationalise the nagoya protocol on genetic resources, via national legislations

Strategic Goal E
Participatory planning, capacity building

17. National biodiversity strategy and action plans – update for participation
18. Integrate the knowledge of tribal communities
19. Scientific and technological knowledge sharing application
20. Financial resources mobilisation
 Bergmann’s Rule, Migrantwatch,
Seasonwatch, Ross Sea Marine Protected
Zone, Lake Vida, Chromatophores
These terms are from The Hindu S&T, Nov.2012

Cold Climate=Big Body size

• For most species of animals, body mass increases the closer you get to the poles.
• The bigger you are, the more fat you can store to help you get through the winter.
• bigger animals have a smaller surface area-to-volume ratio, which helps reduce heat loss-
a pattern known as Bergmann’s Rule.

Migrantwatch and Seasonwatch

Two projects started by National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bangalore, (NCBS)

These projects are aimed at involving common citizen in scientific research.

Migrantwatch
participants in this activity identify migrant
birds and note down the first sighting and feed it
into the online database: www.migrantwatch.in
Seasonwatch
builds up baseline data about the flowering and
fruiting of trees, to work on climate-season
change from ecological angle.
www.seasonwatch.in

Bactrian camels and heavy-chain antibodies

• Two-humped camel
• Found in cold deserts of central Asia. (China, Mongolia)
• They consume eight times more salt than cattle and have twice the blood glucose levels
of other ruminants, yet do not develop diabetes or hypertension.
• They also produce unique disease-fighting proteins called heavy-chain antibodies, which
interest pharmaceutical engineers.

Ross Sea: Marine Protected Zone

• The Ross Sea, located in arm of the southern Pacific Ocean in Antarctica.
• Ross sea is populated by seals, whales, fish, penguins and other birds.
• Environment activists want to create Marine protected zones (MPAs) in Ross sea= where
fishing would be totally banned.
Lake Vida
• in East Antarctica
• hosts some newly discovered microbes, 60 feet below ice.
• Thus proving that where there is water, there is life.

Chromatophores
• Right now, the lipstick colores are made using artificial chemicals.
• These chemicals can cause allergy and even cancer.
• Scientists have now found reddish-brown spores in squid skin that can be used for
lipstick colors.
• They are screening it for consumer acceptance applying hedonic scale method.

Hedonic Scale Method

• Hedonic Scale is used in food science, marketing research where the respondents indicate
the extent to which they either like or dislike for a particular product sample.

Brevetoxin-2
• compound produced naturally by marine algae, currently under research.
• can be used for Treatment of stroke.

Mock Questions
Q1 Which of the following is incorrectly matched

1. Migrantwatch
UN project of Tracking human migration patterns.
2. Chromatophores
found in Plant leaves, help in photosynthesis.
3. Seasonwatch Project to build database of flowering, fruiting patterns in various
seasons.

a. Only 1
b. Only 1 and 2
c. Only 3
d. All of them

Q2. Which of the following is correctly matched

 1. Two-horned Rhino
India
2. Two-humped Camel
Mongolia

a. Only 1
b. Only 2
c. Both
d. None

Q3. Which of the following is correctly matched

1. Hedonic Scale
It stipulates that animals at colder regions have higher bodymass.
2. Bergmann’s Rule
Associated with Marketing research.

a. Only 1
b. Only 2
c. Both
d. None
 Western Ghats: Physical Geography,
Biodiversity Overview (Part 1 of 4)
Western Ghats has been in news because of Gadgil controversy.

What is Western Ghats?

• Entire tract of hills from the Tapi to Kanyakumari.

• Length =approx. 1500km

• Area= approx. 1.6 lakh sq.kms
• About 30% of the area of the Western Ghats Region is under forests.

SIX States Three (important) Passes

1. Gujarat (portions of Dang Forests).
2. Maharashtra
1. Thalghat
3. Karnataka
2. Bhorghat
4. Goa
3. Palghat
5. Kerala
6. Tamilnadu
Administrative Regions
(no need to mugup table, but if you’re from any of these districts, be more prepared for “profile
based” interview questions on Western Ghats).

