HEALTH ISSUES

1. LECANEMAB APPROVED FOR ALZHEIMER’S TREATMENT

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE- GS-II- HEALTH ISSUES

THE CONTEXT: The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved lecanemab, a monoclonal antibody developed by Eisai and Biogen, for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.

THE EXPLANATION:

• Lecanemab is the second drug to receive approval for the treatment of Alzheimer’s and the first to slow cognitive decline in a clinical trial. However, the approval process has been controversial, with patient deaths and accusations that the FDA acted improperly when approving the first such drug, aducanumab.

Alzheimer’s Disease

• Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive neurological disorder characterized by the accumulation of amyloid beta protein in the brain, leading to the formation of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles.
• These abnormalities cause damage and death to brain cells, leading to memory loss, cognitive decline, and behavioral changes. There is currently no cure for Alzheimer’s, and treatment options are limited to therapies that aim to slow the progression of the disease and improve symptoms.

Lecanemab

• Lecanemab is a monoclonal antibody that targets amyloid beta protein. By binding to and neutralizing this protein, lecanemab aims to reduce the formation of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in the brain. In a clinical trial involving 1,800 patients with early-stage Alzheimer’s, lecanemab slowed cognitive decline by 27% over 18 months of treatment.
• The drug is administered intravenously and is intended to be used in the early stages of Alzheimer’s to allow individuals to “have more time to participate in daily life and live independently,” according to Joanne Pike, President and CEO of the Alzheimer’s Association in Washington DC.

Approval Process

• Lecanemab received approval through the FDA’s “accelerated approval” pathway, which is reserved for therapies for diseases with few treatment options and does not require phase III clinical trial data.
• However, lecanemab was granted approval on the basis of phase II data, rather than the more comprehensive phase III data, which were published in November 2021. The phase III data showed that lecanemab slowed cognitive decline by 27% in a clinical trial involving 1,800 patients with early-stage Alzheimer’s. The phase II data showed that lecanemab reduced plaques in the brains of 856 patients, but did not assess the effect on cognitive abilities.

Controversy

• The approval of lecanemab has been controversial, with some questioning the decision to grant approval on the basis of phase II data and concerns about patient deaths. Three patients enrolled in the lecanemab phase III trial died during the extended phase of the trial, when patients receiving placebo can ask to be given the drug.
• The deaths were attributed to complications involving brain bleeding and seizures, and researchers suspect that the antibody may have weakened blood vessels in the brain as it attacked amyloid plaques. All of the patients were taking anticoagulant drugs at the time of their deaths, and the FDA has stated that lecanemab should not be used in patients taking these medications.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS

2. NEW UMBRELLA ENTITY (NUE) NETWORK

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE-GS-III- BANKING

THE CONTEXT: Recently, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is said to have put on hold licensing of the New Umbrella Entity (NUE) network, a fintech institution planned as a rival to the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).

THE EXPLANATION:

Six groupings, which included Facebook, Google, Amazon, Flipkart and others, had applied for NUE licences and all of them have fallen short of the RBI’s expectations.

What is New Umbrella Entity (NUE)?

• As envisaged by the RBI, an NUE will be a non-profit entity that will set up, manage and operate new payment systems, especially in the retail space such as ATMs, white-label PoS; Aadhaar-based payments and remittance services.
• The entity formed shall be a company incorporated in India under the Companies Act, 2013. Currently, the umbrella entity for providing retail payments systems is NPCI, which is a non-profit entity, owned by banks.
• Promoters: A promoter will hold at least 25% and up to 40% of the operator. Only those entities that are owned and controlled by Indian citizens with at least three years of experience in the payments segment can become promoters of NUEs.
• Foreign investment: Foreign companies can own a maximum of 25%, so are teaming up with local players.
• Capital required: According to the RBI guidelines, the entity will have minimum paid-up capital of Rs 500 crore, with no single promoter group holding over 40 per cent investment in the capital.
• Governance structure: The new entity will have to abide by corporate governance norms and the ‘fit and proper’ criteria for persons to be appointed to the board.

