Mains Practice Questions for the Day
- Q. The conservation of the Great Indian Bustard reflects the larger challenge of protecting India’s neglected grassland ecosystems. Discuss the major threats to the species and evaluate the effectiveness of current conservation strategies. (15 M)
- Q. Nuclear energy is increasingly becoming central to South Asia’s energy security and clean energy transition. In this context, examine the significance of Bangladesh’s Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant and discuss the opportunities and challenges associated with nuclear energy development. (15 M)
Q. The conservation of the Great Indian Bustard reflects the larger challenge of protecting India’s neglected grassland ecosystems. Discuss the major threats to the species and evaluate the effectiveness of current conservation strategies. (15 M)
(GS Paper III – Environment | Biodiversity | Species Conservation)
Introduction:
The Great Indian Bustard (GIB), scientifically known as Ardeotis nigriceps, is one of the heaviest flying birds in the world and a flagship species of India’s grassland ecosystem. Classified as Critically Endangered by the IUCN, its rapidly declining population reflects the larger crisis of habitat degradation, infrastructure expansion, and weak grassland governance in India. The recent case of a GIB chick hatched in Gujarat through the jumpstart method has once again drawn attention to the urgency of its conservation.
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1.Why GIB Conservation Represents a Larger Ecological Challenge
The Great Indian Bustard is not only a species conservation issue but also a grassland ecosystem issue. Grasslands in India are often wrongly treated as wastelands and diverted for agriculture, solar parks, industries, and urban expansion. Since GIB depends on arid and semi-arid open grasslands, the decline of this habitat directly threatens its survival. Protecting GIB therefore means protecting entire grassland biodiversity and ecological balance.
2.Major Threats to the Great Indian Bustard Collision with Power Lines:
This is the single biggest threat. Due to poor frontal vision and heavy flight pattern, GIBs often collide with overhead transmission lines, causing high mortality.
- Habitat Loss and Fragmentation: Large-scale diversion of grasslands for farming, infrastructure, mining, renewable energy projects, and industries has fragmented breeding habitats. Small isolated populations reduce breeding success.
- Low Reproductive Rate: Female GIB lays only one egg at a time, resulting in extremely slow population recovery. Even minor mortality can create major long-term decline.
- Small and Isolated Population: Very few breeding individuals remain, especially in Gujarat where only three female birds survive in the wild. This creates low genetic diversity and poor reproductive success.
- Historical Hunting and Disturbance: Hunting and poaching caused severe decline historically, while current disturbance from livestock movement and human activity affects nesting success.
3.Current Conservation Strategies Project Great Indian Bustard:
A species-specific recovery programme focused on habitat protection, breeding support, and reducing mortality.
- Species Recovery Programme under IDWH: Implemented under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats with 100% central assistance, focusing on both in-situ and ex-situ conservation.
- Captive Breeding Centres: Located at Ramdevra and Sam in Rajasthan, these centres use artificial incubation and scientific breeding methods to increase survival rates.
- Artificial Insemination: Used to improve breeding success and maintain genetic diversity in extremely small populations.
- Power Line Mitigation: Underground cabling and bird diverters are being used to reduce collision deaths in critical habitats.
- Jumpstart Method: Fertile eggs from captive breeding centres are placed under wild females so that chicks are raised naturally in wild habitat. The recent Gujarat chick was the first successful use of this method there.
4. Evaluation of Conservation Effectiveness
- These strategies have created important scientific breakthroughs, especially captive breeding and the jumpstart method, which improve survival prospects.
- The inclusion of GIB under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act and CITES Appendix I provides strong legal protection.
- However, implementation remains weak. Power lines continue to exist in critical habitats despite court directions.
- Grassland protection policies remain inadequate because forests receive far more institutional priority. Monitoring is difficult because vast open landscapes make tracking challenging, and small chicks cannot be geotagged easily. Renewable energy expansion in desert regions creates a direct conflict between climate policy and biodiversity conservation.
5. Way Forward
- Underground transmission lines must be made mandatory in priority GIB habitats. Grasslands should receive formal ecological recognition rather than being classified as wastelands.
- Captive breeding and jumpstart methods should be expanded scientifically with better genetic management.
- Satellite tracking and advanced non-invasive monitoring should be strengthened. Community participation and compensation systems must be improved to reduce local conflict. Strong inter-state coordination between Rajasthan and Gujarat is essential for long-term recovery.
Conclusion:
The Great Indian Bustard is not merely a bird species facing extinction; it is a symbol of India’s neglected grassland conservation crisis. The recent jumpstart method success shows that scientific intervention can create hope, but long-term survival depends on habitat restoration, strong policy action, and institutional commitment. Saving the GIB ultimately means protecting ecological security itself.