GujaratMaharashtraKarnatakaKerala TN
The Dangs Ahmednagar Belgaum Idukki Coimbatore
Navsari Kolhapur Chamrajnagar Kannur Dindugal
Valsad Nandurbar Chikmagalur Kasaragod Erode
Nashik Dakshin Kannad Kollam Kanyakumari
Pune Davanagere Kottayam Nilgiris
Raigarh Hassan Kozhikode Tirunelveli
Ratnagiri Kodagu Malappuram Tiruppur
Satara Mysore Palakkad Theni
Sindhudurg Shimoga Pattanamtitta Virudunagar
Thane Udupi Thiruvananthapuram
Uttar Kannada Thrissur
Wayanad

+ UT- Diu Daman (Silvassa region)

Western vs Eastern Ghats

Western
Almost Continuous hills
avg. height : 1500 to 2000 m
Highest peak: Anai Mudi
(Kerala)
Fast flowing rivers, donot form
delta
Narmada-Tapi
Flow into Arabian sea.
Eastern
Discontinuous hills (thanks to River deltas)
lower: 500-700 m
Dewodi Munda (Odisha) (as per Majid Hussein)
Long broad rivers, form delta.
Krishna, Kaveri, Godawai (these origin from Western Ghats
though)
and Mahanadi
Into Bay of Bengal.

• Land between Western and Eastern Ghats=Deccan plateau.

• Nilgiri hills connect Western and Eastern Ghats.
Western Ghat: Forest
Western Slope Eastern Slope
Rainfall: 200cm 70-200cm
Moist Deciduous (also known as Monsoon
Tropical Evergreen+ Semi Evergreen.
forest)
There is no definite time for trees to shade
leaves.
Trees shed leaves during dry season.
Hence the jungle appears green throughout the
year.
1. Rosewood,
1. Teak
2. Mahogony
2. Sal
3. Ebony
3. Shisham
4. Aini
4. Mahua
5. Cedar
5. Sandalwood
6. Hollywood ock
6. Mahua
7. Kail

Western Ghats: Rivers

• Three main rivers of South India= Krishna, Godavari and Kaveri. They originate from
Western Ghats.
• Traditionally these water resources were used to irrigate the valleys for paddy and
arecanut cultivation.
• But later, construction of major river valley projects =irrigation + power generation.
• The steep slopes to the western Ghats = ideal for constructing dams and hydel power
generation.
• In recent years construction of resorts and hill stations started around lakes and rivers.
E.g. Amba Valley, Lavasa.
• Rivers flowing from the Western Ghats drain almost 40% of land in India.
• Roughly 250 million people depend on these rivers .
• From Western Ghats, rivers originate and flow in both directions: West and East.

West Flowing Rivers

Narmada Tapi
Origin (both MP) Amarkantak hills Satpura Ranges.
Length Longer Shorter
States covered Guj, MP Guj, MP, Mah.
Other names Reva Handmaid of Narmada.
 • Coastal plains between Western Ghats and the Arabian sea are very narrow. Hence, these
coastal rivers are short (compared to East flowing rivers)

East Flowing rivers

They drain into Bay of Bengal.

Godavari Krishna Kaveri

Origin Nasik, Mah. Mahabaleshwar Brahmagiri Range
Length (km) 1500 1400 750
Water Basin
Mah, MP, Odi, AP* Mah, Karn, AP Karn, Ker, TN
covers
Dakshin Ganga/Vridha
Other names Ganga of South
Ganga
Sivasamudram water
Misc.notes
falls.
1. Tungabhadra
1. Amravati,
1. Manjra 2. Koyana
2. Bhavani,
2. Wainganga 3. Ghatprabha
Tributaries 3. Hemavati
3. Penganga 4. Musi
4. Kabini.
5. Bhima

Type of Delta? Lobate Arcuate Quadrilateral

• *NCERT Class 9 Geography: Chapter 3 page 21.

• Every once in a while, UPSC has a nasty habit of asking MCQ question from “delta-
type” (Lobate, Arculate etc.) so do mug it up hahaha.
• Mahanadi also drains in Bay of Bengal but it comes from Chattisgarh=not part of
Western Ghats.

