[WpProQuiz 29]

1. Breaking the logjam, handing over the baton READ MORE
2. It is time to end judicial feudalism in India READ MORE
3. Tribunals Reforms Act: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly READ MORE

1. Inducing water conservation in affluent urban households READ MORE
2. Despite PM Modi’s assurance, land degradation, desertification increasing READ MORE
3. Enhancing Public-Private Partnership to REDUCE Air Pollution READ MORE

1. Make Women’s Voices Central to False Promise to Marry Cases READ MORE
2. Focusing on diseases sidelined by COVID-19 READ MORE
3. Why India’s public health insurance doesn’t work very well – and how it can be fixed READ MORE

1. The role of ulema according to the holy Quran READ MORE
2. Falling From the Sky: The Insignificance of Being Human READ MORE

(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

1. Ministry of Panchayati Raj to organize a national webinar on ‘Zero Hunger by 2030’ as part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav READ MORE
2. Fall in currency assets, gold pulls forex reserves off record high READ MORE
3. Dust from the Arabian Desert is melting Himalayan glaciers and affecting the seas READ MORE
4. Maoist insurgency in all three of Chhattisgarh’s tiger reserves has made conservation difficult READ MORE
5. Who are Hazaras, the Afghan minority group hated & tortured by Taliban READ MORE
6. Study shows millets can reduce risk of developing heart disease READ MORE
7. Children in India, 3 other South Asian nations at extremely high risk of climate crisis impacts: UNICEF READ MORE

Main Exam 

GS Paper- 1

1. Make Women’s Voices Central to False Promise to Marry Cases READ MORE

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. Breaking the logjam, handing over the baton READ MORE
2. It is time to end judicial feudalism in India READ MORE
3. Tribunals Reforms Act: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly READ MORE

SOCIAL JUSTICE AND SOCIAL ISSUES

1. Focusing on diseases sidelined by COVID-19 READ MORE
2. Why India’s public health insurance doesn’t work very well – and how it can be fixed READ MORE

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. New Delhi must use its clout in the UNSC to put pressure on the Taliban READ MORE
2. How expansionism joined terrorism? The story of how the US, India and Afghanistan were left out completely and the fulcrum shifted towards China and its allies — Russia, Pakistan and Iran READ MORE
3. How Taliban’s return can fuel Indo-Pak hostility READ MORE

 GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. Explain-Speaking: What are the pitfalls of RBI continuing to prioritise economic growth over inflation READ MORE
2. Are oil bonds to blame for high fuel prices? READ MORE
3. Push for palm oil self-reliance READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

1. Inducing water conservation in affluent urban households READ MORE
2. Despite PM Modi’s assurance, land degradation, desertification increasing READ MORE
3. Enhancing Public-Private Partnership to REDUCE Air Pollution READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. The role of ulema according to the holy Quran READ MORE
2. Falling From the Sky: The Insignificance of Being Human READ MORE

Questions for MAIN exam

1. Explain the evolution of collegium system of judicial appointments and transfers.
2. ‘Strengthening the primary healthcare system will help tackle the burden of non-communicable diseases’. Comment.

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

• Idealism without pragmatism is impotent. Pragmatism without idealism is meaningless.
• In rape cases that arise out of a broken promise to marry, the courts must try to delve more deeply into the personal narratives of the victim and perpetrator.
• With the Supreme Court Collegium showing the way in judicial appointments, the executive needs to match its pace.
• Strengthening the primary healthcare system will help tackle the burden of non-communicable diseases.
• The Constitution no doubt contemplates a hierarchy of jurisdictions, but no judge, acting within her jurisdiction, is “inferior” or “subordinate”.
• The best bet for India is to set sector-wise emission reduction targets for climate mitigation.
• Though the rapidly growing digital employment economy has its perks, the gig economy has significant barriers to entry for female participation.
• The digital divide between men and women poses a significant hurdle to women’s participation in gig work.
• Developments in Afghanistan are of critical importance to India from a national security perspective.

ESSAY TOPIC

• Genius is the ability to reduce the complicated to the simple.

50-WORD TALK

• Islamabad has done everything in its power to keep New Delhi on the fringes in Afghanistan, persuading Americans to keep India out. President Ghani initially placed India at the outermost circle of his policy of concentric circles as per the power they wielded. Similarly, Russia, at Pakistan’s behest, ensured India was excluded from the Moscow-led extended Troika of China, the US and Pakistan by saying that New Delhi could not influence the Taliban.
• There is a need to build the right physical and social infrastructure that supports the engagement of women in gig work. Fostering social norms which encourage men to equally undertake unpaid care and domestic work and developing public care infrastructure will facilitate women’s movement into gig work.

INDIAN POLITY, GOVERNANCE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

1. 1183 MOBILISATION CAMPS ORGANISED UNDER THE DDU-GKY

THE CONTEXT: As part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav (AKAM) celebrations, around 1183 ‘mobilisation camps’ were organised across the country under the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) programme between 13th and 19th August, 2021.

ABOUT DDU-GKY:

• Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) launched on the 25th September, 2014, is a nationwide placement-linked skill training program funded by the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), Government of India (GoI).
• DDUGKY seeks to build the placement-linked skills of the poor rural youth and place them in wage employment across various sectors of the economy.
• The programme has an outcome led design with guaranteed placements for at least 70% trained candidates.
• The DDU-GKY programme is being implemented in 27 states and 3 UTs for rural poor youth with an emphasis on placements.
• More than 871 PIAs are training rural poor youth in close to 611- job roles through more than 2381 training centers.
• Cumulatively 10.94 lakh youth have been trained and 7.07 lakh youth have been placed till 31st July, 2021.

Reference: Indian express

2. AFGHANISTAN RETURNEES PROVIDED FREE POLIO VACCINATION

THE CONTEXT: The Health Ministry has decided to vaccinate returnees from Afghanistan with free polio vaccines as a preventive measure.

ANALYSIS:

• India received its polio-free certification along with the entire southeast Asia region on March 27, 2014. However, wild polio virus cases continue to be reported in neighbouring Pakistan and Afghanistan — the last two polio-endemic countries in the world.
• Failure to eradicate polio from these last remaining strongholds could result in as many as 200,000 new cases every year, within 10 years, all over the world.
• There are three types of wild polio viruses (WPV) — type 1, type 2, and type 3. Wild polio viruses are naturally occurring isolates known or believed to have circulated persistently in a community.
• The WHO has said that people need to be protected against all three types of the virus in order to prevent the occurrence of polio disease, and polio vaccination is the best protection.

Reference: The Hindu

ENVIRONMENT, GEOGRAPHY AND AGRICULTURE

3. MORE EARTHQUAKE OBSERVATORIES

THE CONTEXT: India to add 35 More Earthquake Observatories by end of this year and 100 more by year 2026.

ANALYSIS:

• In last six and a half decades since Independence, the country had only 115 Earthquake Observatories but now there is going to be a quantum leap in the number of Earthquake Observatories in India  The Indian subcontinent is considered as one of the world’s most disaster-prone areas in terms of earthquakes, landslides, cyclones, floods, and tsunamis and the Government is taking all necessary steps to meet these challenges.

Reference: PIB

4. LARGEST FLOATING SOLAR PV PROJECT IN THE COUNTRY

THE CONTEXT: The National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) Ltd has commissioned the largest floating solar PV project of 25MW on the reservoir of its Simhadri thermal station in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.

ANALYSIS:

• This is also the first solar project to be set up under the Flexibilisation Scheme, notified by the Government of India in 2018.
• The floating solar installation which has a unique anchoring design is spread over 75 acres in an RW reservoir.
• This floating solar project has the potential to generate electricity from more than 1 lakh solar PV modules.
• This would not only help to light around 7,000 households but also ensure at least 46,000 tons of CO2e are kept at arm’s length every year during the lifespan of this project.
• The project is also expected to save 1,364 million litres of water per annum. This would be adequate to meet the yearly water requirements of 6,700 households.
• The 2000MW coal-based Simhadri Station is the first power project to implement an open sea intake from the Bay of Bengal which has been functional for more than 20 years.
• NTPC is also planning to set up a hydrogen-based micro-grid system on a pilot basis at Simhadri.
• With a total installed capacity of 66900 MW, NTPC Group has 71 Power stations including 29 Renewable projects.
• NTPC has set a target to install 60 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy (RE) capacity by 2032.
• NTPC is also India’s first energy company to declare its energy compact goals as part of the UN High-level Dialogue on Energy (HLDE).

Reference: PIB

5. OIL & GAS COMPANIES EXPLORING GREEN ENERGY OPTIONS

THE CONTEXT: State-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corporation is considering inorganic investments to reach a target of 10 GW of installed renewable energy capacity by 2040. Other oil and gas PSUs are also investing in renewable energy.

