1. UNFPA’S STATE OF WORLD POPULATION (SOWP) REPORT

TAGS:GS-II- SOCIAL ISSUES

THE CONTEXT: According to the latest edition of the UNFPA’s State of World Population (SOWP) report, India’s population has grown by 1.56 per cent in the past year and is estimated to be 1,428,600,000 million (142.86 crore), and more than two-thirds of its population or 68 per cent comprises people between the ages of 15 and 64, considered the working population of a country.

THE EXPLANATION:

• China has a population of 142.57 crore, according to the UN world population dashboard. The United States is a distant third, with an estimated population of 340 million.
• The population demographics of India vary from state to state. Kerala and Punjab have an ageing population while Bihar and Uttar Pradesh have a young population.
• The latest report also shows that India’s total fertility rate (births per woman in the reproductive age) is estimated at 2.0. The average life expectancy for an Indian male stands at 71 and for females at 74, states the report which has been published annually since 1978.
• The report also states that 44 per cent of partnered women and girls in 68 reporting countries do not have the right to make informed decisions about their bodies when it comes to having sex, using contraception and seeking health care. An estimated 257 million women worldwide have an unmet need for safe, reliable contraception, it states.
• Although India and China will account for more than one-third of the estimated global population of 8.045 billion, the population growth in both Asian giants has been slowing, at a much faster pace in China than in India.
• Last year, China’s population fell for the first time in six decades, a historic turn that is expected to mark the start of a long period of decline in its citizen numbers with profound implications for its economy and the world.
• India’s annual population growth has averaged 1.2% since 2011, compared with 1.7% in the 10 years previously, according to government data.

VALUE ADDITION:

• The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), formerly the United Nations Fund for Population Activities, is a UN agency aimed at improving reproductive and maternal health worldwide.
• Its work includes developing national healthcare strategies and protocols, increasing access to birth control, and leading campaigns against child marriage, gender-based violence, obstetric fistula, and female genital mutilation.
• Headquarters: New York City, United States

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

2. SEA CUCUMBER

TAGS: GS-III- ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

THE CONTEXT:Recently, 105 kilograms of sea cucumber was seized by the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) near Attangarai in Ramanathapuram district.

About Sea Cucumber:

• They are marine invertebrates that live on the seafloor found generally in tropical regions. They’re named for their unusual oblong shape that resembles a fat cucumber.
• They act like garbage collectors of the ocean world, and they recycle nutrients, thus playing an important role in keeping coral reefs in good condition.
• They are an important constituent of the marine ecosystem as they play an important role in maintaining the health of the ecosystem.
• It has no limbs or eyes, or blood.
• In India is treated as an endangered species listed under schedule I of Wildlife Protection Act of 1972.
• As per IUCN Red List Brown Sea Cucumber has been listed as
• Demand: Sea cucumbers are in high demand in China and Southeast Asia, where they are consumed as food and used in medicine.
• This endangered species is primarily smuggled from Tamil Nadu to Sri Lanka.
• Recently, Lakshadweep has created the world’s first conservation area for sea cucumbers.

3. ONE WORD A DAY: MAGNAPORTHE ORYZAE

THE CONTEXT: Scientists have warned that the fungus Magnaporthe oryzae, which is destroying South American wheat crops, could spread worldwide. The pathogen affects the crop in a disease known as ‘wheat blast’.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The seriousness of the disease is indicated by the fact that crops are burnt to avoid this disease. Magnaporthe oryzae originated in South America, but cases of infection have also been reported in Asia in 2016 and Africa in 2018.
• Genomic analysis of fungus samples from all three continents showed that these fungi are part of the same family.
• Wheat crops around the world are susceptible to the fungus. pathogen is also resistant to fungicides. The biggest concern is that this fungus has the potential to affect not only wheat but also other major food crops.

How wheat blast destroys crops

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

4. WHAT IS SUPERCRITICAL CARBON DIOXIDE?

TAGS:GS-III- SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT:Recently, researchers from IIT Madras come up with the best way to neutralise carbon dioxide emissions in depleted oil and gas reservoirs.

THE EXPLANATION:

• Researchers found that supercritical carbon dioxide can be a good agent for simultaneous carbon dioxide sequestration and enhanced oil recovery (EOR) from depleted reservoirs when the gas is used along with surfactants in a ‘surfactant-alternating gas (SAG) injection’ approach.

What is Supercritical carbon dioxide?

·         Supercritical carbon dioxide (CO2) is a fluid state of CO2 where it is heated and held at or above its critical temperature and pressure. In this supercritical phase, CO2 exhibits properties and behaviors between that of a liquid and a gas. In particular, supercritical CO2 possesses liquid-like densities with gas-like diffusivity, surface tension and viscosity.

·         When CO2 exceeds temperatures of 87.9°F (31.1°C) and is subjected to pressures above 1071 psi (7.39 MPa), it enters the supercritical phase. This phase of CO2 is commonly used as a solvent in chemical extraction processes due to its high solubility, low toxicity and minimal net effect on the environment.

• In this process, carbon dioxide gas is injected in the reservoir, where it becomes supercritical, followed by injection of water or surfactant solution.
• The study shows that the use of supercritical carbon dioxide for EOR resulted in greater storage of carbon dioxide for both water-alternating gas (WAG) and SAG approaches.
• However, SAG performed better at all pressures and temperatures as surfactant solution alters the interfacial tension between the oil and water phases, leading to a higher oil recovery percentage and more effective storage of carbon dioxide. The researchers also found that the reservoir pressure and temperature had a strong effect on the flow dynamics.
• This method not only promises improved recovery of oil but also safe, enhanced, and permanent storage of carbon dioxide gas emitted from human and other anthropological activities, for both WAG and SAG approaches.
• The use of supercritical carbon dioxide reduces oil viscosity, induces in situ swelling of the oil, and reduces the interfacial tension of the in-situ fluid system.

PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

5. SUDAN‘S CONFLICT

TAGS: PRELIMS -PLACES IN NEWS

THE CONTEXT: Amid the intensified fighting between the army and paramilitaries in Sudan has killed around 200 people and wounded 1,800, damaging hospitals and hampering aid after three days of urban warfare.

Background:

• A weeks-long power struggle exploded into deadly violence between the forces of two generals who seized power in a 2021 coup: Sudan’s army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his deputy, Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, who commands the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

In this context from Prelims point of view, we may expect a Map based question on Sudan bordering countries.

Prelims Perspective:

• Sudan is a country in North Africa. It is bounded on the north by Egypt, on the east by the Red Sea, Eritrea, and Ethiopia, on the south by South Sudan, on the west by the Central African Republic and Chad, and on the northwest by Libya.

• Sudan’s capital Khartoum, which is located in the central part of the country where the White Nile and the Blue Nile rivers meet.

• The country is mainly composed of vast plains and plateaus that are drained by Nile river and its tributaries.
• Deriba Caldera is part of the volcanoes of the Marra mountains. It is considered to be the highest point in the whole of Sudan.
• Also, Sudan is part of the Great Green Wall Project, along with Burkina Faso, Chad, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria and Senegal.

HEALTH ISSUES

1. WHAT IS BLASTOMYCOSIS?

TAGS: GS-II-HEALTH ISSUES- PRELIMS

THE CONTEXT: Recently, a person has died of a fungal infection after an outbreak at a Michigan paper mill in United states that is likely to have infected nearly 100 people in the country.

THE EXPLANATION:

• Blastomycosis is an infection caused by a fungus called Blastomyces.
• The fungus lives in the environment, particularly in moist soil and in decomposing matter such as wood and leaves.
• In the United States, the fungus mainly lives in the midwestern, south-central, and southeastern states, particularly in areas surrounding the Ohio and Mississippi River valleys, the Great Lakes, and the Saint Lawrence River. People can get blastomycosis after breathing in the microscopic fungal spores from the air.

Symptoms:

Approximately half of people who are infected with the fungus Blastomyces will show symptoms. The symptoms of blastomycosis are often similar to the symptoms of other lung infections, and can include:

• Fever
• Cough
• Night sweats
• Muscle aches or joint pain
• Fatigue

2. WHAT IS HEMOPHILIA?

TAGS: GS-II-HEALTH ISSUES- PRELIMS

THE CONTEXT: Every year, World Hemophilia Day is observed on April 17 to raise awareness about the rare blood disorder and help those suffering from it lead a better life.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The day was first commemorated by the World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH) in 1989 in remembrance of Frank Schnabel, who was born on April 17, 1942, and spent his entire life working to make the lives of those who were affected by this ailment better.
• The theme for this year is “Access for All: Prevention of Bleeds as the Global Standard of Care,” and the goal is to persuade policymakers and governments to enhance access to care with a particular emphasis on better bleeding control.

What is hemophilia?

• Hemophilia is a genetic disorder that affects the body’s ability to form blood clots. People with hemophilia have deficiencies or abnormalities in certain clotting factors, which are proteins that help the blood clot.
• As a result, they may experience prolonged bleeding or spontaneous bleeding into muscles, joints, or organs.
• The signs and symptoms of hemophilia vary depending on the severity of the condition. Some common signs and symptoms include prolonged bleeding after injury, surgery or dental procedures, frequent nosebleeds, bruising easily, joint pain and swelling, especially in the knees, elbows, and ankles, blood in urine or stool, headaches, blurred vision, or other neurological symptoms, if bleeding occurs in the brain.

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

3. EXPLAINED: WHAT IS GREEN STEEL AND HOW  IT  CAN REDUCE CARBON EMISSIONS IN THE STEEL INDUSTRIES?

TAGS: GS-III-ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

THE CONTEXT:The Union Minister of Steel and Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya Scindia recently  approved 13 Task Forces for defining the roadmap for ‘Green Steel’. The task forces with the involvement of experts and the industry stakeholders have been identified to deliberate on various aspects of ‘Green Steel’ production, and chalk out action points.

What is Green Steel ?

• Green Steel refers to the production of steel without relying on fossil fuels. Instead, alternative low-carbon energy sources such as hydrogen, coal gasification, or electricity are used in place of traditional coal-fired plants, which results in reduced greenhouse gas emissions, lower costs, and improved steel quality.

Why is Green steel the need of the hour?

• Currently, the steel industry is the largest industrial sector in terms of intensive energy and resource use.
• It is among the three biggest emitters of carbon dioxide (CO2), and with the aggressive expansion plans across companies globally, the emissions levels are only expected to rise if the traditional methods were to continue.
• According to data, the iron ore and steel industry globally accounts for around 8 percent of total CO2 emissions on annual basis, whereas in India, it contributes 12 percent to the total CO2 emissions.
• With such high emissions, steel producers in India and globally are facing escalating pressure from governments and investors to reduce their carbon footprint from both environmental and economic perspectives.
• Path to Net Zero:In view of commitments made at the Conference of the Parties (COP) climate change conference, the Indian steel industry needs to reduce its emissions substantially by 2030 and hit net-zero carbon emissions by 2070.

What are the Government steps to promote decarbonisation in steel industry

• The government has taken various steps to promote decarbonisation in the steel industry. The Steel Scrap Recycling Policy, 2019 increases the availability of domestically generated scrap to reduce the use of coal in steel production.
• The National Green Hydrogen Mission, launched by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), focuses on green hydrogen production and usage, with the steel sector being a stakeholder.
• The Motor Vehicles (Registration and Functions of Vehicles Scrapping Facility) Rules from September 2021 aim to increase scrap availability in the steel sector.
• The National Solar Mission, launched in January 2010 by the MNRE, promotes the use of solar energy and reduces emissions in the steel industry.
• The Perform, Achieve and Trade (PAT) scheme incentivize the steel industry to reduce energy consumption. The steel sector has also adopted the Best Available Technologies globally in modernization and expansion projects.

