9 PM Daily Current Affairs Brief – September 1st, 2022

Current Affairs Compilations for UPSC IAS Prelims 2022

Mains Oriented Articles

GS Paper 1

• CAG report on abysmal state of heritage conservation

GS Paper 2

• Kendriya Vidalayas: It has long been clear that the state can run schools well
• Electricity Amendment Bill 2022: A mixed bag
• Personal data protection: Firms need to do more
• Level playing field: UGC must give Indian universities the same freedoms it’s planning to give foreign universities
• Playing Chinese Checker: PLA’s big aim at LAC is to get India to accept China’s hegemony. We must see this & prepare

GS Paper 3

• Suicide of Businessmen: Limited liability could save some Indian lives
• A quarter century of public-private partnership

Prelims Oriented Articles (Factly)

• Why Rajiv Gandhi hailed Mikhail Gorbachev as ‘crusader of peace’
• CERT-In hosts Cyber Security Exercise “Synergy” for 13 countries as part of International Counter Ransomware Initiative- Resilience Working Group
• Animal Birth Control Rules, 2022: Draft rules allow euthanasia for ill, wounded street dogs
• Explained: Bhang, ganja, and criminality in the NDPS Act
• PAREKH: Govt proposes a new regulator for ‘uniformity’ in all board exams
• Cabinet approves disposal of Chana procured under Price Support Scheme & Price Stabilization Fund
• Explained: What are anti-radiation pills, how will they help in case of a nuclear emergency in Ukraine?
• PM inaugurates Atal Bridge on Sabarmati river
• Explained: Why has the US grounded its Chinook helicopters, and what it means for India

Mains Oriented Articles

GS Paper 1

CAG report on abysmal state of heritage conservation

News: Recently, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) declared Anang Tal as a monument of national importance.

About Anang Tal and Anangpal II

The CAG’s performance audit on Preservation and Conservation of Monuments and Antiquities revealed Anang Tal as being “in the last stage of disappearance”.

About the CAG reports on the state of India’s heritage conservation

After 2007, there has been no internal audit of the ASI conducted by the ministry. So, the CAG reports are the most comprehensive public document on the institutional malaise that dogs the conservation of our monuments and antiquities.

These documents range from those relating to museums in 2011 to CAG findings on the ASI in 2013. 

What are the key highlights of CAG reports on heritage conservation?

The report notes that a) There is no national policy on archaeological exploration, excavation and antiquities, b) Some 58 lakh plus antiquities all over India, but there is no database or inventory in its possession, c) The ASI budget for exploration and excavations is less than 1%.  But the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) showed its intention to raise the allocation to 5% of the total budget, d) The budget of the ASI in 2021-2022 has been reduced by more than Rs 200 crore, e) The ASI, in many cases, has been working in violation of the provisions of the Monuments (AMASR) Act. At Humayun’s tomb, a CAG inspection revealed commercial construction being undertaken in the prohibited area by an “agency other than the ASI”, f) The poor state of conservation at ASI-protected sites and the lack of follow-up in many places also highlighted by the report. For instance, Buddhist stupa site of Kanaganahalli in Karnataka precious carved panels were still lying scattered in the open. The cement beds created at the open shed for placing artefacts had cracked.

What are the other challenges persisting in heritage conservation?

a) There is no synergy between the different agencies involved in heritage conservation, b) The National Culture Fund, established in November 1996, to bring in individuals and corporate groups to fund conservation, has utilised only 14% of its funds because of the lack of coordination with the ASI.

c) National Monuments Authority, a statutory body for implementing heritage by-laws and site plans for each monument, has only finalised and notified 31 monuments. This is only a fraction of the 3,693 monuments on the list of Centrally Protected Monuments.

This snail’s pace is the consequence of the Centre’s proactively plan to reduce the prohibited and regulatory area around monuments and its plan to amend the act.

Modern keepers of ancient material have to act quick to ensure proper heritage conservation of Indian history.

GS Paper 2

Kendriya Vidalayas: It has long been clear that the state can run schools well

News: There are 1,252 Central Schools or Kendriya Vidalayas with over 1.4 million students. Despite the more expensive private schools, KVs are regarded as good schools.