ANALYSIS:

• Global moves to reduce carbon emissions to slow down climate change have led to oil and gas companies around the world investing in renewable energy to reduce their carbon footprint and diversify offerings.
• State-owned upstream and downstream oil and gas companies are also taking part in energy investments to help achieve the government’s ambitious renewable energy targets.
• India is targeting 450 GW of installed renewable energy capacity by 2030 up from about 100 GW currently.
• India’s largest upstream oil and gas company, ONGC, is targeting 10 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2040, up from 178MW of renewable energy capacity at the end of FY20.
• GAIL is also looking at acquisitions to augment its 130 MW renewable energy portfolio. The company is aiming at reaching 1 GW of renewable capacity within 3-4 years.
• Indian Oil Corporation Ltd, India’s largest refiner, had a total installed renewable energy capacity of about 233 MW at the end of FY21. It has also set up 257 electric charging and battery swapping stations at 29 retail fuel outlets.
• The results of its battery swapping stations were positive and that the company was looking at a potential joint venture (JV) with Sun Mobility to provide battery swapping on a larger scale in the future. IOC is also setting up the first green hydrogen plant in India in Mathura.
• Indian Oil also has a JV with Israel-based battery technology startup Phinergy to develop aluminium-air technology based battery systems for electric vehicles and stationary storage.
• Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd has tied up with Tata Power to set up electric vehicle charging at various retail points around the country. It has also set up about 133 MW of renewable energy capacity, including about 100 MW of wind energy capacity.
• Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd had installed renewable energy capacity of 43 MW at the end of FY20.

Reference: Indian express

6. DUST FROM THE ARABIAN DESERT IS MELTING HIMALAYAN GLACIERS AND AFFECTING THE SEAS

THE CONTEXT: Scientists say that catastrophic melting the glaciers is being exacerbated by dust blowing from West Asia.

ANALYSIS:

• Winds that sweep across Asia link the Hindu Kush Himalayas and the Gulf in an interconnected system. Globally, around 5 billion tonnes of desert dust from arid regions is swept into the atmosphere every year.
• These dust particles, travel long distances at an altitude of 2 km-5 km and reach the High Mountain Asia during summer. Dust from arid regions such as the Thar desert in Pakistan and Saudi Arabia gets lofted above the boundary layer [the lowest part of the planet’s atmosphere] of Earth by convection and gets transported to far places with wind at altitudes and deposited mainly above 3 km.
• The dust particles are thus deposited in the high Himalayan Mountains, blanketing glaciers in a layer of particles that are darker than snow.

• Warming mountains mean warmer winds, which have begun to fundamentally shift monsoon patterns across Asia and West Asia.
• Widespread coral bleaching in the Gulf is the result of low shamal winds [strong north-westerly winds that blow across West Asia] during summer. Those shamal winds are generated by a pressure gradient driven by the monsoon. If the monsoon weakens, so will shamals, leading to more frequent and/or severe coral bleaching in the Gulf region.
• Altered monsoons have created the perfect conditions for a single-celled algal organism called Noctiluca scintillans to multiply by the millions.

Reference: SCROLL

7. CHILDREN IN INDIA AT EXTREMELY HIGH RISK OF CLIMATE CRISIS IMPACTS: UNICEF

THE CONTEXT: According to a new UNICEF report, India is one of four South Asian nations where children are most vulnerable to the effects of climate change, which jeopardise their health, education, and protection.

ANALYSIS:

• ‘The Climate Crisis Is a Child Rights Crisis: Introducing the Children’s Climate Risk Index’ (CCRI) is UNICEF’s first focused on children. It ranks countries based on children’s exposure to climate and environmental shocks such as cyclones and heatwaves, as well as their vulnerability to those shocks based on their access to essential services.
• Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and India are among four South Asian countries where children are at extremely high risk of the impacts of the climate crisis, with a ranking of 14th, 15th, 25th and 26th respectively.
• CCRI has placed India as one of the 33 extremely high-risk countries with flooding and air pollution being the repeated environmental shocks leading to socio-economic adverse consequences for women and children.
• Approximately 1 billion children live in one of the 33 countries classified as extremely high-risk.
• It is estimated that more than 600 million Indians will face ‘acute water shortages’ in the coming years, while at the same time flash flooding is to increase significantly in the majority of India’s urban areas once the global temperature increase rises above 2° Celsius.
• Twenty-one of the world’s 30 cities with the most polluted air in 2020 were in India.

Reference: India today

INDIAN ECONOMY

8. FALL IN FOREX RESERVES

THE CONTEXT: Data released by the Reserve Bank showed that the nation’s forex reserves decreased by $2.099 billion to stand at $619.365 billion for the week ended August 13, as a result of a decline in core currency assets as well as gold reserves. In the previous week ended August 6, the foreign exchange had seen a rise of $889 million to reach a lifetime high of $621.464 billion.

ANALYSIS:

• The foreign currency assets (FCA), a vital component of the overall reserves, declined by $1.358 billion to reach $576.374 billion during the week ended August 13.
• Expressed in dollar terms, the FCA includes the effect of appreciation or depreciation of non-US currencies such as the euro, pound sterling and Japanese yen held in the foreign exchange reserves.
• The country’s reserve position with the IMF also decreased by $14 million to $5.111 billion.
• An increase in the forex reserves could bring some comfort to the government as well as the Reserve Bank in managing the nation’s external and internal financial issues at a time when the economy is facing Covid stress once again and it could have an impact on the gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate for the ongoing fiscal as states are announcing lockdowns.
• It is a big cushion in the event of any crisis on the economic front and enough to cover India’s import bill for a year. A higher forex kitty could also help strengthen the rupee against the dollar.

Reference: India express

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

9. EXERCISE KONKAN 2021

THE CONTEXT: Exercise Konkan 2021 was held between INS Tabar and HMS Westminster on 16 Aug 21 in the English Channel. .

ANALYSIS:

• The exercise included the participation of integral helicopters of the two ships and the Falcon Electronic Warfare aircraft.
• A wide range of exercises including co-ordinated anti-submarine procedures, firing drills; combined maritime picture compilation, combat formation maneuvering and replenishment at sea were conducted.
• These along with the diverse professional engagements held earlier in harbour, have enabled Exercise Konkan 2021 consolidate interoperability and helped cement the strong bonds of friendship the between the two navies.
• Konkan is an annual bilateral maritime exercise between the Indian Navy and the Royal Navy of United Kingdom. The Konkan series of exercises commenced in 2004.

Reference: PIB

10. EXERCISE MALABAR-21

THE CONTEXT: Indian Naval Ships Shivalik and Kadmatt arrived at Guam, an Island Territory of the USA. The two ships are scheduled to participate in the annual Exercise MALABAR-21, between navies of Australia, India, Japan and the USA.

ANALYSIS:

• MALABAR series of maritime exercises commenced in 1992 as a bilateral IN-USN exercise and has grown in stature over the years to include four prominent navies in the Pacific and Indian Ocean Region.
• Exercise MALABAR-21 will be conducted with USN, JMSDF and RAN at sea from 26-29 Aug 21.
• The exercise will provide an opportunity for common minded navies to enhance inter-operability, gain from best practices and develop a common understanding of procedures for Maritime Security Operations.
• MALABAR-21 would witness high-tempo exercises conducted between Destroyers’, Frigates, Corvettes, Submarines, Helicopters and Long Range Maritime Patrol Aircraft of the participating navies. Complex surface, sub-surface and air operations including Live Weapon Firing Drills, Anti-Surface, Anti-Air and Anti-Submarine Warfare Drills, Joint Manoeuvres and Tactical exercises will be conducted during the exercise.
• The participating Indian Ships Shivalik and Kadmatt are the latest indigenously designed and built, multi-role Guided Missile Stealth Frigate and Anti-Submarine Corvette respectively and form part of the Indian Navy’s Eastern Fleet based at Visakhapatnam, Eastern Naval Command.
• Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States in the Micronesia subregion of the western Pacific Ocean. it is the largest and southernmost of the Mariana Islands and the largest island in Micronesia. Guam’s capital is Hagåtña.

Reference: PIB

11. HAZARAS- THE AFGHAN MINORITY GROUP HATED & TORTURED BY TALIBAN

THE CONTEXT: The Hazaras, an ethnic minority group in Afghanistan, have been subjected to repeated persecution and torture by the Taliban. According to a 2018 United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) report, most attacks by the Taliban on civilians in Afghanistan are directed towards the country’s minority population, most of whom are ethnic Hazaras.Just last month, the Taliban had captured and killed nine men of the Hazara community in Afghanistan.

WHO ARE THE HAZARAS?

• The Hazaras are the third largest ethnic group of Afghanistan and a religious minority.
• Around 10 per cent Muslims in Sunni-majority Afghanistan are Shiite and almost all of them are Hazaras. The Taliban as well as the Islamic State are Sunni groups.
• The Hazaras are said to be of Mongolian and Central Asian descent, and the descendants of Mongolian leader Genghis Khan, who invaded Afghanistan in the 13th Century.
• They are mostly based in the mountainous area of central Afghanistan known as ‘Hazaristan’, or the land of the Hazaras. Hazaras speak a dialect of Dari called Hazaragi, which is a Persian dialect.

