APSC Current Affairs: Assam Tribune Notes with MCQs and Answer Writing (26/08/2026)
For APSC CCE and other Assam competitive exam aspirants, staying consistently updated with reliable current affairs is essential for success. This blog provides a well-researched analysis of the most important topics from The Assam Tribune dated 26 August 2026. Each issue has been carefully selected and explained to support both APSC Prelims and Mains preparation, ensuring alignment with the APSC CCE syllabus and the evolving trends of the examination.
✨ APSC CCE Mains Course, 2026
Tezpur Losing Its Sheen: Haphazard Urban Growth, Wetland Loss & Artificial Flooding
Syllabus Mapping
- GS Paper III: Environment | Disaster Management | Sustainable Development
- GS Paper V (Assam): Assam’s Geography | Urban Development | Governance | Tourism
- Why in News: An Assam Tribune report highlights Tezpur’s severe artificial flooding caused by unplanned construction, wetland (hola) filling, poor drainage, and waste dumping, corroborating prior warnings from the Tezpur Master Plan.
Introduction
The recurring artificial flooding in Tezpur exemplifies how treating natural wetlands and drainage channels as vacant real estate severely compromises a city’s ecological carrying capacity and disaster resilience.
Prelims Perspective
- Location: Tezpur is situated in Sonitpur district on the northern bank of the Brahmaputra.
- Key Heritage/Tourist Sites: Includes Agnigarh, Chitralekha Udyan, Bam-Parbatia stone archway, Ganesh Ghat, and Ketakeshwar Dewalaya.
- Holas: Refers to low-lying areas and natural drainage basins historically crucial for managing stormwater in Assam.
- Urban Flooding Mechanism: Replaces soil/vegetation with impervious surfaces (concrete/asphalt), drastically reducing water infiltration and exponentially increasing surface runoff.
- Assam Flood Data: Approximately 31.05 lakh hectares (39.58%) of Assam’s geographical area is classified as flood-prone.
- National Framework: Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017 (notified under the Environment Protection Act, 1986) and the Centrally Sponsored National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Eco-systems (NPCA).
- State Framework: Assam State Wetlands Authority (ASWA) and the Assam Town & Country Planning Act, 1959 (mandates statutory Master Plans).
Mains Perspective
Importance
- Blue-Green Infrastructure: Protecting wetlands acts as natural urban flood-storage sponges, heavily reducing the pressure on artificial municipal drainage systems.
- Public Health & Economy: Proper drainage mitigates vector-borne disease outbreaks and prevents recurring damage to public utilities, transport networks, and the local tourism economy.
Major Challenges
- Ecological Encroachment: Rampant conversion of wetlands (holas) into commercial/residential zones permanently destroys natural flood-storage capacity.
- Infrastructural & Institutional Deficits: Undersized drainage networks, unscientific solid-waste dumping, and severe institutional fragmentation across municipal, planning, and environmental departments.
- Climate & Topography Variability: Intense, short-duration rainfall events act as a risk multiplier against outdated urban drainage capacities and seasonal Brahmaputra surges.
Government Initiatives
- Statutory Planning: Assam Town & Country Planning Act, 1959 and the specific Tezpur Master Plan, which historically red-flagged drainage and hola encroachment.
- Policy Guidelines: Wetlands Rules (2017), NPCA framework, and NDMA’s Urban Flood Management Guidelines advocating proactive, integrated urban flood mitigation.
Way Forward
- Eco-centric Urban Planning: Strictly mandate GIS-based mapping to delineate wetlands, flood-prone zones, and natural drainage corridors before granting any construction approvals.
- Integrated Blue-Green Solutions: Combine traditional infrastructure with Blue-Green Infrastructure (retention basins, rain gardens, permeable surfaces) backed by strict anti-encroachment enforcement.
- Institutional Synergy: Establish a dedicated, inter-agency urban flood-management mechanism uniting municipal bodies, Town & Country Planning, and Water Resources departments for pre-monsoon preparedness.
Conclusion
To ensure sustainable urban growth, Assam must pivot from purely concrete-based drainage strategies to ecologically integrated planning that strictly treats wetlands as indispensable civic infrastructure.
