17 and 18 Feb 2016 (Protected Area Network of India, RAMSAR Wetland Sites)

Are you a Tsundoku ?

Tsundoku-(noun) – is the constant act of buying books, but never reading them.

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Ministry of AYUSH and the World Health Organization :-

Background :- The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister has given its approval to the Agreement for collaborative activities to be signed in the area of Traditional Medicine between Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India and the World Health Organization, Geneva.

Objective:-

The long-term collaboration with WHO would help in improving International acceptability and branding of Ayush systems, facilitate awareness generation regarding AYUSH systems of Medicine by means of education, skill development, workshops, publications and exchange programs between AYUSH and WHO for capacity building, facilitate advocacy and dissemination of information on AYUSH systems amongst the Member States; collaboration with third Parties for creating synergies in implementation of WHO Traditional Medicine Strategy 2014-2023 particularly in the context of AYUSH systems.

India would assign to WHO activities for development of the following WHO technical documents/publications which will help in better international acceptability of Indian Systems:

i. Benchmarks for training in Yoga;

ii. Benchmarks for practice in Ayurveda;

iii. Benchmarks for practice in Unani Medicine; and

iv. Benchmarks for practice in Panchakarma*

Under the long-term collaboration, AYUSH and WHO would subsequently take up other mutually agreed activities and initiatives that could encompass multilateral collaboration for promotion of Traditional and Complementary Medicine/Systems (T&CM) including development of the WHO publication on the Basic terminologies for T&CM; establishment of a database for global T & CM practitioners; establishment of a network of international regulatory cooperation for T&CM practice.

*Panchakarma is Ayurveda’s primary purification and detoxification treatment. Panchakarma means “five therapies”. These 5 therapeutic treatments eliminate toxins from the body, they are : Vamana, Virechana, Nasya, Basti and Raktamoskshana. The series of these five therapies help remove deep rooted stress and illness-causing toxins from the body while balancing the doshas (energies that govern all biological functions)

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LIGO-India mega science proposal

The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister  has given its ‘in principle’ approval to the LIGO-India mega science proposal for research on gravitational waves. The proposal, known as LIGO-India project (Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory in India) is piloted by Department of Atomic Energy and Department of Science and Technology (DST). The approval coincides with the historic detection of gravitational waves a few days ago that opened up of a new window on the universe to unravel some of its greatest mysteries.

The LIGO-India project will establish a state-of-the-art gravitational wave observatory in India in collaboration with the LIGO Laboratory in the U.S. run by Caltech and MIT.

The project will bring unprecedented opportunities for scientists and engineers to dig deeper into the realm of gravitational wave and take global leadership in this new astronomical frontier.

LIGO-India will also bring considerable opportunities in cutting edge technology for the Indian industry which will be engaged in the construction of eight kilometre long beam tube at ultra-high vacuum on a levelled terrain.

The project will motivate Indian students and young scientists to explore newer frontiers of knowledge, and will add further impetus to scientific research in the country.

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Tax Collection by Government of India:-

 

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Protected Area Network of India:-

Background :-The Union Environment minister recently launched the Environment Information System (ENVIS) portal.

Protected Areas of India (as on 09 February, 2016)

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Type	No	Area (km2)	% of Geographical Area of India (%)
National Parks (NPs)	103	40500.13	1.23
Wildlife Sanctuaries (WLSs)	535	118004.92	3.59
Conservation Reserves (CRs)	66	2344.53	0.07
Community Reserves	26	46.93	0.001
Protected Areas (PAs)	730	160896.51	4.88

 

Biosphere reserves are sites established by countries and recognized under UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme to promote sustainable development based on local community efforts and sound science.The programme of Biosphere Reserve was initiated by UNESCO in 1971. The purpose of the formation of the biosphere reserve is to conserve in situ all forms of life, along with its support system, in its totality, so that it could serve as a referral system for monitoring and evaluating changes in natural ecosystems. The first biosphere reserve of the world was established in 1979, since then the network of biosphere reserves has increased to 631 in 119 countries across the world.

The Maps are old, and few of the proposed ones are already approved, so the maps should only be used to know the location of the reserves.

