October 2020 Environment

Sakshi Education

Kabartal Wetland (Bihar) and Asan Conservation Reserve designated as New Ramsar Sites
Kabartal Wetland (Bihar) and Asan Conservation Reserve (Uttrakhand) have been designated as Ramsar sites, making them ‘Wetlands of International Importance’.

Earlier in 2020, India designated 10 more wetlands as a Ramsar site, taking the total number from 27 to 37.

With 2 more inclusions, the total number of Ramsar sites in India is 39, the highest in South Asia.

BACKGROUND:
Kabartal Wetland Also known as Kanwar Jheel, it covers 2,620 hectares of the Indo-Gangetic plains in the Begusarai district of Bihar.

It acts as a vital flood buffer for the region besides providing livelihood opportunities to local communities.

Significant biodiversity is present, with 165 plant species and 394 animal species recorded, including 221 bird species. It is also a valuable site for fish biodiversity with over 50 species documented.

It is an important stopover along the Central Asian Flyway, with 58 migratory waterbirds using it to rest and refuel.

Five critically endangered species inhabit the site, including three vultures – the red-headed vulture (Sarcogyps calvus), white-rumped vulture (Gyps bengalensis) and Indian vulture (Gyps indicus) – and two waterbirds, the sociable lapwing (Vanellusgregarius) and Baer’s pochard (Aythya baeri).

Major threats to the Site include water management activities such as drainage, water abstraction, damming and canalization.

Asan Conservation Reserve ACR is a 444-hectare stretch of the Asan River running down to its confluence with the Yamuna River in Dehradun district of Uttarakhand. It is Uttarakhand's first Ramsar Site.

The damming of the River by the Asan Barrage in 1967 resulted in siltation above the dam wall, which helped to create some of the Site’s bird-friendly habitats.

These habitats support 330 species of birds including the critically endangered red-headed vulture (Sarcogyps calvus), white-rumped vulture (Gyps bengalensis) and Baer’s pochard (Aythya baeri).

Other non-avian species present include 49 fish species, one of these being the endangered Putitora mahseer (Tor putitora). Fish use the site for feeding, migration and spawning.
Newly identified tectonically active zone in Himalayas could alter earthquake study & predictions
The Indus Suture Zone (ISZ) or the suture zone of the Himalayas in the Ladakh region where Indian & Asian Plates are joined has been found to be tectonically active, as against current understanding that it is a locked zone.

This may have major implications in terms of earthquake study, prediction, understanding the seismic structure of the mountain chains well as its evolution.

Scientists from WIHG -Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, Dehradun, an autonomous institute under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, have found through observations and detailed mapping of geological features that the Indus Suture Zone that was thought to be locked is tectonically active.

Scientists have done the mapping of the remote regions of Ladakh region that forms the most hinterland part of the Himalaya.

The geologists analysed that sedimentary beds are tilted & thrust broken, the rivers are associated with uplifted terraces, and the bedrock shows brittle deformation that occurred at much shallower depths.

The combination of lab and field data suggested the region of the ISZ - Indus Suture Zone has been neo-tectonically active since the last 78000 -- 58000 years and a recent earthquake in 2010 of low magnitude 4.0 near the village of Upshi that occurred due to a thrust rupture.

Himalayas were made up of north dipping thrusts like the MCT - Main Central Thrust, MBT - the Main Boundary Thrust, MFT - the Main Frontal Thrust.

As per the established models, all of these thrusts except MFT are locked, and overall deformation in Himalaya is being accommodated only along with the MFT.

The new findings, which suggest a more remote fault at the suture zone being neo-tectonically active, could call for a serious relook into the existing evolutionary models using new techniques and a larger geological database.
Action Plan for Vulture Conservation 2020-2025
The National Board for Wildlife recently approved an action plan for vulture conservation, 2020-2025. Under the new National Action Plan for Vulture Conservation, five new conservation centres are to be established in five different state (Uttar Pradesh, Tripura, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu).