Q. Nuclear energy is increasingly becoming central to South Asia’s energy security and clean energy transition. In this context, examine the significance of Bangladesh’s Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant and discuss the opportunities and challenges associated with nuclear energy development. (15 M)
(GS Paper II – International Relations | GS Paper III – Energy | Science and Technology)
Introduction:
Bangladesh’s start of uranium fuel loading at the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP) marks a historic milestone in South Asia’s energy transition. As Bangladesh’s first nuclear power plant, RNPP represents a major step toward clean energy generation, reduced fossil fuel dependence, and long-term energy security. It also reflects the growing strategic importance of civil nuclear cooperation in the region.
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1.Significance of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP)
- RNPP is Bangladesh’s first nuclear power project and the country’s largest power generation project, located at Rooppur in Pabna district on the banks of the Padma River. Developed by the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC) with Russian technical and financial support through Rosatom, it makes Bangladesh the 33rd country in the world to generate electricity using nuclear power.
- The project consists of two VVER-1200 Generation III+ reactors with a total installed capacity of 2,400 MW. It is expected to meet nearly 10% of Bangladesh’s total electricity demand and significantly reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels.
- This is especially important for a rapidly industrializing economy facing rising power demand and climate vulnerability.
2.Importance of Uranium Fuel Loading
- Uranium fuel loading marks the beginning of the physical start-up phase of a nuclear reactor. In this stage, enriched uranium fuel assemblies are inserted into the reactor core, allowing the process of controlled nuclear fission to begin.
- In RNPP, 163 fuel assemblies are being loaded into the first reactor unit. After this, the reactor reaches minimum controllable power, followed by safety testing and gradual synchronization with the national power grid.
- Therefore, fuel loading is one of the most critical milestones before actual electricity generation begins.
3.Opportunities Associated with Nuclear Energy Development Energy Security:
Nuclear power provides reliable base-load electricity unlike solar and wind, ensuring uninterrupted supply for industries and households. It reduces excessive dependence on imported oil, gas, and coal.
- Low Carbon Transition: Nuclear energy produces electricity with very low carbon emissions, supporting climate commitments, net-zero goals, and sustainable development pathways.
- High Energy Density: A small quantity of uranium produces enormous energy compared to conventional fossil fuels, making it highly efficient for large-scale power generation
- . Strategic Autonomy: Civil nuclear development strengthens national technological capability and reduces vulnerability to global fuel market volatility.
- Regional Development: Nuclear cooperation promotes diplomatic engagement, technical exchange, and regional stability, especially in South Asia.
4. Challenges Associated with Nuclear Energy Radioactive Waste Management:
- Safe disposal of spent nuclear fuel remains one of the biggest long-term challenges due to radiation risks lasting for decades.
- High Capital Cost: Nuclear plants require massive investment, advanced technology, and long construction periods, making them financially demanding for developing countries.
- Safety Risks: Incidents such as Chernobyl and Fukushima have created global concern regarding reactor accidents, radiation leakage, and disaster preparedness.
- Nuclear Proliferation Risk: Civil nuclear technology can raise strategic concerns if dual-use technologies are diverted toward weapons programmes.
- Public Acceptance: Fear of radiation and environmental risks often creates resistance among local communities near project sites.
5. India’s Strategic Relevance
- India has a direct strategic interest in Bangladesh’s nuclear programme due to geographical proximity and regional security concerns. A safe and stable nuclear plant in Bangladesh contributes to regional stability and strengthens India-Bangladesh cooperation in energy and infrastructure.
- India has supported Bangladesh through technical consultations and training assistance. This reflects broader regional cooperation and highlights the importance of nuclear diplomacy in South Asia.
- India’s own Three-Stage Nuclear Power Programme—from PHWRs to Fast Breeder Reactors and thorium-based reactors—shows how nuclear energy remains central to long-term strategic planning. The recent criticality of the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) at Kalpakkam further strengthens this perspective.
6. Way Forward
- Strong regulatory oversight by national authorities and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) must remain central to all nuclear projects. Regional cooperation in nuclear safety, emergency response, and training should be strengthened. Long-term radioactive waste management systems must be scientifically developed. Public trust should be improved through transparency and awareness regarding peaceful nuclear energy. Nuclear expansion should also be balanced with renewable energy integration for a diversified and sustainable energy mix.
Conclusion:
The Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant is not merely Bangladesh’s first nuclear plant; it represents a major transformation in South Asia’s energy architecture. Nuclear energy offers a powerful tool for clean growth, industrial development, and strategic autonomy, but it also demands the highest standards of safety and governance. For South Asia, the future lies in balancing nuclear ambition with responsible regulation and sustainable development.
