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

Current Affairs Compilations for UPSC IAS Prelims 2022

Mains Oriented Articles

GS Paper 1

• Incentivize the world’s farmers to improve soil health

GS Paper 2

• ‘Advantage New Delhi’ in Sri Lanka’s India lifeline
• PM’s ‘revdi’ remark: We need to disentangle good subsidies from bad
• How To End The Jail Mania? – On Bail system of India

GS Paper 3

• In Pegasus battle, the fight for surveillance reform
• Why a ban on single-use plastics won’t help
• Why Weaker Rupee Isn’t All Bad News
• Recent Supreme Court judgment on IBC may weaken insolvency regime
• Blockchains can cut both ways in their impact on global warming

Prelims Oriented Articles (Factly)

Mains Oriented Articles

GS Paper 1

Incentivize the world’s farmers to improve soil health

News: Recently, ‘Conscious Planet: Save Soil’, a global movement to change the narrative around soil, was launched. 

As part of this movement, the Indian spiritual leader has embarked on a motorcycle journey across 27 countries, covering 30,000 km in 100 days. It was to raise awareness and recommend policy changes that would ensure a minimum of 3–6% organic content in soil everywhere. 

Trends of soil degradation  

For any soil to have agricultural potential, it must have a minimum of 3-6% organic content. However, in large parts of the world, organic content is well below 1%.  

There is not a single country across the world that has soil with a minimum of 3% organic content. In the last 25 years, an estimated 10% of the earth’s land has become desert. 

What are the underlying causes behind such a high level of soil degradation? 

At present, agricultural scientists, universities, and agricultural departments address soil as a ‘material’. They see soil from the perspective like ‘Soil just needs a little more nitrogen, a little more potassium, a little more phosphorus.’ However, they ignore that soil needs living organisms. It is from this microbial life that all other life on this planet has evolved.  

Every year, on an average, 27,000 species in the soil habitat are going extinct across the world.  

What are the possible consequences of inadequate organic content in the soil? 

The United Nations agencies say that there will be no agricultural soil left to grow anything in another 50-60 years because the organic content of the soil is in deep decline 

Over the last 20 years, about 300,000 farmers have committed suicide in India. Further, even in the US, farmers account for the highest number of suicides among all professions.  

Outcomes of the movement 

Many United Nations agencies and Nine Countries have signed memoranda of understanding (MOUs) with Conscious Planet: Save Soil. 

About 74 nations committed themselves to the urgent cause of saving the planet’s soil at the 15th session of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) Conference of Parties (CoP-15). 

What should be done? 

(1) If we want to reclaim soil, it needs to be understood that soil is living, not dead material.  

(2) Every nation could set up 3% organic content as a minimum average for the soil. Further, every government should provide incentives for every farmer in the world to work actively towards a minimum of 3–6% organic content in agricultural soil. 

(3) At the CoP-15 session, a three-pronged incentive scheme for farmers was proposed.  

(a) The government can provide attractive incentives for farmers to aspire to get there.  

(b) Industry and business could facilitate carbon credit systems as a second line of incentives for farmers.  

(c) The third level can be addressed by changing the way food is labeled in consumer markets. The agencies should measure the organic content of the soil. Then, agricultural products grown on tracts of land that have reached 3% organic content should be labeled. 

GS Paper 2

‘Advantage New Delhi’ in Sri Lanka’s India lifeline

News: The situation in Sri Lanka gives India an opportunity to take the lead in the foreign aid game in its neighbourhood.

What are the Economic challenges faced by Sri Lanka?

This is Sri Lanka’s worst economic crisis since its independence in 1948. a) The Sri Lankan economy is experiencing stagflation after the debt default and a shortage of dollars, b) Inflation has spiralled to over 50%, translating into higher food and fuel prices, c) Sri Lanka is also facing challenges in getting foreign aid.

At this level, the economy could contract by at least 6% in 2022. Sri Lanka would require financing that falls between $20 billion to $25 billion over the next three years to ensure essential imports of food, medicine and fuel for its people and help in stabilising the economy.

How did India help Sri Lanka to avert its economic challenges?

India was the first responder to Sri Lanka’s calls for foreign aid to help tackle its crippling debt and economic crisis. In the first six months of 2022, Indian aid worth $3.8 billion has flowed to Sri Lanka through loans, swaps and grants. This is India’s largest bilateral aid programme in recent times.

Why does India need to help Sri Lanka to manage its economic challenges?

