TOP 5 TAKKAR NEWS OF THE DAY (10th JUNE 2023)

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1. ONSET OF THE MONSOON

TAG: GS 1: GEOGRAPHY

THE CONTEXT: According to India Meteorological Department (IMD), the southwest monsoon has set in over the Kerala coast on 8 june, along with 2016 and 2019, is the most that the monsoon’s onset has been delayed in the last couple of decades the rains hit the Kerala coast on June 8 in those two earlier years as well. In 2022, the monsoon arrived over the Kerala coast on May 29, earlier than its expected date.

EXPLANATION:

What is meant by the “onset of the monsoon” over the Kerala coast?

• The onset of the monsoon over Kerala signals the beginning of the four-month (June-September) southwest monsoon season, during which India gets more than 70% of its annual rainfall.
• Onset does not mean the first rain of the season. That can start happening in certain places even before the onset is declared ‘onset’ is a technical expression with a specific definition and IMD announces the onset of the monsoon only after certain precisely defined and measurable parameters are met.

What are these conditions, which determine the onset of monsoon?

• According to the IMD, the onset of the monsoon happens when there is a significant transition in the large-scale atmospheric and ocean circulations in the Indo-Pacific region.
• The IMD essentially looks at the consistency of rainfall over a defined geography, the intensity of the rainfall, and the wind speed.
• RAINFALL: The onset is declared if at least 60% of 14 designated meteorological stations in Kerala and Lakshadweep record at least 2.5 mm of rain for two consecutive days at any time after May 10. The onset over Kerala is declared on the second day, as long as specific wind and temperature criteria are also fulfilled. The 14 enlisted stations are: (I) Minicoy, (ii) Amini, (iii) Thiruvananthapuram, (iv) Punalur, (v) Kollam, (vi) Alappuzha, (vii) Kottayam, (viii) Kochi, (ix) Thrissur, (x) Kozhikode, (xi) Thalassery, (xii) Kannur, (xiii) Kasaragod, and (xiv) Mangaluru.
• WIND FIELD: The IMD says that the depth of westerlies should be up to 600 hectopascal (1 hPa is equal to 1 millibar of pressure) in the area that is bound by the equator to 10ºN latitude, and from longitude 55ºE to 80ºE. The 10th parallel North passes through Kochi; and the area bound by the 55th and the 80th meridians East stretches from the middle of Iran to about Chennai. The zonal wind speed over the area bound by 5-10ºN latitude (Maldives to Kochi) and 70-80ºE longitude (Arabian Sea to Chennai) should be of the order of 15-20 knots (28-37 kph) at 925 hPa.
• HEAT: The INSAT-derived Outgoing Longwave Radiation (OLR) value which is a measure of the energy emitted to space by the Earth’s surface, oceans, and atmosphere — should be below 200 watt per sq m (wm2) in the area between the 5ºN and 10ºN latitudes, and 70ºE and 75ºE longitudes.

Does a delayed onset mean cascading delays across the country and for the rest of the season?

• A delay in the onset over Kerala can potentially delay the arrival of the monsoon in other parts of the country, especially in the southern states, which normally start getting rain within days of the monsoon reaching the Kerala coast. The monsoon covers the entire country by July 15.
• A delayed onset over Kerala does not automatically or invariably mean delays in the arrival of the monsoon over other parts of the country.
• The northward progression of the monsoon after it has hit the Kerala coast is not uniform it depends on local factors, including the creation of low-pressure areas. The monsoon may stall over certain places in certain years; or it may progress faster than usual.
• A delay or an early arrival has no bearing on the quality or amount of rainfall, or its regional distribution across the country.

2. MANUAL SCAVENGING

TAG: GS 1: SOCIETY

THE CONTEXT: Despite stating over the last few years that manual scavenging had been eliminated in the country, and that the only remaining threat was hazardous cleaning of sewers and septic tanks, the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has now said that only 508 districts out of the total 766 districts in the country have declared themselves manual-scavenging free.

EXPLANATION:

• Manual scavenging is the practice of removing human excreta by hand from sewers or septic tanks. India banned the practice under the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 (PEMSR). The Act bans the use of any individual for manually cleaning, carrying, disposing of or otherwise handling in any manner, human excreta till its disposal.

Developments:

• According to the scheme for rehabilitation of manual scavengers, the 58,000 identified sewer workers have been given a one-time cash pay-out of ₹40,000 each. In addition, around 22,000 of them (less than half) have been connected to skills training programmes.
• However, the scheme for rehabilitation of manual scavengers has now been merged with the NAMASTE scheme for 100% mechanisation of sewer work. The FY 2023-24 Union Budget showed no allocation for the rehabilitation scheme and ₹100 crore allocation for the NAMASTE scheme.
• The guidelines for this scheme are yet to be finalized. The scheme will require over 4,800 urban local bodies across the country to identify and profile all septic tank/sewer workers in their respective areas, provide them occupational training and safety equipment, and sign them up for health insurance under the Ayushmaan Bharat scheme.
• To incentivise mechanisation, the scheme also provides for capital subsidies for sewer workers willing to mechanise their work and become empanelled with the concerned local body.