The plan has also suggested that new veterinary non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) be tested on vultures before their commercial release. NSAIDS often poisons cattle whose carcasses the birds pray on.

This would be done through both ex-situ and in-situ conservation.

The new plan has laid out strategies and actions to stem the decline in vulture population, especially of the three Gyps species:

Oriental white-backed vulture (Gyps bengalensis)

Slender-billed vulture (Gyps tenuirostris)

Long-billed vulture (Gyps indicus)

Highlights of the Action Plan

A system to automatically remove a drug from veterinary use if it is found to be toxic to vultures, with the help of the Drugs Controller General of India.

Conservation breeding of red-Headed vultures and Egyptian vultures and the establishment at least one vulture-safe zone in each state for the conservation of the remnant populations in that state.

Establishment of four rescue centres, in Pinjore (Haryana), Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh), Guwahati (Assam) and Hyderabad (Telangana). There are currently no dedicated rescue centres for treating vultures.

Coordinated nation-wide vulture counting, involving forest departments, the Bombay Natural History Society, research institutes, non-profits and members of the public. This would be for getting a more accurate estimate of the size of vulture populations in the country.

A database on emerging threats to vulture conservation, including collision and electrocution, unintentional poisoning, etc.
New subterranean fish family discovered in Kerala
Aenigmachanna Gollum, a 100 million-year-old fish has been discovered in Kerala which is named after the dark and conflicted character of JRR Tolkien’s epic saga movie ‘Lord of the Rings’.

The area where Aenigmachanna was collected is part of the Western Ghats – Sri Lanka Hotspot — which is among the richest biodiversity hotspots in the world.

It looks like a dragon, swims like an eel, and has remained hidden for a hundred million years.

‘Aenigmachannagollum’ belongs to an old family of fish, called dragon snakeheads, which retains its primitive characteristics after all these millennia.

Besides the Gollum, a sister species has also been discovered, called ‘Aenigmachannamahabali’.

The discovery of a new family of fish is very rare. The dragon snakeheads have evaded scientists till now because they live in subterranean aquifers and come to the surface only after heavy flooding from rain.

The closest relative of the family Aenigmachannidae is the Channidae, of which at least 50 species can be found in the streams and lakes of Asia and tropical Africa.

According to molecular analyses, the two families split from each other 34 million to 109 million years ago.

This may indicate that Aenigmachanna is a Gondwanan lineage, which has survived break-up of the supercontinent, with India separating from Africa at around 120 million years ago.

The lack of evolution can be seen in the shortened swim bladder of the dragon snakeheads as well as fewer vertebrae with ribs. These indicate that the family is less specialised than regular snakeheads.

The family also has eyes and a reddish brown pigmentation, which is unusual as most subterranean fish are pale and have no eyes.

The fish came into limelight after a local Keralite found fishes in the paddy fields of Kerala, after the 2018 floods.
Japanese Prime Minister sets goal of zero emissions, carbon-neutral society by 2050
Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has announced the country’s ambition to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions and become carbon-neutral by 2050.

Need to change our thinking to the view that taking assertive measures against climate change will lead to changes in industrial structure and the economy that will bring about great growth.

In addition to boosting research and development in these areas, the country will promote a digital society, placing heavier reliance on smart technologies in everyday life.

Japan, the world’s fifth-biggest emitter of carbon dioxide, has set admirable goals, some are dubious of the country’s ability to achieve its target by 2050, given since the nation’s heavy reliance on coal after the 2011 Fukushima Disaster led to the closure of many nuclear reactors.

The country’s new target of no greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 is in line with the European Union, which has also set its carbon-neutral target to 30 years.

Japan had previously pledged carbon neutrality “as soon as possible” in the second half of the century, instead of setting an explicit date, as its long-term climate strategy was to cut emissions by 80% by 2050 from 2010 levels.

According to the 2016 Japan Executive Summary, the country’s total greenhouse gas emissions in the fiscal year were 1,322 million tonnes of carbon dioxide, which marked a decrease of total emissions by 0.2% when compared to those of FY2015.
Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR
President has promulgated an ordinance to constitute a Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and adjoining areas.

