1

Summary

Environment Class 20

## THE CLASS STARTED WITH A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE PREVIOUS CLASS (05:20 PM)

## ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT (05:21 PM)

- It is a study to predict the effect of the proposed activity on the environment.
- It compares various alternatives for projects and seeks to identify the one which represents the best combination of economic and environmental costs and benefits.
- **Benefits of EIA:**
- Reduction of pollution.
- Protection of the environment.
- To protect the interests of the local community and tribal community.
- To prevent future conflicts.
- Prevention of disasters.
- To make the government accountable towards the people.
- Optimum resource utilisation.
- Reduction in the cost of projects.
- Prevention of internal conflicts.
- **Principles to be used in EIA:**
- Participation.
- Transparency.
- Accountability.
- Integrated Assessment.
- **EIA Process:**
- **Stakeholders:**
- Project Developer
- Assessment Agency.
- Affected community
- Decision-making authority.
- ![](https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/Ty-aSJzV49pdH-NNRmd6qiyJk2I5QKfeVTi5L2yBnfB_fmuL6FDjE-AzNc0W4TeSB_cnuES_uw1i3pbnnN3hUj2Qhp0tg4Au_iBd-phzYvp5vot05SNvsd-OWOfByoeOTKxDAhOcAmzUYxI2oM910QMZjGMAhQKKbANSZ_4701vAJVfd3frMjgl3MQ)
- **1) Project Proposal:**
- Its detailed report is to be prepared by the project developer and submitted to the government and assessment agency.
- **2) Screening:**
- It determines whether the project requires EIA or not.
- **3) Scoping:**
- It involves detailing the terms of reference for EIA.
- **4) Impact Analysis:**
- It identifies and predicts the likely impacts of the proposed projects.
- It involves recommending mitigation to reduce and avoid adverse consequences.
- **5) Reporting:**
- It involves preparing detailed reports to submit decision-making body as well as other interested parties along with environment management plans.
- **6) Review and Public Hearing:**
- Review involves the affected community as well as decision-making authority.
- The community will be given an opportunity to make suggestions.
- **7) Approval and Decision making:**
- In case of Approval conditions shall be prescribed.
- **8) Implementation and Followup:**
- I.e. Post monitoring of the project once it is approved.
- **EIA in India:**
- In 1976-77, the **Planning Commission** asked the **Department of Science and Technology** to examine the river valley projects from an environmental angle.
- Till 1994, Environmental clearance from the central government was an administrative decision.
- In 1994, Based on the powers given under the **Environment Protection Act, of 1986** the government promulgated **EIA Notification** which made environmental clearance mandatory for certain projects in India.
- **EIA Notification 2006:**
- It classifies developmental projects into two categories.
- **1) Category A:**
- Projects requiring national level appraisal by impact assessment agency and expert appraisal committee.
- **2) Category B:**
- Requiring appraisal at the state level from the State Impact Assessment Authority and State Expert Appraisal Committee.
- Category A Projects do not require Screening.
- In Category B Projects are divided into two:
- **Project B1:** EIA is Mandatory.
- **Project B2:** EIA not Mandatory
- **Some projects that require Mandatory EIA are:**
- Mining
- Thermal Power plants, etc.
- A draft EIA Notification to replace the 2006 Notification was issued in 2020 However, It was put on hold after wide criticism.

## ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS (06:08 PM)

- **Anthropocentrism:**
- It suggests that human beings are the most important living creatures and the other living beings assist in their survival.
- **Non-Anthropocentrism:**
- Which gives value to every living being in nature.
- **Psychocentrism:**
- It holds that human beings have more value in the environment because of better-developed mental capacity.
- **Biocentrism:**
- It gives importance to all living beings in the ecosystem.
- **Deep Ecology:**
- It believes that humans must conserve the ecology for the sake of its intrinsic value.
- We should radically change our relationship with nature from one that values nature solely for its usefulness to one that recognizes nature has an intrinsic value.
- **Shallow Ecology:**
- Environmental Conservation for the benefit of human beings alone.
- **Social Ecology:**
- Environmental conservation and studies the relationship between people and ecology.