Western Ghats- Other names

1. Maharashtra
Sahyadri
2. Karnataka
Nilgiri hills
3. Tamil Nadu
Same as above
4. Kerala
Anaimalai + Cardamom hills.
Geologically, the Western Ghats is subdivided into three parts

1. Surat to Goa
2. Goa to Nilgiris
3. South of Palghat Gap

Agro
Agriculture in Western Ghats
Region Cultivation of
Valleys Paddy
• Earlier slash and burn type agriculture. Nowadays Terrace farming.
• Millets and legumes.
Hill slops • arecanut

Coastal • coconut, mango, jackfruit

areas

Plantation crops
Introduced by Europeans in Western Ghats Native to Western Ghats
1. Tea
2. Coffee
1. Pepper
3. Rubber
2. Cardamom
4. Tapioca
5. Potato

Forest produce
• Pepper, Cardamom,Honey,Wax, Myrobalan (Small Fruit),
• Bamboos + Reeds = For Basket Weaving
• 1980 onwards = explosion of forest-based industries such as paper, plywood, polyfibres,
matchwood, tanning etc.
Western Ghats: Biodiversity

• The Western Ghats is one of the Biodiversity hotspots of the country.

• The wild relatives pepper, cardamom, mango, jackfruit and plantain=found here.
• Thousands of endemic* species of flowering plants, insects, trees, fishes, butterflies,
dragonflies, mollusks (land snails) present.

*What is Endemic Species?

• Any species which is exclusively confined to a particular geographical area and it is
found nowhere else in the world.

Nasikabactrachus sahyadrensis
• Recently discovered frog species in Western Ghats.
• It proves that Western Ghat was once part of ancient Gondwana region.
Western Ghat: Notable wildlife

1. Tiger
2. Elephant
3. The Indian Bison
4. Lion-Tailed Macaque
5. Wynad Laughing Thrush (Songbirds)
6. Travancore Tortoise
7. Uropeltid Snakes
8. Several Species Of Legless Amphibians.
 Western Ghats: Threats to Biodiversity,
Monoculture Plantation, Exotic Species,
Sacred Groves (Part 2 of 4)
British Raj Exploitation
After 1857’s mutiny, the Crown took over Indian administration. Now Britishers took three
major initiatives in Western Ghats

1. Construct Railways
2. Construct Dams
3. Construct Roads.

(usually in this order: Railways > Dams > Roads). Why was it done in this order? Think about it
:)

• Anyways, the British used these three ‘channels’ for resource extraction and exploitation
in Western Ghats.
• Later they started giving away land in the Sahyadri region (Maharashtra) at throwaway
prices, to expand urban and industrial settlements of Mumbai-Thane, Nashik, Pune
region. (And this trend has continued in the present times as well.)

• Nowadays, Whether virgin lands in the Sahyadris, is opened up for development of urban
areas, hill stations, farm house plots or holiday resorts= bad for biodiversity.

Railways: Impact on biodiversity

• The first railway across the Western Ghats was built from Mumbai to Pune, and was
completed in 1863.
• railway line was instrumental in transporting forest, agricultural produce, timber etc. from
jungles to the untapped market in Peninsular India as well as Europe.
• Thanks to railways, timber from the Western Ghats could be transported to most corners
of the country, through the medium of railways.

Dams
• Britishers build the first dam First dam in the Northern Western Ghats in British India
was built in Mumbai at Vihar in 1860.
• After that, they constructed of over 20 dams till 1947.
Era and Approach
• Shifting cultivation
banned
• Sacred groves and sacred
1. British Raj • State takeover forest lands.
• Species destroyed
• large-scale teak
• plantations

• Many sacred groves felled

• large-scale river valley • to meet industrial requirements;
2. 1947 to 80s
projects and mining • Wildlife Sanctuaries and National
Parks established

• Biosphere Reserves +
• Land acquisition and
3. 80s onwards Ecologically Sensitive Areas
industrialization
established.

1. between 1920–1990, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu have lost about 40% of their
original forest cover.
2. Rise in Population and industrialization.
3. tourism, holiday resorts.
4. River valley projects= forest area is being submerged.
5. Mining mafias encroaching in forest lands
6. soil erosion, land slides
7. Railways, roads and other infra.projects = natural habitats getting fragmented + road / rail
accidents killing wildlife animals.

What is Sacred Groves?

• Part of a forest, that Tribals consider sacred.
• This part is left untouched. Hunting and foraging is not done here.
• Sacred Groves often have natural water storage facilities, help villagers during drought.
• With increase in mining activities, roads-railways, infrastructure projects, plantation etc.
the Sacred groves have been declining in number.

Fisheries
Fish consumption =traditional source of protein poor people in Western Ghats.