The commission will work towards better coordination, research, identification and resolution of problems surrounding the Air Quality Index in the NCR and adjoining areas.

Commission will consist of a Chairperson, a representative from the Ministry of Environment, members from the state of Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, technical experts from Central Pollution Control Board and Indian Space Research Organization among others.

The commission will have the powers to take all such measures, issue directions and entertain complaints in order to protect and improve the quality of air in the National Capital Region and adjoining areas.

It will also lay down the parameters for emission or discharge of environmental pollutants from various sources.

The Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and adjoining areas will have at least three sub-committees including on:

Monitoring and identification

Safeguarding and Enforcement

Research and Development to suggest measures to curb air pollution in the region.
‘Green’ crackers to make full-fledged Delhi debut
Delhi is set for its first full-fledged debut with ‘green’ crackers for Deepavali. The development comes amid growing sentiment against not deepening the air pollution crisis the capital countenances every winter.

A ban on fireworks was imposed in 2018, and in 2019 only 'green' crackers were allowed. However, it could not be implemented on a large scale as the permission had come too late for manufacturers to ensure their availability on time.

Green Crackers has been developed by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). Components in firecrackers are replaced with others that are "less dangerous" and "less harmful" to the atmosphere.

The commonly used pollution-causing chemicals – aluminium, barium, potassium nitrate and carbon – have either been removed or sharply reduced in the green crackers.

Firework is a device that contains gunpowder and also other combustible chemicals which causes striking effects, and when ignited, they explode. They are mostly used in festivals, celebrations, etc.

Green crackers are those crackers that do not contain harmful chemicals that would cause air pollution. They are environmentally friendly or eco friendly. Green crackers are less harmful as compared to conventional firecrackers, and less pollution emission will result in reduced air pollution.

In green crackers, the commonly used polluting chemicals like aluminium, barium, potassium nitrate and carbon have either been removed or sharply reduced to slow down the emissions by 15 to 30%.

Cracker manufactures say they aren’t sure if they will be able to supply and manufacture in sufficient quantities in 2019. It is too short a time before Deepavali (on the 27th and 28th) to manufacture and release them in the market.
Chinese pink dolphin
Chinese pink dolphins are making a comeback in the Pearl river estuary.

The Pearl River estuary includes Hong Kong, Macau as well as the mainland Chinese cities of Shenzhen, Guangzhou and Dongguan.

IUCN Status: Vulnerable.

Details
Pink dolphins have seen a decline in their numbers in the past 15 years by 70-80 per cent.

Dolphins use echolocation to find their way in water. The estuary is one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world.

Ships often disturb the dolphins in finding their way and even kill them.

But dolphin numbers in the waters between Hong Kong and Macau have seen a rebound this year because the novel coronavirus disease pandemic has stopped ferries.

According to the WWF, there are only an estimated 2,000 pink dolphins left in the Pearl River Delta - the minimum number that conservationists believe are needed to sustain the species'.

Dolphins, and especially these estuarine dolphins, have a slow birth rate, a slow growth rate, a slow reproductive rate.
Hottest September since 1880
The September of 2020 was the hottest September since 1880, according to the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration or NOAA.

The average global temperature in September was 1.75 degrees Fahrenheit (°F) — 0.97 of a degree Celsius (°C) — above the 20th-century average of 59.0 °F (15.0 °C).

Details
September's temperature surpasses the average global temperatures for both September 2015 and 2016 by 0.04 of a °F (0.02 of a °C), which previously tied for the hottest Septembers on record.

The year-to-date (January-September 2020) average global temperature was the second hottest on record at 1.84 degrees F (1.02 degrees C) above the 20th-century average. This is only 0.07 of a degree F (0.04 of a degree C) shy of the record set for the same YTD in 2016.

