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NOTE: Please remember that following ‘answers’ are NOT ‘model answers’. They are NOT synopsis too if we go by definition of the term. What we are providing is content that both meets demand of the question and at the same time gives you extra points in the form of background information.
General Studies – 1
Topic: Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times.
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: New Indian Express
Additional reference: Class 11th Tamil Nadu History (New Edition)
Why the question: As Sangam poetry is often identified with Tamil centres such as Madurai and Kanchi, historians hardly used this literature for the study of South India except Tamil Nadu and Kerala to an extent because of the ambiguity of the geographical limit of Sangam cultural region.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about the various facets of Sangam literature and their relevance as historical texts.
Directive word:
Comment– here we must express our knowledge and understanding of the issue and form an overall opinion thereupon.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin by writing about the three Tamil Sangams and the formation of state in Southern India.
Body:
In the first part, write about I detail bring out the various dimensions of the Sangam texts – Ideals, ritualism, mysticism and tale of valor and love.
Next, write about Sangam literature ss historical texts, they give information about kings, dynasties, administration, taxes, trade and commerce, societal aspects etc. The classical epics also throw light on contemporary events as well as historical aspects. Show the refined and advanced nature of literature. Use various Sangam texts as examples to substantiate your points.
Write a few criticisms of Sangam literature as historical texts – lack of chronology, discontinuities etc.
Conclusion:
Conclude by giving your opinion of Sangam texts as source of history.
Introduction
The Sangam Age constitutes an important chapter in the history of South India. According to Tamil legends, there existed three Sangams (Academy of Tamil poets) in ancient Tamil Nadu popularly called Muchchangam. These Sangams flourished under the royal patronage of the Pandyas.
Body
Background
- The first Sangam, held at then Madurai, was attended by gods and legendary sages but no literary work of this Sangam was available.
- The second Sangam was held at Kapadapuram but the all the literary works had perished except Tolkappiyam.
- The third Sangam at Madurai was founded by Mudathirumaran. It was attended by a large number of poets who produced voluminous literature but only a few had survived.
Sangam Literature: Literary masterpiece
- The corpus of Sangam literature includes Tolkappiyam, Ettutogai, Pattuppattu, Pathinenkilkanakku, and the two epics- Silappathigaram and Manimegalai.
- It is a work on Tamil grammar but it provides information on the political and socio- economic conditions of the Sangam period.
- Both Ettutogai and Pattuppattu were divided into two main groups – Aham (love) and Puram (valour).
- Pathinenkilkanakku contains eighteen works mostly dealing with ethics and morals. The most important among them is Tirukkural authored by Thiruvalluvar.
- Silappathigaram written by Elango Adigal and Manimegalai by Sittalai Sattanar also provides valuable information on the Sangam polity and society.
Sangam Literature: source of Ancient Indian history
- Political history: The Tamil country was ruled by three dynasties namely the Chera, Chola and Pandyas during the Sangam Age. The political history of these dynasties can be traced from the literary references.
- Position of women: There is a plenty of information in the Sangam literature to trace the position of women during the Sangam age. Women poets like Avvaiyar, Nachchellaiyar, and Kakkaipadiniyar flourished in this period and contributed to Tamil literature. The courage of women was also appreciated in many poems.
- Sangam Society: Tolkappiyam refers to the five-fold division of lands – Kurinji (hilly tracks), Mullai (pastoral), Marudam (agricultural), Neydal (coastal) and Palai (desert).
- Tolkappiyam also refers to four castes namely arasar, anthanar, vanigar and vellalar.
- The ruling class was called arasar. Anthanars played a significant role in the Sangam polity and religion. Vanigars carried on trade and commerce. The vellalars were agriculturists.
- Sangam Polity: Hereditary monarchy was the form of government during the Sangam period. Land revenue was the chief source of state’s income while custom duty was also imposed on foreign trade.
- Trade: Both internal and foreign trade was well organized and briskly carried on in the Sangam Age. The Sangam literature, Greek and Roman accounts and the archaeological evidences provide detailed information on this subject.
- Spinning and weaving of cotton and silk clothes attained a high quality.
- The poems mention the cotton clothes as thin as a cloud of steam or a slough of a snake.
- There was a great demand in the western world for the cotton clothes woven at Uraiyur.
- Agriculture: Agriculture was the chief occupation. Rice was the common crop. Ragi, sugarcane, cotton, pepper, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon and a variety of fruits were the other crops.
However, there are dispute among the exact period of sangam age and its chronology. The most probable date of the Sangam literature has been fixed between the third century B.C. to third century A.D. on the basis of literary, archaeological and numismatic evidences.
Conclusion
The Sangam age Tamil literary works remain useful sources to reconstruct the history of the period providing major insights into the social and economic life of people, especially in the Southern India.
