DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 29th September 2026

Environment & Ecology

Why in News?

The foundation stone has been laid for India’s first port-based e-methanol production facility at Kandla, Gujarat. The ₹2,300-crore project will produce 150 tonnes per day (TPD) of e-methanol for supplying green fuel to ships operating on the Asia–Europe International Trade Corridor. 

What is E-Methanol?

• E-methanol is an electricity-based e-fuel produced using renewable energy, hydrogen and captured/recycled CO₂. 
• Production pathway: 
  1. Renewable electricity → electrolysis of water → green hydrogen 
  2. Capture CO₂ from industrial sources/biogenic sources or directly from air. 
  3. Hydrogen + CO₂ → methanol through catalytic synthesis. 
• When renewable energy and sustainably sourced carbon are used, it can substantially reduce lifecycle greenhouse-gas emissions compared with fossil-based methanol. 

Kandla E-Methanol Plant

• Location: Deendayal Port Authority, Kandla, Gujarat. 
• Capacity: 150 TPD 
• Investment: ₹2,300 crore 
• Partners: Deendayal Port Authority + Assam Petro-Chemicals Ltd. 
• Phase I: 50 TPD; ₹1,200 crore; targeted January 2027. 
• Phase II: Additional 100 TPD; ₹1,100 crore; targeted March 2027. 
• Capital contribution: DPA 76% and APCL 24%. 
• The project is expected to create 3,500+ direct and indirect jobs. 

Why is E-Methanol Important?

• Potential low-carbon marine fuel for shipping. 
• Can reduce dependence on fossil marine fuels. 
• Produces little/no sulphur emissions during combustion. 
• Supports India’s green-energy export ambitions and maritime decarbonisation. 
• Links green hydrogen + carbon capture + renewable energy + shipping into one value chain. 

Sources:

https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleaseDetail.aspx?PRID=2315327&reg=48&lang=1

Environment & Ecology

Why in News?

Researchers have discovered a new species of microscopic fossil fungus, Vizellopsidites miocenicus, preserved on a ~12-million-year-old fossilised leaf from the Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh. The study was published in the New Zealand Journal of Botany in September 2026. 

About Vizellopsidites miocenicus

• Type: Ancient microscopic, epifoliar (leaf-dwelling) fungus. 
• Age: Late Miocene, roughly 8–12 million years ago. 
• Location: Middle Siwalik sediments, Himachal Himalaya. 
• Discovery: Fossilised leaves were chemically treated through maceration to isolate the leaf cuticle, followed by microscopic examination. 
• It has larger cells and a relatively loose, net-like arrangement of alternating branches. 
• Distinct circular fruiting bodies associated with spore production were also observed. 

Palaeoclimatic Significance

Modern relatives of the fungus occur in warm and highly humid tropical environments. Its presence therefore provides evidence that the Himalayan foothills during the Late Miocene experienced a much warmer and wetter tropical climate than the present-day region. 

Siwalik Group – Static Linkage

The Siwalik sediments represent Neogene deposits along the Himalayan foothills and are important sources of fossil plants and animals. Fossilised leaves and associated organisms can help reconstruct the palaeoclimate and ancient ecosystems of the Himalayan region.

Sources:

https://researchmatters.in/news/new-species-of-ancient-fungus-discovered-on-a-12-million-year-old-fossilised-leaf-from-himachal

Environment & Ecology

Why in News?

The UNEP-led Cool Coalition launched the inaugural Cool Leaders Awards at the Global Cooling Pledge Assembly 2026 in Singapore on 17 September 2026. The awards recognise leadership in sustainable cooling and protection against extreme heat. 

2026 Cool Leaders

The inaugural recognition went to:

• 🇸🇬 Singapore → leadership in passive cooling and heat resilience. 
• 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates (UAE) → district cooling and integration of cooling into climate/development policy. 
• Dong Mingzhu, Chairwoman of Gree Electric Appliances → development of ultra-efficient, low-carbon cooling technologies. 

The recognition is part of a broader effort to address rising cooling demand and extreme heat.

Global Cooling Pledge

• Launched at COP28 (2023). 
• First collective global commitment focused specifically on reducing the climate impact of cooling while expanding access to sustainable cooling. 
• Targets by 2050: reduce cooling-related emissions by at least 68% below 2022 levels. 
• By 2030: collectively improve the global average efficiency of new air-conditioning equipment by 50% compared with the 2022 installed baseline. 