There are questions by some that why taxpayers should be used to bail out another country’s failed economy. But this is wrong because

a) Stabilising Sri Lanka’s economy could prove to be a major win for India’s ‘neighbourhood-first’ policy, b) Once the Sri Lankan economy stabilises, India can deepen its trade and investment linkages with Sri Lanka. This can exceed the current humanitarian aid relationship, c) Stable Sri Lanka could spur regional integration and prosperity and d) Unstable Sri Lanka also poses security risks to India and lead to a flood of refugees across the Palk Strait.

How China’s dilemma to help Sri Lanka will help India?

1) China has emerged as a major partner for Sri Lanka, especially for infrastructure projects. However, many of them are under scrutiny for their ‘debt trap’ narrative, 2) China worries that unilaterally restructuring Sri Lanka’s debt would set a new precedent in its lending practices. This might facilitate similarly distressed countries seeking debt relief from China, and 3) China being a G2 economy and wanting to challenge the U.S., does not want its reputation to be spoiled by bailing out a floundering economy.

All this provides an opportunity for India to upscale its aid and cement its first mover advantage over China.

What does Sri Lanka need to do to overcome the economic challenges?

a) Quickly concluding talks on an IMF programme which will increase taxes and utility prices to raise revenue and increase interest rates to control inflation while preserving social welfare expenditures to protect the poor, b) Implement structural reforms to make the economy more open to trade and investment and allow market forces to determine resource allocation, c) Restore the rule of law and enforce strong anti-corruption policies, d) Reset foreign policy towards a more neutral direction and away from the pro-China stance.

PM’s ‘revdi’ remark: We need to disentangle good subsidies from bad

News: Recently, the Prime Minister has called for an end to this free “revdi” (freebies) culture. This shows curbing freebies may now be a policy priority.

What are various types of subsidies?

Technically, a subsidy is the unrecovered cost of any service (or good) provided by the government. The deficit between the receipts and expenditure of a government department in providing a service is the unrecovered cost of providing that service. This is a subsidy.

Freebies mean different things to different people. Separating this mixed bag is important for making policy. For instance,

Highly visible and discussed freebies: The most notable freebies include, free televisions distributed in Tamil Nadu, free cycles distributed in Bihar, and laptops distributed in Uttar Pradesh.

Other visible subsidies: The highly visible and discussed freebies are fiscally insignificant compared to the much larger subsidies on food, fertiliser and petroleum.  These “visible” subsidies in government budgets remain a major source of fiscal stress.

Invisible subsidies: These include especially in state government budgets, not always recognised as such, but which are also very large.

Other subsidies: These include freebies of pure cash grants for poor households.

What is the status of the subsidy in India?

Subsidy-GDP link: According to a study, the volume of subsidies as a proportion of GDP comes down with rising per capita incomes. For instance, The total volume of subsidies came down from 13% of GDP way back in 1987-88 to a little over 10% by 2015-16.

Major provider: State governments provide the bulk of these subsidies, mainly for social services like education and health. The central government accounts for less than 30% of total subsidies, provided mainly for economic services including food.

Which subsidies should India eliminate?

India should allow “merit subsidies.” These are essential for the public interest. These include subsidies on 1) food, 2) education and health services, 3) water supply and 4) sanitation have large benefits for society.

These four “merit” subsidies account for only a third of total subsidies. Thus, two-thirds of total subsidies, about 6% of GDP, are unwarranted freebies or non-merit subsidies which should be eliminated.

Why does India need to eliminate non-merit subsidies?

Phasing out these unwarranted freebies, along with much of the tax exemptions and concessions will amount to about 5% of GDP. That would free up huge fiscal space for the government.

This would enable a massive reduction in the combined fiscal deficit of the Centre and the states, while at the same time stepping up required expenditure on education, health and infrastructure.

Can India provide “Universal Basic Income”  instead of non-merit subsidies?

These demands are supported by global corporate leaders like Mark Zuckerberg as well as leading economists and think tanks.

Schemes like MGNREGA and other schemes in the states pay much less than the minimum wage, they obviously cannot raise rural wages beyond what is the legal minimum wage anyway.

A randomised control trial (RCT) by SEWA in Madhya Pradesh shows that small cash support provided in the villages will was spent primarily on seeking better education for children, repairing dwelling huts and supplementing the very meagre diets of these poor households. Hence, India should implement UBI.

