Current Affairs Compilations for UPSC IAS Prelims 2022

Mains Oriented Articles

GS Paper 2

• Chinese shenanigans on Arunachal Pradesh
• A culture of cohesion to save young lives on campuses
• Replacing ‘western knowledge’ with ‘Indian knowledge’ could result in intellectual disaster
• Same-sex marriage: The only natural and just way forward
• For Many Dollars More – Reforming multilateral lenders depends on China signing off on it. And China wants more power

GS Paper 3

• Dealing with extreme heat
• How coastal species are living on plastic debris in the ocean
• There are fresh signs that power distribution has turned a corner
• Express View on Oting killings case in Nagaland: A betrayal of the promise of justice
• In Maharashtra heatstroke deaths, the critical factor of humidity

Prelims Oriented Articles (Factly)

• Geothermal Energy: India to build geothermal plant on Chinese border
• G7 Climate and Environment Ministers’ meet concludes, states commit to decarbonise power grids by 2035
• Global Buddhist Summit: India to host summit on Buddhism
• Garra Laishrami: CUO researchers find rare freshwater species in Kolab river in Odisha
• Proper legislative system needs to be adopted: NCPCR
• Mangrove Pittas: First-ever census finds 179 mangrove pitta birds in two coastal Odisha districts

Mains Oriented Articles

GS Paper 2

Chinese shenanigans on Arunachal Pradesh

News- Recently, China renamed 11 places in Arunachal Pradesh.

What are other examples of renaming of places in aline territories by China?

China also named several under-sea features in the Indian Ocean, using the names of Chinese musical instruments.

In 2017, China had ‘renamed’ six places that lie in Arunachal Pradesh. It had also ‘standardised’ the names of 15 places in 2021.

In 2020, China gave names to 80 geographical features in the Paracels and Spratlys in the South China Sea. In 1983, it had named 287 geographical features in the South China Sea.

It began using the term “Diaoyutai” for the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea in the 1950s, even before raking up the Senkaku issue with Japan.

What are the reasons behind the renaming exercise by China?

The Chinese modus operandi is to lay the groundwork through fictional renaming of alien territories. It uses them as a basis for “historical” claims. These are then pursued using the “three warfares” strategy — of waging propaganda, psychological and legal warfare.

What are measures taken by China in recent times that can deteriorate relations with India?

China enacted a new Coast Guard Law to take necessary measures, including the use of force, to safeguard “sovereignty”.

China also passed a new law on the protection and exploitation of the country’s land border areas. This can convert the boundary dispute with India into a sovereignty issue.

From 2017 onwards, China launched the construction of dual-purpose villages in areas adjacent to the border with India, from Ladakh to Arunachal Pradesh. These are called Xiaokang villages.

Why is China’s claim on Arunachal Pradesh bogus?

Qing presence in Tibet began to emerge around 1720, after Chinese intervention in the internecine succession struggle following the death of the Sixth Dalai Lama.

There is absolutely no basis to the Chinese claim over Tawang on the grounds that it is the birthplace of the Sixth Dalai Lama. China had no locus standi in Tibet at the time.

Why are the basis of India’s historical claim on Arunachal pradesh strong?

Arunachal Pradesh is home to various tribes. They have historically been a part of India’s civilisational heritage.

Most of its populace has been historically oriented towards the Assam plains. The tribes there were in regular contact with the Ahom power in Assam.

Some tribes such as the Monpas, have professed Buddhism. Others follow animistic practices. Some tribes practise a form of Vaishnavism.

The Mahabharata, the Ramayana, the Kalika Purana, the Vishnu Purana, the Yogini Purana, and Kalidasa’s Raghuvamsa have references that give a clear indication of the inclusion of these tribal tracts in the collective consciousness and cultural moorings of ancient India.

These sources have indications about the boundaries of the kingdoms of Pragjyotisha and Kamarupa. Their limits appeared to include the whole of Arunachal Pradesh.

