Recently, the Environment Ministry announced that three more wetlands in India have been designated ‘Ramsar sites.
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The three new sites are — the Nanjarayan Bird Sanctuary; the Kazhuveli Bird Sanctuary in TamilNadu; and the Tawa Reservoir in Madhya Pradesh.
The Nanjarayan lake
It is a large shallow wetland in Tamil Nadu. The wetlands in this region depend mainly on weather conditions, especially on heavy rain water flow from Nallar drainage.
The Kazhuveli Bird Sanctuary
It is a brackish shallow lake located on the Coromandel Coast in Tamil Nadu.
The lake is connected to the Bay of Bengal by the Uppukalli creek and the Edayanthittu Estuary.
It is on the Central Asian Flyway and is an important stopover site for migratory species of birds and breeding ground for resident species of birds.
Tawa reservoir
It was constructed at the confluence of the Tawa and Denwa rivers.
Tawa originates from Mahadeo hills in Chhindwara district, flows through Betul district and joins river Narmada.
The reservoir is located inside the Satpura Tiger Reserve and forms the western boundary of the Satpura National Park and Bori Wildlife Sanctuary
This brings the total number of such sites in India to 85. India’s Ramsar wetlands comprise around 10% of the total wetland area in the country across 18 States.
Currently, Tamil Nadu harbours the maximum number of Ramsar sites (18 sites), followed by Uttar Pradesh (10 sites).
From 1982 to 2013, a total of 26 sites were added to the list of Ramsar sites in the country. From 2014 to 2024, the country has added 59 new wetlands to the list of Ramsar sites.
The United Kingdom (175) followed by Mexico (142) have the maximum Ramsar sites. The country with the greatest area of listed wetlands is Bolivia.
Ramsar Convention
The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands is the intergovernmental treaty that provides the framework for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources.
It was signed in 1971 in the Iranian town of Ramsar.
India is one of the ‘contracting parties’ to the Ramsar Convention, signed in Ramsar, Iran, in 1971. It became a signatory in 1982.
The Conference of the Contracting Parties (COP), is the policy-making organ of the convention, it meets after every three years.
The Ramsar Convention works closely with six other organisations known as international organization partners (IOPs). These are:
Birdlife International, IUCN, International Water Management Institute, Wetlands International, WWF International, Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust
The Ramsar Convention encourages the designation of sites containing representative, rare or unique wetlands, or wetlands that are important for conserving biological diversity.
Criteria for Recognition:
To be Ramsar site, a site must meet at least one of the nine criteria defined by the Ramsar Convention of 1971, including supporting vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered species or threatened ecological communities; or regularly supports 20,000 or more waterbirds or
It is an important source of food for fishes, spawning ground, nursery and/or migration path on which fish stocks are dependent upon.
Wetlands, according to the Environment Ministry,
are an area of marsh, fen, peatland or water; whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, with water that is static or flowing, fresh, brackish or salt, including areas of marine water the depth of which at low tide does not exceed six meters,
but does not include river channels, paddy fields, human-made water bodies/ tanks specifically constructed for drinking water purposes and structures specifically constructed for aquaculture, salt production, recreation and irrigation purposes.
Declining Vulture Population
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According to a recent study, the near extinction of vultures in India between 2000 and 2005 may have contributed to the deaths of more than 500,000 people.
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The study compared death rates in areas with large vulture populations before and after 1994, when farmers began giving cattle a drug called diclofenac to treat pain and inflammation.
When a vulture eats a diclofenac-laden carcass, the drug causes kidney failure in a day or two and the bird dies.
The Vultures don’t just clean up disease-ridden carcasses; by removing food, they reduce the populations of other scavengers, such as feral dogs that can transmit rabies.
According to the study, as vultures vanished from the Indian landscapes, the carcasses piled up on land, and floated, bloated, in the waters.
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Cattle bodies piled up around tanneries and fields "became carcass dumps" for feral dogs and rats, leading to the spread of disease.