Topic: geographical features and their location-changes in critical geographical features (including water-bodies and ice-caps) and in flora and fauna and the effects of such changes.
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: Indian Express
Why the question:
The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the funding and implementation of the Ken-Betwa river interlinking project at a cost of ₹44,605 crore at the 2020-21 price level. The Centre would fund ₹39,317 crore for the project, with ₹36,290 crore as a grant and ₹3,027 crore as a loan.
Key Demand of the question:
to analyse if interlinking of river in India is a sustainable water management practice.
Directive word:
Critically analyze – When asked to analyse, you must examine methodically the structure or nature of the topic by separating it into component parts and present them in a summary. When ‘critically’ is suffixed or prefixed to a directive, one needs to look at the good and bad of the topic and give a balanced judgment on the topic.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin the answer by giving context.
Body:
First, write about the National River Linking Project (NRLP) formally known as the National Perspective Plan, envisages the transfer of water from water ‘surplus’ basins where there is flooding, to water ‘deficit’ basins where there is drought/scarcity, through inter-basin water transfer projects.
Briefly present the history behind River Interlinking in the country. Present the scope of the project and then critically evaluate the concerns posed by it as well as its benefits.
Conclusion:
Conclude with a fair and balanced opinion.
Introduction
The river interlinking project aims to link India’s rivers by a network of reservoirs and canals that will allow for their water capacities to be shared and redistributed. Some experts claim that this is an engineered panacea that will reduce persistent floods in some parts and water shortages in other parts besides facilitating the generation of hydroelectricity for an increasingly power hungry country.
Body
Background
- The Union Cabinet recently approved the funding and implementation of Ken-Betwa inter-linking of rivers project with a total cost of Rs 44,605 crore.
- The project has a deadline of eight years.
- The project will provide an annual irrigation of 10.62 lakh ha, drinking water supply to a population of about 62 lakhs and also generate 103 MW of hydropower.
- The project will be of immense benefit to the water-starved Bundelkhand region, spread across the states of MP and UP.
- The project is expected to boost socio-economic prosperity in the backward Bundelkhand region on account of increased agricultural activities and employment generation.
- It would also help in arresting distress migration from this region.
Potential of River linking projects
- India receives most of its rain during monsoon season from June to September, most of it falls in northern and eastern part of India, the amount of rainfall in southern and western part are comparatively low. It will be these places which will have shortage of water. Interlinking of rivers will help these areas to have water throughout the year.
- This will cut farmers dependence on monsoon rains by bringing millions of hectares of cultivatable land under irrigation.
- Crop productivity would increase and so would revenues for the State.
- Even one bad monsoon has a direct and debilitating economic impact.
- The river linking project will ease the water shortages in western and southern India while mitigating the impacts of recurrent floods in eastern India.
- The Ganga Basin, Brahmaputra basin sees floods almost every year. In order to avoid this, the water from these areas has to be diverted to other areas where there is scarcity of water. This can be achieved by linking the rivers. There is a two way advantage with this – floods will be controlled and scarcity of water will be reduced.
- Simultaneous floods and droughts continue to wreak havoc, destroying the lives and livelihoods of millions.
- India needs clean energy to fuel its development processes, and river water can be leveraged for this.
- Fulfilling water needs impact socio-economic life of people which will help end poverty.
- Need for interlinking of rivers to prevent inter-state water disputes.
- Potential benefits to transportation through navigation, as well as broadening income sources in rural areas through fishing.
Challenges posed
- The idea that river linking would allow us to cope with flood in the north east and shortage of water in the Deccan is the positive aspect as pointed earlier but misleading one too.
- This floods come at the time when most parts of the country run short of water, we need to hold the water somewhere to use it in dry season but the amount of flowing in the short period of time in Brahmaputra and Ganga is so huge to store and use it later.
- Variability in rainfall is high which is the main source in the country, flood and drought simultaneously within the states of Bihar and Maharashtra.
- Irrigation potential from interlinking rivers will have limited impact. The net national irrigated area from big dams has decreased and India’s irrigated area has gone up primarily due to groundwater.
- Interlinking of rivers is a very expensive proposal. The amount required for these projects is so huge that government will have to take loans from the foreign sources which would increase the burden on the government and country will fall in a debt trap.
- The river interlinking project will adversely affect land, forests, biodiversity, rivers and the livelihood of millions of people.
- The Ken-Betwa link threatens about 200 sq. km of the Panna tiger reserve.
- Interlinking of rivers will lead to destruction of forests, wetlands and local water bodies, which are major groundwater recharge mechanisms.
- Less than positive experience that other countries have, like diversion of Amu Darya and the Syr Darya or the Australia’s experiments in its Murray Darling basin.
