2026

Varanasi ‘Tent City’, inaugurated by PM, violated environmental norms: NGT

Context: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has said that a ‘Tent City’ established on the Ganga riverbed in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, in 2023 was operated in “violation” of environmental laws.

• Inaugurating the project on January 13, 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said: “With the Tent City, tourists and devotees coming to Kashi now have an incredible means of accommodation.”
• “We find that the Tent City by the respondents No. 11 and 12 (two private companies) was set up and operated in violation of the environmental norms and the provisions of the River Ganga (Rejuvenation, Protection and Management) Authorities Order, 2016 for which the environmental compensation has been levied, but not recovered. Therefore, the same is required to be recovered expeditiously,” the NGT said in an order dated January 8.
• The Principal Bench of the NGT comprising chairperson Prakash Shrivastava and expert member A. Senthil Vel was hearing an application that the Tent City was allegedly polluting the riverbed and river water and causing harm to flora and fauna. The applicant also alleged that the sewage of the Tent City was directly discharged into the river.
• “The respondents (government authorities) will ensure that in future violating the provisions of River Ganga (Rejuvenation, Protection and Management) Authorities Order, 2016 and the applicable environmental norms, no such Tent City is allowed to be set up on the bank of river Ganga or its tributaries,” the NGT order said.
• The applicant had also alleged that the Tent City was set up at the place of ‘Kachhua Wildlife Sanctuary’ and this sanctuary was illegally de-notified in 2020. The NGT order said that since the de-notification of a turtle sanctuary, which is related to the Tent City, is pending before the Supreme Court, the green court “does not deem it proper” to go into this issue.
• In a report submitted to the NGT in October 2023, the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) noted that “application for the prior-approval for the project development of Tent City has been made after the project has already been implemented in 2022”.

A Tent City is a modern approach to managing mass gatherings and boosting tourism in ecologically sensitive or infrastructure-limited areas. It functions like a “pop-up hotel” or a temporary township.

⛺ What is a Tent City?
At its core, a Tent City is a temporary urban ecosystem. Unlike camping, which is often primitive, a modern Tent City (like the ones in Varanasi or Gujarat) provides “Glamping” (Glamorous Camping) facilities.

🏛️ Background
Prayagraj Kumbh Mela: The world’s largest Tent City is built here, accommodating millions of pilgrims with facilities like food, medical care, and security.

Varanasi (Ganga Riverfront): In 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated a Tent City to attract tourists. However, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) later ruled that it violated environmental norms.

Gujarat – Statue of Unity: The ‘Tent City Narmada’ offers luxury tent accommodations for visitors near the world’s tallest statue.

🌱 Features and Benefits
Flexibility: It can be dismantled after the event or season, leaving the land for its natural purpose (e.g., riverbanks during monsoon).

Infrastructure on Demand: It provides essential services like electricity, clean water, and waste management in remote areas.

Local Economy: It creates jobs for locals in hospitality, catering, and transport during the peak tourist season.

⚖️ The Conflict: Tourism vs. Environment
The most critical aspect of the Tent City concept is the Environmental Impact, which has led to legal battles with the National Green Tribunal (NGT).

Waste Management: Large numbers of people generate massive amounts of sewage and plastic waste. If not managed, this flows directly into rivers like the Ganga.

Ecological Disturbance: Construction on riverbeds (floodplains) can disturb the breeding grounds of birds and aquatic life.

The NGT Stance: In the Varanasi case, the NGT emphasized that “Sustainable Development” is mandatory. You cannot promote tourism at the cost of the river’s health.

DPDP Act does not ‘dilute’ RTI Act,A-G says in opinion

Context: Attorney-General R. Venkataramani has said in a written opinion that the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 did not “dilute” the Right to Information Act, 2005, a government source said.