The Shiva Linga in Ziro, Parshuram Kund, and the temple ruins of Malinithan show an ancient Hindu influence in the region. Some Mishmi tribes consider themselves to be the descendants of King Bhishmaka. Some Aka tribes claim their descent from King Bhaluka.

Archaeological finds have unearthed silver coins and inscriptions in the Arabic script at Bhalukpong. These are linked to a Muslim ruler of Bengal.

The architecture of forts like Bhalukpong, Ita and Bhismaknaga is heavily influenced by the architectural principles of fort construction found in the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, and Arthashastra.

A culture of cohesion to save young lives on campuses

News– The newspaper reports about young students ending their lives is disturbing.

What are some facts and statistics about students ending their lives on campuses of higher education institutions?

During the 2018-23, 61 students passed away. During 2014-21, there were 122 cases in various higher education institutions.

Most students were from the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Castes and Economically Weaker Sections (EWS). Marginalisation and deprivation are factors, but one also finds a wide spectrum of students.

What are the reasons for student distress at institutions of higher education?

Campuses have become large and impersonal spaces. Family support is reducing. There are more nuclear families now with working parents. They are unable to provide the kind of parenting and mentoring that joint families provide.

Individualism is pervasive in society. Early signs of emotional distress go unnoticed, unrecognized, and unaddressed.

Generally, institutions are in denial mode. They expect the situation to be dealt with by the parents. Students in emotional distress are advised to spend time with their families.

In higher education institutions, there is hardly any free and fair communication between students, their seniors, teachers, and the administration. Classroom interactions are confined to academics. It adds to the stress emotionally distressed students are already under.

Teachers don’t have the time, inclination and expertise to address any disturbing traits among their students. A highly formalised, standardised and hierarchical structure can never be conducive to promoting a congenial environment.

What are factors responsible for campus suicides?

Most campus suicides are attributed to academic pressure, family circumstances, personal reasons, different kinds of stress, financial distress, caste-based discrimination, and different forms of harassment.

Many of the sources of distress lie outside the purview of higher education institutions. They have genesis in the larger economic and societal contexts.

What is the contrast between counselling support for students in the USA and India?

Universities in the United States have dedicated counselling centres with a range of psychological services. They are accredited by the International Accreditation of Counseling Services.

They are manned by licensed psychologists, psychiatrists, clinical therapists, mental health workers and social workers. The counsellor-to-student ratio is carefully established through careful analysis.

In contrast, the psychological counselling services in Indian campuses are limited to providing some physical space in a corner of the institution. They have a limited number of professionally trained psychologists and psychotherapists. There are hardly any standards.

What is the way forward to overcome the stress faced by students at campuses?

There is a need for counselling and therapies as curative measures for distressed students. It may be easy to strengthen and streamline.

It is critical to create an assimilative culture of cohesion and promote respect for academic and socio-economic diversity. Institutions must deter and curb all forms of discrimination.

There is a need to evolve a code of campus ethics prescribing standards and protocols of what can and cannot be discussed even in informal social settings. Social, economic, and cultural diversity on campuses add value. But, it should be sensitively nurtured and carefully harnessed.

Replacing ‘western knowledge’ with ‘Indian knowledge’ could result in intellectual disaster

News: The article explains the evolution of Indian knowledge system and concerns with replacing it with the Western knowledge system.

How is Indian knowledge different from the western knowledge?

The western system thinks of knowledge as “logos”, meaning knowledge based upon reasoning. In contrast, Indian traditions of thought looked at knowledge as an experience, as knowing.

The two Sanskrit words vidya and gnyana, represent the basic difference between the two traditions.

Vidya admits proof and evidence and attempts to develop methods of bringing perception into the form of a logical statement, while gnyana rests upon testimony and the truth of the word. 

How has the Indian knowledge system developed with time?

In Indian traditions of learning, memory had been a central interest from the earliest times. It is described by the term smriti, which means remembering.

As per the Bhagavad Gita, weakening of smriti may lead to destruction of the intellect.

In ancient Indian society, special care was taken to aid and facilitate easy remembering of the text by introducing various accessible mnemonic tools.