VALUE ADDITION:

Steel production in India

• India is currently one of the leading producers of crude steel in the world, standing as the second largest producer with a production of 120 Million Tonnes (MT) during the financial year of 2021-2022.
• The majority of the country’s iron ore reserves, more than 80%, are located in the states of Odisha, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh and the northern regions of Andhra Pradesh.
• These areas are important steel-producing centres and are home to some of the largest steel factories in the country, including Bhilai (Chhattisgarh), Durgapur (West Bengal), Burnpur (West Bengal), Jamshedpur (Jharkhand), Rourkela (Odisha), and Bokaro (Jharkhand).

4. MANGROVE PITTA BIRD CENSUS

TAGS: GS-III-ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: Odisha forest officials recently have sighted 179 mangrove pitta birds in the first ever census conducted of these exotic and colourful birds in the country.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The census was carried out for the first time in the country to study the population analysis of these birds.
• The habitats of these beautiful birds are confined to mangrove forest areas in Odisha’s Bhitarkanika and Sundarban in West Bengal.
• The mangrove pitta (Pitta megarhyncha) is a species of passerine bird in the family Pittidae native to the eastern Indian Subcontinent and western Southeast Asia. It is part of a superspecies where it is placed with the Indian pitta, the fairy pitta and the blue-winged pitta but has no recognized subspecies.
• A colourful bird, it has a black head with brown crown, white throat, greenish upper parts, buff underparts and reddish vent area. Its range extends from India to Malaysia and Indonesia. It is found in mangrove and nipa palm forests where it feeds on crustaceans, mollusks and insects.
• IUCN Status: Near Threatened.

GOVERNMENT SCHEMES AND INTERVENTIONS

5. PM MITRA MEGA TEXTILES PARK

TAGS: GS-II- GOVERNMENT SCHEMES AND INTERVENTIONS

THE CONTEXT:The Prime Minister recently lauded the setting up of PM Mitra Mega Textiles Park across Lucknow and Hardoi districts in Uttar Pradesh.

THE EXPLANATION:

• Ministry of Textiles (MoT) has launched PM Mega Integrated Textile Regions and Apparel Parks (MITRAs) Scheme to strengthen the Indian textile industry by way of enabling scale of operations, reduce logistics cost by housing entire value chain at one location, attract investment, generate employment and augment export potential.
• The scheme will develop integrated large scale and modern industrial infrastructure facility for total value-chain of the textile industry for example, spinning, weaving, processing, garmenting, textile manufacturing, processing & printing machinery industry.
• These parks are envisaged to be located at sites which have inherent strengths for textile industry to flourish and have necessary linkages to succeed. The scheme envisages to leverage Public Private Partnership model for fast paced implementation in a time-bound manner.

Significance

• It will reduce logistics costs and strengthen the value chain of the textile sector to make it globally competitive.
• It will lead to increased investments (FDI and local) and enhanced employment opportunities.
• It will give domestic manufacturers a level-playing field in the international textiles market & pave the way for India to become a global champion of textiles exports across all segments.

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. BELAGAVI BORDER DISPUTE

TAGS: GS-II-POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

THE CONTEXT:Recently, the Supreme Court adjourned the hearing on the state of Maharashtra’s plea in a border row with Karnataka, as Justice Aravind Kumar recused himself.

THE EXPLANATION:

When did the dispute begin?

• Maharashtra and Karnataka have sparred over the inclusion of some towns and villages along the state border ever since the State Reorganisation Act was passed by the Parliament in 1956.
• The Act was based on the findings of the Justice Fazal Ali Commission, which was appointed in 1953 and submitted its report two years later.
• On November 1, 1956, Mysore state – later renamed Karnataka – was formed, and differences between the state and the neighbouring Bombay state – later Maharashtra – erupted.
• Maharashtra was of the view that the northwestern district of Karnataka, Belagavi, should be part of the state, leading to a decade-long violent agitation and formation of Maharashtra Ekikaran Samithi (MES), which still holds sway in parts of the district and the eponymous city.

What was the Centre’s response?

• Amid protests and pressure from Maharashtra, the Union government set up a commission under retired Supreme Court judge Justice Mehar chand Mahajan on October 25, 1966. S Nijalingappa was the Karnataka Chief Minister then and VP Nayak was his Maharashtra counterpart.
• The report was expected to be a binding document for both states and put an end to the dispute. The commission submitted its report in August 1967, where it recommended merging 264 towns and villages of Karnataka (including Nippani, Nandgad and Khanapur) with Maharashtra, and 247 villages of Maharashtra (including South Solapur and Akkalkot) with Karnataka.

Legal issues in court

• Maharashtra approached the Supreme Court in 2004, challenging the State Reorganisation Act. It demanded 865 villages and towns from five Karnataka districts to be merged with the state. The five districts are Belagavi, Karwar, Vijayapura, Kalaburagi and Bidar.
• However, almost two decades after the petition, its maintainability remains challenged. Karnataka has resorted to Article 3 of the Indian Constitution to argue that the Supreme Court does not have the jurisdiction to decide the borders of states, and only Parliament has the power to do so.
• Maharashtra has referred to Article 131 of the Constitution, which says that the Supreme Court has jurisdiction in cases related to disputes between the Union government and states.

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

2. HUMAN COMPOSTING: A GREENER WAY TO DIE

TAGS: GS-III- ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: Recently, New York became the sixth state in the US to legalise human composting as a burial option.

THE EXPLANATION:

• Human composting, also known as natural organic reduction, is a process of transforming the human body into nutrient-rich soil that has emerged as an eco-friendly alternative to traditional burial or cremation.
• It has gained popularity, especially among the younger generation, for being an eco-friendly alternative to dispose of a corpse.

Process of human composting:

• The body is first washed and dressed in a biodegradable grown.
• It’s then placed in a closed vessel, usually measuring 8 feet by 4 feet, along with selected materials such as alfalfa, straw, and sawdust.
• The body is left to decompose for the next 30 days.
• To speed up the decay, oxygen is added to the vessel, which results in the unfolding of a process called “aerobic digestion”, in which microbes start to consume organic matter.
• Temperature inside the container is kept around 130 degrees Fahrenheit or 55 degrees Celsius to kill off contagions.
• By the time aerobic digestion is over, the body has been transformed into a soil-like material, containing nutrients, bones, and some medical devices — these are taken out from the compost pile and recycled.
• As the microbial activity comes to an end, the temperature inside the pile drops, marking the transformation from an active composite pile into the soil.

Concerns:

• The biggest opponent of this process has been the Catholic Church and called it an “unfortunate spiritual, emotional, and psychological distancing from the deceased.
• It has been believed that the ‘transformation’ of the remains would create an emotional distance rather than a reverence” for the remains.
• Even cremated remains must remain in a communal place befitting of the dignity inherent in the human body and its connection to the immortal soul.

GOVERNMENT SCHEMES

3. REVISION SERIES

PRADHAN MANTRI FASAL BIMA YOJANA

TAGS: GS-II-GOVERNMENT SCHEMES AND INTERVENTIONS

• Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) scheme was launched in India by Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers welfare, New Delhi from Kharif 2016 season onwards.
• National Insurance Company started participating in PMFBY from Rabi 2016 onwards and covered 8 States and 2 Union Territories during the past 5 seasons namely, Rabi 2016-17, Kharif & Rabi 2017 and Kharif & Rabi 2018 covering 70,27,637 farmers.
• Farmers share of premium is Rs. 453 crores and with subsidy from State/Central Govts RS.1909 Crores, gross Premium is Rs.2362 Crores for the 5 seasons together.

Objective of the Schemes

Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) aims at supporting sustainable production in agriculture sector by way of:

• Providing financial support to farmers suffering crop loss/damage arising out of unforeseen events
• Stabilizing the income of farmers to ensure their continuance in farming
• Encouraging farmers to adopt innovative and modern agricultural practices
• Ensuring flow of credit to the agriculture sector which will contribute to food security, crop diversification and enhancing growth and competitiveness of agriculture sector besides protecting farmers from production risks.

Who can be covered?

• All farmers who have been sanctioned Seasonal Agricultural Operations (SAO) loans (Crop Loans) from Financial Institutions (FIs), i.e. loanee farmers, for the notified crop(s) season would be covered compulsorily.
• The Scheme is optional for non-loanee farmers.
• The insurance coverage will strictly be equivalent to sum insured/hectare, as defined in the Govt. notification or /and on National Crop Insurance Portal multiplied by sown area for notified crop.

Coverage of Crops

• Food crops (Cereals, Millets and Pulses),
• Oilseeds
• Annual Commercial / Annual Horticultural crops.

In addition for perennial crops, pilots for coverage can be taken for those perennial horticultural crops for which standard methodology for yield estimation is available.

PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

4. CHICHEN ITZA

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVES

THE CONTEXT: Recently, the Archaeologists in Mexico have uncovered an intricately carved stone they believe was used as a scoreboard for pelota, a ball game played by the Maya hundreds of years ago.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The circular stone was found at the Chichen Itza archaeological site and is thought to be around 1,200 years old.
• At its centre are two players in elaborate headgear surrounded by hieroglyphic writing.
• Experts are now analysing the writing to decipher its possible meaning.
• The 40kg-stone (88lb) was found by archaeologist Lizbeth Beatriz Mendicut Pérez in an architectonic compound known as Casa Colorada (Red House).
• Casa Colorada is the best preserved of the buildings surrounding the main plaza in the pre-Columbian city of Chichen Itza.
• Experts believe the stone would have adorned an archway at the entrance to the compound during the late 800s or early 900s.
• It was found face down half a metre underground, where it is thought to have fallen when the archway collapsed.

5. EXERCISE COPE INDIA 23

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVES

THE CONTEXT: Recently, the Exercise Cope India 23, a bilateral Air Exercise between the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the United States Air Force (USAF) is begins at Air Force Stations Arjan Singh (Panagarh), Kalaikunda and Agra.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The exercise aims to enhance mutual understanding between the two Air Forces and share their best practices.
• The first phase of exercise commenced on April 10, 2023. This phase of the exercise focused on air mobility and involved transport aircraft and Special Forces assets from both the Air Forces.
• Both sides fielded the C-130J and C-17 aircraft, with the USAF operating an MC-130J, as well. The exercise also included the presence of Japanese Air Self Defence Force aircrew, who participated in the capacity of observers.

US-India War Games Amid China Threat

• Meanwhile, India and United States Special Forces are also carrying out wargames with a focus on supporting fighter aircraft operations in forward areas. The war games came in view of an ongoing military standoff with China.
• The operations are likely to have focused on supporting the fighter aircraft operations including designating targets in frontline areas by laser so that the precision-guided bombs can reach their designated target accurately.

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.

ENVIRONMENT & ECOLOGY

1. OMORGUS KHANDESH

TAGS: PRELIMS- GS-III-ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: Recently, a scientist from the Zoological Survey of India, Western Regional Centre (WRC), Pune discovered a new beetle species.