About Vultures
Vultures are large, social raptors that live on every continent except Antarctica and Australia.
The preferred habitats of the Vulture are deserts, savannas and grassland near a water source. It also inhabits open mountain ranges up to 3,000 metres above sea level.
They are medium- to large-sized birds of prey. They are known for eating carrion (the bodies of dead animals).
Vultures need trees for nesting and roosting, especially thorny species like acacia, balanites, and terminalia.
Nine of the world’s 23 species of vultures exist in India.
Vultures play a crucial role in maintaining the health of our ecosystems by consuming dead animals. Their scavenging activities likely control the spread of diseases, thus protecting both wildlife and human communities from potential outbreaks
They are threatened due to poisoning due to exposure to pesticides and drugs, collisions with power lines or wind turbines, habitat loss and reduction in livestock farming..
They are listed in Appendix II of CITES and Schedule I of Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
About National Action Plan for Vulture Conservation, 2020-25
It was launched by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) to protect vultures in the country. The plan includes a number of measures, such as:
Conservation Breeding Programs:
Expanding the program by establishing more centres across the country, including for the Red-headed and Egyptian vultures
Vulture Safe Zones: Identifying and designating areas where vultures can feed safely, and banning the use of diclofenac and other harmful veterinary drugs.
Rescue Centers:Building four rescue centers in different geographical areas, such as Pinjore, Bhopal, Guwahati, and Hyderabad.
Other measures:Monitoring populations, forming state-level committees, identifying and removing threats near nesting and roosting sites, and making food and water available to vultures.
Gross Environment Product Index
Why in news?
Recently, Uttarakhand launched the World’s first Gross Environmental Product Index.
About
The Gross Environment Product (GEP) index is a way to measure the environmental health and quality of a region.
It’s a component of green GDP, which takes into account environmental factors along with economic growth.
GEP can be used to measure the status of ecosystem services, the progress of eco-civilization, and the impact of human activity on ecosystems and natural resources.
There are four pillars of the Gross Environment Product Index: air, soil, tree and water.
It is considered as the product and service value that the ecosystem provides for human welfare, economic and socially sustainable development including provisioning, regulating and cultural ecosystem services.
National Pest Surveillance System
Why in news?
Recently, the Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister inaugurated the National Pest Surveillance System (NPSS).
About
The AI-based National Pest Surveillance System (NPSS) to support farmers in managing pest-related challenges by connecting them directly with agricultural scientists and experts through their phones.
It aims to reduce farmers’ reliance on pesticide retailers and foster a more scientific approach to pest management.
Through the NPPS, the farmers will be able to know different types of insecticides and pesticides and save their crops from their harmful effects.
The platform will allow farmers to take photographs of infested crops or pests and share them with scientists and experts via NPSS.
This will enable accurate identification and control of pests, ensuring that the correct pesticides are used in the right quantity and at the appropriate time.
The platform is expected to assist approximately 140 million farmers across India, enhancing accessibility to expert advice.
Green Tug Transition Program
Why in news?
Recently, the Union Minister of Port Shipping and Waterways launched the SOP for Green Tug Transition Program (GTTP).
About GTTP
The Green Tug Transition Program (GTTP) as a key initiative under the ‘Panch Karma Sankalp’..
The GTTP is designed to phase out conventional fuel-based harbour tugs operating in Indian Major Ports and replace them with green tugs powered by cleaner and more sustainable alternative fuels.
This landmark initiative is set to drive the transition from conventional fuel-based harbour tugs to greener, more sustainable alternatives, marking a major step in India's commitment to environmental sustainability and the advancement of its maritime sector.
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The GTTP will be a major boost to the domestic tug industry, with all tugs built under this program constructed in Indian shipyards as part of the Government of India's ‘Make in India’ initiative.
At least 50% of all the Tugs are likely to be converted into Green Tugs by 2030, which will considerably reduce emissions as the country moves towards achieving sustainable development.
EOS-08 Satellite
Why in news?