This helped in preserving texts through memorization with a very high standard of accuracy.

The Indian idea of knowledge brought intellect closer to intuition, together with the use of memory for the reproduction of texts from the past.

This resulted in the most favoured mode of receiving and giving education not only in medicine, chemistry, sculpture, etc. but also in philosophy, poetry, mathematics and astronomy.

However, the social division that began to develop in Indian civilization more than 2,000 years ago made it difficult to produce any true “universal knowledge”.

The access to memorisation technique was restricted by the social status of a person.

This kind of schooling changed after paper became available for use in India during the 13th century. The oral as well as written format coexisted in an interdependent manner in the Indian system of knowledge.

Therefore, manuscripts existed in both writings as well as in oral form and this continued in Indian history for centuries.

After the arrival of print technology in India, languages were chosen for printing in India not for their literary qualities but for their convenience.

Thus, the traditions of knowledge that had oral as well as written presentation continued to remain cut off from those knowledge traditions that had only the oral form.

As a result, the divide between social classes that had easy access to letters and those who did not was widened during India’s transition from medieval to modern periods.

What will happen if Indian knowledge system is replaced with the Western?

It will make Indians ignorant of the past and learners may even start negating the presence of the social divide that existed in the Indian knowledge system.

It will produce a generation of students who may grow up thinking that all knowledge developed in ancient India lies hidden in some manuscript archive.

Hence, trying to take India forward to the past will make India a continent of ignorance.

Same-sex marriage: The only natural and just way forward

News: The Supreme Court received petitions to allow same-sex marriage under the Special Marriage Act.

About the case and Centre’s affidavit on legalising Same-sex marriages in India 

What are the arguments in support of the centre position against same-sex marriages?

Government argued that if the court allows same sex marriage, it would amount to the “judicial creation of a social institution called ‘marriage’ of a different kind than contemplated in the existing law”.

Moreover, fundamental rights like the right to choose one’s sexual orientation as well as the right to privacy have already been protected under the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019.

Hence, any further creation of rights, recognition of relationships and giving legal sanctity to such relationships can be done only by the competent legislature and not by judicial adjudication.

What are the issues in the centre’s affidavit on legalising same-sex marriages?  

What is the stand of different organizations on same sex marriage?

The Delhi Commission For Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR) has supported the petition saying that same-sex family units are “normal” and that the government should intervene in taking steps to encourage such family units.

Recently, the Indian Psychiatric Society (IPS) came in support of the same-sex family units arguing it would promote their inclusion in society.IPS stance that homosexuality is not an illness – had played a key role in the 2018 judgment that decriminalized homosexuality.

What are the misconceptions and reality about raising children with LGBTQIA+ couple families?

Misconceptions: Children growing up in families of same-sex unions will become confused about societal norms and are much more likely to become gay themselves.

Reality: a) The whopping majority of gay people grow up in families of heterosexual parents, and often in conservative households, b) Private research on children growing up with same-sex couples found no social difficulties or specific mental health problems among children, c) Another research found that most gay couples were more mindful and sensitive to their children’s needs and were willing to walk the extra mile as parents.

What should be done?

Legalising same-sex marriage may pave the way for generations to come and become a big step towards reclaiming the diverse, multicultural, and inclusive civilisation of India.

For Many Dollars More – Reforming multilateral lenders depends on China signing off on it. And China wants more power

News: The G20 expert group, co-chaired by N.K. Singh and Larry Summers, are on the view of reforming multilateral development banks (MDBs). This expert group report should be read with another report submitted last year to G20, an independent review of MDBs’ capital adequacy framework.

About the G20 expert group on strengthening multilateral development banks(MDBs) and what are MDBs?

What is the need for MDBs reforms?

There are nine major MDBs, of which the World Bank is the most prominent. Collectively, MDBs hold about $500 billion in shareholder equity, which is used to raise more resources for concessional lending. But this available shareholder capital is not being put to optimum use.