Problem areas in fisheries

1. Unscientific methods of collection (use of poisons, electro-fishing, dynamiting etc.)

 2. Pollution due to pesticides, industrial effluents/other sources
3. Waste dumping in rivers
4. Introduction of exotic fishes
5. Destruction/loss of breeding grounds
6. Unauthorised ornamental fish trade
7. Introduction of Exotic species

Exotic Species=BAD4Biodiversity?
Exotic species Belong to some other area/ place / region
Endemic species Found in the particular place only.

• Consider this case: Periyar Lake is one of the biodiversity hotspots of Kerala.
• Exotic fish species such as Cyprinus carpio have been introduced here for breeding.
• But their food preference is similar to endemic species= competition for food=endemic
fish population affected.
• Similar case with exotic high-yielding African catfish.
• Alien species such as catla, rohu and mrigal have been cultured in most of the reservoirs
and ponds of Kerala.
• And because of them endemic fish populations=declined.

Mining in Western Ghats

• Iron, manganese and bauxite.
• After 2002, the price of iron ore has increased in international market = this led to rise in
illegal mining in the Western Ghats.
• The major ports on Western Coast of India = ideal for exporting these ores.

• Hence (illegal) mining activities have grown rapidly especially in Goa and Karnataka.
• 100% of Goa’s ore is exported of which about 89% is exported to China and about 8% to
Japan

Why Mining =BAD 4Biodiversity?

• Opencast mining has induced significant changes in water quality and quantity besides
causing topographical, morphological, and land use changes.
• Suspended particulate matter in the mine =air pollution
• Tailings (residual material) is discharged in water. This water is used for paddy
cultivation= soil fertility declined.
• During rain, direct surface runoff from the adjoining mine dumps into the agricultural
lands= soil pollution.
• Mining activities require considerable pumping out of water.
 • Hence water tables drop due to the drainage of water into mining pits =local wells go dry
= shortage of water for drinking and farming.
• This severely affects the poor women, because they’ve to travel long in search of water.

Air quality
• The ores are transported from Karnataka to Goa on a massive scale. But Why?

1. for blending with local ore for its upgrading the quality before export.
2. exporting through Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) in Goa.

ok then what’s the problem?

1. enormous traffic problems because trucks’ movement

2. Trucks are often overloaded, and uncovered= spillover, accidents.
3. It has increased air pollution =health problems for local folks.

Sand Mafias
• During dry season, sand-mafias dig away sand from the river beds.
• Indiscriminate sand mining= water tables lowered.
• River beds in some stretches are lower than the sea level = saline ingress =drinking water
is also salty and unfit for agriculture= crop losses

Incorrect land use patterns

• In Goa alone, the government itself has acknowledged that over half of the 300 odd
mining leases are located close to water bodies= water pollution.
• Selaulim dam= drinking water to 50% public of Goa.
• About 180 mining permissions are given within one kilometer of this project.=again
water pollution.

Thermal power plants=bad 4Biodiversity?

• The states in Western Ghats have large-scale iron and steel, cement, petroleum
refineries, sugar, distilleries, fertilizers and petrochemical industries.
• All of which are large energy consumers.
• Therefore, many thermal power projects are commissioned in these states.
• Thermal power plants increase the temperature of nearby regions.
• Higher temperatures of water= better dissolution of toxic chemicals from air=bad for
environment, bad for fishes.
• Thermal power plants emit Fly ash.
• Particles of fly ash also contain toxic elements such as lead and mercury
 • When fly ash is deposited in the marginal areas of the river= Reproduction of fish is
affected.
• Thick deposits of fly ash at the bottom of lake/rivers make the nutrients unavailable to
aquatic life.

Transport and Communication

• Western Ghats=hilly terrain, thick forests, heavy rains, roads get washed off.
• So in In the ancient and medieval times, the Transport and communication = very
difficult.
• In fact, the strength of the Maratha empire rested on the strategic advantages of this
inaccessible terrain.
• But after independence, = major river valley and mining projects =lead to development of
extensive transport and communication facilities.
• Problem?= Growth of roads +railway lines across the Ghats = connectivity between
natural habitats disrupted. = bad for biodiversity+accidents.
• Emergence of a large wealthy middle class = holiday resorts etc.
• availability of powerful earth-moving machinery,
• The Western Ghats are beginning to be urbanized.
• But it leads => biodiversity destroyed + local tribes displaced.

Farm Houses + Resorts= Bad 4Biodiversity?