Details:-

The concept of Biosphere Reserves, especially its zonation, into Core Area(s) (dedicated to conservation), Buffer Area(s) (sustainable use) and Transition Area(s) (equitable sharing of benefits) were later broadly adopted under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD ) process which entered into force on 29th December, 1993. TheCBD has two principal objectives, namely ,‘Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biological Diversity’ and ‘Fair and Equitable sharing of benefits arising from its utilization’.

The Articles 6-20 of CBD call for in-situ and ex-situ conservation, incentives for conservation and sustainable use, research and training, awareness and education,impact assessment, regulating access to genetic resources, access and transfer of technology and provisions of financial resources. While dealing with these issues, CBD emphasizes on nationally determined priorities, capacity and needs and with full and effective participation of local communities.

The Core Zone:
The core zone is kept absolutely undisturbed. It must contain suitable habitat for numerous plant and animal species, including higher order predators and may contain centres of endemism. Core areas often conserve the wild relatives of economic species and also represent important genetic reservoirs. The core zones also contain places of exceptional scientific interest. A core zone secures legal protection and management and research activities that do not affect natural processes and wildlife are allowed. Strict nature reserves and wilderness portions of the area are designated as core areas of BR. The core zone is to be kept free from all human pressures external to the system.

The Buffer Zone:
In the Buffer Zone, which adjoins or surrounds core zone, uses and activities are managed in ways that protect the core zone. These uses and activities include restoration, demonstration sites for enhancing value addition to the resources, limited recreation, tourism,fishing and grazing, which are permitted to reduce its effect on core zone. Research and educational activities are to be encouraged. Human activities, if natural within BR, are likely to be permitted to continue if these do not adversely affect the ecological diversity.

The Transition Zone:
The Transition Zone is the outermost part of a Biosphere Reserve. This is usually not delimited one and is a zone of cooperation where conservation, knowledge and management skills are applied and uses are managed in harmony with the purpose of the Biosphere Reserve. This includes settlements, crop lands, managed forests and area for intensive recreation, and other economic uses characteristic of the region. In Buffer Zone and the Transition Zones, manipulative macro-management practices are used. Experimental research areas are used for understanding the patterns and processes in the ecosystem. Modified or degraded landscapes are included as rehabilitation areas to restore the ecology in a way that it returns to sustainable productivity.

The characteristic features of Biosphere Reserves are:-

(1) Each Biosphere Reserves are protected areas of land and/or coastal environments wherein people are an integral component of the system. Together, they constitute a world wide network linked by International understanding for exchange of scientific information.

(2) The network of BRs include significant examples of biomes throughout the world.

(3) Each BR includes one or more of the following categories:-

(i) BRs are representative examples of natural biomes.

(ii) BRs conserve unique communities of biodiversity or areas with unusual natural features of exceptional interest . It is recognized that these representative areas may also contain unique features of landscapes, ecosystems and genetic variations e.g. one population of a globally rare species; their representativeness and uniqueness may both be characteristics of an area.

(iii) BRs have examples of harmonious landscapes resulting from traditional patterns of land-use.

(iv) BRs have examples of modified or degraded ecosystems capable of being restored to more natural conditions.

(v) BRs generally have a non-manipulative core area, in combination with areas in which baseline measurements, experimental and manipulative research, education and training is carried out. Where these areas are not contiguous, they can be associated in a cluster.

 

Functions of Biosphere Reserves:-

Conservation
• To ensure the conservation of landscapes, ecosystems, species and genetic variations.
• To encourage the traditional resource use systems;
• To understand the patterns and processes of functioning of ecosystems;
• To monitor the natural and human-caused changes on spatial and temporal scales;

Development
• To promote, at the local level, economic development which is culturally, socially and ecologically sustainable.
• To develop the strategies leading to improvement and management of natural resources;

Logistics support
• To provide support for research, monitoring, education and information exchange related to local, national and global issues of conservation and development
• Sharing of knowledge generated by research through site specific training and education
• Development of community spirit in the management of natural resources.

