LICHENS & GYMNOSPERMS

1. Gymnosperms
-Gymnosperm = “naked seed” plants- ovules/seeds are not enclosed within an ovary/fruit; hence they do not form true fruits.
-They are vascular seed plants, predominantly woody and evergreen; examples: Pine, Cycas, Deodar, Fir, Spruce and Himalayan Yew (Taxus).
-Gymnosperms are ancient plants (>300 million years); they evolved before flowering plants (angiosperms).
-They occur widely in temperate and alpine forests and act as important carbon sinks, regulate water flow and help protect watersheds.
-Himalayan Yew (Taxus wallichiana) is a medicinal gymnosperm; taxol/paclitaxel derived from Taxus is used as an anti-cancer drug.
Exam trap: Gymnosperms produce seeds and pollen, but flowers and fruits are characteristic of angiosperms.

2. Lichens
-Lichen is a symbiotic association mainly between a fungus (mycobiont) and a photosynthetic partner- green alga and/or cyanobacterium (photobiont).
-Lichens are among the earliest colonisers of bare rocks —> called pioneer species; they promote rock weathering and soil formation, aiding primary succession.
-They lack true roots and absorb water/minerals largely from the atmosphere/surface; therefore, they are highly sensitive to air pollution. Hence, lichens are important bioindicators of air quality- their decline/absence may indicate high atmospheric pollution.
-Ecological roles: soil formation, nutrient cycling, trapping dust, food for wildlife and ecosystem succession.
Exam trap: Lichen is not a single plant/organism taxonomically; it represents a stable symbiotic association involving a fungus and photosynthetic organism.

Current Affairs Hook- Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand Forest Department has developed dedicated conservation gardens for both groups: Gymnosperm Garden at Uttarkashi and Lichen Garden at Munsiyari; together they conserve about 135 species.

Interlink: https://t.me/bpscweb/45274
PYQs on Lichens: https://t.me/bpscweb/45279?single

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Ukraine —> known as the “Breadbasket of Europe” because of its highly fertile Chernozem (black soil) and large wheat/grain production.
Prairies of Canada —> often called the “Wheat Basket of the World” because of extensive commercial wheat cultivation.
Punjab and Haryana —> traditionally called the “Wheat Bowl/Breadbasket of India.”

Black Sea is a crucial wheat-export route; Russia–Ukraine attacks on ports, terminals and ships can disrupt global grain supply.

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#GEOGRAPHY

Urban Floods & Heatwaves in Indian Cities
Context: Delhi-NCR recently faced intense heat followed by heavy rain and urban flooding, showing how natural hazards turn into disasters because of poor urban planning.

Why are Indian cities increasingly vulnerable?
-Climate change: More intense heatwaves and extreme rainfall; urban centres can be 3–4°C hotter than surrounding areas.
-Concretisation: Soil, vegetation and water bodies replaced by roads/buildings—> less infiltration + higher surface run-off.
-Encroachment: Construction over lakes, wetlands, floodplains and natural drains reduces drainage capacity.
-Urban Heat Island effect: Dense construction, asphalt, poor ventilation and declining tree cover trap heat, including at night.
-Rapid urbanisation: India’s urban population may reach ~951 million by 2050; over half of the infrastructure needed by then is yet to be built.
-Unequal vulnerability: Informal settlements, poorly ventilated homes and outdoor workers face disproportionate risks.

Governance & institutional gaps
—>Disaster Management Act, 2005- Section 41A (2025 amendment): enables states to constitute Urban Disaster Management Authorities in state capitals and municipal-corporation cities, except Delhi and Chandigarh.
—>Fragmented responsibility among municipal corporations, district administrations and state departments.
—>65% of India’s 7,933 urban settlements lacked a master plan (NITI Aayog, 2021); planning departments also face severe staff shortages.
—>Disaster financing remains excessively relief-oriented rather than prevention/mitigation-oriented.

Way Forward
-Integrate disaster-risk reduction into master plans and everyday development approvals.
-Protect/restore wetlands, lakes, floodplains, natural drains and urban green spaces; expand permeable surfaces.
-Use flood maps to regulate construction and determine drainage capacity.
-Use heat maps for shade, ventilation, tree cover and heat-resilient building standards.
-Strengthen municipal technical capacity and fix clear responsibility + deadlines for mitigation projects.
-Shift from post-disaster relief to anticipatory governance- early warnings linked with work-hour changes, hospital preparedness, school closures and traffic diversions.

Data/Value addition: World Bank estimates timely adaptation could prevent around $5 billion/year in urban flood losses by 2030 and $30 billion/year by 2070; measures against extreme heat could save over 1.3 lakh lives by 2050.

Conclusion: Urban flooding and heatwaves are hazards; weak land-use planning, ecological degradation and inadequate infrastructure convert them into disasters. India needs climate-resilient urbanisation rather than disaster response after every season.

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#ESSAY

Madhepura Electric Locomotive Pvt. Ltd. (MELPL), Bihar manufactures 12,000 HP electric locomotives for Indian Railways; these locomotives are now being retrofitted with waterless urinals for loco pilots.

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India ranks 2nd in mobile phone manufacturing.

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UPI :10 years

Ebola outbreak
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King Herald V

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Judiciary

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