Arctic sea ice was at near-record lows. An analysis of satellite data by NASA and the National Snow and Ice Data Center showed that 2020’s minimum extent of Arctic sea ice – the smallest area of the floating sea ice cover of the year – likely reached September 15, was the second-lowest extent (behind 2012).

It’s been a record-hot year-to-date so far for some parts of the globe: Europe, Asia and the Gulf of Mexico had their warmest January-through-September period on record; South America and the Caribbean region had their second highest. No land or ocean areas had record-cold year-to-date temperatures.
Scientists welcome two winged ‘infiltrators’
Two new species, one of butterfly and dragonfly each have been added to the list of indigenous species in India.

Spialia zebra:
The butterfly species, Spialia zebra, was found in Dungarpur district of Rajasthan.

This butterfly is predominantly found in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab province of Pakistan.

The new finding marks the first-ever recording of this species far south of its known habitat.

Atratothemis Reelsi:
The dragonfly species Atratothemis Reelsi was recorded in southern Arunachal Pradesh’s Namdapha Tiger Reserve.

The new finding marks the first-ever recording of this species, about 1,170 km west of its previously known nearest locality of Xiaoqikong Park in China’s Guizhou Province.

Significance:
The finding of the Pakistani butterfly and Chinese dragonfly marks the first time in India. These two new species have been included in lists of indigenous species. The species will add to the species richness in India.

The Spialia zebra butterfly would add to the richness of Rajasthan’s Phulwari ki Nal Wildlife Sanctuary and Sita Mata Wildlife Sanctuary.

Similarly, the newly discovered dragonfly augurs well for the biodiversity of the eastern Himalayan region.
Shrinking spaces for winged visitors a cause for concern
As part of the World Migratory Bird Day celebrations, experts from Mumbai came together to discuss ways to protect lesser flamingos.

The lesser flamingo (Phoeniconaias minor) is a species of flamingo occurring in sub-Saharan Africa and north-western India.

Flamingo Map
The lesser flamingo is the smallest species of flamingo, though it is a tall and large bird by most standards.

The lesser flamingo is the most numerous species of flamingo.

This species feeds primarily on Spirulina algae which grow only in very alkaline lakes. Although blue-green in colour, the algae contain the photosynthetic pigments that give the birds their pink colour. Their deep bill is specialised for filtering tiny food items.

The lesser flamingos have been reported extensively in and around Mumbai given the presence of wetlands in the area.

Concerns:
Environmentalists and experts estimate that the habitat for flamingos and wetland birds has shrunk to 20% of the previously available area in and around Mumbai.

Almost 2,000 hectares of wetlands were lost for the Navi Mumbai International Airport and JNPT expansion work.

The flamingos have been forced to feed within a tiny piece of land owing to the continuous destruction of wetlands and development activities in the city. This does not augur well for the lesser flamingo population as these birds will have to compete for the limited resources available in the region.

The Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary is believed to be the last refuge for the around 1.5 lakh birds in Mumbai.
Graded Response Action Plan
The Environment Pollution Authority has recently directed Punjab, Delhi, Rajasthan and Haryana Governments to implement air pollution control measures under Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).

The action plan has been in effect for three years in Delhi and NCR.

Highlights
Levels of pollution are expected to rise in coming winters.

Diesel generator (DG) sets can no longer be used in Delhi and the NCR towns of Noida, Ghaziabad, Greater Noida, Faridabad, and Gurgaon. The only exception is, DG sets used for emergency and essential services.

Pollution control authorities will begin night patrolling to check for dust and industrial emissions, as well as the burning of waste.

Mechanised sweeping and frequent sprinkling of water on roads (to make the dust settle) have been directed.

GRAP has been successful creating a step-by-step plan for the entire Delhi-NCR region, and getting on board several agencies: all pollution control boards, industrial area authorities, municipal corporations, regional officials of the India Meteorological Department, and others.

Three major decisions by EPCA and GRAP are the closure of the thermal power plant at Badarpur, bringing BS-VI fuel to Delhi before the deadline set initially, and the ban on Pet coke as a fuel in Delhi-NCR.
All about Smog Tower
Delhi government gave nod for the installation of the second smog tower in the world at Connaught Place within ten months.