ASEAN & Climate-Resilient Agriculture: Strengthening Food Security in a Changing Climate
Syllabus Mapping
- GS Paper II: International Relations | India–ASEAN relations
- GS Paper III: Agriculture | Food Security | Climate Change | Disaster Management
- GS Paper V (Assam): Assam Agriculture | Climate Vulnerability
- Why in News: A Cambodian legislator urged ASEAN to prioritize climate-resilient agriculture, water management, and early-warning systems to ensure regional food security amidst accelerating extreme weather events.
Introduction
Transitioning from conventional farming to climate-resilient agriculture is an urgent necessity to simultaneously ensure food security, protect rural livelihoods, and adapt to escalating climate shocks.
Prelims Perspective
- ASEAN Basics: Established in 1967 via the Bangkok Declaration; expanded from 5 founding nations to 10 members.
- ASEAN FAF Sectoral Plan (2026–2030): The current strategic framework featuring 6 thrusts, notably “Decarbonisation and Climate Resilience in Agriculture.”
- ASEAN RAI (2018): Guidelines on Responsible Investment in Food, Agriculture, and Forestry aimed at balancing economic, social, environmental, and climate goals.
- Climate-Smart Agriculture Equation: Productivity (yield) + Adaptation (resilience) + Mitigation (GHG reduction).
- India’s NICRA: National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture, an ICAR initiative for vulnerability assessment and technology demonstration.
- Assam Linkage: Cultivation of flood-tolerant rice varieties (e.g., Swarna-Sub1) is a direct application of climate-resilient agriculture for flood-prone zones.
Mains Perspective
Importance
- Food & Price Stability: Maintains uninterrupted food availability and curbs inflation driven by climate-induced supply chain disruptions.
- Livelihood Protection: Shields highly vulnerable smallholder farmers from income volatility, debt traps, and distress migration.
- Geopolitical Synergy: Deepens India-ASEAN regional cooperation across sustainable food value chains and resource management.
Major Challenges
- Capital & Tech Deficits: Small, fragmented landholdings restrict investments in micro-irrigation, drones, and digital agriculture.
- Dual Hydrological Extremes: Vulnerable regions (like Assam) must simultaneously combat recurrent devastating floods and seasonal water scarcity/droughts.
- Systemic Bottlenecks: Weak extension services, siloed government departments, and massive climate-triggered post-harvest infrastructure losses.
Government Initiatives
- ASEAN Frameworks: Driven by the FAF Sectoral Plan 2026–30 and the ASEAN RAI guidelines for sustainable investments.
- Indian Frameworks: Supported by the National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA), NICRA, and PMFBY (crop insurance).
- Bilateral Action: The 2023 ASEAN-India Joint Statement prioritizes financing climate-smart agriculture and sharing digital public infrastructure.
Way Forward & Value Additions
- Anticipatory Adaptation: Shift from reactive disaster relief to proactive, AI-powered hyperlocal early-warning systems for farmers.
- Eco-centric Infrastructure: Promote integrated watershed management, agroforestry, and comprehensive crop diversification.
- Assam-Specific Strategy: Aggressively scale flood-resilient seeds, integrated farming (crop+fishery+livestock), and climate-proof rural storage/cold chains.
Conclusion
Climate change must no longer be treated as an external environmental issue, but as the central determinant of agricultural policy requiring integrated, technology-driven food-system strategies.
Assam & PMFME: Food-Processing Formalisation, Rural Livelihoods and Value Addition
Syllabus Mapping
- GS Paper III: Agriculture | Food Processing | MSMEs | Rural Economy
- GS Paper V (Assam): Assam Economy | Agriculture | Entrepreneurship
- Why in News: Assam’s grassroots implementation of the PMFME Scheme—specifically supporting SHGs and micro-enterprises—was nationally recognized at the MoFPI’s PMFME Conclave 2026.
Introduction
Formalizing micro food-processing enterprises bridges the critical gap between raw agricultural production and high-value markets, driving rural non-farm employment and sustainable economic diversification.
Prelims Perspective
- PMFME (Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises): Launched in 2020 under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan.