HISTORY OF HAZARA PERSECUTION

• Not just the Taliban, Hazaras have been persecuted and repressed by the majority Sunni population in Afghanistan even as far back as in the reign of Pashtun leader Amir Abdul Rahman in the 1880s, when Sunni leaders had declared jihad on all Shias of the country.
• After the Taliban took over Afghanistan in 1996, ethnic minority groups, such as the Hazaras, and women bore the brunt of the Taliban torture.
• Even though the Constitution of Afghanistan gave equal rights to Hazaras in 2004 and former president Hamid Karzai had included Hazaras in his cabinet, the minority group continues to face discrimination and is placed at the bottom of the socio-economic ladder in the country.

WHY TALIBAN HATES THE HAZARAS?

• The Taliban’s hatred for the Hazaras is primarily due to their different sect and distinct ethnic origins, and they thus consider them to be ‘infidels’.
• Mohammed Alizada, a Hazara member of parliament, has said that the Hazaras’ “support for democracy and thirst for knowledge” have clashed with the strict religious and conservative values of the Taliban and Islamic State.
• Former Taliban governor of Mazar-e-Sharif Mullah Manon Niazi was also known to make provocative speeches at mosques and over radio against Hazaras.
• During the Taliban’s past rule in Afghanistan (between 1996 and 2001), Hazaras were massacred in 1998 in Mazar-e-Sharif and in central Bamian province in 2000 and 2001. The Buddhas of Bamian, gigantic statues that were held in respect by Hazaras because of their antiquity, were destroyed by the Taliban in 2001.

Reference: The print

Q 1. Consider the following statements about Guam island

1. Guam is territory of the United States.

2. It is located in the Polynesia.

Select the correct answer using code given below:
a) 1 only
b) 2 only

c) Both
a) None

Q 2. Which one of the following protected areas is well-known for the conservation of a sub-species of the Indian swamp deer (Barasinga) that thrives well in hard ground and is exclusively graminivorous ?
a) Kanha National Park
b) Manas National Park
c) Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary
d) d) Tal Chhapar Wildlife Sanctuary

ANSWER FOR AUGUST 20, 2021 PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS (REFER RELEVANT ARTICLE)

Q.1 ANSWER: B)

Explanation:

• Therriaghat: Also in East Khasi Hills district, it is probably one of the best-preserved and most complete Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary sections in India. Most of the large vertebrates, planktons and many tropical invertebrates suddenly became extinct at the end of the Cretaceous period. A new assemblage of ammonites recorded recently probably represents a few of the last representatives just before the mass extinction in which the complete sub-class Ammonidea vanished from the face of the earth.
• Unakoti: This site in the Unakoti district has numerous rock-cut sculptures and temples made between the 7th and 9th centuries. The hilly environs and waterfalls are an added attraction at Unakoti, which means “one less than a crore”. The place is a historic Shaiva pilgrimage 172 km from Agartala. The central Shiva head, known as ‘Unakotiswara Kal Bhairava’ is about 30 feet high, including an embroidered headdress that is 10 feet high.
• Reiek Tlang: About 29 km from State capital Aizawl, this hill is a cuesta formed due to erosion of the tertiary sand shale alternations. Cuesta means a ridge with a gentle slope or dip on one side and a steep slope or scarp on the other. The local authorities host the annual anthurium festival at a heritage village near the Reiek peak.
• Stromatolite Park: At Mamley, about 80 km from State capital Gangtok, this site comprising stromatolitic (algal) development – boulder outcrops with circular structures – hosted in the limestone of Buxa Formation was discovered a little over a decade ago. It provides one of the rare examples of early life on earth in the Sikkim Himalayas. The age of the Buxa Formation is tentatively assigned as Meso-Neoproterozoic based on the available evidence of stromatolites and organic-walled microfossils.

[WpProQuiz 28]

1. Explained: China’s new data privacy laws and its impact on the tech industry READ MORE
2. ‘Right to Represent’ versus ‘Right to Representation’ READ MORE
3. Constitutional Asymmetry in Indian Federalism: The Union Territory Model READ MORE

1. Climate Change: Unbridled Development Devastates Ecosystem READ MORE
2. Despite PM Modi’s assurance, land degradation, desertification increasing READ MORE

1. Low-Income Women Bear Unfair Burden of COVID-Induced Socio-Economic Troubles READ MORE
2. Bringing kids back to school: Imparting learning will require more efforts READ MORE

1. Onam, a festival of cultural rejuvenation READ MORE
2. Heart-rending READ MORE 
3. Single Women in Local Governance READ MORE

(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

1. Prime Minister inaugurates and lays foundation stone of multiple projects in Somnath READ MORE
2. China passes three-child policy into law READ MORE
3. Explained: Why the Malabar rebellion of 1921 still courts controversy READ MORE
4. Personal liberty important aspect of constitutional mandate, arrest should not be routinely made: SC READ MORE
5. Extreme heat growing health issue, need to identify timely and effective prevention measures: Lancet READ MORE
6. Kenya drought: Half the country to experience food insecurity till December 2021 READ MORE

Main Exam  

GS Paper- 1

1. Low-Income Women Bear Unfair Burden of COVID-Induced Socio-Economic Troubles READ MORE

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. Explained: China’s new data privacy laws and its impact on the tech industry READ MORE
2. ‘Right to Represent’ versus ‘Right to Representation’ READ MORE
3. Constitutional Asymmetry in Indian Federalism: The Union Territory Model READ MORE

SOCIAL JUSTICE AND SOCIAL ISSUES

1. Bringing kids back to school: Imparting learning will require more efforts READ MORE

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. The fall of Kabul, the future of regional geopolitics: The post-American power vacuum in the region will aid China and shape India’s strategic choices and behaviour READ MORE
2. Afghanistan: Present Tense, Future Imperfect READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. Reboot to reset: With Indo-U.S. trade deal off, it is time India reorients its global economic engagement READ MORE
2. Income Support Schemes: Evaluation of PM KISAN vis-à-vis State Government Schemes READ MORE
3. What’s behind the ‘improvement’ in employment situation in labour force survey report READ MORE
4. Focus on jobs, wages: Boost people’s purchasing power to spur GDP growth READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

1. Climate Change: Unbridled Development Devastates Ecosystem READ MORE
2. Despite PM Modi’s assurance, land degradation, desertification increasing READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. Onam, a festival of cultural rejuvenation READ MORE
2. Heart-rending READ MORE

Questions for MAIN exam

1. In reference to the developments happening in Afghanistan, potential implications for India’s foreign policy and its strategic choices?
2. Discuss the need to regulate cryptocurrency and also recognise it as a legal tender with appropriate safeguards and monitoring mechanisms in place.

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

• There is no war that will end all wars.
• While the neighbouring countries are also worried about terrorism emanating from Afghanistan, the reality is that they are busy making their own private deals with the Taliban to not host terror organisations targeting them.
• Expediting vaccination can boost confidence of consumers and investors, but at the same time there is a dire need to create jobs and restore livelihoods that were lost to the lockdowns.
• The pandemic saw educational institutions being closed for health reasons and the process of learning getting affected.
• Online learning served its purpose in the exigency but ways have to be found to mitigate the impact of the loss of campus life that affects students at the psycho-social level.
• Energy security is needed more than energy independence even by the goal of 25 years from now. It will be virtually impossible to ensure that the country is entirely self-sufficient in various types of energy sources.
• A truly safe future is no longer even a possibility, and it is hard to believe that the governments that the scientists report to in Glasgow are ready even now to enact emergency measures.
• The improved employment scenario is restricted to women and is due to the increased percentage of rural women reporting in the unpaid family worker category followed by casual worker and self-employed category.
• Making gender-responsive changes in policy with the right investments could make a drastic difference in supporting women who want to work.
• The Taliban takeover cannot be understood outside the hegemonic economic and geopolitical interests.
• The Indian Constitution is an organic document and the creation and establishment of union territories manifest the growth inherent in the idea of an organic constitution.

ESSAY TOPIC

• Scientific thinking requires independence of thought

50-WORD TALK

• Whether Indian embassy/consulates in Afghanistan should’ve stayed open is a fake debate. India can’t have its diplomats accredited to a regime it doesn’t recognise. Of course Taliban would want India to stay as it’ll be de facto recognition. Nobody’s dumb, and Indian missions have lost lives to targeted Taliban attacks.

INDIAN POLITY, GOVERNANCE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

1. ARREST SHOULD NOT BE ROUTINELY MADE: SC

THE CONTEXT: The Supreme Court has said that merely because an arrest can be made as it is lawful does not mandate that it must be made. SC observed that personal liberty is an important aspect of constitutional mandate.

