UPSC CARE Mains Practice 17th December 2025
Mains Practice Questions for the Day
- Methane emissions from landfills have emerged as a serious environmental and climate challenge for India. Discuss how technological monitoring and integrated waste management policies can help India address this issue effectively. (GS Paper 3: Conservation, Environmental Pollution & Degradation, Climate Change)
- Discuss the emerging biothreats facing India in the context of rapid advancements in biotechnology. What reforms are necessary to strengthen India’s biosecurity framework? (GS Paper III – Science & Technology, Internal Security)
1Q. Methane emissions from landfills have emerged as a serious environmental and climate challenge for India. Discuss how technological monitoring and integrated waste management policies can help India address this issue effectively. (GS Paper 3: Conservation, Environmental Pollution & Degradation, Climate Change)
Introduction:
Methane as a Climate and Urban Challenge
Methane (CH₄) is a highly potent greenhouse gas with a global warming potential nearly 84 times higher than CO₂ over a 20-year period. In India, around 15% of methane emissions originate from the waste sector, mainly from landfills where organic waste decomposes under anaerobic conditions. These emissions not only worsen climate change but also contribute to landfill fires, air pollution, and public health risks in urban areas.
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Role of Technological Monitoring
A major bottleneck in methane mitigation has been the absence of accurate, site-specific data. Conventional emission inventories rely on model-based estimates using waste inflow data, which often underreport real emissions. Recent advances in satellite-based monitoring, such as ISRO studies and missions like CarbonMapper’s Tanager, have enabled detection of methane hotspots at high resolution. These tools have revealed unexpectedly high emissions from landfills such as Ghazipur and Okhla in Delhi, and Kanjurmarg in Mumbai, prompting regulatory scrutiny and action by bodies like the National Green Tribunal.
Integrated Waste Management Policies
Technological insights must be complemented by robust waste management reforms. Key measures include source-level waste segregation, scientific landfill design, capping of open dumps, and strengthening landfill gas collection systems. Schemes such as Swachh Bharat Mission and Gobardhan provide institutional frameworks to convert captured methane into Bio-CNG, turning an environmental hazard into an energy resource.
Institutional Coordination and Data Integration
Effective mitigation requires coordination among urban local bodies, State Pollution Control Boards, and central agencies. Integrating satellite data with ground validation, and establishing standardised national emission datasets, can ensure accountability and targeted interventions.
Conclusion:
By combining advanced technological monitoring with integrated waste governance, India can achieve rapid methane reductions, improve urban environmental health, and make significant progress towards its climate commitments while unlocking clean energy co-benefits.
Q. Discuss the emerging biothreats facing India in the context of rapid advancements in biotechnology. What reforms are necessary to strengthen India’s biosecurity framework? (GS Paper III – Science & Technology, Internal Security)
Introduction:
India’s biosecurity concerns have intensified due to rapid expansion in modern biotechnologies, rising capabilities of non-state actors, and growing ecological vulnerabilities. Biosecurity refers to measures aimed at preventing the intentional misuse of biological agents, unlike biosafety, which focuses on accidental releases. India’s high population density, biodiversity, large agricultural base, and porous borders make it particularly vulnerable to natural and engineered biological threats.
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Emerging Biothreats
India faces a spectrum of biothreats.
• Non-state actors increasingly explore biological toxins, as reflected in recent incidents involving ricin.
• Synthetic biology, gene editing, and low-cost DNA tools enhance the possibility of engineered pathogens.
• Climate change and ecological disruption heighten zoonotic spillover risks.
• Agriculture and livestock sectors face threats from crop pathogens and transboundary animal diseases, posing risks to food security.
Gaps in India’s Biosecurity Architecture
Although multiple agencies such as the Department of Biotechnology, NCDC, and Plant/Animal Quarantine departments operate in this space, India lacks a centralised, unified biosecurity framework. Legal systems like the EPA 1986, Biosafety Rules 1989, and WMD Act 2005 are outdated compared to current biotech realities. The country also suffers from limited high-containment labs, inadequate genomic surveillance, weak inter-sectoral coordination, and low ranking (66th) on the Global Health Security Index.
Necessary Reforms
• Establish a National Biosecurity Authority integrating human, animal, environmental, and defence sectors.
• Upgrade surveillance systems through nationwide biosurveillance networks, genomic sequencing, and early warning systems.
• Modernise legal frameworks to regulate synthetic biology, gene drives, dual-use research, and genetic data security.
• Strengthen laboratory infrastructure and microbial forensics capabilities.
• Leverage emerging technologies such as AI-based pathogen detection and digital epidemiology.
• Deepen international cooperation through BWC commitments, crisis simulations, and data sharing.
Conclusion:
Emerging biothreats demand a proactive, technologically advanced, and unified biosecurity system. A strengthened national framework is essential not only for public health security but also for India’s strategic preparedness.
