WEEKLY CURRENT AFFAIRS

ENVIRONMENT & ECOLOGY

Cabinet Approves ₹23,731-Crore GOBARdhan Scheme

The Union Cabinet approved GOBARdhan, India’s National Circular Bioenergy Scheme, with a total financial outlay of ₹23,731 crore. The scheme seeks to develop a unified national framework for the production, purchase and distribution of compressed biogas.

GOBARdhan will convert cattle dung, agricultural residue, sugar-industry press mud, municipal organic waste and other biomass into compressed biogas and organic manure. This waste-to-wealth approach is expected to reduce environmental pollution, prevent the burning of agricultural residue and decrease dependence on imported fossil fuels.

The scheme will be implemented from the financial year 2026–27 to 2035–36. It will support compressed-biogas projects through assured demand, stable pricing, capital assistance, pipeline connectivity, credit facilities and technology development. Its objective is to increase domestic compressed-biogas production nearly tenfold and attract large-scale private investment.

More than 200 compressed-biogas plants had already been commissioned under earlier initiatives. GOBARdhan will bring these efforts under a coordinated platform administered by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.

Important Points: GOBARdhan is the National Circular Bioenergy Scheme. Its total outlay is ₹23,731 crore, and it will operate from 2026–27 to 2035–36.

Parliamentary Committee Presents Report on Himalayan Forest Fires

The Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science and Technology, Environment, Forests and Climate Change presented its 412th Report, titled Forest Fires in the Himalayan Region, Their Adverse Effects and Mitigation, in Parliament on 7 August.

The committee observed that rising temperatures, longer dry periods and increasing climatic variability were contributing to the frequency and intensity of forest fires. However, it found that no dedicated study had established and quantified the historical relationship between climate change and forest fires in the Indian Himalayan region.

It recommended a region-specific scientific study covering long-term changes in temperature, rainfall and dry-spell duration, along with historical fire data. The study should examine differences across altitude and forest type and develop predictive models for fire-risk assessment, seasonal preparedness and early-warning systems.

The committee also expressed concern about unregulated tourism, hotels, construction, vehicle movement and waste generation near Himalayan forests. It recommended carrying-capacity limits for heavily visited destinations, stronger construction regulations, seasonal restrictions on fire-risk activities and the promotion of sustainable ecotourism.

The report further recommended introducing ecology as a mandatory school subject and arranging regular nature trails so that students receive direct exposure to forest ecosystems.

Important Points: The 412th parliamentary report concerned Himalayan forest fires. The committee was headed by Rajya Sabha MP Dr Medha Vishram Kulkarni.

National Biodiversity Authority Disburses ₹3.79 Crore Under ABS Mechanism

The National Biodiversity Authority disbursed approximately ₹3.79 crore under the Access and Benefit Sharing mechanism to 33 State Biodiversity Boards and Union Territory Biodiversity Councils, the ICAR–National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources and the Hisar Bovine Sperm Station and Research Centre.

The payment covered genetic resources associated with tomato, chilli, brinjal, cauliflower, watermelon, bitter gourd, bottle gourd, okra and mustard, as well as deep-frozen semen from indigenous Sahiwal cattle.

The money was collected from companies that had accessed vegetable and oilseed genetic material for research or commercial utilisation. An additional amount arose from Sri Lanka’s Department of Animal Production and Health for access to Sahiwal cattle semen.

Access and Benefit Sharing ensures that benefits obtained from the commercial or research use of biological resources are shared fairly with the states, institutions and communities responsible for conserving those resources. India implements this system under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, in alignment with the Nagoya Protocol.

Cumulative ABS disbursements by the National Biodiversity Authority have now exceeded ₹166 crore.

Important Points: NBA stands for National Biodiversity Authority. ABS stands for Access and Benefit Sharing. The Nagoya Protocol concerns access to genetic resources and the fair sharing of benefits arising from their use.

Government Prepares National Plan to Manage Invasive Species

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change informed Parliament that its institutions were actively identifying and monitoring Invasive Alien Plant Species in India’s reserved forests and other ecosystems.

The Forest Survey of India prepared a separate reference album covering 45 major invasive plant species. The Botanical Survey of India also prepared a state-wise inventory of potentially invasive species occurring across forest and non-forest areas. This inventory was submitted to the National Biodiversity Authority to support the preparation of a National Management Plan for Invasive Species.

The removal and management of invasive plants are undertaken by state governments, Union Territory administrations and forest agencies according to local requirements and approved forest-management plans. The government also encourages the restoration of affected areas with native and locally suitable plant species.