THE EXPLANATION:

• OmorgusKhandesh is necrophagous and is, therefore, also called a keratin beetle. During the decomposition of a body, blowflies are amongst the first ones to arrive in the early stages. Meanwhile, the final successional stage is with the arrival of the keratin feeders, thus their importance in forensic science.
• The beetles of this group are sometimes called hide beetles as they tend to cover their body under the soil and hide. They are not photogenic; they are usually black or grey and encrusted in dirt. Their bumpy appearance is distinct, with short, dense setae all over the body.
• The new species is morphologically most similar to Omorgusrimulosus. The latter is redescribed and illustrated to enable accurate recognition of both species in the new paper.
• OmorgusKhandesh is mainly associated with bird and mammal nests or burrows and the details of their life histories are poorly known. They feign death upon being disturbed and become motionless.
• “The keratin beetles are less studied in the Oriental region generally and India particularly as compared to the other part of the world.
• “Hence, the authors have tried to give the catalogue of the subgenus Omorgus with details on their type depositories, synonyms, chresonomy and known geographical distributions.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS

2. MARGINAL COST OF FUNDS-BASED LENDING RATE (MCLR)

TAGS: PRELIMS- GS-III-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS

THE CONTEXT: Recently, the State Bank of India, Bank of Baroda and Indian Overseas Bank have raised their marginal cost of fund-based lending rates (MCLR) by up to 15 basis points.

THE EXPLANATION:

Marginal cost of funds-based lending rate:

• It is the minimum interest rate below which no bank is permitted to lend money.
• It is determined by banks internally, depending upon the loan repayment time.
• The Reserve Bank of India introduced the MCLR methodology for fixing interest rates on 1 April 2016.
• It replaced the base rate structure, which had been in place since July 2010.
• The rate is determined internally by the bank depending on the period left for the repayment of a loan.
• MCLR is calculated based on four components Marginal cost of fund, Negative carry on account of cash reserve ratio, Operating costs, Tenor premium.

What is the difference between MCLR and base rate?

• MCLR is an advanced version of the base rate.
• The base rate is based on the average cost of funds, but MCLR is based on the marginal or incremental cost of money.
• MCLR depends on the repo rates changed by RBI while Base Rate does not depend on the repo rates changed by RBI.

3. INVESTOR EDUCATION AND PROTECTION FUND AUTHORITY (IEPFA)

TAGS:PRELIMS- GS-III- ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS

THE CONTEXT: The Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA), will organise a State Level Conference on Financial Literacy in Amrit Kaal – Empowering Investors in association with the Department of Tourism in Aizawl.

THE EXPLANATION:

About Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority:

• It was established in 2016 under the Companies Act, of 2013.
• The Authority is entrusted with;
• The responsibility of administration of the Investor Education Protection Fund (IEPF).
• Make refunds of shares, unclaimed dividends, matured deposits/debentures etc. to investors and promote awareness among investors.
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Corporate Affairs

About the Investor Education Protection Fund (IEPF).

• It has been established under Section 205C of the Companies Act, 1956 by way of the Companies (Amendment) Act, 1999.
• The following amounts that remained unpaid and unclaimed for a period of seven years from the date they became due for payment are credited to the Fund:
  o Amounts in the unpaid dividend accounts of the companies
  o The application money received by companies for allotment of any securities and due for refund
  o Matured deposits with companies
  o Matured debentures with companies
  o Grants and donations are given to the fund by the Central Government, State Governments, companies or any other institutions for the purposes of the Fund
  o The interest or other income received out of the investments made from the fund.

PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

4. SHINKU LA TUNNEL

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

THE CONTEXT: The Union Cabinet recently approved the construction of the tunnel. With the Atal Tunnel and the completion of the Shinku La Tunnel in 2025, the Nimmu – Padum – Darcha road shall be accessed all through the year.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The Shinku La or Shingo La is a mountain pass located on the border between HP and Ladakh. It is at an altitude of 5,091 metres. In 2016, the Border Road Organization built a road to the pass.
• However, the road couldn’t be accessed during winter and large-wheeled vehicles couldn’t pass through. Following this, in 2020, GoI planned to build a 13.5 km tunnel in the pass.

Significance

• The tunnel will help to boost the Zanskar valley economy. It reduces the travel time between HP and Ladakh.
• Currently, one has to travel 101 km on the Manali-Leh road and then take the Darcha road to enter the Zanskar region. With the tunnel, you can drive to Darcha via Padum.
• The toughest hurdle is the 15-20 feet of snowfall the region received during winter. Almost all roads are closed during this season. The Shinku La Tunnel is to make the Zanskar valley accessible 365 days.

Project Yojak

• The Shinku La tunnel is a part of Project Yojak. This project is implemented by BRO. The main objective of the project is to make sure Manali – Leh route is accessible all through the year.

5. STUDY ON THWAITES GLACIER

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

THE CONTEXT: The recent study on Doomsday Glacier, also called the Thwaites Glacier says that the weak spots in the glacier are increasing. More and more warm water is seeping into the glacier. There is a threat of massive sea rise. If the glacier melts the sea level will increase by more than half a metre.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The study was conducted by the International Thwaites Glacier Collaboration. It is one of the biggest studies conducted on the glacier so far. More than 13 scientists participated in the study from the UK, the US, and different other countries. They spent more than six weeks coming to this conclusion.

Findings

• Terraces in the glaciers are increasing. These openings are causing the sideways melt of the glacier. Terraces are leading the warm water to the crevasses and increasing the melting further.

What are Glacier Terraces?

• It is a long segment of a glacier. It is formed due to the stripping of soft strata from hard strata. In India, the glacial terraces are addressed as Karewas. They are found in Kashmir valley.
  Glacial Crevasses
• They are deep cracks in glaciers. Their sizes range from a few inches to more than 40 feet. They are formed due to shear stress. Say two big ice masses are moving. Friction develops resulting in shear stress. This leads to breakings in the faces.

THE CONTEXT: It is estimated that 62 million tonnes of Bio-CNG, also known as Compressed Biogas (CBG) can be produced in India every year from various sources. To tap this, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG) recently announced that 5,000 CBG plants will be set up by 2025 that will produce 15 million tonnes of CBG. The following article attempts to analyse the key issues and potential attached to the production of Compressed Biogas (CBG).

WHAT IS COMPRESSED BIOGAS (CBG)?

Compressed biogas (CBG) is a form of renewable natural gas (RNG) that is produced by the anaerobic digestion of organic matter, such as agricultural waste or sewage. The gas produced by this process, known as biogas, is composed primarily of methane and carbon dioxide. After being cleaned and compressed, it can be used as a transportation fuel, or as a substitute for natural gas in various industrial and commercial applications. CBG is considered a renewable energy source because the organic matter used to produce it is continuously replenished, and because its use reduces greenhouse gas emissions compared to fossil fuels.

Process of producing Compressed biogas (CBG)

• Waste / Bio-mass sources like agricultural residue, cattle dung, sugarcane press mud, municipal solid waste and sewage treatment plant waste, etc. produce bio-gas through the process of anaerobic decomposition. The bio- gas is purified to remove hydrogen sulfide (H2S), carbon dioxide (CO2), water vapor and is compressed as Compressed Bio Gas (CBG), which has methane (CH4) content of more than 90%.
• CBG has calorific value and other properties similar to CNG and hence can be utilized as green renewable automotive fuel. Thus, it can replace CNG in automotive, industrial and commercial areas, given the abundance biomass availability within the country.
• Conversion of agricultural residue, cattle dung and municipal solid waste (MSW) into CBG in a commercial scale is expected to have the following benefits:

o   Import reduction of natural gas and crude.

o   Using agricultural residue, cattle dung and MSW for the production of CBG and thus, to achieve reduction in emissions and pollution.

o   A boost towards fulfillment of National commitments in achieving climate change goals.

o   Providing a buffer against energy security concerns and crude/gas price fluctuations.

o   Contribution towards Swachh Bharat Mission through responsible waste management

o   Lowering pollution and carbon emission.

o   Providing additional source of revenue to the farmers, rural employment and amelioration of the rural economy.

o   The slurry left after biogas is extracted from the digester is passed through a solid-liquid separator. The solid part is cured in the open for 10-15 days and makes for carbon-rich organic manure, while the liquid part can also be used as liquid fertilizer.

• The biogas produced contains approximately 55% to 60% methane, 40% to 45% carbon dioxide and trace amounts of hydrogen sulphide. Biogas is purified to remove carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulphide gases to prepare CBG. The CBG can be transported through cylinder cascades or pipelines to retail outlets.

SATAT (SUSTAINABLE ALTERNATIVE TOWARDS AFFORDABLE TRANSPORTATION)

SATAT (Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation) scheme is a government initiative in India launched by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas to promote the production and use of compressed biogas (CBG) as a transportation fuel. ‘SATAT’ scheme on Compressed Bio Gas (CBG) was launched on 1.10.2018. The scheme aims to establish a network of Compressed Bio-Gas (CBG) production plants across the country and to make CBG available to customers at a competitive price.

Key features of SATAT:

• The scheme envisages targeting production of 15 MMT (million tons) of CBG by 2023, from 5000 Plants.
• The initiative aims to produce compressed biogas (CBG) from Waste and Bio-mass sources like agricultural residue, cattle dung, sugarcane press mud, Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) and sewage treatment plant waste.
• Under SATAT scheme, entrepreneurs shall set up CBG plants, and produce & supply CBG to Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) for sale as automotive & industrial fuels. PSU OMCs will be inviting Expression of Interest (EoI) from potential entrepreneurs to set up CBG plants under SATAT scheme, and supply CBG to OMCs for sale as automotive & industrial fuel.
• SATAT initiative offers an efficient solution for the treatment and disposal of municipal solid waste management and help in tackling the problem urban air pollution due to farm stubble burning. It will boost entrepreneurship, rural economy and employment and provide an additional source of revenue to farmers.

The potential of the SATAT scheme is that it can help in achieving several important goals:

• Reducing dependence on fossil fuels: By promoting the use of CBG as a transportation fuel, the SATAT scheme can help reduce India’s dependence on fossil fuels, which will have positive impacts on the environment and the economy.
• Creating new jobs: The SATAT scheme has the potential to create new jobs in the production, distribution, and use of CBG, which will help to boost economic growth and employment.
• Improving air quality: As CBG is a clean-burning fuel, using CBG as a transportation fuel can help improve air quality in cities and towns across India, which will positively impact public health.
• Promoting rural development: The SATAT scheme can help to promote rural development by providing farmers and rural communities with new income opportunities through the production and sale of CBG.

OTHER GOVERNMENT STEPS

There are several government policies and programs in place in India to promote the production and use of compressed biogas (CBG):

• National Biogas and Manure Management Programme (NBMMP): This program, launched by the Ministry of Non-Renewable Energy, provides financial assistance and technical support to farmers and other stakeholders for the construction and operation of biogas plants.
• National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC): The NAPCC includes a target to increase the share of biogas in the energy mix and to promote the use of biogas as a transportation fuel.
• National Clean Energy Fund (NCEF): The NCEF provides financial assistance for developing clean energy technologies, including biogas.
• National Mission on Biogas and Organic Manure (NMBOM): The National Mission on Biogas and Organic Manure (NMBOM) aims to promote the use of biogas as a clean and renewable energy source, and to increase the use of organic manure in agriculture.
• Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE): The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has implemented a number of policies and schemes to promote the use of renewable energy, including biogas, in India.
• Government of India launched the Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resources Dhan (GOBAR-DHAN) scheme to convert cattle dung and solid waste in farms to Bio-CNG (CBG) and compost. GOBAR-DHAN scheme proposes to cover 700 projects across the country in 2018-19.
• Officially designated as fermented organic manure (FOM) in 2021, the waste product from CBG plants was incorporated in the Fertilizer (Inorganic, Organic or Mixed) (Control) Order, 1985. The Ministry of Fertilizers, through an order in May 2022, made it mandatory for fertilizer companies to offtake FOM from CBG companies under SATAT as part of Integrated Nutrient Management.

Overall, these policies and programs aim to increase the availability of feedstock, improve technology and infrastructure, reduce costs, and increase awareness and understanding of the benefits of CBG in India.