Criteria:-

Primary criteria
• A site that must contain an effectively protected and minimally disturbed core area of value of nature conservation and should include additional land and water suitable for research and demonstration of sustainable methods of research and management.
• The core area should be typical of a biogeographical unit and large enough to sustain viable populations representing all tropic levels in the ecosystem.
Secondary criteria
• Areas having rare and endangered species
• Areas having diversity of soil and micro-climatic conditions and indigenous varieties of biota.
• Areas potential for preservation of traditional tribal or rural modes of living for harmonious use of environment.

How Biosphere Reserves are different from protected areas such as National Parks (NP) and Wildlife Sanctuaries(WS)?

It may be noted that the BR is not intended to replace existing protected areas but it widens the scope of conventional approach of protection and further strengthens the Protected Area Network.  Existing legally protected areas (National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuary, Tiger Reserve and reserve/protected forests) may become part of the BR without any change in their legal status. On the other  hand, inclusion of such areas in a BR will enhance their national value. It, however, does not mean that Biosphere Reserves are to be established only around the National Parks and Wildlife  Sanctuaries. However, the Biosphere Reserves differ from protected areas due to their emphasis on :

(i) Conservation of overall biodiversity and landscape, rather than some specific flagship species, to allow natural and evolutionary processes to continue without any hindrance.

(ii) Different components of BRs like landscapes, habitats, and species and land races.

(iii) Developmental activities, and resolution/mitigation of conflicts between development and conservation,

(iv) Increase in broad-basing of stakeholders, especially local people’s participation and their Training, compared to the features of scheme on Wildlife Sanctuaries and National Parks.

(v) Sustainable environment friendly development, and sustained coordination amongst different development organizations and agencies.

(vi) Research and Monitoring to understand the structure and functioning of ecological system and their mode of reaction when exposed to human

 

Sl. No.	Name of Site	State Location	Date of Declaration	Area (in sq.km.)
1	Asthamudi Wetland	Kerala	19.8.2002	1860
2	Bhitarkanika Mangroves	Orissa	19.8.2002	525
3	Bhoj Wetlands	Madhya Pradesh	19.8.2002	31
4	Chandertal Wetland	Himachal Pradesh	8.11.2005	38.56
5	Chilka Lake	Orissa	1.10.1981	1140
6	Deepor Beel	Assam	19.8.2002	4.14
7	East Calcutta Wetlands	West Bengal	19.8.2002	378
8	Harike Lake	Punjab	23.3.1990	86
9	Hokera Wetland	Jammu and Kashmir	8.11.2005	13.75
10	Kanjli Lake	Punjab	22.1.2002	14.84
11	Keoladeo Ghana NP	Rajasthan	1.10.1981	28.73
12	Kolleru Lake	Andhra Pradesh	19.8.2002	673
13	Loktak Lake	Manipur	23.3.1990	945
14	Nalsarovar Bird Sanctuary	Gujarat	24/09/12	120
15	Point Calimere	Tamil Nadu	19.8.2002	17.26
16	Pong Dam Lake	Himachal Pradesh	19.8.2002	307.29
17	Renuka Wetland	Himachal Pradesh	8.11.2005	Not Available
18	Ropar Lake	Punjab	22.1.2002	41.36
19	Rudrasagar Lake	Tripura	8.11.2005	2.40
20	Sambhar Lake	Rajasthan	23.3.1990	736
21	Sasthamkotta Lake	Kerala	19.8.2002	11.3
22	Surinsar-Mansar Lakes	Jammu and Kashmir	8.11.2005	3.50
23	Tsomoriri Lake	Jammu and Kashmir	19.8.2002	120
24	Vembanad Kol Wetland	Kerala	19.8.2002	4583
25	Upper Ganga River (Brijghat to Narora Stretch)	Uttar Pradesh	8.11.2005	265.90
26	Wular Lake	Jammu & Kashmir	23.3.1990	173

 

Natural World Heritage Sites:-

A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization as of special cultural or physical significance.