- It causes massive displacement of people. Huge burden on the government to deal with the issue of rehabilitation of displaced people.
- Due to interlinking of rivers, there will be decrease in the amount of fresh water entering seas and this will cause a serious threat to the marine life.
- The Shah committee pointed out that the linking of rivers will affect natural supply of nutrients for agricultural lands through curtailing flooding of downstream areas.
Way forward
- To look at water as a strategic resource for development.
- Environment is one issue where anyone of us should be concerned about.
- Best practices done by China and neighbouring countries needs to be looked upon.
- The biggest, cheapest, most benign, possibly fastest and most decentralized storage option for India is the groundwater
- Invest in water conservation, more efficient irrigation and better farm practices.
- Recycling of water for internal usage as that of Israel.
- We need a mandatory enforceable river policy aimed at treating rivers as national treasure.
- Accumulation of silt in huge quantities, particularly the Ganga and its tributaries. These rivers need to be desilted.
- River linking in the south and other parts which was undertaken in the past has been going well so such model needs to be taken forward.
- Planting trees on the river banks is one way of bringing life back to the rivers.
- Forest catchments will need to be restored, wastewater from industries and towns will need to be treated, sand mining need to be stopped.
- Need to build the responsibility, capability and accountability in our water management institutions to revive our rivers.
- The judicious use of canal water, growing crops that are appropriate to a region, encouraging drip irrigation and reviving traditional systems such as tanks.
Conclusion
The river linking project is a great challenge and an opportunity to address the water issues arising out of climate change. The long-term solution to water scarcity lies in making the IRL project work by building a network of dams and canals across the length and breadth of the country. However, interlinking has to take place after a detailed study so that does not cause any problem to the environment or aquatic life.
General Studies – 2
Topic: Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes;
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: The Hindu
Why the question:
The sustained rise in the price of LPG cylinders has been burning a hole in many a household budget for more than a year now. The price of LPG refills has risen by more than 50% to over ₹900 per cylinder in November this year compared to around ₹600 over the past year.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about aims of Ujjwala 2.0, the bottlenecks that the poor face in accessing LPG and to suggest measures to overcome those.
Directive word:
Evaluate – When you are asked to evaluate, you must pass a sound judgement about the truth of the given statement in the question or the topic based on evidence. You must appraise the worth of the statement in question. There is scope for forming an opinion here.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin by explaining the aims and objectives of Ujjwala 2.0 (Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana).
Body:
Write a brief comparison with its earlier version, its successes and limitations and how Ujjwala 2.0 is an improvement over its previous version.
Next, write about the various impediments like affordability, administrative issues, low value for women’s labour etc poor face while accessing LPG which causes them to continue to use firewood and cow dung as fuel.
Write the measures that need to be taken to enhance and promote the usage of LPG. Mention the aspect of integrating other forms clean energy apart from LPG which is accessible and affordable.
Conclusion:
Conclude with a way forward.
Introduction
The sustained rise in the price of LPG cylinders has been burning a hole in many a household budget for more than a year now. The price of LPG refills has risen by more than 50% to over ₹900 per cylinder in November 2021 compared to around ₹600 over the past year.
With no refill subsidies in place since May 2020, there is genuine concern about many households now slipping back to using polluting solid fuels for cooking, such as firewood and dung cakes.
Body
Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana: Key features
- Ujjwala 1.0: Under Ujjwala 1.0, the target was to provide LPG connections to 50 million women from the below poverty line (BPL) households, by March 2020. However, in August 2018, women from seven other categories were brought under the purview of the scheme.
- In the first phase of the PMUY, 8 crore poor families, including from the Dalit and tribal communities, were given free cooking gas connections.
- The LPG infrastructure has expanded manifold in the country. In the last six years, more than 11,000 new LPG distribution centres have opened across the country.
- Ujjwala 2.0: Under Ujjwala 2.0, an additional 10 million LPG connections will be provided to the beneficiaries.
- Government has also fixed a target of providing piped gas to 21 lakh homes in 50 districts.
Issues faced while accessing LPG cylinders
- Around 30% of Indian households continue to rely on biomass as their primary cooking fuel, mainly due to high LPG prices.
- The practice of biomass usage is predominantly concentrated in rural areas, particularly among States such as Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal.
- Easy availability of free biomass and lack of home delivery of LPG refills further reduce the efficacy of LPG as a reliable and affordable proposition.
- Given the loss of incomes and livelihoods during the novel coronavirus pandemic, the ability of households to afford LPG on a regular basis has taken a further hit.
- There are deficiencies such as the issuance of connections to unintended beneficiaries, and problems with the software of the state-run oil marketing companies for identifying intended beneficiaries and inadequacies in the deduplication process.