The review of the G20 expert group concluded that MDBs can raise more resources without asking shareholders to increase their capital. This can be done by a) leveraging the callable capital (Callable capital represents a guarantee by the shareholders to backstop the institutions in case of shocks), b) Leveraging the guarantees.

What are the challenges in reforming MDBs?

The demand of China: China is the second-biggest economy in the world and generally holds the third-largest voting rights in key MDBs after the US and Japan. China wants MDBs to be a part of any debt restructuring solution. China also wants more power to control MDBs like the US and Europe gained in the past.

Unless China gets what it thinks all committees on MDBs will produce good research, but little reform.

GS Paper 3

Dealing with extreme heat

News– The article explains the increasing heat distress in India.

What are some data and facts associated with heat stress in India?

Around 350 million Indians were exposed to strong heat stress between April and May 2022. Between 1990 and 2019, summer temperatures on average rose by 0.5-0.9°C across districts in Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Rajasthan. Around 54% of India’s districts have also seen a similar rise in winter temperatures.

Between 2021 and 2050, it is expected that the maximum temperature will rise by 2-3.5°C in 100 districts and by 1.5– 2°C in around 455 districts. Similarly, winter temperatures will rise between 1°C and 1.5°C in around 485 districts.

Indian cities are impacted by urban heat island effect. Temperatures are 4-12°C higher than rural outlying areas. Humidity has exacerbated the felt temperature.

More recently, Northern India has seen significant variability in the weather. Cold weather in January was followed by a heat wave in February and early March, and hailstorm and heavy rain in the past few weeks.

What are the impacts of heat stress?

Weather variability has consequences for agriculture. For example, 90% of India’s cumin production is from Gujarat and Rajasthan. The recent weather variability has destroyed the majority of the cumin crop in Rajasthan.

Rising temperatures have also led to unliveable cities. For labourers, heat exposure leads to a loss of 162 hours per year, as per one study.

A rise in temperatures directly impacts labour productivity. About 50% of India’s workforce is estimated to be exposed to heat during their working hours. This includes marginal farmers, labourers at construction sites and street vendors and gig economy workers.

What is the way forward to mitigate the challenges related to heat waves distress?

Greening could help mitigate part of the problem. Ideally, for every urban citizen in India, there should be at least seven trees in the urban landscape.

Development plans for Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities should increase urban surface area that is permeable. The push should be on increasing the density and area of urban forests.

Expanding wetlands and restoring dead and decaying lakes may also help ensure ecological functioning along with reducing urban heat.

There is a need to reduce the urban heat island effect. This will require a push for greater usage of permeable materials in civic infrastructure and residential construction.

Urban layouts such as brick jalis for ventilation and terracotta tiles to allow hot air to escape may be considered. Curbing anthropogenic heat emissions from vehicles and factories will be helpful.

Urban building standards should be upgraded to avoid usage of heat-absorbent galvanised iron and metal roof sheets. Using cleaner cooking fuels will reduce indoor air pollution. It may also help reduce urban heat. Streets with low ventilation may need further expansion.

Other measures can also be considered. These are embracing public transportation, reducing personal vehicle usage and reducing the size of landfills.

Methane production from mountainous landfills may lead to fires. It increases the urban heat and weather variability in our cities. Waste segregation, along with solid waste management at source, can be helpful.

There is a need to improve forecasting ability. It includes the potential impact of heat on food production.

Current econometric models associated with food inflation primarily look at the variability in the monsoon, minimum support prices and vegetable prices. Local heat trends need to be added, given their impact of heat on food production, storage and sale.

There is a need for detailed policies and guidelines on weather variability and urban heat management at the State, district, city and municipality ward levels.

The urban design of Chandigarh is an example. It considers climate responsiveness as a key factor. A large green belt of mango trees was also planted around the city to reduce urban sprawl and to serve as a buffer between the residential city and the industrial suburbs.

Sukhna lake was constructed to help in cooling the city, while small water bodies were developed near large buildings. Parks were planned out in every sector, along with tree plantations alongside all the major roads. Large forest areas were also reserved.

