Prelims Nuggets

NASA to shut down Orbiting Carbon Observatories

Context: The US administration has asked the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to prepare to shut down Orbiting Carbon Observatories (two major satellites) that monitor atmospheric Carbon dioxide (CO2) and crop health.

The missions, still working perfectly, are being terminated to align with the US budget priorities.

Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: Key facts about Orbiting Carbon Observatories; Carbon dioxide.

Orbiting Carbon Observatories

OCOs are a series of dedicated Earth remote sensing satellites designed specifically to observe atmospheric CO2 from space to better understand the characteristics of climate change. The two OCOs include: OCO-2 (launched in 2014) and OCO-3 (2019).
Function: The satellites:
- measure atmospheric CO2 and can also locate its sources and sinks.
- track crops and crop-growing seasons by measuring the glow that plants emit when they photosynthesise.
OCO-3 and OCO-2 do the same function, but they provide different perspectives to scientists.
- OCO-2 flies around Earth in a sun-synchronous polar orbit which allows it to see any given location at the same time of day.
- OCO-3 flies aboard the International Space Station (ISS) which orbits Earth every 90 minutes. It can observe a location at many different times of day, and add to the dataset of its predecessor mission.

The US government now plans to shut down both OCO-2 and OCO-3 satellites. The satellites are more sensitive and accurate than any other mission operating or planned, in the world.

Significance of the OCO Missions

Before the launch of the OCOs, scientists measured atmospheric CO2 mainly through instruments placed at various locations on the Earth’s surface. However, this did not provide them information about the whole planet.

Provide a range of Data: OCOs have the ability to monitor crop health. NASA and other agencies have used the data to create high-resolution maps of plant growth around the world. The data generated by OCOs is used:
- For CO2 measurement
- To forecast and track crop yields and drought conditions
- For drought monitoring
- Forest mapping
- To assess emission reduction efforts, and to develop effective strategies to tackle climate change.
Advance scientific knowledge: OCOs have advanced scientific knowledge by paving the way for some surprising discoveries. For instance:
- For decades, it was believed that tropical rainforests functioned as the lungs of the planet by clearing out vast quantities of CO2 from the atmosphere. However, data from OCO-2 revealed that boreal forests (also known as taiga), the coniferous forests in the higher latitudes of the northern hemisphere, play a significant role in the absorption of CO2.
- The data showed how natural carbon sinks such as forests could become carbon emitters due to drought or deforestation.

About Carbon dioxide

Carbon dioxide, a colourless gas, is one of the most important greenhouse gases linked to global warming. It is a minor component of Earth’s atmosphere (about 3 volumes in 10,000).
Sources of Emission:
- Natural: Respiration, decomposition of living animals, fermentation, emitted from oceans and other natural bodies of water, volcanoes, forest fires, and carbonate rocks.
- Anthropogenic: Transportation, power and heat generation, chemical and petrochemical production, manufacturing, agriculture, food production.

Global Warming Potential:

GWP describes how much impact a gas will have on atmospheric warming over a period of time compared to carbon dioxide. Each greenhouse gas has a different atmospheric warming impact, and some gases remain in the atmosphere for longer than others.
Carbon dioxide (CO2) has the lowest global warming potential, is the most abundant and lasts for thousands of years, so it is used as the baseline.

Carriage of Goods by Sea Act 2025 & Coastal Shipping Act 2025

Context: In the biggest overhaul of India’s maritime legal framework, two landmark legislations- ‘Carriage of Goods by Sea Act, 2025’, and the ‘Coastal Shipping Act, 2025’ have been enacted.

Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: Key provisions of ‘Carriage of Goods by Sea Act, 2025’, and the ‘Coastal Shipping Act, 2025.’

Overhaul of India’s Maritime Legal Framework

The Carriage of Goods by Sea Act, 2025 replaces outdated provisions of the Indian Carriage of Goods by Sea Act, 1925.
The Coastal Shipping Act, 2025 seeks to simplify and modernise the legal framework governing coastal shipping. It replaces outdated provisions of Part XIV of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958.

