1. CONFLICT BETWEEN IRAN AND AFGHANISTAN OVER RIVER HELMAND

TAG: PLACES IN NEWS; GS 2: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

CONTEXT: Iran and Afghanistan are locked in a long-standing dispute over the sharing of water from the Helmand River. Clashes broke out recently along the border.

EXPLANATION:

Current Issue:

• Iran and the Taliban exchanged heavy gunfire on the Islamic Republic’s border with Afghanistan, killing and wounding troops while sharply intensifying rising tensions between the countries.
• The clash came amid an escalating dispute between Kabul and Tehran over the Helmand River, which is a vital source of water for both sides, supporting agriculture, livelihoods and ecosystems in the region.

Helmand river:

• The Helmand is Afghanistan’s longest river. It originates near Kabul in the western Hindu Kush mountain range and flows in a southwesterly direction through desert areas for a total of about 1,150 kilometers (715 miles) before emptying into Lake Hamun, which straddles the Afghanistan-Iran border.
• Lake Hamun is the largest freshwater lake in Iran and It used to be one of the world’s largest wetlands, straddling 4,000 square kilometers (1,600 square miles) between Iran and Afghanistan, fed by the Helmand. But it has since dried up, a trend experts blame on drought and the impact of dams and water controls.

Background:

• Afghanistan and Iran signed an agreement the Helmand River Treaty in 1973 to regulate the allocation of river water. But the accord was neither ratified nor fully implemented, causing disagreements and tensions to persist.
• Iran has accused Afghanistan of violating its water rights for years, arguing that far less water than the amount agreed to in the 1973 treaty flows into Iran.
• Afghanistan has rejected Iran’s accusations, underlining that climatic factors like a shortage of rainfall, resulting in reduced river water volumes, are to blame for the situation.
• A major source of concern for Iran is Afghanistan’s construction of dams, reservoirs and irrigation systems along the Helmand River. Tehran fears that these projects reduce water flow into Iran
• But Kabul argues that it is within its rights to expand water storage and irrigation capacities within Afghanistan.

What’s the state of Tehran-Taliban ties?

• Iran and Afghanistan share a 950-kilometer land border. Both countries have no major territorial disputes
• Tehran had cultivated good ties with the Taliban before the Islamic fundamentalist group captured Kabul in August 2021 as US and NATO troops were in the final weeks of their pullout from Afghanistan.
• Both sides were united in their opposition to the US’s presence in the region

2. VIOLENCE IN KOSOVO

TAG: PLACES IN NEWS;  GS 2: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

CONTEXT: After winning a match against Hungary’s Márton Fucsovics at the ongoing French Open tennis championship, Serbian great Novak Djokovic wrote on a camera lens in Serbian: “Kosovo is the heart of Serbia. Stop the violence.” Djokovic, was referring to this week’s violence in the Kosovan town of Zvecan where Serbian protesters clashed with NATO peacekeepers, leading to more than 60 injuries  the worst violence in the region in more than a decade.

EXPLANATION:

Current issue:

• The current round of violence took place after ethnic Serbs who are a minority in Kosovo but are in a majority in northern Kosovo  tried to prevent Albanian mayors taking charge in local councils.
• The Albanians took control of the councils after Serbs boycotted local elections in Kosovo’s north in April. Results of the elections, which saw a turnout of less that 3.5%, were rejected by the Serbs as a sham.
• Northern Kosovo has seen frequent tensions that have their roots in the larger ethnic and political divide between the ethnic Serbs and the Albanians.

Location of Serbia and Kosovo:

• Serbia, a landlocked country in eastern Europe that shares borders with, among other countries, Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria.
• Kosovo is a region that lies to Serbia’s southwest, sharing borders with North Macedonia, Albania, and Montenegro. Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, but Serbia does not recognise Kosovo’s statehood.

What was the Kosovo conflict about?

• Serbs and Albanians are ethnicities who have been living in this region for centuries.
• Serbs are Eastern Orthodox Christians, while the Albanians in Kosovo are majority Muslims. Other ethnic groups, such as the Bosnians and the Turks, are minority populations. Serbs are in the majority in Serbia while Albanians are in the majority in the Kosovo region.
• For many Serbians, the Kosovo region, is the “heart” of its national and religious identity and home to numerous cherished mediaeval Serb Orthodox Christian monasteries.
• Serbian nationalists view the 1389 Battle of Kosovo between the Serbian prince Lazar Hrebeljanovic and the Ottoman Sultan Murad Hudavendigar as a defining moment in their national struggle.
• On the other hand, Kosovo’s majority ethnic Albanians view Kosovo as belonging to them, and accuse Serbia of occupation and repression.

Background:

• From 1945, after the end of World War II, until 1992, the area in the Balkans comprising present-day Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, and Slovenia, was one country, officially known as the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY), or simply Yugoslavia, with its capital at Belgrade, which is now the capital of Serbia.
• As part of Yugoslavia, the republic of Serbia included the regions of Kosovo and Vojvodina. Within Serbia, Kosovo and Vojvodina held the status of autonomous provinces.
• In the early 1990s, as the USSR collapsed, Yugoslavia followed and each of these republics broke away to become independent countries, beginning with Slovenia in 1991.
• The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), a United Nations court of law that dealt with war crimes committed during this time, noted that coinciding with the collapse of communism and resurgent nationalism in Eastern Europe during the late 1980s and early 1990s, Yugoslavia experienced a period of intense political and economic crisis.
• Central government weakened while militant nationalism grew apace. Political leaders used nationalist rhetoric to erode a common Yugoslav identity and fuel fear and mistrust among different ethnic groups.
• Ethnic Albanian rebels launched a rebellion under the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) in 1998 to rid the country of Serbian rule. Serbia’s brutal response under President Slobodan Milošević prompted an intervention by NATO in 1999, which forced Serbia to cede control to international peacekeepers.
• NATO then carried out a 78-day-long campaign of air strikes against targets in Kosovo and Serbia. In response, Serb forces further intensified the persecution of the Kosovo Albanian civilians, having accused them earlier of changing the demography of their nation.
• Ultimately, Milošević agreed to withdraw his troops and police from the province of Kosovo. Some 750,000 Albanian refugees came back home, and about 100,000 Serbs — roughly half the province’s Serb population fled in fear of reprisals.
• In June 1999, Serbia agreed to the international administration of Kosovo with the final status of the province still unresolved. Several Serb leaders, including Milošević, were indicted by the UN’s war crimes tribunal for their role in the war

What has been the status of Kosovo since then?

