General Awareness

ENVIRONMENT - January 2023

Jan 2023

Apr 10, 2023

PM Modi releases Tiger Census figures: Number grows to 3,167 in 2022

At the event to commemorate 50 years of 'Project Tiger', PM Modi also launched the International Big Cats Alliance.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday released the figures of the 5th cycle of India's Tiger Census revealing that tiger numbers have once again increased in the country and now stands at 3,167 in the wild as of 2022. The 2018 Tiger Census, released in July 2019, had established the presence of 2,967 tigers in India. The animal's population in the country has increased by 200 or 6.7 per cent in the past four years.
While the tiger numbers in the country stood at 1,411 in 2006, it increased to 1,706 in 2010 and 2,226 in the 2014 cycle of evaluations.
PM Modi released the Tiger Census while inaugurating the International Big Cat Alliance in Karnataka's Mysuru, the first of its kind in the country, organised to mark 50 years of Project Tiger. The three-day conference will focus on protection and conservation of seven major big cats of the world – tigers, lions, leopards, snow leopards, pumas, jaguars and cheetahs.

Periyar Tiger Reserve gets top rank in management review, none 'poor'

The Periyar Tiger Reserve in Kerala is the best-maintained of all tiger reserves in the country, according to the 5th cycle of Management Effectiveness Evaluation (MEE) carried out by the Centre and released Sunday alongside the Tiger Census.
While Periyar reserve has obtained an MEE score of 94.3%, it is followed closely by the Satpura Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh, Bandipur in Karnataka and Nagarhole in Karnataka.
The government has been using the MEE to assess tiger reserves across the country since its inception in 2006.
At present, the country has 998 Protected Areas – including 106 National Parks, 567 Wildlife Sanctuaries, 105 Conservation Reserves and 220 Community Reserves — covering 1,73,629 sq km or 5.28% of India's geographical area.
IUCN's World Commission on Protected Areas provides a framework for assessing the management effectiveness of protected areas through six criteria, which include existing values and threats, progresses through planning and allocation of resources as a result of management actions and its impacts.
"In the 5th cycle, there are 12 Tiger Reserves that have scored 90% and above and therefore a new category of 'Excellent' has been added," the report added.
Twelve 12 tiger reserves have ranked in the "Excellent" category, followed by 20 in the 'Very Good' category, 14 in the 'Good' category and 5 in the 'Fair' category. None of the country's tiger reserves was graded as 'Poor'

Apr 08, 2023

North India Accounts for 95% of Country's Groundwater Depletion

North India accounts for 95 per cent of the country's groundwater depletion, according to a study which found that rainfall increase in the future will be insufficient to fully recover the already depleted resources.
The researchers at Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar (IIT-GN) also found that groundwater depletion in India will continue until excessive pumping is limited, leading to water sustainability issues in the future.
The study analysed data from the Central Groundwater Board (CGWB) in-situ groundwater well levels and satellite observations to study groundwater storage variability.
The team, including Swarup Dangar, a PhD scholar in Civil Engineering at IIT Gandhinagar, then used global climate model projections having different future warming scenarios for hydrological model simulations.

Apr 06, 2023

Bandipur Completes 50 Years as a Project Tiger Reserve

Bandipur National Park, located in the southern Indian state of Karnataka, recently completed 50 years as a Project Tiger Reserve. The park, which spans an area of over 874 square kilometres, is home to a diverse range of flora and fauna, including tigers, elephants, Indian bison, and several species of birds and reptiles.
The park was initially established as a wildlife sanctuary in 1973, but it was later designated as a Project Tiger Reserve in 1974. Since then, it has played a vital role in the conservation of tigers and other endangered species in the region. Over the years, the park has become a popular destination for wildlife enthusiasts and nature lovers from around the world.
One of the key factors contributing to the success of the Bandipur Tiger Reserve is its rich biodiversity. The park is home to several species of plants and animals that are found nowhere else in the world. Its dense forests, grasslands, and water bodies provide a perfect habitat for tigers, elephants, and other wildlife.

Apr 05, 2023

World's Deepest-ever Fish Caught On Camera Off the Coast of Japan

Scientists filmed a fish swimming at an extraordinary depth in the ocean, making it the deepest observation of this nature that has ever been made.
The species - a type of snailfish of the genus Pseudoliparis - was filmed swimming at 8,336 m (27,349 ft).
It was filmed by an autonomous "lander" dropped into the Izu-Ogasawara Trench, south of Japan.
As per lead scientist, the snailfish could be at, or very close to, the maximum depth any fish can survive.
The previous deepest fish observation was made at 8,178 m, further south in the Pacific in the Mariana Trench. This discovery therefore beats the depth record by 158 m.

Deposits of 15 Rare Minerals Found in Andhra Pradesh

The Hyderabad-based National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI) found large deposits of 15 rare earth elements (REE) in the Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh. REE of the lanthanide series is a critical component used in many everyday electronic products like cellphones, televisions, computers and cars, as well as in a variety of industrial applications.
NGRI scientists conducted a survey looking for non-traditional rocks like syenites and successfully identified the host minerals. The major REE identified included ceriate, allanite, thorite, tantalite, columbite, apatite, monazite, zircon, pyrochlore, euxenite, and fluorite.
Earlier this year (2023), the Geological Survey of India (GSI) had found an estimated 5.9-million tonne lithium reserve in the Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir for the first time in the country. Lithium is an essential mineral for the production of solar panels and electric vehicles.

Apr 02, 2023

Mumbai Ranks among World's Tree-rich Cities 2022

India's commercial capital Mumbai was included in the World Tree City 2022 list, for the second consecutive year.
The Arbor Day Foundation Chief Executive Dan Lambe awarded the TCW certificate signed by Hiroto Mitsugi to the BMC authorities.
The United Nations Food & Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and ADF conducted the TCW programme and in the past 50 years, the ADF has planted more than 35 crore trees worldwide, with a target of 50 crore more trees by 2027.
Since 2019, the TCW was implemented to recognise efforts of cities globally that strive to balance the trees and environment and are included in the TCW list.

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