Carriage of Goods by Sea Act, 2025

The Carriage of Goods by Sea Act, 2025 adopts Hague-Visby Rules, a globally accepted maritime standard. It standardises Indian maritime trade law with globally accepted norms (especially regarding bills of lading and cargo liability).
The Act lays out clearly defined roles, responsibilities, liabilities and protections for parties involved in the carriage of goods by sea to reduce legal disputes.
It caps carrier liability to provide predictability for shippers and insurers. Exemptions cover force majeure events like war and natural disasters, while allowing negotiated terms for special cargo.
The Act outlines clear rules around the Bill of Lading- including who is responsible if something goes wrong, and what rights both parties have. The government can update or modify the rules related to bills of lading, without needing to bring a new law to Parliament.

Bill of Lading:

It is a legal receipt issued by a shipping company to the person sending the goods.
It lists what goods are being shipped, their quantity and condition, and where they are going.
It acts as proof of ownership of the goods and is essential for international trade.

Coastal Shipping Act, 2025

The Coastal Shipping Act, 2025 consolidates rules for coasting trade, defined as cargo or passenger movement between Indian ports or related offshore activities.

It introduces a simplified licensing system for coastal shipping and lays down the framework for regulating foreign vessels engaged in coasting trade.
- It requires foreign vessels to obtain licences from the Director-General of Shipping.
- Indian vessels, while exempt from licensing, must meet reporting norms.
The Act mandates formulation of National Coastal and Inland Shipping Strategic Plan to map routes, forecast traffic and integrate coastal shipping with inland waterways. It has to be updated every two years.
It provides for creation of a National Database for Coastal Shipping to enable real-time access to authentic and regularly updated data. This database will keep potential investors informed about the government’s development plans and policy priorities.
Strict penalties target unlicensed operations, false declarations and safety breaches. The government is empowered to reroute or ban vessels in public interest or for national defence.

Significance of overhauling India’s Maritime Legal Framework:

Align India’s maritime framework with global conventions and international protocols.
Streamline coastal trade and prioritise Indian-owned vessels in domestic waters. Enhance supply-chain security by increasing Indian ships’ participation in domestic cargo movement.
The National Database for Coastal Shipping will promote transparency and confidence.
Reduce India’s dependence on foreign vessels thereby preventing the outflow of foreign exchange.
Promotes ease of doing business for Indian shipping operators, cuts freight costs and enhances multimodal transport efficiency.
Catalyses local economic development generating employment opportunities across coastal regions.

India moves a step closer to building a rule-aligned, integrated, efficient, and globally competitive coastal and inland shipping ecosystem, while securing the country’s vast 7500 km coastline for strategic and commercial benefit.

Aadhaar Face Authentication to ensure Exam Transparency

Context: The government is expanding Aadhaar face authentication to enhance fairness in exams, improve service delivery, and ensure inclusion.

Relevance of the Topic : Prelims: What is Aadhar Face Authentication and how it is done.

What is Aadhaar Face Authentication?

Aadhaar Face Authentication is a biometric verification method where a person’s live facial image is matched with the photograph stored in the Aadhaar database at the time of enrolment.
Uses liveness detection to ensure the person is physically present.
Operates through a smartphone or computer camera.

Why is it being used?

Transparency in competitive exams: It helps ensure the person taking the exam is the real registered candidate. The Staff Selection Commission (SSC) and the Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) already have approval to use it for examinee verification.
Solving biometric issues: Many labourers and elderly people have worn-out fingerprints, making fingerprint authentication unreliable. Face authentication bypasses that issue.

Recent adoption of Aadhaar Face Authentication:

Employment Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO): EPFO has mandated that Universal Account Numbers (UAN) for salaried employees and pensioners will only be generated after Aadhaar face authentication.
India Post Payments Bank: Recently adopted face authentication for services, saying it aligns with Digital India and Financial Inclusion goals ensuring equal access for all citizens.
Sports Authority of India (SAI): Approved to use Aadhaar authentication for athletes, coaches, and staff to verify identity during registration, attendance, and Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) schemes like Khelo India and TOPS.

Legal and Administrative Framework:

Any Aadhaar authentication (including face recognition) requires IT Ministry approval.
In January 2025, new rules called the Aadhaar Authentication for Good Governance (Social Welfare, Innovation, Knowledge) Amendment Rules, 2025 were issued.