• While Kosovo declared independence in 2008, Serbia still considers it to be an integral part of Serbian territory. Countries such as India, China, and Russia do not recognise Kosovo as a separate country, while the US, the majority of EU countries, Japan and Australia do so.

3. CYBER SECURITY FOR PAYMENT SYSTEM OPERATORS

TAG: GS 3: ECONOMY

CONTEXT: The Reserve Bank of India has released the draft Master Directions on Cyber Resilience and Digital Payment Security Controls for Payment System Operators.

EXPLANATION:

• The draft covers governance mechanism for identification, assessment, monitoring and management of cyber security risks including information security risks and vulnerabilities, and specify baseline security measures for ensuring safe and secure digital payment transactions.
• The directions are being issued to ensure that the authorised non-bank Payment System Operators (PSOs) are resilient to traditional and emerging information systems and cyber security risks,
• The Directions will also cover baseline security measures for ensuring system resiliency as well as safe and secure digital payment transactions.
• However, they will endeavour to migrate to the latest security standards. The existing instructions on security and risk mitigation measures for payments done using cards, Prepaid Payment Instruments (PPIs) and mobile banking continue to be applicable hitherto.

PAYMENT SYSTEM OPERATORS:

• The payment System Operator is an authorized party that is registered under the Companies Act, 1956 or the Companies Act, 2013 that undertakes the operation of payment systems. They provide services and operate on a certain model and mainly deal in payment and settlement-related activities.
• PSOs in India include Clearing Corporation of India, National Payments Corporation of India, Cards Payment Networks, Cross border Money Transfer, ATM networks, Prepaid Payment Instruments, White Label ATM Operators, Instant Money Transfer, and Trade Receivables Discounting System, Bharat Bill Payment System.

4. 9TH ANNIVERSARY OF TELANGANA’S STATEHOOD

TAG: GS 2: POLITY

CONTEXT: With assembly elections just months away, political parties across the board are celebrating the 9th anniversary of Telangana’s statehood on June 2, 2023.

EXPLANATION:

• Telangana, the newest state of India, has a complex history. Pre-Independence, it was a part of the princely state of Hyderabad. While there were talks of statehood in the 1950s, the region was eventually merged with the adjoining Andhra State to form Andhra Pradesh.
• Finally, in 2014, after decades of struggle, Telangana was carved out of the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh.

PART I: Princely State of Hyderabad, post-independence Hyderabad State:

• Present-day Telangana comprised the south and south-east Telugu-speaking regions of the Princely State of Hyderabad. The city of Hyderabad itself lay at the heart of the region, but unlike the areas around it, was dominated by the Urdu-speaking Muslim elite. Ruled by Nizam Osman Ali Khan, Hyderabad was among the largest and most prosperous princely states in the country.
• In 1945, a communist-supported rebellion broke out in Telangana against the prevailing jagirdari (land-revenue) system. The Nizam’s response was brutal, unleashing a local militia, known as the Razakars, on the protesting peasants.
• After Independence and the Partition in 1947, the Nizam of Hyderabad was unwilling to accede to India. In the meantime, the Razakars under Kasim Razvi, terrorised the population, lest any attempts to overthrow the Nizam be made.
• In order to usher in a modicum of stability in the state, India signed the Standstill Agreement with Hyderabad in November 1947, which stated that all administrative agreements that were in place between the Nizam and the British Crown would continue between the Nizam and India.
• However, almost instantly, the terms of the agreement were violated by the Nizam. Not only did he let the Razakars run amok, he also restricted exports of precious metals to India, began negotiating with Pakistan, and stopped accepting the Indian rupee as legal tender. The Razakars even began carrying out “border raids” in neighbouring states.
• As the state started falling into anarchy, India intervened militarily, launching “Operation Polo” in September 1948. Within a week, India had taken control of Hyderabad’s administration.
• On January 26, 1951, when India became a republic, Hyderabad was accorded the status of a Part-B state, with the Nizam as the Rajpramukh and an elected chief minister.

PART II: Linguistic reorganisation and the creation of Andhra Pradesh

• The erstwhile Madras state was huge, covering areas which spoke all the major languages of South India. In 1952, Potti Sriramalu went on a fast-unto-death demanding a separate Telugu state. He died after 56 days, triggering unrest across the region and eventually leading to the formation of the Andhra State out of the north and north eastern regions of the Madras state in 1953
• Moreover, Sriramalu’s death made the government seriously reconsider its position on linguistic states. The States Reorganisation Committee came into existence in 1953 and submitted its report two years later. Notably, it recommended that Hyderabad be reorganised linguistically the Marathi-dominant Marathwada would be integrated into the bilingual Bombay state and south western Kannada-dominant districts would be integrated into the Mysore state.
• The status of the Telugu-dominant Telangana region was contentious. While Andhra wanted to merge with Telangana to create a united Vishalandhra, the SRC itself did not favour this, instead recommending Telangana be a separate state till at least 1961, when it would be given the opportunity to voluntarily merge with Andhra.
• But the States Reorganisation Act passed in 1956 ignored this recommendation, merging Andhra State and Telangana into a single state called Andhra Pradesh, with Hyderabad as the capital. For some, like KCR, this was the point where a struggle for a separate Telangana state began.