Details
The first smog tower in the world was set up in China.

In China, the smog tower sucks the polluted air from below and releases clean air from above.

In India, smog tower will suck the polluted air from above and release clean air from the bottom.

Smog Tower
Delhi’s first smog tower came up at Lajpat Nagar central market.

The 20-feet-tall tower is fitted with exhaust fans to suck in polluted air and can remove up to 80% of the particulate matter (PM 2.5 and PM10) - the primary pollutant in Delhi’s air.

Smog towers are structures designed to work as large-scale air purifiers. They are usually fitted with multiple layers of air filters, which clean the air of pollutants as it passes through them.

The smog tower sucks the polluted air, which is purified by the multiple layers before re-circulated into the atmosphere. To purify the air; the highly effective H14 grade Highly Effective Particulate Arrestance (HEPA) filter would be used. This filter can clean up to 99.99% Particulate Matter (PM) present in the air with the help of pre-filter and activated carbon.

The smog tower installed in Lajpat Nagar is cylindrical in design and built like a pole with a big inlet and four outlet units. The giant air purifier is fitted with exhaust fans to suck in polluted air with the help of a big inlet unit. It is painted in four colours – orange on the top, white in the middle, green colour just above the bottom and blue at the bottom. The tower will run on electricity.
Human Cost of Disasters 2000-2019: UNDRR
In a new report “The Human Cost of Disasters 2000-2019”, the United Nations pointed out that climate change is largely to blame for a near doubling of natural disasters in the past 20 years.

The report is published by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR). The report did not touch on biological hazards and disease-related disasters like the coronavirus pandemic.

International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction is observed on 13th October every year.

Key Points
7,348 major disaster events had occurred between 2000 and 2019, affecting 4.2 billion people and costing the global economy some USD 2.97 trillion.

The figure is far more than the 4,212 major natural disasters recorded between 1980 and 1999.

6,681 climate-linked disasters had been recorded in the period 2000-19, up from 3,656 during the previous 20-year-period.

Climate-related disasters include disasters categorized as meteorological, climatological, or hydrological.

There had also been an increase in geophysical events like earthquakes and tsunamis that are not related to climate but are particularly deadly.

Major floods had more than doubled to 3,254, there had been 2,034 major storms up from 1,457 in 20 years.

India is the 2nd most affected country by floods after China.

Extreme heat is proving especially deadly. Heatwaves of 2015 in India resulted in 2,248 deaths.

The deadliest single disaster in the past 20 years was the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, with 2,26,400 deaths, followed by the Haiti earthquake in 2010, which claimed some 2,22,000 lives.

The data showed that Asia has suffered the highest number of disasters in the past 20 years with 3,068 such events, followed by the Americas with 1,756 and Africa with 1,192.

In terms of affected countries, China topped the list with 577 events followed by the United States with 467 and India (321 events).
Parasitic Infections in One-Horned Rhinoceros
The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) India has published reports titled ‘Prevalence of Endoparasitic Infections in Free-Ranging Greater One-Horned Rhinoceros’ for Assam and West Bengal.

Key Points
Poaching is believed to be the main cause of death in rhinos, however, they also die of natural causes which have not been studied in great detail.

Since 2017, the Rhino Task Force of Assam and WWF India have been undertaking steps to study pathogens found in fresh rhino dung samples in Assam, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal.

Before this, there was no systematic study on the prevalence of disease-causing parasites and diseases caused by these in the rhino population in India.

According to the researchers, habitat degradation can lead to an increased exposure to pathogens.

Due to increasing livestock pressure on protected areas, there is a possible threat of pathogens getting transferred from domestic animals to wild animals.

From the samples from Assam and West Bengal, the study concluded that parasites from four genera were present in an estimated 68% of India’s rhino population.

