UPSC ENGLISH QUIZ 20.08.2025

Explanation

• India is rapidly moving towards decarbonization. Rising pollution, dependence on fossil fuels, and global climate change challenges have pushed both the government and industry to adopt sustainable energy solutions.
• In this process, electrification, especially the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs), has emerged as a key step. However, with this comes the growing issue of battery waste management.
• India’s EV lithium-battery demand is projected to surge from just 4 GWh in 2023 to nearly 139 GWh by 2035.
• Simultaneously, the rapid expansion of the renewable energy sector is driving increased adoption of battery energy storage systems (BESS) to support India’s Net Zero by 2070 goals.
• Recognising the environmental risks of improper disposal such as hazardous material leakage into soil and water, the government enacted the Battery Waste Management Rules of 2022 to mandate sustainable recycling and management practices.

Explanation

• Union Jal Shakti minister informed Lok Sabha that all 354 villages in Dakshina Kannada, Karnataka, have been declared Open Defecation-Free (ODF) Plus.

Open defecation-free status

• Open Defecation Free city/ward: A city/ward can be notified/declared as ODF city/ODF ward if, at any point of the day, not a single person is found defecating in the open.
• An ODF Plus village is a village that has sustained its Open Defecation Free (ODF) status, ensures both solid and liquid waste management, and maintains a visually clean environment.
• Phase II of Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) [SBM(G)] is being implemented during the period from 2020-21 to 2025-26, with a focus on Open Defecation Free (ODF) sustainability and to cover all the villages with solid and liquid waste management (including Greywater management) i.e. converting the villages from ODF to ODF Plus (Model).

Explanation

• Environment Ministry has notified new rules under the Environment Protection Act that offer legal framework for addressing sites with chemical contamination called the Environment Protection (Management of Contaminated Sites) Rules, 2025.
• These rules establish a structured framework for identification, assessment and remediation of contaminated or polluted lands, while ensuring accountability through the application of the ‘Polluter Pay’ principle across the country.
• This rule aims to strengthen environmental governance and promote sustainable land management practices in the future.

Contaminated Sites

• According to the Central Pollution Control Board, contaminated areas are those areas with historical dumping of hazardous waste, cause soil, groundwater, and surface water pollution.
• Sites include landfills, dumps, spill areas, and waste storage facilities.
• India has identified 103 such sites, however remediation has begun at only 7.
• Key Provisions of the Environment Protection (Management of Contaminated Sites) Rules, 2025.

Explanation

• A 10% horizontal reservation for direct recruitment in government services for former Agniveers after their return from the army has been approved by the Uttarakhand Cabinet.
• It was approved in the cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami.
• The reservation applies to uniformed Group ‘C’ posts under the state government.
• Former Agniveers will be exempted from the physical efficiency test in recruitment processes.
• They will also receive relaxation in the maximum age limit for applications.
• Apart from this, the Cabinet passed amendments to the Uttarakhand Freedom of Religion Act, 2025.
• The new provisions aim to impose strict penalties for illegal religious conversions.
• The amendments include harsher penalties, a ban on digital promotion of conversions, and stringent measures to protect victims.
• The government stated that these steps are meant to protect citizens’ religious rights while ensuring communal harmony.
• The bills will be presented during the monsoon session of the State Assembly beginning August 19.

Explanation

• India has reached an installed manufacturing capacity of 100 GW for solar photovoltaic modules under the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) scheme.
• This marks a massive rise from just 2.3 GW of capacity in 2014..
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the achievement as a step towards self-reliance in clean energy.
• Union Minister Pralhad Joshi credited the success to initiatives such as the Production Linked Incentive Scheme.
• The milestone supports India’s goal of achieving 500 GW of non-fossil energy capacity by 2030.
• The ALMM Order was introduced by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy in 2019, with the first list enlisting 8.2 GW of capacity.
• In just four years, this capacity has grown more than twelve-fold to 100 gigawatts, powered by 100 manufacturers operating 123 manufacturing units, up from 21 in 2021.
• This growth reflects contributions from both established companies and new entrants, many of which are adopting high-efficiency technologies and vertically integrated operations.
• This has created a competitive landscape that is able to meet both domestic and global demands.