PART III: The struggle for Telangana and the creation Telangana State

• However, the sense of Telangana as a separate entity predated even Independence. Under the rule of the Nizam, the Telangana region had in force Mulki Rules domicile rules which ensured that only native residents were able to get government jobs in the region
• Since Independence, protests regularly broke out in Telangana demanding the strict adherence to these rules, the first one being in 1952. However, it was in January 1969, after the creation of Andhra Pradesh, that the region witnessed its most widespread protests yet.
• While the government sprung to action, promising to “transfer all non-Telangana employees holding posts reserved for Telangana domiciles”, the issue refused to die down. The protests gave birth to the Telangana Praja Samiti, which called for a separate Telangana state. Over the next few years, Mulki Rules were at the centre of protests as well as legal cases.
• Finally, in September of 1973, Indira Gandhi initiated the 32nd Amendment to the Constitution, which declared that Andhra Pradesh would be divided into 6 zones, with reservation for jobs being decided on the basis of zones. As a result, the original Mulki Rules Act was repealed, and the movement for Telangana lost some steam.
• It would finally be revived by KCR in 2001. A member of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), he resigned and established his own political party – the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) with the singular aim of creating a new state of Telangana with Hyderabad as its capital.
• While his performances in polls were underwhelming, the sudden death of Andhra Pradesh’s Chief Minister Y S Rajsekhara Reddy of the Congress in 2009, presented an opportunity to KCR. Reddy was the tallest leader of Andhra Pradesh at the time and post his death, political turmoil ensued. On November 29, 2009, KCR began a fast-unto-death demanding statehood. The Congress, which at the time was also under pressure nationally, relented within 10 days promising the creation of the state of Telangana.
• After extensive discussion on the specifics of the state boundary and the choice of capital (for the new Andhra State), Telangana came into existence around four and a half years later, in 2014. KCR was the first chief minister and Hyderabad was chosen the joint capital of both Andhra and Telangana for a period of ten years, after which Andhra would have to shift its capital elsewhere.

5. STRATEGIC OIL RESERVES IN INDIA

TAG: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

CONTEXT: Government-owned engineering consultancy firm Engineers India (EIL) is studying the prospects and feasibility of developing salt cavern-based strategic oil reserves in Rajasthan, in line with the government’s objective of increasing the country’s strategic oil storage capacity. India could get its first salt cavern-based oil storage facility if this become successful.

EXPLANATION:

Strategic Oil Reserves in India:

• Countries build strategic crude oil reserves to mitigate major supply disruptions in the global supply chain.
• India is the world’s third-largest consumer of crude, depends on imports for more than 85% of its requirement and strategic petroleum reserves (SPR) could help ensure energy security and availability during global supply shocks and other emergencies.
• India has three existing strategic oil storage facilities at Mangaluru and Padur in Karnataka, and Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh  are made up of excavated rock caverns.

• India currently has an SPR capacity of 5.33 million tonnes, or around 39 million barrels of crude, that can meet around 9.5 days of demand.
• The country is in the process of expanding its SPR capacity by a cumulative 6.5 million tonnes at two locations Chandikhol in Odisha (4 million tonnes) and Padur (2.5 million tonnes).
• India’s strategic oil reserves come under the Petroleum Ministry’s special purpose vehicle Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserve (ISPRL).

Strategic petroleum reserves programme: Background

• India’s strategic oil reserves are part of the effort to build sufficient emergency stockpiles on the lines of the reserves that the US and its Western allies set up after the first oil crisis of the 1970s. The three existing rock cavern-based facilities were built during the first phase of the programme.
• Crude oil from the reserves are to be released by an empowered committee set up by the government, in the event of supply disruptions due to a natural calamity or an unforeseen global event leading to an abnormal increase in prices.
• The International Energy Agency (IEA), a Paris-based autonomous intergovernmental organisation in which India is an ‘Association’ country, recommends that all countries should hold an emergency oil stockpile sufficient to provide 90 days of import protection.
• In India, apart from the SPR that are sufficient to meet 9.5 days of oil requirement, the oil marketing companies (OMCs) have storage facilities for crude oil and petroleum products for 64.5 days which means there is sufficient storage to meet around 74 days of the country’s petroleum demand.

Salt cavern-based reserves v. rock cavern-based reserves:

• Salt cavern-based storage, which is considered cheaper and less labour- and cost-intensive than rock caverns.
• Unlike underground rock caverns, which are developed through excavation, salt caverns are developed by the process of solution mining, which involves pumping water into geological formations with large salt deposits to dissolve the salt.
• After the brine (water with dissolved salt) is pumped out of the formation, the space can be used to store crude oil. The process is simpler, faster, and less cost-intensive than developing excavated rock caverns.
• Salt cavern-based oil storage facilities are also naturally well-sealed, and engineered for rapid injection and extraction of oil. This makes them a more attractive option than storing oil in other geological formations, according to a report by the Environmental Solutions Initiative at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
• The salt that lines the inside of these caverns has extremely low oil absorbency, which creates a natural impermeable barrier against liquid and gaseous hydrocarbons, making the caverns apt for storage.
• Also, unlike rock caverns, salt cavern-based storages can be created and operated almost entirely from the surface.
• Salt caverns are also used to store liquid fuels and natural gas in various parts of the world. They are also considered suitable for storing compressed air and hydrogen.
• The entire SPR programme of the United States has so far been based on salt cavern-based storage facilities. The US Strategic Petroleum Reserve, the world’s largest emergency oil storage, consists of four sites with deep underground storage caverns created in salt domes along the Gulf of Mexico coast in Texas and Louisiana. The US strategic oil reserves have a cumulative capacity of around 727 million barrels.

1. SURROGACY LAWS IN INDIA

TAGS: GS 2: SOCIETY

CONTEXT: The government in the Supreme Court has said that same sex couples and live-in partners are not included in surrogacy and assisted reproduction laws to avoid ‘misuse’ and provide children a ‘complete family’. The Union’s Department of Health Research and the Indian Council of Medical Research, in a 131-page affidavit, said the welfare of the child “trumps any notions of equality amongst prospective/intending parents/couples”.