- Nodal Ministry: Administered exclusively by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) (Not Agriculture or MSME).
- Core Strategy: Operates on the One District One Product (ODOP) framework to develop specialized district-level value chains.
- Target Beneficiaries: Individual micro-enterprises, Self-Help Groups (SHGs), Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), and producer cooperatives.
- Financial Mechanism: Provides credit-linked subsidies and targeted seed capital specifically for SHGs to start processing activities.
- Current Event: The PMFME Conclave 2026 (Aug 24-25, New Delhi) awarded top-performing States across different categories for scheme implementation.
- Crucial Distinctions: PMFME focuses on micro-informal units; PMKSY (Kisan Sampada Yojana) builds macro infrastructure (Mega Food Parks/Cold Chains); PLISFPI supports large-scale manufacturing (₹10,900 cr outlay).
Mains Perspective
Importance
- Economic Transformation: Converts raw agricultural output into higher-value products, significantly reducing post-harvest losses of perishable goods.
- Women’s Empowerment: Transforms SHGs into formal entrepreneurial units via seed capital, fostering grassroots financial independence.
- Rural Employment: Shifts the rural economy from pure farming dependency to a robust, non-farm agro-industrial ecosystem.
Major Challenges
- Informality & Finance: Lack of collateral, financial literacy, and formal documentation severely restricts micro-entrepreneurs from accessing institutional credit.
- Infrastructure Deficit: Fragmented supply chains suffer from a lack of integrated cold storage, rural logistics, and common testing laboratories.
- Market Barriers: Traditional processing units struggle with modern food safety standardisation, packaging tech, and competing with established national brands.
Government Initiatives
- Micro Formalization: PMFME (ODOP focus, credit-linked subsidies, SHG integration).
- Infrastructure & Supply Chain: PMKSY (Agro-processing clusters, Operation Greens, food safety assurance).
- Scale & Export Promotion: PLI Scheme for Food Processing Industry (PLISFPI).
Way Forward
- FPO–PMFME Convergence: Integrate FPOs (for raw material aggregation) directly with PMFME processors to ensure a consistent, scaleable supply chain.
- Common Infrastructure Hubs: Build district-level ODOP clusters offering shared incubation, quality testing, and modern packaging facilities to lower operational costs.
- Digital & Branding Push: Standardize Assam’s traditional foods with GI protection, food safety certifications, and direct linkages to e-commerce platforms.
Conclusion
Empowering the informal food-processing sector through PMFME is an essential catalyst to transform Assam from a mere agricultural producer into a competitive, value-generating rural economy.
Climate Change, Hill Cutting & Unplanned Urbanisation in Assam
Syllabus Mapping
- GS Paper I & III: Geography | Environment & Biodiversity | Climate Change | Disaster Management
- GS Paper V (Assam): Assam Geography | Urbanisation | Environment | Disaster Management
- Why in News: A meteorologist’s assessment in The Assam Tribune directly links rampant hill cutting, loss of tree canopy, and fossil-fuel reliance to accelerating landslides, urban flooding, and increased sedimentation in the Brahmaputra.
Introduction
Unplanned urbanization and rampant hill cutting act as massive threat multipliers to climate variability, converting natural environmental hazards into severe, cascading urban disasters in Assam.
Prelims Perspective
- Disaster Risk Equation: Disaster Risk = Hazard × Exposure × Vulnerability (Climate change alters hazards; land-use changes drive exposure and vulnerability).
- Urban Flooding Chain Mechanism: Hill cutting → slope failure/landslides → sediment/debris moves downslope → urban drains get clogged → stormwater accumulates (flooding).
- Impervious Surfaces: Urban concrete/asphalt replaces natural vegetation, drastically reducing water infiltration and exponentially increasing surface runoff.
- Assam SAPCC: State Action Plan on Climate Change frameworks guide State-specific climate action (SAPCC 1.0 in 2015; SAPCC 2.0 in 2023).
- ASDMA & FLEWS: The Assam State Disaster Management Authority operates the Flood Early Warning System (FLEWS) to shift focus from reactive response to anticipatory action.
