Highlights
- Geography: India's coastline was recalculated upward from 7,516 km to 11,098 km, a 47.6% increase using updated methodology.
- Environment: Miyawaki forests planted by Prayagraj Municipal Corporation transformed 56,000 sq m of urban land.
- Connectivity: The Z-Morh Tunnel in Ganderbal, J&K, provides all-weather road access to Sonamarg.
- Water: The National River Interlinking Project's 30 proposed links would cost Rs 5.5 lakh crore with 14 Himalayan and 16 peninsular components.
- Ecology: Flamingo Festival 2025 returned to Andhra Pradesh after a four-year hiatus at Pulicat Lake and Nelapattu Bird Sanctuary.
1. India's Revised Coastline Length
GS area: Geography
India's Ministry of Home Affairs revised the country's coastline length using updated methodology.
- Previous figure: 7,516 km (from 1970 survey).
- Revised figure: 11,098 km (2023-24 survey), an increase of 47.6%.
- State-wise notable changes:
- Gujarat: 1,214 km revised to 2,340 km (largest increase in absolute terms).
- West Bengal: 357% increase from 157 km to 721 km (largest proportional change).
- Tamil Nadu: Revised to 1,068 km.
- Reason for difference: The new survey uses more detailed satellite and GIS mapping that captures the detailed contours of coastline, estuaries, and backwaters. The old figure used straight-line approximations.
- Coastal states and UTs: India has nine coastal states (Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal) and four coastal UTs (Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Lakshadweep, Puducherry, Andaman and Nicobar Islands).
Static linkage: Coastal geography of India (GS Paper 1).
2. National River Interlinking Project
GS area: Geography (Water Resources), Economy
India's National River Interlinking Project proposes a network of canals and reservoirs to connect surplus river basins with deficit ones.
- Total proposed links: 30. Of these, 14 are Himalayan river links and 16 are Peninsular river links.
- Cost estimate: Rs 5.5 lakh crore.
- Management: National Water Development Agency (NWDA) under the Ministry of Jal Shakti.
- Historical origin: The concept was first proposed in the 19th century by Arthur Cotton. It was formalised in the National Perspective Plan (1980).
- Ken-Betwa link: The first project to break ground. The foundation stone was laid in December 2021. It involves the transfer of water from the Ken river basin in Madhya Pradesh to the Betwa basin in Rajasthan, benefiting the Bundelkhand region.
- Controversies: The project raises environmental concerns about submergence of forests including in Panna Tiger Reserve, displacement of communities, and alteration of river ecosystems.
Static linkage: River systems, water management (Geography, GS Paper 1).
3. Miyawaki Forest Technique
GS area: Environment, Urban Planning
Prayagraj Municipal Corporation used the Miyawaki technique to create dense urban forests across 56,000 sq m ahead of the Maha Kumbh 2025.
- Originator: Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki developed the technique in the 1970s.
- Method: Multiple species of native trees are planted in a small area at high density. The trees grow 10 times faster than in conventional plantations because inter-species competition drives vertical growth.
- Urban benefit: A Miyawaki forest reduces ambient temperature by 4-7°C in the surrounding area compared to paved surfaces.
- Biodiversity: Because native species are used, the resulting forest supports local insects, birds, and soil organisms.
Static linkage: Biodiversity, urban ecology (Environment, GS Paper 3).
4. Z-Morh Tunnel
GS area: Infrastructure
The Z-Morh Tunnel in Ganderbal district of Jammu and Kashmir provides all-weather road connectivity on NH-1 between Srinagar and Sonamarg.
- Length: 6.5 km two-lane tunnel.
- Purpose: Bypasses the avalanche-prone Sonamarg road stretch on the Srinagar-Leh highway.
- Builder: APCO Infratech.
- Features: Intelligent traffic management system, advanced ventilation to remove vehicle exhaust, and avalanche protection.
- Significance: Sonamarg is a major tourist and pilgrimage destination. The tunnel makes it accessible year-round, previously it was cut off by snow every winter.
Static linkage: Infrastructure, J&K connectivity (GS Paper 3).
5. Public Distribution System
GS area: Economy, Social Justice (Food Security)
PDS was in the news for discussions about inclusion and exclusion errors.
- Scale: Covers over 80 crore people through 5.4 lakh Fair Price Shops.
- Legal framework: National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013. Entitlement is 5 kg of grain per person per month at highly subsidised prices.
- Leakage estimate: About 28% of food grains distributed under PDS fail to reach intended beneficiaries, as per government-commissioned studies.
- Digitisation impact: 5.8 crore ration cards were removed during Aadhaar-based digitisation. The government treats this as removal of ghost beneficiaries; critics argue many genuine poor families were excluded.
- PMGKAY: The Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana provides free food grains (over and above the NFSA entitlement) to beneficiaries. Extended through December 2028.
Static linkage: Food security (Economy), NFSA 2013.
6. Briefly noted
- Flamingo Festival 2025: Returned after four years at Pulicat Lake (India's second-largest brackish water lake, on the Andhra Pradesh-Tamil Nadu border) and Nelapattu Bird Sanctuary. Nelapattu is Southeast Asia's largest breeding site for spot-billed pelicans and hosts 189 bird species.
- AnemiaPhone: Developed by Cornell University and transferred to ICMR. A portable device providing rapid anemia diagnosis from a finger-prick blood sample, with results in minutes via mobile device. Anemia affects over 50% of women and children in several Indian states.
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