• In past decade a new wealthy upper middle class has emerged.
• They like to buy “second homes” in the hill areas for vacation and holidays.
• At the same time, when city people are attracted to the hills, the village people want city
life. So they have started selling land, and migrating to cities
• But City folks want good wide roads, water, electricity…everything in their holiday
homes and farmhouses. This has led to unprecedented level of construction activities in
the Western Ghats region.
• Non-renewable materials like cement, steel, bricks and quarried stone are used to
constructing these resorts and farm houses.
• These houses replete with with ACs, TVs, marble, and similar luxuries.
• Consequently, the weekend homes have become more energy-consuming than a city
home!

Gardens
• People also want to have city-like in these resorts/farm houses.
• but these “city-like” gardens use excessive daily watering, fertilizers and pesticides= bad
for local species.
• Many times invasive plant varieties are used that are dangerous to local ecosystems.
• These gardens are overlaid with pathways, paving, steps, etc., consuming a lot of cement.
 • To sumup Developmental activities associated with these projects are roads, terracing,
vegetation cutting, construction and landscaping, all proving dangerous to biodiversity.

Construction (Allied) =Bad 4Biodiversity?

• For example setting up temporary colony/slum of laborers for constructing resorts and
farm houses in Western Ghat.
• This leads to new problems such as

1. waste disposal, both solid and liquid

2. Increase in vegetation cutting for fuel wood
3. Increase in wildlife hunting
4. Quarries and stone crushers
5. Stone dust causes air, soil & water pollution
6. ill effect of accumulation of stone dust on vegetation

Monoculture Plantation=Bad?
By Government
• Monoculture plantation means forest department just grows only one type of tree in a
particular area.
• Government usually starts monoculture plantation to reverse the deforestation (caused by
mining, forest-fire, illegal felling of tress etc.)
• It was attempted in India, in the 80s. Large plantations of Eucalyptus tree were setup in
Western Ghats.
• But Monoculture plantation is bad from biodiversity point of view. Why?
• Because in a jungle, the insects, birds, monkeys etc. require multiple species of trees for
their food and survival.
• When Monoculture plantation is introduced, these animals/birds/insects start migrating to
other areas in search of more suitable living conditions.
• Hence Monoculture plantations are sometimes called “Green deserts” (because like
deserts, very few species live here.)

By farmers
• The term Monoculture plantation is also used when big farmer establishes a permanent
tea/coffee/rubber etc. plantation.
• These plantations lead to soil erosion, degradation of river ecosystems and toxic
contamination of the environment.
• The use of pesticides like DDT was started in the tea plantations during the British period
itself.
 • The quantity of toxic pesticides being pumped into the plantations is so huge it has
severely affected the biodiversity of Western Ghats.
• Therefore, Instead of monoculture, we should use polyculture/mixed cropping systems.
• It will help to reduce soil erosion, improve water holding capacity of the soil and improve
economic returns from unit area.

Tribals
Western Ghats has a large tribal population only in a few pockets such as the

1. Dangs
2. Thane
3. Wynaad
4. Nilgiris

Cholanaikas
• They’re the only truly stone age hunting gathering tribe of Peninsual India.
• They live in Nilgiris.

Problem of the tribals?

1. Loss of biodiversity =less Forest produce (wax, honey etc.).
2. Extermination of wildlife species= can’t do hunting anymore.
3. PESA and Forest rights acts are not implemented thanks to vested interests of Mining
mafias.
4. Displacement of tribals due to mining, holiday resorts, plantation farmers, hydro projects
etc.

+ve sides of Development

• Better transport and communication facilities= malaria is no longer life-threatening.
• Tourism generates (some) employment.
 Gadgil Panel report on Western Ghats:
recommendations, Ecologically Sensitive
Zones (ESZ), WGEA (Part 3 of 4)

What is Gadgil Panel?

This is Madhav Gadgil

• 2010: Environment ministry created this panel

• Full name: Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel
• Chairman=Prof. Madhav Gadgil (he was Ex-Chairman, Centre for Ecological Sciences,
in Indian Institute of Science)
• To study the ecological and environmental problems of Western Ghats and give
recommendations.
• Gadgil submitted his report in 2011. Here are his observations and recommendations.

Ecologically Sensitive Zones (ESZ)

• Environment Protection Act 1986 (EPA)=Union Government can designate an area as
“ecologically sensitive zone” and then Government can prohibit/regulate Development
in this region.
• Using this power, many ecologically sensitive zone have been setup.
• E.g. Mahabaleshwar-Panchgani region in Mahrashtra.
• But all of them face common problems:
 1. Over bureaucratization =corruption. For example a farmer would need to pay bribe get
clearance to dig well/bore in his own farm.
2. little or no meaningful participation by the local community.