How To End The Jail Mania? – On Bail system of India

News; Recently, questions have been raised by the Chief Justice of India and the Supreme Court on the status of the criminal justice system (CJS). The Chief Justice of India used the expression “Process (of Criminal justice system) is punishment” to describe the state of the present system. 

What are the issues that are highlighted in the Criminal Justice System of India? 

First, the SC judgment emphasized that there are three fundamental presuppositions of a criminal trial India criminal justice system, 1) presumption of innocence; 2) jail being an exception; and 3) the sanctity of personal liberty.  

However, arbitrary arrests and denial of bail to the accused have become normal. The above fundamentals are being ignored. 

Second, there are 25 central and state preventive detention laws that seek to control everyday crime. Under these laws, a person can be detained on mere suspicion and never be put to trial. For example, in 2020, around 89,405 persons were detained under preventive detention laws. 

In India, offences relating to terror, drugs, sexual abuse against children are all subjected to strict bail restrictions and presumption of guilt. 

Third, SC stated that arbitrary arrests and denial of bail are the hallmarks of a police state. In 2020, around 70 lakhs people were preventively arrested under various provisions of the CrPC. Further, these included thousands of arrests under provisions that do not even provide for arrest.  

Fourth, Section 437 of the CrPC, which deals with bail, restricts bail in offences punishable with death and life imprisonment. This leaves unfettered discretion in the hands of every judge who hears a bail case. 

Therefore, there is an unpredictable application of bail provision by our courts. Further, there are conspicuous inconsistencies in who gets bail, who does not, and at what stage of the trial the bail is granted. 

What are the suggestions of Supreme Court? 

All the investigative agencies must follow the procedure for arrest as laid down under the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).  

The court called arrest, a “draconian measure” that must be used “sparingly”.  

It also recommended the enactment of a “Bail Act”, a special law to streamline the process of granting bail. 

What are the foundational principles of criminal law that should be followed in the special bail act? 

(1) Bail must be recognised as a general right. 

(2) Bail can be rejected only if the court finds substantial grounds to believe that the accused will fail to surrender, commit an offence, or interfere with witnesses if released on bail. 

(3) Bail is not to be denied as a form of punishment.  

How can the court’s suggestion pave the way for reform? 

The bail act might help address the inadequacies of the current bail system. 

The bail law will ensure that the criminal process will remain sacrosanct and would no longer be felt as the punishment.   

There should be a provision for the Annual Confidential Reports of judges who routinely deny bail to be subject to strict scrutiny.

GS Paper 3

In Pegasus battle, the fight for surveillance reform

News: A year has passed since the disclosures about India’s Pegasus project.

What is India’s Pegasus project?

How transparency is lacking in India’s Pegasus project?

A report by The New York Times on January 31, 2022, stated that ‘India has bought Pegasus in 2017 as part of a $2-billion’ defence package.

Refusal from government and its agencies: The ministers and specialised agencies in India refused to directly address the claims made by the Pegasus Project. Even the CERT-IN (the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team) the nodal agency that deals with cybersecurity threats has remained silent.

What was the judicial response to India’s Pegasus project?

The Court constituted a technical committee to examine whether the spyware had been used on Indian citizens. Eight months have passed, but the committee has yet to arrive at any findings. In May 2022, the committee placed an ‘interim report’ before the Court asking for time to place the final report.

How do other countries respond to their Pegasus project?

Isreal: The government set up a senior inter-ministerial team to begin an investigation while the Foreign Minister said that the government would work to ensure that Pegasus did not fall into the wrong hands.

France: The government ordered a series of investigations within a day of the revelations. Its cybersecurity agency confirmed that the spyware had been used to target French citizens.

The United States: The government added NSO to its ‘Entity List for Malicious Cyber Activities’, which restricted the ability of U.S. companies to export goods or services to NSO.

Note: Pegasus spyware was created by NSO Group.

The United Kingdom: The spyware company implemented a change to ensure that Pegasus could no longer target U.K. numbers after revelations, in 2021.

What is the status of the Surveillance industry in India?

The Indian ‘surveillance for hire’ industry is growing. These firms offer their services to anyone who can pay, following which they proceed to spy on indicated targets by hacking their devices.

Hence, India should make India’s Pegasus project as India’s ‘Watergate Moment’.

Note: In the aftermath of Watergate, the institutional response in the United States held President Richard Nixon and others involved accountable, in which all branches of the state acted to check the abuse of power.

What needs to be done?

