What’s in today’s article?

• Why in news?
• What are Forest Fires/Wildfires?
• How common are forest fires in India?
• What is the reason for the fires this year?

Why in news?

For the past one week, forest fires have been raging in the Coonoor forest range in the Nilgiris in Tamil Nadu.

Recently, the Indian Air Force joined the ongoing firefighting efforts of the state forest department. IAF has deployed an Mi-17 V5 helicopter to conduct multiple Bambi Bucket operations that dumped some 16,000 litres of water on the fires.

What are Forest Fires/Wildfires?

• Meaning: It is an unplanned, uncontrolled and unpredictable fire in an area of combustible vegetation.
• Causes: Natural (lightning, high atmospheric temperatures and low humidity (dryness) and man-made (agricultural practices like Jhum, a source of fire (cigarette, bidi, etc)].
• Types of forest fire:
  • 

How common are forest fires in India?

• Period
  • November to June is considered to be forest fire season in India, with hundreds of thousands of small and large fires burning every year.
  • April-May are usually the worst fire months across the country.
• Affected areas
  • The biennial India State of Forest Report (ISFR) recorded in its 2019 report that more than 36% of India’s forest cover was prone to frequent fires.
    • ISFR is published by the Forest Survey of India (FSI) under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
  • About 4% of the forest cover was extremely prone to fire, and another 6% was very highly fire prone.
• Most forest fires Regions
  • According to the FSI, severe fires break out in dry deciduous forests, while evergreen, semi-evergreen, and montane temperate forests are comparatively less prone to fires.
  • The forests of Northeast India, Odisha, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, and Uttarakhand are the most vulnerable to fires.
    • In March 2023, large bushfires raged in Goa, triggering an investigation into whether they were man-made.
    • In 2021, a series of forest fires broke out in Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Nagaland-Manipur border, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat, including in wildlife sanctuaries.
• Forest fires incidents of 2024
  • Over the past one week, the highest number of forest fires have been reported from Mizoram (3,738), Manipur (1,702), Assam (1,652), Meghalaya (1,252), and Maharashtra (1,215).
  • Forest fires have been on an uptick since early March along the:
    • Konkan belt in Maharashtra,
    • south-coastal Gujarat along Gir Somnath and Porbandar,
    • southern Rajasthan and adjoining south-western districts of Madhya Pradesh,
    • coastal and interior Odisha, and adjoining Jharkhand.
  • In South India, most forest covered areas of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu have seen fire incidents over the past week.
• Forest fires in South India
  • Some forest areas in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana are fire-prone.
  • However, according to the FSI, forests in southern India are comparatively less vulnerable to fires, as the vegetation type is mainly evergreen or semi-evergreen.
  • That said, Tamil Nadu has been reporting wildfires in its forests in recent years.

What is the reason for the fires this year?

• Climatic conditions
  • This year, high aridity, above-normal day temperatures, clear sky conditions, and calm winds during the early phase of the summer season are some of the contributory factors for the spike in forest fire incidents in southern India.
• Temperature in Southern India
  • February 2024 was exceptionally hot over Southern India in particular.
  • It was South India’s hottest since 1901, and January was the fifth warmest in more than a century.
• High heat load
  • Over the past two months, the recorded maximum, minimum, and mean temperatures have remained above-normal over the southern states.
  • This has helped build the heat load over the region well before the onset of the summer season.
  • As a result, there has been an early availability of dry biomass in these forests since the winter season itself.
• Prevalence of Excess Heat Factor (EHF)
  • The IMD has warned of the prevalence of EHF to be significantly higher than normal over western Andhra Pradesh and neighbouring Karnataka.
    • EHF is a value that predicts the chances of a heatwave over a region.
  • Maximum temperatures touched 40 degrees Celsius here last week, unusual for mid-March.
• Mild aridity in southern India
  • In the absence of rain and prevailing high temperatures, the IMD has classified almost all districts of southern India under mild aridity.

Q1) What is the Excess Heat Factor (EHF)?

The Excess Heat Factor (EHF) is a metric for measuring the intensity of heat waves and categorizing their severity.

 Q2) What are Nilgiris?

 The Nilgiris are a mountain range in India that spans the borders of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Kerala, and is part of the Western Ghats. The Nilgiris are located at the junction of three states and connect the Western Ghats with the Eastern Ghats. The highest point on the Nilgiri mountains is Doddabetta, which is about 2,637 meters high. The Nilgiris district includes several hill stations, including Ooty, Coonoor, and Kotagiri.