EXPLANATION:

Types of Surrogacy:

• Surrogacy is considered altruistic when the surrogate offers to carry the child of the commissioning couple in her womb purely out of love for them and empathy for their need to have a child.
• Surrogacy is considered commercial when money is paid to the surrogate for her services. Surrogacy law bans commercial surrogacy and makes it a non-bailable and non-compoundable offence to undertake commercial surrogacy. The commission of such an offence invites imprisonment for a term which may extend to ten years and with fine which may extend to ten lakh rupees.

Background:

• Indian Council of Medical Research in 2005 come up with a set of guidelines for the conduct of surrogacy. Later in 2010, the government put more curbs on the Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Bill.

The Surrogacy (Regulation)Act, 2021:

Some of the key features of the Act include the following-

• All the clinics providing the surrogacy treatment and facilities need to be registered under this Act and people practicing in those clinics need to qualify as per the criteria given in this bill.
• Every facility that performs surrogacy treatments must apply for registration within sixty days after the competent authority’s appointment. Every three years, registration must be renewed.
• Commercial surrogacy is prohibited in any form by any surrogacy clinic, gynaecologist, embryologist, or other medical practitioner. Only altruistic surrogacy is permissible under the 2021 Act.
• Eligibility: The Act is restricted to only two categories of people i.e., the intending couple who are legally married and according to the laws of India, and that have a certificate of infertility can use this facility. The intending couple i.e., the couple wanting to have the baby must be legally married in line with the laws of India. The age of the female should be between 25-50 years and that of the male should be 26-55 years. Also, another important condition is that they shouldn’t be having any other adopted or conceived child through surrogacy or naturally.
• As required by the law, the surrogate has to be eligible too. She has to be between 25 and 35 years of age; be married with a child of her own. She should also be a first-time surrogate. Furthermore, a psychiatrist has to certify her as being mentally fit. Any woman cannot be a surrogate mother more than once in her entire lifetime.
• Furthermore, the couple should have an insurance policy for the surrogate mother to cover her medical needs for 36 months from the date of embryo transfer. Once the board validates the couple’s submission, an essentiality certificate is issued to them
• The National/State Assisted Reproductive Technology and Surrogacy Board must provide a ‘Certificate of Essentiality/Infertility’ to an intended couple who has a medical need for surrogacy.

LGBTQIA+ community exclusion:

• In line with the gender bias that still exists in our society, this Act only allows a legally married man and woman in India to get a baby through this method, and thus the non-binary and the same-sex couple are not able to enjoy the parenthood even if they wish to.
• Though in the case ofNavtej Singh v. Union of India, 2018, the Supreme court decriminalized homosexuality, same-sex marriage is still not legal in India hence homosexual couples do not come under the purview of this Act.

The Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Act, 2021:

• The Act aims at the regulation and supervision of ART clinics and assisted reproductive technology banks, prevention of misuse, and safe and ethical practice of ART service.
• Every ART clinic and bank is required by the Act to be listed in the National Registry of Banks and Clinics of India. This Registry, which consists of scientific and technical personnel, will serve as a central database for all facilities in India that offer ART treatments.

2. PETERSBERG CLIMATE DIALOGUE (PCD)

TAGS: GS3: ENVIRONMENT

CONTEXT: The Petersberg Climate Dialogue (PCD) is an annual high-level political and international forum that took place from 2 -3 May 2023 ahead of the annual United Nations Climate Change Conferences (Conference of the Parties or COP). The PCD series was co-hosted in Berlin by the German Federal Foreign Office and the United Arab Emirates, which is hosting the 28th Conference of Parties (COP28) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Delegates from 40 countries attended this year’s high-level dialogue series, the 14^th such event.

EXPLANATION:

Background:

• The first Petersberg Climate Dialogue, aimed at improving communication between leaders and environmental ministers following the nearly unsuccessful negotiations at the 2009 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen (COP15), was initiated by German politician and former German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
• The meeting took place on April 2–4, 2010 at Hotel Petersberg, located on the hill named “Petersberg” near the German city of Bonn, where the UNFCCC is headquartered.
• In subsequent years, the Petersberg Climate Dialogue conference was held in Berlin.
• PCD aims at strengthening strategic dialogue on just energy transition, global transformation and responses to climate impacts.

Highlights from the summit are as follows:

• The 14th Petersberg Climate Dialogue will bring together high-level representatives from around 40 countries to discuss concrete steps towards overcoming the climate crisis and strengthen confidence both in multilateral climate negotiations and between countries.
• The Dialogue will focus on cross-cutting themes related to the availability and affordability of and access to finance. In particular, participants will discuss implementation of the UNFCCC COP 27 decision on financial support for overcoming loss and damage caused by climate change.
• The focus this year included topics such as climate adaptation, climate finance and dealing with loss and damage, but in particular the first-ever global stocktake.
• Global renewables target: In order to limit global warming to 1.5°C, the world needs to make sharp cuts in their greenhouse gas emissions. Discussions inititated around a potential global target for renewables at the next climate conference.
• Fossil fuels: Phaseout production or reduce emissions?: COP28 President called on meeting participants to ramp up renewable energy capacity building and phasing out fossil fuel emissions, while phasing up viable, affordable zero-carbon alternatives. He called for a tripling of renewable energy capacity by 2030 followed by a doubling in 2040.
• On track for $100 billion climate finance: It is found that developed countries are “on good track” to deliver the $100 billion per year they had promised to mobilise by 2020 during the COP15 in 2009.
• Global Stocktake: 2023 is the year for the Global Stocktake, which is essentially a periodic review of global climate action which aims to assess whether current efforts will enable us to reach the objectives set out in the Paris Agreement. This is the first Global Stocktake year since the Paris Agreement was signed in 2015 and the report has been underway for the past two years. It is set to be released in September of 2023.