Recently, the ISRO successfully launched the EOS-08 Earth Observation Satellite.
Key Highlights
The satellite was launched through the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle-D3, it was the third and final developmental flight of the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle.
The primary objectives of the EOS-08 mission include designing and developing a microsatellite, creating payload instruments compatible with the microsatellite bus, and incorporating new technologies required for future operational satellites.
The EOS-08 carries three payloads: Electro Optical Infrared Payload (EOIR), Global Navigation Satellite System-Reflectometry payload (GNSS-R), and SiC UV Dosimeter.
The EOIR payload is designed to capture images in the Mid-Wave IR (MIR) and Long-Wave IR (LWIR) bands, both during the day and night, for applications such as satellite-based surveillance, disaster monitoring, environmental monitoring, fire detection, volcanic activity observation, and industrial and power plant disaster monitoring.
The GNSS-R payload demonstrates the capability of using GNSS-R-based remote sensing for applications such as ocean surface wind analysis, soil moisture assessment, cryosphere studies over the Himalayan region, flood detection, and inland waterbody detection.
The SiC UV Dosimeter monitors UV irradiance at the viewport of the Crew Module in the Gaganyaan Mission and serves as a high-dose alarm sensor for gamma radiation.
About Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV)
Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) is a 3 stage Launch Vehicle configured with three Solid Propulsion Stages and liquid propulsion-based Velocity Trimming Module (VTM) as a terminal stage.
SSLV is 2m in diameter and 34m in length with lift off weight of ~120 tonnes.
SSLV is capable of launching a 500 kg satellite in 500 km planar orbit from SDSC/SHAR.
The key features of SSLV are Low cost, with low turn-around time, flexibility in accommodating multiple satellites, Launch on demand feasibility, minimal launch infrastructure requirements, etc.
Serosurvey
Why in news?
Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has been conducting serosurvey since last year to determine exposure to Mpox among India’s high-risk population.
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About
A serosurvey is the collection and testing of blood (or proxy specimen such as oral fluid) from a specimen of a defined population over a specified period of time to estimate the prevalence of IgG antibodies against an infectious pathogen.
It is an important component of disease surveillance and complements notification, hospitalisation, mortality and immunisation coverage data.
Serosurveys can be used to estimate:
Exposure to a pathogen
Prevalence of infection
Immunity gaps
Key parameters for infectious disease modelling
Serosurveys can also be used to estimate key parameters for infectious disease modelling, such as the reproductive number and the force of infection. Such parameters are estimated using age-specific seroprevalence curves.
Dengue
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Recently, The ICMR and Panacea Biotec have announced the initiation of the first-ever Phase 3 clinical trial for a dengue vaccine in India.
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This landmark trial will evaluate the efficacy of India’s indigenous tetravalent dengue vaccine, DengiAll, developed by Panacea Biotec.
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Currently, there is no antiviral treatment or licensed vaccine against dengue in India.
The development of an effective vaccine is complex due to the need to achieve good efficacy for all four serotypes. In India, all four serotypes of Dengue virus are known to circulate or co-circulate in many regions.
About Dengue
Dengue is a viral infection transmitted to humans through the bites of infected female mosquitoes, primarily the Aedes aegypti mosquito.
Dengue is found in tropical and sub-tropical climates worldwide, mostly in urban and semi-urban areas.
While many dengue infections are asymptomatic or produce only mild illness, the virus can occasionally cause more severe cases, and even death.
The dengue virus is neurotropic, meaning it has an affinity for the nervous system. It can breach the blood-brain barrier, a protective shield that usually keeps pathogens out of the brain.
Prevention and control of dengue depend on vector control. There is no specific treatment for dengue/severe dengue, and early detection and access to proper medical care greatly lower fatality rates of severe dengue.
Cabinet Secretary
Why in news?
Recently, the Appointments Committee of the Union Cabinet appointed a senior bureaucrat as the cabinet secretary of India.
About
The Cabinet Secretary is the top-most executive official and senior-most civil servant of the Government of India.
