Environment Conservation/GSIII
Air Quality Early Warning System to Now Have Decision-making Capability

What's the NEWS

• The Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) has developed a new Decision Support System (DSS) and extended the ability of the existing air quality early warning system.

Decision Support System (DSS)

• Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), an autonomous Institute of Ministry of earth Sciences has developed a new Decision Support System (DSS) and extended the ability of the existing air quality early warning system (AQEWS) to have decision-making capability for air quality management in Delhi - NCR region.
• The need was stated by Commission for Air Quality Management in the National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas (CAQM, which was recently formed by the Union Minister for MoEFCC with the approval of both the houses of parliament) during the meeting held in January 2021 and requested MoES institutions (IITM and IMD) for the same.
• Recently, the commission has reviewed the progress made by IITM and has in principle approved the current version of DSS for air quality management in the Delhi-NCR region.
• IITM, Pune has also developed a new website for DSS and recently, the entire system has been made-operational.

The website is designed to deliver quantitative information about:

a) the contribution of emissions from Delhi and the surrounding 19 districts to the air quality in Delhi,
b) the contribution of emissions from 8 different sectors in Delhi their contribution,
c) the contribution from biomass-burning activities in the neighbouring states to the degradation of air quality in Delhi,
d) the possible quantitative effects of interventions at the on the forecast air-quality event in Delhi. All this information would assist in managing the air quality in a timely manner.

• The website also has a feature whereby the users can create their own emission reduction scenarios (from 20 different districts including Delhi) so as to examine the possible projected improvement in air quality in Delhi for the next five days.
• This information would explicitly highlight the most important emission sources responsible for the degradation of air quality in Delhi and suggest possible solutions to ameliorate the same and could be used by policymakers
• With a plethora of quantitative data, the AQEWS integrated with DSS could become user friendly tool for air-quality management in and around Delhi.

Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region (NCR) and Adjoining Areas.

• It is an overarching body to consolidate all monitoring bodies, and to bring them on one platform so that air quality management can be carried out in a more comprehensive, efficient, and time-bound manner.
• The focus is on better coordination, research, identification and resolution of problems surrounding the air quality index.
• Domain area - NCR and the areas adjoining the NCR in the States of Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, where any source of pollution is located, causing adverse impact on air quality in the NCR.
• It is a statutory authority
• In matters of air pollution and air quality management, the Commission will supersede all existing bodies such as the CPCB, and even the state governments of Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh.
• The commission will have the powers to issue directions to the states.
• CPCB and its State branches have the powers to implement provisions of the Environment Protection Act, 1986 for air, water and land pollution.
• In case of dispute or a clash of jurisdictions, the Commission's writ will prevail specific to matters concerning air pollution

What were the earlier provisions

• The monitoring and management of air quality in the Delhi NCR region has been done by multiple bodies including the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the state pollution control boards, the state governments in the region, including Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan, and the EPCA.
• They, in turn are monitored by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC), and the Supreme Court itself, which monitors air pollution as per the judgment in ‘M C Mehta vs Union of India', 1988.
• EPCA is a Central Government constituted committee in the year 1998 for the National Capital Region in compliance with the Supreme Court order dated 7th January, 1998.
• The Centre has dissolved the Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) for the NCR.

Composition of the New Commission

• The Commission will be headed by a full-time chairperson who has been a Secretary to the Government of India, or a Chief Secretary to a State government.
• The chairperson will hold the post for three years or until s/he attains the age of 70 years.
• It will have members from several Ministries as well as representatives from the stakeholder States.
• It will have experts from the CPCB, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Civil Society.

Prelims Factoids
Tibetology

What's the NEWS

• With a view to orienting its officers and men posted along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Tibetan culture and also preparing them to better understand the information warfare, the Army has begun a course in Tibetology in a tie-up with the Central Institute of Himalayan Cultural Studies in Arunachal Pradesh.