India’s stand:

• Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change and Labour and Employment said that there was a broader consensus over the need for stronger mitigation and adaptation efforts and for expansion of renewables.
• At the event it was reiterated that recognising the need for support towards Just, Affordable & Inclusive Energy Transition is crucial in the spirit of leaving no one behind.
• While following the clean energy pathway, to protect livelihood of local population and local economy, which depend on the existing energy system, focus on diversifying the economy and creation of new livelihood opportunities are required.

3. CARBON BORDER ADJUSTMENT MECHANISM (CBAM)

TAGS: GS 3: ENVIRONMENT

CONTEXT: European Union (EU) proposes to introduce a framework for levying a carbon tax on imports of products that rely on non-green or sub-optimally sustainable processes and where carbon emissions are deemed to have not been adequately priced.

EXPLANATION:

• It is also known as Carbon Border Tax which imposes importers and non-EU manufacturers to pay for the carbon emission linked to the goods they sell within EU limits.
• Importers will be required to purchase carbon import certificates/ permits for each metric ton of CO2 brought into the EU through specified goods. The price of certificates could depend on carbon intensity of goods being impo . and carbon price per metric ton which will be the same as domestic carbon price being paid by EU producers.
• The CBAM plans to impose a tariff on a set of carbon-intensive imports, which will have to be paid by EU importers and companies who export such goods to EU countries.
• This Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) will begin with an import monitoring mechanism and culminate in the levy of duties as determined from January 2026.
• The EU argues that the CBAM will ensure its climate objectives are not undermined by carbon-intensive imports and spur cleaner production in the rest of the world.

How will the CBAM work?

• The European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) plans to impose a tariff on a set of carbon-intensive imports from countries having weaker climate policies.
• The CBAM initially plans to impose a carbon border tax on the most carbon-intensive imports—iron and steel, cement, fertilisers, aluminium and electricity.

• The CBAM will start phasing in from October 2023, if all approvals go through, first requiring importers in the EU to collect data about the number of metric tons of carbon dioxide released during the manufacture of the goods they import.
• The CBAM will be implemented in a phased manner with importers in the EU submitting data about the embedded emissions of their imports in 2023 and start buying certificates for such imports by 2026.
• After that, importers will need to buy a new type of pollution certificate to reflect that discharge at prices aligned with the bloc’s Emissions Trading System. The fee could be partially waived if a carbon tax has already been paid in the country where the goods were the goods were originally manufactured.

Why are developing countries including India opposing it?

• While the EU believes the mechanism is a global solution to the global problem of climate change, trading partners such the United States, China, Russia and developing countries including India, have opposed the measure, describing it as unilateral, “protectionist” and even a trade weapon.
• India has invoked climate justice on the global fora and contends that it places a carbon charge on companies from countries that did not primarily or historically cause climate change.
• According to the Global Trade Research Initiative, the tax will translate into a 20-35% tariff on India’s exports of steel, aluminium and cement, which now attract an MFN duty of less than 3%. As much as 27% of India’s exports of steel, iron and aluminium products, or $8.2 billion, head to the EU.
• It is critical that the Centre reacts with greater alacrity to what may be considered by some as a sophisticated trade barrier doused in ‘greenwashing’ optics, proposed by the EU. Last year, about a third of India’s iron, steel and aluminium exports, for instance, were shipped to EU members. Engineering products, the largest export growth driver in recent years, would be impacted too.

4. ECUADOR SEALED DEBT FOR NATURE SWAPS FOR CONSERVATION OF GALAPAGOS ISLANDS

TAGS: GS 3: ENVIRONMENT; GS 1: GEOGRAPHY; PRELIMS: PLACES IN NEWS

CONTEXT: Ecuador sealed the world’s largest “debt-for-nature” swap on record on Tuesday, selling a new “blue bond” that will funnel at least $12 million a year into conservation of the Galapagos Islands, one of the world’s most precious ecosystems.

EXPLANATION:

Background:

• With Ecuador in severe financial peril, the bonds were trading well below face value as investors considered non-repayment to be likely.
• Effectively, Ecuador has now bought its own debt back at a knock-down price via a fresh loan from Credit Suisse.
• And in return, Ecuador’s government had pledged to spend about $18 million annually for two decades on conservation in the Galapagos Islands.

Galapagos islands:

• The Galapagos archipelago is located about 1,000 km from continental Ecuador and is composed of 127 islands, islets and rocks, of which 19 are large and 4are inhabited. 97% of the total emerged surface (7,665,100 ha) was declared National Park in 1959. Human settlements are restricted to the remaining 3% in specifically zoned rural and urban areas on four islands (a fifth island only has an airport, tourism dock, fuel containment, and military facilities).
• The islands are surrounded by the Galapagos Marine Reserve which was created in 1986 (70,000 km²) and extended to its current area (133,000 km²) in 1998, making it one of the largest marine reserves in the world.
• These islands and the surrounding marine reserve have been called a unique ‘living museum and showcase of evolution’ that inspired Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection following his visit in 1835.
• It is located at the confluence of three ocean currents as a ‘melting pot’ of marine species. Ongoing seismic and volcanic activity reflects the processes that formed the islands. These processes, together with the extreme isolation of the islands, led to the development of unusual animal life such as the land iguana, the giant tortoise and the many types of finch.
• The remote islands home to some of the most unspoiled nature in the world are a UNESCO world nature heritage site.
• The main threats to the Galapagos are the introduction of invasive species, increased tourism, demographic growth, illegal fishing and governance issues.

Debt for nature swaps:

• It is an initiative of World Wide Fund for Nature implemented through trust funds or foundations specifically set up to channel funding to local biodiversity.
• They are typically a voluntary transaction in which an amount of debt owed by a developing country government is cancelled or reduced by a creditor, in exchange for the debtor making financial commitments to conservation.
• Swaps typically involve countries that are financially distressed and experiencing difficulties in repaying foreign debts. The earnings generated through swaps are often administered by local conservation or environmental trust funds.
• Debt-for-nature swaps have proved successful in Belize, Barbados and the Seychelles in recent years, but Ecuador’s deal is by far the largest to date, cutting the country’s debt by over $1 billion once the $450 million of total conservation spending is taken into account.

