9 PM Daily Current Affairs Brief – August 22nd, 2022

Current Affairs Compilations for UPSC IAS Prelims 2022

Mains Oriented Articles

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• What next on data protection?
• The problem with India’s sporting bodies
• Making bail impossible

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• Delhi Police’s use of facial recognition technology
• Pharma oversell clearly needs to be reined back
• Patently Inadequate
• Spend It, Hide It And Forget About It
• Solar energy: For Amrit Kaal in agriculture

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• Philanthropy could help unlock India’s vast economic potential

Prelims Oriented Articles (Factly)

• ‘Forcible’ Aadhaar-voter ID linking
• Govt awards GI tag to Mithila Makhana for ‘farmer’s profit’
• Explained: What are ‘forever chemicals’ that are contaminating rainwater globally?
• Snailfish can survive sub-zero temperatures; but will it beat climate change
• Explained: What is Mandala in art?
• Data on Manual Scavenging
• Warning label most effective in identifying harmful nutrients: Study
• Explained: What are cloudburst incidents and are they rising across India?
• Grameen Udyami Project launched in Ranchi to promote skill development and Entrepreneurship amongst the tribal youth
• Droughts Hurt World’s Largest Economies
• Union Minister unveils India’s first truly indigenously developed Hydrogen Fuel Cell Bus developed by KPIT-CSIR in Pune

Mains Oriented Articles

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What next on data protection?

News: Recently, the government has withdrawn the Personal Data Protection Bill. This increases uncertainty about the future of privacy regulation in India.

Why did the government introduce the data protection bill?

In Justice K.S. Puttaswamy v. Union of India case, the court held that the right to privacy had both positive and negative aspects. . The former implies the need for the state to actively take measures to protect an individual’s privacy.

Thus, the government was more or less forced to initiate the drafting of a data protection law.

What is the reason for withdrawal?

The growing importance of the digital economy and the broad scope of the proposed law raised contestations between stakeholders such as the state, industry, and advocacy groups. Each version of the law — the 2018 Bill of the Srikrishna Committee, the 2019 Bill introduced in Parliament, and the version of the Joint Parliamentary Committee(JPC) in 2021 — faced different types of critique from different stakeholders.

Data protection bill and stakeholders’ concern

a) Domestic industry felt that the law will create compliance hurdles for them, b) For state the law could limit intrusive data processing by state agencies, but it could also promote geopolitical, strategic or regulatory interests, c) For users poorly drafted law could legitimise certain intrusive practices, d) For advocacy groups the bill is a dilution of the focus on data privacy.

However, a law can also promote regulatory certainty, thereby opening up the possibility of increased data flows and the growth of the data processing business.

What are the recommendations of the Joint Parliamentary Committee(JPC)?

How to address the challenges in the new data protection law?

There are two challenges associated with the introduction of new data protection law. These are a) the form that a new law will take, and b) the nature of protections it will offer. These can be addressed by the following steps.

Form of the new law: The government has suggested that it will introduce multiple legislation comprising a new comprehensive legal framework. This is the right approach as it is healthy to maintain some multiplicity in the governance of a complex digital economy.

The effectiveness can be further enhanced if a) Different laws and agencies should co-exist, b) Each bill should address a single coherent set of objectives and avoid overlapping, c) Separate laws should deal with issues concerning state surveillance, or issues in the data economy.

Nature of privacy protection: The law should a) Build on a risk-based approach to data protection, so that the regulatory focus is directed towards addressing sources of potential harm, b) Based on risk assessments, the law could enable co-regulation and self-regulation. c) Include more provisions to ensure accountability of the regulator, d) Invest in building some administrative capacity to implement it, as it did with SEBI and PFRDA, for faster implementation of law once passed, e) Framed based on transparent and meaningful consultations with all stakeholders.

The problem with India’s sporting bodies

News: In recent times, the national sports administration bodies for Olympic, football, hockey and few others are in court, due to governance related challenges.

History of sports’ administration reforms in India

In 2016, the Supreme Court passed a landmark ruling that agreed to the wholescale changes to the BCCI constitution that were recommended by the Justice R M Lodha committee for BCCI reforms.

Like in cricket, the SC-handpicked Committee of Administrators (CoA) are in-charge of all major sports in the country.

The courts and the CoA in-charge of football are of the view that the 50% of the All-India Football Federation (AIFF) executive committee should comprise “eminent players” as co-opted members.

What are the issues in sports administration in India

Governance of India’s national sports federations are not at par with the international standards. This misadministration is posing threats of international bans and administrative uncertainty.

Have the intentions of the court matched the implementation?

In the cricket administration, the Supreme Court’s verdict related to BCCI reforms hasn’t been fully implemented in letter or spirit. Cricket’s constitutional ambiguity continues since the BCCI’s plea, pointing to practical difficulties in implementing the Lodha reforms, is still pending.