Under these rules:

Government & private organisations can submit authentication proposals to the IT Ministry.
Proposals are vetted by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI).
A new Aadhaar authentication portal (SWIK Portal) has been launched for submitting proposals. About 1-6 proposals are approved each month.

Significance:

Enhance Examination Integrity: Reduces impersonation in competitive exams and builds trust among candidates.
Social Inclusion: Addresses biometric failure issues for vulnerable groups.
Administrative Accountability: Ensures accurate beneficiary identification and transparent welfare delivery.
Ease of Access: Smartphone-based authentication reduces dependency on physical infrastructure.

Challenges & Concerns

Privacy Risks: Potential misuse of biometric data, if safeguards are weak.
Cybersecurity: Need for robust protection against spoofing or hacking.
Digital Divide: Access issues for those without smartphones or internet.

Aadhaar face authentication is becoming a central identity verification tool in India. It reflects the government's broader push for Digital India, Good Governance, and Financial Inclusion, while expanding the role of Aadhaar beyond fingerprints and OTPs.

Also Read: UIDAI notifies new rules for Aadhar Authentication

Outrage over classification of Sylheti as a Bangladeshi dialect

Context: Sylheti is spoken by over 7 million people in Northeast India and millions more in Bangladesh’s Sylhet Division. The classification of Sylheti as a foreign or Bangladeshi dialect has sparked outrage in Assam's Barak Valley.

Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: Key facts about Sylheti language.

Sylheti Linguistic Status

Sylheti is spoken on both sides of the India-Bangladesh border, notably in Assam’s Barak Valley, and in parts of Meghalaya and Tripura & in the Sylhet Division of Bangladesh.
Many speakers identify culturally and linguistically as Bengali, while maintaining Sylheti as their mother tongue.
It is often classified as a dialect of Bengali, with the primary argument being mutual intelligibility between the two.
However, linguists note that such intelligibility may stem from speakers’ exposure to both languages rather than inherent similarity. The region exhibits diglossia, with standard Bengali used for education and literacy, while Sylheti remains the spoken vernacular in daily life.
Sylheti and standard Bengali share almost identical morphology and syntax, but they differ in phonetics.

Historically, Sylheti had a script known as Sylhet-Nagri, which emerged in the late medieval period under Persian influence. It was used mainly by Sufi mystics for religious and philosophical writings, but it was never widely adopted as a common script.

Historical Background of Sylhet:

1874: Sylhet was moved from Bengal to Assam to strengthen Assam’s revenue base.
From 1874-1947: Sylhet’s status was contested, i.e., Bengal vs Assam, Hindu vs Muslim political leanings.
1947 Partition: A referendum decided Sylhet would join East Pakistan, except for Karimganj (now in Barak Valley, Assam). Many Hindu Sylhetis migrated to India, especially Barak Valley.
Pre-Partition migration: Sylheti traders, clerks, and professionals were already settled across Assam, Tripura, and Meghalaya long before East Pakistan or Bangladesh existed.

India’s First Underwater Museum and Artificial Coral Reef

Context: Maharashtra is set to create India’s first underwater museum and artificial coral reef by scuttling the decommissioned naval warship INS Guldar near Nivati Rocks, Vengurla, in Sindhudurg district.

Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: About India’s First Underwater Museum; Artificial Coral Reef; INS Guldar.

India’s first Underwater Museum and Artificial Coral Reef

India’s first underwater museum and artificial coral reef will be developed around the decommissioned warship INS Guldar in Maharashtra.
Aim: To boost marine conservation and tourism, offering scuba diving and future submarine tours.
The underwater museum cum-artificial reef is estimated to cost Rs 78 crore. The initiative is supported by the central government. Centre will bear nearly 60% of the total cost and the state government the rest.

INS Guldar

INS Guldar, an 83 metre long Kumbhir Class landing ship, was built in Poland and commissioned into the Indian Navy in 1985. It was decommissioned in 2024.
It was designed for amphibious warfare and capable of beach landings. It was once part of India’s peace keeping mission in Srilanka combating attacks from the Liberation of Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)
It has been officially handed over by the central government to the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation for conversion into a submerged museum.

