11th May 2022 | India-Marine Resources – Economic significance, EEZ. Water resources – availability, problems of inter – state Water sharing, Conservation Measures | Laex Secure

Syllabus- India-Marine Resources – Economic significance, EEZ. Water resources – availability, problems of inter – state Water sharing, Conservation Measures.

Number of questions- Mains: 02, Prelims – 10

Mains Questions of the day- 

1.What is Blue Economy and mention the need for Blue economy in India?

Introduction: –

Write briefly about Blue Economy.

Body: –

Write about the need for Blue Economy in India.

Conclusion: –

• India should look to adopt the balancing economic benefits with sustainability for meeting the broader goals of growth, employment generation, equity and protection of environment.
• India must focus on marine ICTs, and transport (shipping) and communication services, and the creation of a knowledge hub for marine research and development.
• An effective response mechanism to address humanitarian crises and natural disasters should be made for the evolving Indian Ocean security strategy.
• India should not look at its oceans as just water bodies, but as global stage for continued economic, social, and cultural dialogue.

Content: –

Blue Economy

• It is the sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods and jobs, and ocean ecosystem health.
• It encompasses–

• Renewable Energy: Sustainable marine energy can play a vital role in social and economic development.
• Fisheries: Sustainable fisheries can generate more revenue, more fish and help restore fish stocks.
• Maritime Transport: Over 80% of international goods traded are transported by sea.
• Tourism: Ocean and coastal tourism can bring jobs and economic growth.
• Climate Change: Oceans are an important carbon sink (blue carbon) and help mitigate climate change.
• Waste Management: Better waste management on land can help oceans recover.

• Blue Economy emphasizes on integration of development of ocean economy with social inclusion, environmental sustainability, combined with innovative business model.
• This is reflected in Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 14), which calls to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.

Need for Blue Economy: –

• Oceans cover three-quarters of the Earth’s surface and contain 97% of the Earth’s water.
• Oceans protect biodiversity, keep the planet cool, and absorb about 30% of global CO2 emissions.
• At least 3-5% of global GDP is derived from oceans.
• Blue economy, through sustainable use of oceans, has great potential for boosting the economic growth by providing opportunities for income generation and jobs etc.
• It can support food security, and diversification to address new resources for energy, new drugs valuable chemicals, protein food, deep sea minerals, security etc.
• It is the next sunrise sector (industry which has the potential to grow rapidly and fastly).
• India has a long coastline of 7,517 km covering nine states and two union territories with an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of 2.02 mn. sq.km.
• Marine services sector could serve as the backbone of its blue economy and help India become 10 trillion-dollar economy by 2022.
• Indian Ocean is a major conduit of trade with as much as 80% of global oil trade happening through it.
• Better connectivity in the region will significantly cut the transport cost and maritime wastage of resources making the trade sustainable and cost effective.
• Blue economy presents India with an unprecedented opportunity to meet its national socio-economic objectives as well as strengthen connectivity with neighbours.
• Blue Economy can help in focusing on livelihood generation, achieving energy security, building ecological resilience, and improving health and living standards of coastal communities.

2.After three National Water Policies, India has prepared a new National Policy on Water. Explain the need of drafting a new National Water Policy?

Introduction: –

Write briefly about the importance of National Water Policy.

Body: –

Explain the need to draft a National Water Policy.

Conclusion: –

• The indigenous knowledge of water management, is a valuable intellectual resource that should be fully leveraged.
• Multi-disciplinary approach by involving the stakeholders such as Governments bodies of central and the State, private player’s and local community in order to conserve the existing resources and bring awareness among the people regarding the judicious use of water. 

Content: –

• After three national water policies, India has prepared a new national policy on water, which is key to addressing problems with water quality and ensuring water security for all.
• The water expert has drafted the NWP and asked it to be implemented by 2030 to solve the water crisis of the country.

