Recently NSO has released EnviStats India 2020 report. The key findings of the report are

o The average number of heat wave days increased 82.6%. It was 157 in 2019.

o The Particulate Matter size was the highest in Delhi among the metropolitan cities.

o Andhra Pradesh had the highest number of slum population followed by Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh.

o Tube well/hand pump remained the primary source of drinking water in rural India.

• Euryhaline organisms are able to adapt to a wide range of salinities. An example of a euryhaline fish is the molly

which can live in freshwater, brackish water, or saltwater. The green crab is an example of a euryhaline invertebrate that

can live in salt and brackish water.

• Stenohaline describes an organism, usually fish, that cannot tolerate a wide fluctuation in the salinity of the water.

• Canada's 4,000-year-old Milne Ice Shelf, the last fully intact ice-shelf has broken apart due to melting from both

hotter air above and warmer water below. Milne Ice Shelf is at the fringe of Ellesmere Island, in the sparsely populated

northern Canadian territory of Nunavut.

•As per the amendment to the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 in 2002, a provision was incorporated for the constitution of

the National Board for Wildlife, replacing the Indian Board for Wildlife.

• National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) is a statutory Board constituted on 22nd September 2003 under Section 5 of

the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972. The NBWL is chaired by the Hon’ble Prime Minister.

• Pneumoconiosis: It is one of a group of interstitial lung disease caused by breathing in certain kinds of dust particles

like coal dust, silica and asbestos etc. that damage the lungs.

• Byssinosis: It is a disease of the lungs. It is caused by breathing in cotton dust or dust from other vegetable fibres

such as flax, hemp, or sisal while at work.

• The World Water Council is a non-profit international multi-stakeholder platform. It was established in 1996 on

the initiative of renowned water specialists and international organisations and regulated according to the

French law of July 1, 1901, known as "Association Loi de 1901", in response to an increasing concern about

world water issues from the global community.

• The Convention on International Civil

Aviation, also known as the Chicago

Convention, established the International

Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), a

specialized agency of the UN charged with

coordinating international air travel. The

Convention establishes rules of airspace,

aircraft registration and safety, security, and

sustainability, and details the rights of the

signatories in relation to air travel.

• The Convention on the Prevention of

Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes

and Other Matter 1972, commonly called

the "London Convention" or "LC '72"

and also abbreviated as Marine Dumping,

is an agreement to control pollution of the sea

by dumping and to encourage regional

agreements supplementary to the Convention.

• A mycorrhiza is a symbiotic association between a green plant and a fungus.

• Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data (GISAID) is a global science initiative and primary source that provides

open-access to genomic data of influenza viruses and the novel coronavirus responsible for COVID-19.

• It is a collaboration involving representatives of Member States, scientists of the Global Influenza Surveillance and

Response System (GISRS) and Global Influenza Programme (GIP) of the WHO, and experts in licensing intellectual

property.

• The GISAID platform provides a publicly accessible database designed by the scientist for scientist, to improve the sharing

of influenza data. The data is provided free-of-charge to all individuals that agreed to identify themselves and agreed to

uphold the GISAID sharing mechanism governed through its Database Access Agreement.

• Germany is the official host of the GISAID platform and database in a public-private partnership with the

administrative arm of GISAID, which ensures oversight of data access compliance matters to protect the interests of both

data providers and the user community. Though WHO provides the technical oversight of the database and does not host

the database.

• Vernalization is the induction of a plant's flowering process by exposure to the prolonged cold of winter, or by an

artificial equivalent. It prevents precocious reproductive development late in the growing season and enables the plant to

have sufficient time to reach maturity. It shortens the vegetative phase of plant and helps to increase the fruit set and yield.

• Furthermore, vernalization enhances the plant's resistance to cold temperatures. Vernalization also increases plant

resistance to fungal diseases. And, this technique is one of the best options in horticulture when grafting a vernalized shoot

apex with that of a non-vernalized one. Moreover, vernalization is a method of crop improvement. It reduces the cost of crop

production.

• It is used in the seed treatment of wheat, barley, rye etc. And also subjecting the growing of biennial plants like

sugarbeet, cabbages, carrots to a cold treatment stimulates a subsequent photoperiodic flowering response.

o Photoperiodism is the physiological reaction of organisms to the length of the night or a dark period. It occurs in plants

and animals. Photoperiodism can also be defined as the developmental responses of plants to the relative lengths of light and

dark periods.

o Stratification- is a process of treating seeds to simulate natural conditions that the seeds must experience before

germination can occur. Many seed species have an embryonic dormancy phase and generally will not sprout until this

dormancy is broken.

o Seed scarification (a technique to physically damage the seed coat to reduce hard seed while keeping the seed

viable) is used to soften hard seeds. Researchers have been using different scarification methods since the early 20th century

and have reported variable results.