The view of experts and reformers that appointment of players in large no. can bring changes to the sporting governance, has proved to wrong till now. Following are some examples:

1) The celebrated French footballer Michel Platini was jailed recently for a financial fraud he committed as FIFA vice president.

2) Despite the appointment of charismatic former Indian player Saurav Ganguli as the president of BCCI, cricket governance has not changed much.

3) The players haven’t been able to make improvements as they remain vulnerable to temptations and lack resolve to change the old system.

Making bail impossible

News: The ruling of ADM Jabalpur v. Shivkant Shukla Case (1976) was overruled by the Supreme Court(SC) while upholding the right to privacy. However, in the recent case of Vijay Madanlal Choudhary v. Union of India, SC upheld the constitutionality of Section 45 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). It has reactivated the ADM Jabalpur case ruling.

What are the Draconian preconditions for bail under Section 45 of the PMLA?

Section 45 mandates that in order to be eligible for bail, the arrested person must persuade the court that he is not guilty of the money laundering offences brought by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The onus is on the accused to prove the allegations wrong. If he cannot do this, he will continue in jail.

What is the Supreme Court ruling?

The court overturned its decision in Nikesh Tarachand Shah v. Union of India (2017). In the 2017 case, SC directed treating the offense of ‘money laundering’ as less heinous and differently a crime from ‘terrorism’ under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA).

In the present case, the court stated that the offense of money laundering was as heinous as a terrorist act and as great a danger to the sovereignty and integrity of our country.

The court also declared that the ED does not need to share the Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) with the accused.

According to the court, the fundamental rights of the accused are satisfied if he is informed of the grounds of arrest at the time of the arrest.

What are the issues in the ruling as per the author advocate, Prateek Chadha?

The court ignored the fact that under the PMLA, money laundering also covers minor offences relating to infringement of copyrights and trademarks, arts and antiquities, securities, information technology, companies, and air and water pollution.

Unlike the ECIR, the police and the Central Bureau of Investigation are allowed to share the content of the FIR with the accused.

With respect to informing the grounds for arrest at the time of arrest, there is no definition of what qualifies as grounds for arrest and how detailed such grounds need to be.

What will be the consequences of the SC’s ruling?

Rendering bail impossible: The ruling has judicially cremated the old principle of bail being the norm and jail the exception. It puts the onus on an arrested person to prove that he has not committed the offence that he stands accused of, in order to get bail. No accused will ever be able to prove this if he does not even know what the ECIR contains.

The SC’s decision in NIA v. Zahoor Watali (2019), further compounds the problem, in which the court held that the court cannot enter into an appreciation of evidence at the stage of bail. The judge has to see whether a prima facie case against the accused is made out. This creates a problem because prima facie, the prosecution’s version is sufficient.

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Delhi Police’s use of facial recognition technology

News: A recent RTI findings reveal that the Delhi Police treats matches of above 80% similarity generated by its facial recognition technology system as positive results. But it is unclear why 80% has been chosen as the threshold between positive and false positive.

What is facial recognition technology?

It is an algorithm-based technology which creates a digital map of the face by identifying and mapping an individual’s facial features, which it then matches against the database to which it has access.

What are the various purposes of facial recognition?

It can be used for two purposes:

1) One on one(1:1) verification of identity wherein the facial map is obtained for the purpose of matching it against the person’s photograph on a database to authenticate their identity.

Examples, using facial recognition to unlock phones or providing access to any benefits or government schemes.

2) One to many (1:n) identification of identity wherein the facial map is obtained from a photograph or video and then matched against the entire database to identify the person in the photograph or video.

For example, law enforcement agencies such as the Delhi Police usually procure FRT for 1:n identification.

Why match score is important for facial recognition?

For 1:n identification, FRT generates a probability or a match score between the suspect who is to be identified and the available database of identified criminals. A list of possible matches are generated on the basis of their likelihood to be the correct match with corresponding match scores.

About Delhi police and others using FRT

The Delhi Police first obtained FRT for the purpose of tracing and identifying missing children. The procurement was authorised as per a 2018 direction of the Delhi High Court in Sadhan Haldar vs NCT of Delhi. In 2020, the Delhi Police stated that they were using FRT for police investigations.

As per available RTI’s, the Delhi Police has consequently used FRT for investigation purposes and also specifically during the 2020 northeast Delhi riots, the 2021 Red Fort violence, and the 2022 Jahangirpuri riots.

Multiple cities, including Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, and Lucknow are rolling out “Safe City” programmes which implement surveillance infrastructures to reduce gender-based violence.

What are the harmful effects of using FRT?

Issues related to misidentification due to inaccuracy: Extensive research into the technology has revealed that its accuracy rates fall starkly based on race and gender.

This can result in a false positive, where a person is misidentified as someone else, or a false negative where a person is not verified as themselves thereby lead to exclusion. For instance, the use of FRT by law enforcement authorities has already led to three people in the U.S. being wrongfully arrested.

Issues related to mass surveillance due to misuse of the technology: At present, India does not have a data protection law or a FRT specific regulation to protect against misuse.