Laws to Prevent Manual Scavenging:

• The Employment of Manual Scavenging and Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act, 1993: It is an act to provide for the prohibition of employment of manual scavengers as well as construction or continuance of dry latrines and for the regulation of construction and maintenance of water-seal latrines and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
• Provision in the constitution: Fraternity assuring the dignity of the individual has been enshrined in the Preamble to the Apart from that, article 47 of the Constitution, inter alia, provides that the State shall regard raising the standard of living of its people and the improvement of public health as among its primary duties.
• Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 (MS Act, 2013): 2013 Act goes beyond prohibitions on dry latrines, and outlaws all manual cleaning of insanitary latrines, open drains, or pits. The 2013 Act further recognizes a constitutional obligation to correct the historical injustice and indignity suffered by manual scavenging communities by providing extensive rehabilitation assistance to them and to their families.
• The Self Employment Scheme for Rehabilitation of Manual Scavenging, 2007 (SRMS): The objective of SRMS is to provide assistance to the identified manual scavengers and their dependants for their rehabilitation in alternative occupations. The scheme is being implemented at the national level through the NSKFDC.
• National Safai Karamcharis Finance and Development Corporation (NSKFDC): It is a wholly owned Govt. of India Undertaking under the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment (M/o SJ&E) was set up as a Company “Not for Profit” under Section 25 of the Companies Act, 1956.  NSKFDC is in operation since October, 1997, as an Apex Corporation for the all round socio-economic upliftment of the Safai Karamcharis, Scavengers and their dependants throughout India, through various loan and non-loan based schemes.
• National Action for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE): Namaste is a Central Sector Scheme of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE) as a joint initiative of the MoSJE and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA). NAMASTE would also aim at providing access to alternative livelihoods support  and entitlements to reduce the vulnerabilities of sanitation workers and enable them to access self-employment and skilled wage employment opportunities and break the intergenerationality in sanitation work.

3. GROUND LEVEL OZONE

TAG: GS 3: ENVIRONMENT

THE CONTEXT: According to a new analysis by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), parts of the Delhi-NCR region witnessed ground-level ozone readings exceeding the national standards on 87 out of 92 days in the summer period between March and May. The worst affected parts in the area are New Delhi and South Delhi neighbourhoods.

EXPLANATION:

• Based on Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data on ozone levels from 58 stations across Delhi-NCR, the CSE analysis noted that although the spatial spread number of stations exceeding the standard across the core NCR of ground-level ozone has been lower this year, its duration has increased.
• Moreover, the region is seeing a rare phenomenon where ozone levels remain elevated hours after sunset ground-level ozone should ideally become negligible during the night. Another issue is that the pollutant, which once used to be prominent only during the summers, has become a yearlong problem.

What is ground-level ozone?

• Also known as tropospheric ozone, ground-level ozone is “a colourless and highly irritating gas that forms just above the Earth’s surface (up to 2 miles above the ground) as per Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC).
• It is not directly emitted into the air but rather produced when two primary pollutants react in sunlight and stagnant air. These two primary pollutants are nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Therefore, ground-level ozone is called a “secondary” pollutant.
• NOx and VOCs come from natural sources as well as human activities. About 95 per cent of NOx from human activity comes from the burning of coal, gasoline and oil in motor vehicles, homes, industries and power plants. VOCs from human activity come mainly from gasoline combustion and marketing, upstream oil and gas production, residential wood combustion, and from the evaporation of liquid fuels and solvents.
• Ground-level ozone is likely to breach safety standards on hot summer days in urban areas, but can also reach unhealthy levels during colder months.
• The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) mentioned on its website that the pollutant can also travel long distances due to wind and affect rural areas also.

What are the harmful effects of ground-level ozone?

• The CSE analysis said as ground-level ozone is a highly reactive gas, it has serious health consequences.
• Those with respiratory conditions, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and particularly children with premature lungs and older adults are at serious risk.
• This can inflame and damage airways, make lungs susceptible to infection, aggravate asthma, emphysema, and chronic bronchitis and increase the frequency of asthma attacks leading to increased hospitalization.
• The pollutant can also affect sensitive vegetation and ecosystems, including forests, parks and wildlife refuges. Significantly, it can harm sensitive vegetation during the growing season too.

What is the situation of ground-level ozone in India?

• In recent years, ground-level ozone has become a serious public health issue in India, as per the CSE analysis.
• It quoted the 2020 State of Global Air report, which stated that age-standardised rates of death attributable to ground-level ozone are among the highest in the country and the seasonal 8-hour daily maximum concentrations have recorded one of the highest increases in India between 2010 and 2017– about 17 per cent.