Case study: The Indore municipal commission (IMC)

• Indore, is not just managing waste, but also earning revenue from user fees, carbon credits and also fines for non-segregated waste.
• In 2020, IMC earned Rs 9,239 lakh in revenue from user charges, while the expenditure was 8,190.66 lakhs. For Indore, the CBG plant came five years after putting its waste segregation infrastructure in place.
• Apart from collecting segregated waste at source in compartmentalized vehicles, Indore has transfer stations where waste collected in six separate categories is further sorted and transported in separate colour-coded capsules to the processing facilities for wet and dry waste.
• The coming together of political, administrative and public will is what has worked for Indore, which is missing in metros like Delhi that have set up waste-to-energy plants in the name of processing even though only 11 per cent of the city waste is worth incineration.

ISSUES FACED IN BIO CNG PRODUCTION

India faces several challenges in the production of compressed biogas (CBG), including:

• Lack of sufficient feedstock: India has a shortage of suitable feedstock for biogas production, such as agricultural waste and sewage, which limits the potential for CBG production.
• Limited technology and infrastructure: India have a limited number of biogas plants and the technology used in these plants is often outdated, which makes it difficult to achieve large-scale CBG production.
• High costs: The cost of building and operating biogas plants in India is relatively high, which makes it difficult for small and medium-sized farmers to participate in CBG production.
• Limited awareness and understanding: There is limited awareness and understanding of the benefits of CBG and how to produce it among farmers, policymakers, and other stakeholders in India.
• Government policies: Despite a number of government policies and schemes in place, implementation of the same is not effective and not enough to promote CBG production in India.
• Limited Distribution infrastructure: India lacks the necessary infrastructure to transport and distribute CBG to end-users, making it difficult to expand its use as a transportation fuel or as a substitute for natural gas.
• Quality issues: The quality of biogas produced in India often does not meet the standards required for use as a transportation fuel or for injection into the natural gas grid, which limits its potential uses.
• Lack of proper waste segregation: The feedstock for MSW-based CBG plants is source-segregated waste also its biggest challenge. Badly segregated waste can lead to construction and demolition waste or other hard particles entering the digester, reducing its energy efficiency and damaging it.

Overall, India needs to work on increasing feedstock availability, improving technology and infrastructure, reducing costs and increasing awareness, and addressing the distribution infrastructure, Government policies and quality issues in order to increase the production of compressed biogas.

THE WAY FORWARD

• Increasing the availability of feedstock: India can increase the availability of feedstock by promoting the cultivation of energy crops such as Jatropha and Pongamia, as well as by encouraging the use of agricultural and municipal waste as feedstock for bio-CNG production.
• Improving the efficiency of bio-CNG production: India can improve the efficiency of bio-CNG production by investing in research and development to enhance feedstock conversion into bio-CNG, as well as by implementing best practices in the production process.
• Developing infrastructure for bio-CNG distribution: India can develop infrastructure for bio-CNG distribution by building more bio-CNG refueling stations and by making bio-CNG more easily accessible to consumers.
• Encouraging private sector investment: India can encourage private sector investment in bio-CNG production by providing financial incentives and creating a favorable policy environment for bio-CNG production.
• Encouraging the use of bio-CNG in transportation sector: India can encourage the use of bio-CNG in the transportation sector by promoting the use of bio-CNG vehicles and by providing incentives for the conversion of existing vehicles to run on bio-CNG.
• Promoting awareness: India can promote awareness of bio-CNG as a cleaner and more sustainable alternative to fossil fuels, to encourage more people to adopt it.
• Learning from global examples: Countries such as Germany, Italy, UK, France and Switzerland are promoting bio-gas usage promoted by supporting legal frameworks, education schemes and the availability of technology. Biogas produced in European countries is mostly fed into local natural gas grids and used for power generation. Grid injection is most common in European states followed by vehicles fueled with biogas (either pure or in blend with natural gas) and biogas is also used for heating purposes either directly or blended to natural gas. India should also assess such utilities of biogas in India to ensure completion of its commitments under INDCs, etc.

THE CONCLUSION: India is among the fastest growing economy in the world and its energy consumption is slated to increase rapidly. India’s dependence on fossil fuels for its energy needs has two major concerns i.e., a growing import bill and the carbon emission. The country now imports nearly 85 per cent of crude, which roughly translates to 45% of primary energy demand and will only go up in the near future. There should be more focused implementation of policies like SATAT, which by producing CBG from wastes, would not only meet the growing energy demand in a responsible and eco-friendly manner, but also contribute to India’s commitment to GHG emission reduction.

Questions

• “In 2021, there were only 3,180 CNG stations in India compared to more than 65,000 petrol pumps.” In such a scenario, highlight the challenges faced in moving towards greener fuels like Bio-CNG in India and suggest how India could achieve its ambitious low carbon economy dream in the future.
• The SATAT (Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation) scheme is said to be a game changer in the production and use of compressed biogas (CBG) in India. Examine critically.

THE CONTEXT: Human-wildlife conflict refers to encounters between humans and wildlife that lead to negative results, such as loss of property, livelihoods, and even life. Recently a rogue elephant has been tranquilised, which has become a terror in the Kerala state. This article highlights various dimensions of the Human-Wildlife Conflict.

INSTANCES OF HUMAN-WILDLIFE CONFLICT

LEOPARD ATTACK

• Leopard attacks on humans are regularly reported in India.
• Human–leopard conflict regions of the country are West Bengal, Maharashtra and Assam, where most of the deadly leopard attack incidents happen.
• In the northeastern region, Leopard killed 15 people in an unprovoked rampage in the town of Jorhat in December 2022.

TIGER ATTACK

• Most of the Tiger attacks in India appeared in the Sundarbans mangrove forest National Park of West Bengal. Sundarbans host the largest population of tigers in the world.
• A tiger attacked forest rangers on an Elephant in the Kaziranga National Park of Assam, in the northeast state of India December 2022.

ELEPHANT ATTACK

• The elephant is one of the holy animals in India, especially in Kerala but due to the elephant attack some 500 people are killed by each year. There are many incidents of elephant attacks that occurred in the villages of Kerala and other parts of India. Recently Kerala’s rogue elephant, codenamed PT-7 became a terror in Kerala in January 2023.

BEAR ATTACK

• A sloth bear attacked and killed one person and seriously injured three others in India in November 2022. The major zone includes Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh where most of the incidents occur.

KING COBRA

• Many a time Cobra entered the human settlement and got killed. In Sathyamangalam Tiger reserve, 5 of the Cobras got killed due to speeding vehicles in January 2023.

CAUSE OF HUMAN-WILDLIFE CONFLICTS

• Habitat Loss: Human-wildlife conflicts can occur wherever wildlife and human populations overlap, so any factor that forces wildlife and people into closer contact makes conflicts more likely. The threat also increases with fragmentation and loss of water resource.
• Deforestation and agricultural extension in forest areas: It leads to a decline in the buffer areas that separate humans and animals. This result in an increase in Human-Wildlife Conflict.
• Decline in the prey to the animals: In the Jorhat rampage, it is believed that the animal escaped the nearby Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary in search of food.
• Increase in wildlife population: there has been an increase in the population of some flagship species viz., Indian bison, Indian Leopard, and Indian elephant, in recent times. This increase in the wild population is due to an imbalance in the ecological food chain.
• Competition for Resource: As human populations and demand for space continue to grow, people and wildlife are increasingly interacting and competing for resources, which can lead to increased human-wildlife conflict.
• Infrastructure development: Railways track and roads built in nearby areas to the forest or going through the forest areas increases the chance of human-animal conflict.
• Use of Animals in captivity: They lose control over their lives and their environment. Social animals are often forced to live in the misery of solitary confinement. E.g. Elephant. Similarly, animals are used as entertainer objects in sports events. E.g Jallikattu. Further, they are used in religious gatherings, e.g., in Kerala temples, where they lost control and sometimes caused loss of humans and property.

IMPACT OF HUMAN-WILDLIFE CONFLICT

Wildlife and the communities near it are most directly impacted by human-wildlife conflict.

• Casualties of livestock predation: leopards attack pet animals like Dogs and livestock, is a grave concern in human-wildlife concern.
• Against animal welfare: People turn violent against wild animals in this conflict. This affect animal welfare and their rights. For example, A pregnant elephant died after a local allegedly fed her a pineapple stuffed with crackers, in Malappuram.
• Incidents of human injured and incidents of human death: Leopards and elephants were mainly involved in human death. Among human casualties of conflict with animals, elephants killed 1,579 humans in three years — 585 in 2019-20, 461 in 2020-21, and 533 in 2021-22. Odisha accounted for the highest number of these deaths at 322.

• Decline and potential eradication of species: Between 2018-19 and 2020-21, 222 elephants were killed by electrocution across the country, 45 by trains, 29 by poachers and 11 by poisoning.
• Crop Raiding: It lead to crop loss and income risk to the farmers. Elephant and monkey is involved in crop raiding.
• Development and Humanitarian issue: Human-wildlife conflict is, therefore, as much a development and humanitarian issue as it is a conservation concern, affecting the income of farmers, herders, and artisanal fishers—particularly those with incomes below the poverty line.
• Loss to communities: It can experience financial losses and livelihoods, food security, and property due to man-animal conflict. It also causes migration of the people,.

• Wildlife crime: If not addressed adequately, Human-Wildlife conflict (HWC) may drive wildlife crime.

Source UNEP report

THE WAY FORWARD

At the national level–The concerned authorities must devise a strategy and action plan to reduce human-wildlife conflict at the national level. This can be understood with following steps:

• A nationwide study of the human-wildlife conflict around wildlife reserves across the country has highlighted the need for a comprehensive evaluation of the current mitigation strategies as despite the widespread use of protection measures for crops and livestock; many households continued to experience losses.
• In order to reduce human-wildlife conflict, we must reassess the relationship—and especially the direct interactions—between people and wildlife to improve our coexistence in the future. We need to adopt approaches that identify and address the deeper, underlying causes of conflict while developing systemic, context-specific solutions with affected communities as active and equal participants in the process.
• Addressing the issue of Deforestation so that the loss of animal habitat can be tackled. Also, there is a need to prevent the fragmentation of forest habitat.
• Also declaring the nearby of protected areas as an Eco-sensitive zone and limiting human interference in that region can result decline in the Human- Wildlife Conflict.
• Local solution–Local communities can also participate in devising measures to reduce this conflict-
  • Strobe Lights –Farmers increasingly rely on automatic light machines to scare off destructive nocturnal wildlife. Half strobe light and half motion sensor, the machines flash beams of light randomly in all directions to mimic a farmer with a flashlight.
  • Natural Barriers –To keep elephants at a safe distance from their farms and homes, some African villagers have turned to two unlikely, all-natural solutions: bees and hot peppers. Elephants dislike the chemical capsaicin found in chilli peppers.
    • Indian railway introduced Buzzing Bees to keep the elephants away from tracks.
    • Re-Hab project by KVIC-fencing of bee boxes is installed in such areas from where elephants move towards the human settlements and farmers’ agriculture. Fencing of Bee-boxes on the routes of movement of elephants blocks the path of wild elephants. In this way, elephants can be prevented from attacking humans and destroying farmers’ crops through honeybees.
  • Solar-powered electric fences keep crop-raiding elephants out of fields in Africa, while wildlife managers in Alaska use tasers to deter moose and bears that have become habituated to humans.
  • Corridors–One way to reduce conflicts with wild animals is by guiding their movements in developed areas. Wildlife corridors, areas of preserved native habitat in human-dominated regions, provide wildlife with a safe pathway as they travel between larger areas of intact habitat. To protect elephant corridor is being built for their passage in different localised habitats.
    • Eco-Bridges and Eco-Ducts are built to safely pass wild animals across fragmented habitats.
  • Sensitising the local community – through awareness and making people conscious of the wild animals in their region and how to respond and manage the human-animal conflict.
  • Mapping –Using GPS tracking collars and GIS mapping software, researchers can identify hot spots where human-wildlife conflict is likely to occur. Identifying conflict hot spots helps to pinpoint ranger manpower and funding to proactively address the issue of human-wildlife conflict.