ANALYSIS:

• The apex court said if arrest is made routine, it could cause “incalculable harm” to the reputation and self-esteem of a person. If the investigating officer of a case does not believe that the accused will abscond or disobey the summons, he or she is not required to be produced before the court in custody.
• Personal liberty is an important aspect of our constitutional mandate. The occasion to arrest an accused during investigation arises when custodial investigation becomes necessary or it is a heinous crime or where there is a possibility of influencing the witnesses or accused may abscond.
• The top court passed the order while hearing a plea against the Allahabad High Court verdict which had dismissed an application seeking anticipatory bail in a case in which FIR was registered seven years ago.
• The bench noted that contrary to the observations made in the apex court verdict of 1994 on how a police officer has to deal with a scenario of arrest, the trial courts are stated to be insisting on arrest as a pre-requisite formality to take charge sheet on record in view of provisions of section 170 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC). Section 170 of the CrPC deals with cases to be sent to magistrate when evidence is sufficient.
• The top court said the word ‘custody’ appearing in section 170 of the CrPC does not contemplate either police or judicial custody but it merely connotes the presentation of accused by the investigating officer before the court while filing charge sheet.
• It noted that section 170 of the CrPC does not impose an obligation on the officer-in-charge to arrest the accused at the time of filing of charge sheet.

Reference: Indian express

2. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA MOBILE APP

THE CONTEXT: Geological Survey of India has decided to make itself accessible to the masses and make its presence felt digitally by launching the GSI Mobile App (Beta Version). Through the App, people will become more enlightened about various facets of GSI activities. It is also in line with the Digital India campaign initiated by the Central Government.

ANALYSIS:

• The App is divided into various sections where it talks about the legacy of GSI, the in-house publications of the organisation, various case studies on different missions of GSI, the picture gallery etc.
• E-news division updates masses about the latest news as far as the organization is concerned in terms of work and the career opportunities as well as the training facilities that are available with GSI.
• It also deals with various maps, videos and downloads of GSI work.
• The e-book section would give the masses an idea of the exploration works done by GSI.
• It connects the YouTube, Facebook and Twitter pages of GSI from the app as well.
• This App will be further upgraded for higher versions of Android OS and for iOS compatible mobiles (i-Phones) and many more features will be added in the near future.

ABOUT GSI

• The Geological Survey of India (GSI) was set up in 1851 primarily to find coal deposits for the Railways. Over the years, GSI has not only grown into a repository of geo-science information required in various fields in the country but has also attained the status of a geo-scientific organisation of international repute.
• Its main functions relate to creating and updating of national geoscientific information and mineral resource assessment. These objectives are achieved through ground surveys, air-borne and marine surveys, mineral prospecting and investigations, multi-disciplinary geoscientific, geo-technical, geo-environmental and natural hazards studies, glaciology, seism tectonic study, and carrying out fundamental research.
• GSI’s chief role includes providing objective, impartial and up-to-date geological expertise and geoscientific information of all kinds, with a focus on policy making decisions, commercial and socio-economic needs.
• GSI also emphasises on systematic documentation of all geological processes derived out of surface and subsurface of India and its offshore areas. The organisation does so by using the latest and most cost-effective techniques and methodologies, including geophysical and geochemical and geological surveys.
• GSI’s core competence in survey and mapping is continuously enhanced through accretion, management, co-ordination and utilization of spatial databases (including those acquired through remote sensing).
• It functions as a ‘Repository’ or ‘clearing house’ for the purpose and uses latest computer-based technologies for dissemination of geoscientific information and spatial data, through cooperation and collaboration with other stakeholders in the Geo-informatics sector.
• GSI, headquartered in Kolkata, has six regional offices located in Lucknow, Jaipur, Nagpur, and Hyderabad, Shillong and Kolkata and state unit offices in almost all states of the country.
• GSI is an attached office to the Ministry of Mines.

Reference: PIB

ENVIRONMENT, GEOGRAPHY AND AGRICULTURE

3. GSI LISTS GEO-TOURISM SITES IN NE TO VISIT AFTER ‘UNLOCK’

THE CONTEXT: Geological Survey of India (GSI) has identified certain geological sites across the Northeast for promotion of geo-tourism as some States in the region prepare to ‘unlock’ from September.

ANALYSIS:

• Twelve locations in the Northeast are included in the 32 approved geo-tourism or geo-heritage sites in the country.
• Of the 12 sites, three are in Meghalaya, two each in Assam and Tripura, and one each in Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram, Naga- land and Sikkim.

MEGHALAYA

• Mawmluh Cave: Near Cherrapunjee in the East Khasi Hills district, this cave led scientists to the Meghalayan Age associated with a major climatic event – very abrupt, critical and significant drought and cooling – 4,200 years ago. A stage of the Meghalayan Age is defined from a specific level in a stalagmite from this cave. According to geologists, speleothems from the cave provide important records of Holocene paleo-climate and paleo-monsoon. The cave is about 55 km from the State capital Shillong.
• Mawblei or God’s Rock: Situated near Syntung village in East Khasi Hills district, it is a huge balancing rock slanting at an angle of about 45 degrees in the south-southeast direction on a hill slope at 1,303 metres above mean sea level overlooking the Wahrashi River valley. The rock is composed of the reddish-purple Mahadek sandstone belonging to the Khasi group of cretaceous age. Thin partings of shale are also observed in the boulder. Mawblei in the Khasi language means God’s Rock and is a sacred place for the local populace. The rock is about 63 km from Shillong.
• Therriaghat: Also in East Khasi Hills district, it is probably one of the best-preserved and most complete Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary sections in India. Most of the large vertebrates, planktons and many tropical invertebrates suddenly became extinct at the end of the Cretaceous period. A new assemblage of ammonites recorded recently probably represents a few of the last representatives just before the mass extinction in which the complete sub-class Ammonidea vanished from the face of the earth.

ASSAM

• Majuli: A river “island”, among the world’s largest, Majuli is a district at the mercy of the Brahmaputra. The river erodes the island every year but also deposits soil to ensure a constant change in its shape. The island is also the hub of spiritualism in Assam because of a number of ‘satras’ or Vaishnav monasteries established by the 15th-16th century saint-reformer Srimanta Sankaradeva and his disciples. The island is about 330 km east of Guwahati.
• Umananda: One of the smallest inhabited islands in the Brahmaputra, Umananda is off the administrative hub of Guwahati and sports an old Shiva temple. The island is actually an inselberg, composed of the rocks of the Assam-Meghalaya gneissic complex.

TRIPURA

• Chabimura: In Gomati district, this site is known for its panels of rock carving on a steep hill wall on the bank of river Gomati. The huge images of Shiva, Vishnu, Karthikeya, Durga and other gods and goddesses date back to the 15th-16th century and the biggest carved deity is about 20 ft. The hill range is covered with thick jungles and one can reach this abode of gods after trekking through the foliage but rafting or boating on the river is the only option for a view of the rock-face carvings. The site is about 82 km from the State capital Agartala.
• Unakoti: This site in the Unakoti district has numerous rock-cut sculptures and temples made between the 7th and 9th centuries. The hilly environs and waterfalls are an added attraction at Unakoti, which means “one less than a crore”. The place is a historic Shaiva pilgrimage 172 km from Agartala. The central Shiva head, known as ‘Unakotiswara Kal Bhairava’ is about 30 feet high, including an embroidered headdress that is 10 feet high.

ARUNACHAL PRADESH

• Sangetsar Tso: Popularly known as Madhuri Lake, this waterbody in Tawang district is close to the border with Tibet and was formed due to the damming of a river during a major earthquake in 1950. The lake is surrounded by a lush valley and snow-capped mountains.

MANIPUR

• Loktak Lake: About 40 km from State capital Imphal, this lake in the Bishnupur district is the largest freshwater lake in the Northeast. The attractions of this lake are the ‘ phumdis’ or floating biomass and the ‘phumsangs’ or huts of fishermen on them. The Keibul Lamjao National Park, the only floating wildlife habitat on earth, is on the southwestern part of the lake and is the last natural habitat of the sangai or brow-antlered dancing deer.

MIZORAM

• Reiek Tlang: About 29 km from State capital Aizawl, this hill is a cuesta formed due to erosion of the tertiary sand shale alternations. Cuesta means a ridge with a gentle slope or dip on one side and a steep slope or scarp on the other. The local authorities host the annual anthurium festival at a heritage village near the Reiek peak.

NAGALAND

• Naga Hill Ophiolite: Geologically referred to as NHO, it is in the Pungro region of Kiphire district and about 240 km from State capital Kohima. It refers to the ophiolitic rocks of mantle and oceanic crust percentage at the continental plate margin with vast potential for intensive research and economic growth. The NHO consists of a variety of Mesozoic and the subsequently Cenozoic rocks – magmatic, metamorphic and sedimentary – that originated at the India-Myanmar convergent plate boundary. It has been assigned ages ranging from Cretaceous to Paleocene.

SIKKIM

• Stromatolite Park: At Mamley, about 80 km from State capital Gangtok, this site comprising stromatolitic (algal) development – boulder outcrops with circular structures – hosted in the limestone of Buxa Formation was discovered a little over a decade ago. It provides one of the rare examples of early life on earth in the Sikkim Himalayas. The age of the Buxa Formation is tentatively assigned as Meso-Neoproterozoic based on the available evidence of stromatolites and organic-walled microfossils.