ENVIRONMENT- INFRASTRUCTURE

3. FLOATOVOLTAICS

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE-GS-III-ENVIRONMENT- ENERGY RESOURCES

THE CONTEXT: Covering 10% of the world’s hydropower reservoirs with ‘floatovoltaics’ would install electrical capacity equivalent to that provided by all electricity-generating fossil fuel plants in operation worldwide.

THE EXPLANATION:

• Floatovoltaics, floating solar plants, or FSPV (floating solar photovoltaic) are panel structures that are installed on water bodies like lakes, basins, and reservoirs instead of on solid structures like a roof or terraces.
• The biggest impetus behind the rise of large-scale FSPV has been that it doesn’t take up any land space, which could be then used for construction and agriculture.

The world’s first large-scale FSPV system was installed in 2011, in Napa Valley, California.

India:

• In recent years, floating solar power plants have become part of India’s plans of solar expansion.
• According to a 2020 study by TERI (The Energy and Resources Institute) reservoirs cover 18000 square Kilometer in India and can generate 280 GW through floating solar panels.
• Currently less than 1% of solar installations are floating.
• The largest floating solar power plant in India is currently the Ramagundam in Peddapalli district of Telangana, with a capacity of 100 MW.
• Currently a plant is being built on the Narmada’ Omkareshwar Dam in Khandwa, Madhya Pradesh is being built with a capacity of 600 MW, which will soon be the largest floating solar power plant in the world.

What are the benefits of floating solar panels?

• The water’s cooling effect makes them more efficient than land-based ones;
• They don’t interfere with desert ecosystems; and
• They keep precious water from evaporating.
• Even though reservoirs are artificial ecosystems, they provide habitats for wildlife.

GOVERNMENT SCHEMES IN NEWS

4. ‘SPRINT’ INITIATIVE

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE- GOVERNMENT SCHEMES

THE CONTEXT: The Indian Navy has recently announced a collaboration with Sagar Defence Engineering Private Limited for the development of armed autonomous boat swarms as part of the “SPRINT” initiative.

THE EXPLANATION:

• It was launched by Prime Minister in July 2022, SPRINT (Supporting Pole-Vaulting in R&D through Innovations for Defence Excellence) aims to promote the development and usage of indigenous defense technologies by domestic companies. The task of developing this technology is one of the 75 challenges introduced by the Indian Navy under the “Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav” celebrations.

India’s First Armed Autonomous Unmanned Boat

• Sagar Defence Engineering has stated that it possesses the know-how to develop India’s first armed autonomous unmanned boat with swarming capabilities. According to the company, the platform will be able to conduct a variety of navy and security tasks, including high-speed interdiction, surveillance, constabulary operations, and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance.

Indian Navy Plans to Order 12 Systems

• The collaboration with Sagar Defence Engineering is the 50th contract signed under the SPRINT initiative, and the Indian Navy plans to place an order for 12 systems once the construction of the weaponized autonomous unmanned boat is completed. The agreement is part of the Defense India Start-up Challenge (DISC 7) SPRINT initiative.

SPRINT Initiative Aims to Induct 75 New Technologies by 2023

• As part of the “Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav” celebrations and in an effort to achieve self-reliance in defense, the Naval Innovation and Indigenisation Organisation (NIIO) aims to induct at least 75 new indigenous technologies/products into the Indian Navy through the SPRINT initiative.
• In March 2022, the Indian Navy also signed a memorandum of understanding for a knowledge partnership with BharatShakti.in and the Society for Indigenous Defence Manufacturing (SIDM) as a step towards encouraging innovation and self-reliance in defense in the country.

PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

5. PARSHURAM KUND FESTIVAL

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

THE CONTEXT: Recently, the Arunachal Pradesh government informed that Parshuram Kund Festival (PKF), is to be celebrated from 12 to 16 January 2023.