How coastal species are living on plastic debris in the ocean

News– Recently, a study published by researchers from Canada, the Netherlands, and the U.S. have reported that coastal lifeforms have colonised plastic items in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

What are some facts about the Anthropocene epoch?

This is the name some scientists have proposed for a new period in history. It is characterized by the influence of Homo sapiens on the planet’s geology and ecosystems.

Scientists are still not clear when this epoch really began. Some candidates include the first nuclear weapon test and rapid industrialisation after the Second World War.

Some link it with the creation of plastic trash which is abundant in our urban refuse, rivers, and forests.

What are some facts about the great pacific garbage patch?

There are some water currents in the ocean that form loops. These are called gyres.

The North Pacific Subtropical Gyre is located just north of the equator in the Pacific Ocean. It consists of the Kuroshio, North Pacific, California, and North Equatorial currents and moves in a clockwise direction.

These currents flow adjacent to 51 Pacific Rim countries. Any trash that enters one of these currents, from any of these countries, could become part of the gyre.

Inside this gyre lies a long east-west strip. Here, some of the debris in these currents has collected over the years. The eastern part of this is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. It is estimated to be 1.6 million sq. km big and more than 50 years old.

It contains an estimated 45,000-1,29,000 metric tonnes of plastic. It is predominantly in the form of microplastics. The more visible objects that haven’t yet broken down into smaller particles accounted for 92% of the plastics in 2018.

What are the findings of the study?

The tsunami off the Japanese coast in 2011 contributed to the debris in this garbage patch. Researchers had found debris on the West coast of North America containing live life forms originally found in Japan.

From November 2018 to January 2019, researchers collected 105 pieces of plastic debris from the eastern part of the NPSG. Based on the study, 98% of the debris items had invertebrate organisms.

They also found that pelagic species (species of the open ocean) were present on 94.3% of them and coastal species on 70.5%.

They found organisms belonging to 46 taxa. While 37 of them were coastal, the rest were pelagic. Among both coastal and pelagic organisms, crustaceans were the most common.

The coastal species were most commonly found on fishing nets whereas the pelagic species on crates.

Nearly all taxa were of Northwest Pacific origin, including Japan. Most debris items (85.7%) did not have identifiable markings linked to origin, such as manufacture locations or company/brand names.

The researchers also found that 68% of the coastal taxa and 33% of the pelagic taxa reproduced asexually. There was evidence of sexual reproduction among the hydroids and the crustaceans.

They reported a strong positive correlation between reproduction and mobility.

What is the relevance of the findings of the study?

The introduction of species on plastic items has given rise to a new kind of standing coastal community in the open ocean. Researchers have named it the neopelagic community.

The neopelagic community is not misplaced from other areas of the oceans but lives on plastic items in the garbage patch, including reproducing there.

As per another study polyethylene films had chemically bonded with rocks in China. This is reminiscent of the “anthropoquinas” of Brazil (sedimentary rocks embedded with plastic earrings) and the “plastiglomerates” of Hawaii (beach sediment + organic debris + basaltic lava + melted plastic).

There are fresh signs that power distribution has turned a corner

News: The article explains the problems faced by the Discoms and measures that have improved their conditions.

What are the problems faced by India’s power distribution sector?

India’s power distribution sector has faced multiple structural problems.

Most distribution utilities (discoms) have suffered from increasing aggregate technical and commercial (AT&C) losses, widening financial losses and growing debt burdens.

Tariff revision in several states has lagged behind the increase in electricity prices, ultimately leading to growing disparities between supply costs and income. 

This has made discoms unable to make timely payments to generation and transmission companies, and lagging investments in long-term infrastructure.

However, the 11th Integrated Ratings and Ranking report on discoms released by the Union Power Ministry suggests that conditions of discoms are improving.

What are the findings of the 11th Integrated Ratings report?

Despite an 8% increase in total gross input energy, the gap between expenditure and income on a cash-adjusted basis (ACS-ARR Gap) reduced substantially to ₹53,000 crore in 2021-22 compared to ₹97,000 crore in 2019-20.

Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal were the major contributing states.