THE CONCLUSION: Human-wildlife conflict will always exist as our world becomes increasingly crowded; however, effective, well-planned management and holistic and integrated approaches can reduce and minimize conflict in the long term. Such human-wildlife conflict management strategies can create opportunities and benefits not only for biodiversity and impacted communities but for society, sustainable development, production, and the global economy at large. Thus there is a need for global cooperation, concerted actions, and resources to address the issue at the required scale.

Mains Question

1. Analyse the various reason for the increasing incidence of the Human-wildlife conflict. Suggest way forward.
2. Human-wildlife conflict affects the prospect of the country achieving the Sustainable development Goal by 2030. Analyse

THE CONTEXT: Parasnath hill was caught in a political storm with both the Adivasis and the Jains staking exclusive claims over it. Following this, the Union government classified the area as an eco-sensitive zone and directed the State government to take appropriate action to maintain the sanctity of Sammed Shikhar at Parasnath. Earlier, the Supreme Court’s decision to declare one kilometer around protected forests as ecologically sensitive zones (ESZ) have provoked protests in the country’s different regions. This article will analyse the conflict around the declaration of ESZ and steps that need to be taken to resolve the issue.

DEVELOPMENTS IN PARASNATH RELATED TO ESZ

• Earlier, in April 2015, the then Jharkhand Chief Minister launched a “Parasnath Hill Development Plan” to boost tourism in the Shikharji hills. According to the plan, a helipad, theme park, and tourism reception centre was to be constructed on Parasnath hill.
• In 2019, the State government notified the Parasnath area as a tourist destination, but it was in the year 2023 that members of the Jain community began demonstrations in New Delhi, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra, protesting the proposed development of the site as a tourism hub.
• On January 3, 2023 Sugyeyasagar Maharaj, a septuagenarian Jain priest who was on hunger strike to protest against the development plan, passed away in Jaipur.
• The Union government responded positively to the Jain protests. The Union government modified its 2019 notification and classified the area as an eco-sensitive zone (ESZ).
• MoEFCC directed the State government to strictly enforce the relevant provisions of the Management Plan of the Parasnath Wildlife Sanctuary and to appoint two members from the Jain community and one member from the local tribal community as Permanent Invitees to the committee constituted by the Central government for monitoring the provisions of the ESZ notification under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.

ABOUT PARASNATH HILL

• It is a mountain peak located in chotanagpur plateau region in the Giridih district of Jharkhand.
• Parasnath hill is considered sacred by two communities, both Jain and Tribals, that, ironically, differ sharply in diet and customs.
• For jain, it is known as Sammed Shikhar, and It is named after Parshvanath who is the 23^rd jain Tirthankara and is considered as one of the most holy pilgrimage sites for jain community.
• For tribals, the hill is known as Marang Buru which means the great mountain or supreme deity. Santhals and other tribes of the region worship it.

WHAT ARE ECO SENSITIVE ZONES?

• ESZs are effectively insulating layers where humans and nature can be at peace with each other. It is intended to protect ‘protected areas’ as national parks and wildlife sanctuaries by transitioning from an area of lower protection to an area of higher protection.
• It is notified as ecologically fragile zones under Section 3(2)(v) of the Environment Protection Act 1986.
• It is created as “shock absorbers” for the protected areas, to minimize the negative impact on the “fragile ecosystems” by certain nearby human activities.
• As per the National Wildlife Action Plan (2002-2016), issued by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, land within 10 km of the boundaries of national parks and wildlife sanctuaries is to be notified as eco-fragile zones or Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZ).
• Protected areas cover 5.26% of India’s land area and are notified under Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972. Surrounding these protected areas is an area of more than 1,11,000 sq. km or 3.4% percent of the country’s land which in effect, falls under the ESZ regime. Governments have notified 341 ESZs in 29 States and five Union territories, while another 85 ESZs are awaiting notification. Protected areas and the ESZs cover 8.66% of India’s land area.
• The MoEFCC guidelines list the activities prohibited in an ESZ, such as commercial mining, sawmills, commercial use of wood, etc., apart from regulated activities like felling of trees. There are permitted activities like ongoing agricultural or horticultural practices, rainwater harvesting, and organic farming.

SIGNIFICANCE OF ECO-SENSITIVE ZONE

Eco-Sensitive Zones play a significant role in balancing the development and environment by preserving biodiversity and conserving indigenous and regulating development activities. Some of the significance of ESZ is mentioned below:

• In-Situ conservation: ESZ helps in in-situ conservation of an endangered species which means conservation of species in its own natural habitat which helps in maintaining the ecological balance.
• Conservation of flora and fauna: ESZ helps conserve flora and fauna of the protected areas as wildlife sanctuaries and national parks and helps minimise deforestation.
• Benefit to Indigenous and local communities: Indigenous and local communities benefited by ESZ demarcation as they can isolate themselves from interference of outsiders.
• Sustainable development: It helps balance environment and development by regulating activities that happen in the area without harming the environment.
• Avoid Human-Wildlife Conflict: Protected areas are based on the core and buffer management model, which minimises human wildlife conflict.
• Protection to tribal rights and livelihoods: ESZ provides protection to tribal rights to preserve their culture, diversity and livelihood which helps in balancing unity and integrity of the nation.

RECENT DEVELOPMENT BY SUPREME COURT

• On June 3, 2022, the Supreme Court said that the MoEFCC guidelines are also to be implemented in the area proposed in the draft notification awaiting finalization and within a 10-km radius of yet-to-be-proposed protected areas. The Court also allowed States to increase or decrease the minimum width of ESZs in the public interest.
• Second, the court vested the powers to ensure compliance with the guidelines with the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) and the Home Secretary of the State/UT. The PCCF was to make a list of all structures within the ESZs and report it to the Supreme Court within three months. This has yet to be done. The court also ordered that no new permanent structure could come up for any purpose within an ESZ.
• This brings us to the reason for the protests in Kerala in 2002, a Central Empowered Committee (CEC) was also constituted to monitor the implementation of the court’s orders and bringing to its attention incidents of non-compliance.
• One of the most significant rulings in the case came in June 2022, when a three-Judge Bench led by Justice L. Nageswara Rao mandated the creation of ecologically sensitive zones of one kilometer around wildlife sanctuaries and national parks. Court, however, observed that a one kilometer-wide ‘no development zone’ might not be feasible in all cases.

ANALYSIS OF SC JUDGEMENT: WHETHER IT IS FEASIBLE OR NOT

IN FAVOUR OF SC JUDGEMENT

●  Inclusive implementation:  This decision nullifies the area-specific ESZ boundary limit around the PAs, as previously announced by the Supreme Court and would apply in all states/UTs where the minimum extent of ESZ is not prescribed. This will led to inclusive implementation in all protected areas.

● Relieve pressure on protected areas:  It will relieve the pressure on protected areas caused by the intensification of mining and linear infrastructure in an unsustainable way. Mining activities in general, whether within or near Protected Areas, have a wide range of environmental consequences. For example, mining imperilled the Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary, Mollem National Park, Bondla WLS, Netravali WLS etc.

●  Forest conservation: The decision can be viewed as a positive step towards forest conservation in India, with the amendments and inclusions that are being discussed. Owing to the pressures of human habitation and infrastructure development projects, the eco-sensitive zones (ESZs) around such protected areas are shrinking and, in some cases, are near zero or absent. This decision will help in regaining the status of ESZ.

● Committee for consultation: Ministry has asked all states to form a committee comprised of the wildlife warden, an ecologist, and a revenue department official from the affected area to recommend the need for an eco-sensitive zone and its size. The panel could also recommend the best methods for managing such zones and broad-based thematic activities to be included in the master plan for the areas that have been classified as prohibited, restricted with safeguards, and permissible.

●  Acts as buffer zone and shock absorber: It will act as the buffer zone between protected areas and urban areas and will also help in minimizing human and wildlife contacts which will help in minimizing damage of lives and property.

●  In situ conservation of wildlife species: This decision will help conserve wildlife species in their original habitat, which will help restore the environment.

AGAINST SC JUDGEMENT

●  Environmentalist concern: Many environmentalists from across the country expressed concern about the template of the Supreme Court judgment, claiming that the ecological perspective was not given due consideration.

●   Rights-negating ‘fortress conservation model’: It has continued India’s colonial forest regime, resulting in a historic injustice. According to Some states such notification did not favor local communities inhabiting the forest boundary. It is also argued that such a binding rule is detrimental to the well-being of tribal communities residing on the edge of forest boundaries for decades and depends exclusively on forest resources for a living.

●   Denying basic infrastructure: New structures that are banned could include electric poles, buildings, walls, roads and bridges. Millions of forest-dwellers living on forest land and on the fringes of forests are the most affected. After being denied forest rights, they are now denied better public infrastructure. The government and the judiciary need to reconcile laws, reaffirm democratic governance, and protect the environment and as well as livelihoods.

●   One size fits all: These guidelines need to have been a location, community and ecology-specific plan, arrived at through people’s informed participation, became a virtually ‘one size fits all’ notification.

●   No proper surveys: Supreme Court has not asked for any physical survey for the buffer zones. The government is moving to dilute the issue in the name of physical surveys.

●  Affect revenue: It is also opposed because activities such as mining and quarrying contribute significantly to the state economy.

● Delay in development activities: Some stakeholders are also unhappy with the proclamation that such regulation will delay development work, particularly the mining activities in and around the protected area, which is a significant source of revenue for the state.

CHALLENGES RELATED TO ESZ IMPLEMENTATION

The recent Supreme Court decision triggered new conflicts among policymakers, environmentalists, and other stakeholders. Some are pleased with it, while others have criticized it. In this regard there are a few challenges associated with it.

• No mandatory rule for establishing ESZ: Due to ideological differences between central and state governments, India just now had a mandatory rule on maintaining the ESZ around its protected area.
• Conflict between centre and state: The subject “forest” for which such regulation is prescribed is kept in the concurrent list of the Indian constitution, on which both the state and central governments can make decisions that lead to conflict of interest.
• Issues in determining boundary: Some stakeholders are also concerned about determining the boundary in the case of marine / aquatic PAs, where identifying the permanent boundary of the national park and sanctuaries is complex due to alteration in original boundaries over time, making ESZ boundary demarcation questionable.
• No provision has been made for reserve forests: There is no provision for reserve forests which also have significant protection values. It is a well-known fact that several of these reserve forests are also undermining pressure, which significantly impacts their original values.

THE WAY FORWARD

Article 51-A (g) says, “It shall be the duty of every citizen of India to protect and improve the natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers, and wildlife and to have compassion for living creatures.” Directive principles under the Indian constitution are directed toward the ideals of building a welfare state. In this regard, there is a need to take certain steps to ensure the same regarding determining ESZ.