Measures needed for sustained use of biomass
- Subsidy reinstatement: There is a need to reinstate the subsidies on LPG refill for low-income households.
- At the current refill prices, an average Indian household would have to spend around 10% of its monthly expense on LPG to meet all its cooking energy needs.
- Identifying true beneficiaries: The Government can also explore diverse approaches to identify beneficiaries.
- This may include limiting the subsidy provision to seven to eight LPG refills annually and excluding well-to-do households using robust indicators.
- For instance, lowering the income-based exclusion limit for LPG subsidy to ₹2,50,000 a year from ₹10 lakh a year or excluding families owning a non-commercial four-wheeler vehicle can significantly reduce the number of eligible beneficiaries.
- Home delivery of LPG: Only half the rural LPG users receive home delivery of LPG refills, while the rest have to travel about five kilometres one way to procure a cylinder.
- Gaps in the doorstep delivery of LPG cylinders are also present in urban pockets, particularly in slum areas. These need to be rectified.
Conclusion
It is credible that government launched Ujjawala 2.0 scheme to distribute 10 million additional free LPG connections to poorer households. It also shows government’s commitment towards promoting clean cooking energy access. But ensuring affordability and timely availability of LPG cylinders for refills would be a must to wean households away from polluting biomass and reap the benefits of the investments made in the Ujjwala scheme over the past five years. Such efforts would go a long way in improving the health and well-being of our citizens.
Topic: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian diaspora.
Difficulty level: Tough
Reference: The Hindu , Indian Express
Why the question:
The U.S. government said on December 6 it will stage what it called a “diplomatic boycott” of the Winter Olympics, set to begin in Beijing on February 4.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about the long term approach with emphasis on rule of law and democracy in Myanmar.
Directive word:
Analyse – When asked to analyse, you must examine methodically the structure or nature of the topic by separating it into component parts and present them in a summary.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin by giving context.
Body:
In the first part, Explain the nuances of new cold war, role of China and the U.S – the various recent developments like formation of AUKUS, QUAD and China’s BRI. Link these developments the New Cold war.
Next, bring out the relative comparison with U.S-U.S.S.R cold war and mention how these are fundamentally different.
Discuss how should India should navigate the tides moving forward.
Conclusion:
Conclude by way forward for maintaining a rule based multilateral order.
Introduction
The relationship between the US and China was already teetering close to the edge of a cliff before COVID-19, but the pandemic pushed it right off. Recently, USA boycotted the Beijing Winter olympics, which was followed by Australia citing China’s human rights record in Xinjiang. The two nations have clashed over trade, Taiwan and the South China Sea among other issues, even though their two leaders, in a virtual summit last month, agreed to “responsibly” manage an increasingly competitive relationship.
Body
Background of US-China relations in recent times
- The boycott announcement came days ahead of U.S. President Joe Biden’s “Summit of Democracy”, with leaders and representatives from more than 100 countries; China and Russia were not invited.
- China has seized upon both theS. boycott and the democracy summit to launch a counter campaign.
- This week, China’s government released a white paper on democracy, saying there was “no fixed model” and criticising the S. system for its “money politics”.
- Trade Disruption: What started as a trade war between the United States and China is quickly escalating into a death match for global economic, technological, and military dominance.
- Economic ramifications: Accordingly, the US is sharply restricting Chinese foreign direct investment in sensitive sectors, and pursuing other actions to ensure Western dominance in strategic industries such as artificial intelligence and 5G.
- It is pressuring partners and allies not to participate in the Belt and Road Initiative, China’s massive program to build infrastructure projects across the Eurasian landmass.
- Aggressive patrols: US is increasing Navy patrols in the East and South China Seas, where China has grown more aggressive in asserting its dubious territorial claims.
Will it lead to New Cold War?
- A battle of ideologies that is being seen between US and China, has led to scholars term the rivalry as a start of new cold war.
- Last year, USA’s handling of Covid-19 crisis was criticised heavily and people were in awe of China which contained the pandemic within 3 months. It has fuelled a debate on the superiority of the Chinese Model as an alternative to democracy.
- Lines are beginning to be drawn between the Americans on the one side and China on the other. A binary choice is likely to test to the limit, India’s capacity to maintain strategic and decisional autonomy.
- De-globalization: A full-scale cold war thus could trigger a new stage of de-globalization, or at least a division of the global economy into two incompatible economic blocs.
- In either scenario, trade in goods, services, capital, labor, technology, and data would be severely restricted, and the digital realm would become a “splinternet,” wherein Western and Chinese nodes would not connect to one another.
- Now that the US has imposed sanctions on ZTE and Huawei, China will be scrambling to ensure that its tech giants can source essential inputs domestically, or at least from friendly trade partners that are not dependent on the US.