• MIKE Sites in India:

o Chirang-Ripu Elephant Reserve: is part of the Manas Biosphere Reserve and made up of the Chirang and Ripu

reserve forests. A large chunk of North-East India's wild Asian Elephant population calls this area home.

o Deomali Elephant Reserve: It spreads over the Tirap and Changlang districts of Arunachal Pradesh.

o Dihing Patkai Elephant Reserve: Part of Dehing Patkai Wildlife Sanctuary is located in the Dibrugarh and Tinsukia

Districts of Assam and covers an area of 111.19 km (42.93 sq mi) rainforest. It was declared a sanctuary on 13 June 2004.

It is located in the Dehing patkai landscape which is a dipterocarp-dominated lowland rainforest.

o Garo Hills Elephant Reserve: The Garo Hills are part of the Garo-Khasi range in Meghalaya, India. They are

inhabited mainly by tribal dwellers, the majority of whom are Garo people. It is one of the wettest places in the world. The

range is part of the Meghalaya subtropical forests eco-region.

o Eastern Dooars Elephant Reserve: The Dooars or Duars are the alluvial floodplains in eastern-northeastern India that

lie south of the outer foothills of the Himalayas and north of the Brahmaputra River basin. This region is about 30 km (19

mi) wide and stretches over about 350 km (220 mi) from the Teesta River in West Bengal to the Dhansiri River in Assam.

The region forms the gateway to Bhutan. It is part of the Terai-Duar savanna and grasslands ecoregion. A railway line

runs through the tea gardens and the various protected areas and a number of elephants have been killed in collisions

with trains.

• Kanha Tiger Reserve: It is located in the two districts Mandla and Balaghat.

o Together with a surrounding buffer zone and the neighbouring Phen Sanctuary, it forms the Kanha Tiger Reserve, which

is one of the biggest in the country.

o The park hosts Bengal tiger, Indian leopard, sloth bear, barasingha and dhole. It is also the first tiger reserve in India to

officially introduce a mascot, Bhoorsingh the Barasingha.

o The area is the ancestral home of the Gond and Baiga tribes.

• Similipal National Park : Similipal National Park is a national park and a tiger reserve in the Mayurbhanj district of

Odisha. It is part of the Mayurbhanj Elephant Reserve, which includes three protected areas — Similipal Tiger Reserve,

Hadgarh Wildlife Sanctuary and Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuary. Simlipal National Park derives its name from the

abundance of red silk cotton trees growing in the area.

o The park is home to Bengal tiger, Asian elephant, gaur, and chausingha.

o This protected area is part of the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves since 2009.

o The high hills surround Meghasani/Tunkiburu, the highest peak in the park.

o At least 12 rivers cut across the plain area. The prominent among them are Budhabalanga, Palpala Bhandan, Kharkai

River and Deo.

o This sprawling forest has two prominent waterfalls - Joranda/Jorodah and Barheipani/Barhai.

o Simlipal comes under a high cerebral malaria-prone zone.

o Similipal forests is home to a variety of tribes. Prominent among these are Kolha, Santhala, Bhumija, Bhatudi, Gondas,

Khadia, Mankadia and Sahara.

• Gir National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary: It is located in the Junagadh district of Gujarat. The Gir Forests is the only

natural habitat of Asiatic lions.

o The Gir Forests is the largest compact tract of dry deciduous forests in the semi-arid western part of India.

o Gir is often linked with "Maldharis" who have survived through the ages by having a symbiotic relationship with the

lion. Maldharis are religious pastoral communities living in Gir. Their settlements are called "nesses".

• Nagarhole National Park: It is a national park located in Kodagu district and Mysore district in Karnataka. It is one of

India's premier Tiger Reserves along with the adjoining Bandipur Tiger Reserve and Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary.

o It is part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. The Western Ghats Nilgiri sub-cluster of 6000km2, including all of

Nagarhole National Park, is under consideration by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee for selection as a World

Heritage Site.

o The Jenu Kurubasa are main inhabitants of this forest.

o Mayurbhanj Elephant Reserve: The Similipal-Kuldiha-Hadgarh Elephant Reserve popularly known as Mayurbhanj

Elephant Reserve in the State of Orissa. The area includes 3 protected areas i.e. Similipal Tiger Reserve (2750.00 km²),

Hadgarh Wildlife sanctuary (191.06 km²), and Kuldiha wildlife sanctuary (272.75 km²).

o Shivalik Elephant Reserve: The Shivalik Elephant Reserve spans forest divisions in Dehradun, Haridwar, Lansdowne,

Haldwani, Tanakpur and Ramnagar. It also includes part of the Corbett Tiger Reserve and the Rajaji National Park.

o Mysore Elephant Reserve: is situated in Karnataka. It was established in the year 2002 and is spread over an area of

about 6,724 square kilometers. The Mysore-Ooty Highway passes through this reserve.

o Nilgiri Elephant Reserve & Wayanad Elephant Reserve: The Theppakadu Elephant Camp forms part of the Nilgiri

Elephant Reserve. Banked by the Nilgiris, it has the Bandipur Tiger Reserve and the Wynad Wildlife Sanctuary on two

sides. The entire stretch is part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve and combined creates one of the largest uninterrupted

forest habitats in the country. The area has different kinds of vegetation in different regions and is the home of numerous

animals. A place to watch out for within these forests is the marshy 'Ombetta vayal' where elephants and bison flock.