Complete overhaul of surveillance laws: The Information Technology Act, 2000 and the Indian Telegraph Act 1885 empower the Government to surveil. They concentrate surveillance powers in the hands of the executive and do not contain any independent oversight provisions, judicial or parliamentary.

The proposed data protection law does not address these concerns despite proposals from members of the Joint Parliamentary Committee. Instead, the proposed law provides wide exemptions to the Government relating to select agencies from the application of the law. All this has to be addressed.

Need for comprehensive surveillance reform: India needs an immediate and far-reaching surveillance reform. This should redress those who approach authorities against unlawful surveillance and encroachment on right to privacy.

Why a ban on single-use plastics won’t help

News: India’s ban on select single-use plastic(SUPs) items came into effect from July 1, 2022.

Why the ban won’t help in reducing plastic pollution?

The plastic packaging of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCGs), which include sachets and packaging of products like chips, biscuits, and soap were excluded under the rules. So, the ban target only 2-3% of the total plastic produced.

What are the findings of various studies on plastic waste?

The global movement, Break Free From Plastic, in its brand audit in India in 2021, found that 70% of the plastic audited was marked with a clear consumer brand. The audit found that much of the plastic pollution was caused by products from the top brands.

The FICCI report describes the backward linkage in plastic production. This includes petroleum intermediate producers, resin and naphtha producers (both raw materials to plastic polymer), pre-packaging manufacturers, plant and machinery, mould and additive producers. Hence, a ban on FMCG packaging would have a significant impact on this entire chain.

What are the other concerns associated with the SUPs?

1) In 2015, a report by FICCI and strategy consultants report argued that banning FMCG packaging would affect the processed food industry to the tune of approximately Rs 90,000 crore per annum, amounting to 72% of the industry.

2) The 2021 Rules treat SUPs generated by FMCG and non-FMCGs differently.

What should be done to reduce plastic pollution?

The government should start re-envisioning the retail system. The focus should be on moving away from the use-and-throw economy to one which is designed for reusable and sustainable packaging.

Why Weaker Rupee Isn’t All Bad News

News: Recently, the foreign exchange rate breached the mark of Indian Rupee 80 per dollar. 

What are the real problems with rupee? 

Why there is no reason to panic over the rupee 

As per the dollar index, the dollar has appreciated across currencies. Therefore, there has been depreciation of the pound sterling, the euro, and the currencies of nearly all emerging markets (EM) including the Indian rupee. However, the Indian rupee’s depreciation has been surprisingly modest, despite the fact that the capital has been flowing out of the country at the same time. 

So, what can be done? 

(A) Some observers argued that India can utilise (or sell a portion) the foreign exchange reserves amounting to $580 billion at present.  

Limitation of the foreign exchange intervention 

(1) When the central bank sells foreign reserves, then commercial banks are required to give rupees in return. Therefore, the banks will run out of liquidity. This will tighten money supply and, thereby endangering economic recovery. 

(2) The RBI can do “sterilisation” to solve liquidity crunch due to foreign exchange intervention. The RBI will buy government bonds from the banks. However, If the RBI purchases large amounts of bonds in the market, this could push bond rates down to inappropriately low levels, thereby endangering the inflation target. 

(3) Since investors know that there is a limit to the foreign exchange sales, they will be tempted to try to purchase as much dollars as they can right now. This will further increase the pressure on the exchange rate.
 

(B) Therefore, we need to go back to fundamentals and ask: Do we really want to prevent rupee depreciation? 

(1) The two most important drivers of growth for an emerging economy (EM) like India are investment and exports. However, the Private sector investment in India has been sluggish for several years.  

(2) But India’s last year’s recovery was highly dependent on the growth of Indian exports. Therefore, the only engine of growth upon which India can rely to ensure economic recovery is the export. 

(3) Therefore, the government should not prevent Rupee depreciation because If rupee appreciates against other Asian currencies such as the South Korean won, the Thai baht and the Taiwanese dollar, India will lose its export competitiveness in the global trade. 

Limitation 

Of course, there are costs to a weak rupee. The depreciation will push up inflation.  

Recent Supreme Court judgment on IBC may weaken insolvency regime

News: Recently, the Supreme Court of India passed an important judgment on insolvency and bankruptcy in the Vidarbha Industries Power Ltd. v. Axis Bank Case.  

SC recently held that the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) cannot admit an insolvency application filed by a financial creditor merely because a financial debt exists and the corporate debtor has defaulted in its repayment.  

What are the concerns associated with the judgment? 