Illegitimate collection of data: For instance, the Delhi Police is matching the photographs/videos against photographs collected under Section three and four of the Identification of Prisoners Act, 1920. This law has now been replaced by the Criminal Procedure (Identification) Act, 2022.

The new Act allows for wider categories of data to be collected from a wider section of people, this might lead to broad collection of personal data in violation of internationally recognised best practices for the collection and processing of data.

Pharma oversell clearly needs to be reined back

News: The Federation of Medical & Sales Representatives Association of India (FMRAI) has moved to the court with public interest litigation (PIL), accusing the marketer of Dolo-650 of bribing doctors with “freebies” worth ₹1,000 crores to recommend the tablet.

A month ago, the Income tax department carried out raids at the drugmaker’s offices. It alleged that doctors were bribed with “travel expenses, perquisites and gifts”. The PIL is filed based on the IT Raids.

What are the implications of pharma companies pill peddling doctors?

Consumer access to many pharma products is regulated. But, pharma firms need to market their products to beat the competition, earn profits and continue to produce drugs for patients. So, they indulge in pill peddling activities

In 2019, the government acknowledged in Parliament that it had got complaints flagging “unethical” practices by pharmaceutical companies. Such pill peddling a) Can push doctors to over-medicate patients, b) Make patients buy pricier alternatives, c) Violate the fundamental maxim of healthcare: do no harm.

How government is regulating pill peddling?

The Centre in 2015 brought in the Uniform Code of Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices. It is a voluntary set of guidelines to prevent pharma companies or their agents from dangling the promise of gifts and cash to healthcare providers to promote pill peddling.

Doctors are bound by a code of conduct that bars them from accepting gifts from the pharma sector. Ideally, the ethics of doctors should defend patients from predatory business practices.

But, a company found guilty of doctor bribery would suffer a reprimand or at most expulsion by a pharma association, the pharma firm is part of.

The need of the house is corrective action and legal backing for restrictions on pill peddling.

Patently Inadequate

News: Recently, the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council published a working paper on patents in India, which points out issues in the system of granting patents in India.

What are the findings of the report?

The World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) 2010-19 data showed that Indians filed nearly a similar number of applications within the country (1. 2 lakh) as well as abroad (1. 07 lakh). However, only 13,670 patents were granted in India against 44,000 granted abroad.

At present, India’s average time taken to dispose of applications is 58 months against 15 in Japan, 20 in China, and 21 in the US.

The PMEAC’s report notes that manpower at the patent’s office is woefully inadequate, leading to delayed issuing of patents. India’s patent office had just 858 examiners and controllers in 2020 against over 13,000 in China and 8,000 in the US.

What are the consequences of delayed patenting?

Due to the delayed issuing of patents, other countries that quickly process patent applications get an unnecessary advantage.

Slow disposal not only delays new technologies but also sends serious Indian innovators abroad or leads to a brain drain.

Patents help start-ups secure funding, which in turn creates jobs.

What should be the course of action?

At present, India is betting big on start-ups to drive innovation and create jobs. Therefore, it is imperative that the patenting process must be made faster.

The Government of India has announced its program to fill 10 lakh central government vacancies by 2024 to tide over the job crisis. Therefore, hiring should be done in the right areas. As per the PMEAC paper, around 2,000 persons must be hired for the patent office in India.

There should be time-bound clearances, i.e., a few months or weeks for each stage of the patent-granting process.

Spend It, Hide It And Forget About It

News: Recently, the debate has risen on freebies, from the highest political levels to RBI to the Supreme Court.

Importance of welfare measures (or freebies)

(1) Freebies (or Welfare) have helped to ensure most citizens had access to clean, smoke-free cooking gas through public sector energy companies

(2) Mid-Day Meal in a school is universally acknowledged to be the key driver for dramatically improving school enrollment ratios.

(3) Welfare measures provided piped water to all households; a service so basic that most of the world got it nearly a century back.

Issues in the freebies

(1) As per the RBI’s report on state government finances, states have stressed overall deficits and debt. The debt sustainability of Bihar, Kerala, Punjab, Rajasthan, and West Bengal could be an issue.

(2) Pension is a big liability on state government budgets. Some states like Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh have moved back from NPS to the old pension scheme /defined benefit plan, having the potential to increase liabilities.

(3) In the power sector, the state government-owned power discoms are facing high debt levels. As per RBI estimates, aggregate DISCOM debt is nearly Rs 4. 5 lakh Crore. If a bailout is provided to all discoms, then it would cost a sum of Rs 4. 3 lakh Crore, or 2. 3% of GDP to the exchequer.

(4) Today, the true state of state government finances is hidden in myriad layers. Some debt is reflected in the budget, some in power companies, some in other state government-owned PSUs, etc. For example, to finance discoms, “off balance sheet” borrowings are resorted due to restrictions imposed on the total debt that can be raised by a state government via the FRBM Act.

(5) Freebies are intensely political in nature in India. It is a part of the grand bargain between the voter and the politician/policymaker.

