ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

1. SUHELWA WILDLIFE SANCTUARY

TAGS: GS-III-ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: In the recently released report on the tiger census in the country, it is said that Suhelwa Wildlife Sanctuary is a new area where photographic evidence of tigers has been recorded for the first time.

THE EXPLANATION:

• Located in Shravasti, Balrampur and Gonda districts of Uttar Pradesh, Suhelwa was declared a Wildlife Sanctuary in 1988
• Occupying an area of 452 sq km, the sanctuary is covered with Sal, Sheesham, Khair, Sagaun (Teak), Asna, Jamun, Haldu, Phaldu, Dhamina, Jhingan and Bahera trees. The fauna found in the sanctuary includes Leopard, Tiger, Bear, Wildcat, Wild Boar and various birds.
• Sohelwa Wild Life Division is situated on the Indo-Nepal International Border.
• Fauna:Different types of mammals are found here viz. Leopard, Bear, Wolf, Hyena, Jackal, Wild Boar, Sambhar, Spotted Deer, Neelgaya, Barking Deer along with Monkeys of different types.
• Flora:In this Wild Life Sanctuary the main tree species are Sal, Asna, Khair, Teak etc. With these speciese Black Sheesham, Jamun, Haldu, Faldu, Zigna, Harra, Bahera, Rohani are other important species. The Sanctuary area is very rich in medicinal plants.

2. THE INTERNATIONAL BIG CATS ALLIANCE

THE CONTEXT: The Prime Minister of India recently launched the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) during an event commemorating 50 years of Project Tiger in Mysuru, Karnataka.

Aims and Objectives:

• The IBCA aims to conserve the planet’s seven big cats: Tiger, Lion, Leopard, Snow Leopard, Cheetah, Jaguar, and Puma.
• India has extensive experience in big cat conservation, from the ongoing efforts for tigers, lions, snow leopards, and leopards to the recent translocation of the Cheetah to restore this extinct species to its natural habitat.
• The Alliance will expand its reach to 97 range countries, covering the natural habitats of these big cats, and strengthen global cooperation and efforts for their conservation.
• Big Cats as Mascots for Sustainable Development: The big cats can serve as mascots for sustainable development and livelihood security. Through the IBCA, India and other big cat range countries can promote environmental resilience and climate change mitigation.

Significance:

• The importance of conserving big cats and their habitats could secure crucial natural ecosystems, provide water and food security for millions, and support the livelihoods of forest communities.
• The Alliance will enhance global efforts and partnerships on big cat conservation while creating a platform for knowledge convergence, best practices, and support for existing species-specific intergovernmental platforms. It will also provide direct assistance to recovery efforts in potential range habitats.
• The initiative aims to ensure natural ecosystems continue to thrive and become central to economic and development policies in the “Amrit Kaal.”

The Seven Big Cats:

TIGER(PANTHERA TIGRIS)

SIZE:75-300 KG | STATUS: ENDANGERED

Tiger is the largest living cat species and a member of the genus Panthera.It is most recognisable for its dark vertical stripes on orange fur with a white underside. An apex predator, it primarily preys on ungulates, such as deer and wild boar. Tigers are the largest cat species and is both flagship and Umbrella species. It is the national animal of India, Bangladesh, Malaysia, and South Korea.

LION (PANTHERA LEO)

SIZE: 100-250 KG | STATUS: VULNERABLE

Native to Africa and Asia, the lion is the most social cat, and lives in groups called ‘prides”. They prefer open forests such as males have a prominent mane. The widely recognised of animal symbols-from the pillar of Ashoka to the main entrance of Buckingham Palace.

CHEETAH (ACINONYXJUBATUS)

SIZE:20-70 KG|STATUS: VULNERABLE

The fastest land mammal and it is the only cat without retractable claws-the grip helps it accelerate faster than a sports car (0-100km/hr in 3 secs). They are not aggressive towards humans; they have been tamed since the Sumerian era. They don’t breed well in captivity-females play hard to get. Cheetahs are not big; they hunt during the day to avoid competing with other big cats.

JAGUAR (PANTHERA ONCA)

SIZE: 50-110 KG | STATUS: NEAR THREATENED

The largest cat in the America’s, the jaguar has the strongest bite the leopard was force of all wild cats, enabling it to bite wild cats and the most scrubland, and adult directly through the all animals” for its “grace cannot roar, and has the skull of its prey. Melanistic(black) animal, its range is the lion is among the most jaguars are common, most adaptable of all big for balance while hunt- and are often called black panthers. Jaguar was a powerful motif in the Mayan civilisations.