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Sl. No.	Name of WH Site	State Location	Year of Notification	Area (sq.km)
1	Kaziranga National Park	Assam	1985	429.96
2	Keoladeo Ghana National Park	Rajasthan	1985	28.73
3	Manas Wildlife Sanctuary	Assam	1985	391.00
4	Nanda Devi National Park and Valley of Flowers	Uttarakhand	1982 2005	630.00 87.50
5	Sunderbans National Park	West Bengal	1984	1,330.10
6	Western Ghats	Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala	2012	7,953.15
7	Great Himalayan National Park	Himachal Pradesh	2014	905.4

 

Project Tiger was launched by the Government of India in the year 1973 to save the endangered species of tiger in the country.  Starting from nine (9) reserves in 1973-74 the number is grown up to forty eight (48).  A total area of 69793.24 km² is covered by these project tiger areas.

Tiger Reserves of India (as on February, 2016)

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Sl. No.	Name of Tiger Reserve	State	Area of the core / critical tiger habitat (In Sq. Kms.)	Area  of the buffer / peripheral (In Sq. Kms.)	Total area(In Sq.Kms.)
1	Nagarjunsagar Srisailam (part)*	Andhra Pradesh	2595.72*	700.59*	3296.31*
2	Namdapha	Arunachal Pradesh	1807.82	245	2052.82
3	Pakke	Arunachal Pradesh	683.45	515	1198.45
4	Manas	Assam	840.04	2310.88	3150.92
5	Nameri	Assam	200	144	344
6	Kaziranga	Assam	625.58	548	1173.58
7	Valmiki	Bihar	598.45	300.93	899.38
8	Udanti-Sitanadi	Chattisgarh	851.09	991.45	1842.54
9	Achanakmar	Chattisgarh	626.195	287.822	914.017
10	Indravati	Chhattisgarh	1258.37	1540.7	2799.07
11	Palamau	Jharkhand	414.08	715.85	1129.93
12	Bandipur	Karnataka	872.24	584.06	1456.3
13	Bhadra	Karnataka	492.46	571.83	1064.29
14	Dandeli-Anshi	Karnataka	814.884	282.63	1097.514
15	Nagarahole	Karnataka	643.35	562.41	1205.76
16	Biligiri Ranganatha Temple	Karnataka	359.1	215.72	574.82
17	Periyar	Kerala	881	44	925
18	Parambikulam	Kerala	390.89	252.772	643.662
19	Kanha	Madhya Pradesh	917.43	1134.361	2051.791
20	Pench	Madhya Pradesh	411.33	768.30225	1179.63225
21	Bandhavgarh	Madhya Pradesh	716.903	820.03509	1598.1
22	Panna	Madhya Pradesh	576.13	1021.97**	1578.55
23	Satpura	Madhya Pradesh	1339.264	794.04397	2133.30797
24	Sanjay-Dubri	Madhya Pradesh	812.571	861.931	1674.502
25	Melghat	Maharashtra	1500.49	1268.03	2768.52
26	Tadoba-Andhari	Maharashtra	625.82	1101.7711	1727.5911
27	Pench	Maharashtra	257.26	483.96	741.22
28	Sahyadri	Maharashtra	600.12	565.45	1165.57
29	Nawegaon-Nagzira	Maharashtra	653.674	–	653.674
30	Bor	Maharashtra	138.12	–	138.12
31	Dampa	Mizoram	500	488	988
32	Similipal	Odisha	1194.75	1555.25	2750
33	Satkosia	Odisha	523.61	440.26	963.87
34	Ranthambore	Rajasthan	1113.364	297.9265	1411.291
35	Sariska	Rajasthan	881.1124	332.23	1213.342
36	Mukandra Hills	Rajasthan	417.17	342.82	759.99
37	Kalakad-Mundanthurai	Tamil Nadu	895	706.542	1601.542
38	Mudumalai	Tamil Nadu	321	367.59	688.59
39	Sathyamangalam	Tamil Nadu	793.49	614.91	1408.4
40	Anamalai	Tamil Nadu	958.59	521.28	1479.87
41	Kawal	Telangana	893.23	1125.89	2019.12
42	Nagarjunasagar Srisailam (part) *	Telangana	2166.37*	445.02*	2611.39*
43	Dudhwa	Uttar Pradesh	1093.79	1107.9848	2201.7748
44	Pilibhit	Uttar Pradesh	602.798	127.4518	730.2498
45	Amangarh (buffer of Corbett TR)	Uttar Pradesh	–	80.6	80.6
	Corbett	Uttarakhand	821.99	466.32	1288.31
46	Rajaji TR	Uttarakhand	255.63	819.54	1075.17
47	Sunderbans	West Bengal	1699.62	885.27	2584.89
48	Buxa	West Bengal	390.5813	367.3225	757.9038
	TOTAL		39025.93	30725.71	69793.24