What should be the course of action?

There should be transparency in the state government balance sheet. All state government borrowings and debt should be aggregated in the state budget and reported. For example, The Centre brought FCI’s outlay, a large chunk of GoI’s subsidy bill, above the line in the budget.

The FRBM caps should be revised upwards to reflect the new accounting reality. The new FRBM caps should apply to aggregate state debt. This will force the finance ministers to optimize between several competing demands and show bond markets the true color of the government’s fiscal situation.

Solar energy: For Amrit Kaal in agriculture

News: India is celebrating the 75^th Year of Independence and has entered into the Amrit Kaal toward 2047. It’s time to focus on the achievements of our farmers and agri-scientists in the last 75 years, and what more innovations (anusandhan) need to be made in the agri-food space by 2047.

India’s achievements in the agricultural sector since its Independence

India’s efforts led to boosting production and converting India’s food situation from “ship to mouth” in the mid-1960s to emerging as the largest exporter of rice in the world (21mmt in FY22).

At present, poultry and fisheries have the fastest growth, while it has been the slowest in cereal production.

There are government interventions in cereals through the massive procurement of rice and wheat. Further, most of the sub-sectors rely on market forces. But these sectors still perform better.

What are the challenges in the agricultural sector in the coming years?

Since Independence, India’s population has gone up by a little more than four times. It is likely to surpass China by 2023. As per the latest UN Population reports, India’s population is likely to be 1.66 billion by 2050. The biggest challenge will be feeding a country.

With the rise in low-income levels, people are likely to demand not just more food, but safe and nutritious food.

India has neglected the environmental consequences that accompany agricultural development in India.

The average holding size has been declining from 2.3 hectares in 1970-71 to just 1.08 hectares in 2015-16.

At present, cereals are the mainstay of Indian farmers. It cannot give high incomes to farmers even when their productivity is increased.

What should be the course of action?

In the next 25 years, we need to go beyond just increasing production. The focus must be on the food system as a composite entity. It requires addressing five dimensions: (1) production, (2) marketing, (3) consumption, (4) environmental sustainability, and (5) nutritional outcomes.

Ex-Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri raised the slogan “Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan”. Atal Bihari Vajpayee extended it to include “Jai Vigyan”. Now, Prime Minister Modi has extended it to, “Jai Anusandhan”. Here, anusandhan, or innovation in agriculture can lead to an India which have a well-fed population, zero hunger, almost no malnutrition, climate resilience, and high incomes for our farmers.

It is time to wake up now and promote climate-resilient agriculture. There is a need to arrest the dramatic decline in our groundwater table, particularly in the northwest, rejuvenate our soils, and improve the air quality by stopping/reducing stubble burning and methane emissions.

India needs to develop carbon markets so that farmers can be incentivized to change unsustainable farming practices. This requires innovations in policies, technologies related to precision farming, as well as institutional engineering.

India needs to become a nation of innovators in the agricultural sector like Israel, Holland, and the US.

Diversification toward high-value crops is a must as we move forward. This can be done by building efficient value chains. Here, in addition to the public sector, the role of the private players can play an important role.

In 2016, Prime Minister had given a clarion call to double farmers’ incomes by 2022-23. This can be done with out-of-the-box innovations like “solar as a third crop” on fields. Solar energy can be bought by power companies and incorporated into the grid for distribution.

PM can use his social capital and powers of mobilization, as witnessed recently in the “Har Ghar Tiranga” campaign, for a “Har Khet Main Saur Urja” (solar power in every farmer’s field) project. This can help in promoting clean energy in rural areas, and double and stabilize farmers’ incomes.

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Philanthropy could help unlock India’s vast economic potential

News: India will reach a per-capita income of some $15,000 by India@100 in 2047. In that, philanthropy can play a crucial role in accelerating economic growth that is both inclusive and sustainable.

About philanthropy in India

Philanthropy has long been embedded in Indian society and contributed heavily to the creation of modern-day India.

Pre-industrial India: India saw business families giving away a proportion of their income to local charities. Industrialization and the freedom struggle in the 19th and 20th centuries.

After Industrialization: Industrialization enabled rapid wealth creation; business leaders like Sir Jamsetji Tata voiced their opinions on using wealth for social good, donating vast amounts to create exemplary institutions.

During the independence movement, Mahatma Gandhi encouraged businessmen to contribute their wealth for the betterment of society. Industrialists like Jamnalal Bajaj and G.D. Birla supported Mahatma Gandhi’s initiatives during the freedom movement while pursuing their own philanthropic interests.

Philanthropy at present: India has witnessed an increase in domestic philanthropy. Few famous philanthropists are the Tata family which continued Jamsetji Tata’s tradition of philanthropy, Azim and Yasmin Premji, and Nandan and Rohini Nilekani, etc.

About the Philanthropical role models in the USA

While India was undergoing independence movements, America was witnessing the Carnegie-Rockefeller era of philanthropy.