The overall prevalence of endoparasites was 58.57% in Assam and 88.46% in West Bengal; results from UP are pending.

Endoparasites are parasites that live in the tissues and organs of their hosts, such as tapeworms, flukes, and protozoans of vertebrates.
Madhuca Diplostemon: Rediscovered in Kerala
Madhuca diplostemon tree has been rediscovered after a gap of more than 180 years from a sacred grove in Kollam district, Kerala.

Key Points
The tree is locally known as Kavilippa in Malayalam.

It has been identified by the scientists at the Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute (JNTBGRI) at Palode, Kerala.

The threatened species of the Western Ghats was believed to be extinct.

This is the second time a tree of this species has ever been located and only one mature tree has been found so far, which makes this remarkable rediscovery extremely valuable from a scientific, environmental and conservation point of view.

In 1835, Robert Wight, a surgeon-botanist with the East India Company, found the first specimen.

Since its original collection, specimens of the tree were never collected again, neither from its locality nor elsewhere, and botanical explorations in Eastern and Western Ghats failed to locate the species.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has included it in the endangered species list.

However, since there is only one specimen left in a single locality, it is eligible to be categorised as 'Critically Endangered'.

The JNTBGRI is planning to undertake the ex-situ conservation of this species through the institute’s species recovery programme.
WMO released 2020 State of Climate Services Report
World Meteorological Organization (WMO) released the State of Climate Services 2020 Report on October 13, 2020. The State of Climate Services 2020 Report was released on the occasion of International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction by the UN- WMO.

Highlights:
Over the past 50 years, more than 11,000 disasters have been attributed to weather, climate and water-related hazards, involving 2 million deaths and US$ 3.6 trillion in economic losses.

The report is prepared by 16 international agencies.

This report contains 16 different case studies on various aspects like successful early warning systems for climate hazards including tropical cyclones and hurricanes, floods, droughts, heat waves, forest fires, sand and dust storms, desert locusts, severe winters and glacial lake outbursts.

Around 108 million people needed the help from the international humanitarian system because of natural disasters.

By 2030 the number of people using international humanitarian system could be increased by 50% at a cost of around US$ 20 billion a year.

World Meteorological Organization (WMO):

WMO is one of the specialised agencies of the United Nations. It focuses on for promoting international cooperation on atmospheric science, hydrology, climatology and geophysics.

The organisation was established in 1873. It is constituted of 193 countries and territories which has its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.
More Contribution to Emissions by Rich
The Oxfam International and the Stockholm Environmental Institute (SEI) has released a report titled “Confronting Carbon Inequality”, which highlights that a rich person contributes more to the climate crisis than a poor person.

Oxfam is a global organisation with affiliates in 20 countries, working together to end the injustice of poverty.

SEI is an international non-profit research and policy organisation which promotes sustainability in policy making.

Key Points
1990 to 2015:
The richest 1% of humanity accounted for 15% of cumulative emissions, while the poorest 50% accounted for only 7%.

The richest 10% depleted the global carbon budget by 31% and the poorest 50% used only 4% of the carbon budget.

A carbon budget is a cumulative amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions permitted over a period of time to keep within a certain temperature threshold.

While the richest 10% accounted for 46% of emissions growth, the poorest 50% accounted for only 6%.

About half of the emissions of the richest 10% are associated with North America and the European Union (EU).

INDIA:
An Indian emitted only 1.97 tonnes of CO2 (tCO2) annually, while Americans and Canadians both emitted well over 16 tCO2.

The per capita CO2 emissions of the richest 10% of Indians were about 4.4 tonnes in 2018, in comparison to the per capita emissions of the richest 10% Americans were 52.4 tonnes, almost 12 times that of the richest Indians.

India’s per capita emissions were a fraction of not just the EU (6.78 tCO2/person), but also China (7.95 tCO2/person), making it the lowest per capita emitter amongst the world’s large economies.
Scientists discovered new family of bony fish “Aenigmachannidae” in Western Ghats
Scientists from India, Germany, United Kingdom and Switzerland have discovered a new family of bony fish from the Western Ghats, and named it Aenigmachannidae.