THE EXPLANATION:

About Parshuram Kund Festival:

• It is a Hindu pilgrimage site situated on the Brahmaputra plateau in the lower reaches of the Lohit River and 21 km north of Tezu in the Lohit district of Arunachal Pradesh, India.
• Devotees and sadhus take a holy dip in its water each year on the occasion of Makar Sankranti, in January.
• It is also known as the Kumbh of the Northeast.
• Religious significance: It is dedicated to a mythological figure sage Parshuram. This popular festival attracts pilgrims from Nepal, from across India, and from nearby states of Manipur and Assam.
• The project “Development of Parasuram Kund is sanctioned under the Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual, Heritage Augmentation Drive’ (PRASHAD) Scheme of the Ministry of Tourism.

1. Freedom of speech misused to peddle hate READ MORE
2. Aggregative, derivative, creative: Generative AI and human creativity READ MORE

1. That sinking feeling: Politicians & people ignored geological facts of Joshimath, and now it is fire-fighting mode READ MORE
2. Draconian, Toothless~II READ MORE
3. How increasing tourism in Antarctica threatens its unique ecosystems READ MORE

1. Avoid further delay in conducting the Census READ MORE
2. Gender equitable world by 2030 is a distant dream READ MORE

1. UGC guidelines on foreign universities: The University Gimmicks Commission READ MORE
2. The superbugs are here – and they are resistant to antibiotics READ MORE
3. Driving to despair: Poor maintenance, poor policing, poor traffic rules enforcement, too much wrong with India’s roads READ MORE
4. Store data responsibly, not necessarily locally READ MORE
5. Democracy not synonymous with `reasonable nexus’ or `good intentions’ READ MORE
6. Dissecting the demonetisation verdict READ MORE

(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

1. World’s longest river cruise ‘Ganga Vilas’ to unlock River Cruise tourism in India: Shri Sarbananda Sonowal READ MORE  
2. IISER Pune’s new material removes pollutants from water READ MORE
3. Bird species count up in Deepor Beel, Assam’s lone Ramsar site READ MORE
4. Indian Navy signs contract for autonomous armed boat swarms under SPRINT scheme READ MORE
5. Roots connect a Meghalaya village READ MORE
6. Green Bonds out Jan 25: What they are, what they mean for investors, environment READ MORE
7. What should the government do to correct the worsening nutrient imbalance from over-application of urea and DAP READ MORE
8. New investment proposals up 71% in 2022 as economy strengthens READ MORE

Main Exam

GS Paper- 1

1. That sinking feeling: Politicians & people ignored geological facts of Joshimath, and now it is fire-fighting mode READ MORE

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. UGC guidelines on foreign universities: The University Gimmicks Commission READ MORE
2. The superbugs are here – and they are resistant to antibiotics READ MORE
3. Driving to despair: Poor maintenance, poor policing, poor traffic rules enforcement, too much wrong with India’s roads READ MORE
4. Store data responsibly, not necessarily locally READ MORE
5. Democracy not synonymous with `reasonable nexus’ or `good intentions’ READ MORE
6. Dissecting the demonetisation verdict READ MORE

SOCIAL ISSUES

1. Avoid further delay in conducting the Census READ MORE
2. Gender equitable world by 2030 is a distant dream READ MORE

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. Explained | The escalation on the India-China border READ MORE
2. G20 & the politics of optics READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. Gig jobs, green jobs … How output and employment are bucking the global contraction in India READ MORE
2. RBI’s compliance audit of NBFCs will be challenging READ MORE
3. Fiscal focus: Govt must aim for faster consolidation READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

1. Draconian, Toothless~II READ MORE
2. How increasing tourism in Antarctica threatens its unique ecosystems READ MORE

SECURITY

1. China cyberwar: Beijing’s dominance in IoT & smart technology & vulnerabilities for India READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. Freedom of speech misused to peddle hate READ MORE
2. Aggregative, derivative, creative: Generative AI and human creativity READ MORE

Questions for the MAIN exam

1. ‘A nation that wants to emerge as an economic power and a political force on the world stage ought to have a more responsive and imaginative administration’. Comment on the statement in light of the recent sinking crisis in Joshimath.
2. ‘A flawed process led to an erroneous policy which is counterproductive and which resulted in not only damage to democracy but to huge adverse impact on the public, especially the poor’. Critically analyse the statement in light of recent judgement on demonetization.