Need for National Water policy: –

• Water Scarcity and Water Stress: –

• India is the largest extractor of groundwater in the world. 
• This has endangered vital ecosystem services provided by groundwater for e.g. of rivers such as Gomti, Chambal, Ken, which depend on groundwater flows during the post-monsoon period are drying up.  
• Irrigation consumes 80-90 per cent of India’s water, most of which is used by rice, wheat and sugarcane
• Water Scarcity: 600 million Indians face high to extreme water stress and about two lakh people die every year due to inadequate access to safe water.
• Increasing demand: 

By 2030, country’s water demand is projected to be twice the available supply.

• Urbanisation: –

• Rapid urbanisation is leading to more informal sourcing of water, mainly through tankers using groundwater, increasing demands for long-distance import of water. This not only increases the cost of supply but also wastage of water due to leakage. 
• Urban water bodies, have been encroached upon. These destroyed the vital function that they have played as natural flood managers.
• WASH 

• Only 47% of urban households have individual water connections. 
• Urban areas produce 62,000 million litres of sewage every day. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the installed capacity to treat this sewage is only 37% and just 30% is actually treated. 
• Some of these plants do not function, either because of high recurring costs, or because they do not have enough sewage to treat. 
• Command-and-control approach:

Rules and regulations of the policies are framed by the government agencies without giving due consideration to the region-specific, socioeconomic, political, geographic and institutional factors.

• Decline in number of waterbodies: 

for e.g., in 1960s Bangalore had 262 lakes and now, only 10 hold water. 

• Other issues include:

• low water use efficiency 
• leakages 
• inappropriate water tariff
• less focus on recharge of local water bodies in city planning etc.

Prelims Questions of the day: –

1.O-SMART scheme is related to the which of the following?

1. Deep ocean mission
2. International initiative to handle the Marine litter
3. Awareness among the youth regarding Digital technology. 
4. ISRO space program 

Answer: A

Explanation: –

• The Deep Ocean Mission will be funded by the Government scheme “Ocean Services, Technology, Observations, Resources Modelling and Science (O-SMART)”
• Study and research on the climatic changes in the Ocean and other advisory services will be done through this mission
• The focus will also be given on underwater technologies for convenient research
• Two key projects have been included in the Deep Ocean Mission:

• A Desalination Plant
• Submersible Vehicle, which can explore up to 6000 meters in depth

• The parts of the ocean which are yet to be explored and are hidden and undiscovered will all be covered through this mission.
• It is a central sector scheme (100% funding from Central Government).
• The major objectives of the Deep Ocean Mission are as follows:

• Development of technologies for deep sea mining, underwater vehicles and underwater robotics
• Development of ocean climate change advisory services
• Technological innovations for exploration and conservation of deep-sea biodiversity
• Deep ocean survey and exploration;
• Proof of concept studies on energy and freshwater from the ocean and establishing advanced marine station for ocean biology

2.Which of the following agency gives the authorisation to mine the Polymetallic Nodules?

1. UNFCC
2. The International Seabed Authority (ISA)
3. Information Management and Analysis Centre (IMAC)
4. National Command Control Communication and Intelligence Network (NC3IN)

Answer: B

Explanation: –

Polymetallic Nodules (PMN): –

• PMN is considered as the precipitate of hot fluids from upwelling hot magma from the deep interior of the oceanic crust, discharged through mineralized paths
• These Rare earth minerals are considered as a great source of valuable minerals such as gold, silver, and zinc
• There are specific locations underwater where the mining of polymetallic nodules can be done. 
• Any country which intends to mine PMN needs to get authorization from The International Seabed Authority (ISA), which was established under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea(UNCLOS). 
• The underwater 75,000 sq meters of the area which has been assigned to India, is the part where the mining can be done.
• In 2002, ISA conducted a resources analysis and assigned the 75,000 sq. kilometer area to India.

3.Which of the following term represent a zone in the sea has certain special rights with respect to the exploration and usage of marine resources, that is beyond the territorial sea and extend to a maximum of 200 nautical miles from the baseline?

1. Special Economic Zone
2. Continental shelf 
3. Contiguous Zone 
4. Exclusive economic zones

Answer: D

Explanation: –

Exclusive Economic Zone: -The 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) defined the EEZ as a zone in the sea over which a sovereign nation has certain special rights with respect to the exploration and usage of marine resources, which includes the generation of energy from wind and water, and also oil and natural gas extraction.