• The Singhbhum Elephant Reserve (not a part of the MIKE site), the first Elephant Reserve of the Country, was

created in 2001 under the Project Elephant, comprising an area of 13,440 sq. Km. in East and West Singhbhum and

Saraikela-Kharsawan Districts for scientific and planned management aimed at the conservation of Elephant habitats and

viable population of wild Asiatic Elephants in Jharkhand.

• Gorumara National Park: It is a National Park in northern West Bengal. Located in the Dooars region of the

Himalayan foothills, it is a medium-sized park with grasslands and forests. It is primarily known for its population of Indian

rhinoceros.

o Gorumara is located in the Eastern Himalayas' submontane Terai belt. This region has rolling forests and riverine

grasslands and is known as the Dooars in West Bengal. The park is located on the flood plains of the Murti River and

Raidak River.

o The major river of the park is the Jaldhaka river, a tributary of the Brahmaputra river system. In this regard, Gorumara is

a significant watershed area between the Ganges and Brahmaputra river systems. The park is very close to Jaldapara

National Park and Chapramari Wildlife Reserve.

• Buxa Tiger Reserve (BTR): It lies in the Alipurduar district of West Bengal. Its northern boundary runs along the

international border with Bhutan. The Sinchula hill range lies all along the northern side of BTR and the eastern boundary

touches that of the Assam state.

o National Highway No.31 C roughly runs along its southern boundary. It is the easternmost extension of extreme bio-

diverse North-East India and represents a highly endemic Indo-Malayan region.

o The fragile "Terai Eco-System" constitutes a part of this reserve.

o The Phibsoo Wildlife Sanctuary of Bhutan is contiguous to the north of BTR. Manas National Park lies east of BTR.

BTR, thus, serves as international corridor for Asian elephant migration between India and Bhutan.

o To the south-west, the Chilapata Forests form an elephant corridor to the Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary.

o The main trees are sal, Champa, gamhar, simul and chikrasi.

o Endangered species present in the reserve are leopard cat, Bengal florican, regal python, Chinese pangolin, hispid hare,

hog deer lesser adjutant , white-rumped vulture and slender-billed vulture.

• Jaldapara National Park: Jaldapara, the vast grassland with patches of riverine forests was declared a sanctuary in 1941

for protection of the great variety of flora and fauna, particularly the one-horned rhinoceros, an animal threatened with

extinction.

o Drained by rivers Torsa, Malangi, Hollong, Chirakhawa, Kalijhora, Sissamara, Bhaluka and Buri Torsa.

• Chapramari Wildlife Sanctuary:

o It is a wildlife sanctuary in the Dooars area of North Bengal. The forest is a continuation of the Gorumara forests.

o The two forests are separated by the Murti river which passes through the otherwise continuous forest. Whereas

Gorumara is a National Park, Chapramari is only is a wildlife sanctuary only.

o Chapramari is famous for its elephant population, Gaur, Rhino, Leopard, etc.

• In 1996, ECOSOC expanded the Commission’s mandate and decided that it should take a leading role in monitoring and

reviewing progress and problems in the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, and in

mainstreaming a gender perspective in UN activities.

• 45 member states of the United Nations serve as members of the Commission at any one time. The present elections

were held for two seats in the Asia-Pacific States category with Afghanistan, India and China in the fray. India and

Afghanistan were elected whereas China was defeated.

Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle (HSTDV) is an unmanned demonstration aircraft used for

hypersonic flight test. It is developed by DRDO.

o The primary aim of the demonstration vehicle was to test the indigenously developed propulsion system- air

breathing Scramjet engine.

▪ A scramjet engine is an improvement over the ramjet engine as it efficiently operates at hypersonic speeds and allows

supersonic combustion. Ramjets work most efficiently at supersonic speeds around Mach 3. However, the ramjet

efficiency starts to drop when the vehicle reaches hypersonic speeds.

o India has become the fourth country in the world to have hypersonic technology. Other countries are the United States

of America, Russia and China.

• Kanchendzonga Biosphere Reserve: It was inscribed to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list in July 2016,

becoming the first "Mixed Heritage" site of India. It was recently included in the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere

Programme. World’s third highest peak, Mt. Khangchendzonga, is situated within the Park. Numerous lakes and

glaciers, including the 26 km long Zemu Glacier are a part of the Biosphere reserve.

• The epiphytes and lianas are abundant here. Besides, there are about 30 species of rhododendrons recorded and out

of over 42 confirmed mammal species belonging to 16 families in the area.

o Macronutrients include carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorous, sulphur, potassium, calcium, Mg

o Micronutrients include iron, manganese, copper, molybdenum, zinc, boron, chlorine and nickel.

• Singalila National Park : Rhododendrons are regarded by many as the best flowering evergreen plants in the temperate

landscape. Singalila National Park has 18 recorded species of rhododendrons.