Andrew Carnegie built impressive institutions like Carnegie Library and Carnegie Mellon University and also inspired the rich to contribute to philanthropy. The last line of his book reads: “The man who dies rich, dies disgraced.”

John D. Rockefeller donated large amounts of money to systemic reforms, especially to improve the education system. The Rockefeller Foundation also developed the vaccine to eradicate yellow fever.

Both Carnegie and Rockefeller became role models, inspiring generations.

What are the challenges that hampered philanthropy in India?

There are three major challenges that have hampered Indian philanthropy. These are, a) A trust deficit: Philanthropists haven’t fully appreciated for the good work being done in the impact sector; b) The parochial nature of giving, which risks some of the poorest parts of the country being ignored; c) Programmatic giving doesn’t yield desired results. For example, a number of foundations and NGOs work on school education, yet learning outcomes have not improved.

How philanthropy and philanthropists can create a meaningful impact on Indian society?

There are four strategic ways that emerging philanthropists can create outsized impacts. These are,

Build institutions: India needs collective philanthropy to build new universities. Donors can fund think-tanks and build area-specific (say, on energy transition) or geography-specific (such as eastern Uttar Pradesh) institutions.

Fund risky R&D for the government: Philanthropists can fund innovative models and test new ideas through non-profits by building evidence, advocating for policy change and supporting government implementation.

Support governments to improve delivery: Philanthropists need to change their orientation from funding programme delivery through NGOs to initiatives which improve the government’s system of delivery. For example, the Piramal Foundation is supporting the Aspirational Districts.

Enable economic growth: Philanthropists can use their wealth and experience to advocate policies, support the improvement of enabling conditions for investment, exports and job creation, and help transform India’s economy.

Prelims Oriented Articles (Factly)

‘Forcible’ Aadhaar-voter ID linking

Source: The post is based on the article “‘Forcible’ Aadhaar-voter ID linking” published in The Hindu on 22^nd August 2022.

What is the News?

Various government authorities have clarified that the linking of Aadhaar with the voter identity card is “voluntary. But despite that, there have been instances of people being warned by booth-level officers that their voter ID would be cancelled if the linking is not done.

About the statutory provisions for linking of voter ID and Aadhaar

The Election Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2021 allows for the linking of electoral data with the Aadhaar number. The Bill was passed by Parliament in December 2021.

However, the government informed that “Submission of Aadhaar number in Form 6B is voluntary. No entry in electoral roll shall be deleted on the ground of non-submission of Aadhaar number”.

What are the benefits and concerns associated with the linking of voter ID and Aadhaar?

Benefits: The government also announced that the purpose of obtaining an Aadhaar number is a) For authentication of electors’ entries in the electoral roll, b) To extend better electoral services, c) For registration of migrated voters without duplication in the rolls, and d) To curb the menace of multiple enrolments of the same person in different places.

Concerns: a) Violations to an individual’s right to privacy, and b) The linking might help in creating voter profiles which may be used to influence the voting process.

About the data on linking of voter ID and Aadhaar

The Election Commission of India started a campaign on August 1 for the “voluntary” linking of Aadhaar details with the voter ID.

As part of the campaign, the commission has set up camps and begun door-to-door collection of data. It has collected over 2.5 crore Aadhaar details till August 11.

Govt awards GI tag to Mithila Makhana for ‘farmer’s profit’

Source: The post is based on the article “Govt awards GI tag to Mithila Makhana for ‘farmer’s profit’” published in Indian Express on 21st August 2022.

What is the News?

The Government of India has awarded the Geographical Indication(GI) tag to Mithila Makhana.

What is Mithila Makhana?

Makhana is a special variety of aquatic cash fruit crops cultivated in Mithila region of Bihar. In Mithila culture of Bihar, Makhana is known as Makhaan in Maithili.

It is an auspicious ingredient in offerings to the God and Goddesses during festivals and is used to show reverence.

The geographical area of production of “Mithila Makhana” takes place in 21 out of 38 districts, mostly situated in the North of the Bihar state.

Its major regions include Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur, Champaran, Begusarai, Madhubani, Katihar among many others.

What is a GI Tag?

A GI is primarily an agricultural, natural or manufactured product (handicrafts and industrial goods) originating from a definite geographical territory.

Once a product gets this tag, any person or company cannot sell a similar item under that name. This tag is valid for a period of 10 years following which it can be renewed.

The other benefits of GI registration include legal protection for that item, prevention against unauthorized use by others and promotion of exports.

The famous goods which carry this tag include Basmati rice, Darjeeling Tea, Chanderi Fabric, Mysore Silk, Kullu Shawl, Kangra Tea, Thanjavur Paintings, Allahabad Surkha, Farrukhabad Prints, Lucknow Zardozi and Kashmir Walnut Wood Carving.

Explained: What are ‘forever chemicals’ that are contaminating rainwater globally?

Source: The post is based on the article “Explained: What are ‘forever chemicals’ that are contaminating rainwater globally?” published in Indian Express on 22nd August 2022.