A critical element for any corporate insolvency law is the point of trigger. It means the law must clearly provide the grounds on which an insolvency application against a corporate debtor should be admitted. If there is any confusion at this stage, precious time could be wasted in litigation. 

On the other hand, if the law is clear and litigation can be minimised, the distressed business could be resolved faster. Its value could be preserved. And all stakeholders collectively would benefit.  

Therefore, the government should develop objective legal criteria for an effective corporate insolvency law. 

What were the points of triggers that can be used for initiating insolvency proceeding? 

(1) The balance-sheet test is one method for determining insolvency at the point of trigger. However, the balance-sheet test is vulnerable to the quality of accounting standards. Therefore, the Bankruptcy Law Reforms Committee (BLRC) did not favour this test in the Indian context 

(2). The BLRC recommended a twin-test. In this, a filing creditor should only provide a record of the liability (debt), and evidence of default on payments by the corporate debtor. It provides a clear and objective trigger for insolvency resolution. This test was expected to minimise litigation at the admission stage of the insolvency application, and enable quicker resolution of distressed businesses. 

Possible Implication of the SC ruling 

(1) The SC interpretation of the law could fundamentally reshape a crucial innovation in the IBC framework. 

(2) The SC’s latest ruling is likely to cause failure of the twin-test, recommended by the BLRC. Now, even if the NCLT is satisfied that the corporate debtor has defaulted, it would not be able to admit the case for resolution if the corporate debtor resists admission on any other grounds.  

(3) Now, the corporate debtors are likely to use this precedent to the fullest to resist admission into IBC. 

(4) There would be more litigation and delay at the admission stage, enhancing the risks of value destruction in the underlying distressed business and all stakeholders collectively would suffer.  

(5) The IBC may well end up like the Sick Industrial Companies (Special Provisions) Act, 1985 (SICA). The SICA was also subjected to pro-revivalist judicial approach in various judgments. This led to the establishment of the Board for Industrial and Financial Reconstruction (BIFR) as a specialist tribunal to ensure speedy resolution of distressed industrial companies. The BIFR became a haven where companies could seek shelter from their creditors for years. This led to a lot of delays as well as facilitating the managers to siphon off assets in the interim.  

Blockchains can cut both ways in their impact on global warming

News: Recently, the Centre for Alternative Finance at the University of Cambridge has released a report consisting of the Cambridge Bitcoin Electricity Consumption Index. It highlights the role of cryptocurrencies behind global warming in the Anthropocene era. 

What are the purported reasons for the warming?  

The top causes of global warming are cement construction, deforestation, fossil fuel use, etc.  

However, Technologies, much like their human creators, are double-edged swords. Blockchains are also double-edged. 

How Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are fuelling climate change?  

Bitcoin mining alone uses a lot of energy. For example, Bitcoin mining uses more energy than Belgium and Finland.  

The Bitcoin network generates huge amounts of carbon dioxide, as much as Turkmenistan. It has been found that Ethereum’s CO2 emissions rival New Zealand’s.  

Further, the Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) mining equipment that crypto miners use produces a colossal 36,000 tonnes of electronic waste every year. 

The ‘proof of work’ algorithms used in the cryptocurrencies which make the blockchain, decentralized, secure and open, consume vast amounts of energy. Here, ‘Proof of work’ is a consensus mechanism that allows miners to validate cryptocurrency transactions by deciphering increasingly complicated mathematical puzzles. Solving a puzzle requires heavy computing power and therefore uses tremendous energy.  

Measures Taken by the crypto industry to reduce emissions 

The industry has resolved to go carbon neutral by 2030. Many blockchains, like Ethereum, are moving from proof-of-work to proof-of-stake, a mechanism that uses far less energy.  

Other technologies like sharding and non-tech methods like carbon offsets are being used to create green crypto or green blockchains. 

So, is there a way that blockchains can actually help alleviate global warming and climate change?  

(1) Blockchains can be used to decentralize the power system. This can be done by creating peer-to-peer electricity sharing mechanisms for local communities. It will reduce transmission losses and encourage an economic model to produce and consume clean power through solar, wind, biogas and other sources. For example, the Brooklyn Microgrid Project uses smart contracts to trade solar electricity with neighbours over a blockchain.  

(2) There can be tokenization of electricity for power trading and donations to poorer areas. This has incentive mechanisms to encourage recycling of industrial and electronic waste. This can be implemented using smart contracts that can propel incentive mechanisms. There will be rewarded for using ecologically sustainable practices.  