• The Western Ghats has thousands of endemic species of flowering plants, fish, frogs,
birds and mammals.
• Therefore, entire Western Ghats should be designated as Ecologically sensitive zones.
• Gadgil recommends that entire Western Ghat should be divided into 3 zones (actually 4)

1. Zone 1
Highest protection must be given to them
2. Zone 2
Intermediate
3. Zone 3
Moderate control and protection.
4. PA
Protected Areas= existing Wild Life Sanctuaries and National Parks.

• final demarcation of the Zones should be done by Western Ghats Ecology Authority
(WGEA).
• And that too, after taking extensive inputs from local communities and local bodies,
namely, Gram Panchayats, Taluka Panchayats, Zilla Parishads, and Nagarpalikas

Western Ghats Ecology Authority (WGEA)?

• Madhav Gadgil Panel recommended for this.
• WGEA will have jurisdiction over the Western Ghat districts in six states (Gujarat,
Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu).
• WGEA will be a statutory authority appointed by the Ministry of Environment and
Forests.

Hierarchy
Western Ghats Ecology Authority Union
State Western Ghats Ecology Authorities In 6 states
District Ecology Committee In districts under Western Ghat

Structure
1. Chairman – A retired judge of the Supreme Court, preferably from the Western Ghats
region.
2. Experts from biology, law, science, sociology etc.
 3. Representative from tribal group.
4. Civil society representatives.

Functions
1. conservation, sustainable development and Eco restoration of the Western Ghats
2. Environmental Impact Analysis and Clearance process in Western Ghats.
3. Its recommendations will be ordinarily binding. (just like National Board of Wildlife
whose decisions are rarely tampered with and by and large have been approved even by
the Supreme Court of India.)
4. WEGA will decide location of industry, land use planning in Western Ghats.
5. Prevent activity having negative environmental, social and ecological impact on Western
Ghats.
6. Can issue directions to the state government or agencies to prevent any negative impacts
on the Western Ghats.
7. Authority shall also be the final authority for demarcating the areas under the
Ecologically Sensitive Zones #1, 2 and 3.
8. Power to levy fines and other punitive measures
9. Right to call for files, records, evidences etc. under Civil Procedure Code.

Zonal recommendations
As we saw earlier: Gadgil recommended Western Ghats to be divided into three ecologically
sensitive zones. Here they’re:

Ecologically Sensitive Zone (ESZ)

Zone #1 Zone #2 Zone #3
Donot give new licenses for mining. • Allow New mining license
only IF scarce minerals not
Where mining Existing mines should available on the plains.
Mining exists, it should be be under strict • Existing mines should be
phased out in 5 regulation and social under strict regulation and
years. audit. social audit.

Donot allow new industries.Exisiting

Polluting Industry Allow new industries but with
industries must switch to zero pollution
(Red/Orange) strict regulation + social audit.
by 2016 else close them down.
Non polluting
industry Allow but with strict regulation + social audit
(green/blue)
No river projects Any height allowed but with
River
higher than 3 Not higher than 15m detailed environmental impact
projects/dams
meters. assessment.
Power plants Donot allow new power plants. Existing= with strict regulation +
 social audit.New plants=only if
they’ve zero pollution.
• No new railway lines and major
roads, except where it is highly
essential (e.g Goa), Allowed but only with strict
Transport
• Avoid new highways, regulation + social audit.
Expressways

waste management, traffic, water and energy use=strictly regulate. (recall

Tourism
Tiger tourism article).

General recommendations
1. Promote organic agricultural practices
2. Give money for sequestration of carbon in soils.
3. Donot allow any Genetically Modified crops in Western Ghats.
4. Phase out use of chemical pesticides/ weedicides in the coming years.
5. Instead of giving subsidies for chemical fertilizers, give the farmers
Agro
subsidies for biogas, organic agriculture etc.
6. Donot allow monoculture plantation of exotic species like eucalyptus.
7. Encourage planting of endemic species;
8. Extraction of medicinal plants with strict regulations

9. Promote cattle breed that can withstand adverse agro climatic conditions
of Western Ghats.
Animal 10. Donot allow weedicides in cash crop areas alongside the roads. Because
husbandary almost all plants coming under the weed category are rich cattle fodder.
11. Donot allow introduction of any invasive alien species.