Know! about the course and its objective

• Understanding Tibetan traditions, cultural peculiarities, democracy and political influence
• Empowers our men and officers to understand where we are going into and where we are operating
• Officers posted around in the area would be considered for the course.
• The Army's Training Command, ARTRAC, has identified seven institutes for Tibetology across the country, two of which are in the Northeast. The other one is the Namgyal Institute of Tibetology in Sikkim.
• The officers who are trained will function as trainers in their battalions and in few years
• The Army will have a sizable number of personnel with understanding of the Tibetan issues
• During the 42 days of the preliminary course, Tibetan history, geopolitics and current political dynamics were covered in the form of lectures and case studies
• Lamas who were proficient in Tibetan issues were hired from the Bomdila Monastery to teach the course.

Prelims Factoids
India to host 'Gen Next' leaders from 75 democratic countries
What's the NEWS

• India will host young leaders from 75 democracies under the initiative Gen-Next Democratic Network.
• Organising by - Indian Council for Cultural Relations ICCR as part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav
• Young leaders below the age of 35 from the ruling party, opposition party and other key parties are being invited and the first batch will include leaders from Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Japan, Indonesia, Chile and Zambia.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will inaugurate the event on 25th November.

• The objective behind the event is to give the young leaders a comprehensive idea about India's rich democratic culture.

Prelims Factoids
The Earthshot Prize
What's the NEWS

• The Earthshot Prize is an award set up by Prince William and the Royal Foundation, the charity founded by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and historian David Attenborough to honour five finalists between 2021 and 2030 for developing solutions to fight the climate crisis.
• It is also known as the Eco Oscars

Know! about the Earthshot Prize

• The inaugural edition remains special for India as Vidyut Mohan's technology that recycles agricultural waste to create fuel was named among the winners of the coveted prize.
• Established in 2020, 2021 was the first year when awards were handed out to finalists for their contributions towards the five UN Sustainable Development Goals - restoration and protection of nature, air cleanliness, ocean revival, waste-free living and climate action.
• Inspired by former US President John F Kennedy's Moonshot - when the president had set a goal of reaching the Moon in less than a decade - the Earthshot Prize hopes to encourage and support the development of solutions for Earth's environmental problems.

• Five individuals or organisations that have come up with impactful solutions to problems plaguing the planet will be awarded one million euros.
• Each year five winners will be selected, one for each of the UN SDG goal categories, with a total of 50 million euros being awarded by 2030.
• The winners will be chosen from 15 finalists, three for each category, by the Earthshot Prize Council.
• The council comprises global spokespersons who are striving to bring impactful action in various capabilities.

Prelims Factoids
ALLIUM NEGIANUM

What's the NEWS

• A plant discovered in Uttarakhand in 2019 has been newly confirmed as a new species of Allium - the genus that includes many staple foods such as onion and garlic, among 1,100 species worldwide.

Know! all about the New species of Allium

• It is a plant of onion species
• Discovered in 2019
• Region - In the border area of Malari village, in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand.
• Named as - Allium negianum,
• It grows at 3,000 to 4,800 m above sea level
• It can be found along open grassy meadows, sandy soils along rivers, and streams forming in snow pasture lands along alpine meadows, where the melting snow helps carry its seeds to more favourable areas.
• This newly described species is restricted to the region of western Himalayas

Prelims Factoids
Valmiki Jayanti - 20 0ctober

What's the NEWS

• The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has paid tributes to Maharishi Valmiki on the occasion of Valmiki Jayanti.

Know! about Valmiki

• Valmiki is the famous author of the first Sanskrit epic, the Sanskrit Ramayana.
• The Ramayana composed by Maharishi Valmiki is called Valmiki Ramayana.
• Valmiki is famous as Adikavi.
• The word Adikavi is made up of a combination of 'Adi' and 'Kavi'. 'Adi' means 'first' and 'Kavi' means 'writer of poetry'.
• In his epic "Ramayana", he has described the positions of Sun, Moon and other constellations at the time of many events.
• He was also a great scholar of astrology and astronomy.
• Valmiki is mentioned in the three periods of Satyuga, Treta and Dwapar, hence Lord Valmiki is also called the creator.
• Other major texts: Yogavasistha
• Valmiki Jayanti is celebrated on Sharad Purnima Tithi.
• Maharishi Valmiki composed the first shloka in the world.

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