Results of this study was published in 'Scientific Reports,' the open-access mega-journal of the Nature Publishing Group.

A year after the discovery of the enigmatic Gollum Snakehead, Aenigmachannagollum from the rice fields of northern Kerala, scientists have now conducted detailed studies on its skeleton and genetic assembly.

The study led to the recognition that this species, and its congener Aenigmachannamahabali, represents a new family different from Channidae, in which both species were initially placed.

These suggest that members of Aenigmachannidae are 'living fossils' and comprise an ancient gondwanan lineage that survived the break-up of the supercontinent and the northward drift of the Indian subcontinent, about 100 million years ago, it added.

The research team comprised scientists from Senckenberg Natural History Collections in Dresden (Germany), the Natural History Museum in London (UK), Natural History Museum in Berne (Switzerland), Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) - Pune (India), Nirmalagiri College in Kannur (India), and the Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies in Cochin (India).

The gollum snakehead, Aenigmachannagollum and the mahabali snakehead, Aenigmachannamahabali are known to occur in the aquifers and subterranean channels connected to paddy fields and dug-out wells in Malappuram and Pathanamthitta districts of Kerala.

While Aenigmachannagollum was discovered by pure chance in a rice field not long after the devastating floods that raged in Kerala in August 2018, Aenigmachannamahabali was discovered opportunistically from a dug-out well.
Arctic Amplification
A team of scientists have identified iodic acid (HIO3) as a novel driver of new aerosol particle formation in the Arctic which is responsible for Arctic Amplification or Arctic Warming.

Presence of Iodic acid in the region had not been observed previously.

These aerosol particles influence the formation of clouds. As these clouds reflect solar radiation (known as Aerosol Radiative Forcing) but also retain heat on the Earth's surface, they have an influence on the warming of the Arctic.

Key Points
Over the past 30 years, the Arctic has warmed at roughly twice the rate as the entire globe, a phenomenon known as Arctic amplification.

This means that global warming and climate change are impacting the Arctic more than the rest of the world.

Global temperatures from 2000–2009 were on average about 0.6°C higher than they were from 1951–1980. The Arctic, however, was about 2°C warmer.

Scientists first started to see evidence of changes in Arctic climate in the 1980s. Since then, the changes have become much more pronounced.
Graded Response Action Plan
The Environment Pollution (Prevention & Control) Authority (EPCA) has directed Delhi and neighbouring States to implement air pollution control measures under very poor and severe category air quality of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) from 15th October 2020.

Key Points
The action plan which was formulated in 2016 and notified in 2017 for Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR).

The plan was formulated after several meetings were held by Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) with state government representatives and experts.

These are institutionalized measures to be taken when air quality deteriorates, hence works only as an emergency measure.

GRAP includes the measures which will be taken by different government agencies to prevent worsening of Air Quality of Delhi-NCR and prevent PM10 and PM2.5 levels to go beyond the ‘moderate’ national Air Quality Index (AQI) category.

If air quality reaches the severe+ stage, GRAP talks about shutting down schools and implementing the odd-even road-space rationing scheme.

The plan requires action and coordination among 13 different agencies in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan (NCR areas).
Persistent Organic Pollutants
The Union Cabinet has approved the Ratification of seven (7) chemicals listed under Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs).

The Cabinet further delegated its powers to ratify chemicals under the Stockholm Convention to Union Ministers of External Affairs (MEA) and Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MEFCC) in respect of POPs already regulated under the domestic regulations to streamlining the procedure.

Details
POPs are identified chemical substances that persist in the environment, bio-accumulate in living organisms, adversely affect human health/ environment and have the property of long-range environmental transport (LRET).

Exposure to POPs can lead to cancer, damage to central & peripheral nervous systems, diseases of immune system, reproductive disorders and interference with normal infant and child development.

POPs are listed in various Annexes to the Stockholm Convention after thorough scientific research, deliberations and negotiations among member countries.

