Subject: GS 3
Syllabus: Biodiversity and Environment Conservation.
Questions
- Despite their significant contribution to the environment and socio-economic aspects, Mangrove ecosystems in India are facing a severe threat. Comment. (150 Words, 10 Marks)
- Mindless human development has only exacerbated negative impacts on ecologically vulnerable regions of the Western Ghats. In light of the statement, discuss the measures needed to conserve the fragile ecosystem. (250 Words, 15 Marks)
Model Structure
1. Despite their significant contribution to the environment and socio-economic aspects, Mangrove ecosystems in India are facing a severe threat. Comment. (150 Words, 10 Marks)
Introduction
- Mangroves are salt-tolerant plant communities found in tropical and subtropical intertidal regions. They are valuable both in terms of environmental protection and socio-economic contribution. Despite their importance, mangroves in India are under significant threat. (Definition-based)
- As per the Indian State of Forest Report 2019, the mangrove cover of India is 0.15% of the country's total geographical area. (Statistic-based)
- They are valuable both in terms of environmental protection and socio-economic contribution. Despite their importance, mangroves in India are under significant threat.
Main Body
Significance of Mangroves
Environmental Contribution:
- Coastal Protection: Mangroves act as natural barriers against storm surges, cyclones, and tsunamis, protecting coastal communities and infrastructure.
- Biodiversity Hotspots: They provide a rich habitat for a variety of terrestrial and marine species, including numerous birds, mammals, fish, and crustaceans.
- Carbon Sequestration: Mangroves are highly efficient carbon sinks, storing large amounts of carbon in their biomass and soil, thus helping mitigate climate change.
Socio-economic Contribution:
- Livelihood Support: Many coastal communities depend on mangroves for their livelihood, which includes fishing, honey collection, and the extraction of other non-timber forest products.
- Ecotourism: Mangrove ecosystems, with their unique flora and fauna, attract tourists, which can provide local communities with additional income.
- Provides resources — timber and fuelwood, when collected sustainably.
- Medicinal Benefits — coastal communities collect medicinal plants from mangroves and use mangrove leaves as animal fodder.
Threats to Mangrove Ecosystems in India
- Deforestation and Habitat Destruction: Rapid urbanisation, infrastructure development, and expansion of agriculture and aquaculture are leading to significant loss of mangrove forests.
- Pollution: Industrial effluents, domestic sewage, and plastic waste dumped into water bodies are causing severe damage to these ecosystems.
- Climate Change: Rising sea levels, increased frequency and intensity of cyclones, and changing rainfall patterns due to climate change pose a major threat to mangroves.
- Unsustainable Exploitation: Overfishing and over-harvesting of resources from mangrove forests are degrading these ecosystems and reducing their biodiversity.
Conclusion
- Initiatives like Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats & Tangible Incomes (MISHTI) announced in the recent budget is a step in the right direction. Furthermore, raising awareness about the importance of mangroves among local communities and involving them in conservation efforts can be an effective strategy for the long-term survival of these ecosystems.
2. Mindless human development has only exacerbated negative impacts on ecologically vulnerable regions of the Western Ghats. In light of the statement, discuss the measures needed to conserve the fragile ecosystem. (250 Words, 15 Marks)
Model Structure
Introduction:
- Development cannot be done without environmental resources. Therefore, the disruption of resources has negative repercussions on the development process itself and the violation of the objective of holistic development.
Main Body:
Negative impact of human development on Western Ghats:
- Developmental Pressures: Urbanisation, together with agricultural expansion and livestock grazing, are posing serious threats to the region.
- About 50 million people are estimated to live in the Western Ghats Region, resulting in developmental pressures.
- Biodiversity Relates Issues: Forest loss, habitat fragmentation, habitat degradation by invasive plant species, encroachment and conversion also continue to affect the Ghats.
- Shrinking the availability of wildlife corridors and suitable habitats outside Protected Areas.
- Climate Change: In the intermediate years, the climate crisis has gained momentum:
- Landslides and flash floods ravaged the ghat areas of Konkan in 2021.
- Cyclones are also gaining intensity with the warming of the Arabian Sea, leaving the west coast especially vulnerable.
- Threats from Industrialisation: More polluting industries, quarries and mines, roads, and townships are likely to be planned due to the absence of the Western Ghats ESA policy.
- This implies more damage to the fragile landscape of the region in future.
Measures needed to conserve the fragile ecosystem:
- Preventive Approach: Changes in climate would affect the livelihood of all people and hurt the nation’s economy; it is prudent to conserve the fragile ecosystems.
- This will cost less compared to a situation prone to calamities than spending money /resources for restoration/rejuvenation.
- Engaging With All Stakeholders: A proper analysis based on scientific study, followed by consensus among various stakeholders by addressing respective concerns, is required urgently.
- Addressing the Concerns of Local People: The idea of demarcating an Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA) is inherently against people and their developmental aspirations.
- The issue can be discussed through detailed public consultations (Bottoms-up approach).
- Empowering Local Communities: as they have the knowledge and are tied to the environment. Also have the motivation to safeguard the region.
The way forward lies in the pursuit of genuine democratic decentralisation and empowering local communities in villages and cities.
Conclusion:
- There is a need to strike a balance between safeguarding the forests and the right to livelihood of the local people.
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