COUGAR (PUMA CONCOLOR)

SIZE:40-100 KG | STATUS:LEAST CONCERN

The Cougar is the second-largest cat in the Americas: jaguar is largest. Cougars are also called mountain lion/panther across their range from the Canadian Yukon to Southern Andes.

LEOPARD (PANTHERA PARDUS)

SIZE:30-90KG | STATUS: VULNERABLE

Leopards are similar in appearance to the jaguar with a rosette patterned coat, described by Jim Corbett as “the most beautiful of movement and beauty of colouring”. The cats, they occupy diverse habitats at all altitudes across Africa and Asia. Like black jaguars. melanistic leopards are called black panthers.

SNOW LEOPARD (PANTHERA UNCIA)

SIZE:25-55KG | STATUS: VULNERABLE

Snow Leopards known as Ghost of the mountains. This Smokey-grey cat lives above the snow line in Central and South Asia. The most elusive of big cats, it longest tail of all which comes in handy for balance while hunting along cliffs, and also gives warmth when wrapped around the body. The snow leopard is the state animal of Ladakh and Himachal.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

3. RAMAN SPECTROSCOPY

TAGS: GS-III-SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: Recently, Scientists have developed a new low-cost substrate that can increase the sensitivity of Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) — a vital analytical and sensing tool for detecting molecules. It can aid rapid detection of toxic pollutants present in water, food, etc.

THE EXPLANATION:

• Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) has emerged as a vital analytical and sensing tool for detecting molecules. When molecules near the noble metal nanoparticles of gold, silver, platinum, etc., their Raman signals will substantially increase, which can help detect trace amounts of analyte molecules.
• However, as noble metals are expensive, have poor uniformity, and cannot be reused, there is a quest for alternative SERS active substrates involving non-noble metals. In this regard, semiconductor oxides have emerged as promising materials for the fabrication of SERS substrates.

What is Raman Spectroscopy?

• Raman Spectroscopy is a non-destructive chemical analysis technique which provides detailed information about chemical structure, phase and polymorphy, crystallinity and molecular interactions. It is based upon the interaction of light with the chemical bonds within a material.
• Raman is a light scattering technique, whereby a molecule scatters incident light from a high intensity laser light source. Most of the scattered light is at the same wavelength (or color) as the laser source and does not provide useful information – this is called Rayleigh Scatter.
• However a small amount of light (typically 0.0000001%) is scattered at different wavelengths (or colors), which depend on the chemical structure of the analyte – this is called Raman Scatter.

4. JUICE MISSION

THE CONTEXT: The JUpiter ICy moons Explorer (JUICE) is a mission by the European Space Agency (ESA) set to launch on April 13, 2023, from the European Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.

THE EXPLANATION:

Science Goals of JUICE

• The primary focus of JUICE’s science goals is the Jupiter system, with a particular emphasis on Ganymede as a planetary body and potential habitat.
• The mission objectives for Ganymede include the characterization of the ocean layers and detection of putative subsurface water reservoirs, topographical, geological, and compositional mapping of the surface, studying the physical properties of the icy crusts, characterizing the internal mass distribution, dynamics, and evolution of the interiors, investigating the exosphere, and studying Ganymede’s intrinsic magnetic field and its interactions with the Jovian magnetosphere.
• JUICE’s investigations on Europa will be focusing on the chemistry essential to life, including organic molecules. It will help in the understanding the formation of surface features and the composition of non-water-ice material.

Mission Profile and Launch Details

• After launch, JUICE will take 7 to 8 years to reach Jupiter, utilizing Earth and Venus gravity assists. During the journey, the spacecraft will undergo multiple tests to ensure it can withstand the harsh conditions of space.
• Upon arrival at Jupiter in 2031, JUICE will flyby Ganymede and Callisto to optimize its orbit around Jupiter. These flybys will also include a flyby of Europa. After studying Jupiter and its moons, JUICE will enter a highly elliptical orbit around Ganymede, which will evolve to a 5000 km circular orbit, and will then be lowered into a 500 km circular orbit. After it maps and conducts other investigations at this altitude, it will move to a 200 km circular orbit.
• The nominal mission length for JUICE is about 3 years, with the possibility of an extension of 200 or more days. It will conclude with an impact on the Ganymede’s surface.