- Legislative Protection: The Assam Hill Land and Ecological Sites (Protection) Act strictly prohibits earth cutting and vegetative destruction in designated ecological zones.
- City-Specific Initiatives: Governed by the Guwahati Master Plan 2025 (integrated eco-sensitive land-use mapping) and Mission Flood Free Guwahati (combining grey infrastructure like pumps with blue-green infrastructure like water-body restoration).
- Urban Heat Island (UHI): Concrete structures absorb heat, driving up cooling/energy demand and creating a negative feedback loop for local climate stress.
Mains Perspective
Importance
- Disaster-Risk Reduction: Regulating slopes curbs the cascading impacts of landslides, soil erosion, and urban flooding, saving critical public infrastructure and lives.
- Ecological & Water Security: Preserving natural hills and wetlands safeguards biodiversity habitats, regulates microclimates, and ensures efficient groundwater recharge.
Major Challenges
- Landscape Degradation: Relentless hill cutting, deforestation, and wetland encroachment permanently destroy the region’s natural flood-storage and drainage capacities.
- Infrastructural & Institutional Gaps: Increasing impervious surfaces and solid-waste-choked drains are exacerbated by fragmented coordination among civic bodies (GMDA, GMC, ASDMA, Forest Dept).
Government Initiatives
- Policy Frameworks: Implementation of SAPCC 2.0 (2023), the Assam Hill Land Protection Act, and the Guwahati Master Plan 2025 for eco-sensitive land-use regulation.
- Mitigation Missions: Tech-driven interventions via Mission Flood Free Guwahati, FLEWS (early warning), and Unified Building Construction Byelaws (topographic survey mandates).
Way Forward
- Carrying-Capacity Planning: Enforce strict no-development zones on steep slopes, landslide-prone areas, wetlands, and natural drainage channels.
- Blue-Green Integration: Combine natural wetland restoration with conventional drainage, enforced via GIS mapping, drone monitoring, and transparent digital building approvals.
Conclusion
Sustainable urban resilience in Assam demands a paradigm shift that integrates climate-risk assessments into city planning, treating hills and wetlands as indispensable natural infrastructure rather than exploitable real estate.
APSC MCQs
Topic 1: Tezpur: Haphazard Growth, Wetland Loss & Artificial Flooding
Q1. Consider the following statements regarding urban wetlands and urban flooding:
- Urban wetlands can act as temporary storage areas for excess stormwater.
- Conversion of wetlands into built-up areas can increase surface runoff and reduce natural flood-storage capacity.
- The presence of an urban wetland necessarily prevents flooding in the surrounding area, irrespective of the capacity of the drainage network.
- Restoration of degraded wetlands can form part of a nature-based approach to urban flood management.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
A. 1 and 2 only
B. 1, 2 and 4 only
C. 3 and 4 only
D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Answer: B. 1, 2 and 4 only
Explanation: Wetlands can temporarily store excess water and moderate runoff. Their conversion reduces natural storage capacity. However, wetlands alone cannot guarantee the absence of flooding because rainfall intensity, drainage capacity, topography and land use also matter. The Tezpur report specifically links wetland filling and inadequate drainage with artificial flooding.
Q2. With reference to urban flooding in Assam, consider the following statements:
- Urban flooding can occur without the overflowing of a major river.
- Increasing impervious surfaces generally increases surface runoff.
- Blocking natural drainage channels can increase the duration of waterlogging.
- Urban flooding is primarily a meteorological phenomenon and land-use changes have little influence on it.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
A. 1 and 2 only
B. 1, 2 and 3 only
C. 2, 3 and 4 only
D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Answer: B. 1, 2 and 3 only
Explanation: Urban flooding results from the interaction of rainfall, runoff, drainage capacity and land use. It does not require river overflow. Wetland filling, blocked drainage and construction without adequate drainage provisions can aggravate flooding.
Q3. Consider the following pairs:
| Urban feature | Possible hydrological consequence |
| 1. Wetland filling | Reduction in temporary water storage |
| 2. Increased impervious surface | Increased infiltration |
| 3. Drain blockage | Reduced stormwater conveyance |
| 4. Restoration of natural drainage channels | Improved movement of stormwater |
Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched?