• Civil society groups and transparency advocates have argued that the Act’s amendment of Section 8(1)(j), turning a partial exemption for government bodies to turn over “personal” information into a total exemption, undermined transparency.
• However, Mr. Venkataramani said that a different part of the RTI Act, which had not been amended, would allow government bodies to disclose such personal information in response to RTI requests. “Section 8(2) of the RTI Act, 2005 mandates disclosure of exempted information whenever public interest outweighs harm,” the opinion said. Mr. Venkataramani declined to confirm authorship of the opinion.
• “There is no dilution of accountability and transparency due to [the] DPDP Act. It only provides a legal framework to ensure balance between privacy and transparency, as mandated by the Supreme Court in the Puttaswamy case judgment.”
• The Centre, which notified the RTI amendment in November 2025, even as other parts of the DPDP Act were given a 12-18 month implementation timeline, has made a similar argument. Section 8(1) of the RTI Act lists out exemptions where “there shall be no obligation to give any citizen” information in response to a request.
• The earlier language of Section 8(1)(j) exempted from providing “information which relates to personal information the disclosure of which has no relationship to any public activity or interest, or which would cause unwarranted invasion of the privacy of the individual unless the Central Public Information Officer or the State Public Information Officer or the appellate authority, as the case may be, is satisfied that the larger public interest justifies the disclosure of such information,” with a proviso that information that cannot be denied to Parliament cannot be denied to citizens.

DRDO conducts key test for hypersonic missile programme

Context: The Defence Research & Development Laboratory, the Hyderabad-based laboratory of the Defence Research and Development Organisation, has achieved a milestone in India’s hypersonic missile programme with the successful long-duration ground test of an actively-cooled scramjet full-scale combustor.

• The Defence Ministry said the test was conducted at the DRDL’s state-of-the-art Scramjet Connect Pipe Test Facility, where the combustor demonstrated sustained performance for over 12 minutes.
• The successful trial positions India among the global leaders in advanced hypersonic, aerospace technologies.

The Scramjet Connect Pipe Test is a ground-based facility used to validate scramjet engine combustors for hypersonic flight.

📌 What is a Scramjet?
A scramjet (supersonic combustion ramjet) is an advanced air-breathing engine designed to operate at speeds above Mach 5.

Unlike conventional jet engines, scramjets do not carry oxidizers; they use atmospheric oxygen for combustion, making them lighter and more efficient at hypersonic speeds.

🏛️ The Connect Pipe Test Facility
Located at DRDL, Hyderabad, this Scramjet Connect Pipe Test (SCPT) Facility is a state-of-the-art ground testing setup.

It allows engineers to simulate hypersonic airflow conditions and test combustor designs without actual flight.

The “connect pipe” links the airflow source to the combustor, enabling controlled, repeatable experiments.

🌱 Why It Matters for India
Hypersonic Missiles: Enables development of weapons capable of speeds > Mach 5, reducing enemy response time.

Strategic Edge: Competes with global programs in the US, Russia, and China.

Technology Leap: Demonstrates India’s ability to sustain scramjet combustion for long durations — a critical step toward operational deployment.

Cooling Innovation: The “actively cooled” design prevents overheating, ensuring stability during extended runs.

Centre chairs meet to chart pathway for Samagra Shiksha 3.0

Context: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan chaired a consultative meeting with representatives of State governments and experts on the next phase of the Centre’s Samagra Shiksha school education programme, with the Minister noting that it was “essential to once again entrust schools to society” so that the holistic development of students can be promoted and their access to knowledge expanded through “meaningful integration of technology”.

• At the meeting held in Delhi, which was co-chaired by Skills Development Minister Jayant Chaudhary, discussions focused on best practices, emerging challenges, and priority interventions needed to strengthen school governance, infrastructure, teacher training, and student entitlements.
• Union Education Ministry suggested to increase public participation in school management committees, whereas State representatives sought additional support for teacher training and capacity building. Mr. Pradhan said that while salaries of teachers and systems must be the responsibility of the government, operation of the schools themselves must be the responsibility of society.
• Mr. Pradhan said that the Prime Minister’s vision of a Viksit Bharat by 2047 can be achieved only when every child in India has access to quality education, and the country achieves a 100% school enrolment ratio up to Class 12.

Samagra Shiksha 3.0
Samagra Shiksha 3.0 is the next phase of India’s flagship school education programme, set to begin in the 2026–27 academic cycle. It focuses on outcome-based reforms, curriculum modernization, digital learning, and governance overhaul to align with the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.