5. NATIONAL PROGRAMME FOR PREVENTION & CONTROL OF NON-COMMUNICABLE DISEASES (NP-NCD)

TAGS: GS 2: HEALTH ISSUES

CONTEXT: The existing National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke (NPCDCS) programme has been renamed National Programme for Prevention & Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD) amid widening coverage and expansion.

EXPLANATION:

• Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) has decided to rename the portal which enables population enumeration, risk assessment, and screening for five common NCDs, including hypertension, diabetes, and oral, breast and cervical cancers of the population aged above 30 years.
• Now Schemes subsume all types of NCDs with an addition of diseases to the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke (NPCDCS), such as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, chronic kidney disease etc.

Status of Non communicable disease:

• India is experiencing a rapid health transition with a rising burden of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) surpassing the burden of Communicable diseases like water-borne or vector borne diseases, TB, HIV, etc.
• The four major NCDs are cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), cancers, chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs) and diabetes which share four behavioural risk factors – unhealthy diet, lack of physical activity, and use of tobacco and alcohol.
• Meanwhile, a study ‘India: Health of the Nation’s States – The India State-Level Disease Burden Initiative in 2017’ by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) estimated that the proportion of deaths due to NCDs in India have increased from 37.9% in 1990 to 61.8% in 2016.
• Non-Communicable Diseases like Cardiovascular diseases, Cancer, Chronic Respiratory Diseases, Diabetes, etc. are estimated to account for around 60% of all deaths. NCDs cause considerable loss in potentially productive years of life. Losses due to premature deaths related to heart diseases, stroke and Diabetes are also projected to increase over the years.

Objectives of NP-NCD

• Health promotion through behaviour change with involvement of community, civil society, community based organizations, media etc.
• Opportunistic screening at all levels in the health care delivery system from subcentre and above for early detection of diabetes, hypertension and common cancers.
• Outreach camps are also envisaged.
• To prevent and control chronic non-Communicable diseases, especially Cancer, Diabetes, CVDs and Stroke.
• To build capacity at various levels of health care for prevention, early diagnosis, treatment, IEC/BCC, operational research and rehabilitation.
• To support for diagnosis and cost-effective treatment at primary, secondary and tertiary levels of health care.
• To support for development of database of NCDs through Surveillance System and to monitor NCD morbidity and mortality and risk factors.

The strategies for prevention, control and treatment of NCDs would have following components: 

• Health promotion awareness generation and promotion of healthy lifestyle
• Screening and early detection
• Timely affordable and accurate diagnosis
• Access to affordable treatment
• Rehabilitation

Mechanism of the scheme:

• NP-NCD is being implemented under the National Health Mission (NHM) across the country.
• Under NP-NCD, NCD Cells are being established at National, State and District levels for programme management, and NCD Clinics are being set up at District and CHC levels, to provide services for early diagnosis, treatment and follow-up for common NCDs.
• Provision has been made under the programme to provide free diagnostic facilities and drugs for patients attending the NCD clinics. Cardiac Care Units (CCU) are also being set up in identified districts for providing facilities for emergency Cardiac Care. Day Care Centres at the identified districts are setup to provide facilities for Cancer care.

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

1. EXERCISE “AJEYA WARRIOR – 2023”

TAGS: GS-II-INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

THE CONTEXT: The 7th edition of the joint military exercise “AJEYA WARRIOR-23” between India and the United Kingdom is being conducted at Salisbury Plains, United Kingdom, from 27 April to 11 May 2023.

About the Exercise:

• Exercise AJEYA WARRIOR is a biennial training event with the United Kingdom, which is conducted alternatively in the United Kingdom and India; the last edition was held at Chaubatia, Uttarakhand, in October 2021.
• Aim: The exercise aims to build positive military relations, imbibe each other’s best practices and promote the ability to operate together while undertaking company-level sub-conventional operations in urban and semi-urban environments under UN mandate, in addition to developing inter-operability, bonhomie, camaraderie, and friendship between the two armies.
• During the exercise, participants will engage in a variety of missions testing their operational acumen in various simulated situations, showcasing and refining their tactical drills, and learning from each other’s operational experience.
• “Exercise AJEYA WARRIOR” is yet another significant milestone in defence cooperation between the Indian Army and British Army which will further foster the bilateral relations between the two nations.
• Other defence Exercises with United Kingdom:
  • Navy :  Exercise Konkan.
  • Airforce: Exercise Indradhanush.

HEALTH ISSUES

2. PRET INITIATIVE

TAGS: GS-II- HEALTH ISSUES

THE CONTEXT: To help countries better prepare for future pandemics, WHO launched a new initiative that provides guidance on integrated planning for responding to any respiratory pathogen such as influenza or coronaviruses.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The new Preparedness and Resilience for Emerging Threats Initiative, or PRET, incorporates the latest tools and approaches for shared learning and collective action established during the COVID-19 pandemic and other recent public health emergencies.
• Through the initiative, WHO will use a mode of transmission approach to guide countries in pandemic planning, given that many capacities and capabilities are common among groups of pathogens. PRET answers the call for technical guidance and support for promoting and strengthening integrated preparedness and response, as outlined in World Health Assembly resolutions.
• The COVID-19 pandemic and other health emergencies have shown that countries need to be operationally ready to respond to infectious disease threats, with tailored preparedness plans in hand and better coordination and collaboration with other sectors such as agriculture.
• RET is an evolution in WHO’s approach to pandemic preparedness through the application of a mode of transmission lens, rather than a focus on specific diseases. WHO will continue to develop and disseminate guidance on specific diseases as needed.
• The launch of the initiative is taking place on the last day of meetings with over 120 individuals representing Member States, partners, and the WHO secretariat, to define the path forward for PRET, including the development of a global implementation roadmap for respiratory pathogen pandemic preparedness.
• The PRET Initiative’s first module focuses on respiratory pathogens, including influenza, coronaviruses, and respiratory syncytial virus. Given the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the possible threat of avian influenza, this module will enable countries to critically review, test, and update their respiratory pandemic planning efforts to ensure they have the functional capacities and capabilities in place.

PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

3. SUPREME INITIATIVE

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

THE CONTEXT: Recently, Ministry of  Science and Technology has launched an initiative to provide financial support for the upgradation and maintenance of analytical instrumentation facilities (AIFs).

About the Initiative:

• The Support for Up-gradation Preventive Repair and Maintenance of Equipment (SUPREME), is a pioneering initiative launched by the Government of India. The program aims to provide financial assistance to analytical instrumentation facilities for their repair, maintenance, up-gradation, retrofitting, or acquiring additional attachments to increase functional capabilities.
• Eligibility: To be eligible for funding support, the analytical instrumentation facilities must have been created under the projects supported by DST, and the institutions where they are located should be recognized by the University Grants Commission (UGC).
• Duration: The duration of support will not exceed 3 years.
• Funding: The funding pattern for private and government-owned institutions will be 75:25, while state-funded institutions will receive 100 % funding.
• Selection Criteria: In selecting proposals for funding support, the academic and research facility will provide to the scientific community, MSMEs, and start-ups. The selection process will be carried out through a peer-review mechanism and the Expert Committee will evaluate the proposals and assist DST in making the final selection.
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Science & Technology

PLACES IN NEWS

4. KALESAR NATIONAL PARK

TAGS: PRELIMS- PLACES IN NEWS

THE CONTEXT: Recently, a tiger has been spotted in a camera trap at Kalesar National Park in Yamuna nagar district.

THE EXPLANATION:

• Kalesar National Park (spread over 11,570 acres in Yamuna nagar district), Kalesar Wildlife Sanctuary (having an area of 13,209 acres) and Sher Jung National Park, Simbalwada in Sirmour district of Himachal Pradesh are connected to Rajaji National Park through a dense forest area.
• According to information, leopards, elephants, barking deer, wild boars, sambars and several other species of wild animals and birds are found in Kalesar National Park and Kalesar National Sanctuary.
• Afghan invader Ahmad Shah Abdali camped at Pinjore Gardens in 1765 and British Raj soldier Rollo Gillespie camped in these hills in 1807 for tiger hunting in these hills. By 1892-93, the count of tigers and panthers had dwindled due to excessive hunting. Consequently, by 1913 Sirmur State had banned the hunting.

5. THIRUNELLY TEMPLE

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

THE CONTEXT: The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) has urged the government to conserve the historically significant structures, including the 600-year-old ‘Vilakkumadom’, an exquisite granite structure, at the Sree Mahavishnu Temple at Thirunelly in Wayanad district during the on-going renovation of the temple.

THE EXPLANATION:

• Thirunelli Temple (also Tirunelli) is an ancient temple dedicated to Lord Maha Vishnu on the side of Brahmagiri hill in Kerala, India, near the border with Karnataka state. The temple is at an altitude of about 900m in north Wayanad in a valley surrounded by mountains and beautiful forests.
• Also, known as the “Kashi of South”, Thirunelli temple is one of the ancient temples in Kerala. It is believed that here the prathishta of Lord Vishnu was performed by Lord Brahma. Thirunelli is also the only temple in the world where devotees can perform all the rituals related to one’s life, starting from birth to death and life after death.
• Papanasini means “extinguisher of sins.” According to puranas, the immersing ashes of the dead here is equivalent to that of doing rituals in Gaya in Bihar. It is believed that River Ganga and River Saraswathi join in Papanasini and that a dip in this river will wash away all sins of mortals. There is also a sacred rock near the river called Pinnappara where ritual offerings to the spirits of the departed are made (known as bali).

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.

HISTORY AND HERITAGE

1. UTTARAMERUR INSCRIPTION

TAGS: GS-I- HISTORY AND HERITAGE- PRELIMS

THE CONTEXT:Prime Minister recently referred to the Uttaramerur inscription in Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, while discussing India’s democratic history.

THE EXPLANATION:

Where is Uttaramerur?

• Uttaramerur lies in present-day Kanchipuram district, approximately 90 km southeast of Chennai. Today, it is a small town and had a population of roughly 25,000 in the census of 2011. It is known for its historic temples built during Pallava and Chola rule.
• The famous inscription from Parantaka I’s reign is found on the walls of the Vaikunda Perumal Temple.

What does the inscription say?

• The inscription gives details of the functioning of the local sabha, i.e. the village assembly. A sabha was an assembly exclusively of brahmans and had specialised committees tasked with different things.
• The Uttaramerur inscription details how members were selected, the required qualifications, their roles and responsibilities, and even the circumstances in which they could be removed.
• Qualification of the representative: To become a representative of the Gram Sabha, the age of a person should be 35 to 70 years. He must have a certain amount of land. To become a representative it was necessary to have knowledge of Vedas. Anyone could get exemption on the ownership of land, but for that he should have knowledge of one Veda and four commentaries. To become a representative, a person should also be proficient in business.
• Rules of disqualification of the representatives: The inscriptions has also been told about the rules of disqualification of the representatives. Those who have committed five great sins cannot become a representative. Four of these were murder of Papa Brahmin, drinking alcohol, theft and adultery. The one who wanted to become a member should not be of criminal nature himself.

HEALTH ISSUES

2. HEATSTROKE

TAGS: GS-II-HEALTH ISSUES- PRELIMS

THE CONTEXT:Recently, 11 persons reportedly died of heat stroke while attending the Maharashtra Bhushan Award ceremony at Kharghar in Navi Mumbai.

THE EXPLANATION:

What is heatstroke?

• Heatstroke is a life-threatening condition that causes your body to overheat. It’s defined as a body temperature above 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius). Heatstroke, also called sunstroke, is the most severe form of hyperthermia, or heat-related illness. Heatstroke can lead to brain damage, organ failure or death.