About Kendriya Vidalayas

Kendriya Vidalayas (KVs) were set up in 1963. They ensured that the children of Union government employees, such as the armed forces, Indian Administrative Service and police officers, among others, had good schools available to them even if their parents were transferred across the country.

What is the performance of Kendriya Vidalayas?

a) They have maintained high-quality standards and delivered on their mandate across hundreds of cities and towns, b) Extra and co-curricular activities: Theatre, debate, sports, picnics and a lot more usually happen outside the classrooms, c) Diversity in classrooms: The schools educate children of IAS and IPS officers and also Class IV employees, d) Per student expenditure in a KVs is two to three times that in an average state-run public school.

What are the lessons that should be learnt by Kendriya Vidalayas?

The six decades of KVs set clear examples of how public schools can be run well. KVs are proven examples of higher capital expenditure results in better facilities. So, the government should increase public expenditure on education.

Electricity Amendment Bill 2022: A mixed bag

News: Recently, the government introduced the Electricity Amendment Bill 2022 in the Lok Sabha.

What are the progressive steps mentioned in the Electricity Amendment Bill 2022?

States revoking power purchase agreements (PPAs): The Bill states that if PPAs are renegotiated, the affected party has to be compensated within 90 days from the date of submission of the petition.

Applicability of new tariffs: New tariffs often come into force in the middle of the financial year. The Bill states that new tariffs have to be made applicable from the beginning of the financial year.

Reduction in processing time: The Bill has proposed a reduction in the time for processing tariff petitions from 120 days to 90 days.

Suo motu powers to regulators: Regulatory commissions have been given suo motu jurisdiction if tariff petitions are not filed within 30 days of the stipulated time.

A much-needed payment security mechanism: the Bill talks about ensuring a payment security mechanism before dispatch. This will ensure that dues to generators do not swell up to unmanageable levels.

Does the Bill encroach on State’s domain on power sector governance?

The Bill facilitates the Centre to give additional distribution licences in an area already serviced by a distribution company (discom). This is considered an encroachment on the state’s power. But this is not because, a) The licence will be deemed to have been granted if the state electricity regulatory commission (SERC) does not take any action within the stipulated time. b) Power is a Concurrent subject.

What are the various concerns raised by states on the Electricity Amendment Bill 2022?

Firstly, according to the Bill, for the applicants seeking a distribution licence in more than one state the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC), and not the SERC, will grant a licence for additional distribution.

SERC is likely to be more aware of the field-level conditions in a state than the centre.

Secondly, till now, the CERC received instructions from the Centre and the SERCs. But the Bill has a provision empowering the Centre to give directions directly to the SERCs. This will enable the Centre to bypass state governments.

Thirdly, the Bill has made a small change in the composition of the committee for the selection of Chairman/members of the SERCs. It facilitated a nominee of the central government at the level of additional secretary as the third member.

What should be done to improve the Electricity Amendment Bill 2022?

1) CERC and SERC agencies should consult each other while granting licences for discoms seeking licenses for more than one state. The agency that grants the licence should also administer it.

2) The government had declared the Railways to be a deemed distribution licensee in 2014 under the third proviso of Section 14 of the Electricity Act 2003. The exception made for the railways had led to demands for a similar licence from entities such as the metro rail and ports.

Since the railways were never transmitting, distributing or trading in electricity but were bulk consumers, they should not be qualified to be a deemed distribution licensee.

Personal data protection: Firms need to do more

Context: This article discusses the issues associated with data and the ways to tackle it.

What is the current issue with personal data protection?

Lack of legislation protecting personal data allows Indian organizations to collect data as they want, often needlessly.

The data is often sold, or monetized in other ways, and is frequently held in insecure servers.

It opens the door to widespread misuse of data and to cybercrime, potentially targeting every Indian.

It is also a barrier to efforts to set up data centers for overseas clients.

It is a serious problem and is only expected to increase in scale as more segments of the economy get digitized.

However, one of the reasons why Indian firms may not be investing enough in this area is because of a lack of regulatory compulsion.

What provisions can be included in a data protection law?

It should lay down clear, broad definitions of what constitutes private data. Those definitions should be open to review and updates as technology develops.

There must be norms that data will not be collected needlessly.

The data that is collected should be a small detail clearly stating purposes, keeping the data-owner informed and seeking his or her permission at every stage.