The National Working Plan Code, 2023, provides for ecosystem-based forest management, restoration of degraded landscapes, soil and moisture conservation, watershed management and the use of indigenous species. Such measures can improve groundwater recharge, soil moisture, water retention and overall ecological resilience.

Important Points: FSI prepared an album of 45 major invasive plant species. BSI submitted a state-wise inventory to the National Biodiversity Authority.

Haryana Celebrates 77th Van Mahotsav at Manesar

Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav participated in Haryana’s 77th Van Mahotsav celebrations at Manesar on 7 August. Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, State Environment and Forest Minister Rao Narbir Singh and other public representatives attended the programme.

The Union Environment Minister planted a sapling and highlighted the importance of protecting the Aravalli landscape, increasing green cover and preventing air pollution. Haryana was recognised for acting on central recommendations related to Aravalli conservation and pollution control.

Van Mahotsav is an annual tree-planting festival intended to encourage afforestation and public participation in environmental protection. The programme promotes the planting and long-term care of trees instead of treating plantation as a one-day activity.

The Aravalli range is environmentally important because it helps check desertification, supports wildlife habitats, improves groundwater recharge and acts as a natural barrier against dust movement towards Delhi and surrounding regions.

Important Points: Haryana’s 77th Van Mahotsav was held at Manesar. Van Mahotsav was initiated nationally in 1950 by K. M. Munshi.

India Reaffirms Elephant Conservation Commitment on World Elephant Day

India observed World Elephant Day on 12 August and reiterated its commitment to protecting elephants, conserving habitats and maintaining wildlife corridors. Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised conservation workers and communities contributing to elephant protection.

India supports a major proportion of the global wild Asian elephant population. Conservation measures include Project Elephant, elephant reserves, habitat restoration, corridor protection, measures to reduce human-elephant conflict and coordination among elephant-range states.

The government highlighted the importance of securing migration routes because elephant populations move across forests, agricultural landscapes and administrative boundaries. Habitat fragmentation, railway and road accidents, electrocution, poaching and conflict with people remain significant conservation challenges.

Project Elephant is a centrally sponsored scheme launched in 1992. It provides financial and technical support to states for protecting elephants, their habitats and corridors and for addressing human-elephant conflict.

Important Points: World Elephant Day is observed on 12 August. Project Elephant was launched in 1992. The Asian elephant is classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List.

More Than 50,000 Saplings Planted Across 31 States

More than 50,000 saplings were planted across 31 states on 12 August as part of a nationwide plantation campaign conducted on Hariyali Amavasya. Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan led the main programme at PBG Ground in the Central Ridge area near Talkatora Stadium, New Delhi.

The drive was organised in collaboration with Vriksh Mitra Parivar and drew inspiration from the Prime Minister’s Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam campaign. Ministers, Members of Parliament, government officials, farmers, students and citizens participated, while similar plantation programmes were organised in villages, towns, panchayats and institutions across India.

Participants were encouraged not only to plant trees but also to ensure their long-term survival through watering, protection and regular maintenance. The minister suggested observing birthdays, anniversaries and other significant occasions as “Vriksh Parv” by planting trees.

The programme also promoted Mission LiFE, energy conservation, responsible resource consumption and reduced use of plastic. Panchayats and urban local bodies were encouraged to identify permanent plantation sites where saplings could be monitored and maintained.

Important Points: More than 50,000 saplings were planted across 31 states. The campaign involved Vriksh Mitra Parivar and supported Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam.

Punjab Announces ₹760-Crore Biodiversity Conservation Project

The Punjab government announced a ₹760-crore biodiversity and natural-resource conservation project to restore the state’s ecological balance and encourage sustainable use of its natural resources.

The project is expected to cover forests, wetlands, water bodies, agricultural landscapes and other environmentally sensitive areas. It will focus on ecosystem restoration, biodiversity protection, water conservation, climate resilience and community participation.

Punjab faces environmental challenges such as groundwater depletion, soil degradation, loss of native vegetation, wetland pressure, agricultural pollution and declining biodiversity. The proposed project is intended to address these interconnected problems through long-term ecological planning and modern conservation practices.

Participation by local communities is expected to form an important component because the effective protection of forests, wetlands and common resources requires cooperation among government agencies, panchayats, farmers and local residents.

Important Points: The announced project is valued at ₹760 crore. It focuses on biodiversity, natural-resource protection and climate-resilient ecological restoration in Punjab.