What is the News?

A study has found that rainwater from many places across the globe is contaminated with “per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances”(PFAs) which are called “forever chemicals” because of their tendency to stick around in the atmosphere, rainwater and soil for long periods of time.

What are per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances(PFAs)?

PFAs are man-made chemicals used to make nonstick cookware, water-repellent clothing, stain-resistant fabrics, cosmetics, firefighting forms and many other products that resist grease, water and oil.

PFAs can migrate to the soil, water and air during their production and use. Since most PFAs do not break down, they remain in the environment for long periods of time. Some of these PFAs can build up in people and animals if they are repeatedly exposed to the chemicals.

What harm do PFAs cause?

The United States Environmental Protection Agency(EPA) lists a variety of health risks that are attributed to PFA exposure including decreased fertility, developmental effects in children, interference with body hormones, increased cholesterol levels and increased risk of some cancers. 

Recent research has also revealed that long-term low-level exposure to certain PFAs can make it difficult for humans to build antibodies after being vaccinated against various diseases.

How can PFAs be removed?

There is no known method that can extract and remove PFAs from the atmosphere itself. However, there are many effective methods to remove them from rainwater.

One way to do this would be to use a filtration system with activated carbon. The activated carbon will need to be removed and replaced regularly. Also, the old contaminated material must be destroyed.

Another method is to first place a PFA compound in a solvent called DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide). Then mixed it with sodium hydroxide (lye) in water. When this mixture was heated up to boiling temperature, the PFA compound began to degrade. However, this method doesn’t work for all PFAs and only works for certain PFA subsets.

Snailfish can survive sub-zero temperatures; but will it beat climate change

Source: The post is based on the article “Snailfish can survive sub-zero temperatures; but will it beat climate change” published in Down To Earth on 18th August 2022.

What is the News?

A study has found a Snailfish that lives in an iceberg habitat in Greenland can survive in icy Arctic waters due to the presence of antifreeze proteins in its bloodstream.

What is Snailfish?

Snailfish also called sea snail is a species of marine fish.

Habitat: They are found in oceans worldwide. But they are strictly found in cold waters meaning that species of tropical and subtropical regions strictly are deepwater.

Features: The Snailfish releases biofluorescence, which allows it to glow green and red in the dark arctic waters.

Note: Snailfish are the only polar fish reported to have biofluorescence.

Biofluorescence: It is the ability of an organism to convert blue light into green, red, or yellow light. It is rarely found in Arctic fish due to prolonged periods of darkness in the region.

What are the findings of the study?

Scientists have found a snailfish in an iceberg habitat in Greenland that can survive in icy Arctic waters due to the presence of ‘antifreeze’ proteins in their bloodstream.

This extraordinary feature, which is rare among sea organisms, allows snailfish to prevent ice crystals from accumulating in their cells and body fluid.

However, climate change could affect its survivability, as with rising ocean temperature icebergs would melt at a faster rate.

Significance of this study: The findings demonstrate how marine life can sustain in sub-zero temperatures using their unique adaptation mechanisms.

Explained: What is Mandala in art?

Source: The post is based on the article “Explained: What is Mandala in art?” published in Indian Express on 21st August 2022.

What is the News?

Residents of Liverpool are amazed over a Mandala the size of one and a half football pitches in length created by artist James Brunt with materials such as leaves and rocks.

What is Mandala?

Mandala literally means “circle” or “centre” in Sanskrit. It is defined by a geometric configuration that usually incorporates the circular shape in some form.

Mandala patterns are a centuries-old motif that is used to depict the cosmos and have been adapted by artists the world over.

It can also be created in the shape of a square. But a mandala pattern is essentially interconnected. 

What is the origin of Mandala Art? 

It is believed to be rooted in Buddhism, appearing in the first century BC in India. Over the next couple of centuries, Buddhist missionaries travelling along the silk road took it to other regions.

In Hinduism, the mandala imagery first appeared in Rig Veda(1500 – 500 BCE).

What is the meaning of Mandala motifs?

It is believed that by entering the mandala and moving towards its center, one is guided through the cosmic process of transforming the universe from one of suffering to that of joy. 

In Hinduism, a mandala or yantra is in the shape of a square with a circle at its centre.

Elements in Mandala Art: There are various elements incorporated within the mandala, each of which has its own meaning. For instance, the eight spokes of the wheel (the dharmachakra) represent the eightfold path of Buddhism, the lotus flower depicts balance, and the sun represents the universe.

– Facing up, triangles represent action and energy, and facing down, they represent creativity and knowledge.

Mandala in Modern Art

Mandala continues to appear in Thangka paintings. But it also has a central place in the practice of mainstream artists associated with the tantric and neo-tantric spiritual movements. 

In the 1960s Sohan Qadri and Prafulla Mohanty gained widespread recognition for their works that were imbibed with tantric symbolism, such as mandalas that are also used in the rituals of tantric initiation. 