The Cabinet Secretary is the ex-officio head of the Civil Services Board, the Cabinet Secretariat, the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), and all Civil Services of India work under the rules of business of the government.
The Cabinet Secretary is the senior most cadre post of the Indian Administrative Service,[7] ranking eleventh on the Indian order of precedence.
The Cabinet Secretary provides assistance to the Cabinet and its Committees, and also assists in decision-making in Government by ensuring Inter-Ministerial coordination, ironing out differences amongst Ministries/ Departments and evolving consensus through the instrumentality of the standing/ ad hoc Committees of Secretaries.
He ensures that the President, the Vice President and Ministers are kept informed of the major activities of all Ministries/Departments by means of a monthly summary of their activities.
Eri Silk
Why in news?
Recently, the North Eastern Handicrafts and Handlooms Development Corporation has successfully obtained the Oeko-Tex certification for its Eri Silk.
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The International Association for Research and Testing in Textile and Leather Ecology (OEKO-TEX) is an organization that provides product labels and company certificates to confirm the safety of textile products and leather items.
The Oeko-Tex certification, a rigorous standard that ensures textiles are tested for harmful substances and produced in environment friendly conditions, is a significant endorsement for Eri Silk.
This achievement further cements the silk's status as a Geographical Indication (GI) product of Assam, highlighting its authenticity and regional importance.
This certification marks a pivotal step in bringing Eri Silk closer to penetrating the global export market, expanding its reach, and establishing a strong international presence.
About Eri Silk
Eri silk is a type of silk that comes from the cocoons of the domesticated silkworm Samia ricini, also known as the Eri silkworm.
The name "eri" comes from the Assamese word era, which means "castor", because the silkworm eats the leaves of the castor plant.
It's produced in the North Eastern states of India, particularly Assam and Meghalaya, and is also found in some parts of China and Japan.
Eri silk is known for being a non-violent, or "ahimsa", silk because it's produced without killing the silkworm.
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The process involves the silkworm eating castor leaves for 30 days, then spinning a cocoon that's open at one end for 15 days. Once the moth emerges from the cocoon, the cocoon is collected to extract the silk fibers.
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Cape of Good Hope
Why in news?
India’s petroleum product exports to Europe have shifted entirely to the route around Africa via the Cape of Good Hope.
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The Red Sea route, which used to be the mainstay of India’s exports to Europe and other Western markets, has witnessed decline due to attack from the Iran-backed Houthi rebels of Yemen around the Bab el-Mandeb strait.
Taking the Cape of Good Hope route instead of the Suez Canal adds 15-20 days to the voyage to Europe from India, apart from significantly inflating the freight costs. However, it is safer.
About Cape of Good Hope
The Cape of Good Hope route, also known as the Cape Route, is a shipping route that connects Europe and Asia to southern Africa.
It runs from the Atlantic Ocean coast of Europe to the Indian Ocean coast of Asia, passing through the Cape of Good Hope and Cape Agulhas at the southern tip of Africa.
The Cape Route was discovered by Vasco da Gama in the 15th century and was the first all-water route between Europe and Asia.
Guam Island
Why in news?
Recently, INS Shivalik reached Guam for an Operational Turnaround on successful completion of the Multinational Maritime Exercise RIMPAC 2024.
About Guam Island
Guam is the largest and southernmost of the Mariana Islands and the largest island in Micronesia.
Guam is an unincorporated territory of the United States governed under the Organic Act of Guam, passed by the U.S. Congress.
It has a tropical climate influenced by the northeast trade winds and the north equatorial ocean current that flows west across the Pacific.
Guam hosts a naval base for the US armed forces. Guam’s geostrategic potential is rooted in its proximity to China, and represents the westernmost location from which the U.S. can project power, manage logistics, and establish command and control.
Guam's geographic position—it is closer to Beijing than to Hawaii—gives it an important role in national defense for supporting air and naval operations in the western Pacific region.
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