12. Donot allow dynamite and other explosives to kill fish;

13. provide fish ladders at all reservoirs
Fisheries
14. monitor and control trade in aquarium fishes.

15. Make river clubs in every school.

Awareness 16. Teach agri-stuff in schools.

17. Use them for impact assessment for all new projects such as dams, mines,
Sci-Tech and tourism, and housing.
IT 18. Prepare hydrological data base of rivers

20. eco-friendly building material and construction methods,

21. Minimise the use of steel, cement and sand
Construction
22. Green Building certifications of
23. Eco Housing, GRIHA codes.
 24. Donot allow filling of marshes/ wetlands.

25. plastic bags in shops, tourist spots should be phased out.

26. Generate awareness about reasonable and adequate vs ‚luxury and
Misc wasteful energy consumption (for example excessive lights and Air
conditioners in malls, hotels etc.)

Ok everything sounds well and good with Gadgil’s report, then why is there a controversy? We’ll see
that in fourth and last article of this series:
 Gadgil report on Western Ghats: Why
Controversies, Athirappilly, Gundia Projects:
Explained (Part 4 of 4)

Controversies: Gadgil report

There are 6 main controversies surround Gadgil’s report on Western Ghats.

1. Gadgil saying “NO” to some Dams in Kerala and Karnataka.

2. RTI stone wallingTM* (trademark belongs to UPSC)
3. Committee pe Committee
4. Angry Kerala Government
5. Mining mafias spreading baseless rumors (about removal of optional subjects lolz)
6. Creation of separate authority

Let’s check them one by one:

Contro#1: “NO” to Dams in Kerala and Karnataka

• Madhav Gadgil had proposed that Environmental Clearance should not be given to any
large scale dams in zone #1 and #2.
• And on the same logic, he also recommended “don’t give environmental clearance to the
two proposed dams in Kerala and Karnataka“.
• let’s see why?

Project Athirappilly Project Gundia

State Kerala Karnataka
River Chalakudy Gundia
Capacity (MW) approx. 150+ 200

1. Athirappilly Project: Why problem?

- Some new species of plants reported in this region- critically endangered species of
Plants
riparian trees found here.
Birds Kerala has four species of Hornbills
 1. the Malabar grey hornbill,
2. grey hornbill,
3. Malabar pied hornbill
4. great Indian hornbill

and all of them are found in this Athirappally region.

• rare species of fishes and amphibians like the torrent frog found here.
• National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources has recommended the Chalakudy
river to be declared as a Fish Sanctuary
Fishes • Some of the species of fish migrate upstream while some do so downstream to
complete their annual life cycle .
• Hence, construction of the dam will directly affect the survival of these species

• Entire project area falls under the migratory route of elephants, “project
Elephant Elephant”.

• Lion-tailed Macaque, an endemic, endangered species of the Western Ghats,

Monkeys lives here.

• cane turtle, an endemic and endangered species, first reported here, is currently
Turtles the only place where they could be seen in reasonable numbers

Adar Tribal displacement

• Adar tribe is considered to be the most primitive of the South Indian forest tribes
• They are a primitive hunter and food gatherer tribe originally restricted to the forests and
hill tracts of Chalakudy river basin.
• Their population is fewer than 1500.
• They’ll be affected by the dam.

Given these factors, Madav Gadgil panel has recommended not to construct the Athirappilly
dam.
 2. Gundia Project: why problem?
• cuckoo bee : a unique species found in Gundia basin
• Lion-tailed macaque
• Travancore flying squirrel
• Nilgiri marten (cat)
• presence of tiger and elephants sighted.

Therefore Madav Gadgil panel has recommended not to construct dam on Gundia river.

Contro#2: R.T.I. stonewallingTM

As you already know, Gadgil recommended that

• whole Western Ghat be divided into 3 zones

• no new mining licences should be given in zone 1 and 2.
• Government must stop all existing mines in Zone 1 by 2016.
• Government must stop illegal mining activities immediately.
•
• ^This is a bitter pill. And no Government wants to swallow (thanks to powerful mining
lobby of South West India with deep pockets and political connections.)
• Anyways, Gadgil submitted his report in 2011.
• But Environment ministry did not release this report for media/public discussion.
(because Ministry’s plan was to let the report gather dust, and take no action on it.)