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

• Attitude is greatly shaped by influence and association.
• The Census alone can provide population data for every village and town, data for the delimitation of constituencies and for determining the quantum of reservation, and validate or reject estimates.
• The first Census after 2026 would be used for delimitation of parliamentary and Assembly constituencies and for apportionment of parliamentary seats among the States. Due to the disparity in growth rates between the States, there could be changes in the distribution of seats in Parliament.
• Anti-microbial resistance is an impending health catastrophe and requires a multi-disciplinary approach and investment in R&D.
• India’s fundamentals remain strong even when the world is facing economic turbulence caused by a devastating public health crisis and geopolitical complexities.
• Data localisation calls for building a demanding infrastructure, rather than mandating a requirement to store data locally.
• A nation that wants to emerge as an economic power and a political force on the world stage ought to have a more responsive and imaginative administration.
• The industry, with the motive of cashing in on its profits the maximum, wants the Government to bear the expenses that it should ideally have done itself
• A lot of challenges might make diversity a difficult task to include in clinical trials, but there are many ways through which diversity can be promoted and provide benefits to all sections of society.
• Diversity is necessary for clinical research, because it secures the results that constitute all the groups of people in the world. The generalisation of the result is important, and ethical, and should be able to find the different ways in which treatment might affect the people of all groups.
• Greater ambition in terms of fiscal consolidation will pay dividends in the medium-term future. It will reduce inflationary pressure, increase the space for private investment, and induce economic growth dynamism. Policymakers in the finance ministry should not miss this opportunity.
• Global efforts must counter such regressive trends in policy framework and implementation process by involving multiple actors from community leaders and civil society to governments.
• Even as democratic Europe confronts the strategic fallout and human distress caused by Russia’s warmongering, it should step up its economic contribution to the well-being of Asia – and the rest of the developing world.
• A flawed process led to erroneous policy which is counterproductive and which resulted in not only damage to democracy but to huge adverse impact on the public, especially the poor.

50-WORD TALK

• Ministers are not ordinary citizens; people elect them to unimaginable and uncontrollable power; they dominate our collective lives and manipulate multitudes. As far as the holders of a public office are concerned, there is no right to privacy. One call to violence in the public domain by someone who belongs to the ruling party wipes out scores of lives. We saw this happen in February 2020 when communal riots shook northeast Delhi.

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 the news, you should do map work (marking those areas in maps and 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.

THE CONTEXT: In the recent times the monsoons in India have been accompanied by the intensive cyclones. These tropical cyclones of category 2 and 3 have wind speeds between 150 and 250 kilometres per hour. The phenomenon is rare during the monsoons, but weather experts warn that such events could become normal monsoon phenomena in coming years.

RECENT CYCLONES ON INDIA’S COAST

NAME – FORMED IN – MAX WIND SPEED

Cyclone Asani (May 2022) – Bay of Bengal – 119 km/h
Cyclone Jawad (December 2021) – Bay of Bengal – 65 km/h
Cyclone Gulaab (September 2021) – Bay of Bengal – 130 km/h
Cyclone Tauktae (May 2021) – Arabian Sea – 220 km/h
Cyclone Yaas (May 2021) – Bay of Bengal – 119 km/h
Cyclone Nisarga (June 2020) – Arabian Sea – 111 km/h
Cyclone Amphan (May 2020) – Bay of Bengal – 241 km/h

TROPICAL CYCLONES IN INDIA

Tropical cyclones originate over the Bay of Bengal, Arabian Sea and the Indian ocean. These tropical cyclones have very high wind velocity and heavy rainfall and hit the Indian Coastal states of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Odisha and Gujarat (These five states are more vulnerable to cyclone disasters than others in India). High wind velocity and torrential rains make these cyclones highly destructive.