Types of heatstroke:

There are two types of heatstroke:

1. Exertional heatstroke: This form of heatstroke is usually the result of physical overexertion in hot, humid conditions. It can develop in a few hours.
2. Non-exertional heatstroke: Also called classic heatstroke, this type can occur due to age or underlying health conditions. It tends to develop over several days.

Symptoms of heatstroke

• Anhidrosis (dry skin that doesn’t sweat, which is more common in non-exertional heatstroke).
• Ataxia (problems with movement and coordination).
• Balance problems.
• Delirium (confusion or disorientation).
• Excessive sweating that continues after you’ve stopped exercising (more common in exertional heatstroke).
• Hot, flushed skin or very pale skin.
• Low or high blood pressure.

SOCIAL ISSUES

3. SAME-SEX MARRIAGE’S LEGAL RECOGNITION IN INDIA

TAGS: GS-II- SOCIAL ISSUES

THE CONTEXT:Recently, the Supreme Court has set up a five-judge Constitution bench to hear the batch of petitions seeking legal recognition of same-sex marriages in India.

THE EXPLANATION:

Background:

• The Court has been hearing multiple petitioners’ requests for legal recognition of same-sex marriages under a special law. Initially, it took up the case of two partners who said the non-recognition of same-sex marriage amounted to discrimination that strikes at the root of “dignity and self-fulfilment” of LGBTQIA+ couples.
• The petitioners cited the Special Marriage Act, 1954, which provides a civil marriage for couples who cannot marry under their personal law, and appealed to the Court to extend the right to the LGBTQIA+ community, by making the “marriage between any two persons” gender neutral.

Why does the community want this right?

• Even if LGBTQIA+ couples may live together, legally, they are on a slippery slope. They do not enjoy the rights married couples do.
• For example, LGBTQIA+ couples cannot adopt children or have a child by surrogacy; they do not have automatic rights to inheritance, maintenance and tax benefits; after a partner passes away, they cannot avail of benefits like pension or compensation.
• Most of all, since marriage is a social institution, “that is created by and highly regulated by law,” without this social sanction, same-sex couples struggle to make a life together.

Which way are the Courts leaning?

• The Courts, leaning on Article 21 that guarantees the right to life and liberty, have time and again ruled in favour of inter-faith and inter-caste marriages, directing the police and other rights organisations to give them protection when they were threatened by parents or society, pointing out that “all adults have the right to marry a person of their choice.” In Navtej Singh Johar (2018), when homosexuality was decriminalised.
• “Members of the LGBT[QIA+] community are entitled to the benefit of an equal citizenship, without discrimination, and to the equal protection of law”.
• “The choice of whom to partner, the ability to find fulfilment in sexual intimacies and the right not to be subjected to discriminatory behaviour are intrinsic to the constitutional protection of sexual orientation.

PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

4. TAMIL NADU’S CUMBUM GRAPES GET GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATION TAG

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

THE CONTEXT: The Cumbum grapes also known as Paneer Thratchai, recently earned the Geographical Indication tag or GI tag.

THE EXPLANATION:

What is unique about these grapes?

• The Cumbum valley located at the Western Ghats in Tamil Nadu is known as the ‘Grapes city of South India’ and cultivates the Paneer Thratchai. This variety which is also known as Muscat Hamburg constitutes almost 85% of the grape-growing areas in Tamil Nadu.
• Theni district is one of the highest grapes producing areas of Paneer Thratchai. However, the ‘Panneer’ variety is chiefly associated with Cumbum Valley, where the cultivation area covers around 2,000 acres at 10 villages.
• The agro climate and the soil condition of the Cumbum region is very conducive for the cultivation of the Muscat variety. This variety is popular for its quick growth and early maturity. This ensures that the crop is available in the market almost throughout the year.
• The rich soil and water of the land are said to enhance the flavour of the natural fruit. The grape bunches are medium to large in size and compact in nature. The grapes grown are suitable for making wine, spirit, jams, canned grape juice and raisins.
• The Panneer grapes were first introduced in Tamil Nadu by a French priest in 1832. These grapes are rich in vitamins, tartaric acid and antioxidants and reduces the risk of some chronic diseases. They are also known for a superior taste apart from the purplish-brown colour.

Connect the dots:

• What is GI tag?

PLACES IN NEWS

5. SHIVELUCH VOLCANO

TAGS: PRELIMS-PLACES IN NEWS

THE CONTEXT: One of the Russia’s most active volcano recently erupted on the far eastern Kamchatka peninsula region spewing ash up to 20 kilometres above sea level, according to the Russia Academy of Sciences (RAS) Geophysical Survey.

About Kamchatka Peninsula:

• The Kamchatka Peninsula of Russia is a 1,250 km long peninsula on the far eastern edge of Siberia. It sits at the junction of a triple plate collision between the North American, the Pacific and the Eurasian Plates. It occupies something called the Okhotsk Block which is being shoved into the Eurasian Plate and borders on the Bering Block which defines the area north of the Aleutian chain of volcanic islands.
• It is one of the most concentrated areas of geothermal activity in the world, with 160 volcanoes in the region, 29 of which are believed to be currently active.
• Also, it is a part of the vast belt of Earth known as the “Ring of Fire” which circles the Pacific Ocean and is prone to eruptions and frequent earthquakes.

Shiveluch Volcano:

• Shiveluch is one of the largest and most active volcanoes in Kamchatka, having erupted at least 60 times in the past 10,000 years.
• It has two main parts: Old Shiveluch, which tops 3,283 metres (10,771 ft), and Young Shiveluch – a smaller, 2,800-metre peak protruding from its side.
• Young Shiveluch lies within an ancient caldera – a large crater-like basin that likely formed when the older part underwent a catastrophic eruption at least 10,000 years ago.
• It is this part that has become extremely active; the lava dome continues to grow and that stronger “fumarole activity” has been observed.