• Flexible and Area specific approach: This fixed minimum limit of one km for a Sanctuary/NP with a few square kilometers should not be the same as the PAs having an area of hundreds of square kilometers. Such as Okhla Bird Sanctuary in Uttar Pradesh and Sanjay Gandhi National Park in Mumbai, located near urban areas, cannot rationally maintain the ESZ boundary of one km. A flexible and area-specific minimum limit boundary provision is required.
• Identification of the eco-sensitive zones: Mandatory execution of ESZ for each National Park and Sanctuary can be done, but there is a need for proper identification of all the issues related to ESZ.
• Balancing development and environment: While development is necessary, it should not be done at the expense of forest degradation and interest of all the stakeholders have to be balanced.
• Focus on regulation rather than prohibition: It was decided that the delineation of eco-sensitive zones would have to be site-specific and relate to regulation, rather than prohibition, of specific activities. The primary goal was to regulate certain activities near National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries to reduce the negative impacts of such activities on the fragile ecosystems surrounding the protected areas.
• Consultation and Collaboration: Besides that, it should also be taken into consideration that India is a state union, and any decision made by the executive, Judiciary, or legislature will not be widely implemented until it receives unanimous approval from all states. A consultation meeting among all states, the central government, and the judiciary is necessary before the execution of the recent judgment, so that genuine concerns raised by state governments can be appropriately addressed, reducing future conflicts.
• Taking an Indigenous concern into account: Several indigenous communities live in the forest area and implementing this rule will jeopardize their lives, so there is a need for proper amendment to ensure that their lives and livelihoods are not affected.

Thus, it can be understood that the recent judgments were not made in haste but rather based on several facts and conclusions. However, there is a need for a few amendments to ensure inclusiveness.

THE CONCLUSION: India has demonstrated its commitment to environmental preservation in many national and international forums and the Supreme Court’s decision to implement ESZ can be viewed as a positive step towards forest conservation with certain amendments and inclusion as it supports the concept of sustainability.

MAINS QUESTIONS

1.  What are Eco-Sensitive Zones? Discuss their importance and the challenges involved in the declaration of ESZs.
2. The Supreme Court’s decision to implement ESZ around 1 km of protected areas has attracted protest across the country. In this regard, analyse whether it’s a right step in balancing the rights of locals and the protection of the environment.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS

1. WHAT IS T+1 SETTLEMENT?

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE- GS-III- ECONOMY

THE CONTEXT:After China, India will become the second country in the world to start the ‘trade-plus-one’ (T+1) settlement cycle in top listed securities bringing operational efficiency, faster fund remittances, share delivery, and ease for stock market participants.

THE EXPLANATION:

What’s the T+1 settlement plan?

• The T+1 settlement cycle means that trade-related settlements must be done within a day, or 24 hours, of the completion of a transaction. For example, under T+1, if a customer bought shares on Wednesday, they would be credited to the customer’s demat account on Thursday. This is different from T+2, where they will be settled on Friday. As many as 256 large-cap and top mid-cap stocks, including Nifty and Sensex stocks, will come under the T+1 settlement from Friday.
• Until 2001, stock markets had a weekly settlement system. The markets then moved to a rolling settlement system of T+3, and then to T+2 in 2003. T+1 is being implemented despite opposition from foreign investors. The United States, United Kingdom and Eurozone markets are yet to move to the T+1 system.

And what are the benefits of T+1?

• In the T+1 format, if an investor sells a share, she will get the money within a day, and the buyer will get the shares in her demat account also within a day.

Could it also make markets safer?

• According to a paper published by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), a T+1 settlement cycle not only reduces the timeframe but also reduces and frees up capital required to collateralise that risk.
• A shortened settlement cycle also reduces the number of outstanding unsettled trades at any point of time, and thus decreases the unsettled exposure to Clearing Corporation by 50 per cent. The narrower the settlement cycle, the narrower the time window for a counterparty insolvency/ bankruptcy to impact the settlement of a trade.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

2. INDIA’S FIRST MISSION TO STUDY THE SUN

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE- GS-III- SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT:According to sources,  Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is planning to launch the Aditya-L1 mission by June or July this year (2023). Aditya-L1 is the first Indian space mission to observe the Sun and the solar corona.

THE EXPLANATION:

About Aditya-L1 mission:

• The Aditya-L1 mission will be launched by ISRO to the L1 orbit (which is the first Lagrangian point of the Sun-Earth system). L1 orbit allows Aditya-L1 to look at the Sun continuously.
• Aditya-L1 has seven payloads in total, of which the primary payload is the Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (VELC), designed and fabricated by the Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bengaluru.
• The other six payloads are being developed by the ISRO and other scientific institutions.
• It is a joint venture between ISRO and physicists from other institutes of India.
• Aditya- L1 satellite will be placed in the halo orbit around the Lagrangian point 1 (L1) of the sun-earth system
• Utility: The data from Aditya mission will be immensely helpful in discriminating between different models for the origin of solar storms and also for constraining how the storms evolve and what path they take through the interplanetary space from the Sun to the Earth

Objectives of mission

• Study dynamic nature of sun’s outer most layers, the corona and the chromosphere, and collect data about Coronal Mass Ejections (CME).
• Study on origin of solar storms and their path through the interplanetary space from the Sun to the Earth.
• The studies will also focus on collection of information for space weather prediction.

VALUE ADDITION:

What is Lagrange Point?

• The L1 point is about 1.5 million km from Earth or about 1/100th of the way to the Sun.
• L1 refers to Lagrangian/Lagrange Point 1, one of 5 points in the orbital plane of the Earth-Sun system.
• These can be used by spacecraft to reduce the fuel consumption needed to remain in position.
• A Satellite placed in the halo orbit around the Lagrangian point 1 (L1) has the major advantage of continuously viewing the Sun without any occultation/ eclipses.
• The L1 point is home to the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory Satellite (SOHO), an international collaboration project of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the European Space Agency (ESA).

ENVIRONMENT, ECOLOGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

3. INDIA INKS PACT TO INTRODUCE DOZENS OF CHEETAHS FROM SOUTH AFRICA

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE- GS-III- ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: According to sources, the Memorandum of Understanding between New Delhi and Pretoria to bring 12 cheetahs to India from South Africa was finally signed after a long delay.

THE EXPLANATION:

• These cheetahs will join the eight big cats from Namibia that arrived at the Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh’s Sheopur district on September 17, 2022.
• The dates of their arrival are still uncertain. The Madhya Pradesh Forest department had hoped the cheetahs would arrive by February, but the latest speculations suggest it will take at least until the first week of March 2023.
• Also, as per the sources Indian delegation will leave for South Africa sometime in the second week of February to bring the 12 big cats.

India’s effort related to the relocation of Cheetahs

• This isn’t the first time India has attempted the relocation of the Cheetah.
• In the early 1970s, negotiations were carried out with Iran on behalf of the Indira Gandhi administration.
• Assessed sites-Mukundara Hills Tiger Reserve and Shergarh Wildlife Sanctuary in Rajasthan and Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary, Kuno National Park, Madhav National Park and Nauradehi Wildlife Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh.
• Kuno National Park is identified for the relocation.
• The site has been monitored since 2006 and identified for relocating the Asiatic Lion.

Significance of Reintroducing Cheetahs

• A section of conservationists has long advocated the reintroduction of the species in the country.
• It is a strategy to conserve threatened species and restore ecosystem functions.
• The Cheetah is the only large carnivore that has been extirpated, mainly by overhunting in India in historical times.
• India now has the economic ability to consider restoring its lost natural heritage for ethical as well as ecological reasons.”
• The conservation of the Cheetah will revive grasslands, and their biomes and habitat, much like Project Tiger have done for forests and all the species that have seen their numbers increase.

Kuno National Park

• Kuno National Park of Madhya Pradesh is a unique destination for all wildlife lovers and enthusiasts.
• It has a healthy population of chital, sambar, nilgai, wild pig, chinkara and cattle. Currently, the leopard and striped hyena are the only larger carnivores within the National Park, with the lone tiger having returned to Ranthambore earlier this year.

PLACES IN NEWS

4. LAKE VICTORIA

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

THE CONTEXT:According to the report “Lake Victoria: Roadmap for Management of Water Quality in Mwanza City-Tanzania” it has been suffering from a variety of unsustainable human activities over the last five decades.

THE EXPLANATION:

REPORT HIGHLIGHTS:

• Lake Victoria and its flora and fauna support the livelihoods of about 45 million people. The ecologically unique water body is shared by three countries — Tanzania (51 per cent), Uganda (44 per cent) and Kenya (5 per cent).
• The discussion paper released in July 2022 identified Mwanza city as a hotspot, contributing a substantial pollution load in the form of industrial effluents, domestic sewage and dumping of solid waste.
• It also recognised two rivers — the Mirongo and the Nyashishi — as the major water bodies carrying domestic and industrial pollution loads, respectively.
• Only 3 per cent of households are connected to sewer lines managed by the Mwanza Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Authority (MWAUWASA), while 93 per cent — especially those living on the hills — are dependent on onsite sanitation (pit latrine and septic tanks), the report highlighted.
• The city’s waste management practices have 70-80 per cent waste collection efficiency and there is no segregation of the garbage.
• Lake Victoria is shared by three countries, Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya.

5. LAKE CHAD BASIN

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

THE CONTEXT:A recent report by a humanitarian organisation has highlighted the dangerous link between climate change and conflict in countries like Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria in the Lake Chad Basin.

THE EXPLANATION:

• Shrinking natural resources due to adverse weather are heightening tensions across communities and displacing people, said the report by Refugees International published January 19, 2023. Around 3 million people have been displaced and an additional 11 million are in need of humanitarian assistance.
• International actors and regional governments have ignored the interplay between climate change, community violence and the forced displacement of civilian populations.
• International responses to the Lake Chad Basin crisis have singularly focused on the presence of armed groups.
• For years, the lake has been supporting drinking water, irrigation, fishing, livestock and economic activity for over 30 million people in the region, as per the report. It is vital for indigenous, pastoral and farming communities in one of the world’s poorest countries.
• Lake Chad is located in the Sahel, the vast semi-arid region south of the Sahara desert. It is fed mainly by the Chari River through the Lagone tributary, which used to provide 90 per cent of its water.
• The area is particularly sensitive to drought and the lake has fluctuated dramatically in size during prolonged dry periods historically. As the lake shrinks, communities are struggling and there is competition for the dwindling resource.

SOCIAL JUSTICE- GOVERNANCE

1. THE ANNUAL STATUS OF EDUCATION REPORT 2022

TAGS: GS-II- GOVERNANCE

THE CONTEXT: The ASER Report 2022 released recently revealed that almost all (98.4%) students in the age bracket of 6-14 years are now enrolled in schools.

Highlights of ASER 2022:

• In ASER 2022 Survey, 7 lakh candidates from 19,060 schools in 616 districts were surveyed to calculate the learning outcomes post-pandemic on school children.
• Enrollment has gone from 97.2 per cent in 2018 to 98.4 per cent in 2022.
• As many as 72.9 per cent of the surveyed students go to government schools.
• In only three states, the number of girls not going to school is above 10% – Madhya Pradesh (17%), Uttar Pradesh (15%), and Chhattisgarh (11.2%).
• Nationally, children’s basic reading ability has dropped to pre-2012 levels, reversing the slow improvement achieved in the intervening years.
• In both government and private schools, only 20.5% students of Class 3 can read, compared to 27.3% in 2018.
• The proportion of Class 5 students who can read has dropped to 42.8% in 2022, compared to 50.5% in 2018.

VALUE ADDITION:

About ASER Survey:

• It is a citizen-led household survey that provides estimates of the enrolment status of children aged 3-16 and the basic reading and arithmetic levels of children aged 5-16 at the national, state and district level.
• ASER is published by NGO Pratham, and the survey has been conducted every year since 2005.
• The survey reaches children in the age group of 3-16 in almost all rural districts of India.
• It uses household rather than school-based sampling.

ENVIRONMENT, ECOLOGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

2. YANGTZE FINLESS PORPOISE

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE- GS-III- ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: Scientists recently found that checking sand mining in Dongting lake in China can help the rebounding of the population of the Yangtze finless porpoise.