7 chemicals
The regulation inter alia prohibited the manufacture, trade, use, import and export seven chemicals namely:

Chlordecone

Hexabromobiphenyl

Hexabromodiphenyl ether and Heptabromodiphenylether (Commercial octa-BDE)

Tetrabromodiphenyl ether and Pentabromodiphenyl ether (Commercial penta-BDE)

Pentachlorobenzene

Hexabromocyclododecane

Hexachlorobutadiene
Leuser Ecosystem
Global watchdog Rainforest Action Network (RAN) has shown that various food, cosmetics and finance companies have links with companies implicated in the destruction of the Leuser Ecosystem, a forest area on the island of Sumatra, Indonesia.

Key Points
Leuser Ecosystem is among the most ancient and life-rich ecosystems ever documented by science and is a world-class hotspot of biodiversity and is widely acknowledged to be among the most important areas of intact rainforest left in all of Southeast Asia.

The ecosystem has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The ecosystem stretches across the province of Aceh and North Sumatra, Indonesia.

It spans 2.6 million hectares, almost three times the size of Yellowstone National Park, USA.

Its diverse landscape includes lowland and montane rainforests and over 185,000 hectares of carbon-rich peatlands.

Montane rainforests, also called cloud forests, are vegetation of tropical mountainous regions in which the rainfall is often heavy and persistent condensation occurs because of cooling of moisture-laden air currents deflected upward by the mountains.
Sandalwood Spike Disease
India’s sandalwood trees are facing a serious threat due to Sandalwood Spike Disease (SSD).

Key Points
The natural population of sandalwood in Marymoor Sandal Forest of Kerala and various reserve forests in Karnataka, including MM Hills (MalaiMahadeshwara Wildlife Sanctuary), are heavily infected with SSD.

Sandalwood Spike Disease:
It is an infectious disease which is caused by phytoplasma.

Phytoplasmas are bacterial parasites of plant tissues — which are transmitted by insect vectors and involved in plant-to-plant transmission.

There is no cure as of now for the infection.

Presently, there is no option but to cut down and remove the infected tree to prevent the spread of the disease.
Six Mega Projects in Uttarakhand: NamamiGange Mission
The Prime Minister has inaugurated six mega projects in Uttarakhand under the NamamiGange Mission.

Key Points
These six mega projects of Sewage Treatment Plants (STP) are constructed at Haridwar, Rishikesh, Muni kiReti, Chorpani, and Badrinath.

Jagjeetpur, Haridwar project also marks the completion of the first sewage project taken up on hybrid annuity mode on public private partnership.

Hybrid Annuity Model: The Government would provide upfront around 40% of the project cost to the developer to start the work and the remaining 60% would be borne by the private party.

In Muni kiReti town, Chandreshwar Nagar STP is the first 4 storied Sewage Treatment Plant in the country where the limitation of land availability was converted into an opportunity.
Campaign to Remove Lantana: Rajasthan
A special drive to uproot the invasive Lantana bushes in the Sajjangarh Wildlife Sanctuary in Rajasthan’s Udaipur district has been carried out along with the plantation of native species on the cleared patches of land.

This has helped in ecological restoration of grasslands and saved biodiversity.

Key Points
Lantana camara is a small perennial shrub, which forms extensive, dense and impenetrable thickets.

It is native to Central and South America.

It is an invasive species which was introduced in tropical regions as an ornamental plant (introduced in India in 1807).

It is generally deleterious to biodiversity and is an agricultural weed.

Impact:
The thickets covered vast tracts of land, stopping the natural light and nutrition for other flora and fauna.

The toxic substance in its foliage and ripe berries affected the animals.

With the herbivores not getting sufficient forage, the prey base for carnivorous animals was declining, leading to ecological disturbances in the food chain.

It has also invaded other wildlife reserves, river banks and the Project Tiger areas.

In some regions, the plant has invaded pastures and shrunk the cattle grazing areas, affecting the livelihood of villagers.