CMLRE Strengthens Monitoring of India’s Marine Biodiversity

The Government informed Parliament that the Centre for Marine Living Resources and Ecology, located in Kochi, was implementing a comprehensive programme to assess and monitor marine living resources within India’s Exclusive Economic Zone.

Between 2023 and 2026, CMLRE conducted approximately 19 scientific surveys to assess fishery resources and marine biodiversity. The information generated through these surveys supports marine conservation, sustainable fisheries and evidence-based policy decisions.

The programme identifies ecologically and biologically significant marine areas, prepares biodiversity inventories and genomic reference libraries and studies fish-spawning grounds and breeding seasons. It also estimates the potential fishery yield of India’s Exclusive Economic Zone once every eight years.

CMLRE maintains the Bhavasagara National Repository, which preserves and documents deep-sea biological specimens. Its research also contributes to India’s commitments under the Convention on Biological Diversity and Sustainable Development Goal 14, which concerns life below water.

Important Points: CMLRE functions under the Ministry of Earth Sciences and is headquartered in Kochi. It conducted around 19 marine-resource and biodiversity surveys during 2023–2026.

Scientific Study Links Tourism with Higher Stress in Tigers

A study covering five Indian tiger reserves found that tourism and other forms of human disturbance could increase physiological stress among wild tigers. Researchers analysed tiger scat samples to measure stress-related hormones without capturing or directly disturbing the animals.

Stress-hormone concentrations were found to be higher during tourism seasons and in areas experiencing more tourist-vehicle movement. The findings raised concerns that repeated disturbance could affect tiger behaviour, habitat use and the selection of breeding areas by females.

The research did not suggest stopping wildlife tourism completely. Tourism generates conservation awareness, local employment and revenue for protected areas. However, the findings indicate the need for scientifically determined limits on safari vehicles, proper spacing between vehicles, regulated visiting hours and the protection of undisturbed breeding and resting zones.

The study highlighted that tiger conservation must consider not only population numbers but also animal health, behaviour and the ecological quality of their habitats.

Important Points: Tiger stress was assessed through hormone analysis of scat samples. Higher tourism intensity was associated with increased physiological stress.

Human Activities Place Himalayan Pheasants Under Growing Pressure

A scientific assessment highlighted increasing pressure on Himalayan pheasants from habitat alteration, grazing, tourism, road construction, forest-resource extraction and other human activities.

Pheasants are important indicators of the ecological health of Himalayan forests and alpine habitats. Their populations can be affected when dense forest cover is fragmented, breeding locations are disturbed or human activity expands into high-altitude areas.

The Himalayan region supports several pheasant species, including the Himalayan monal, western tragopan, cheer pheasant, koklass pheasant and kalij pheasant. Some of these species have restricted distributions, making them particularly vulnerable to habitat loss and climate-related changes.

Researchers stressed the need for regular population monitoring, habitat connectivity, protection of breeding areas and management of tourism and grazing in sensitive landscapes. Community participation is especially important because many pheasant habitats occur near villages and areas used for livestock grazing or forest produce.

Important Points: The Himalayan monal is the state bird of Uttarakhand. The western tragopan is the state bird of Himachal Pradesh.

Supreme Court Panel Begins Field Survey of Aravalli Range

A Supreme Court-appointed high-powered committee began a field survey to help establish a clear and scientifically consistent definition of the Aravalli hills and ranges. The six-day exercise began with environmentally important locations in Delhi-NCR, including Asola, Mangar Bani and biodiversity-park areas, before extending into Rajasthan.

A uniform definition is important because differences in the identification and mapping of Aravalli land can affect environmental protection, mining control, construction permissions and land-use regulations.

The Aravalli range is one of the world’s oldest mountain systems and extends across Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana and Delhi. It helps check the eastward movement of desert sand, supports wildlife corridors, assists groundwater recharge and reduces dust and air-pollution pressure in the National Capital Region.

The survey is expected to support accurate mapping and stronger conservation measures. It could also help courts and governments determine which areas should receive protection from mining, construction, encroachment and environmentally damaging land-use changes

Important Points: The survey began at ecological sites in Delhi-NCR and extended towards Rajasthan. The Aravallis pass through Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana and Delhi.

Gujarat Plans Special Enclosure for Conflict-Prone Asiatic Lions

The Gujarat Forest Department announced plans to create a 100-hectare enclosure for Asiatic lions involved in attacks on people. The measure followed growing concern over human-lion conflict in the Saurashtra region.