The sector wide cash-adjusted ACS-ARR gap per unit has improved to 40 paise, down from 79 paise in 2019-20 and 89 paise in 2020-21.

AT&C losses reduced to 16.5% in 2021-22, lower than 19.5% in 2019-20 and 21.5% in 2020-21. Bill collection efficiency increased by over 3% to reach 96% in 2021-22.

While the sector’s debt level is high, the rate of increasing debt is reducing. The average debt service coverage ratio for the sector also turned positive.

What has led to this improvement?

This is because of the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS).

Further, several state governments have also taken proactive actions. They have provided close to ₹56,000 crore of equity, via capital grants for loan takeovers, in the past three years.

State governments paid out 100% of the tariff subsidy amount for 2021-22, as well as clearing certain backlogs.

Karnataka, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Punjab are the states that have shown most improvement in subsidy disbursal.

Discoms have also taken significant steps by replacing physical bill generation and payment with digital billing and online payments to ease collections.

The majority have shifted to Ind-AS accounting standards.

What more can be done to improve the condition of discoms?

Adopting certain rules and practices: Reforms like the Late Payment Surcharge Rules 2022 and the requirement for energy accounting and auditing may be crucial in resolving AT&C losses and paying off transmission company debt.

Efforts by Discoms: Discoms must adopt improved accounting practices like adopt Ind-AS, prepare quarterly accounts, and conduct energy audits. They also need enhanced data analytics capabilities to leverage smart infrastructure and identify opportunities to reduce AT&C losses.

It is also important to expedite capital projects for a wider smart-meter rollout, and to strengthen the system utilizing RDSS funds.

Efforts by State Govt.: State governments must disburse full tariff subsidy amounts and clear past arrears in a timely manner. Regulators must also ensure timely issuance of cost- reflective tariff orders.

Express View on Oting killings case in Nagaland: A betrayal of the promise of justice

News: Recently, the defence ministry has refused sanction for the prosecution of 30 army commandos allegedly responsible for the Oting incident.

About the Oting incident

In 2021, a commando unit allegedly opened fire and killed six coal miners in a counter-insurgency operation in Oting, Nagaland.

Following that, the Nagaland government formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the incident. The Army announced its own investigation and promised action against the guilty, irrespective of their rank.

The SIT indicted 30 members of the Army unit involved in the operation and filed a chargesheet in 2022. The team sought sanction for prosecution from the Defence Ministry’s Department of Military Affairs. However, the legal process was held up since the Centre had to sanction the prosecution of the indicted Army personnel.

Note: Prior sanction to prosecute Army personnel is necessary under Section 6 of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA).

How does the non-prosecution of soldiers erode the Centre’s reputation?

It is nearly impossible to fix accountability when personnel are involved in criminal acts: These aspects have been flagged repeatedly in Jammu and Kashmir, Manipur, Assam and Nagaland, which have experienced the worst of AFSPA in operation.

Create a misconception that AFSPA is used to promote impunity: The non-prosecution might create a view that the Centre is unable or unwilling to do anything about impunity in insurgency-hit States.

What should be done?

The government must demonstrate its commitment to peace in the region and justice for the victims by either granting sanction for their prosecution, or taking exemplary action based on the findings of the military court of inquiry.

In Maharashtra heatstroke deaths, the critical factor of humidity

News: Recently, thirteen people have died from an apparent heatstroke while attending a government award function in an open space in Navi Mumbai. This is possibly the biggest-ever heatwave-related death toll from a single event in the country.

What is a heat wave, and what are its implications?

In the 10 years between 2010 and 2020, reported heatwave-related deaths in India came down by more than 90%. States and district administrations started implementing heat action plans around 2015. The recent increase in heatwave-related deaths could also be because of improved monitoring and reporting of incidents.

How heatstroke can be fatal?

High temperature in itself is not fatal. The combination of high temperature and high humidity is referred to as the wet bulb temperature. This makes heat waves deadly.

High moisture content in the atmosphere makes it difficult for sweat to evaporate and bodies to cool down. This increases internal body temperature and is often fatal.

