Biofertilisers,Organic Farming,IPM,GMO(prelims based)

• Biofertilizers are plant nutrients of biological origin like algae, bacteria, fungi which
have no harmful effect on soil and environment.

• Organic farming is a type of agriculture which avoids synthetic inorganic fertilizers,
pesticides, growth regulators and livestock feed additives.Organically grown food products are free from harmful chemicals, or typical flavoursand preservatives.

• Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a grand idea to control pest and diseases. This
increases production, sakes the environment from pollution and harmful effects of
pesticides and saves money which is usually spent on buying pesticides.

• Biotechnology technique is used to produce plants by gene transfer (transgenics or Genetically modified organisms) whichcan be a direct answer to grow plants resistant to diseases, pests, tolerant to cold
draught and flooding etc. One can design a plant to suit this condition.

Coal Bed Methane Policy in India

CBM Policy , 1997 aims to maintain a competitive bidding system for exploration of CBM blocks.The contractors pay a royalty of 10 % to state govt.The duration of contract is 38 years and 40 years (normal area and frontal area respectively).

CBM is a natural gas extracted from coal beds.It is an unconventional source of energy and has become an important source in countries like US, Canada etc.

INDIA has CBM reserves of 4.6 trillion cubic metres across 8 states. Recently the simultaneous mining of coal and exploration of CBM reserves has been allowed which was earlier prohibited.Union Cabinet has given clearance to Coal India Ltd (CIL) for CBM exploration.

What do u mean by energy security ? discuss some of the energy resources of India.

Energy security refers to the uninterrupted availability of energy sources at an affordable price.Energy is the basic minimum requirment for the development of any nation therefore their is a  need to increase energy security globally.

Energy security has many aspects: long-term energy security is mainly linked to timely investments to supply energy in line with economic developments and environmental needs. On the other hand, short-term energy security focuses on the ability of the energy system to react promptly to sudden changes in the supply-demand balance.

National River Conservation Plan (NRCP)

 National River Conservation Plan (NRCP) is a centrally sponsored scheme being implemented by the central Government jointly with the State Government on a cost-sharing basis(70:30). The scheme presently cover identified polluted stretches of 39 major rivers in 185 towns spread over 20 States in the country.

The following pollution abatement works are taken up:

(i) Interception and Diversion works to capture the raw sewage flowing into the river through open drains and divert them for treatment . (I&D)

(ii) Sewage Treatment Plants for treating the diverted sewage. (STP)

Solar Cities

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy is implementing a programme on ‘Development of Solar Cities’ which aims to reduce a minimum of 10% of the projected demand of conventional energy of the city through renewable energy installations and energy efficiency measures. Sixty Cities are proposed to be developed as Solar Cities during the Eleventh Plan period including four Model Solar Cities and 10 Pilot Solar Cities. The Master plan for each Solar City is being prepared to assess and utilize various renewable sources including Solar, Wind, Municipal Waste etc.

Ministry is providing financial support up to Rs. 50 lakh for each solar city to the respective City Government for preparation of a master plan, setting-up institutional arrangements for the implementation of the master plan, awareness generation and capacity building activities.

Types of Trees/Vegetation and Types of Grasslands

Distiction between Hardwood and Softwoods:

The distinction is to do with plant reproduction. All trees reproduce by producing seeds.

1. Hardwood trees are angiosperms, plants that produce seeds with some sort of covering. This might be a fruit or a hard shell, such as an acorn from the Oak.
Softwoods are gymnosperms. They let seeds fall to the ground with no covering. Pine trees, which grow seeds in hard cones.

2. Hardwood/angiosperm trees lose their leaves during cold weather while Softwoods/gymnosperm trees keep their leaves all year round.

3.The density (or mass) of the wood is irrelevant.

Hardwood Trees(Angiosperms):
They are used for making furnitures,Transport and Construction Materials. They are Rosewood, Ebony, Mahagony, Sal, Teak, Neem, Shisham, Oak, Eucalyptus,Ash,Beech.

