Environment Booster

 Disaster Management History shows that India is exposed to national disasters. Cyclones, floods, earthquakes, droughts and floods are major threats. About 60 percent of the landmass is prone to earthquakes of various intensities, over 40 million hectares is prone to floods and 68 percent of the area is susceptible to drought. This not … Read more

 Soil conservation planning on watershed basis Watershed development activity was taken up in the country prior to independence in the state of Maharashtra (then Bombay state) as a scarcity relief work during drought years in which contour binding programme for conservation of moisture and control of soil erosion was mostly undertaken, After independence, … Read more

Constitutional provisions related to Environment and its Protection The protection and improvement of environment is a constitutional mandate. It is a commitment for a country wedded to the ideas of a welfare State. The Indian Constitution contains specific provisions for environment protection under the chapters of Directive Principles of State Policy and Fundamental Duties. The … Read more

The role of public servants in disaster management Role of state administration At the state level, disaster response, relief and rehabilitation are handled by Department of Relief and Rehabilitation. The focus of this department has generally been provision of post-calamity relief, The Chief Secretary is responsible for relief operations in the state and the Relief … Read more

 Transgenic Plants Transgenic plants are plants that have been genetically modified by inserting genes directly into a single plant cell. Transgenic crop plants modified for improved flavor, pest resistance, or some other useful property are being used increasingly.   Transgenic plants are unique in that they develop from only one plant cell. In … Read more

 Rain Water Harvesting Water forms the lifeline of any society. Water is essential for the environment, food security and sustainable development. All the known civilizations have flourished with water source as the base and it is true in the present context too. Availability of drinking water and provision of sanitation facilities are the … Read more

 Social Impact Assessment Social Impact Assessment includes the processes of analysing, monitoring and managing the intended and unintended social consequences, both positive and negative, of planned interventions (policies, programs, plans, projects) and any social change processes invoked by those interventions. Its primary purpose is to bring about a more sustainable and equitable biophysical … Read more

 Science and economics of climate change Science of climate change The atmosphere functions as a ‘greenhouse’ and insulates the earth from extremes of temperature. The greenhouse effect works in the following manner. Of the incoming short-wave radiation from the sun, one-third is reflected, and the atmosphere, ocean, ice, land, and biota absorb the … Read more

 Waste Water Management Water, food and energy securities are emerging as increasingly important and vital issues for India and the world. Most of the river basins in India and elsewhere are closing or closed and experiencing moderate to severe water shortages, brought on by the simultaneous effects of agricultural growth, industrialization and urbanization. … Read more

 Biosphere reserves What is a Biosphere Reserve? A Biosphere Reserve is a special ecosystem or a specialized environment with a flora and fauna that require protection and nurturing. These reserves are managed and studied for the conservation of various life forms found here. They are subjects of scientific and … Read more