How does heatstroke impact productivity?

What can be done to mitigate the impact of heatstrokes during political gatherings?

Timely medical intervention is extremely important: Political parties are supposed to ensure that water, oral rehydration solutions (ORS) packets, medical kits, and mobile ambulances are readily available at all such events. These advisories are relevant for Karnataka, which is in the midst of an election

Follow the Election Commission’s advisory on precautions: Electoral officers were advised to ensure that every polling booth had provisions for drinking water, functional clean toilets, facilities for people to sit, some areas under shade, and essential medical kits.

Implement state action plans: Almost every vulnerable state now has a heat action plan in place. This plan has to be followed in letter and sprit.

Proper implementation: The local administration needs to be vigilant and pro-active. And the implementation needs to be monitored by higher authorities on a daily basis.

Prelims-Oriented Articles (Factly)

Geothermal Energy: India to build geothermal plant on Chinese border

Source: The post is based on the article “India to build geothermal plant on Chinese border” published in The Hindu on 18th April 2023

What is the News?

India plans to build a major geothermal power plant in Arunachal Pradesh just across the border from where China is setting one up.

This will be the second geothermal project in the country, after the one at Puga Valley in Ladakh.

What is Geothermal Energy?

Geothermal energy uses the heat generated by the Earth’s core to produce clean energy. A series of wells is used to generate steam from the Earth’s internal heat energy and fed to the power plant to generate electricity.

It is the only renewable energy source that is unaffected by day-night or seasonality variance and is available 24×7.

The main advantage of geothermal energy is its low cost and its ability to operate round the year at high capacity.

As a renewable resource, geothermal covers a significant share of electricity demand in Iceland, El Salvador, New Zealand, Kenya and the Philippines.

According to initial estimates, India has the potential to produce 10 GW of geothermal energy.

Government of India is considering providing viability gap funding for this energy segment which is at its nascent stage in India and yet to be explored deeply.

Challenges in setting up geothermal energy: High upfront cost of Rs 30 Cr/ MW site specific deployment, lack of load center and power evacuation facility nearby, high risk involved in exploration etc. 

About Geothermal Power Plant in Arunachal Pradesh

India plans to build a major geothermal power plant in Arunachal Pradesh. A local university in the state will carry out research for the geothermal project in partnership with a Norwegian agency.

Note: Norway has extensive experience in geothermal energy use, largely in terms of widespread deployment of geothermal heating pumps.

The plan of this project comes in the backdrop of persistent border tensions with China and deteriorating bilateral ties after their troops clashed in Ladakh in June 2020, killing 20 Indian soldiers.

G7 Climate and Environment Ministers’ meet concludes, states commit to decarbonise power grids by 2035

Source: The post is based on the article “G7 Climate and Environment Ministers’ meet concludes, states commit to decarbonise power grids by 2035” published in Indian Express on 18th April 2023

What is the News?

The G7 Climate and Environment Ministers’ meeting in Sapporo, Japan has been concluded.

What are the key outcomes of the G7 Climate and Environment Ministers meeting?

Decarbonise power grids: G7 countries committed to decarbonise their power grids no later than 2035 and accelerate the phase-out of domestic unabated coal power. 

– They further stated that there is an urgent need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by around 43% by 2030 and 60% by 2035, aligned to 1.5 degrees in light of the most recent report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

Solar and wind power: The countries agreed to accelerate solar and wind energy investments to produce 1,000 gigawatts (GW) by 2030 from solar power and 150 GW of wind power from offshore platforms.

Condemned Russia’s attempts at geopolitical coercion: G7 has condemned Russia’s illegal, unjustifiable, and unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine, violation of the Charter of the United Nations (UN) and disregard to the impacts that its war is having on people worldwide.

Unprecedented triple global crisis: The G7 has said that we are facing an “unprecedented triple global crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution that are mutually reinforcing and intrinsically linked.

Global Buddhist Summit: India to host summit on Buddhism

Source: The post is based on the article “India to host summit on Buddhism” published in The Hindu on 18th April 2023

What is the News?