Geometric compositions also dominated the works of artists such as Biren De, GR Santosh, Shobha Broota, and famously SH Raza, who visualized the Bindu as the centre of his universe and the source of energy and life.

Data on Manual Scavenging

Source: The post is based on the article “Data on Manual Scavenging” published in The Hindu on 22nd August 2022.

What is the News?

The Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment has provided data on Manual Scavenging while replying to a question in Lok Sabha.

What is Manual Scavenging?

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People Engaged in Manual Scavenging: According to the surveys conducted by the Social Justice and Empowerment Ministry in 2013 and 2018, there are over 58,000 people engaged in manual scavenging in India. 

– However, activists claim that this number remains an underestimate and that the practice is prevalent despite a 2013 law prohibiting such employment.

State wise Manual Scavenging data: More than 55% of the manual scavengers identified were from Uttar Pradesh.

Caste wise split of workers: Of all the manual scavengers identified, more than 40,000 workers belong to the Scheduled Castes while fewer than 1,000 belong to the Scheduled Tribes and OBCs combined.

Deaths due to Manual Scavenging: Around 347 workers died while or because of cleaning sewers and septic tanks between 2017 and 2022. Uttar Pradesh reported the highest number of these deaths.

Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers: The self-Employment Scheme for Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers (SRMS) is expected to provide one-time cash assistance of Rs 40,000, skill development training and Capital subsidy for self-employment projects for workers. 

– The government succeeded in providing cash assistance to the workers, especially in the last three years of the period considered. But the proportion of workers who received a capital subsidy of Rs 5 lakh as loans under the scheme was significantly low during this period.

Warning label most effective in identifying harmful nutrients: Study

Source: The post is based on the article “Warning label most effective in identifying harmful nutrients: Study” published in The Hindu on 20th August 2022.

What is the News?

A study conducted in India has found that warning labels on food packets are most effective in helping consumers identify foods high in sugar, saturated fat and sodium as compared to other labelling formats.

About the study

A random experiment was conducted with 2,869 adults in six States of India. Of the total participants, 50% were women with educational status of 12 years or less.

The participants were shown packaged food with one of five front-of-package labeling (FOPL) methods. 

The five FOPL used were: 1) Barcode, a control label, 2) Nutrient-specific warning label (a symbol of the octagon that indicates the proportion of salt/sugar or saturated fat), 3) Health Star Rating, 4) Guideline for the daily amount (GDA), giving information on nutritional content and 5) Label with traffic light symbol (highlighting red, amber, or green levels of concerned nutrients).

Aim of the experiment: To evaluate the impact of different types of labels used on consumers behavior.

What are the findings of the study?

Most participants(60.8%) were able to identify a nutrient of concern when they have presented with a packet with a warning label.

Health Star Rating(HSR) label performed the worst with only 45% being able to recognise the three nutrients of concern.

However, the study also found that warning labels failed to statistically significantly reduce intentions to purchase unhealthy packaged products.

What is the significance of this study?

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is in the process of issuing a draft regulatory procedure on front-of-package labeling (FOPL). It is expected that it will use the Health star rating method.

This has been criticized by experts as they found the warning labels method more effective in reducing consumer intent to buy products with harmful nutrients compared to HSR.

Explained: What are cloudburst incidents and are they rising across India?

Source: The post is based on the article “Explained: What are cloudburst incidents and are they rising across India?” published in Indian Express on 22nd August 2022.

What is the News?

Over 20 people have been killed in the destruction caused by cloudbursts and flash floods in different parts of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand over the last three days.

What are Cloudbursts?

A cloudburst is a localized but intense rainfall activity. However, not all instances of very heavy rainfall are cloudbursts. 

A cloudburst has a very specific definition. Rainfall of 10 cm or more in an hour over a roughly 10 km x 10-km area is classified as a cloudburst event.

By this definition, 5 cm of rainfall in a half-hour period over the same area would also be categorized as a cloudburst.

How common are Cloudbursts?

Cloudbursts are common events, particularly during the monsoon months. Most of these happen in the Himalayan states where the local topology, wind systems, and temperature gradients between the lower and upper atmosphere facilitate the occurrence of such events.

Are Cloudbursts forecasted?

India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasts rainfall events well in advance, but it does not predict the quantum of rainfall — in fact, no meteorological agency does.

The forecasts can be about light, heavy, or very heavy rainfall, but weather scientists do not predict exactly how much rain is likely to fall at any given place.

It requires a very dense network of weather instruments and computing capabilities that seem unfeasible with current technologies. As a result, specific cloudburst events cannot be forecasted.

Are Cloudbursts incidents rising?

There is no long-term trend that suggests that cloudbursts are rising. However, incidents of extreme rainfall, as also other extreme weather events, are increasing — not just in India but across the world.

While the overall amount of rainfall in India has not changed substantially, an increasing proportion of the rainfall is happening in a short span of time. That means that the wet spells are very wet and are interspersed with prolonged dry spells even in the rainy season.