PRELIMS PERSPECTIVES

5. INTERNATIONAL PRIZE IN STATISTICS 2023

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVES

THE CONTEXT: The Indian-American statistician Calyampudi Radhakrishna Rao has been awarded the 2023 International Prize in Statistics, which is statistics’ equivalent of the Nobel Prize.

THE EXPLANATION:

• Rao, who is now 102 years old, is a ‘living legend’ whose work has influenced, in the words of the American Statistical Association, “not just statistics” but also “economics, genetics, anthropology, geology, national planning, demography, biometry, and medicine”.

About the Prize:

• The International Prize in Statistics is awarded every two years to an individual or team “for major achievements using statistics to advance science, technology and human welfare”. The International Prize in Statistics, along with the COPSS Presidents’ Award, are the two highest honours in the field of Statistics.
• The prize is modelled after the Nobel prizes, Abel Prize, Fields Medal and Turing Award and comes with a monetary award of $80,000. The award ceremony takes place during the World Statistics Congress.

The prize recognizes a single work or body of work, representing a powerful and original idea that had an impact in other disciplines or a practical effect on the world. The recipient must be alive when the prize is awarded.

Organisation:

The prize is awarded by the International Prize in Statistics Foundation, which comprises representatives of the following major learned societies:

1. American Statistical Association
2. International Biometric Society
3. Institute of Mathematical Statistics
4. International Statistical Institute
5. Royal Statistical Society

In addition to recognizing the contributions of a statistician, the Foundation also aims at educating the public about statistical innovations and their impact on the world and gaining wider recognition for the field.

[WpProQuiz 460]

THE CONTEXT: Recently, a five-judge bench of the Supreme Court unanimously ruled that a high-power committee consisting of the Prime Minister, Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, and the Chief Justice of India must pick the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and Election Commissioners (ECs). The following article attempts to analyse this judgment and its implications from the UPSC exam perspective.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS OF THE JUDGEMENT

• The Supreme Court (SC) recently ruled that the Constituent Assembly (CA) had intended for elections to be conducted by an independent commission, as evidenced by their debates on the appointment of the Election Commission of India (ECI).
• The addition of the phrase “subject to the provisions of any law made in that behalf by Parliament” indicates that the CA also anticipated parliamentary norms governing the appointment process.
• Although the Court typically does not interfere with legislative powers, the Constitution’s context and the legislature’s inaction created a need for intervention.
• Regarding the removal process for the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and Election Commissioners (ECs), the Court determined that the CEC holds a unique position and cannot be subject to the same removal process as the ECs, as article 324 becomes inoperative without the CEC.
• The Court left it up to the government to decide whether to fund the EC, establish a permanent secretariat, and charge related expenditures to the Consolidated Fund of India.

GOI’S STAND

• The government contended that without a law from Parliament, the President holds the constitutional authority and requested that the Court should exhibit judicial restraint.
• The Supreme Court’s decision on the appointment of the Election Commission of India raises concerns about the separation of powers because the Constitution gives Parliament the authority to make laws on the matter.

SC’S REPLY

• The Court acknowledged that its ruling is subject to any future laws enacted by Parliament, which could potentially overturn it.
• An alternate perspective is that since there is currently no law governing the issue, the Court must intervene to fill the resulting constitutional vacuum.

WHAT LED THE SUPREME COURT TO DIRECT REFORMS IN ECI’S APPOINTMENTS?

• The decision by the Supreme court comes amid allegations that election commission seemed to function with prejudice for the ruling party at the Centre, considering they were the one who brought the commissioner to power.
• The public interest petitions sought a law governing the appointment of the CEC and ECs. A first PIL was filed in 2015, and the Supreme Court agreed to hear a second PIL on the issue filed in 2018 by Delhi BJP leader Ashwini Upadhyaya.
• In 2015, a public interest litigation was filed by Anoop Baranwal challenging the constitutional validity of the practice of the Centre appointing members of the Election Commission.
• In October 2018, a two-judge bench of the SC referred the case to a larger bench since it would require a close examination of Article 324 of the Constitution, which deals with the mandate of the Chief Election Commissioner.
• In September 2022, a five-judge Constitution bench headed by Justice KM Joseph began hearing the case and almost a month later, the verdict was reserved.
• While hearing the plea in November, 2022, the apex court had noted that the appointment of Arun Goel as EC had been carried out with “lightning speed”, with the procedure taking less than 24 hours on November 18, 2022, from start to finish.

