RAS question
The National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem addresses:
Correct answer: (A) Glacial melting and biodiversity conservation.
The National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem addresses climate-change impacts on the Himalayan ecosystem, especially glacial melting and biodiversity conservation.
Explanation
The National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem is one of India's climate-change national missions, and its main objective is to build the capacity to scientifically assess the Himalayan region's vulnerability to climate change and continuously assess the ecosystem's health. The Himalayan ecosystem includes glaciers, freshwater river systems, long-term lean-season flows, and the region's biodiversity. The mission develops methods to assess ecosystem health, including glaciers, and studies changes attributable to climate change and human activity. The mission is therefore about sustaining a fragile ecological system, not about promoting infrastructure, extraction, or industry in the Himalayas.
Why the other options are wrong
- (B) Highway construction is wrong because NMSHE is a climate-change and Himalayan ecosystem mission, not a transport or road-building programme.
- (C) Mining in the Himalayan region is wrong because the mission's stated objectives concern ecosystem health, glaciers, vulnerability assessment, and sustainable development support, not mineral extraction.
- (D) Industrial development in the Himalayas is wrong because NMSHE focuses on climate vulnerability and sustaining the Himalayan ecosystem rather than expanding industrial activity.
Concept
The Environment and Ecology part of the RAS syllabus covers climate-change missions under the National Action Plan on Climate Change. RAS preparation requires matching each national mission with its ecological focus and policy objective.