- Bipolar world again: In this balkanized world, China and the US will both expect all other countries to pick a side, while most governments will try to thread the needle of maintaining good economic ties with both.
- After all, many US allies now do more business (in terms of trade and investment) with China than they do with America.
- Yet in a future economy where China and the US separately control access to crucial technologies such as AI and 5G, the middle ground will most likely become uninhabitable.
- Everyone will have to choose, and the world may well enter a long process of de-globalization.
Conclusion
The Sino-American relationship will be the key geopolitical issue of this century. Some degree of rivalry is inevitable. But, ideally, both sides would manage it constructively, allowing for cooperation on some issues and healthy competition on others. In effect, China and the US would create a new international order, based on the recognition that the (inevitably) rising new power should be granted a role in shaping global rules and institutions.
General Studies – 3
Topic: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment
Difficulty level: Easy
Reference: Insights on India
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 3 and mentioned as part of Mission-2022 Secure timetable.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about the importance of wetland ecosystem.
Elucidate – Give a detailed account as to how and why it occurred, or what is the context. You must be defining key terms wherever appropriate and substantiate with relevant associated facts.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin by defining a wetland and its types.
Body:
Write about the various functions performed by a wetland- water-related ecosystem services, productive areas for plant life and animals, major habitat for most of the world’s waterbirds and key habitat for migratory species, important source of food and high recreational, historical, scientific, and cultural values.
Conclusion:
Conclude by summarising their importance.
Introduction
Wetlands are ecotones between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. They get periodically get inundated with water. They support a flourishing community of aquatic organisms including frogs and other amphibians. Swamps, marshes and mangroves are examples of wetlands. Wetlands are indispensable for the countless benefits or “ecosystem services” that they provide humanity, ranging from freshwater supply, food and building materials, and biodiversity, to flood control, groundwater recharge, and climate change mitigation.
The total number of Ramsar sites in India are 46 in the country. Wetlands declared as Ramsar sites are protected under strict guidelines.
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Critical role played by Wetlands in the Ecological conservation of Earth:
- Carbon Sequestration: Swamps, mangroves, peat lands, mires and marshes play an important role in carbon cycle. Wetland soils may contain as much as 200 times more carbon than its vegetation.
- g.: In India, coastal wetlands are playing a major role in carbon sequestration. The total extent of coastal ecosystems (including mangroves) in India is around 43000 km. Overall, mangroves are able to sequester about 1.5 metric tonne of carbon per hectare per year and the upper layers of mangrove sediments have high carbon content, with conservative estimates indicating the levels of 10 percent.
- Flood attenuation: Wetlands function as natural sponges that trap and slowly release surface water, rain, snowmelt, groundwater and flood waters. Many water-stressed regions in South Africa are subject to high intensity rainfall over very short periods, often resulting in flash floods. Wetlands are effective in spreading out and slowing down floodwaters, thereby reducing the severity of floods downstream.
- g.: A large network of lakes and ponds in major cities like Srinagar, Bhopal, Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad were constructed with the objective of flood control
- Regulation of stream flow & groundwater recharge: wetlands are often compared to sponges, in their ability to absorb water in wet periods, and release it during dry periods. The absorption thus helps in groundwater recharging too.
- g.: floodplains of rivers like Ganga and Brahmaputra
- Nutrient assimilation & recycling: removal by the wetland of phosphates and nitrates carried by runoff water. This takes place through the presence of wetland vegetation and the action of anaerobic bacteria (which would otherwise not exist in fast-flowing, energised streams or rivers). Thus, they help in nutrients recycling and they carry out water purification by filtration of sediments and nutrients from surface water.
- Erosion control: wetlands can limit the extent of erosion, predominantly through the protection provided by vegetation, and through their ability to reduce stream flow velocity. Buffer (act as a riparian buffer) shorelines against erosion and pollutants.
- g.: the mangroves along the sea shores, especially on the western coast in West Bengal and Odisha have been playing a major role in protecting the coastal environment from the destruction of cyclones that frequently emanate in the Bay of Bengal.
- Microclimate regulation: Wetland ecosystems play an important role in regulating local and regional climates through evaporative cooling effects that affect the exchange of energy and water with atmosphere.
- g.: For every land cover type in wetlands, vegetation has a better stabilizing effect on temperature, whereas a water body has a better stabilizing effect on wind speed and humidity. Dal lake in Kashmir has a cooling effect on surroundings.
- Promotes Biodiversity: Wetlands are important in supporting species diversity. Because wetlands provide an environment where photosynthesis can occur and where the recycling of nutrients can take place, they play a significant role in the support of food chains.