• Neora Valley National Park: It is contiguous with Sikkim and Bhutan at its northern and north-eastern boundaries

respectively and links the Pangolakha Wildlife Sanctuary in Sikkim and the Toorsa Strict Reserve of Bhutan. It is

also an integral part of the Kanchenjunga Landscape.

• The southern boundaries of the Park are adjoining to the forests of Jalpaiguri district which have connectivity with the

Chapramari Wildlife Sanctuary and the Gorumara National Park. The highest point is Rachela Danda. It is the

land of the elegant red panda in the pristine undisturbed natural habitat. The common species of Rhododendrons are

Rhododendron arboruem, R. barbatum, R.falconeri, R.dalhousiae.

• Sajnakhali Wildlife Sanctuary is a 362 km2 area in the northern part of the Sundarbans delta in South 24

Parganas district, West Bengal, India. The area is mainly mangrove scrub, forest and swamp. It is home to a rich

population of different species of wildlife, such as water fowl, heron, pelican, spotted deer, rhesus macaques, wild boar,

tigers, water monitor lizards, fishing cats, otters, Olive ridley turtle, crocodiles, Batagur terrapins, and migratory birds.

• Hydrophytes: show different adaptations to survive in water. These adaptations include thin cuticle or no cuticle,

presence of a high number of stomata, stomata kept open all the time, leaves possessing air sacs, fewer roots density or no

root system etc.

• Mesophytes: grow in typically average conditions. They are adapted to an adequate or average supply of water. And

also they are able to live in average temperature conditions. Mesophytes contain a well-developed root system. They

possess large leaves and average lengthier cuticle.

• Xerophytes: live in dry habitats. They are adapted to survive in an extremely limited water supply. Xerophytes can be

seen in deserts. Their adaptations include thick cuticle, small leaves with reduced leaf lamina, low stomata density, sunken

stomata, stomatal hairs, rolled leaves, extensive roots, etc.

• Hygrophytes: are invariably moisture and shade-loving. Their root system and vascular tissue are poorly developed.

Their stem and roots are soft and spongy and show stunted growth. The stem is mostly modified as underground rhizome

which is also an organ for propagation.

• Halophytes: inhabit saline soil with high concentrations of salts or saline water belong to this ecological group. These

plants have succulent leaves and sometimes the stem is also succulent. In certain cases, leaves are modified into spines.

Such xerophytic adaptations are the result of the reaction of an excess of salts on the plants.

• Phreatophyte: is a deep-rooted plant that obtains a significant portion of the water that it needs from the phreatic

zone (zone of saturation) or the capillary fringe above the phreatic zone. They can usually be found along streams where

there is a steady flow of surface or groundwater in areas where the water table is near the surface.

• Tropophyte: are adapted to climatic conditions in which periods of heavy rainfall alternate with periods of drought.

In the Northern deciduous forests, typical tropophytes adapt to a mesophytic summer and a xerophytic winter.

• The carbonate compensation depth, or CCD, is defined as the water depth at which the rate of supply of calcium

carbonate from the surface is equal to the rate of dissolution. The seafloor near ocean ridges is typically above the CCD

and carbonates are important sediment constituents, but with spreading and cooling, the seafloor descends below the CCD

and deep-sea clays become predominant.

• As the pH of the ocean falls, it results in a shallowing of the lysocline and the CCD, thus exposing more of the shells

trapped in the sediments to undersaturated conditions causing them to dissolve. Thus ocean acidification causes this

horizon to rise vertically in the water column so more and more calcifying organisms will be exposed to

undersaturated water and thus vulnerable to the dissolution of their shells and skeletons.

• Betla National Park: was first established as a sanctuary and later upgraded to it’s present status. Average elevation is

about 1000 feet . Animals like Gour, Langur, Tiger, Panther, Sloth and Wild Bear, Sambhar, Nilgai, Kakar, Mouse Deer,

etc. are found there.

o Betla features waterfalls and natural hot springs on one hand, and historical monuments including a 16th century fort of

Chero kings on the other. The North Koel River and its tributaries flow through the northern portion of the park.

• Papikonda National Park is located near Rajamahendravaram in the Papi Hills in East Godavari and West Godavari

districts of Andhra Pradesh.

o It is an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area and home to some endangered species of flora and fauna.

o Godavari River flows through the park.

• Bhagwan Mahaveer Sanctuary and Mollem National Park is a protected area located in the Western Ghats of West

India, in Sanguem taluk, Goa State, along the eastern border with Karnataka.

o National Highway 4A divides it into two parts.

o It is home to waterfalls, such as Dudhsagar Falls and Tambdi Falls.

o The parkland is also home to a community of nomadic buffalo herders known as the Dhangar.

o The Mhadei River (known as Mondovi River downstream) flows through the sanctuary.

o Vazra Sakla waterfalls is located in the sanctuary.

• Mukundra Tiger Reserve, popularly known as Darrah Wildlife Sanctuary, is spread across 4 districts– Bundi, Kota,

Jhalawar & Chittorgarh.

o It is the third tiger reserve in Rajasthan, after Ranthambore & Sariska Tiger Reserves.

o It is located on the eastern bank of the Chambal River and is drained by its tributaries.