A. 1 and 3 only
B. 1, 3 and 4 only
C. 2 and 4 only
D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Answer: B. 1, 3 and 4 only
Explanation: Impervious surfaces generally reduce infiltration and increase runoff. Wetland filling reduces water-storage capacity, drain blockage reduces stormwater conveyance, and restoration of natural drainage can improve water movement.
Q4. With reference to wetland conservation in India, consider the following statements:
- The Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017 were notified under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
- The regulatory framework seeks to promote conservation and wise use of covered wetlands.
- Every low-lying area within an urban settlement automatically becomes a notified wetland under the 2017 Rules.
- Wetland conservation can contribute to disaster-risk reduction as well as biodiversity conservation.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
A. 1, 2 and 4 only
B. 1 and 3 only
C. 2, 3 and 4 only
D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Answer: A. 1, 2 and 4 only
Explanation: The 2017 Rules provide the regulatory framework for conservation and wise use of covered wetlands. A low-lying area does not automatically become a notified wetland merely because of its topography. Wetlands can simultaneously provide ecological and flood-management functions.
Topic 2: ASEAN & Climate-Resilient Agriculture
Q5. With reference to climate-resilient agriculture, consider the following statements:
- It seeks to maintain agricultural productivity while improving resilience to climatic stresses.
- Crop diversification can be a climate-adaptation strategy.
- Climate-resilient agriculture necessarily requires complete replacement of conventional agriculture with organic agriculture.
- Improved water-use efficiency can contribute to agricultural resilience under climate variability.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
A. 1, 2 and 4 only
B. 1 and 3 only
C. 2, 3 and 4 only
D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Answer: A. 1, 2 and 4 only
Explanation: Climate-resilient agriculture seeks to maintain productivity while reducing vulnerability to climate stresses. Diversification and efficient water use can improve resilience. It does not prescribe complete conversion to organic agriculture.
Q6. The ASEAN Food, Agriculture and Forestry Sectoral Plan 2026–2030 is associated with which of the following?
- Climate resilience and decarbonisation in agriculture
- Food security and nutrition
- Digital innovation and public-private partnerships
- Sustainable forest management
Select the correct answer using the code below:
A. 1 and 2 only
B. 1, 2 and 3 only
C. 2, 3 and 4 only
D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Answer: D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Explanation: All four are among the strategic thrusts of the ASEAN Food, Agriculture and Forestry Sectoral Plan 2026–2030. The plan integrates climate resilience, food security, digital innovation, sustainable agriculture and forestry.
Q7. Consider the following statements:
- Adaptation in agriculture primarily seeks to reduce vulnerability to the impacts of climate change.
- Mitigation in agriculture can include measures aimed at reducing greenhouse-gas emissions.
- Early-warning systems can help farmers alter agricultural decisions in response to anticipated weather hazards.
- Adaptation and mitigation are mutually exclusive objectives in climate-resilient agriculture.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
A. 1 and 2 only
B. 1, 2 and 3 only
C. 2, 3 and 4 only
D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Answer: B. 1, 2 and 3 only
Explanation: Adaptation and mitigation are distinct but complementary. Climate-smart agriculture can pursue productivity, adaptation and mitigation simultaneously. Early-warning systems are an important adaptation tool.
Q8. With reference to ASEAN and food security, consider the following statements:
- Climate shocks in one ASEAN member can potentially affect food availability and prices in other members through regional trade.
- Agricultural resilience is relevant only to countries whose economies are predominantly agrarian.
- Strengthening regional food-value chains can improve resilience against supply disruptions.
- Climate-resilient agriculture has implications beyond crop production, including rural livelihoods and food-system stability.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
A. 1 and 3 only
B. 1, 3 and 4 only
C. 2 and 4 only
D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Answer: B. 1, 3 and 4 only
Explanation: Agricultural systems are interconnected through trade and supply chains. A production shock in one country can therefore affect others. Climate-resilient agriculture also concerns livelihoods, food prices and overall food-system stability.
Topic 3: PMFME & Assam’s Food-Processing Ecosystem
Q9. Consider the following statements regarding the Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) Scheme:
- It is implemented by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries.