Why in news?

The average global sea surface temperature (SST) for February 2024 stood at 21.06 degree Celsius. This is the highest recorded temperature in a dataset that goes back to 1979. The previous record of 20.98 degree Celsius was set in August 2023.

What’s in today’s article?

• Why in news?
• Why are the oceans getting warmer?
• Why are rising sea surface temperatures a cause of worry?
• Conclusion

Why are the oceans getting warmer?

• Greenhouse Gas(GHG) Emissions
  • Since the Industrial Revolution, human activities such as burning fossil fuels have released high levels of GHGs in the atmosphere.
  • Carbon dioxide, methane, ozone, and nitrous oxide are some of the notable GHGs, which essentially trap heat in the atmosphere and contribute to global warming.
  • As a result, the average global temperature has risen at least 1.2 degree Celsius above pre-industrial times.
• Heat Absorption
  • Almost 90 per cent of the extra heat trapped by GHGs has been absorbed by the oceans, making them steadily warmer over the decades.
• Deforestation
  • Deforestation reduces the number of trees available to absorb CO2 from the atmosphere. This leads to higher concentrations of GHGs, contributing to global warming and consequently, ocean warming.
• Melting Ice
  • As global temperatures rise, polar ice caps and glaciers melt, adding freshwater to the oceans.
  • This influx of freshwater can disrupt ocean currents and contribute to changes in temperature and salinity, further affecting ocean warming.
• Impact of El Niño
  • El Niño is a weather pattern that refers to an abnormal warming of surface waters in the equatorial Pacific Ocean.
  • It has contributed to both ocean warming and rising global surface temperatures.
• Less dust blowing off the Sahara Desert recently due to weaker-than-average winds.
  • Typically, the dust forms a giant umbrella that shades the Atlantic water and reduces ocean temperatures.
  • But now, the umbrella has partially folded and more of the Sun is beating down on the ocean.
• Natural Variability
  • While human activities are the primary driver of recent ocean warming, natural factors such as volcanic eruptions, changes in solar radiation, and ocean currents also play a role in short-term variations in ocean temperature.

Why are rising sea surface temperatures a cause of worry?

• Irreversible consequences for marine ecosystems
  • Warmer oceans lead to increased ocean stratification, where water separates into layers based on density.
  • Warmer, lighter, less salty, and nutrient-poor water sits atop colder, saltier, and nutrient-rich water.
  • Normally, ocean processes like currents, wind, and tides mix these layers, but stratification disrupts this.
• Threat to marine life
  • The rise in temperatures, however, has made it harder for water layers to mix with each other.
  • Due to this, oxygen absorbed isn’t able to mix properly with cooler ocean waters below, threatening the survival of marine life.
• Impact on Phytoplankton
  • Nutrients are also not able to travel up to the surface of the oceans from below. This could threaten the population of phytoplankton.
    • Phytoplanktons are single-celled plants that thrive on the ocean surface and are the base of several marine food webs.
    • Phytoplanktons are eaten by zooplankton, which are consumed by other marine animals such as crabs, fish, and sea stars.
  • Therefore, if the phytoplankton population plummets, there could be a collapse of marine ecosystems.
• Coral Bleaching
  • Corals are highly sensitive to changes in SSTs. When waters become too warm, corals expel the algae living in their tissues, causing them to turn white or bleach.
  • Bleached corals are stressed and more susceptible to disease and death.
• Ocean Acidification
  • Warmer SSTs can exacerbate ocean acidification, a process driven by the absorption of CO2 from the atmosphere.
  • Increased CO2 levels lower the pH of seawater, making it more acidic.
  • This acidification can harm marine organisms with calcium carbonate shells or skeletons, such as shellfish, corals, and some planktonic species, impacting entire marine food webs.
• Extreme Weather Events
  • Warm ocean waters provide the energy needed to fuel tropical storms and hurricanes.
  • Rising SSTs can lead to more intense storms, with higher wind speeds & heavier rainfall posing risks to coastal communities, infrastructure, and economies.
• Sea Level Rise
  • Warm water expands, contributing to thermal expansion of the oceans, which is a significant driver of global sea level rise.
  • Threatening coastal communities with more frequent and severe flooding, erosion, and saltwater intrusion into freshwater sources.
• Impacts on Climate Patterns
  • Changes in SSTs can influence atmospheric circulation patterns, such as the formation of weather systems like El Niño and La Niña.
  • These climate phenomena can have widespread effects on weather patterns, precipitation, and temperature extremes around the globe, affecting agriculture, water resources, and ecosystems.