## EVOLUTION (06:25 PM)

- **Charles Darwin** wrote a book 'Theories on the Origin of Species by means of Natural Selection'
- The basic idea in it is evolution by Natural Selection.
- According to him, Every species adapts in the ecosystem.
- There is competition and various other conditions assist in the adaptation process.
- **Geological Time Scale:**
- ![](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/vhp_img3232.gif)
- **Pre-Cambrian:**
- The **Last Universal Common Ancestor** (LUCA) emerged in this time period.
- It was just feeding on the carbon compounds and later photosynthesis emerged.
- Through evolution LUCA led to the **Blue Green Algae. (BGA)**
- Then the emission of Oxygen increases for a brief period of time.
- **Protozoa** started emerging.
- **Volvox** emerged afterwards and then multicellular organisms started emerging forming a colony.
- First complex organisms with multicellular bodies, shapeless survive as single individuals but are made up of multiple small individual cells with the capacity to merge and reorganize at any time.
- **Sponges** started emerging
- **Jelly Fish** came into existence and it is the first organism to enter the deeper ocean and live on the ocean floor.
- It is the first organism with a nervous system and muscle fibres. In it, cells have no independent existence.
- **Sea Anemone** also emerged.
- **Corals** started emerging during this time period.
- **Molluscs:**
- Squids and Octopus were emerged.
- **Cuttlefish** can change colour to hide and to communicate messages.
- **Orthropods:**
- Orthropods have exoskeleton
- They mould their exoskeleton and regrow it.
- They have jointed appendages.
- They are the first animals to come on the land.
- Orthropods presently account for almost 80% of all animals.
- **Trilobite** were also among the earliest species.
- **Centipedes** and **Millipedes** emerged.
- Insects are also **anthropods**.
- **Three Body Parts:**
- Head
- Thorax
- Abdomen
- Insects are the largest orthropod group.
- Insects are the first organisms to fly like **Dragonfly**.
- Usually insects have either one pair or two pairs of wings, The Antenna is a sensory organ.
- **Crab**, **Lobster**, **Shrimp** emerged.
- **Ordovician Time Period:**
- **Vertebrates:**
- The first vertebrate to evolve was **proto-fish.**
- Cartilaginous and Bony fish evolved.
- Earth has seen five mass extinctions.
- At the end of the Ordovician **first mass extinction** happened.
- **Silurian Time Period:**
- The arrival of **plants** is a characteristic feature of it.
- In the start, **Algae**, **Bryophytes**, and others started emerging, and then vascular plants came up.
- The **lignin** development helped to grow the longer and stronger plants.
- **Devonian Time Period:**
- **Amphibians** started evolving in this time period.
- Amphibians are mostly cold-blooded, their skin is permeable and they practice external fertilization.
- The **second mass extinction** occurs at the end of Devonian time.
- **Carboniferous Time Period:**
- **Pangia** started to develop.
- **Gymnosperm** plants started.
- **Reptiles** emerged during this time period.
- Reptiles were capable of laying eggs with shells.
- Tough outer layer and tough skin.
- Reptiles are **cold-blooded**.
- They are vulnerable to temperature fluctuations, Crocodiles, etc.
- The **Third Mass extinction** came at this time, In terms of the percentages it was the largest mass extinction.
- It happened due to large-scale volcanic eruptions and a 10-degree rise in temperature.
- After the **Triassic time period** **fourth mass extinction** happened.
- **Dinosaurs** survived the fourth mass extinction.
- The legs of the reptiles were just below the body.
- **Jurassic-Cretaceous Time Period:**
- The emergence of **Angiosperm** plants.
- The **colourful flowers** emerged during this time due to the presence of insects.
- The animal diversity exceeded the plant diversity.
- Mammals were also evolved during this time.
- **Platypus**, as well as **Koala bears**, **bats**, and **dolphins**, are mammals.
- The **Fifth Mass Extinction** due to a large hit of meteorite and large-scale volcanic activity.
- **Apes** started evolving and after diversifying Homo sapiens emerged.
- **Characteristics of Apes:**
- Capacity to walk upright.
- Larger brain size.
- Facial expressions and tool-making abilities as well as communication skills.
- The capacity to store the knowledge and transfer it to the next group is a unique aspect of humans.