Scuttling of INS Guldar:

Scuttling is the deliberate sinking (controlled sinking) of a ship to dispose of an old vessel, create an artificial reef, or prevent it from falling into enemy hands. The process of scuttling follows the Archimedes principle.
Archimedes principle: The buoyant force keeping an object afloat is equal to the weight of the water the object displaces.

Fishing Cat

Context: India is home to 15 species of the cat family (Felidae). Smaller wild cats like the Fishing Cat remain lesser-known yet ecologically significant. The species faces growing threats from habitat loss and human-wildlife conflict, particularly due to the degradation of wetlands.

Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: Key facts about Fishing Cat.

Fishing Cat

Description: An elusive nocturnal cat, twice the size of the domestic cat. It weighs 7-12 kgs, and has a greyish brown fur lined with black spots.
Behaviour:
- In its territory, this cat is often the apex predator meaning no other creature preys on it.
- The diet is primarily fish; it also hunts on rodents, chickens, small animals.
- Well adapted to water with webbed paws, a waterproof coat, ability to swim underwater, and claws that stay out to help grip mud and catch fish.
Habitat: Wetlands i.e., river floodplains, mangroves, marshes, swamps.
Distribution in India: Terai region, marshes of western India, Sundarbans, East coast, Chilika Lake (Odisha), Sri Lanka; rediscovered in Keoladeo National Park (Rajasthan).
The fishing cat spends 50% of its hunting time standing, sitting or crouching near the edge of water. Barely 5% of hunting time is spent submerged in water.

Protection Status:

IUCN Red List: Vulnerable
CITES: Appendix II (trade regulated to avoid threats to survival)
Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972: Schedule I (the highest level of legal protection in India)

Fishing cat numbers are rapidly declining in the Sundarbans and were once thought extinct in Rajasthan until recent sightings in Keoladeo National Park.

Factors responsible for Decline:

Habitat loss: The decline is largely on account of habitat loss. It has been estimated that 30-40% of India’s wetlands have been lost or severely degraded in the last four decades. Protecting wetland ecosystems is therefore crucial for the fishing cat.
Human encroachment on wetlands and revenge killings of cats by humans.

Scientific Research & Monitoring:

Fishing Cat Project (Tiasa Adhya): Extensive surveys, community engagement.
Wildlife Institute of India’s Godavari Estuary Project: GPS collar tracking in Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary (Andhra Pradesh) to map habitat use and human interaction zones.
Community-Based Conservation: Awareness campaigns to reduce animosity and promote co-existence.

Ocean Model affirms Fukushima Wastewater release is Safe

Context: A recent simulation study by Japanese researchers using an ocean circulation model has affirmed that Fukushima wastewater release is safe.

Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: Key idea about Nuclear contamination; Key facts about Tritium.

Japan releases wastewater from Fukushima Nuclear Plant

An earthquake followed by a tsunami in 2011 wrecked the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Japan, destroying its cooling system and causing reactor cores to overheat and contaminate water within the facility with highly radioactive material.
Since the disaster, power plant company TEPCO has been pumping in water to cool down the damaged reactors' fuel rods. Every day the plants produce contaminated water which is stored in around 1,000 tanks, which are already filled to 98% of their 1.37 million-ton capacity.
This water has been treated to remove most radioactive contaminants but still contains tritium (a radioactive isotope of hydrogen) and Carbon-14 which are difficult to separate from water.
In 2021, Japan’s government announced plans to release over one million tonnes of contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear plant into the Pacific ocean over the next 30 years.

Rationale to release wastewater

There is a lack of available space for additional storage tanks, as well as due to safety risks and expense of managing the accumulating water.
Japan states that the water has been treated and diluted before releasing it into the ocean. The water contains about 190 becquerels of tritium per litre, below the World Health Organisation drinking water limit of 10,000 becquerels per litre (Bq/L). (Becquerel is a unit of radioactivity).

Associated Concerns:

The release has raised concerns among China and South Korea, as well as environmental and anti-nuclear groups regarding its potential impact on public health (increase the risk of cancer), seafood and marine environment.

Waste water released into the ocean off Fukushima will not be contained to waters surrounding Japan. It will be carried by ocean currents, particularly the cross-Pacific Kuroshio current, to other parts of the world.
Marine animals that migrate great distances, phytoplankton (free-floating organisms) and microplastics can all act as Trojan horses to spread radionucleotides far away.