Other 2026 Initiatives

The Singapore Assembly also announced:

• Global Roadmap on Heat Resilience for a Warming World 
• Nature for Cooling Challenge — Brazil, Cambodia and Côte d’Ivoire joined; promotes urban forests, parks and green roofs as nature-based cooling solutions. 
• Manufacturing Platform for efficient cooling equipment and low/ultra-low-GWP refrigerants. 
• Intergovernmental Committee on Cooling (IGCC) to help coordinate implementation of the Global Cooling Pledge. 

Sources: 

https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/press-release/cool-leaders-roadmap-and-nature-cooling-global-cooling-pledge-acts

Science & Technology

Why in News?

India co-hosted the launch of OneSCD — Global Partnership to Advance Equity and Transform Sickle Cell Care on the sidelines of the 81st UN General Assembly (UNGA81) in New York in September 2026. The partnership seeks to strengthen global cooperation for more equitable and accessible prevention, diagnosis and treatment of Sickle Cell Disease (SCD). 

About OneSCD

• Nature: Global health partnership focused on Sickle Cell Disease. 
• Co-hosted by: India and Nigeria. 
• Key partners: WHO, UNICEF, Africa CDC, World Coalition on Sickle Cell Disease and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, among others. 
• Focus: Connect political leadership, technical expertise, patient/community perspectives and financing to support country-led action. 
• Emphasises early diagnosis, comprehensive care, affordability, equity and stronger health systems. 

Sickle Cell Disease – Static Linkage

• SCD is an inherited blood disorder caused by abnormal haemoglobin S (HbS). 
• Affected red blood cells can become sickle-shaped, causing haemolysis and blockage of small blood vessels. 
• It may lead to anaemia, recurrent pain crises, organ damage and other complications. 
• Inheritance is generally autosomal recessive. 
• Hydroxyurea is an important disease-modifying therapy. 

India’s SCD Response

The National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission, launched in 2023, aims to eliminate Sickle Cell Anaemia as a public-health problem by 2047 through screening, early diagnosis, counselling, treatment, follow-up and digital tracking. By September 2026, more than 7.29 crore people had been screened. 

Sources:

https://newsonair.gov.in/india-co-hosts-launch-of-global-partnership-to-advance-sickle-cell-care/

Environment & Ecology

Why in News?

A recent study has highlighted that exposure to Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (PFOS), a widespread industrial “forever chemical,” may weaken the body’s ability to fight viral infections. PFOS is part of the larger PFAS family of highly persistent synthetic chemicals. 

What is PFOS?

• Full form: Perfluorooctane Sulfonate / Perfluorooctane Sulfonic Acid. 
• It is a synthetic perfluorinated organic compound with an eight-carbon backbone and sulfonate functional group. 
• Belongs to PFAS (Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances), a large family of highly persistent chemicals. 
• Known for resistance to heat, water, grease and chemical degradation. 
• Because of its persistence, PFAS are commonly called “forever chemicals.” 

Uses & Environmental Behaviour

PFOS has historically been used in stain-, grease- and water-resistant products, including carpets, leather products and some non-stick applications. It has also been used in certain firefighting foams, particularly at airports and military facilities. 

PFOS can:

• Persist for long periods in the environment. 
• Move through groundwater. 
• Bioaccumulate and biomagnify through food chains, particularly aquatic systems. 
• Reach humans through contaminated water and food, including fish. A 2026 study from the Visakhapatnam coastal region detected PFAS in marine systems and highlighted concerns regarding seafood exposure. 

Health Concerns

Long-term PFOS exposure has been associated with immune-system effects, liver damage, endocrine disruption and thyroid changes, among other health concerns. 

International Regulation

PFOS is listed under the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) and is subject to international restrictions with specified exemptions/acceptable purposes. India ratified the Stockholm Convention in 2006. 

Sources:

https://epaper.thehindu.com/ccidist-ws/th/th_delhi/issues/206247/OPS/G86GJ85VC.1+G8OGJ9T0R.1.html

GS III – Environment / GS II – Governance
Waste Management, Circular Economy, and Clean Energy

Introduction

Across India, organic waste is finding a second life as fuel, electricity, and valuable manure. Under the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM), launched in October 2014, scientific management of municipal solid waste has remained a core objective. As the Mission evolved, organic waste has been recognised as a valuable resource to produce clean energy. Biogas, produced through anaerobic decomposition, is among the most viable, economical, and environmentally friendly cooking fuels. The by-product slurry is rich in nitrogen and serves as an effective organic fertiliser—delivering a dual benefit. Under SBM-Urban 2.0, waste-to-energy takes different forms across India: a vegetable market in Hyderabad lights its streetlights with rotten vegetables; Prayagraj’s bio-CNG plant converts multiple feedstocks; a Gandhinagar campus cooks for 500+ people without LPG; and a Gwalior gaushala turns cow dung into compressed biogas.