Reference: The Hindu

4. EXTREME HEAT GROWING HEALTH ISSUE: LANCET

THE CONTEXT: Extreme heat is an increasingly common occurrence worldwide, with heat-related deaths and illnesses also expected to rise. The authors of a new two-paper Series on Heat and Health, published in The Lancet, recommended immediate and urgent globally coordinated efforts to mitigate climate change and increase resilience to extreme heat to limit additional warming, avoid permanent and substantial extreme heat worldwide, and save lives by protecting the most vulnerable people.

ANALYSIS:

• In alignment with the Paris Agreement, the Series authors call for global warming to be limited to 1.5°C to avoid substantial heat-related mortality in the future.
• Reducing the health impacts of extreme heat is an urgent priority and should include immediate changes to infrastructure, urban environment, and individual behavior to prevent heat-related deaths.
• The series is published ahead of this year’s COP26 UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow.
• Effective and environmentally sustainable cooling measures can protect from the worst health impacts of heat. These range from increasing green space in cities, wall coatings that reflect heat from buildings, and widespread use of electric fans and other widely available personal cooling techniques that have been shown by thermal physiologists to help people regulate their body temperature without exacerbating other types of physiological strain.
• While air conditioning is becoming more widely available around the world, it is unaffordable for many of the most vulnerable, is financially and environmentally costly, and leaves many defence less against extreme heat during power outages.
• Two strategic approaches are needed to combat extreme heat. One is climate change mitigation to reduce carbon emissions and alter the further warming of the planet. The other is identifying timely and effective prevention and response measures, particularly for low-resource settings.

Reference: Indian express

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

5. ZYCOV-D- INDIA’S FIRST COVID-19 VACCINE FOR THOSE ABOVE 12

THE CONTEXT: The Drug Controller General has granted emergency approval to the Zycov-D, a COVID-19 vaccine developed by the Ahmedabad-based Zydus Cadilla group, making it the first vaccine in India that can be administered to adults as well as those 12 and above.

ANALYSIS:

• It is also the only DNA- based vaccine in the world and can be administered without a needle, purportedly minimising chances of reactions.
• Interim results from phase-III clinical trials in July, in over 28,000 volunteers, showed a primary efficacy of 66.6% for symptomatic RT-PCR positive cases.
• The vaccine has been developed in partnership with the Department of Biotechnology under the ‘Mission COVID Suraksha’.
• The three-dose vaccine once administered produces the spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and elicits an immune response.

Reference: The Hindu

6. J&J SEEKS APPROVAL FOR COVID VACCINE TRIALS ON ADOLESCENTS

THE CONTEXT: U.S. pharma major Johnson & Johnson (J&J) has applied for permission to conduct Clinical trials of its single-shot COVID-19 vaccine on adolescents aged 12-17 years in India.

ANALYSIS:

• The company has moved an application to the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) seeking approval.
• Previously in August, J&J’s single-dose COVID-19 vaccine had been granted emergency use approval (EUA) in India.
• J&J vaccine has demonstrated 85% efficacy in staving off severe COVID-19 disease in its phase 3 trials.

Reference: The Hindu

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

7. CHINA FORMALLY PASSES THREE-CHILD POLICY INTO LAW

THE CONTEXT: China’s legislature formally amended the country’s family planning rules to allow couples to have three children, also announcing a number of policy measures aimed at boosting declining birth rates.

ANALYSIS:

• The amended law calls on the authorities to take supportive measures, including those in finances, taxes, insurance, education, housing and employment, to reduce families’ burdens as well as the cost of raising and educating children.
• In 2016, a “two-child policy” was introduced that largely failed to boost birth rates.
• The changes come in the wake of China’s once-in-ten year population census that recorded rapidly declining birth rates over the past decade.
• The census said China’s population was 1.41 billion in 2020, an increase of 72 million since the last census in 2010.
• The census recorded 264 million in the age group of 60 and over, up 5.44% since 2010 and accounting for 18.70% of the population.

Reference: The Hindu

8. U.S. NOT INTERESTED IN FTA

THE CONTEXT: Commerce and Industry Minister said that hopes of an India-U.S. trade pact are off the table for now, with the Joe Biden administration conveying to India that it is not interested in a Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

ANALYSIS:

• The US, as of now, has kind of indicated that they are not looking for new trade agreements, but we will look at working with them on market access issues on both sides.
• Resolving issues like non-tariff barriers, entering mutual recognition agreements and aligning on higher quality international standards will help spur trade between the two countries.
• The minister also said that India has begun working on an FTA with Bangladesh, and is close to sealing an early harvest deal with Australia ‘which has almost agreed’ on the matter, with a similar deal being worked out with the U.K.
• Other FTAs currently on the government’s priority list are UAE, GCC and Israel.

Reference: The Hindu

Q 1. Which of the following pairs are correctly matched?

GSI Site                                                       Region

1. Therriaghat                                         Meghalaya

2. Unakoti                                               Tripura

3. Reiek Tlang                                          Sikkim

4. Stromatolite Park                              Mizoram

Select the correct answer using code given below:
a) 1, 2 and 3 only
b) 1 and 2 only
c) 2 and 4 only
a) 1, 2 , 3 and 4

ANSWER FOR AUGUST 20, 2021 PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS (REFER RELEVANT ARTICLE)

Q.1 Answer: c)

Explanation:

• The Delhi-Chandigarh Highway has become the first e-vehicle friendly highway in the country, with a network of Solar-based Electric Vehicle Charging stations (SEVCs) set up by Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) under the FAME-1 [Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid) & Electric Vehicles in India] scheme of the Ministry of Heavy Industries.
• The EV charging station at Karnal lake resort, is strategically located at the midpoint of Delhi-Chandigarh highway, and is equipped to cater to all types of E- cars plying currently in the country.

1. Collegium clears 9 names: Calendar of judicial vacancies a must to check pendency READ MORE
2. Enforcing the right to education: All minorities, whether based on religion or language, have the right to establish and administer educational institutions of their choice READ MORE

1. COP15: After Delays, UN Biodiversity Agreement Expected Next Year READ MORE  
2. Deficient rainfall leads to low storage in water reservoirs of north, central India READ MORE

1. Arms and the women: On gender parity in the Army READ MORE
2. Domestic Violence as the Shadow Pandemic: INDIRA JAISING takes a look at the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on domestic violence. READ MORE

1. Arms and the women: On gender parity in the Army READ MORE
2. The hard problem of consciousness READ MORE

(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

1. DRDO develops Advanced Chaff Technology for Indian Air Force READ MORE  
2. BRICS signs deal on cooperation in remote sensing satellite data sharing READ MORE
3. Explained: What is IATA’s travel pass, and why is it needed? READ MORE
4. India, Australia sign document to boost naval ties READ MORE
5. Explained: Ozone pact in climate fight READ MORE
6. CM to inaugurate Capital’s first smog tower READ MORE

Main Exam

GS Paper- 1

1. Arms and the women: On gender parity in the Army READ MORE

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. Collegium clears 9 names: Calendar of judicial vacancies a must to check pendency READ MORE
2. Enforcing the right to education: All minorities, whether based on religion or language, have the right to establish and administer educational institutions of their choice READ MORE

SOCIAL JUSTICE AND SOCIAL ISSUES

1. Domestic Violence as the Shadow Pandemic: INDIRA JAISING takes a look at the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on domestic violence. READ MORE

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. The Abraham Accords as India’s West Asia bridge: The signing of the Accords has helped remove strategic obstacles for New Delhi and aided defence cooperation READ MORE
2. India, Pak should together engage Taliban READ MORE
3. What the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan means for America’s influence in West Asia READ MORE
4. Why the Afghanistan Crisis Underscores the Need for a Refugee Law READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. What India’s informal sector needs right now READ MORE
2. In a competitive marketplace, protecting India’s gig workers READ MORE
3. Building on inclusion READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

1. COP15: After Delays, UN Biodiversity Agreement Expected Next Year READ MORE  
2. Deficient rainfall leads to low storage in water reservoirs of north, central India READ MORE

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

1. Idea of Self-reliance in Science and Tech has Lost Focus READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. The hard problem of consciousness READ MORE

Questions for MAIN exam

1. Discuss the role that Abraham Accords deal can play for India to secure its interests in West Asia region.
2. ‘The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code is the best available tool for speedy and transparent dispute resolution but it should be enriched with more judicial powers to achieve the desired results’. Justify the statement.

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

• Authority does not come from the loudest voice, but the wisest.
• Highlighting the glaring absence of legislation to govern the grant of asylum to refugees, and the moral imperative on India to support refugees that will be fleeing the political crisis in neighboring Afghanistan.
• India’s future looks grim unless it again embraces self-reliance in S&T, strengthens its PSUs and increases public investment in research and education in general.
• The Collegium needs to prepare a calendar of judicial vacancies and recommend names three months in advance so as to ensure that litigants don’t suffer due to insufficient judicial strength. Else, pendency would become unmanageable.
• Bringing the informal sector to the forefront of policy decisions can lead to a significant payoff for the entire economy for years to come.
• Iran, as part of India’s ‘West Asia’ construct, will also play a significant part in India’s outreach in the months to come as the crisis in Afghanistan deepens.
• India’s strategic play in West Asia will be reflective of its economic growth, and by association, an increasingly important place in the global order.
• India has many strategic infrastructure investments in Afghanistanas well. India has to balance its approach in the region and find new regional allies who can influence the Taliban in a way beneficial to Indian interests.