This kind of pattern, attributed to climate change, does suggest that cloudburst events might also be on the rise.

Grameen Udyami Project launched in Ranchi to promote skill development and Entrepreneurship amongst the tribal youth

Source: The post is based on the article “Grameen Udyami Project launched in Ranchi to promote skill development and Entrepreneurship amongst the tribal youth” published in PIB on 20th August 2022.

What is the News?

National Skill Development Corporation(NSDC) in partnership with Seva Bharti and Yuva Vikas Society has launched the second phase of Grameen Udyami Project to augment skill training in tribal communities for their inclusive and sustainable growth.

What is the Grameen Udyami Project (Rural Tribal Technical Training Program)?

Aim: To multiskill India’s tribal youth and impart functional skills to them for enabling livelihoods.

Coverage: The project is being implemented in six states— Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Gujarat. 

The project is implemented under Sansadiya Parisankul Yojana.

Funded by: National Skill Development Corporation(NSDC)

The training under the project will be conducted in the following Job roles: Electrician & Solar PV Installation Technician Plumbing & Masonry 2-Wheeler Repair & Maintenance IT/ITES with e-Governance and Farm Mechanization.

Phases: In the first phase of the project, candidates were mobilized from rural and tribal areas of Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat.

– The phase-II of the pilot project was launched in Ranchi, Jharkhand.

Significance of the project: The project will help in achieving the following objectives: a) Increase in Rural/Local Economy, b)Enhance employment opportunities, c) Reduce forced migration due to lack of local opportunities and d)Conservation of natural resources.

Droughts Hurt World’s Largest Economies

Source: The post is based on the article “Droughts Hurt World’s Largest Economies” published in Livemint on 22nd August 2022.

What is the News?

Severe droughts across the Northern Hemisphere— from the US to waterways in Europe and China—are impacting the global trade system already under stress.

Which countries are experiencing droughts?

Parts of China are experiencing their longest sustained heat wave since record-keeping began in 1961.

The drought affecting Spain, Portugal, France and Italy is on track to be the worst in 500 years.

In the American West, a drought that began two decades ago now appears to be the worst in 1,200 years.

Reasons for these droughts: This year’s droughts are partly because of La Niña, a cyclical pattern of cooler water in the eastern Pacific Ocean that pushes the atmospheric jet stream northward, leaving parts of Europe, the U.S. and Asia with less rain. 

Note: The United Nations says the number of droughts worldwide has risen 29% since 2000 because of land degradation and climate change.

What is the impact of these droughts on these countries?

The droughts are hurting industries including electricity generation, agriculture, manufacturing and tourism. 

This is compounding existing strains such as supply-chain disruptions stemming from the Covid-19 pandemic and pressure on energy and food prices from the war in Ukraine.

Union Minister unveils India’s first truly indigenously developed Hydrogen Fuel Cell Bus developed by KPIT-CSIR in Pune

Source: The post is based on the article “Union Minister unveils India’s first truly indigenously developed Hydrogen Fuel Cell Bus developed by KPIT-CSIR in Pune” published in PIB on 21st August 2022.

What is the News?

Union Minister of Science & Technology has launched India’s first truly indigenously developed Hydrogen Fuel Cell Bus.

About Hydrogen Fuel Cell Bus

Developed by: Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and private firm KPIT Limited.

Working Process: The fuel cell utilizes Hydrogen and Air to generate electricity to power the bus and the only effluent from the bus is water, therefore making it possibly the most environmentally friendly mode of transportation.

What are the advantages of fuel cells?

Lower Cost: The High efficiency of fuel cell vehicles and the high energy density of hydrogen ensures that the operational costs in rupees per kilometre for fuel cell trucks and buses are lower than diesel-powered vehicles and this can bring freight revolution in India. 

Zero Greenhouse gas emissions: Fuel Cell vehicles also give zero greenhouse gas emissions. For comparison, a single diesel bus plying on long-distance routes typically emits 100 tons of CO2 annually and there are over a million such buses in India. 

Excellent means to eliminate on-road emissions: About 12-14% of CO2 emissions and particulate emissions come from diesel-powered heavy commercial vehicles and these are decentralized emissions and hence difficult to capture. Hence, hydrogen-fuelled vehicles provide an excellent means to eliminate the on-road emissions from this sector. 

About the Bisphenol-A pilot plant in CSIR-NCL 

The Union Minister also inaugurated a Bisphenol A(BPA) pilot plant by setup by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-National Chemical Laboratory(CSIR-NCL).

What is Bisphenol A and what is the significance of this development?

Bisphenol A(BPA) is a chemical produced in large quantities for use primarily in the production of polycarbonate plastics, epoxy resins and other engineering plastics.

The entire global market for Bisphenol-A is projected to reach 7.1 Million Tons by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 2% over the analysis period 2020-2027. 

The entire estimated annual demand of 1,35,000 tons in India is imported today. Hence, this pilot plant will enable import substitution of this important raw material and help in India’s Atmanirbhar initiative.