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MARITIME INDIA SUMMIT 2016:-

Maritime India Summit 2016 (MIS 2016) is a maiden flagship initiative of Ministry of Shipping, Government of India that will provide a unique global platform for investors to explore potential business opportunities in the Indian Maritime Sector. MIS 2016 is being organized from April 14-16, 2016 at Bombay Convention and Exhibition Centre, Goregaon, Mumbai, India. The summit will have a 2 day conference on April 14-15 and exhibition for 3 days from April 14-16, 2016.

The Summit will showcase exciting investment opportunities in:

• Shipbuilding, Ship Repair and Ship Recycling
• Port Modernization and New Port Development
• Port-based Industrial Development, Port-based Smart Cities and Maritime Cluster Development
• Hinterland Connectivity Projects and Multi-Modal Logistics Hubs
• Inland Waterways and Coastal Shipping for Cargo and Passenger movement
• Dredging
• Lighthouse Tourism and Cruise Shipping
• Renewable Energy Projects in Ports
• Other Maritime Sector related services (Financing, Legal, Design etc.)

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Senior bureaucrats asked to maintain confidential diary on juniors’ integrity:-

With an aim to keep a track and record evidence of the integrity of government officers, the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has asked government supervisory officers to maintain a confidential diary. It has instructed the seniors to consult this diary when filling the integrity column in the annual performance appraisal reports (APARs).

The officers have been asked to note various instances creating suspicion about the integrity of a subordinate and action taken by them (supervisors) to verify the truth of such suspicions in this confidential diary. It should also have notes on action taken by supervisors like making confidential enquiries departmentally or by referring the matter to the special police establishment.

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Amendment to the Delimitation Act, 2002 and the Representation of the People Act, 1950

Background :- The Union Cabinet has given its approval to amend section 11 of the Delimitation Act, 2002 and section 9 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950.

Reasons:-

It will enable Election Commission to carry out limited delimitation of Assembly and Parliamentary Constituencies in the Cooch Behar District of West Bengal consequent upon the exchange of 51 Bangladeshi enclaves and 111 Indian enclaves respectively between India and Bangladesh in July, 2015.

This is in pursuance of the Constitution (One Hundredth Amendment) Act, 2015 and also allows for introduction of a Bill, namely, the Election Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2016 in Parliament.

Details:-

In a historic pact between India and Bangladesh, 51 Bangladeshi enclaves (Chhitmahals) in Indian Territory and 111 Indian enclaves in Bangladesh territory were exchanged with effect from 31st July, 2015.

• The move altered the geography and demography of the district of Cooch Behar in West Bengal. With a view to carry out consequential geographic and demographic alterations vis-à-vis the electoral mosaic of the affected areas, the Election Commission requested to amend section 11 of the Delimitation Act, 2002 and section 9 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950 to enable it to carry out limited delimitation of constituencies in the affected areas.
• Since the newly acquired area consequent upon the exchange of territory between India and Bangladesh has become the part of the Indian territory, it is required to make delimitation exercise within the limited constituency area before the ensuing State Assembly elections in West Bengal. Accordingly, the Election Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2016 has been proposed for enactment.

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Operation Khanij Khoj:-

Background :-Union Minister of Steel & Mines Launches ‘Operation Khanij Khoj’ of GSI Targeting Deep Seated and Concealed Mineral Deposits

Details:- The ‘Operation Khanij Khoj’ state-of-the-art project of GSI is to be implemented in two selected areas in the country. It is focused on probing for deep seated/concealed mineral deposits. Characterizing India’s geological cover, investigating lithospheric architecture, resolving 4D geodynamic and metallogenic evolution, and detecting and characterizing the distal footprints of ore deposits, would be the main components of this initiative.

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