BASIS OF JUDICIAL INTERVENTION

• Absence of law: The crux of the challenge is that since Parliament makes no law on this issue.
• Urge for judicial intervention: The Court must step in to fill the constitutional vacuum, urges the PIL.
• Question of executive non-interference: This examination also leads to the larger question of separation of powers and if the judiciary is overstepping its role in filling this gap in the law.

STRUCTURE OF ECI

• The Election Commission of India consists of a Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and two Election Commissioners (ECs).
• The CEC is the head of the Commission and has a higher status than the ECs. All decisions of the Commission are taken by a majority vote, with the CEC having the casting vote in case of a tie.
• According to Article 324, the Election Commission shall consist of the CEC and such number of other election commissioners, if any, as the President may from time-to-time fix.

Babasaheb Ambedkar had in 1949 said, “the whole election machinery should be in the hands of a Central Election Commission, which alone would be entitled to issue directives to returning officers, polling officers and others”.

CONSTITUTIONAL PROCEDURES FOR APPOINTMENTS AND REMOVALS IN ECI

APPOINTMENT

• Article 324(2): The appointment of the CEC and other Election Commissioners shall be made by the President, subject to the provisions of any law made in that behalf by Parliament.
• The Law Minister suggests a pool of suitable candidates to the Prime Minister for consideration.
• The President makes the appointment on the advice of the PM.

TENURE

• The President appoints Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners.
• They have tenure of six years, or up to the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier.
• They enjoy the same status and receive salary and perks as available to Judges of the Supreme Court of India.
• All Election Commissioners have equal say in the decision making of the Commission.

REMOVAL

• The Chief Election Commissioner can be removed from his office in the same manner and on same grounds as a judge of the Supreme Court.
• In other words, he can be removed by the President on the basis of a resolution passed to that effect by both the Houses of Parliament with special majority, either on the ground of proved misbehavior or incapacity.
• Thus, he does not hold his office till the pleasure of the President, though he is appointed by him.
• Any other election commissioner or a regional commissioner cannot be removed from office except on the recommendation of the chief election commissioner.

SERVICE CONDITIONS OF CECS PRESENTLY

• Currently, the service conditions of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) are governed by the Election Commission (Conditions of Service of Election Commissioners and Transaction of Business) Act, 1991.
• As per this act, the CEC is entitled to a salary equal to that of a Supreme Court judge, along with other allowances and benefits. The CEC also has a government-provided residence and office.

ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT AND AGAINST OF SUPREME COURT RULING

ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT OF SC’S RULING

• Promoting transparency in appointments: The Supreme Court (SC) of India ordered reforms in the appointments of the Election Commission of India (ECI) because it found that the current process lacked transparency and was prone to political influence.

o   There was no independent mechanism for the selection and appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and Election Commissioners (ECs), as the government held a dominant role in the process.

• Upholding Constitutional principles: This lack of independence and transparency in the appointment process was deemed to be a violation of the principles of democracy and the Constitution of India.
• Eliminating Arbitrary appointments: Furthermore, there were no fixed criteria or qualifications for the appointment of CECs and ECs. This led to arbitrary appointments on many occasions which overlooked merit and credibility.
• Question of non-partisanship:ECI failed on many occasions to use its powers effectively, because ECs are the appointees of the government of the day and not through an independent process of collegium.

         o   The SC’s decision will end the single party influence, essential to a democracy, where voting is the be-all and say-all of a functioning governance.

• Affirmative step: Various entities from the opposition and civil societies are affirmative for the decision claiming that insulating EC from Government influence & dependence will secure the integrity of the electoral process.
• Clear rules of removal and tenure: Also, the lack of a clear and defined process for the removal of CECs and ECs was found to be a significant flaw in the system. The Supreme Court has now said that the process of removing an EC should be the same as that for the CEC.