(3) The ‘track-and-trace’ or provenance property of blockchains can be used to track environmental treaties. For example, to enforce action, decrease fraud and prevent manipulation.  

(4) Blockchains can be used to track environmental donations and how they are being used by non-profit entities working in the environmental areas. Start-ups like Bitgive and Bithope are working in this space. 

(5) The blockchains can help track and trace the greenhouse gases emissions, carbon credits and carbon tax mechanisms. They are being used in global supply chains to build efficiency and resilience. It can be used to measure and reduce the carbon footprint caused by them. 

Prelims Oriented Articles (Factly)

Karnataka, Manipur and Chandigarh Top NITI Aayog’s India Innovation Index 2021

Source: The post is based on the article “Karnataka, Manipur and Chandigarh Top NITI Aayog’s India Innovation Index 2021” published in PIB on 21st July 2022.

What is the News?

NITI Aayog has released the India Innovation Index 2021.

What is the India Innovation Index?

Prepared by: NITI Aayog and the Institute for Competitiveness.

Purpose: It is a comprehensive tool for the evaluation and development of the country’s innovation ecosystem. It ranks the states and the union territories on their innovation performance to build healthy competition amongst them.

Indicators: The number of indicators has increased from 36 to 66. These indicators are now distributed across 16 sub-pillars, which, in turn, form seven key pillars—five ‘Enabler’ pillars measure the inputs and two ‘Performance’ pillars measure the output. 

What are the key rankings of the index?

Karnataka topped in the ‘Major States’ category.

Manipur emerged as a winner in the ‘North East and Hill States’ category. 

Chandigarh was the top performer in the ‘Union Territories and City States’ category.

COP 26 President and NITI Aayog launch initiatives to boost electric mobility and promote battery reuse and recycling market in India

Source: The post is based on the article “COP 26 President and NITI Aayog launch initiatives to boost electric mobility and promote battery reuse and recycling market in India” published in PIB on 21st July 2022.

What is the News?

During the visit of COP 26 President to India, NITI Aayog has launched two significant initiatives — E-AMRIT and the Report on Advanced Chemistry Cell Battery Reuse and Recycling Market in India.

What is E-AMRIT?

Click Here to read

What is the Report on Advanced Chemistry Cell Battery Reuse and Recycling Market in India?

Released by: Niti Aayog with the support of UK’s Green Growth Fund Technical Cooperation Facility.

Purpose: The report is aimed at promoting battery recycling of current and evolving battery technologies, and the battery supply chain as uptake of electric vehicles increases in India.The report highlights the crucial role of energy storage in accomplishing India’s COP26 goals.

What is Glasgow Breakthrough on Road Transport?

India is a co-convener of the Glasgow Breakthrough on Road Transport together with the UK and the US.

Aim: To make Zero Emission Vehicles(ZEVs)– including 2&3-wheelers, cars, vans and Heavy-Duty Vehicles – the new normal by making them affordable, accessible and sustainable in all regions by 2030.

What is Glasgow Breakthrough?

Glasgow Breakthrough Agenda was launched by the United Kingdom and a coalition of 42 world leaders including India at the COP26 World Leaders Summit.

Purpose: The agenda sets ambitious goals for 2030 to dramatically accelerate the innovation and deployment of clean technologies in five key sectors of the economy – Power, Road Transport, Steel, Hydrogen, and Agriculture.

Low-temperature thermal desalination(LTTD): Indigenous technology for conversion of sea water to potable wate

Source: The post is based on the article “Low-temperature thermal desalination(LTTD): Indigenous technology for conversion of sea water to potable water” published in PIB on 21st July 2022.

What is the News?

The Ministry of Earth Sciences(MoES) through its autonomous Institute National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) has developed and demonstrated Low-Temperature Thermal Desalination (LTTD) technology in Lakshadweep islands.

What is Low-temperature thermal desalination(LTTD)?

Low-temperature thermal desalination(LTTD) is a desalination technique for the conversion of seawater to potable water.

This technique works on the principle that water in the ocean 1,000 or 2,000 feet below is about 4º C to 8º C colder than surface water. So, salty surface water is collected in a tank and subject to high pressure (via an external power source). 

This pressured water vapourises and is trapped in tubes or a chamber. Cold water plumbed from the ocean depths is passed over these tubes and the vapour condenses into fresh water and the resulting salt is diverted away.

What are the advantages of the LTTD Technique?