Gandhinagar: An Educational Campus Eliminating LPG Dependence

The Initiative

• Location: Shrimati Manekba Vinay Vihar Educational Complex, near Adalaj, Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
• Scale: Kitchen cooks for 500+ people daily (250 hostel students, 15 staff families).
• Biogas Plants: Two plants; combined capacity of 90 cubic metres per day.
• Feedstock: Dung from 222 cows; kitchen waste; agricultural residue from nearby fields.
• Impact: Meets entire cooking-fuel requirement; eliminates need for 30 LPG cylinders per month.
• Support: Gujarat government’s Institutional Biogas Plant Scheme; Gujarat Energy Development Agency (GEDA).

Prayagraj: One Plant, Four Feedstocks

The Initiative

• Location: Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh.
• Capacity: Processes 343 tonnes of organic waste per day; produces ~21 tonnes of bio-CNG.
• Multi-Feedstock Model: Wet waste, paddy straw, cattle dung, poultry litter.
• Model: Public-private partnership; absorbs bulk organic waste from hotels, restaurants, apartment complexes.
• Growth: Daily wet-waste supply increased from 7-8 tonnes to ~125 tonnes.
• Output: Bio-CNG sold under CBG-CGD Synchronisation Scheme; supports city transport.
• Compost: 28 tonnes of high-quality compost daily for local farmers.
• Projected Impact: Clean energy access to ~45,000 households; reduction of ~57,000 tonnes CO₂ annually.

Gwalior: A Gaushala That Became a Power Plant

The Initiative

• Location: Adarsh Gaushala, Laltipara, Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh.
• Scale: 10,000+ cattle; India’s first modern, self-sufficient gaushala built around a CBG plant.
• Plant: 100 tonnes per day (TPD) CBG plant; inaugurated October 2024.
• Design: Madhya Pradesh’s first CBG plant to also process vegetable and fruit waste from markets and homes.
• Project Cost: ₹31 crore; developed with Indian Oil Corporation; spread over 5 acres.
• Output: 2 tonnes of compressed biogas daily; 10-15 tonnes of dry bio-manure daily.
• Benefits: Cleaner fuel alternative; reduced carbon emissions; local employment; affordable organic input for farmers.

Bowenpally: What a Vegetable Market Can Power

The Initiative

• Location: Bowenpally Vegetable Market, Hyderabad, Telangana.
• Waste: ~10 tonnes of vegetable and fruit waste collected daily.
• Biogas Plant: On-site; generates 400-500 units of electricity and 30 kg of biofuel daily.
• Usage: Electricity runs streetlights, stalls, administration building, water-supply network.
• Process: Vegetables chopped, shredded, ground into slurry → anaerobic digesters → gas stored in balloons.
• By-products: Liquid bio-manure for farmers; biogas for cooking; biofuel for 100% biogas generator.
• Impact: Cut electricity bill by ~50% (from ~₹3 lakh/month).
• Replication: Five more plants funded—Gudimalkapur, Gaddiannaram, Erragadda, Alwal, Saroornagar.
• Employment: Women sort, segregate, operate machinery, handle administration.
• Worker’s Voice: “Since the biogas plant was set up, we are being paid well for our work. We are also provided with all necessary safety gear.” — Rukmini Devamma.

What Ties These Stories Together

Common Principles

• Waste as Resource: Not the end of the cycle.
• Resource Recovery: Design around processing, energy generation, and productive use of by-products.
• Feedstock Diversity: Cow dung, kitchen waste, crop residue, discarded vegetables.
• Scalability: Multiplied across cities, campuses, gaushalas, and markets.

The SBM Approach

• Beyond Collection and Disposal: Expanding urban waste infrastructure to processing and energy generation.
• Circular Economy: Scientific waste management, community participation, forward-looking policies.
• Self-Reliant Cities: Cleaner, greener, more self-reliant urban India.

Conclusion

Under the Swachh Bharat Mission, waste-to-energy initiatives are transforming organic waste into fuel, electricity, and manure. From Gandhinagar’s campus eliminating LPG dependence to Prayagraj’s multi-feedstock bio-CNG plant, Gwalior’s gaushala power plant, and Bowenpally’s vegetable market biogas plant, these stories demonstrate what happens when waste management is designed around resource recovery. Cow dung, kitchen waste, crop residue, and discarded vegetables are being converted into clean energy and organic fertiliser. Multiplied across India’s cities, campuses, gaushalas, and markets, this approach moves beyond isolated projects—paving the way for cleaner, greener, and more self-reliant cities.