Conclusion

Addressing the root causes of rising SSTs, primarily anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, is crucial to mitigating these impacts and protecting both marine and human well-being.

Q1) What are Phytoplankton?

Phytoplankton are microscopic, single-celled organisms that live in water and perform photosynthesis. They are a key part of ocean and freshwater ecosystems.

Q2) What is Sahara Desert?

The Sahara Desert is the world's largest hot desert, covering 9,200,000 square kilometers across North Africa. It's the third-largest desert overall, after Antarctica and the Arctic.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Why in the News?
• Background
• Article 102 and Article 191 of the Constitution
• Grounds on which an MLA/MLC can be Disqualified
• News Summary

Why in News?

The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a plea by Tamil Nadu Government seeking its intervention in reinstating K Ponmudy as a minister.

Background

• The Madras High Court in December last year convicted Ponmudy and his wife in a disproportionate assets case.
• The HC convicted the former minister and his wife and awarded them a three-year jail term, along with a fine of Rs 50 lakh.
• The couple was on trial for amassing assets during his tenure as minister for Mines and Minerals in the 2006–2011 DMK government.
• This decision by the High Court triggered Section 8(3) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.
  • “A person convicted of any offence and sentenced to imprisonment for not less than two years shall be disqualified from the date of such conviction and shall continue to be disqualified for a further period of six years since his release.”
• While Ponmudy was disqualified and could no longer be a minister, he moved the Supreme Court challenging the HC ruling.

Article 102 and Article 191 of the Constitution

• The criteria for disqualifications from membership of a state legislature are mentioned in the Article 191 of the Constitution of India.
• Similarly, the disqualification criteria are laid down in the Article 102 relating to the membership of both the houses of Parliament.

Grounds on which an MLA/MLC can be Disqualified

• The Parliament has prescribed a number of disqualifications in the Representation of People Act, 1951:
  • He must not have been found guilty of certain election offences or corrupt practices in the elections.
  • He must not have been convicted for any offence resulting in imprisonment for two or more years.
  • He must not have failed to lodge an account of his election expenses within the time.
  • He must not have any interest in government contracts, works or services.
  • He must not be a director or managing agent nor hold an office of profit in a corporation in which the government has at least 25 per cent share.
  • He must not have been dismissed from government service for corruption or disloyalty to the state.
  • He must not have been convicted for promoting enmity between different groups or for the offence of bribery.
  • He must not have been punished for preaching and practicing social crimes such as untouchability, dowry and sati.

Tamil Nadu Government approached the Supreme Court

• The Tamil Nadu Government has approached the Supreme Court over the refusal of Governor RN Ravi to re-induct MLA K Ponmudy as a Minister in the State Government.
• Arguments forwarded by the TN Government
  • Further, the State seeks a direction to the Governor to act as per the Chief Minister’s recommendation to appoint Ponmudy as a Minister.
  • The State argued that the Governor has to act as per the Chief Minister’s recommendation in terms of Article 164 (1) of the Constitution.
  • The State also cited the Supreme Court’s judgment in Lok Prahari case (2023) which stated that if the conviction is suspended, then disqualification will cease to operate.
  • The State argued that the Governor, by acting against the judgment, is committing contempt of court.
• Role of Supreme Court
  • Last week, the Supreme Court had stayed the conviction of Ponmudy in a Disproportionate Assets case.
  • While staying the conviction and sentence, the SC observed that in view of Section 8(3) of the RPA, 1951, the MLA, who was sentenced to over 2 years of imprisonment, would have incurred disqualification as a result of conviction.
• Stand of Tamil Nadu Governor
  • Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi wrote to the Chief Minister MK Stalin staying that since Ponmudy was held guilty by the High Court for a serious offence amounting to moral turpitude, relating to corruption.
  • Hence, his re-induction in the Council of Ministers while he remains tainted of corruption would be against Constitutional morality.
  • The Governor stated that the conviction has only been suspended and not set aside by the Supreme Court.

Q1) What do you mean by Office of Profit?