Elements associated with cyclones which cause destruction:

• Strong Winds/Squall: It damages installations, dwellings, communications systems, trees etc., resulting in loss of life and property.
• Torrential rains and inland flooding: Heavy rainfall is usually spread over a wide area and causes large scale soil erosion and weakening of embankments. It also brings loss of live and property to the people.
• Storm Surge: It is an abnormal rise of sea level near the coast caused by a severe tropical cyclone. Due to storm surges, sea water inundates low lying areas of coastal regions affecting human beings and livestock, causing erosion on the beaches etc.

CLIMATE CHANGE AND TROPICAL CYCLONES

• Climate change will have opposite effects on the frequency of strong tropical cyclones along the western and eastern coasts of India by 2050. The frequency will reduce in the Bay of Bengal, traditionally known for its powerful storms, while it will increase in the Arabian Sea.
• However, tropical storms that used to be formed more towards the open waters of the Bay of Bengal are likely to form in regions that lie relatively closer to the Indian and Sri Lankan coasts in the future, due to climate change. This shift is likely to cause the cyclones to make landfall sooner, shortening the time needed to intensify into Category 3 or Category 4 tropical cyclones and eastern coastal states are likely to see less intensive cyclones in the future compared to the last three decades.
• On the other hand, cyclones originating in the Arabian Sea are likely to witness the opposite effect, i.e. they are more likely to be intense.
• Microclimatic changes triggered by local climate change drivers are also contributing towards the intense cyclones. Changes include land-use-surface change, deforestation, encroachments upon wetlands and water bodies, which are contributing to this change.These factors are contributing to excessive heating of land areas. This heat is further pulled into the ocean, which is in excess of the heating of oceans due to global warming. It intensifies storms into cyclones.

MORE CYCLONES IN THE ARABIAN SEA IN THE RECENT PAST

• Sea surface temperatures in the Arabian Sea have increased rapidly during the past century due to global warming. Temp. now is 1.2–1.4 °C higher than the temperature witnessed four decades ago. These warmer temperatures support active convection, heavy rainfall, and intense cyclones. The rising temperature is also enabling the Arabian Sea to supply ample energy for the intensification of cyclones. Currently, seawater up to depths of 50 metres has been very warm that allowed Cyclone tauktae to become intense.
• Greater occurrence of El Niño Modoki. It is a climate phenomenon that means ‘pseudo El Niño’ and creates conditions that are not conducive for cyclogenesis in the Bay of Bengal. However, this condition is conducive for the formation of cyclones in the Arabian Sea. (El Nino is associated with suppressing cyclone formation in the Arabian Sea.)

THE ANALYSIS: ARE CYCLONES DURING THE MONSOON ARE THE NEW NORMAL?

• Ocean warming due to climate change is increasing the chances of cyclone formation in the Indian seas, close to the monsoon onset and withdrawal periods. However, it is hard to say yet that such cyclones are normal during the monsoons, and data from a longer period will have to be observed to see if the cyclone occurrences in monsoon become a new phenomenon.
• Scientists are of the opinion to wait at least four years more and observe the changes, but given the climate change scenario, it is likely that cyclones in monsoon could become a new normal.

Mains Practice Questions:

1. India has been witnessing more number of cyclones during the monsoon season for the past few years. Elaborate on the reasons for the same?
2. Climate change is having the opposite effect on the intensity and frequency of cyclones in the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal. Substantiate.

BACK TO BASICS

Cyclones are rapid inward air circulation around a low-pressure area. The air circulates in an anticlockwise direction in the Northern hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern hemisphere. The word Cyclone is derived from the Greek word Cyclos meaning the coils of a snake coined by Henry Paddington as the tropical storms in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea appear like coiled serpents.