- g.: In India lakes, rivers and other freshwater bodies support a large diversity of biota representing almost all taxonomic groups. For example, freshwater ecosystems of Western Ghats alone have 290 species of fish. Similarly, Loktak Lake is famous for being the only refuge of the endangered Sangai (Manipur brow-antlered deer).
- Productive Ecosystem: Wetlands are among the most productive ecosystems in the world, comparable to rain forests and coral reefs. An immense variety of species of microbes, plants, insects, amphibians, reptiles, birds, fish and mammals can be part of a wetland ecosystem.
- g.: In many such wetland areas of India, like Bharatpur wild life sanctuary in Rajasthan, and little Rann of Kutch and coastal areas of Saurashtra in Gujarat, many migratory species of birds, including siberian crane, from western and European countries come during winter.
- Promotes Genetic diversity: They act as a genetic reservoir for various species of plants, especially rice.
- Tourism: Wet-lands such as coral reefs, beaches, reservoirs, lakes and rivers are considered to be a significant part of the tourism experience in the country.
- For instance, as per an estimate, every year, around seven million tourist visit Kerala’s backwaters, beaches and wildlife sanctuaries, 3 million visit Uttarakhand’s lakes and other natural wetlands and one million visit Dal lake in Jammu and Kashmir.
- Cultural Significance: Wetlands especially lakes and ponds are intrinsically linked to the local culture. They are revered by the masses in recognition of the fact that they are the means of sustenance of their livelihood.
- g. Pushkar lake in Rajasthan and Ramappa lake in Telangana
Measures needed
- Protection: The primary necessity today is to protect the existing wetlands. Of the many wetlands in India only around 68 wetlands are protected. But there are thousands of other wetlands that are biologically and economically important but have no legal status.
- Planning, managing and monitoring: Wetlands that come under the Protected area network have management plans but others do not. It is important for various stakeholders along with the local community and corporate sector to come together for an effective management plan. Active monitoring of these wetland systems over a period of time is essential.
- Comprehensive inventory: There has been no comprehensive inventory of all the Indian wetlands despite the efforts by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Asian Wetland Bureau and World Wide Fund for Nature. The inventory should involve the flora, fauna, and biodiversity along with values. It should take into account the various stakeholders in the community too.
- Legislation: Although several laws protect wetlands there is no special legislation pertaining specially to these ecosystems. Environment Impact Assessment needed for major development projects highlighting threats to wetlands need to be formulated.
- Coordinated approach: Since wetlands are common property with multi-purpose utility, their protection and management also need to be a common responsibility.
- Research: There is a necessity for research in the formulation of national strategy to understand the dynamics of these ecosystems. This could be useful for the planners to formulate strategies for the mitigation of pollution.
- Building awareness: For achieving any sustainable success in the protection of these wetlands, awareness among the general public, educational and corporate institutions must be created.
Conclusion
Communities engage with wetlands in various ways – from seeking livelihoods to spiritual fulfilment. The values community hold for wetlands are expressed in diverse ways. It is important to integrate community linkages in wetlands management planning, and incentivize community stewardship. This is crucial as over 85% of wetlands in India are in the form of village ponds and tanks.
Topic: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: Insights on India
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 3 and mentioned as part of Mission-2022 Secure timetable.
Key Demand of the question:
To explain the importance of mangroves and to bring out the various threats faced by them.
Directive:
Comment- here we have to express our knowledge and understanding of the issue and form an overall opinion thereupon.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin the answer by briefly writing about mangroves and their ecosystem.
Body:
You can draw simple and illustrative of map showing important mangroves.
Write about the role of mangroves as the first line of defense against erosion and flooding. Also mention about the other ecological benefits of mangroves as well as its unique flora and fauna.
Next, write about the various threats that mangroves are facing which is making them ecologically fragile and climatically vulnerable such as Coastal development, clearing for agriculture, excessive Aquaculture &Salt Production, River changes: Dams and irrigation, Destruction of coral reefs, Pollution and Climate change etc. Cite necessary examples, facts and figures to substantiate your point.
Conclusion:
Write a way forward to protect the Mangrove ecosystem of India.
Introduction
Mangroves are the characteristic littoral plant formation of tropical and subtropical sheltered coastlines. They exhibit remarkable capacity for salt water tolerance, strong wind velocity, varying tides and high temperature. E.g.: Rhizophora, Avicenia, Bruguiera etc. Total cover of Mangroves in India is about 4,975 sq km as per latest State of Forest Report 2019.
Body
Ecological Services by Mangroves:
- Mangrove plants have (additional) special roots such as prop roots, pneumatophores which help to impede water flow and thereby enhance the deposition of sediment in areas (where it is already occurring), stabilize the coastal shores, provide breeding ground for fishes.
- Mangroves moderate monsoonal tidal floods and reduce inundation of coastal lowlands.