 Office of profit is a position that brings or has the potential to bring the person holding it financial gain. Under the Indian constitution (Articles 102 and 191), holding an office of profit by a legislator is not allowed. Holding the office of profit can lead to the disqualification of said legislator (MP or MLA).

Q2) What do you mean by Disproportionate Assets?

Disproportionate assets refer to assets or wealth that are significantly higher than the known sources of income of an individual. In legal proceedings, it is alleged that the accused has acquired assets through corrupt or illegal means.

Source: Tamil Nadu government approaches Supreme Court as Governor Ravi refuses to swear-in Ponmudy as Minister | IE

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Why in News?
• What is the Star Rating System for SEIAA?
• Concerns Regarding the Star Rating System of the SEIAA
• Why has there been a Delay in Operationalising Star Rating System for SEIAA?

Why in News?

The MoEFCC has informed the NGT that its plan to implement a star-rating system for states based on their promptness in awarding environmental clearances to industrial or infrastructure projects has not yet been operationalised.

The Ministry told the NGT’s Chennai bench that it is still in the process of upgrading and operationalising the website that would facilitate this ranking of the State Environment Impact Assessment Authorities (SEIAA).

What is the Star Rating System for SEIAA?

• The star-rating system was introduced in 2022 by the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEFCC), and is based on -
  • Pollution control measures,
  • Environmental management practices, and
  • Compliance with regulatory requirements.
• The rating, for which industries must apply every year, range from one to five stars, with five stars indicating the highest environmental compliance and performance level.
• The ratings are publicly displayed on the SEIAA website.
  • SEIAA is a regulatory body established by the MoEFCC under the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification 2006.
  • The SEIAAs grant clearances on the recommendations of the Expert Appraisal Committees which go through every project proposal that has the potential to have a substantial environmental impact.
• As per the star-rating system, the SEIAA would get points on a scale of 0 to 7.
  • A SEIAA would get two points for granting a clearance in less than 80 days, one point for clearing a project between 80 and 105 days and 0.5 points if the clearance was granted between 105 and 120 days.
  • Zero points would be given to a SEIAA if it takes more than 120 days for granting environmental clearance.
• The proposed star-rating system will beutilised to “rank” and “incentivise” States on how “quickly” and “efficiently” they can accord environmental clearances.
• The ranking system aims to encourage efficiency in decision-making without compromising regulatory safeguards.
• Industries with higher ratings will be eligible for various incentives and benefits and thus promotes ease of doing business.

Concerns Regarding the Star Rating System of the SEIAA

• Limited scope: It focuses on the environmental performance of industries and does not consider other important factors, such as socio-economic impacts, which can also affect sustainability.
• Self-reporting and verification: The system relies on self-reporting by industries, which can be prone to manipulation and inaccurate reporting.
  • Verifying the reported data can also be challenging, particularly for smaller industries.
• Lack of stringency: The criteria for awarding stars may need to be more stringent to ensure the highest level of environmental performance.
  • This may be difficult to enforce due to lack of capacity and resources.
• Limited participation: This is mainly because industries do not see any immediate benefits of participation or have limited resources.
• Incentives may not be enough: While the incentives provided for higher star ratings can encourage industries to improve their environmental performance, more is needed to ensure sustained improvement in the long run.
• Lack of public awareness: There may be a need for more public awareness about the system, which can limit its effectiveness in promoting sustainable development and environmental protection.

Why has there been a Delay in Operationalising Star Rating System for SEIAA?

• The MoEFCC had introduced the star-rating system in 2022 but it was challenged in the NGT by a Tamil Nadu-based organisation working for the rights of fishermen.
• The petitioners argued that it was arbitrary and would result in a dilution of scrutiny during the environmental impact assessment (EIA) process.
• The petitioners also argued that the Ministry’s order was contrary to the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) notification of 2006 which mandates detailed scrutiny of all the impact of all projects.
• However, the Ministry defended its decision and said that the rating criteria does not seek to change any process or timelines as provided in the EIA notification 2006.

Q1) What is the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification of 2006?

The EIA Notification of 2006 is the governing legal instrument for granting green clearance to create or expand an industry based on the project's possible environmental impact.

Q2) What is the National Green Tribunal (NGT)?

The NGT, established in 2010, as per the National Green Tribunal Act is a specialised judicial body equipped with expertise solely for the purpose of adjudicating environmental cases in the country.

Source: Star-rating for state environment bodies not operational yet, Ministry tells NGT