THE EXPLANATION:

• Previous reports had shown the porpoise were pushed out of certain stretches of their habitat due to sand mining.
• The Chinese government announced a crackdown on illegal sand mining along the entire length of the river Yangtze.

ABOUT YANGTZE FINLESS PORPOISE

• The Yangtze River, the longest river in Asia is home to these porpoises.
• Yangtze finless porpoise is known for its mischievous smile and has a level of intelligence comparable to that of a gorilla.
• These are very small compared to whales and slow-moving inhabitants
• These are good indicators of the health of their environment.
• Conservation status:
  o IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered

3. WHAT IS SEDGE WARBLER?

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE- GS-III- ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: Birders and ornithologists recently in the State of Kerala spotted a migratory bird the Sedge Warbler.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The sedge warbler is a medium-sized warbler of marshes, reedbeds and wetlands that can be spotted singing from perches on reeds and willow bushes.
• The male sedge warbler introduces random phrases into its repertoire which is known for mimicking.
• The male warbler never sings the same song twice; he attracts more mates the more phrases his song has.
• These are insectivores in nature.
• Distribution and habitat:
  o It breeds across Europe and western and central Asia and is migratory. After feeding up post-breeding, they migrate quickly across southern Europe and the Sahara from August to September.
  o All sedge warblers spend winter in sub-Saharan Africa, from Senegal in the west to Ethiopia in the east, and as far south as the eastern Cape Province of South Africa and northern Namibia.
• Conservation status:
  o IUCN Red List: Least concern

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS

4. WHAT IS THE ADVANCE AUTHORISATION SCHEME?

TAGS:GS-III- ECONOMY- GOVERNMENT SCHEMES

THE CONTEXT: Recently, the directorate general of foreign trade (DGFT) simplifies the composition fee for export obligation extension under the advance authorisation scheme.

THE EXPLANATION:

About the Advance authorisation scheme:

• An advance authorisation scheme allows duty-free import of inputs, which have to be mandatorily used in products that are required to be exported within a specified time.
• They are not allowed to sell the products in the domestic market.
• Advance Authorization is valid for 12 months from the date of issue of such Authorization.
• The revised composition fee formula is based on a specific rate for different levels of the ‘CIF (cost, insurance, freight) value of authorisation.
• The fees levied under these 3 slabs; at ₹5,000 for a cost, insurance, freight (CIF) value of advance authorization license valued at up to ₹2 crores, ₹10,000 for a value between ₹2 crore and 10 crores, and ₹15,000 for value over ₹10 crores.
• The simplification of calculations for composition fees helps in automation and faster service delivery by making the process more efficient and easier to understand.

Exemptions under Advance Authorisation Scheme

• Under the Advance Authorisation Scheme, the following duties are exempt: basic customs duty, education cess, social welfare cess, anti-dumping duty, countervailing duty, and safeguard duty. IGST and compensation cess are also exempted.

VALUE ADDITION:

DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF FOREIGN TRADE (DGFT)

• About: Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) organisation is an attached office of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and is headed by Director General of Foreign Trade. It is responsible for formulating and implementing the Foreign Trade Policy with the main objective of promoting India’s exports.
• Headquarters: New Delhi
• Functions: Licensing of imports and exports. Regulate, restrict or prohibit exports and imports. It plays an advisory role to the Government on Policy measures pertaining to national and international economic scenarios.

PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

5. WHAT DOES THE TERM ‘GREENBACK ‘ INDICATE?

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

THE CONTEXT: The rupee weakened sharply against the US dollar recently amid sparse trading volumes as some foreign banks purchased the greenback, likely on account of overseas investors exiting the domestic market.

THE EXPLANATION:

What is Greenback?

• A greenback is a term for U.S. paper dollars.
• It was legal tender by law backed by the United States government.
• The issuance was primarily intended to cover up the expenses of the American Civil War.

Why is it called Greenback?

• Since the backside of this paper money is inked in green color, it got the name greenback.
• Because they were not fully backed by gold, greenbacks lost value and caused inflation in the economy.
• Even though they were not minted after the nineteenth century, the terminology is now used in reference to the United States Dollar.

What is greenback trading?

• Traders in the foreign exchange market use the term greenback to refer to the United States Dollar.
• Hence it indicates the trading in the United States Dollar or U.S. dollar index.

THE CONTEXT: Recently, a PIL was filed in Supreme Court to issue directions to the Kerala government to not implement the Gadgil committee report as no space is available to displace the population within the state. There are large groups completely dependent on agriculture, and banning the cultivation of several crops will affect their livelihood. Though valid to a certain extent, yet it negates the larger issue of environmental crisis manifested in Kerala flood and such other issues. This raises a paradox on the discourse between Democracy and Ecology. In this context, we will study in detail about the reports of different commissions on conservation and preservation of biodiversity in western ghats and what are the issues in implementing their recommendations.

ABOUT WESTERN GHATS

• The Western Ghats is a mountain range that runs from the western coast of Peninsular India. Older than the Himalaya Mountains, they are also known as Sahyadri.
• A significant characteristic of the Western Ghats is the exceptionally high level of biological diversity and endemism. This mountain chain is recognized as one of the world’s eight ‘hottest hotspots’ of biological diversity along with Sri Lanka.
• It begins near the border of Gujarat and stretches down 1600 km through the states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala ,Goa and Tamil Nadu covering around 160,000 km2 of the area.
• It has an exceptionally high level of biological diversity and endemism and is recognized as one of the world’s eight ‘hottest hotspots’ of biological diversity.
• The forests of the site include some of the best representatives of non-equatorial tropical evergreen forests anywhere and are home to at least 325 globally threatened flora, fauna, bird, amphibian, reptile and fish species.

MADHAV GADGIL COMMITTEE REPORT ON THE WESTERN GHATS?

Gadgil Commission, an environmental research commission is named after its chairman Madhav Gadgil. The commission is formally known as Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel (WGEEP). The commission submitted the report to the Government of India on 31 August 2011.

RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE GADGIL COMMITTEE

• The Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel (WGEEP) designated the entire hill range as an Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA).
• The panel, in its report, has classified the 142 taluks in the Western Ghats boundary into Ecologically Sensitive Zones (ESZ) 1, 2 and 3.
• ESZ-1 being of high priority, almost all developmental activities (mining, thermal power plants etc) were restricted in it.
• The extent of existing Protected Areas plus ESZ1 will not normally exceed 60% of the total area. And the extent of area covered by existing Protected Areas plus ESZ1 and ESZ2 together will be around 75% and the extent of ESZ3 will normally be around 25% of the total area.
• Gadgil report recommended that “no new dams based on large-scale storage be permitted in Ecologically Sensitive Zone 1. Since both the Athirappilly of Kerala and Gundia of Karnataka hydel project sites fall in Ecologically Sensitive Zone 1, these projects should not be accorded environmental clearance,” it said.
• In Ecologically Sensitive Zone 1 and 2 no new license for mining and No new polluting (red and orange category) industries to be given while in Ecologically Sensitive Zone 3 new mining and setting up of New polluting industries may be taken up only under strict regulation and social audit . Agriculture activities are allowed by phasing out the use of chemical fertilizers in all the three zones.
• Gadgil Committee report specifies that the present system of governance of the environment should be changed. It asked for a bottom to top approach (right from Gram sabhas) rather than a top to bottom approach. It also asked for decentralization and more powers to local authorities.
• The commission recommended the constitution of a Western Ghats Ecology Authority (WGEA), as a statutory authority under the Ministry of Environment and Forests, with the powers under Section 3 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.

WHAT WAS THE NEED FOR THE KASTURIRANGAN COMMITTEE SUBSEQUENTLY?

• None of the six concerned states accepted the Gadgil committee report.
• In August 2012, a High-Level Working Group on Western Ghats under Kasturirangan was constituted to “examine” the Gadgil Committee report in a “holistic and multidisciplinary fashion in the light of responses received” from various stakeholders.

RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE KASTURIRANGAN COMMITTEE

• Instead of the total area of Western Ghats, only 37% (i.e. 60,000 sq. km.) of the total area be brought under ESA under Kasturirangan report.
• A complete ban on mining, quarrying and sand mining in ESA.
• Distinguished between cultural (58% occupied in the Western Ghats by it like human settlements, agricultural fields and plantations) and natural landscape (90% of it should come under ESA according to the committee).
• Current mining areas in the ESA should be phased out within the next five years, or at the time of expiry of mining lease, whichever is earlier.
• No thermal power be allowed, and hydropower projects are allowed only after detailed study.
• Red industries i.e. which are highly polluting be strictly banned in these areas.
• Kasturirangan report on the Western Ghats has made several pro-farmer recommendations, including the exclusion of inhabited regions and plantations from the purview of ecologically sensitive areas (ESAs).
• The Kasturirangan report had said 123 villages fall under the ESA purview.

COMPARISON OF MADHAV GADGIL REPORT AND KASTURIRANGAN REPORT

GADGIL REPORT

• Recommended that the entire stretch of the western ghats should be declared an Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA)
• It divided the region into three zones-ESZ1, ESZ2 & ESZ3 and gave a broad outline of certain restrictions for each zone
• It recommended the determination of an area as ESZ1 or ESZ2 or ESZ3 be done at the block/taluka level
• No new polluting industries (red and orange category) were to be permitted in ESZ1&ESZ2.Existing industries were to be phased out by 2016.

KASTURIRANGAN REPORT

• Divided the western ghats into two: natural landscape and cultural landscape
• Of the natural landscape, it picked out merely 37% as “biologically rich” and “with some measure of contiguity”. Any restrictions were only placed in this area
• It proposed the demarcation of ESA be done at the village level
• Only red category industries (heavily polluting such as mining) were completely restricted

WHY STATE GOVERNMENT’S NOT IMPLEMENTING THE REPORT?

BARRIER TO DEVELOPMENT

• The state government believes that implementation of the report will halt the developmental activities in the region.
• Karnataka Government states that it has the distinction of being one of the states with extensive forest cover and the government has taken care to protect the biodiversity of Western Ghats.

GROUND REALITY

• The Kasturirangan report has been prepared based on the satellite images, but the ground reality is different.
• People of the region have adopted agriculture and horticultural activities in an eco-friendly manner.
• Priority has been accorded for environment protection under the Forest Protection Act.
• In this background bringing one more law that would affect the livelihood of the local people is not appropriate.

PEOPLE’S PROTEST

• The political representatives from Uttara Kannada district have always opposed the Kasturirangan report since 600-plus villages will fall under the eco-sensitive area if the report is implemented.

PRESENT STATUS

• While there is a growing concern over the forest encroachments in Karnataka, the state government has planned to further shrink the deemed forest area from 3,30,186.938 hectares to 2 lakh hectares.

REINVENTING DEMOCRACY

Seventy-five years since Independence, it is now acutely clear that we need to rethink this paradigm of development altogether since it has failed to balance economic interests with social costs. This model of development promises equality, but in reality, it privileges corporate interests. Displacement has been one of the major consequences of this process, particularly the displacement of tribals and other marginalised communities.

ISSUES IN THE PESA (PROVISIONS OF THE PANCHAYATS EXTENSION TO SCHEDULED AREAS) ACT, 1996 IN DEMOCRATIC DECENTRALISATION

• Social audits conducted across the state have also pointed out that in reality different developmental schemes were being approved on paper by Gram Sabha, without actually having any meeting for discussion and decision making which results into respond by the localities for eg: “Pathalgarhi movement” by the tribals who basically seeks for autonomy.