## WILDLIFE: SARUS CRAIN (08:31 PM)

- ![](https://cdn.download.ams.birds.cornell.edu/api/v1/asset/122309881/1800)
- It is the state bird of Uttar Pradesh.
- Habitat: Marshland.
- IUCN Status: **Vulnerable**.

## WILDLIFE: TURTLES (08:33 PM)

- ![](https://i.pinimg.com/564x/8f/dc/71/8fdc71e086b9726db80252ffeaff1dc6.jpg)
- Largest is **Leatherback** Sea Turtle.
- **Olive Ridley Sea Turtle**: Found near Great Nicobar
- **Kemps Ridley Sea Turtle** and **Flatback Sea Turtles** we did not find in India.
- Other turtles:
- Hawksbill Sea Turtle.
- Loggerhead sea Turtle.
- Green Sea Turtle.
- **Arribada** is a place where mass nesting of olive ridley turtles happens.
- Mass nesting also happens on the Mexican coast.
- **Initiatives for Olive Ridley Turtles:**
- **Operation Oliva:** To provide safe passage to Olive Ridley Turtle.
- **Operation Save Kurma:** Implemented by Wildlife Crime Control Bureau.
- **Sea Turtle Project:** Implemented by WII.

## WILDLIFE: CROCODILES (08:40 PM)

- **![](https://wildlifesos.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Crocodiles-Of-India-864x1080.jpeg)**
- **Three types of Crocodiles:**
- **1) Gharial: Critically Endangered.**
- Mainly found in Chambal
- **2) Mugger: Vulnerable**
- Fresh water crocodiles found throughout India.
- **3) Salt Water Crocodile: Least Concerned**
- Chilka Lake, Andaman and Nicobar.

## WILDLIFE: GANGETIC RIVER DOLPHINE (08:42 PM)

- ![](https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSH6V9GgU2U77qMiFKHIHYubvnqp4_It_2gb8cb9bzkYDbW4LnPd4u8ff0gz3rqcAaNm6s&usqp=CAU)
- They live in freshwater rivers.
- It is found in Ganga and Bramhaputra
- India, Bangladesh and Nepal
- IUCN Status: **Endangered**
- It is **National Aquatic Animal**.
- Apart from this Indus River Dolphin is also found in Beas and other rivers.
- Irrawaddy dolphins are found in Chilka Lake and Sundarban areas.
- Ganges River Dolphin named as **Susu**.
- Indus River Dolphin is **Bhulan**
- River Dolphine of Amazon is **Botos**.

## WILDLIFE: VULTURES (08:45 PM)

- They are scavengers and their numbers are declining due to the heavy use of **Diclofenac** in the cattle.
- **There are 9 species of vultures in India:**
- **Critically Endangered Vultures:**
- 1) Red-headed Vultures
- 2) White-backed Vulture
- 3) Slender-billed Vulture
- 4) Indian Vulture also called Long Billed Vulture.
- **Conservations Efforts:**
- Vulture Action Plan
- Vulture Safe Zone

## WILDLIFE: MAHSEER (08:50 PM)

- **1) Golden Mahseer:**
- **![](https://cdn.downtoearth.org.in/library/large/2020-03-02/0.44476100_1583153176_1.jpg)**
- **IUCN Status: Endangered**
- Found in Himalayan rivers
- **2) Blue Finned Mahseer:**
- **![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ee/Tor_tambroid_160811-61602_ffi.JPG/1200px-Tor_tambroid_160811-61602_ffi.JPG)**
- **IUCN Status: Least Concerned.**
- **3) Humped-backed Mahseer:**
- **Critically Endangered**.
- It is also called **Tiger Fish** mostly found in the Cauvery River and its tributaries.

## WILDLIFE: COMMON BIRDS (08:52 PM)

- Black drongo (Jungal Kotwal)
- Bulbul
- Cormorant: Live around Water bodies
- Snake Bird: (Indian Darter)
- Grey Heron
- Indian Pond Heron
- Indian Roller
- Jungle Babbler (Seven Sisters) (They live around in groups of seven)
- Painted Stork
- Plum-headed Parakeet.
- Purple Sunbird.
- Robin.
- Shikhara
- Sparrow
- Spot Billed Duck

## THE SYLLABUS FOR THE ENVIRONMENT IS COMPLETED.