• Cestrum nocturnum commonly known as the queen of the night is a popular ornamental species widely distributed

for its strongly fragrant flowers. It is known to occur in natural forests, planted forests, riparian zones, ruderal or

disturbed, shrublands, and in urban areas. It is able to escape and can establish dense, impenetrable thickets in the scrub,

moist or wet forests including riparian zones.

• Positive Pay Mechanism

o At present the Cheque Truncation System (CTS) for clearing cheques is operational pan-India. To further augment

customer safety in cheque payments and reduce instances of fraud occurring on account of tampering of cheque leaves, RBI

has decided to introduce a mechanism of Positive Pay. The system adds an extra layer of security to reduce cheque-related

frauds.

o The concept of Positive Pay involves a process of reconfirming key details of large value cheques. Under this process, the

issuer of the cheque submits electronically, through channels like SMS, mobile app, internet banking, ATM, etc., certain

minimum details of that cheque (like date, name of the beneficiary/ payee, amount, etc.) to the drawee bank, details of which

are cross checked with the presented cheque by CTS.

• National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) shall develop the facility of Positive Pay in CTS and make it available

to participant banks.

• Banks shall enable it for all account holders issuing cheques for amounts of ₹50,000 and above. While availing of this

facility is at the discretion of the account holder, banks may consider making it mandatory in case of cheques for amounts

of ₹5,00,000 and above.

o Oligotrophic: An oligotrophic lake is one which has relatively low productivity due to the low nutrient content in

the lake. These lakes have low algal production, and consequently, often have very clear waters, with high drinking-

water quality. The bottom waters of such lakes typically have ample oxygen; thus, such lakes often support many fish

species such as lake trout, which require cold, well-oxygenated waters. These lakes are usually found in the cold regions of

the world where mixing of nutrients is rare.

o Mesotrophic: Lakes with an intermediate level of productivity. These lakes are usually clear water with submerged

aquatic plants.

o Eutrophic: Lakes have high levels of biological productivity due to high concentration of nutrients, especially nitrogen

and phosphorus.

• Cestrum nocturnum produces long-

lived and widely dispersed seeds and

forms dense, shady masses. It is

most likely to invade disturbed and

open forest and margins,

streamsides, and shrublands,

especially in warmer areas.

• Recently it is reported that the

spread of Cestrum nocturnum is

posing a threat to all Shola and

grassland habitats as it does not

allow any native flora to thrive.

The Cestrum plants need to be

completely removed with their roots,

otherwise, they will keep sprouting

and keep taking over native

grassland ecosystem.

• A new mushroom species ‘Roridomyces phyllostachydis’ was discovered in the forests of Meghalaya —

glow bright green. It was first sighted on a wet August night near a stream in Meghalaya’s Mawlynnong in East

Khasi Hills district and later at Krang Shuri in West Jaintia Hills district.

• ‘Status of Tigers, Co-predators & Prey in India’ report (2018)

• According to the population estimation of tigers in reserves for 2018-19, Corbett has 231 tigers followed by

Nagarhole and Bandipore reserves in Karnataka with 127 and 126 tigers respectively. Assam’s Kaziranga and Madhya

Pradesh’s Bandhavgarh recorded 104 tigers each, the report said.

• Provisions of the FCRA Amendment

o Prohibition to accept foreign contribution: Under the Act election candidates, editor or publisher of a newspaper,

judges, government servants, members of any legislature are prohibited to accept any foreign contribution. The Amendment

adds public servants to this list.

o Transfer of foreign contribution: Under the Act, foreign contribution cannot be transferred to any other person unless

such person is also registered to accept foreign contribution. The Amendment prohibits the transfer of foreign contribution

to any other person.

o Aadhaar, passport and OCI card for registration: Amendment adds that any person seeking prior permission,

registration must provide the Aadhaar number of all its office bearers, directors etc. In case of a foreigner, they must

provide a copy of the passport or the Overseas Citizen of India card for identification.

o FCRA account: Amendment states that foreign contribution must be received only in an account designated by the bank

as ‘FCRA account’ in such branch of the State Bank of India, New Delhi, as notified by the central government. No funds

other than the foreign contribution should be received or deposited in this account. The person may open another FCRA

account in any scheduled bank of their choice for keeping or utilizing the received contribution.

o Restriction in the utilization of foreign contribution: Under the Act, if a person accepting foreign contribution is

found guilty of violating any provisions of the Act, the unutilized foreign contribution may be utilized, only with the prior

approval of the central government. The Amendment adds that the government may also restrict usage of unutilized foreign

contribution for such persons based on a summary inquiry, and pending any further inquiry.

o Renewal of license: Under the Act, every person who has been given a certificate of registration must renew the

certificate within 6 months of expiration. Amendment adds that the government may conduct an inquiry before renewing

the certificate to ensure that the person has fulfilled all conditions specified in Act.

o Reduction in use of foreign contribution for administrative purposes: Under the Act, a person who receives foreign

contribution must use it only for the purpose for which the contribution is received. Further, they must not use more than

50% of the contribution for meeting administrative expenses. Amendment reduces this limit to 20%.

o Suspension of registration: Under the Act, the government may suspend the registration of a person for a period not

exceeding 180 days. Amendment adds that such suspension may be extended up to an additional 180 days.