- It seeks to formalise and upgrade micro food-processing enterprises.
- The scheme is based exclusively on direct grants and does not involve credit-linked support.
- The One District One Product approach is associated with the scheme.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
A. 1 and 2 only
B. 1, 2 and 4 only
C. 2, 3 and 4 only
D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Answer: B. 1, 2 and 4 only
Explanation: PMFME is a Ministry of Food Processing Industries scheme aimed at formalisation and upgrading of micro food-processing enterprises. It includes credit-linked support and follows the ODOP approach. Statement 3 is incorrect.
Q10. Which of the following can be associated with the PMFME framework?
- Support to Self-Help Groups
- Support to Farmer Producer Organisations
- Branding and marketing support
- Capacity building and training
- Development of common infrastructure
Select the correct answer using the code below:
A. 1, 2 and 3 only
B. 2, 4 and 5 only
C. 1, 3, 4 and 5 only
D. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5
Answer: D. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5
Explanation: PMFME is an ecosystem-oriented scheme. Its framework includes support for SHGs, FPOs/producer cooperatives, common infrastructure, branding, marketing, capacity building and training.
Q11. Consider the following statements about the One District One Product (ODOP) approach in food processing:
- It seeks to leverage products having potential within a district.
- It can facilitate economies of scale in processing and marketing.
- It necessarily means that only one agricultural commodity can be cultivated in the entire district.
- Branding and market development can form part of an ODOP-based value chain.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
A. 1 and 2 only
B. 1, 2 and 4 only
C. 2, 3 and 4 only
D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Answer: B. 1, 2 and 4 only
Explanation: ODOP is a value-chain development approach. It does not legally restrict a district to cultivation of only one crop. It seeks to develop procurement, processing, branding and marketing around identified products.
Q12. With reference to food processing and agricultural development in Assam, consider the following statements:
- Food processing can increase the shelf life of perishable agricultural commodities.
- Food processing can create non-farm employment in rural areas.
- Strengthening processing capacity can potentially reduce post-harvest losses.
- Food processing necessarily reduces the importance of agricultural production.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
A. 1 and 2 only
B. 1, 2 and 3 only
C. 3 and 4 only
D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Answer: B. 1, 2 and 3 only
Explanation: Food processing complements primary agriculture by increasing shelf life, reducing losses, creating employment and generating value addition. It does not diminish the importance of agricultural production.
Topic 4: Climate Change, Hill Cutting & Unplanned Urbanisation in Assam
Q13. Consider the following statements regarding hill cutting and landslides:
- Removal of vegetation can reduce the mechanical reinforcement provided by root systems.
- Hill cutting can alter the geometry and stability of a natural slope.
- Intense rainfall can act as a trigger for failure of an already destabilised slope.
- Hill cutting is the only significant cause of landslides in Assam.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
A. 1 and 2 only
B. 1, 2 and 3 only
C. 2, 3 and 4 only
D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Answer: B. 1, 2 and 3 only
Explanation: Vegetation contributes to slope stability, while hill cutting can alter slope geometry and drainage. Heavy rainfall can trigger slope failure. However, landslides have multiple causes, including geology, rainfall, earthquakes and human interventions. The newspaper specifically links tree and hill cutting with increased landslide concerns.
Q14. With reference to urbanisation and flood risk, consider the following statements:
- Urbanisation can increase flood risk by increasing impervious surfaces.
- Encroachment of wetlands can reduce natural flood-storage capacity.
- Restoration of natural drainage systems can be a component of urban flood management.
- Urbanisation necessarily increases flood risk irrespective of the quality of planning and infrastructure.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
A. 1, 2 and 3 only
B. 1 and 4 only
C. 2 and 3 only
D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Answer: A. 1, 2 and 3 only
Explanation: Poorly planned urbanisation can increase flood risk through impervious surfaces and wetland encroachment. However, well-planned, climate-resilient urbanisation can reduce vulnerability through proper drainage, zoning and green-blue infrastructure.
Q15. Consider the following statements regarding disaster risk in Assam:
- A hazard becomes a disaster only in the presence of human exposure and/or vulnerability.