The facility is intended to isolate lions identified as dangerous to humans while allowing them to live in a comparatively large, controlled environment. The approach seeks to protect local communities without resorting to measures that could undermine conservation of the species.

Gujarat’s Asiatic lion population has expanded beyond the traditional Gir landscape into agricultural fields, coastal areas and human-dominated regions. This geographical expansion represents a conservation achievement but also increases encounters among lions, livestock and people.

Long-term management will require scientific identification of problem animals, habitat and prey management, rapid-response teams, public awareness, compensation for livestock losses and safe movement corridors.

Important Points: The proposed enclosure will cover 100 hectares. The world’s only wild population of Asiatic lions is found in Gujarat.

Government Details Safeguards for Coastal Heavy-Mineral Mining

The government informed Parliament that exploration in the coastal areas of Cuddalore district, Tamil Nadu, had identified the Pudupuram–Cuddalore Beach Sand Mineral deposit. It contains approximately 1.912 million tonnes of total heavy minerals, including ilmenite, zircon and monazite.

To prevent illegal beach-sand mining and unauthorised export of strategic monazite, beach-sand mineral deposits containing monazite have been brought under government control. Exports are channelled through the public-sector company IREL (India) Limited, and monazite-test certification is required for export consignments.

Before a mining lease is executed in a coastal area, an Environmental Impact Assessment and a radiological survey by the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre are required. Environmental impacts on land, water, biodiversity and fishing communities must also be assessed.

The government stated that mined areas are backfilled, the original topography is restored and green belts are developed. Radiological conditions at operational plants are monitored by an independent Health Physics Unit under BARC. Satellite-based monitoring through the Mining Surveillance System is also used to identify suspected illegal mining.

Important Points: The identified deposit is located in Cuddalore district, Tamil Nadu. Its major minerals include ilmenite, zircon and monazite.

Kazakhstan Reintroduces Tiger to Historic Caspian Range

Kazakhstan released a female tiger named Umit into the Ile-Balkhash Nature Reserve near Lake Balkhash as part of an ambitious programme to restore tigers to a region where the Caspian tiger disappeared more than seven decades ago.

The Caspian tiger was declared extinct after hunting, habitat destruction and systematic eradication eliminated its populations. Genetic research later found that Caspian and Amur tigers were extremely closely related, supporting the use of Amur tigers for ecological restoration in the former Caspian range.

Kazakhstan aims to develop a self-sustaining population of approximately 50 tigers. A male tiger is being prepared for a future release, while additional animals are being raised under conditions intended to minimise human contact.

The programme requires restoration of habitat and prey populations, scientific monitoring and measures to prevent conflict with nearby communities. The release represents one of the world’s most ambitious large-carnivore reintroduction projects.

Important Points: The tiger was released in the Ile-Balkhash Nature Reserve. Kazakhstan is using Amur tigers to restore a population within the former range of the extinct Caspian tiger.

Quick Revision — Environment & Ecology

GOBARdhan: National Circular Bioenergy Scheme approved with an outlay of ₹23,731 crore.

1. Himalayan forest fires: Parliament’s 412th report recommended dedicated climate-fire research and stronger tourism regulation.
2. Access and Benefit Sharing: National Biodiversity Authority disbursed about ₹3.79 crore; cumulative disbursement exceeded ₹166 crore.
3. Invasive plants: Forest Survey of India prepared an album of 45 major invasive species.
4. Van Mahotsav: Haryana’s 77th Van Mahotsav was held at Manesar.
5. World Elephant Day: Observed on 12 August; India hosts nearly 60% of the world’s wild Asian elephants.
6. Plantation campaign: More than 50,000 saplings planted across 31 states on Hariyali Amavasya.
7. Punjab conservation project: ₹760-crore project announced for biodiversity and natural-resource conservation.
8. Marine monitoring: CMLRE conducted around 19 surveys between 2023 and 2026.
9. Tiger tourism study: Greater tourism disturbance was associated with higher stress-hormone levels in tigers.
10. Himalayan pheasants: Habitat change, tourism, grazing and infrastructure were identified as major pressures.
11. Aravalli survey: Supreme Court-appointed panel began field assessment from Delhi-NCR before covering Rajasthan.
12. Asiatic lions: Gujarat proposed a 100-hectare enclosure for lions involved in human attacks.
13. Coastal-mining safeguards: EIA, BARC radiological surveys and monitoring are required for strategic beach-sand mineral projects.
14. Tiger reintroduction: Kazakhstan released Umit into the Ile-Balkhash Nature Reserve to restore tigers to the former Caspian range.