Findings of the latest Research by Japanese Researchers:

Low radiation levels: As the nuclear facility is releasing tritiated water gradually, the Tritium levels (radiation level) is even lower than that due to natural and historical sources. The peaks from the routine discharge never exceed 0.002 Bq/L, which is 25x (25 times) lower than natural background radiation levels.
Impact of Warming: Warmer oceans might shift the Kuroshio Current a little North and strengthen eastward flow, speeding up tritium dispersion in the mid-Pacific. However, Tritium concentrations will still remain three orders of magnitude below detection threshold.

Since, Tritium has a half life of around 12 years, natural decay reduces long-term risk. Even under extreme warming or a worst-case eddy transport scenario, the levels of the Tritium would remain undetectable across the wider Pacific Ocean by 2099.

About Tritium:

Tritium is a radioactive isotope of Hydrogen with a half-life of about 12 years. Hydrogen has three isotopes:
- Protium- one proton and zero neutron
- Deuterium - one proton and one neutron
- Tritium - one proton and two neutrons
Occurrence: Naturally occurring tritium is extremely rare on Earth. The atmosphere has only trace amounts, formed by the interaction of Nitrogen with cosmic rays. It can be produced artificially as a low-abundance byproduct in nuclear reactors.
Uses:
- Energy source in radioluminescent lights for watches, gun sights, numerous instruments and tools.
- Radioactive tracer in a medical and scientific setting.
- Nuclear fusion fuel, along with more abundant deuterium, in tokamak reactors and hydrogen bombs.
Concerns: Tritium is easily absorbed by the bodies of living creatures and rapidly distributed via blood.

The Rise of Herbicides

Context: India’s crop protection chemical industry is undergoing a significant transformation, marked by the rapid growth of the herbicide segment.

Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: Crop protection chemicals (insecticides, fungicides, herbicides), Agricultural labour trends.

Crop Protection Chemicals

Crop protection chemicals, commonly known as pesticides are substances used to protect crops from:
- Insects (insecticides) E.g., White-backed plant hopper in paddy.
- Fungal diseases (fungicides) E.g., Blast and sheath blight in rice.
- Weeds (herbicides) Unwanted plants that compete with crops for resources.
These chemicals ensure improved crop health, higher productivity, and reduced input losses.

Current Market Snapshot

Total Organised Market Size : ₹24,500 crore (approx.)
Segment-wise Breakdown :
- Insecticides ₹10,700 crore
- Herbicides ₹8,200 crore
- Fungicides ₹5,600 crore
Herbicides are the fastest-growing segment, with over 10% annual growth, driven by labour shortages and evolving agricultural practices.
The market is heavily dominated by multinational corporations, with limited domestic presence: Bayer (15%, Germany), Syngenta and ADAMA, both owned by China’s Sinochem, Corteva (USA) etc.
However, the herbicide segment has Indian players too, such as Dhanuka Agritech (estimated 6% share) and Crystal Crop Protection Ltd.

Why is the usage of Herbicides booming?

Labour Shortage and Rising Wages:
- Manual weeding is time-intensive (8-10 hours/acre).
- Labour costs have risen from ₹326.2 (2019) to ₹447.6 (2024).
- Availability of rural labour for strenuous manual work is declining.
Limitations of Mechanical Weeders: Power weeders are not effective in densely planted or deep-rooted weed areas.
Herbicides as Labour-saving Technology: Like tractors and harvesters, herbicides are seen as substitutes for manual labour.
Cost Comparison: Manual weeding (₹2,000+ per acre) is comparatively more expensive than using chemical herbicide (E.g., Sikosa): ₹850-900 per acre.
Changing Patterns in Herbicide Usage
- Traditional Practice: Post-emergent application – applied after weeds appear.
- New Trend: Pre-emergent herbicides - Prevent weeds from sprouting.
- Early post-emergent: Target weeds at early crop growth stage.
- Pre-emergent herbicides account for ₹550 crore in ₹1,500 crore paddy herbicide market and 20% of ₹1,000 crore wheat herbicide market

This preventive approach marks a shift from reactive farming to strategic input use.