• But Someone from Kerala filled R.T.I in 2012 seeking a copy of this report.
• And Public Information Officer in Environment Ministry said “we cannot disclose Gadgil
report because it is still being analysed and considered.” And more importantly: Section 8
(1) (a) of the RTI Act exempts “information, disclosure of which would affect the
sovereignty and integrity of India, the security, strategic, scientific or economic
interests of the state”.
• The R.T.I applicant went all the way to CIC.
CIC ordered following
• The Supreme Court of India has recognized that the right to information is a fundamental
right of the citizens of India under Article 19 (1) of the Constitution of India.
• The RTI Act has codified this fundamental right 19(1) by stating that every citizen shall
have the right to information.
• The RTI Act recognises that a democracy requires an informed citizenry and
transparency of information,
• Therefore, all agents of Government must be responsible for their conduct.
• The people of this country have a right to know every public act, everything that is done
in a public way by their public functionaries.
• If Gadgil report is disclosed, it’ll enable citizens to debate in an informed manner and
they can provide useful feedback to the government.
• R.T.I Act requires suo moto disclosure by the public authority ‘while’ formulating
important policies and not ‘after’ formulating them.
• Therefore I direct the Ministry of Environment and Forests to publish the report of Gadgil
panel.

And thus, environment ministry had to upload the PDF file on its website, (somewhere in mid-
2012)

Contro#3: Committee pe Committee.

• Judiciary=taarikh pe taarikh.
• Similarly Government=Committee pe Committee.
• Since Government did not like Gadgil’s recommendations, they formed a new committee
headed by Kasturi Rangan to study the report of Gadgil Panel!

Gadgil himself got angry and stated:

• I’ve merely pointed out many inconvenient truths but Government is trying to suppress
my report and evade a democratic debate on its recommendations.
• And this Kasturi Rangan fellow is keeping me completely out of the loop while assessing
my report!

Contro#4: Angry Kerala Government

Kerala Government’s official stand is

• We cannot accept the recommendations given by Madhav Gadgil.

• Because most of his suggestions are impractical to implement!

• Gadgil says “NO” to Athirappally hydroproject but it is essential for our state’s energy
security.
 • Kerala’s total hydel potential was estimated to be 6,000 MW, only 35 per cent of it had
been harnessed so far.
• But Gadgil has instead suggested decommissioning of dams which were 35 to 40 years
old.
• This would pose a question mark on the existing and proposed power projects and would
plunge our state into darkness.
• Gadgil did not make concrete proposals on Revenue loss suffered by the state
Government while implementing the recommendations (e.g. no mining in zone#1=no
royalties payment from miners.)

Land Mafias of Kerala

1. Land mafias (with political support) have grabbed lot of area in the forests and
surrounding regions of Western Ghats.
2. Now Madhav Gadgil says no to Development activities in such sensitive zones. =
problem for politicians and mafias.
3. Kerala Government fears that if we try to evict those mafias and other farmers, it’ll led to
huge protests and violence (as it happened in Munnar Grasslands earlier).
4. Kerala government “fears” that Gadgil’s recommendations will impact on “growth”.
5. Gadgil says set up new Western Ghats Ecology Authority (WGEA). But we are capable
of preserving the Western Ghats within provisions of the existing laws.

Contro#5: Mining mafias spreading baseless rumors

Gadgil said

1. donot give permission for new mines in Zone #1 and #2.

2. And whatever mines are operational in zone #1,=close them down by 2016.”
3. Shut down illegal mining immediately.

• This has greatly upset the mining lobby. Now their agents are provoking the farmers and
tribals in Western ghat region with baseless rumor that “Gadgil has recommend to throw
you out of your villages and make wildlife sanctuaries everywhere!”
• So now some farmers and tribals are protesting against Gagdil’s report.

• My report contains no proposal for relocation of any farmer or tribals from

jungle areas!
Gadgil • Infact, I’ve suggested financial assistance be given to farmers organic
clarifies farming.
• It is the mining lobby particularly of Goa is behind this mischief.
Contro#6: Creation of separate authority (WGEA)
• Gadgil recommended setting up an autonomous statutory authority Western Ghats
Ecology Authority (WGEA) to oversee the conservation of Western Ghats in the 6 states.
• But state Governments fear that such authority will take away their Decision Making
power (and the bribe opportunity that comes with it for granting project approvals!)
• Therefore, state Governments are against creating WGEA. They say, existing regulatory
framework is sufficient to protect the Western Ghats.

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