ARGUMENTS AGAINST SC’S RULING

• Violation of Separation of Powers: The ruling has been criticized for violating the principle of separation of powers, which stipulates that each branch of government should operate independently without encroaching on the jurisdiction of others.

         o   The government has argued that the appointment of Election Commissioners falls within the purview of the legislature and that the judiciary should not interfere with this domain.

• Judicial Overreach: Critics have argued that the Supreme Court has overstepped its authority by prescribing a new appointment process for Election Commissioners.

        o   The Constitution gives the power to appoint Election Commissioners to the President of India, who acts on the advice of the Council of Ministers. Any changes to this process should be made by the legislature and not the judiciary.

• Potential for Political Interference: Critics have argued that the new appointment process prescribed by the Supreme Court could lead to increased political interference.

         o   They argue that the proposed collegium system for selecting Election Commissioners, consisting of the Prime Minister, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, and Chief Justice of India, could be subject to political influence and bias.

IMPORTANCE OF ELECTION COMMISSION OF INDIA (ECI) IN INDIAN DEMOCRACY

The Election Commission of India (ECI) plays a critical role in India’s democratic system. It is responsible for overseeing the conduct of elections, both at the national and state levels. The importance of the ECI for India can be understood in the following ways:

• Ensuring Free and Fair Elections: The ECI’s primary role is to conduct free and fair elections in the country. It is responsible for preparing and updating the electoral roll, supervising the conduct of elections, and ensuring that electoral laws and regulations are followed.
• Preserving the Integrity of the Electoral Process: The ECI plays a crucial role in preserving the integrity of the electoral process in India. It ensures that all eligible citizens are given the opportunity to vote, that their votes are counted accurately, and that the results are declared in a transparent and impartial manner.
• Protecting Democratic Values: The ECI is responsible for protecting the democratic values enshrined in the Indian Constitution. It ensures that the right to vote is protected, and that the election process is free from coercion, corruption, or other illegal practices.
• Upholding the Sovereignty of the Indian Constitution: The ECI upholds the sovereignty of the Indian Constitution by ensuring that the election process is conducted in a manner consistent with the constitutional principles of democracy, equality, and justice.

THE WAY FORWARD:

• Overcoming several issues through a transparent ECI: SC’s ruling has potential to carve out a more independent and transparent ECI. Such an independent and credible ECI should seriously address the several ills seen to be plaguing India’s electoral system, such as:

         o   allegations of selective culling of the electoral rolls;

      o   EVM voting often not complying with basic and essential requirements of ‘Democracy Principles’ i.e., each voter able to verify that her vote is cast-as-intended, recorded-as-cast and counted-as-recorded;

        o   vulgar use of money power; corrupting and criminalizing the elections; buying and selling of votes;

       o   brazen misuse of the media; partisan functioning of election officials; and non-enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct.

Only these measures can provide a level playing field, usher in integrity and restore confidence in the umpire, which is the essence of free and fair elections.

• Learning from best practices:

        o   In the United States, the Federal Election Commission (FEC) is an independent agency that oversees federal elections.

       o   In Australia, the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) is an independent statutory authority that conducts federal elections and referendums.

       o   In both the US and Australia, the appointment of election commissioners is a political process, however, both countries have systems in place to ensure that the appointment process is non-partisan and that Commissioners serve fixed terms to maintain independence and impartiality.

• Preserving separation of powers: Both the Judiciary and Legislature must come on the same page to bring reforms in the appointment process as per the Constitutional procedures so as to uphold the legitimacy and acceptance of such reforms.

THE CONCLUSION: The ballot is more potent than the most powerful gun. Democracy facilitates a peaceful revolution at the hands of the common man if elections are held in a free and fair manner. The ECI’s role in ensuring free and fair elections, preserving the integrity of the electoral process, protecting democratic values, and upholding the sovereignty of the Indian Constitution makes it an essential institution for India’s democratic system. Thus, only a truly independent ECI can fulfill the Constitutional mandate of conducting free and fair elections.

Questions:

• “A person weak-kneed before the powerful cannot be appointed as Election Commissioner.” In the light of the statement, discuss the importance of having a transparent and independent appointment system for Election Commissioners in India.
• In a substantive democracy, the power to vote is “more potent than the most powerful gun”. People depend on an honest Election Commissioner, blessed with extraordinary powers, to guard the purity of the electoral process. Examine the statement in the light of recent Supreme court judgment which introduced a collegium for appointments to the Election Commissioners in India.