• Corbett Tiger Reserve (CTR) has reported the highest tiger density with 14 tigers per 100 sq km, followed by

Kaziranga, Nagarhole and Orang tiger reserves.

• NITI Aayog and Quality Council of India launched the ‘National Program and Project Management Policy

Framework’ (NPMPF), envisaged to bring radical reforms in the way infrastructure projects are executed in

India. This framework aims to formulate reforms in the way large and mega infrastructure projects are managed in India,

with an action plan to:

o Adopt a program and project management approach to infrastructure development.

o Institutionalize and promote the profession of program and project management

o Enhance institutional capacity and capability of professionals

• NASA has captured images depicting the wet and dry cycles of

Etosha Pan, located in Namibia in Africa.

• It is a large endorheic salt pan forming part of the Kalahari

Basin in the north of Namibia. It is hollow in the ground, wherein

water may collect or in which a deposit of salt remains after the water

has evaporated. It is 120 km -long dry lakebed. The pan is mostly dry

but after a heavy rain, it will acquire a thin layer of water which is

heavily salted by the mineral deposits on the surface.

• According to NASA Earth Observatory, the salt pan receives most

rainfall — as much as 46 cm— every year between October and

March. During the dry season from April through September, water in

the basin evaporates — depositing salt and other minerals on the land.

• Freshwater ecosystems can be divided into two categories:

o A lentic ecosystem entails a body of standing water, ranging from ditches, seeps, ponds, seasonal pools, basin

marshes, swamp and lakes. Deeper waters, such as lakes, may have layers of ecosystems, influenced by light. Ponds, due

to their having more light penetration, are able to support a diverse range of water plants.

o A lotic ecosystem can be any kind of moving water, such as a run, creek, brook, river, spring, channel or stream. The

water in a lotic ecosystem, from source to mouth, must have atmospheric gases, turbidity, longitudinal temperature

gradation and material dissolved in it.

• The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA), a major UN-sponsored effort to analyze the impact of human actions

on ecosystems and human well-being, identified four major categories of ecosystem services:

• Provisioning Services: is any type of benefit to people that can be extracted from nature. Along with food, other types of

provisioning services include drinking water, timber, wood fuel, natural gas, oils, plants that can be made into clothes and

other materials, and medicinal benefits.

• Regulating Services: is the benefit provided by ecosystem processes that moderate natural phenomena. Regulating

services include pollination, decomposition, water purification, erosion and flood control, and carbon storage and climate

regulation.

• Supporting Services: Ecosystems themselves couldn't be sustained without the consistency of underlying natural

processes, such as photosynthesis, nutrient cycling, the creation of soils, and the water cycle. These processes allow the

Earth to sustain basic life forms, let alone whole ecosystems and people.

• Cultural Services: are non-material benefit that contributes to the development and cultural advancement of people,

including how ecosystems play a role in local, national, and global cultures; the building of knowledge and the spreading of

ideas; creativity born from interactions with nature (music, art, architecture); and recreation.

• Bureau of Energy Efficiency had launched the Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC) 2007 to establish

minimum energy performance standards for buildings in India. Buildings consume a significant proportion of our energy

resources and the ECBC is an essential regulatory tool to curb their energy footprint.

• The Code is applicable to buildings or building complexes that have a connected load of 100 kW or greater or a

contract demand of 120 kVA or greater and are intended to be used for commercial purposes. Buildings intended for

private residential purposes only are not covered by the Code.

• IMAC was set up in 2014 to provide coastal security and to avert tragic incidents like 26/11 terror attack on Mumbai.

o It the nodal center of the National Command Control Communications and Intelligence Network (NC3I

Network), and is a joint initiative of the Indian Navy, Coast Guard, and Bharat Electronics Ltd.

• IMAC tracks only non-military or commercial ships, known as white shipping. Military ships, or grey hull ships, are

tracked by the Directorate of Naval Operations.

• The Green Energy Corridor Project aims at synchronizing electricity produced from renewable sources, such as

solar and wind, with conventional power stations in the grid. For evacuation of large-scale renewable energy, Intra

State Transmission System (InSTS) project was sanctioned by the Ministry in 2015-16.

• It is being implemented by 8 renewable-rich states of Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh,

Maharashtra, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh. The project is being implemented in these states by the

respective State Transmission Utilities (STUs).

Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management and Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016

o The ambit of the Rules has been expanded by including ‘Other-Waste’.;

o Authorization and registration requirement is replaced with one permission i.e., authorization under the rules for

all stakeholders handling the hazardous and other waste; waste management hierarchy in the sequence of priority as

prevention, minimization, reuse, recycling, recovery, co-processing; and safe disposal being incorporated;

o A separate schedule has been introduced which comprises waste such as metal scrap, paper waste and various

categories of electrical and electronic equipments for re-use purpose exempted from the need of obtaining Ministry’s

permission;

o The list of waste prohibited for import has been revised by inclusion of following items: waste edible fats and oils of

animals or vegetable origin, household waste, critical care medical equipment, solid plastic wastes, other chemical

wastes especially in solvent form.

The salient features of the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 are as under;

o The Rules are now applicable beyond Municipal areas and extend to almost all other areas.

o Responsibilities of Generators have been introduced to segregate waste into three streams, Wet (Biodegradable), Dry

(Plastic, Paper, metal, wood, etc.) and domestic hazardous wastes (diapers, napkins, empty containers of cleaning agents,

mosquito repellents, etc.) and handover segregated wastes to authorized rag-pickers or waste collectors or local bodies.

o Integration of waste pickers/ rag pickers and waste dealers/ Kabadiwalas in the formal system should be done by State

Governments, and Self Help Group, or any other group to be formed.

o The generator will have to pay ‘User Fee’ to waste collector and for ‘Spot Fine’ for Littering and Non-segregation.

o The landfill site shall be 100m away from a river, 200m from a pond, 500/200m away from highways, habitations,

public parks and water supply wells and 20 km away from airports/airbase.

o Local Authority/Panchayats shall prepare SWM plan with a timeline and its implementation, segregate, adopt 3-

Rs, material recovery, processing/ disposal of Waste, user fee and levy spot fine.

• Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI), the first of its kind a statutory body to be established by any Government in

the world, was set up in 1962, in accordance with Section 4 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Acts 1960, with

headquarters at Chennai. Recently it headquarters was shifted at Ballabhgarh in Haryana state.

• Shrimati Rukmini Devi Arundale pioneered the setting up of the Board. She guided the activities of the Board for nearly

twenty years till her demise in 1986.

• It is an advisory body advising the Government of India's Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying

(Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying). Its basic mandate is to advise the government on animal welfare

issues, and create awareness in animal welfare and to implement the regular schemes of AWBI and also the central sector

schemes for the welfare of animals.

• Vitrification is an engineering approach to soil amendment. During vitrification, contaminated soil mass is

treated through the processes involving melting and refreezing to create a glass-like solid that entraps

inorganic contaminants and thereby isolates these from the environment.

• With an objective to conserve the Olive Ridley Turtles, the UNDP Sea Turtle Project was initiated by Wildlife

Institute of India, Dehradun as the Implementing Agency in November 1999.

• The following species of marine are being covered under this project - green, hawksbill, loggerhead, leatherback, and

olive ridley.

In India, hydropower plants of 25 MW or below capacity are classified as small hydro, which have further been

classified into micro (100kW or below), mini (101kW-2MW) and small hydro (2-25MW) segments.

• Estimated potential of 21135.37 MW from 7135 sites for power generation in the country from small / mini hydel

projects is assessed by the Alternate Hydro Energy Centre (AHEC) of IIT Roorkee in its Small Hydro Database.

Under NAFCC 100% central grant is provided to the State Governments for implementing climate change adaptation

projects.

• The projects related to adaptation in sectors such as agriculture, animal husbandry, water, forestry, tourism etc. are

eligible for funding under NAFCC. NABARD is the National Implementing Entity (NIE).

Willow Warbler (Least Concern) was seen for the first time in the Vellayani-Punchakkari rice fields in Kerala.

In industrial areas, the permissible limit is 75 dB for daytime and 70 dB at night. In commercial areas, it is 65 dB and

55 dB, while in residential areas it is 55 dB and 45 dB during daytime and night respectively. Additionally, state

governments have declared ‘silent zones’ which includes areas that lie within 100 meters of the premises of schools,

colleges, hospitals and courts. The permissible noise limit in this zone is 50 dB during the day and 40 dB during the night.

Yarkovsky effect is the force exerted on an object when sunlight is absorbed and released.

o When sunlight strikes a rotating asteroid like Apophis, the dayside heats up; as the asteroid turns, the night side cools

and releases the heat. Under certain circumstances, the sun can heat an asteroid unevenly, causing the space rock to radiate

away heat energy asymmetrically. The result can be a tiny push in a certain direction which is called Yarkovsky

acceleration. It can change the path of an asteroid through space.

• Methanol Economy program initiated by NITI Aayog is aimed at reducing our oil import bill; reducing GHG emissions

& converting Indian coal reserves and municipal solid waste into methanol leading to independence from import while

creating new jobs by setting up Methanol Production Plants.

• “Methanol as a low carbon, hydrogen carrier fuel” produced from high ash coal, agricultural residue, CO2 from

thermal power plants and natural gas is the best pathway for meeting India’s commitment to COP 21.

• Methanol, although slightly lower in energy content than petrol and diesel, can replace both petrol and diesel in the

transport sector (road, rail and marine), the energy sector (comprising of DG sets, boilers, process heating modules, tractors

and commercial vehicles) and retail cooking replacing LPG (partially), Kerosene and wood charcoal.