India will host an International summit on Buddhism.

What is the Global Buddhist Summit?

Organized by: Ministry of Culture and the International Buddhist Confederation

Aim: To find solutions to problems such as climate change, poverty, and conflict, among others, by exploring the Buddhist teachings and practices.

Participation: Over 170 delegates from countries such as Mexico, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Japan and 150 from India will participate in the summit.

Theme: “Responses to Contemporary Challenges : Philosophy to Praxis”.

What is the International Buddhist Confederation?

It was formed in 2013 as an international Buddhist umbrella body to serve as a common platform for Buddhists worldwide.

Headquarters: New Delhi.

Garra Laishrami: CUO researchers find rare freshwater species in Kolab river in Odisha

Source: The post is based on the article “CUO researchers find rare freshwater species in Kolab river in Odisha” published in New Indian Express on 18th April 2023

What is the News?

Researchers from the Central University of Odisha (CUO) and the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) have found rare freshwater fish in the Koraput district. The species has been named ‘Garra Laishrami’. 

What is Garra Laishrami?

Garra Laishrami is a rare freshwater fish species found in the Kolab river.

The species was named after Dr Laishram Kosygin of the ZSI to honour his remarkable contributions to understanding the taxonomy of Indian freshwater fishes.

Characteristics:  The species is edible and local people consume it. 

– Besides, this fish is usually found under rocks, stones and boulders of torrential streams and rivers.

About Kolab River

Kolab River is one of the major rivers of Odisha. It is one of the major tributaries of Godavari river.

Its source is at Sinkaran hills of eastern Ghats in Koraput district. 

Proper legislative system needs to be adopted: NCPCR

Source: The post is based on the article “Proper legislative system needs to be adopted: NCPCR” published in The Hindu on 18th April 2023

What is the News?

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has moved the Supreme Court opposing granting of adoption rights to same-sex couples.

Why did NCPCR oppose granting of adoption rights to same-sex couples?

NCPCR has opposed the adoption of children by same-sex couples on the following grounds:

Firstly, children of same-gender parents may have limited exposure to traditional gender role models; as a result, their overall personality development may be impacted.

Secondly, the social and psychological effects of adoption by same-sex parents have been demonstrated in studies.

– According to a study conducted by Dr. Paul Sullins of the Catholic University of America, emotional and developmental problems are twice as prevalent in children with same-sex parents compared to those with opposite-sex parents.

Thirdly, the Supreme Court has settled the principle that the right to equality doesn’t mean equating unequally and therefore making a category is not against the provision of Article 14 of the Constitution.

– Couples being two different genders is one category whereas couples having the same gender can be considered as a different category for the purpose of having children.

Fourthly, even the UN Convention on Right of the Child, which is the most widely ratified human rights treaty in the world since coming into force in September 1990 and having been ratified by 195 countries, does not mention that a child can be adopted by a same-sex couple.

Fifthly, as per the Juvenile Justice Act, a single male is not eligible to adopt a girl child and going by that criteria allowing a gay couple to adopt a female child would be against the scheme of the Act.

Mangrove Pittas: First-ever census finds 179 mangrove pitta birds in two coastal Odisha districts

Source: The post is based on the article “First-ever census finds 179 mangrove pitta birds in two coastal Odisha districts” published in The Hindu on 18th April 2023

What is the News?

A first ever census of mangrove pitta birds was conducted in two coastal districts of Odisha where a total of 179 individual mangrove pitta birds were sighted.

What are Mangrove Pittas?

Mangrove pitta is a species of passerine bird in the family Pittidae native to the eastern Indian Subcontinent and western Southeast Asia.

Distribution: Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, and Thailand.

In India, it is found in a few pockets of eastern India, including Odisha’s Bhitarkanika and West Bengal’s Sundarbans.

Habitat: It is found in mangrove and nipa palm forests where it feeds on crustaceans, mollusks and insects. 

IUCN Status: Near Threatened

Threats: It is threatened by habitat loss.