• The EEZ is an area that is adjacent to and beyond the territorial sea.
• It can extend to a maximum of 200 nautical miles from the baseline. The baseline is normally measured is the low-water line along the coast as indicated on large-scale charts officially approved by the coastal state.
• The EEZ does not include the territorial sea and also does not include the continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles. 
• The EEZ includes the contiguous zone.
• Within the EEZ, the country has rights over natural resources. The country has jurisdiction over some activities for the reasons of environmental protection, among others.
• It also has to respect the rights of other countries in the EEZ such as the freedom of navigation.
• The difference between territorial sea and the EEZ is that the former confers full sovereignty over the waters, whereas the latter is merely a “sovereign right” which refers to the coastal nation’s rights below the surface of the sea. The surface waters are international waters.

4. Which of the following is not related to the Coral reefs?

1. Fringing reefs
2. Barchans
3. Barrier reefs
4. Atoll

Answer: B
Explanation:

Coral reefs form when coral larvae attach to underwater rocks. These larvae grow to form the reef. Reefs usually form into one of three main structures: barrier reefs, atoll reefs, or fringing reefs.

• Fringing reefs are most often found around coastlines and go from the shore straight out to sea.
• Barrier reefs are also along the shore but at more of a distance, with deep water in between.
• Atoll reefs begin as a fringing reef that surrounds an underwater volcano.
• When the volcano recedes a barrier reef is formed. Once the reef reaches the surface, it becomes a circular atoll reef.

Barchans are primarily crescent-shaped sand dunes that are likely to shift while facing the wind with intensity from one particular direction. 

5. Which of the following term related to the Hypoxia?

1. Atoll
2. Coral Reef
3. Dead Zone 
4. Eutrophication

Answer: C

Explanation:

• “Dead zone” is a more common term for hypoxia, which refers to a reduced level of oxygen in the water. 
• Less oxygen dissolved in the water is often referred to as a “dead zone”.
• Ocean areas where insufficient oxygen allows nothing to survive

6.Which of the following state is not involved in the Krishna River Water Dispute?

1. Maharashtra
2. Karnataka
3. Telangana
4. Odisha

Answer: D

Explanation: 

Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka are the states involved in the Krishna River Water Dispute.

7. On which of the following river Kaleshwaram Project built?

1. Krishna 
2. Godavari
3. Tungabhadra
4. Cauvery

Answer: B

Explanation:

• The Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (KLIP) is a multi-purpose irrigation project on the Godavari River in Kaleshwaram, Bhupalpally. 
• Currently the world’s largest multi-stage lift irrigation project, its farthest upstream influence is at the confluence of the Pranhita and Godavari rivers 

8. What is the highest waterfall in Telangana state?

1. Kuntala Waterfall 
2. Gayathri Waterfalls
3. Kanakai Waterfalls  
4. Pochera Waterfalls

Answer: A

Explanation:

• Kuntala Waterfall is a waterfall of Telangana, located on Kadam river in Neradigonda mandal of Adilabad district. 
• It is the highest waterfall in the state with a height of 50 meters. 
• These waterfalls are in the dense forests inhabited by the Gonds.

9.Chenchu is a nomadic tribe belongs to which of the following state?

1. Tamil nadu
2. Rajasthan
3. Odisha
4. Harayana

Answer: C

Explanation:

• The Chenchu is a forest tribe of Odisha who wander across the borders of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha in search of livelihood. It is said that ‘Chenchu’ is a person who lives under a ‘Chettu’ (tree).
• The Chenchu people have been in the news for their contribution to tiger conservation in Nagarjunasagar.
• They live in the states of Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha.
• They are designated as scheduled tribes.

10.Which of the following state was involved in the Mahanadi River Water Dispute?

1. Maharashtra
2. Karnataka
3. Telangana
4. Odisha

Answer: D

Explanation: 

Chhattisgarh, Odisha are the states involved in the Mahanadi River Water Dispute.