• Blending of 15% methanol in gasoline can result in at least a 15% reduction in the import of gasoline/ crude. In

addition, it would bring down GHG emissions by 20% in terms of particulate matter, NOx, and SOx thereby improving

urban air quality.

• Microbeads are plastic pieces or fibre measuring less than 5 mm. They are used in personal care products and are made

of polyethylene (PE), but can also be made of polypropylene (PP), polyethene terephthalate (PET), polymethyl methacrylate

(PMMA) and nylon.

• These tiny pieces of plastic don’t dissolve in water, which is why they work so well at cleaning the oil and dirt out of

pores. However, because they are so small (less than 1mm), the microbeads are not filtered out by wastewater treatment

plants.

• Once in the water, microbeads can have a damaging effect on marine life, the environment and human health. This is due

to their composition, ability to adsorb toxins and potential to transfer up the marine food chain. These tiny plastics

persist in the environment as they are almost impossible to remove.

• Special plants are those plants that are mentioned in Schedule VI of wildlife protection act,1972

o Cycas beddomi o Red vanda o Blue vanda o Pitcher plant (Sasuaria lappa) o Ladies slipper orchid

• Under the Kigali agreement, developed countries will reduce HFC emissions use first, followed by a group of Article 5

countries including China. India and nine other countries in South and West Asia will follow suit. Overall, the agreement

is expected to reduce HFC use by 85% by 2045. It is based upon principle of Common but Differentiated

Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities.

The Global Tiger Initiative’s founding partners included the World Bank, the Global Environment Facility (GEF),

the Smithsonian Institution, Save the Tiger Fund, and International Tiger Coalition (representing more than 40 non-

government organizations). The initiative is led by the 13 tiger range countries (TRCs). Global Tiger Recovery

Programme was endorsed by the Tiger Range Countries in the first “Tiger Summit” in St Petersburg.

• Under Section 37 of Biological Diversity Act, 2002 (BDA) the State Government in consultation with local bodies

may notify in the official gazette, areas of biodiversity importance as Biodiversity Heritage Sites (BHS).

• Further, the State Government in consultation with the Central Government may frame rules for the management and

conservation of BHS.

• 1st generation biofuels from food source. 2nd generation biofuels come from non-food biomass but still compete

with food production for land use. Finally, 3rd generation biofuels don’t compete with food.

• Third generation biofuels are more energy-dense. They are cultured as low-cost, high-energy, and completely

renewable sources of energy.

• Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification, 2018 which was last reviewed and issued in 2011, with periodic

amendments to some clauses. It was issued under the provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.

o As per CRZ - 2011 Notification, for CRZ-II areas, Floor Space Index (FSI) or the Floor Area Ratio (FAR) had been

frozen at 1991 Development Control Regulation (DCR) levels. In the CRZ, 2018 Notification, it has been proposed to de-

freeze the same and permits FSI for construction projects, as prevailing on the date of the new Notification.

o Densely populated rural areas to be afforded greater opportunity for development: CRZ-III A zones which are densely

populated rural areas shall have a No Development Zone (NDZ) of 50 meters from the HTL. CRZ-III B zones which are

Rural areas with low population density shall continue to have an NDZ of 200 meters from the HTL.

o Temporary tourism facilities such as shacks, toilet blocks, change rooms, drinking water facilities etc. have now been

permitted in Beaches and in the 'No Development Zone' of CRZ-III areas. The procedure for CRZ clearances has been

streamlined.

o For islands close to the main land coast and for all Backwater Islands in the main land, No Development Zone of 20 m

has been stipulated. Specific guidelines related to their conservation and management plans have been drawn up as a part

of the CRZ Notification.

• Algae are advantageous in that it can grow in areas unsuitable for 1st and 2nd generation crops, which would relieve

stress on water and arable land used. It can be grown using sewage, wastewater, and saltwater, such as oceans or salt

lakes. The algae can be converted into various types of renewable biofuels including bioethanol, biodiesel, biogas,

photobiologically produced biohydrogen, and further processing for bio-oil and syngas production through liquefaction

and gasification, respectively.

• A further benefit of algae based biofuels is that the fuel can be manufactured into a wide range of fuels such as

diesel, petrol and jet fuel.

• Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) was developed by a multi-

stakeholder and multi-sectoral Preparatory Committee and supports the achievement of the 2020 goal agreed

upon at the 2002 Johannesburg World Summit on Sustainable Development.

• Highlights of the to The Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act, 2016:

o These Funds will receive payments for: (i) compensatory afforestation, (ii) net present value of forest (NPV), and (iii)

other project specific payments. The National Public Fund will receive 10% of these funds, and the State Public Funds

will receive the remaining 90%.

o These Funds will be primarily spent on afforestation to compensate for loss of forest cover, regeneration of forest

ecosystem, wildlife protection and infrastructure development.

o It also establishes the National and State Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authorities

to manage the National and State Funds.