50-WORD TALK

• Whether Indian embassy/consulates in Afghanistan should’ve stayed open is a fake debate. India can’t have its diplomats accredited to a regime it doesn’t recognise. Of course Taliban would want India to stay as it’ll be de facto recognition. Nobody’s dumb, and Indian missions have lost lives to targeted Taliban attacks.
• Modi government’s National Mission on Edible Oils-Oil Palm is a pragmatic idea. There’s no reason why a resourceful country like India can’t produce its own palm oil and should depend on expensive imports. While farmers need encouragement to start growing palm, the sunset clause for incentives/MSP should be strictly enforced.
• The Supreme Court collegium has done well to end the 22-month logjam over filling up its vacancies and also pick a judge who could be India’s first woman chief justice. The onus is now on the government to approve this quickly. Nine vacancies in the SC are nine too many.
• The court-monitored CBI probe into West Bengal post-poll violence rightly signals the importance being finally given to the culture of political violence in the state. CM Mamata Banerjee is choosing to call this a transgression of the state’s right. The probe must stay scrupulously clear of any partisan power play.

Things to Remember

• For prelims-related news try to understand the context of the news and relate with its concepts so that it will be easier for you to answer (or eliminate) from given options.
• Whenever any international place will be in news, you should do map work (marking those areas in maps and also exploring other geographical locations nearby including mountains, rivers, etc. same applies to the national places.)
• For economy-related news (banking, agriculture, etc.) you should focus on terms and how these are related to various economic aspects, for example, if inflation has been mentioned, try to relate with prevailing price rises, shortage of essential supplies, banking rates, etc.
• For main exam-related topics, you should focus on the various dimensions of the given topic, the most important topics which occur frequently and are important from the mains point of view will be covered in ED.
• Try to use the given content in your answer. Regular use of this content will bring more enrichment to your writing.

INDIAN POLITY, GOVERNANCE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

1. IATA’S TRAVEL PASS

THE CONTEXT: After IndiGo, SpiceJet will also start trials of IATA’s travel pass next week onwards. This means that starting August 23, passengers on SpiceJet’s Mumbai-Male flights would be able to use IATA’s travel pass to show their vaccination status.

ABOUT IATA’S TRAVEL PASS

• The travel pass will be a mobile app that will help passengers manages their travel in line with government requirements for Covid-19 tests or vaccines.
• The IATA Travel Pass will also enable authorised labs and test centres to securely send test results or vaccination certificates to passengers.
• Digital passports like the IATA travel pass have been developed to provide governments with the means to verify the authenticity of tests or vaccinations, airlines with the ability to provide accurate information to their passengers on test requirements and verify that a passenger meets the requirements for travel and travellers with accurate information on test requirements, where they can get tested, and the means to securely convey their travel health credentials to airlines and border authorities.
• In addition to IndiGo and SpiceJet, global airlines such as Singapore Airlines, Qatar Airways, Emirates, Etihad, British Airways, Air France, Virgin Atlantic, Swiss Air, Thai Air, and several others have joined the IATA travel pass initiative.

Reference: Indian express

2. GOVERNMENT MONITORING BOOSTER DOSE MOVE IN U.S.

THE CONTEXT: The Union Health Ministry said it was closely following the developments in the United States, which has given the green signal for booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine that is to start rolling out soon.

ANALYSIS:

• Doctors in India are also advocating booster dose. They stated that giving a third dose after a space of six-eight months had been shown to increase immune response markedly as per some research papers.
• The scenario in the U.S. is different, as most of the population has been fully vaccinated, so there is no harm in giving booster doses, although we will only be able to understand its benefits after studies are conducted on it. It is certainly going to be a trend in future to get a booster dose every year, just like the flu vaccine.
• As the virus keeps on mutating, even vaccines need to be updated with the latest strain annually. It has to be decided whether it would be administered on a yearly basis or not or whether every person would require it.
• All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Director Randeep Guleria had explained that India will have to take a serious look at bringing in booster doses to ensure that the population here is able to keep up the antibody levels in the body which will offer better protection to the emerging variants.
• This is when the WHO has raised alarm at the vast vaccine gap between high-income and low-income countries.
• Currently in India, we still do not have guideline recommendations for booster doses of vaccine. However, with the upcoming scientific evidence, we may see a role for such booster doses in the near future.

Reference: The Hindu

ENVIRONMENT, GEOGRAPHY AND AGRICULTURE

3. SOLAR ELECTRIC VEHICLE (EV) CHARGING STATION

THE CONTEXT: The Delhi-Chandigarh Highway has become the first e-vehicle friendly highway in the country, with a network of Solar-based Electric Vehicle Charging stations (SEVCs) set up by Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) under the FAME-1 [Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid) & Electric Vehicles in India] scheme of the Ministry of Heavy Industries.

ANALYSIS:

• The EV charging station at Karnal lake resort, is strategically located at the midpoint of Delhi-Chandigarh highway, and is equipped to cater to all types of E- cars plying currently in the country.
• Further, the company is also working on upgrading the other charging stations on this highway, within this year.
• The establishment of similar EV chargers at regular intervals of 25-30 kms.
• On the highway will allay range-anxiety among Electric Vehicle users and bolster their confidence for inter-city travel.
• The SEVC stations are equipped with individual grid-connected rooftop solar plants that will supply green and clean energy to the charging stations.

Reference: PIB

4. INDIA DEVELOPED ROBUST MECHANISM FOR ONLINE TRADING OF ENERGY SAVING CERTIFICATES

THE CONTEXT: Ministry of Power issued more than 57 lacs Energy Saving Certificates to 349 industrial units because they saved more energy than the targets. These units will be able to trade certificates through Power Exchange Portal after a month to those units who could not achieve their targets.

ANALYSIS:

• Ministry of Power has taken several initiatives to enhance energy efficiency of major industrial sectors. The objective is to reduce consumption of fossil fuel, coal, oil and gas thereby leading to low carbon economy. This will not only enhance energy security for India but will also contribute towards climate goals as per the Paris Agreement.
• PAT scheme as a market-based mechanism, under National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency (NMEEE) is to enhance cost effectiveness through certification of excess energy savings in energy intensive industries that can be traded.
• The scheme seeks to reduce the specific energy consumption (SEC), i.e. energy used per unit of production in energy intensive large industries.
• Under this scheme, an Energy Audit is done to verify the baseline data (current level of efficiency) and thereafter energy saving targets are given.
• Energy Saving Certificates (ESCerts) are issued to those plants that have achieved excess energy savings over their targets. Units that are unable to meet the targets either through their own actions or through purchase of ESCerts are liable to financial penalty under the Energy Conservation Act, 2001.
• After Issuance of ESCerts DCs are required to register with the Registry as Eligible Entity before registering with the power exchanges for trading of ESCerts and book keeping of ESCerts. The Trading of ESCerts takes place on the Power Exchange platform.

ABOUT BEE

• The Government of India has set up the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) on 1st March 2002 under the provision of the Energy Conservation Act, 2001.
• The mission of the Bureau of Energy Efficiency is to assist in developing policies and strategies with a thrust on self-regulation and market principles with the primary objective of reducing energy intensity of the Indian economy within the overall framework of the Energy Conservation Act, 2001.
• This will be achieved with active participation of all stakeholders, resulting in accelerated and sustained adoption of energy efficiency in all sectors.

ABOUT AZADI KA AMRIT MAHOTSAV

• “Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav”, is the Government’s initiative to mark 75 years of India’s Independence.
• The idea behind the Mahotsav that starts the celebration of 75 years of India’s Independence 75 weeks before 15th August, 2022 and extends up to Independence Day 2023 is to showcase accomplishments since 1947 so as to instil a sense of pride and to create a vision for ‘India@2047’. The commemorations will include 75 events for 75 weeks with one prominent event every week.

Reference: PIB

5. DELHI’S FIRST SMOG TOWER

THE CONTEXT: The smog tower will be inaugurated by Chief Minister on August 23, 2021. Next, experts will start monitoring the performance of the tower and then assess its impact on the environment.

ANALYSIS:

• On January 13, 2020, the Supreme Court ordered the Delhi government to build a smog tower at Connaught Place in the city by April 13, 2020, to pollution.
• On the same day, the court also ordered a smog tower to be installed in Anand Vihar by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) by the same time.
• The smog tower is a pilot project and is expected to influence the air quality of more than 1 km in the downwind direction.

Reference: The Hindu

INDIAN ECONOMY

6. COVID-19 VACCINE: $11 BILLION GLOBAL MARKET OPPORTUNITY FOR INDIA

THE CONTEXT: According to Care Ratings agency’s report India’s pharmaceutical sector is looking at an opportunity to the tune of $10 to 11 billion in the form of COVID-19 vaccine supply, in both domestic and export markets in the next three years.