Challenges & Concerns:

Multinational Monopoly: Unlike seeds and fertilisers (where Indian public/private players exist), the pesticide industry remains largely foreign-dominated. Sinochem Holdings Corporation (China) owns Syngenta & ADAMA; India lacks a comparable domestic giant.
Dependence on Imports: Heavy reliance on imported active ingredients and technologies. Need to strengthen indigenous R&D in crop chemistry.
Ecological Risks: Misuse of herbicides can harm non-target species, contaminate soil and water.Growing concerns about Paraquat toxicity and herbicide-resistant weeds.

Way Forward

Encourage indigenous innovation in agri-chemicals.
Incentivise public-private partnerships for research in biopesticides and sustainable crop protection.
Promote judicious use of herbicides with farmer education and regulation.

India’s pesticide market is shifting towards herbicides due to labour shortages and cost efficiency. While MNCs dominate, Indian firms are gaining ground through innovation. Strengthening local R&D and ensuring environmental safety are key to sustainable growth.

What is the Potential of Biochar?

Context: India plans to launch its carbon market in 2026 aiming to reduce carbon emissions. Among the potential carbon removal technologies, Biochar has emerged as a promising option.

Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: Concept of Biochar.
Mains: Biochar: What, potential, benefits, challenges.

What is Biochar?

Biochar is a type of charcoal rich in carbon produced from pyrolysis of biomass (agricultural residue, municipal solid waste) under limited or no oxygen conditions. It offers a sustainable alternative to manage waste and capture carbon.

India generates over 600 million metric tonnes of agricultural residue and over 60 million tonnes of municipal solid waste every year. A significant portion of both is burnt openly or dumped in landfills, leading to air pollution from particulate matter and greenhouse gases such as methane, nitrous oxide, and CO2.

Utility of Biochar

Waste management: By using 30% to 50% of surplus waste, India can produce 15-26 million tonnes of biochar and remove 0.1 gigatonnes of CO2-equivalent annually.
Byproducts of biochar production, such as syngas (20-30 million tonnes) and bio-oil (24-40 million tonnes), can generate additional electricity and fuels.
- Utilising syngas could generate around 8-13 TWh of power, equivalent to 0.5-0.7% of India’s annual electricity generation, replacing 0.4-0.7 million tonnes of coal per year.
- Bio-oil can potentially offset 12-19 million tonnes (or 8%) of diesel or kerosene production annually, leading to lower crude oil imports and reducing more than 2% of India’s total fossil-fuel-based emissions.
Carbon sink: Biochar can hold carbon in the soil for 100-1,000 years due to its strong and stable characteristics, making it an effective long-term carbon sink.
Agriculture:
- Applying biochar can improve water retention, particularly in semi-dry and nutrient-depleted soils. This can abate nitrous oxide emissions by 30-50%.
- Biochar can also enhance soil organic carbon helping restore degraded soils.
Industrial sector: In carbon capture applications, modified biochar can adsorb CO2 from industrial exhaust gases.
Construction sector:
- Biochar can be explored as a low-carbon alternative to building materials.
- Adding 2-5% of biochar to concrete can improve mechanical strength, increase heat resistance by 20%, and capture 115 kg of CO2 per cubic metre, making building materials a stable carbon sink.
Wastewater treatment: Biochar offers a low-cost and effective option to reduce pollution. India generates more than 70 billion litres of wastewater every day, of which 72% is left untreated. A kilogram of biochar along with other substances can treat 200-500 litres of wastewater, implying a biochar demand potential of 2.5-6.3 million tonnes.

What hinders Biochar’s Application?

Despite its theoretically substantial potential to capture carbon, biochar remains underrepresented in carbon credit systems due to:

Absence of standardised feedstock markets and consistent carbon accounting methods, which undermine investor confidence.
Barriers such as limited resources, evolving technologies, market uncertainties, and insufficient policy support.
Viable business models are yet to emerge for large-scale adoption. Market development is further constrained by:
- limited awareness among stakeholders,
- weak ‘monitoring, reporting, verification’ frameworks, and
- lack of coordination across areas such as agriculture, energy, and climate policy.