The LTTD technology does not require any chemical pre- and post-treatment of seawater and thus the pollution problems are minimal and suitable for island territories. Since no effluent treatment is required, it gives less operational maintenance problems compared to other desalination processes. 

Can synthetic biology offer solutions to environmental challenges?

Source: The post is based on the article “Can synthetic biology offer solutions to environmental challenges?” published in Down To Earth on 12th July 2022.

What is the News?

As per study by the USA, due to climate change one-third of all animal and plant species on the planet could face extinction by 2070.

Environmentalists consider synthetic biology as a potential tool to preserve biodiversity and restore the natural ecosystem.

What is Synthetic Biology?

Synthetic biology or synbio is a broad and dynamic field of innovation encompassing the design and construction of new biological parts that redesign existing natural biological systems to address real-time and real-world problems.

How can synthetic biology be used ​​to preserve biodiversity and restore the natural ecosystem?

Synthetic biology could be helpful in use for sustainable production of bioenergy, drugs, and food.

Interesting application of synbio are its usage for the capture of carbon dioxide from industrial emissions.The captured gas is then recycled to fuels using microorganisms.

Potentially, such transformations comprise benefits ranging from protecting threatened species to providing synthetic alternatives to wildlife products.

This technology can also help us resolve some of society’s most imperative problems from infectious disease to drug development to sustainability.

What are the concerns associated with misuse of synthetic biology?

Click Here to read

Union Minister says, Department of Science and Technology(DST) is implementing Cognitive Science Research Initiative(CSRI)

Source: The post is based on the article “Union Minister says, Department of Science and Technology(DST) is implementing Cognitive Science Research Initiative(CSRI)” published in PIB on 21st July 2022.

What is the News?

The Union Minister of Science & Technology has informed Lok Sabha about the Cognitive Science Research Initiative(CSRI).

What is Cognitive Science?

Cognitive Science is the study of the human mind and brain, focusing on how the mind represents and manipulates knowledge and how mental representations and processes are realized in the brain.

What is Cognitive Science Research Initiative(CSRI)?

Launched in: 2008 by the Department of Science & Technology(DST)

Aim: To foster research in the cognitive science area by combining ideas, principles and methods of psychology, computer science, linguistics, philosophy, neuroscience etc.

Activities Supported under CSRI: Individual R&D Projects, Post Doctoral Fellowship and Support for Schools, Training, Workshops, Conferences etc.

Explained: What is aneurysms and how do they affect blood vessels?

Source: The post is based on the article “Explained: What is aneurysms and how do they affect blood vessels?” published in Indian Express on 22nd July 2022.

What is the News?

An actress recently disclosed that she had suffered two brain aneurysms while filming for the Game of Thrones series.

What is Aneurysm?

An aneurysm is a swelling of the arteries and veins in any part of the body and is caused by the weakening of the walls.

– It occurs most commonly in the aorta, back of the knees, brain or intestines. If the aneurysm gets ruptured, it can even cause internal bleeding and stroke.

Risk Factors: Potential risk factors for aneurysms include smoking, age, high cholesterol, obesity, hypertension or tissue disorders. Pregnancy can also increase the risk of aneurysms of the spleen.

Symptoms: The symptoms are only prevalent when it ruptures and intervention is possible depending upon the location size and the condition of an aneurysm.

Diagnosis: Usually, an aneurysm remains undetected and screening may be required for the patients needing monitoring or treatment. Women are at lower risk of developing aneurysms compared to men.

Explained | How is Kerala fighting against monkeypox?

Source: The post is based on the article “Explained | How is Kerala fighting against monkeypox?” published in The Hindu on 22nd July 2022.

What is the News?

Kerala has detected two cases of Monkeypox.While both patients are in isolation and treatment, the State Health department has strengthened surveillance and control measures across all districts.

What is Monkeypox?

Click Here to read 

What are the steps Kerala Government has taken against Monkeypox?

One of the first public health messages sent out by the Kerala Health department was that there was no need for the public to panic as monkeypox was not a disease which could spread through the air like COVID-19.

However, the public needs to be vigilant as monkeypox has a long incubation period, and it is possible that some passengers who may have been infected, may develop symptoms only much later. These cases can be detected by the community only if adequate awareness is created.

Is Kerala worried about community transmission of monkeypox?

Public health experts point out that given the transmission dynamics of monkeypox, the secondary attack rate of the virus is less than 10%, indicating that even amongst close family contacts of confirmed cases, the chances of monkeypox spreading are remote.