There should also be clear norms for the security of any data collected and stored with the collector and storage center should be held liable for breaches with huge penalties.

Victims should be in a position to easily bring class-action civil suits seeking damages in such cases.

Data-owners should also have the “right to forget”.

Once the purpose of the data has been served, the data-owner should have the option to ask for deletion.

There should be a transparent process for granting clearance to any agency to launch a data collection-cum-surveillance exercise against an individual or organisation.

Level playing field: UGC must give Indian universities the same freedoms it’s planning to give foreign universities

Context: This article discusses about the problems faced by Indian Universities compared to foreign universities.

UGC and the education ministry are reportedly finalising regulations for foreign universities’ India campuses.

The plan is to offer “near full freedom” on determining academic course structure and curriculum, faculty hiring and salaries, and even fees.

Why should Indian universities in India not enjoy these freedoms?

Foreign universities are concerned with over-regulation.

However, Indian universities have to actually function under the restrictive regime.

If UGC wants to reform the system it must apply the changes to all players – domestic and foreign.

What are the problems associated with Indian Universities?

Indian universities, both public and private, have to negotiate their way through a bulk of rules and regulations, framed by UGC, AICTE, NMC, BCI, state governments.

These rules apply for starting new courses, sanctioning student intake, and various academic and administrative operations.

No Western country or even China makes its education institutions subject to so many rules and regulations.

The parliamentary standing committee on education has found UGC and other regulators to be overregulating in their approach.

There’s a growing demand-supply gap in quality higher education.

Playing Chinese Checker: PLA’s big aim at LAC is to get India to accept China’s hegemony. We must see this & prepare

Context: The article discusses the bilateral relation between China and India and the steps that India can take to counter China.

It has been just over two years since Galwan. Since then, India-China relations have deteriorated significantly.

What are the differences between Galwan and earlier clashes between China and India?

The earlier clashes were accidental in nature but in Galwan the Chinese side has undertaken the operation in a planned, pre-determined, well thought out way.

The number of troops involved on both sides was much higher than in the earlier cases.

By bringing such large military strength to the India-China border areas, PLA has violated all preceding agreements by bringing such large military strength to the India-China border areas.

What were the reasons behind Galwan clash?

There were two reasons: tactical and strategic.

The tactical reason was that China wanted to have actual control over the territory which they were claiming.

They have also been able to eliminate the situation where both armies would patrol areas of overlapping claims.

The strategic reason was that China wanted to show India, to other Asian countries and to nations across the globe that China is the most powerful nation in Asia.

What steps can be taken by India to counter China?

India needs to urgently enhance defence spending especially over the next three to five years.

India cannot accept the change in status quo in eastern Ladakh and if there is no peace on the border, the rest of the India-China relationship cannot continue.

Few steps taken by India against China are – Chinese firms were kept out of 5G trials, Chinese apps were banned and FDI rules were changed for neighbouring countries.

Can China disengage and de-escalate at the LAC in eastern Ladakh?

There has been disengagement in certain sectors but not yet in all sectors of the border in Ladakh.

China has not indicated any desire to de-escalate.

What can be the further course of action for India?

India has to be strategically patient and build up strength.

A fast-paced GDP growth will reduce the asymmetry between India and China.

India must continue balancing Chinese power by further beefing up our strategic partnerships with Japan, France, the US, Australia and other similar countries.

GS Paper 3

Suicide of Businessmen: Limited liability could save some Indian lives

News: According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), during the two pandemic years of 2020 and 2021 more businessmen took their own lives than cultivators. This defies pre-covid trends.

What are the key findings of NCRB data on the suicide of Businessmen?

Daily wage-earners committed more suicides: The category of daily wage-earners logged the biggest toll with over 42,000 such deaths in 2021. This is a little above a quarter of the year’s total. The report highlighted business distress caused by the covid crisis as a plausible factor.

Business folks vs farmers: By last year’s count, more than 12,000 people in business died by suicide. On the other hand above 10,000 individuals engaged in agriculture lost their lives during the same period.

Subcategory of Businessmen: According to the NCRB database, suicide cases among people who were in business included 4,500+ vendors, 3,600+ tradesfolk and 3,800+ persons doing something else.