🏛️ Background & Evolution
Launched in 2018 as an integrated scheme by subsuming Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA), and Teacher Education (TE).

Samagra Shiksha 1.0 & 2.0 focused on access, equity, and infrastructure.

Samagra Shiksha 3.0 (2026–27 onwards) aims to reimagine school education with quality, innovation, and accountability at its core

🎯 Key Features of Samagra Shiksha 3.0

⚖️ Challenges Ahead
Implementation across diverse States: Ensuring uniform standards while respecting local contexts.

Digital Divide: Rural and marginalized students may lag without adequate infrastructure.

Teacher Preparedness: Large-scale training needed for AI and tech-enabled pedagogy.

Monitoring Outcomes: Requires robust data systems and independent evaluation.

✨ Significance
Aligns with National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

Supports India’s long-term vision of Viksit Bharat 2047 by creating a skilled, innovative, and inclusive education system.

Marks a shift from quantity (enrolment, infrastructure) to quality (learning outcomes, skills, innovation).

NIT-K Surathkal develops jute-based geocell as alternative to plastic in roadworks

Context: Researchers at the National Institute of Technology Karnataka (NITK), Surathkal, have developed an industrially manufactured ‘jute geocell’ that can replace plastic geocells used in road construction and slope stabilisation.

• The project is funded by the National Jute Board under the Union Ministry of Textiles and was executed at NITK Surathkal in collaboration with Birla Jute Mills. It is designed to be cheaper, environmentally sustainable, and suitable for large-scale use, particularly in rural and ecologically sensitive regions.

What are geocells?

• Geocells are three-dimensional, honeycomb-like structures placed beneath roads or on slopes to strengthen weak soil, improve load-bearing capacity, and control erosion.
• At present, most geocells used in India are made from petroleum-based polymers such as high-density polyethylene or polypropylene.
• While effective, these materials are expensive, non-biodegradable, and raise long-term environmental concerns, including microplastic pollution.

Studies

• Laboratory studies conducted as part of the NITK research show that jute geocells perform on a par with conventional polymeric geocells. Tensile strength tests recorded values of about 15.7 kilonewtons per metre, comparable to or higher than many plastic geocells currently in use. Plate load tests showed that soil reinforced with jute geocells achieved up to a 120% increase in bearing capacity, along with a significant reduction in settlement. One of the key reasons for this performance is the natural surface texture of jute.
• Researchers found that the surface roughness of jute geocells is more than 10 times higher than that of polymeric geocells, which allows stronger interaction between soil and reinforcement. This improves load transfer without the need for perforations or chemical treatments commonly used in plastic systems.
• A major innovation of the study lies in its manufacturing method. Instead of hand-stitched natural fibre geocells, which are labour-intensive and inconsistent, the team developed a mechanised stitching process using existing jute mill machinery. Jute fabric is cut into uniform strips and assembled into a honeycomb structure through machine stitching to enable consistent quality and industrial-scale production. This approach reduced production costs by nearly 80%, making the technology economically viable for public infrastructure projects, officials from the NITK said.
• Because of their cost advantage and environmental benefits, the jute geocells are considered suitable for rural and low-volume roads, pavement subgrade and base reinforcement, slope stabilisation and landslide mitigation, erosion control on embankments and riverbanks, landfill cover systems and retaining structures.

• From an environmental perspective, jute is a biodegradable and carbon-negative natural fibre, with cultivation capable of sequestering approximately 4.88 tonne of carbon dioxide per tonne of fibre. The technology also supports India’s domestic jute industry and rural employment. The researchers noted that as a natural material jute is biodegradable and its long-term durability under extreme environmental exposure requires further study. However, for many temporary and semi-permanent infrastructure applications, this characteristic is seen as an advantage rather than a limitation.

Next step

• Future work will focus on large-scale field trials, development of Indian standards for natural fibre geocells, enhancement of durability through eco-friendly treatments, and integration of the technology into national rural road and slope protection programmes.
• The system also has potential for adoption in other developing countries facing similar cost and environmental constraints.