Softwood Trees(Gymnosperms):They are used for making Pulp which is used for Manufacturing Paper and Newspapers,Match Boxes and Packing Boxes.They are Chir, Pine, Cedar


Types of Trees in different Vegetations:

1. Tropical Evergreen contains Hardwood trees mostly.
2. Tropical Deciduos contains Hardwood Tree which shed their leaves(Sal, Teak, Neem, Shisham)
3. Temperate Evergreen contain both hardwood and softwood(Oak and Eucalyptus+Pine)
4. Temperate Deciduous  contain both hardwood mostly(oak, ash ,beech)
5. Mediteranian contains orchards(Orange, figs, apples, olives, grapes)
6. Coniferous Forests contains Softwood Trees such as Chir, Pine,Cedar.

Types of Grasslands:

Tropical Grasslands

• Savanna--East Africa
• Campos-Brazil
• Llanos-Venezuela

Temperate Grasslands

• Pampas -Argentina
• Prairies-Nort America
• Velds-South Africa
• Steppes-Central Asia
• Downs-Australia.

What is Phytoremediation? Discuss its applications.

Phytoremediation is the use of green plants for in situ risk reduction and removed of contaminants from contaminated soil, water, sediments and air. 

Phytore-mediation is used for the remediation of metals, radionuclides, pesticides, explosives, fuels, volatile organic compounds.

The principal application of phytore-mediation is for lightly contaminated soils, sludge's, and waters where the material to be treated is at a shallow or medium depth and the area to be treated is large, so that organic techniques are economical and applicable for both planting and harvesting.

Phytoremediation may be applied wherever the soil or static water environment has become polluted or is suffering ongoing chronic pollution. Examples-where phytoremediation has been used successfully include the restoration of abandoned metal-mine working, reducing the impact of sites where polychlorinated biphenyl have been dumped during manufacture and mitigation of on-going coal mine discharges.

Phytoremediation refers to the natural ability of certain plants called hyperaccumulators to bioaccumulate, degrade, or render harmless contaminants in soils, water of air. Contaminants such as metals, pesticides, solvents, explosives, and crude oil and its derivatives, have been mitigated phytoremediation projects worldwide.

Phytoremediation is considered a clean, cost-effective and non-environ-mentally disruptive technology, as opposed to mechanical cleanup methods such as soil excavation or pumping polluted ground-water. Over the past 20 years, this technology has become increasingly popular and has applied at sites with soils contaminated with lead, uranium, and arsenic.

PerFluoroTriButylAmine (PFTBA)

PerFluoroTriButylAmine (PFTBA) is a new greenhouse gas that is 7100 times more powerful than carbon dioxide to cause greenhouse effect which causes warming of the Earth.It has been in use by the electrical industry since the mid-20th century.

The discoverers have claimed that PFTBA which does not occur naturally has the highest radiative efficiency of any molecule detected in the atmosphere up to now.

The study showed that PFTBA was 7,100 times more powerful at warming the Earth over a 100-year time period than CO2. This gas remains in the atmosphere for about 500 years, and unlike CO2 which is absorbed by forests and oceans, there are no known natural “sinks” on Earth to absorb it.

The current concentration of PFTBA in the atmosphere is very low as compared to CO2 so it does not displace the focus of our concerns from the burning of fossil fuels such as oil and coal as the main drivers of climate change. However, higher concentration of the gas would contribute to a serious global warming.

National Green Tribunal

The tribunal Itis a special fast-track court to handle the expeditious disposal of the cases pertaining to environmental issues.It is set up under National Green Tribunal Act, 2010 (NGT) ,a federal legislation enacted by the Parliament of India, under India’s constitutional provision of Article 21, which assures the citizens of India the Right to a healthy environment. 

Recently,The National Green Tribunal (NGT) banned “unregulated open burning” of plastic, rubber or such other articles across the country.