ANALYSIS:

• However, the Indian vaccine makers are unlikely to get the premium pricing enjoyed by US-based multinational companies which is anywhere between $15 and 25 per dose and their average realization could remain anywhere between $3.25 and $3.50 per dose.
• According to CARE Ratings, the majority of domestic demand is expected to be fulfilled by March 2022, when the export opportunities in the high-income markets such as Europe, North America and developed Asian countries are likely to be completely exhausted.
• As of August 10, 2021, over 4.35 billion COVID-19 vaccine shots have been administered globally. The USA, China and most of the European countries have vaccinated more than 50% of their total eligible population with at least one dose.
• As the majority of the Indian populace is expected to get vaccinated during 2021, the opportunity for the domestic pharma companies for this period is about $4.6 billion. However, the same is expected to increase to $4.9 billion during 2022 with an increase in exports.
• Furthermore, with near saturation of demand, the sales opportunity is expected to come down to about $1.6 billion during 2023, thus, $10-11 billion worth of opportunity for Indian vaccine manufacturers during 2021-2022.

Reference: The Hindu

7. PAKISTAN-BASED TERROR GROUPS OPERATE WITH IMPUNITY

THE CONTEXT: Amid the rapidly unfolding events following the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, India flagged heightened activities of the proscribed Haqqani network and said other Pakistan-based terrorist groups such as the Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed continue to operate with impunity and encouragement.

ANALYSIS:

• Addressing the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said the events in Afghanistan have naturally enhanced global concerns about their implications for both regional and international security.
• India holds the current presidency of the UNSC.
• It is, therefore, vital that this Council does not take a selective, tactical or complacent view of the problems we face. We must never countenance sanctuaries for terrorists or overlook their raising of resources. And when we see state hospitality being extended to those with innocents’ blood on their hands, we should never lack the courage to call out their double-speak.
• The UNSC briefing considered the 13th report of the Secretary General on the threat posed by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) to international peace and security. The August 3 report states that ISIL-Khorasan (ISIL-K), a self-proclaimed branch of the ISIL, has expanded its presence in several provinces of Afghanistan and strengthened its positions in and around Kabul.

Reference: Indian express

INTERNAL SECURITY

8. DRDO DEVELOPS ADVANCED CHAFF TECHNOLOGY FOR INDIAN AIR FORCE

THE CONTEXT: Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) has developed an Advanced Chaff Technology to safeguard fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) against hostile radar threats.

ANALYSIS:

• Defence Laboratory Jodhpur, a DRDO laboratory developed the advanced Chaff material and chaff cartridge-118/I in collaboration with High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL), a Pune based laboratory of DRDO, meeting qualitative requirements of IAF.
• The Indian Air Force has started the process of induction of this technology after completion of successful user trials.
• In today’s electronic warfare, survivability of fighter aircraft is of prime concern because of advancement in modern radar threats. To ensure survivability of aircraft, Counter Measure Dispensing System (CMDS) is used which provides passive jamming against Infra-Red and radar threats.
• Chaff is a critical defence technology used to protect fighter aircraft from hostile radar threats.
• The importance of this technology lies in the fact that very less quantity of chaff material deployed in the air acts as decoy to deflect enemy’s missiles for ensuring safety of the fighter aircraft. The technology has been given to the industry for production in large quantities to meet the annual rolling requirement of the Indian Air Force.

Reference: PIB

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

9. BRICS SIGNS DEAL ON COOPERATION IN REMOTE SENSING SATELLITE DATA SHARING

THE CONTEXT: According to ISRO, Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) signed an agreement for cooperation in remote sensing satellite data sharing.

ANALYSIS:

• The pact inked on August 17 enables building a virtual constellation of specified remote sensing satellites of BRICS space agencies and their respective ground stations will receive the data.
• This will contribute in strengthening multilateral cooperation among BRICS space agencies in meeting the challenges faced by mankind, such as global climate change, major disasters and environmental protection.

Reference: The Hindu

10. INDIA, AUSTRALIA SIGN DOCUMENT TO BOOST NAVAL TIES

THE CONTEXT: Chiefs of the Indian and Australian navies signed a ‘Joint Guidance for the Australia-India Navy to Navy Relationship’ document to streamline interaction between the two forces at various levels.

ANALYSIS:

• The document is aligned to the ‘2020 Comprehensive Strategic Partnership’ agreed to by prime ministers of the two nations, and aims to ensure a shared approached to regional and global security challenges.
• Australia and India, along with the US and Japan are members of the four-nation Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, or the Quad, which has irked China. The navies of the four Quad nations will also participate in the Malabar Naval Exercise later this year.
• The strengthening of the naval ties with Australia comes at a time when India and China are involved in an over 15-month long military standoff in eastern Ladakh.
• The document’s highlights include “close cooperation in regional and multilateral fora” including the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS), Western Pacific Naval Symposium (WPNS), Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) and Expert Working Groups subordinate to the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus framework.
• Indian and Australian bilateral defence relationship has strengthened over the years, and Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, Mutual Logistics Support Agreement, conduct of trilateral Maritime Security Workshop and participation of the Australian navy in Exercise Malabar are significant milestones which underline the role played by both Navies in bolstering this relationship in recent times.
• The document would be pivotal in consolidating the shared commitment to promote peace, security, stability and prosperity in the Indo – Pacific region.

Reference: Indian express

Q1. Which of the following highway has become the first e-vehicle friendly highway in the country?

a) Delhi- Kolkata Highway
b) Delhi-Mumbai Highway
c) Delhi-Chandigarh Highway d) Delhi to Chennai Highway

ANSWER FOR AUGUST 19, 2021 PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS (REFER RELEVANT ARTICLE)

Q.1 Answer: a)
Explanation

• Statement 1 is incorrect: Kigali amendment is amendment done to Montreal protocol in 2016
• Statement 2 is correct: envisages phasing out of hydrofluorocarbons (HFC) by 80-85% of present levels by 2040 in a phased manner by all signatory countries.
• Statement 3 is correct: Hydro fluorocarbons (HFCs) are both Ozone Depleting Substances as well as Green House Gases. At the same time, they are also Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs).

[WpProQuiz 27]

ART AND CULTURE

1. NEW STUDY SUGGESTS INDUS VALLEY PEOPLE SPOKE ANCESTRAL DRAVIDIAN LANGUAGE

THE CONTEXT: Using similarities between the word used in bronze-age Mesopotamia for ‘elephant’ and that used by people of the Indus Valley civilisation (IVC), a study published by the journal Nature suggests that a significant population of the IVC spoke ancestral Dravidian languages.

ANALYSIS:

• Mukhopadhyay’s study analyses archaeological, linguistic, archaeo-genetic and historical evidence to claim that the words used for ‘elephant’ (‘pīri’, ‘pīru’) in bronze-age Mesopotamia and the word for ‘ivory’ (‘pîruš’) recorded in Old Persian documents dated to the sixth century BC were originally borrowed from ‘pīlu’, Proto-Dravidian for ‘elephant’.
• Since the IVC traded extensively with Mesopotamia, especially in ivory objects that were considered luxury goods, these words are “fossilised foreign words” that had their origin in languages that the IVC people spoke.
• The only other source of ivory for IVC was Egypt, whose words for the object (‘ab’, ‘abu’, ‘ȧb’, ‘beḥu’, ‘netcheḥ-t’) don’t share phonetic connections with ‘pīru’. Mukhopadhyay concludes, thus, that the ‘pīru’-based words could likely have originated in the IVC.
• While this inference suggests these words originated in the IVC, Mukhopadhyay analyses present-day words for ‘elephant’ in Indo-Aryan and Dravidian languages as well to conclude that ‘pīlu’ is Proto-Dravidian.
• In today’s Dravidian languages, too, words like ‘pīlu’, ‘pella’, ‘palla’, ‘pallava’, ‘piḷḷuvam’ and ‘pīluru’, signify elephants.
• In Sanskrit, the most popular words for ‘elephant’ are ‘hastin’/’hastī’ (referring to its trunk) or ‘dantin’ (referring to its tooth). Neither of these words, which refer to stable taxonomical features, is phonetically similar to ‘pīlu’.
• The study has also reported independent evidence of ‘pīlu’s’ connection with the meaning of ‘tooth’ in the name of the Salvadora persica tree, commonly known as the ‘toothbrush tree’. In Arabic countries, it is called ‘miswak’, meaning ‘tooth-cleaning-stick’. It has been used “since antiquity as [a] natural toothbrush.
• Speakers of several Indic languages call Salvadora persica ‘pīlu’, reinforcing the inference that ‘pīlu’ is related to the Proto-Dravidian word for ‘tooth.

Reference: The Wire

INDIAN POLITY, GOVERNANCE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

2. COLLEGIUM RECOMMENDS NINE JUDGES FOR SUPREME COURT

THE CONTEXT: The Supreme Court Collegium has recommended to the government nine names for appointment as apex court judges, and in the process scripted history by naming Karnataka High Court judge B.V. Nagarathna, who may become India’s first woman CJI.