FACTORS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FORMATION AND INTENSIFICATION OF TROPICAL CYCLONES:

• Large sea surface with temperature higher than 27° C.
• Presence of the Coriolis force.
• Small variations in the vertical wind speed.
• A pre-existing weak low- pressure area or low-level-cyclonic circulation.
• Upper divergence above the sea level system.

COMPARISON OF TROPICAL AND EXTRA-TROPICAL CYCLONES:

Basis – Tropical Cyclone – Extra-tropical Cyclone

Characteristics

• A low-pressure centre
• A closed low-level atmospheric circulation
• Strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain.

• A large scale low-pressure weather systems that occur in the middle latitudes of the Earth.

Formation

• It gets intensified over warm tropical oceans and required temperature higher than 27° C.
• Presence of the Coriolis force, small variations in the vertical wind speed, a pre-existing weak low- pressure area or low-level-cyclonic circulation and upper divergent above the sea level system.

• It gets intensified any part of extratropical regions of the Earth (usually between 30° and 60° latitude from the equator), either through cyclogenesis or extratropical transition.

Movement

• It moves from east to west.

• It moves from west to east.

Nature of Cyclone

• Violent storms

• Static, not violent

Type

• Warm Core

• Cold Core

TROPICAL CYCLONE DISTRIBUTION AROUND THE WORLD:

CYCLONE PRONE REGIONS IN INDIA:

COLOR CODED WEATHER WARNING: Issued by the IMD, its objective is to alert people ahead of severe or hazardous weather event which has the potential to cause damage, widespread disruption or loss of life and property. Warnings are updated daily. The IMD uses 4 colour codes are:

• Green (All is well): No advisory is issued.
• Yellow (Be Aware): Yellow indicates severely bad weather spanning across several days. It also suggests that the weather could change for the worse, causing disruption in day-to-day activities.
• Orange/Amber (Be prepared): The orange alert is issued as a warning of extremely bad weather with the potential of disruption in commute with road and rail closures, and interruption of power supply.
• Red (Take Action): When the extremely bad weather conditions are certainly going to disrupt travel and power and have significant risk to life, the red alert is issued.

WHY EASTERN COAST OF INDIA IS MORE VULNERABLE TO CYCLONES:

With a coastline of 7517 km, India is exposed to nearly 10 per cent of the world’s tropical cyclones. Although cyclones affect the entire coast of India, the eastern coast is significantly more prone to cyclones as compared to the western coast.
According to National Cyclone Risk Mitigation Project (NCRMP) data, about 58 percent of the cyclones that are formed in the Bay of Bengal hit and cross the eastern coast while only 25 percent of the cyclones developing in the Arabian Sea are seen approaching the western coast of India.

Reasons for more number of cyclones in the Bay of Bengal:

• Since sea surface temperatures and humidity both directly correlate with chances of cyclone formation, the Bay of Bengal is a more likely target because it gets higher rainfall. The sluggish winds around it keep temperatures relatively high: about 28 degrees around the year. Warm air currents enhance this surface temperature and aid the formation of cyclones.
• In addition, the Bay receives higher rainfall and constant inflow of freshwater from the Ganga and Brahmaputra rivers. This means that the Bay’s surface water keeps getting refreshed, making it impossible for the warm water to mix with the cooler water below, making it ideal for depression. On the other hand, the Arabian Sea receives stronger winds that help dissipate the heat, and the lack of constant freshwater supply helps the warm water mix with the cool water, reducing the temperature.
• But not all cyclones are formed in the Bay of Bengal. The basin is also host to cyclones formed elsewhere but move towards the water body, especially those formed in the Pacific Ocean. Cyclones usually weaken if they encounter a large landmass. However, due to the lack of any such presence between the Pacific and the Bay, cyclonic winds easily move into the Bay of Bengal. Once here, the winds encounter the Western Ghats and the Himalayas, either becoming weak or getting blocked in the Bay but never reaching the Arabian Sea.

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