How many Monkeypox cases have been detected worldwide?

According to WHO, more than 70 countries have reported about 14,000 confirmed cases In addition, five deaths have also been reported from Africa.

Currently, the majority of confirmed cases of monkeypox are male and most of these cases occur amongst gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men in urban areas and are clustered in social and sexual networks. 

Explained: The Kali Bein and its significance for Sikhs

Source: The post is based on the article “Explained: The Kali Bein and its significance for Sikhs” published in Indian Express on 22nd July 2022.

What is the News?

Punjab Chief Minister has been admitted to Delhi’s Apollo Hospital days after he had drunk a glass of water directly from the Kali Bein.

What is Kali Bein?

Kali Bein is a holy rivulet (a small stream) in Sultanpur Lodhi, Punjab.

The rivulet starts from Hoshiarpur, runs across four districts and meets the confluence of the rivers Beas and Sutlej in Kapurthala. 

Along its banks are around 80 villages and half a dozen small and big towns. Wastewater from there as well as industrial waste used to flow into the rivulet via a drain turning its waters black, hence the name Kali Bein(black rivulet).

What is the significance of Kali Bein to the Sikh religion?

The Kali Bein is of great significance to Sikh religion and history because the first Guru, Nanak Dev, is said to have gotten enlightenment here. 

When Guru Nanak Dev was staying at Sultanpur Lodhi with his sister Bebe Nanki, he would bath in the Kali Bein. He is said to have disappeared into the waters one day, before emerging on the third day. The first thing he recited was the “Mool Mantra” of the Sikh religion.

Hydrophobic ingredients in combination with obsolete antibiotics can counter multidrug-resistant bacteria

Source: The post is based on the article “Hydrophobic ingredients in combination with obsolete antibiotics can counter multidrug-resistant bacteria” published in PIB on 21st July 2022.

What is the News?

Scientists have come up with a new approach to revitalizing the efficacy of existing antibiotics to counter the rising menace of multidrug-resistant bacteria. 

The problem of Antimicrobial Resistance

Antimicrobial resistance is emerging as one of the biggest health problems worldwide resulting in an increasing number of complicated infections that are untreatable. 

For example, WHO has demarcated Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacteriaceae, all of which are resistant to carbapenems (an antibiotic) as the topmost priority critical pathogens. 

This has triggered the use of combinations of various antibiotics to treat such complicated infections. 

Hence, there was a need to develop novel therapeutic strategies to combat these multidrug-resistant pathogens.

What is the new approach developed by scientists?

Scientists have used adjuvants in combination with existing antibiotics like fusidic acid, minocycline, and rifampicin. 

This combination inactivated multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria, including the above-mentioned three critical pathogens.

Note: An adjuvant is an ingredient used in some vaccines that helps create a stronger immune response in people receiving the vaccine. In other words, adjuvants help vaccines work better.

What is the significance of this development?

This novel approach will enable the existing antibiotics to be used again for treating complicated bacterial infections.

EIA rules amended: projects near LoC, those of strategic value won’t need green nod

Source: The post is based on the article “EIA rules amended: projects near LoC, those of strategic value won’t need green nod” published in Indian Express on 20th July 2022.

What is the News?

The Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has notified amendments to the Environmental Impact Assessment(EIA) Rules, making several exemptions to gaining environmental clearance.

What is Environmental Impact Assessment(EIA)?

Click Here to read

What are the exemptions notified by Ministry?

Highway projects of strategic and defence importance: The amendment exempt Highway projects of strategic and defence importance, which are 100 km from the Line of Control, among other locations, from an environmental clearance before construction.

– The exemption to be accorded to highways of strategic importance does away with the need for green clearance for the construction of the controversial Char Dham project. The case is presently being heard in Supreme Court, which has set up a high-powered committee to look into the matter.

Biomass-Based Thermal Power Plants: Thermal power plants up to 15 MW based on biomass or non-hazardous municipal solid waste using auxiliary fuel such as coal, lignite or petroleum products up to 15% have also been exempted — as long as the fuel mix is eco-friendly.

Fish Handling Ports and Harbour: Fish handling ports and harbours with less pollution potential compared to others, and caters to small fishermen, are exempted from environmental clearance.

Toll Plazas: Toll plazas that need more width for installation of toll collection booths to cater to a large number of vehicles, and expansion activities in existing airports related to terminal building expansion without an increase in the airport’s existing area, rather than expansion of runways, etc., are two other projects exempted.