Way Forward

To enable large-scale adoption :

Sustained support for R&D is essential to create region-specific feedstock standards and to optimize biomass utilisation rates based on agro-climatic zones and crop types.
Biochar should be systematically integrated into existing and upcoming frameworks, including crop residue management schemes, bioenergy initiatives in both urban and rural contexts, and state-level climate strategies under the State Action Plans on Climate Change.
Recognising biochar as a verifiable carbon removal pathway within the Indian carbon market will generate additional income for investors and farmers through carbon credits.
Deploying biochar production equipment at the village level has the potential to create approximately 5.2 lakh rural jobs, linking climate action with inclusive economic development.
The additional benefits of biochar, such as better soil health, lower fertilizer requirement (by 10-20%), and higher crop yield (by 10-25%), should be systematically integrated into policy and market frameworks to fully realise its potential.

Biochar, though not a silver bullet, offers a science-backed multisectoral pathway for India to achieve its climate and development goals.

What caused Flash Floods in Uttarkashi?

Context: Recently, flash floods and mudslides struck Dharali village in Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand.

Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: Concept of Flash Floods and Cloudburst.Mains: Reasons behind flash floods in Uttarkashi.

While such disasters are frequent in the Himalayan region, this particular event was not caused by a cloudburst, but due to a dangerous combination of rugged topography, continuous rainfall, and geological fragility.

What are Flash Floods?

Flash floods are sudden surges in water levels in rivers or streams, often caused by intense rainfall, rapid snowmelt, or dam breaches.

Causes Behind the Flash Floods in Uttarkashi:

Rugged Himalayan Topography:
- Uttarkashi lies at an altitude between 800-6900 metres, with steep slopes, deep gorges, and narrow valleys. These steep gradients accelerate the flow of rainwater and landslide debris which make flash floods more intense and sudden.
- The region's terrain causes rapid runoff, preventing water from percolating, and instead directing it forcefully into river systems.
Continuous Heavy Rainfall: Though not a cloudburst (which requires 100 mm/hour rainfall), Uttarkashi received persistent rainfall over several days, saturating the soil and weakening slopes. Saturated land is more prone to landslides and debris flow, which adds mass to flowing water, worsening the impact downstream.
Geological Vulnerability: The region consists of glacial moraines, unconsolidated sediments, and loose soil layers formed by past landslides. Even mild triggers like rainfall or tremors can cause massive slope failure, sweeping mud and rocks into river channels.
Accelerated Deglaciation due to Climate Change: Rising temperatures have led to increased melting of glaciers around Gangotri and Yamunotri. This meltwater, when combined with rainfall, increases the hydrological load, enhancing the chances of flash floods.
Lack of vegetation: Uttarkashi district is situated along the southern Himalayan slope, where there is limited vegetation and no significant obstruction. Mild triggers such as rainfall or earthquakes can cause loose moraine and soil to easily slither downhill, swallowing homes and roads along its path.

Why was it not a Cloudburst?

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD): Rainfall of 100 mm or more in an hour over a roughly 10 km x 10 km area is classified as a cloudburst event.
On the day of the flash flood, Uttarkashi received only 2.7 mm, and stations reported well below cloudburst criteria.
Thus, this was a widespread rain-induced landslide and flash flood, not a localised extreme rainfall event.

The Uttarkashi flash floods are a classic example of how vulnerable Himalayan ecosystems are to even moderate but prolonged rainfall, especially when climate change and poor land-use practices compound the risk. This underlines the need for sustainable development, robust early warning systems, and disaster-resilient infrastructure in fragile hill regions.

India’s First AI-Powered Anganwadi Centre

Context: The state government of Maharashtra has recently launched India’s first AI-powered Anganwadi in Waddhamna village, Nagpur district, Maharashtra.

Relevance of the Topic: Mains: Can be used as an argument/ example to show positive developments in the Early Childhood Education & Health landscape in India.

India’s First AI-Powered Anganwadi Centre

The initiative aims to bridge the digital divide for rural children as well as attract more children. It ensures that children from remote areas could learn in a modern, engaging environment.
The Anganwadi centre uses VR headsets from Meta, AI-enabled interactive smart boards, tablets, and other digital content to learn poems, songs, and fundamental concepts. The children can now draw on the interactive smart board, learn about animals via VR sets, and save their artwork digitally.
The AI system monitors each child’s progress with gamified learning tools, adjusting difficulty levels based on response times to ensure individual development.
The Anganwadi workers have been trained in smart learning methods. They will also be trained in generative AI tools to create new content such as text, images, and music.