Practice Question

1. Waste-to-energy initiatives under the Swachh Bharat Mission demonstrate how organic waste can be transformed into fuel, electricity, and manure, advancing the circular economy. Critically examine the initiatives, their impact, and the potential for scaling up across urban India. (250 words, 15 marks)

https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleaseDetail.aspx?PRID=2315501&reg=3&lang=1

GS III – Economy / GS III – Science & Technology
Semiconductor Manufacturing, Industrial Townships, and Infrastructure

Introduction

A semiconductor manufacturing facility is only one part of what it takes to build a semiconductor hub. Behind the clean rooms, advanced equipment, and production lines lies a wider ecosystem of hospitals, schools, housing, emergency services, and commercial infrastructure that enables companies and their workforce to operate over the long term. At Dholera in Gujarat, this broader ecosystem is taking shape alongside the development of the semiconductor manufacturing cluster. Gujarat has emerged as a major centre of India’s semiconductor expansion, with six of the 12 semiconductor manufacturing projects approved under Semicon India 1.0 located in the State, with cumulative investment commitments exceeding ₹1.64 lakh crore.

Building What Comes After the Fab

Healthcare

• Facility: 200-bed hospital under construction at Dholera.
• Completion Target: December 2026.
• Management: Government of Gujarat.
• Supporting Measures: Emergency Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs); coordination mechanisms with relevant agencies.

Education

• School: International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum.
• Status: Building ready; project targeted for completion around October 2026.
• Operation: Discussions underway with private players.

Accommodation

• Investor Accommodation Facility: Targeted for completion by September-end 2026.
• Purpose: Host professionals and investors working in the emerging industrial cluster.

Civic Infrastructure

• Fire Station: Completed.
• Food Court: Completed in July 2026.
• Residential and Commercial Developments: Underway; completion projected between mid-2027 and end-2027.
• Tent City: Completed; vendors in final stages of obtaining approvals.
• Hotel: Under construction.

From Industrial Project to Industrial Ecosystem

The Shift in Planning

• Beyond Manufacturing: A semiconductor facility requires not only sophisticated manufacturing infrastructure but also an environment that supports a specialised workforce and their families.
• Simultaneous Development: Social and physical infrastructure being developed alongside manufacturing capabilities.
• Pace of Development: Significant activity over the past 1.5-2 years.

Components of the Ecosystem

• Hospitals: Provide healthcare.
• Schools: Support families.
• Accommodation: Serves incoming professionals and investors.
• Emergency and Commercial Infrastructure: Contributes to the functioning of an industrial township.

Gujarat’s Semiconductor Presence

• Six Semiconductor Projects: Located in Gujarat (of 12 nationally).
• Span: Semiconductor fabrication, compound semiconductor and display technologies, advanced packaging.
• Investment: Cumulative commitments exceeding ₹1.64 lakh crore nationally.

The Emerging Model

Integrated Industrial Destination

• More Than a Fab: Creating an integrated industrial destination.
• Together Development: Manufacturing, infrastructure, and everyday life developing together.
• Foundation for Scale: Providing the foundation needed to support India’s semiconductor ambitions at scale.

Implications

• Workforce Support: Specialised workforce and families can operate over the long term.
• Ecosystem Approach: Social and physical infrastructure developed in parallel with manufacturing.
• Replicability: Model can be adapted for other semiconductor clusters and industrial townships.

Conclusion

Dholera’s development represents a shift in how large industrial investments are planned. A semiconductor facility requires not only manufacturing infrastructure but also an environment that supports a specialised workforce and their families. At Dholera, healthcare (200-bed hospital), education (IB school), accommodation (investor facility), and civic infrastructure (fire station, food court, Tent City) are being developed alongside the semiconductor cluster. With six semiconductor projects in Gujarat and cumulative investments exceeding ₹1.64 lakh crore, the State is becoming an important part of India’s semiconductor journey. The emerging model is about more than building a fab—it is about creating an integrated industrial destination where manufacturing, infrastructure, and everyday life develop together, providing the foundation for India’s semiconductor ambitions at scale.

Practice Question

1. Dholera’s development shows that building a semiconductor hub requires not just a fab but an integrated industrial ecosystem of healthcare, education, housing, and civic infrastructure. Critically examine. (250 words, 15 marks)

https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleaseDetail.aspx?PRID=2315966&reg=3&lang=1