- They prevent coastal soil erosion.
- They protect coastal lands from tsunami, hurricanes and floods.
- Mangroves enhance natural recycling of nutrients.
- Mangrove supports numerous flora, avifauna and wild life.
- Provide a safe and favourable environment for breeding, spawning, rearing of several fishes.
- They supply woods, fire wood, medicinal plants and edible plants to local people.
- They provide numerous employment opportunities to local communities and augments their livelihood.
A scientific study reported that 100 per cent of mangrove species, 92 per cent of mangrove associates, 60.8 per cent of algae, 23.8 per cent of invertebrates and 21.1 per cent of fish are under threat.
Natural forces due to climate change:
- Sea-level rise: Mangrove systems do not keep pace with changing sea-level and fall
- Extreme high-water events: affect the position and health including through altered sediment elevation and sulphide soil toxicity
- Storms: increase damage to mangroves through defoliation and tree mortality and they collapse
- Precipitation: decreased rainfall and increased evaporation will increase salinity, decreasing net primary productivity, growth
- Temperature: Changing species composition, Changing phenological patterns (e.g., timing of flowering and fruiting)
- Ocean circulation patterns: affect mangrove propagule dispersal and the genetic structure of mangrove populations, with concomitant effects on mangrove community structure.
Anthropogenic activities:
- Mangroves are being destroyed and facing severe threats due to urbanization, industrialization, and discharge of domestic sewage, industrial effluents and pesticides.
- Saltpans and aquaculture also pose major threat to the mangroves.
- 40% of mangrove forests in West Coast of India have been converted into farmlands and housing colonies over the last three decades.
- Some of the mangrove species like Bruguiera cylindrica and Sonneratia acida are at the verge of extinction.
- Due to shrimp farming, about 35,000 ha of mangroves have been lost in India.
Scientific Management of Mangroves
- Nationwide mapping of the mangrove areas, by remote sensing techniques coupled with land surveys, and time series to assess the rate of degradation of the ecosystems.
- Quantitative surveys of area, climatic regime, rate of growth of forest trees and seasonal variations of environmental parameters.
- Inclusion of mangrove species under threat in the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red list. g. Sonneratia griffithii in India
- Assessment of suitable sites for reserve forests. g.: Artificial regeneration through mangrove nurseries or aerial seeding.
- Joint management of mangroves with local community participation.
- Disease and pest control. g.: Crab cuts are prevented by painting hypocotyls in yellow or Placing seedlings inside bamboo containers.
- Afforestation of degraded mangrove areas;
- Study of management methods, the ecology of mangroves, their flora and fauna, their microbiology and the biochemistry of organic matter and sediments.
- Mangroves for Future is a unique partner-led initiative for coastal ecosystem conservation. This project is being coordinated by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) covering, initially, eight countries (including India) in South Asia, South East Asia and Western Indian Ocean, for the protection of the mangroves.
- The mangroves have been afforded protection under Category I (ecologically sensitive) of the CRZ.
Conclusion:
An increase of 54 sq. km in mangrove cover has been observed as notes in SFR 2019. There is a need to build on this progress for stabilization of low-lying coastal lands. Mangroves being natural filters of pollutants from water, it becomes even more necessary to conserve them.
Value addition
Characteristics:
- Mangroves are salt tolerant trees, also called halophytes, which survive high salinity, tidal regimes, strong wind velocity, high temperature and muddy anaerobic soil – a combination of conditions hostile for other plants.
- The mangrove ecosystems constitute a symbiotic link or bridge between terrestrial and marine ecosystems.
- They are found in the inter-tidal zones of sheltered shore, estuaries, creeks, backwaters, lagoons, marshes and mud-flats.
General Studies – 4
Topic: Ethics and Human Interface: Essence, determinants and consequences of Ethics in-human actions; dimensions of ethics;
7. Is abortion morally justified? debate on the ethicality of abortions. (150 words)
Difficulty level: Moderate
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 4 and part of ‘Abstract Thursdays’ in Mission-2022 Secure.
Key Demand of the question:
To debate upon the ethicality of abortion.
Directive word:
Debate – Weigh up to what extent something is true. Persuade the reader of your argument by citing relevant research but also remember to point out any flaws and counter- arguments as well. Conclude by stating clearly how far you agree with the original proposition.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin by giving context and mentioning the ethical dilemmas associated with the act of abortion.
Body:
First, argue on the how abortion is unethical on the basis of abortion is deliberate killing of an innocent human being, A foetus as Moral personhood, Rights of the foetus and Causing pain.
Next, argue on the side of ethicality of abortion. foetus is not necessarily a ‘person’, rights of the mother’s bodily autonomy, dangers to mothers’ health etc.