Plans are underway to expand the project to more anganwadis in the state, closely track physical and cognitive developments, and use AI tools to evaluate nutrition as well.

About Anganwadi Services

Anganwadi means ‘courtyard shelter’, a type of rural child care centre in India. The Anganwadi Services Scheme (ACS) was started in 1975 as part of the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) program to combat child hunger and malnutrition.
ACS was restructured as Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0, a centrally sponsored scheme under the Ministry of women and child development.
The Integrated Nutrition Support Programme provides early childhood care and development of the beneficiaries i.e., children in the age group of 0-6 years, address malnutrition in children, adolescent girls, pregnant women and lactating mothers through a large network of Anganwadi workers and Helpers.
- Anganwadi workers and Helpers are the basic functionaries of the ICDS, who run the Anganwadi Centres, and implement the ICDS scheme.
- Anganwadi Centres: Provide a platform for rendering all services under the scheme.
- A single Anganwadi worker, chosen from the community, manages one village or area. These workers undergo training in various areas such as health, nutrition, and childcare.

Also Read: Anganwadi Services

Project to curb Rhino Poaching through Radioactive Isotope Injection

Context: Researchers from South Africa have launched an anti-poaching campaign with a unique approach which involves injecting radioactive isotopes into Rhino horns. The method is claimed to be harmless for the Rhinos and allows customs agents to detect trafficked horns.

Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: Key facts about Radioactivity; Applications of Radioactivity.

Key Highlights of the Anti-Poaching Campaign

Method: Through a non-invasive procedure, Rhino horns are tagged with low doses of radioactive isotopes. This allows for their ready detection by radiation portal monitors (RPMs) already deployed at borders, ports, and airports worldwide to identify unauthorised nuclear materials.
Rationale: To facilitate detection of Rhino horns at international borders using existing radiation monitors to curb poaching.
Potential: This application can be extended to other vulnerable species like elephants and pangolins.

What is Radioactivity?

Radioactivity is the property of some unstable atoms (radionuclides) to spontaneously emit nuclear radiation (usually alpha particles or beta particles, often accompanied by gamma-rays) to transform into a more stable form. The radiation emitted can be traced using existing radiation monitors.
- Atoms found in nature are either stable or unstable.
- Instability of an atom's nucleus may result from an excess of either neutrons or protons. In such a case, the atom is radioactive and the nucleus has excess internal energy.
- A radioactive atom attempts to reach stability by ejecting nucleons (protons or neutrons), as well as other particles, or by releasing energy.
Common examples of Radionuclides: Tritium (isotope of Hydrogen and the lightest radionuclide), Carbon-14, Caesium-137, Thorium-232, Uranium-235, Uranium-238, Plutonium-238, Plutonium-239.

Applications of Radioactivity

Radioisotope Thermo-electric Generator (RTG): A radioactive material (Plutonium-238) is used which when decays produces heat. This heat is in turn used by a generator to produce electricity. E.g., the New Horizon spacecraft to Pluto uses RTG as an energy source for the spacecraft.
Medical Imaging: Radioactive isotopes are used in medical imaging techniques such as CT scans and PET scans.
Radiation Therapy: Radioactive isotopes (Cobalt-60) and (Cesium-137) are used to treat various types of cancer through radiation therapy.
Smoke Detectors: Smoke detectors use a small amount of radioactive material to detect smoke and trigger an alarm.
Industrial Radiography: Radioactive isotopes are used in industrial radiography to test the integrity of metal structures such as pipelines and oil rigs.
Carbon Dating: Carbon-14 is used in carbon dating to determine the age of ancient fossils and artefacts.
Nuclear Power: Uranium-235 is used to generate nuclear electricity through nuclear fission. Tritium is being explored as a potential nuclear fuel that can undergo nuclear fusion.
Food Irradiation: Radioactive isotopes (Cobalt-60 and Cesium-137) are used to sterilise and preserve food products.
Geological Dating: Radioactive isotopes (Uranium-238) are used to determine the age of rocks and minerals.
Sterilisation: Cobalt-60 is used to sterilise medical and surgical instruments.