- Unplanned settlement in landslide-prone areas can increase disaster risk even if the underlying hazard remains unchanged.
- Climate change is the sole determinant of disaster risk from floods and landslides.
- Land-use planning can serve as a form of disaster-risk reduction.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
A. 1 and 2 only
B. 1, 2 and 4 only
C. 2, 3 and 4 only
D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Answer: B. 1, 2 and 4 only
Explanation: Disaster risk is shaped by the interaction of hazard, exposure and vulnerability. Land-use planning can reduce exposure and vulnerability. Climate change is an important risk multiplier but is not the sole determinant of disaster risk.
Q16. With reference to Assam’s environmental governance, consider the following statements:
- Assam has a State Action Plan on Climate Change.
- The Assam State Disaster Management Authority is concerned with disaster-risk management in the State.
- Protection of hills and wetlands can simultaneously contribute to biodiversity conservation and disaster-risk reduction.
- Climate adaptation in Assam can be achieved solely through construction of flood-control infrastructure.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
A. 1 and 2 only
B. 1, 2 and 3 only
C. 2, 3 and 4 only
D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Answer: B. 1, 2 and 3 only
Explanation: Assam has a State climate-action framework and ASDMA is responsible for disaster-management functions in the State. Protecting hills and wetlands can provide both ecological and disaster-risk-reduction benefits. Climate adaptation requires a combination of ecosystem conservation, land-use planning, early warning, resilient infrastructure and institutional preparedness, not flood-control infrastructure alone.
Daily APSC Mains Answer Writing
Q. “Climate change is increasingly acting as a risk multiplier for Assam, while hill cutting and unplanned urbanisation are amplifying the State’s vulnerability to landslides and urban flooding.” Discuss the statement with special reference to Guwahati.
Assam’s geographical setting—high monsoonal rainfall, the Brahmaputra river system, hills, forests and floodplains—makes it naturally vulnerable to floods, erosion and landslides. However, climate change combined with anthropogenic alterations of the landscape is increasing the vulnerability of its urban areas, particularly Guwahati.
How human activities amplify climate-related risks
- Hill cutting and vegetation loss: Removal of vegetation and alteration of natural slopes can reduce slope stability and increase susceptibility to landslides, particularly during intense rainfall.
- Unplanned urbanisation: Expansion of built-up areas increases impervious surfaces, reducing infiltration and increasing surface runoff.
- Wetland encroachment: Conversion of wetlands and low-lying areas reduces natural water-storage capacity.
- Drainage obstruction: Construction, silt and solid waste can obstruct natural and artificial drainage channels. Landslide debris can further aggravate drainage congestion.
- Increased exposure: Settlements and infrastructure located on vulnerable slopes, low-lying areas and natural drainage pathways increase potential disaster losses.
Thus, the risk pathway can be represented as:
Climate variability/extreme rainfall → degraded hills/wetlands → landslides and increased runoff → drainage obstruction → urban flooding.
Measures and Way Forward
Assam has developed institutional and planning mechanisms such as the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), flood early-warning initiatives, the State Action Plan on Climate Change, and urban planning frameworks for Guwahati. The State also has regulatory provisions concerning hill lands and ecological sites.
However, the approach needs to shift from post-disaster response to risk-sensitive urban planning. This requires:
- Strict regulation of hill cutting and construction on vulnerable slopes.
- Scientific slope-stability and drainage assessments before major construction.
- Protection and restoration of wetlands and natural drainage channels.
- GIS-based mapping of landslide-, flood- and ecologically sensitive zones.
- Expansion of blue-green infrastructure such as wetlands, retention areas and permeable surfaces.
- Stronger coordination among urban planning, disaster management, environment, water resources and municipal agencies.
- Greater use of early-warning systems and community-based preparedness.
Guwahati demonstrates that disasters are not determined by natural hazards alone; exposure and vulnerability created by development patterns are equally important. Assam therefore needs a development model that treats hills, wetlands, forests and natural drainage systems as ecological infrastructure, integrating climate resilience with urban growth rather than treating environmental protection as a constraint on development.
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