ISSUES IN THE FOREST RIGHTS ACT

• The main barriers with regard to implementation relate to the structural conditions, which define the power of the state vs powerlessness of the scheduled tribes and other forest dependent communities.
• The current growth model which is basically top to bottom approach has systematically perpetuated high levels of inequality, which reflects on competing interests over the rich base of natural resources- land, minerals, water and forest. To elaborate more, three significant barriers, which impede the realisation of forest rights.

A clash of ideas: for a brighter future

IMPACT OF THE NON-IMPLEMENTATION OF THE REPORT ON THE WESTERN GHATS

• There have been a lot of evident climatic changes like temperature increase, excess floods, droughts etc. such incidents will further increase.
• Gadgil called on the authorities to take immediate measures to preserve Kerala’s natural environment, especially in the ecologically fragile Western Ghats region. Gadgil also urged the state government to impose a ban on industrial and mining activities in the area and strictly regulate development work but the environmental expert says the government did not pay heed to his recommendations Which results into deadly floods in Kerala.
• The impacts include pollution (noise, air and groundwater), depletion of fisheries, deforestation, siltation of water bodies and loss of unique biodiversity among many others. The report claimed that there are also numerous illegal activities in these areas causing these problems.

THE WAY FORWARD

To eradicate poverty and increase growth in the economy, development is mandatory. Without economic development, a nation cannot come out of the vicious circle of poverty. As our population grows, finding a balance between economic advancement and consumption of natural resources is a vital question that we should address.

• ECO-TOURISM: Eco-tourism is ecologically sustainable tourism with a primary focus on experiencing natural areas that fosters environmental and cultural understanding, appreciation, and conservation. Thus,ecotourism needs to be promoted in western ghats.
• JOINT FOREST MANAGEMENT (JFM): The rationale behind Joint Forest Management (JFM) approach is that the willing and active participation of the Forest Department with the local community is essential for ensuring regeneration, conservation, protection and sustainable use of forest resources. JFM is to be considered as cost-effective approach for the regeneration and conservation of forest apart from meeting the diverse needs of the local communities.
• ENVIRONMENTAL GOVERNANCE: Good environmental governance which limits the exploitation of natural resources to sustainable levels.

THE CASE STUDY CONSERVATION BY EXCLUSION- SOLIGAS OF BRT HILLS

BRT hills are a forest covered range in Karnataka to the east of the Nilgiris. It is the traditional homeland of Soliga tribals, who earlier practised hunting-gathering and shifting cultivation. They have protected a large sacred grove, harbouring a magnificent Michelia champaca tree. When this area was declared a Wild Life Sanctuary, Soligas could no longer hunt or practice shifting cultivation. So gathering of honey, medicinal plants and amla became the mainstay of their subsistence. A voluntary organization, Vivekananda Girijana Kalyana Kendra, has organized them effectively and helped set up a system of regulated collection, processing and marketing of forest produce. A scientific institution, ATREE, has been engaged in a study of the Soliga forest produce collection practices and their impact on resource stocks. They have come to the conclusion that these practices are entirely sustainable. The Soliga earnings had also improved because of their own processing industry. Most regrettably, the Forest Department has banned all collection of forest produce for marketing, forcing Soligas into destitution.

THE CONCLUSION: There is a need to find solutions to the problem of power shortage, paucity of drinking water, poverty and unemployment, without forgetting the fact that ecological biodiversity needs to be recognized as an integral part of the human and cultural landscape as well as the natural one. Everyone agrees that one must strike a fine balance between conservation, preservation and development and ensure that they can go hand in hand; but this is easier said than done.

QUESTION FOR MAINS EXAMINATION:

Q1.Explain the significance of western ghats for India. Suggest some innovative ways to conserve the biodiversity of the region.
Q2.Is it possible to strike a balance between developmental imperatives of a growing economy like India and the limits to growth imposed by environmental degradation? Critically analyse.

GEOGRAPHY

1. WHAT IS BOMB CYCLONE?

GS-I-GEOGRAPHY

THE CONTEXT: Millions of Americans have been recently warned to brace for a bomb cyclone with blizzard conditions, wind chills and temperatures plunging as low as -45.6C (-50.1F) – cold enough to get frostbite in less than five minutes.

THE EXPLANATION:

What is Bomb Cyclone?

• A bomb cyclone is a mid-latitude storm in which the central pressure drops fast at one millibar per hour for at least 24 hours. However, the millibar readings can change based on where the storm is forming.
• This quickly increases the pressure difference, or gradient, between the two air masses, making the winds stronger. This process of rapid intensification has a name: bombogenesis.
• As the winds blow, the rotation of the Earth creates a cyclonic effect. The direction is counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere (when viewed from above).

Formation:

• A bomb cyclone is formed when the air of different air masses (cold, dry) comes together.
• As the warm air rises, it creates a cloud system lowering air pressure and forming into a storm circulating counter clockwise around the low-pressure area.

Characteristics:

• The bomb cyclone will be characterised by cold winds, which are also expected to pick up, and wind chill temperatures could drop to dangerous lows far below zero — enough to cause frostbite within minutes.
• The dangerous storm is expected to hit everyone east of the Rockies — around two-thirds of the country.

HEALTH ISSUES

2. KALA AZAR

GS-2 -HEALTH ISSUES

THE CONTEXT: Recently, PM in his Mann Ki Baat programme on All India Radio,emphasised that India has eradicated diseases like Smallpox, Polio and ‘Guinea Worm’. He spoke about Kala Azar, another disease which is about to be eradicated.

THE EXPLANATION:

Till recently, the scourge of Kala-azar had spread in more than 50 districts across four states. The Prime Minister noted with satisfaction that this disease is confined to only four districts of Bihar and Jharkhand at present. He expressed confidence that people’s awareness in these states will help the government’s efforts to eliminate the disease from these districts as well.

What is Kala Azar Disease?

Kala Azar or black fever is a disease caused by infection with Leishmania parasites. It is transmitted by female sandfly – Phlebotomus argentipes. It is also known as visceral leishmaniasis or black fever or Dum-Dum fever.

Types:
Cutaneous leishmaniasis:

• This is another form of Kala-azar which results in skin lesions – mainly ulcers on the exposed parts of the body, which creates scars and serious disability. The lesions usually are painless but can be painful, particularly if open sores become infected with bacteria. Types of Cutaneous leishmaniasis:

Mucosal Leishmaniasis:

• In this type of Cutaneous leishmaniasis, the infection results from the dissemination of parasites from the skin to the naso-oropharyngeal mucosa.
• Symptoms
• Initially, leishmania parasites cause skin sores or ulcers at the site of the bite. If the disease progresses, it attacks the immune system.
• Kala azar presents after two to eight months with more generalized symptoms including prolonged fever and weakness.

Treatment: Treatment of Kala Azar is done through liposomal AmB – this is the drug of choice for immunocompetent patients. There are other treatment options available such as paromomycin, miltefosine and multidrug therapy treatment.

ENVIRONMENT, ECOLOGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

3. CORAL BLEACHING

GS-III- ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: Scientists working on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef have successfully trialled a new method for freezing and storing coral larvae they say could eventually help rewild reefs threatened by climate change.

THE EXPLANATION:

The Great Barrier Reef has suffered four bleaching events in the last seven years, including the first ever bleach during a La Nina phenomenon, which typically brings cooler temperatures.

Coral Bleaching:

• The stunning colours in corals come from marine algae called zooxanthellae, which live inside their tissues.
• These algae provide the corals with an easy food supply thanks to photosynthesis, which gives the corals energy, allowing them to grow and reproduce.
• When corals get stressed, from things such as heat or pollution, they react by expelling these algae, leaving a ghostly, transparent skeleton behind.
• This is known as ‘coral bleaching. Some corals can feed themselves, but without the zooxanthellae, most corals starve.
• Causes for Coral Bleaching include changes in Ocean Temperature, Runoff and Pollution, Overexposure to sunlight and extremely low tides.

About Great Barrier Reef:

• The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest coral reef system composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands.
• The reef is located in the Coral Sea (North-East Coast), off the coast of Queensland, Australia.
• The Great Barrier Reef can be seen from outer space and is the world’s biggest single structure made by living organisms.
• The reef structure is composed of and built by billions of tiny organisms, known as coral polyps. It was selected as a World Heritage Site in 1981.

4. DELHI “REAL-TIME SOURCE APPORTIONMENT PROJECT”

GS-III- ENVIRONMENT & ECOLOGY- AIR POLLUTION

THE CONTEXT: Recently, Delhi Chief Minister reviewed the progress of the ‘Real-time Source Apportionment Project’, which is aimed at identifying the sources of Delhi’s pollution on a real-time basis.

THE EXPLANATION:

The project has been undertaken by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Kanpur (IIT-K), Indian Institute of Delhi (IIT-D) and TERI.

What is Real-time Source Apportionment Project?

• The real-time source apportionment project is being implemented by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee in collaboration with IIT-Kanpur, IIT-Delhi and TERI.
• It is one of the actions listed under the Delhi Government’s winter action plan.
• The Delhi government approved the project in October 2021 and launched it in November 2022.
• Under this project, a supersite with cutting-edge air analysers and a mobile air quality monitoring system will be used to measure the concentration of various substances in the air above Delhi.
• The project will identify various sources of PM2.5 on a real-time hourly basis and provide a 3-day hourly forecast of the total PM 2.5.
• The data obtained from this project will help the Delhi government to accurately identify the sources of air pollution like vehicular exhaust, dust, biomass burning, and industrial emissions.
• The supersite data will also be used to forecast air pollution levels on an hourly, daily and weekly bases. This will help the government take proactive measures to curb pollution and mobilize resources to ensure strict compliance with pollution control norms.
• The findings will further be complemented by a mobile van that will capture air pollution readings and sources from different corners of Delhi.

What are the outcomes of the recent meeting?

• During the recently held review meeting on the progress of the real-time source apportionment project, a team of scientists from IIT Kanpur informed that the secondary inorganic aerosols have traveled long distances to contribute to a large portion of the air pollution mix.
• Other major contributors of PM2.5 in the past one month are biomass burning (wood, stubble etc.), vehicular emissions and dust (road and construction).
• The Delhi Chief Minister has directed IIT Kanpur team to provide more detailed information on the real-time sources like the type of vehicles causing the pollution at different times and specific areas where biomass, including garbage, is burnt to help the government to eliminate these sources.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

5. DARK PATTERNS

GS-III SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: Recently, it is been found that some Internet ¬based firms have been tricking users into agreeing to certain conditions or clicking a few links.

THE EXPLANATION:

About Dark Patterns:

• It is a user interface that has been crafted to trick or manipulate users into making choices that are detrimental to their interests.
• The term ‘Dark Patterns’ was coined by user experience designer Harry Brignull in 2010.
• Dark patterns endanger the experience of internet users and make them more vulnerable to financial and data exploitation by BigTech firms.
• Dark patterns confuse users, introduce online obstacles, make simple tasks time-consuming, have users sign up for unwanted services or products and force them to pay more money or share more personal information than they intended.
• In the U.S., the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has taken note of dark patterns and the risks they pose. In a report released in September, 2022, the regulatory body listed over 30 dark patterns.
• The FTC report outlined its legal action against Amazon in 2014, for a supposedly free children’s app that fooled its young users into making in-app purchases that their parents had to pay later for.

Types of dark patterns

In India, The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has recognised four dark patterns and these are the proposed areas of extension to the ASCI code on misleading ads.

• Drip pricing: It is a pattern when the total price is only revealed at the very end of the buying process.
• Bait and switch: It is a pattern that occurs when a user takes an action expecting one outcome, but instead is served an outcome they didn’t want.
• False urgency: It is a dark pattern that refers to misleading information on quantities of a particular product.
• Disguised advertising: It is a pattern when an advertisement mimics editorial content.