4. KAKHOVKA DAM

TAG: PRELIMS: PLACE IN NEWS

THE CONTEXT: Kakhovka Dam has been destroyed unleashing floodwaters across the war zone. Ukraine said Russia had destroyed it, while Russian officials gave conflicting accounts, some saying it was destroyed by Ukrainian shelling and others saying it collapsed due to earlier damage.

EXPLANATION:

• It was a huge Soviet-era dam on the Dnipro River that separates Russian and Ukrainian forces in southern Ukraine.
• The dam is 30 metres (98 feet) tall and 3.2 km (2 miles) long, was built in 1956 as part of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant.
• The reservoir also supplies water to the Crimean peninsula, which Russia claims to have annexed in 2014, and to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, which is also under Russian control.
• It holds an 18 km3 reservoir, a volume about equal to the Great Salt Lake in the U.S. state of Utah.

Possible impacts:

• With water levels surging higher, many thousands of people are likely to be affected.
• Ukraine’s southern Kherson region are at risk of flooding.
• There is a risk that water levels in the North Crimea Canal, which carries fresh water to the Crimean peninsula from the Dnipro river, could fall after rupture of the dam.
• Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, gets its cooling water from the reservoir. It is located on the southern side, now under Russian control. However, The U.N. nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency said there is no immediate nuclear safety risk.

5. NATIONAL INSTITUTIONAL RANKING FRAMEWORK (NIRF)

TAG: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

THE CONTEXT: The National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) announced the India Rankings 2023 of higher education institutions. The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Madras in Chennai remained the best educational institution in overall rankings for the fifth consecutive term. The Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru ranked as the best university in the country for eight years in a row.

EXPLANATION:

• This is the eighth consecutive edition of India Rankings of HEIs in India. “With the addition of new category (Innovation) subject domain  (Agriculture & Allied Sectors) and expansion of ‘Architecture’ to ‘Architecture and Planning’, the existing portfolio of India Rankings has increased to 13 categories and subject domains that have been ranked in India Rankings 2023.
• The top 100 in the overall category of higher education institutions consist of 44 centrally funded technical institutes, Central universities, 24 State universities, 13 deemed universities, 18 private universities, four agriculture and allied sector institutions, and three management institutions.

Findings:

• Miranda House, Delhi is ranked the best college.
• Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Ahmedabad is the top management institute.
• National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Hyderabad is ranked number one for pharmaceutical studies.
• All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi is ranked the best medical college.
• Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Chennai is the top dental college.
• National Law School of India University, Bengaluru is ranked the best law college in the country.
• IIT-M has also been ranked the best engineering college for the eighth consecutive year (from 2016 to 2023).
• IISc Bengaluru stood first in ‘Research Institutions’ category, too, for the third consecutive year.
• Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi took the top slot in ‘Agriculture and Allied Sectors’. IIT-Kanpur topped the ‘Innovation’ category.

National Institutional Ranking Framework:

• It is under the Union Ministry of Education(MoE).
• This framework outlines a methodology to rank institutions across the country. The methodology draws from the overall recommendations broad understanding arrived at by a Core Committee set up by MoE to identify the broad parameters for ranking various universities and institutions
• The five broad categories of parameters identified in the NIRF are “Teaching, Learning and Resources,” “Research and Professional Practices,” “Graduation Outcomes,” “Outreach and Inclusivity,” and “Perception”.
• Each of these five parameters have 2 to 5 sub-parameters. A total number of 16-18 sub-parameters are used for the ranking of HEIs in different categories and subject domains. Institutions are ranked based on total sum of marks assigned for each of these five broad groups of parameters.

Parameters and sub parameters:

1)Teaching, Learning & Resources (TLR)

• Student Strength including Doctoral Students (SS)
• Faculty-student ratio with emphasis on permanent faculty (FSR)
• Combined metric for Faculty with PhD (or equivalent) and Experience (FQE)
• Financial Resources and their Utilisation (FRU)

2)Research and Professional Practice (RP)

• Combined metric for Publications (PU)
• Combined metric for Quality of Publications (QP)
• IPR and Patents: Published and Granted (IPR)
• Footprint of Projects and Professional Practice (FPPP)

3)Graduation Outcomes (GO)

• Metric for University Examinations (GUE)
• Metric for Number of Ph.D. Students Graduated (GPHD)

4)Outreach and Inclusivity (OI)

• Percentage of Students from Other States/Countries (Region Diversity RD)
• Percentage of Women (Women Diversity WD)
• Economically and Socially Challenged Students (ESCS)
• Facilities for Physically Challenged Students (PCS)

5)Perception (PR) Ranking

• Peer Perception
• Academic Peers and Employers (PR)

Discipline-wise methodology for India Rankings

1. Overall
2. Universities
3. Engineering
4. Management
5. Pharmacy
6. Colleges
7. Architecture and Planning
8. Law
9. Medical
10. Dental
11. Research Institutions
12. Innovation
13. Agriculture & Allied Sectors