UPSC Essentials | Mains answer practice — GS 3 : Questions on factors responsible for landslides and Small Modular Reactors (Week 123)

QUESTION 1

Discuss the factors responsible for the increasing frequency and intensity of landslides in the Himalayas.

QUESTION 2

Discuss the significance of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). How can SMRs complement renewable energy deployment in India, particularly for energy-intensive industries?

General points on the structure of the answers for UPSC Mains

Introduction

— The introduction of the answer is essential and should be restricted to 3-5 lines. Remember, a one-liner is not a standard introduction.

— It may consist of basic information by giving some definitions from the trusted source and authentic facts.

Body

— It is the central part of the answer and one should understand the demand of the question to provide rich content.

— The answer must be preferably written as a mix of points and short paragraphs rather than using long paragraphs or just points.

— Using facts from authentic government sources makes your answer more comprehensive. Analysis is important based on the demand of the question, but do not over analyse.

QUESTION 1: Discuss the factors responsible for the increasing frequency and intensity of landslides in the Himalayas.

Note: This is not a model answer. It only provides you with thought process which you may incorporate into the answers.

Introduction:

— The Himalayas, formed due to the collision of the Indian and Eurasian plates, experience continuous stress as the northward movement of the Indian plate towards China causes the rocks to become friable, weak, and prone to landslides and earthquakes.

— Landslides of all sizes, shapes, and descriptions—big and small, swift and slow, old and new—occur in the Himalayas alone. A confusing variety of landslip problems plague the Northeastern region. In addition to Sikkim, Mizoram, Tripura, Meghalaya, Assam, Nagaland, and Arunachal Pradesh, landslides in West Bengal’s Darjeeling district present ongoing issues and result in recurrent financial losses.

Body:

You may incorporate some of the following points in your answer:

Factors responsible for the increasing frequency and intensity of landslides in the Himalayas

— The triggering factors for the landslides are precipitation and seismicity.

— An increase in population causes metamorphic changes, which result in landslides.

— Climate change and the changing rainfall pattern.

— Unprecedented course changes in the rivers and streams.

— Heavy, unsuitable and unsustainable development projects

— Flooding of river beds

Conclusion:

— Recently, the landslides in Darjeeling were devastated by heavy rain, which took several lives and caused massive destruction.

— In order to ensure environmentally sound development of hill towns, an integrated development plan may be prepared, taking into consideration environmental and other relevant factors.

(Source: How landslides threaten Darjeeling, and why this has national security implications for India)

Points to Ponder

Read more about landslides in India

What is the difference between landslides caused in Himalayas and Western Ghats?

Related Previous Year Questions

Describe the various causes and the effects of landslides. Mention the important components of the National Landslide Risk Management Strategy. (2021)

Flooding in urban areas is an emerging climate-induced disaster. Discuss the causes of this disaster. Mention the features of two major floods in the last two decades in India. Describe the policies and frameworks in India that aim at tackling such floods. (2024)

QUESTION 2: Discuss the significance of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). How can SMRs complement renewable energy deployment in India, particularly for energy-intensive industries?

(Source: AP)

Note: This is not a model answer. It only provides you with thought process which you may incorporate into the answers.

Introduction:

— SMRs – small modular reactors, which are nuclear reactors with a capacity of 30MWe (megawatt electric) to 300 MWe per unit – are increasingly seen as important for nuclear energy to remain a commercially competitive option in the future, especially when large nuclear projects are facing implementation delays across geographies.

— These new and smaller nuclear reactors have about a third of the generating capacity of most traditional nuclear power reactors, but can produce a large amount of low-carbon electricity are seen as a possible solution to meet the power needs of energy-intensive industries such as steel, aluminium, and cement. They can also be set up by repurposing thermal power plants that are to be decommissioned.

Body:

You may incorporate some of the following points in your answer:

— Nuclear offers a solution, especially since the grid needs new electricity solutions that offer a clean, round-the-clock power source that can tide over the limitations of renewables – not generating power when the sun’s not shining or the wind is not blowing. Not having enough viable grid-scale storage options at this point in time is a problem in scaling up renewables. SMRs potentially offer solutions to tide over some of these shortfalls.

— As of now, two SMR projects have reached the operational stage globally. One is an SMR named Akademik Lomonosov floating power unit in Russia and the other is a demonstration SMR project called HTR-PM in China.

— The ‘Bharat Small Modular Reactors’ (BSMR) project is part of the Indian government’s efforts to get into the manufacturing value chain of small modular reactors — increasingly seen as important for nuclear energy to remain a commercially competitive option into the future.

— India is working to get into this space, both as a way of fulfilling its commitment to clean energy transition, and bundling SMRs as a technology-led foreign policy pitch.

— India is pushing SMRs as a technology of promise that can help in industrial decarbonisation, including a determined hard sell of the country’s ability to take something of a leadership role in the dissemination of this technology.

— India’s civil nuclear programme has expertise in manufacturing smaller reactor types – 220MWe PHWRs (pressurised heavy water reactors) and above – the problem for India is its reactor technology. Based on heavy water and natural Uranium, the PHWRs are seen as increasingly out of sync with the pressurised water reactors or PWRs (a light-water nuclear reactor type that constitute the large majority of the world’s nuclear power plants) are now the most dominant reactor type across the world.

Conclusion:

— India is trying to leverage technology from the US, Russia and other countries that have an early lead on SMR technology and in designing light water reactor projects. Legislative groundwork is currently underway for multiple amendments in the two overarching laws governing the country’s atomic energy sector, which now aim to align these legislations with legal provisions globally, addressing festering investor concerns and setting the stage for an opening up of India’s civil nuclear sector.

(Source: As govt eases N-power restrictions, how India’s SMR ambitions will get private sector boost)

Points to Ponder

Read more about SMRs

How can Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) help decarbonise energy-intensive industries and repurpose decommissioned thermal power plants in India?

Related Previous Year Questions

The fusion energy programme in India has steadily evolved over the past few decades. Mention India’s contributions to the international fusion energy project International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER). What will be the implications of the success of this project for the future of global energy? (2025)

With growing energy needs should India keep on expanding its nuclear energy programme? Discuss the facts and fears associated with nuclear energy? (2018)

Previous Mains Answer Practice

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 3 (Week 122)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 3 (Week 121)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 2 (Week 122)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 2 (Week 121)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 1 (Week 121)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 1 (Week 122)

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