Conclusion:
Pass a balanced judgement on the ethicality of the act of abortion.
Introduction
Termination of pregnancy (TOP) or foeticide is ethically and morally challenging and maybe considered illegal in countries with restrictive abortion laws. Ethical dilemmas such as women’s autonomy rights may conflict with foetus’ right to personhood, and doctor’s moral obligations to society. In liberal jurisdictions, previable foetuses may not have legal rights of personhood; therefore, appropriate action would be to respect pregnant women’s decisions regarding TOP.
Body:
Pro-choice versus Pro-life:
Pro Choice:
- If a pregnancy puts the life of the mother at risk, then we should consider the value of the foetus compared to the value of the life of the mother.
- An unwanted child does not have a good life. If a mother has a child that she does not want, then both she and the child may be greatly harmed; forcing the mother to continue with the pregnancy might produce a child with little chance of a happy life for itself and cause the mother much suffering as:
- Mother should have a right to control her own life, at least to the extent that in doing so she does minimal harm to herself.
- The right to abortion is vital for gender equality. The right to abortion is vital for individual women to achieve their full potential.
- Banning abortion puts women at risk by forcing them to use illegal methods that may be more harmful.
- But on the other hand the right to life should always outweigh the right of an individual to equalityor to control their own. It can be misused.
Pro Life:
- Foetus has the right to life because it is a ‘potential human being’.
- The ‘potential human being’ argument gives the right to life to the unborn from the very earliest stage of development – the moment when the egg is fertilised.
- This argument renders irrelevant any concerns about what sort of being the foetus is at any particular stage of its development.
The new-born argument
- One of the strongest arguments for giving the full rights of person to the foetus because it is a potential person flows from the status of a new born baby.
- At birth a new born baby possesses so few of the characteristics required for ‘moral personhood’ that its right to life can’t be based on it being a ‘moral person’.
- Nonetheless, everyone does accept that it has a right to life – even those who follow the ‘moral person’ line of thought.
- This right to life seems to flow from the potential that the new-born has to become a ‘moral person’, and this in turn seems to support the argument that a potential ‘moral person’ has the right to life.
Conclusion:
The right to life underlies all other human rights – if we protect those rights, we should protect the right to life as well. Abortion is a civil rights issue in that some of those who support abortion do as a way of controlling the growth of certain population groups. Abortion is sometimes forced on women by exploiting partners or families. Abortion is sometimes forced on women because society fails to supply their needs. Parents have an obligation to their unborn children – it is wrong for them to escape it. Abortion brutalises those who carry it out, or who are involved in the process.
Value addition:
Views of religion:
All the religions have taken strong positions on abortion; they believe that the issue encompasses profound issues of life and death, right and wrong, human relationships and the nature of society, that make it a major religious concern.
People involved in an abortion are usually affected very deeply not just emotionally, but often spiritually, as well. They often turn to their faith for advice and comfort, for explanation of their feelings, and to seek atonement and a way to deal with their feelings of guilt.
As per Stanley Hauwer was “For no amount of ethical reflection will ever change the basic fact that tragedy is a reality of our lives. A point is reached where we must have the wisdom to cease ethical reflection and affirm that certain issues indicate a reality more profound than the ethical.”
Pro-Choice:
These are the proponents who support choice of child bearer and hence support the cause of abortion at will.
Pregnant woman has moral rights too
- Under some circumstances these may override the foetus’s right to live
- These moral rights include:
- The right to ownership of her own body
- The right to decide her own future
- The right to take decisions without moral or legal intervention by others
- The pregnant woman has the right to life – where not aborting the foetus would put the mother’s life or health in danger, she has the moral right to abort the foetus
Pro Life:
These are proponents who support life in consideration i.e. the foetus which is considered life from the women’s womb itself.
Killing people is wrong
- Killing innocent human beings is wrong
- Human life begins at conception
- Therefore, the foetus is an innocent human being
- Therefore, killing the foetus is wrong
- Therefore, abortion is always wrong
Killing potential people is wrong
- It is wrong to destroy potential human life
- From conception onwards the foetus is a potential human being
- Therefore, it is wrong to destroy the foetus
- Therefore, abortion is always wrong
Increasing tolerance of killing is wrong
- Allowing abortion is legalising killing
- Legalising killing reduces people’s respect for life
- Reducing society’s respect for life is a bad thing – it may lead to euthanasia, genocide and increased murder rates
- Therefore, abortion is always wrong
Philosopher Ted Lockhart has come up with a practical solution for dealing with moral problems that can be used to decide whether or not to abort a foetus. Lockhart suggests that we should “perform actions that we are maximally confident are morally permissible”. Where we have to make a moral choice, we should take the course of action that we are most confident is morally correct.
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