ANALYSIS:

• The names include eight judges and one lawyer from the Supreme Court Bar.
• They are Karnataka High Court (HC) Chief Justice (CJ) A.S. Oka, who is the most senior Chief Justice; Gujarat Chief Justice Vikram Nath; Sikkim Chief Justice J.K. Maheshwari; Telangana Chief Justice Hima Kohli, who is also the only serving woman Chief Justice; Justice Nagarathna; Kerala High Court judge Justice C.T. Ravikumar; Madras High Court judge Justice M.M. Sundresh; Gujarat High Court judge Justice Bela M. Trivedi; and senior advocate P.S. Narasimha, in that order.
• The Collegium has for the first time, in one single resolution, recommended three women judges. It has thus sent a strong signal in favour of representation of women in the highest judiciary.
• It has also continued the recent trend to recommend direct appointments from the Supreme Court Bar to the Bench of the court.
• If the government approves the names, three of the nine – Chief Justice Nath and Justice Nagarathna and Mr. Narasimha would go on to be the CJIs.
• Mr. Narasimha, who had served as Additional Solicitor General, may become the ninth lawyer to be ever appointed directly as judge in the apex court.
• The top court currently has 10 vacancies. Judicial appointments to it have remained frozen since September 2019.

Reference: The Hindu

3. SC ALLOWS WOMEN CANDIDATES TO APPEAR FOR UPSC NDA EXAM

THE CONTEXT: The Supreme Court allowed the women candidates to take the National Defence Academy (NDA) exam scheduled for September 5. The apex court said that admissions will be subject to the final orders of the court.

ANALYSIS:

• The apex court further took upon the Army for not allowing women to take part in NDA exams. On Army’s submission that it’s a policy decision, the top court said that this policy decision is based on “gender discrimination”.
• As per the current eligibility criteria, candidates (male) who have cleared class 12 level or equivalent education were only eligible to apply. They should be at least 18 years of age to be eligible to apply for the job.
• After the court’s decision, it is expected that UPSC may soon define the new eligibility criteria and guidelines for admitting women candidates through the NDA exam. Those who clear the UPSC NDA exam are called for an SSB interview. On the final selection, candidates are recruited in the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force wings of the NDA, and for the Indian Naval Academy Course (INAC) for training.

Reference: Indian express

ENVIRONMENT, GEOGRAPHY AND AGRICULTURE

4. RATIFICATION OF KIGALI AMENDMENT THIRD OF INDIA’S

THE CONTEXT: Cabinet approves Ratification of Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer for phase down of Hydrofluorocarbons.

ANALYSIS:

• Under the Kigali Amendment; Parties to the Montreal Protocol will phase down production and consumption of Hydrofluorocarbons, commonly known as HFCs.
• Hydrofluorocarbons were introduced as non-ozone depleting alternative to Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). While HFCs do not deplete the stratospheric ozone layer, they have high global warming potential ranging from 12 to 14,000, which have adverse impact on climate.
• Recognizing the growth in use of HFCs, especially in Refrigeration and Air-conditioning sector the Parties to the Montreal Protocol, reached agreement at their 28th Meeting of the Parties (MOP) held in October 2016 in Kigali, Rwanda to add HFCs to the list of controlled substances and approved a timeline for their gradual reduction by 80-85 per cent by the late 2040s.
• India will complete its phase down of HFCs in 4 steps from 2032 onwards with cumulative reduction of 10% in 2032, 20% in 2037, 30% in 2042 and 80% in 2047.
• All amendments and adjustments of the Montreal Protocol, prior to the Kigali Amendment have Universal support.
• National strategy for phase down of Hydrofluorocarbons as per the applicable phase down schedule for India will be developed after required consultation with all the industry stakeholders by 2023.
• Amendments to the existing legislation framework, the Ozone Depleting Substances (Regulation and Control) Rules to allow appropriate control of the production and consumption of Hydrofluorocarbons to ensure compliance with the Kigali Amendment will be done by mid-2024

Reference: PIB

5. NATIONAL MISSION ON EDIBLE OILS – OIL PALM

THE CONTEXT: The Union Cabinet has given its approval to launch a new Mission on Oil palm to be known as the National Mission on Edible Oils – Oil Palm (NMEO-OP) as a new Centrally Sponsored Scheme with a special focus on the North east region and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

ANALYSIS:

• There are two major focus areas of the Scheme. The oil palm farmers produce Fresh Fruit Bunches (FFBs) from which oil is extracted by the industry. Presently the prices of these FFBs are linked to the international CPO prices fluctuations. For the first time, the Government of India will give a price assurance to the oil palm farmers for the FFBs. This will be known as the Viability Price (VP).
• This will protect the farmers from the fluctuations of the international CPO prices and protect him from the volatility. This VP shall be the annual average CPO price of the last 5 years adjusted with the wholesale price index to be multiplied by 14.3 %. This will be fixed yearly for the oil palm year from 1st November to 31st October. This assurance will inculcate confidence in the Indian oil palm farmers to go for increased area and thereby more production of palm oil.
• The second major focus of the scheme is to substantially increase the assistance of inputs/interventions. A substantial increase has been made for planting material for oil palm and this has increased from Rs 12,000 per ha to Rs.29000 per ha. Further substantial increase has been made for maintenance and inter-cropping interventions. A special assistance @ Rs 250 per plant is being given to replant old gardens for rejuvenation of old gardens.
• Further Special assistance will be provided for the North-East and the Andaman regions in which special provisions is being made for half moon terrace cultivation, bio fencing and land clearance along with integrated farming. For capital assistance to the industry, for the North East states and Andamans, a provision of Rs 5 core of 5 mt/hr unit with pro rata increase for higher capacity. This will attract the industry to these regions.

Reference: PIB

INTERNAL SECURITY

6. DISC 5.0

THE CONTEXT: Three years after the launch of Defence India Startup Challenge 1.0 (DISC), Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX), Defence Innovation Organisation (DIO), will launch DISC 5.0 in New Delhi on August 19, 2021.

ANALYSIS:

• iDEX provides a platform for different stakeholders in the defence & aerospace sectors, essentially acting as an umbrella organisation to oversee technology development and potential collaborations in the specific field.
• With initiatives such as DISC and Open Challenges, iDEX is able to utilise the strong science, technology and research talent base of the country to develop new capabilities in defence innovation.
• DISC 5.0 will have more challenges than the first four DISC editions taken together.
• The launch of DISC 5.0 will be a massive leap towards leveraging the startup ecosystem to develop India’s defence technologies, equipment design and manufacturing capabilities.
• These challenges will also encourage startups to become more attuned to innovative concepts and inculcate the approach of creative thinking in India’s budding entrepreneurs.

Reference: PIB

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

7. G7 MEETING ON AFGHAN CRISIS

THE CONTEXT: U.S. President Joe Biden spoke with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on August 17, 2021, on the situation in Afghanistan and they agreed to hold a virtual G7 leaders’ meeting next week to discuss a common strategy and approach.

ANALYSIS:

• The U.S. President and the British PM discuss humanitarian assistance and support for refugees.
• The United States and Western allies resumed evacuating diplomats and civilians , the day after scenes of chaos at Kabul airport as Afghans thronged the runway.
• As they rush to evacuate, foreign powers are assessing how to respond to the transformed situation on the ground after Afghan forces melted away in just days, with what many had predicted as the likely fast unravelling of women’s rights.

Reference: The Hindu

Q 1. Consider the following statements:
1. Kigali amendment is amendment done to Kyoto protocol in 2016.
2. It is about phasing out of hydrofluorocarbons (HFC).
3. HFCs are Green House Gases.
Which of the statements given above is/are incorrect?
a) 1 only
b) 1 and 2 only
c) 2 and 3 only
d) 3 only

ANSWER FOR AUGUST 18, 2021 PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS (REFER RELEVANT ARTICLE)

Q.1 Answer: b)
Explanation:

• Statement 1 is incorrect: It is launched by RBI.
• Statement 2 is correct: The index will be released in the month of July every year.
• Statement 3 is correct: The financial inclusion will be measured in a single value ranging between 0 and 100, where 0 represents complete financial exclusion and 100 indicates full financial inclusion.

Q.2 Answer a)

• The Odisha Forest and Environment Department is set to begin ‘Island Odyssey’ and ‘Hirakud Cruise’ ecotourism packages for tourists to islands inside the reservoir whenCOVID-19 restrictions are lifted.
• ‘Cattle Island’, one of three islands in the Hirakud reservoir .It has been selected as a sight-seeing destination.
• When large numbers of people were displaced from their villages when the Hirakud dam was constructed on the Mahanadi river in 1950s, villagers could not take their cattle with them.
• They left their cattle behind in deserted villages. As the area started to submerge following the dam’s construction, the cattle moved up to Bhujapahad, an elevated place in the Jharsuguda district.
• Subsequently named ‘Cattle Island’, the piece of land is surrounded by a vast sheet of water. The cattle show wild characteristics. They are not ferocious, but shy. If a person comes near, the animals just run away.

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