States of Businessmen committed suicides: Karnataka, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Telangana accounted for half of them.

What are Limited Liability Partnerships(LLPs)?

India passed its Limited Liability Partnership Act. This created an LLP format, letting people join hands to set up a business entity governed by far fewer compliance rules than a regular company, but with the personal assets of partners shielded by the law from creditors.

How Limited Liability Partnership can reduce the suicide of Businessmen?

a) It limits the dues of a business to the money wilfully invested in it, b) In LLPs the owners would get a share of profits but have nothing at stake beyond the value of their shares.

What should be done to improve the effectiveness of LLPs?

In the informal sector, defaulting debtors can face severe consequences. But the LLP Act has witnessed only scant adoption. A special campaign to promote LLP enterprise and/or formalization of the informal economy has to take place.

A quarter century of public-private partnership

Context: This article discusses the PPP model and concerns associated with it.

History of PPP

The early 1990s witnessed the growth of public–private partnership or PPP before it mainstreamed into economic policy.

Spectrum’s Kakinada and GVK’s Jegurupadu power plants were two of the eight fast-track projects approved by the government in 1992.

However, the fiscal 1996-97 can be regarded to be the official starting year of PPP.

An expert group on Commercialization of Infrastructure Projects submitted a path-breaking report advocating a significant role for private capital. The private sector allowed into ports through an amendment to the Major Port Trusts Act and National Highways Authority of India’s capital base was widened to Rs. 500 crores.

This report helped the formation of various organizations such as The Infrastructure Development Finance Corporation.

The Planning Commission recognized a significant intra deficit. It planned to raise the Gross Capital Formation (GCF) in infrastructure to 9 per cent of GDP by the terminal year of the 11th Plan (2007-12).

The India Infrastructure Finance Company Ltd (IIFC) was set up in 2006 to provide long-term financial assistance to PPP projects.

The share of private capital moved up from 22 per cent in the 10^th Plan period to 37 per cent in the 11^th Plan.

PPP started lowering from 2012 onwards due to inappropriate risk-allocation, aggressive bidding, twin balance-sheet problems, mounting non-performing assets, and lack of dispute resolution.

Almost all Indian corporations and commercial lending institutions are careful of investing in greenfield PPP projects and foreign investors prefer operating brownfield assets.

What were the steps taken by government to revive PPP?

The Budget of 2014 proposed to set up an institution called 3P India with allocation of Rs 500 crore.

In May 2015, the government constituted a nine-member committee which submitted its report “Revisiting and Revitalizing PPP Model of Infrastructure Development”.

The committee endorsed setting up “3P India”.

3P India would deal with complex PPP issues like renegotiation, independent regulation, equitable risk-allocation, and amendments to Prevention of Corruption Act 1988, expeditious redress of disputes, and capacity building.

The annuity and hybrid annuity models that sought to substantially reduce the risk of private investment were adopted.

New sectors like ropeways and effluent treatment plants were brought into the PPP ambit.

PPP is back with 100 percent of the National Monetization Pipeline target of Rs 6 trillion and 40 percent of the National Infrastructure Pipeline target of Rs 111 trillion expected to be funded under PPP formats.

The finance ministry in July announced the setting up of a new body called the Infrastructure Finance Secretariat (IFS) which is expected to play an integrative role in the revival of the PPP ecosystem.

Prelims Oriented Articles (Factly)

Why Rajiv Gandhi hailed Mikhail Gorbachev as ‘crusader of peace’

Source: The post is based on the article “Why Rajiv Gandhi hailed Mikhail Gorbachev as ‘crusader of peace’” published in the Indian Express on 1^st September 2022.

What is the News?

Mikhail Gorbachev died recently at the age of 92. He came to the leadership of the Soviet Union during Rajiv Gandhi’s Prime Ministership of India.

Russian International relations under Mikhail Gorbachev

a) Between May 1988 and February 1989, Gorbachev pulled the Red Army out of Afghanistan, b) During his reign, the Soviet Union was formally dissolved.

India-Russia relationship under Mikhail Gorbachev

Between 1985 and 1989, both countries found enough common ground to mark a high point in India-Soviet relations.

Mutual visits: Gorbachev visited India twice, in 1986 and 1988. Similarly, Rajiv Gandhi also visited Russia. India was Gorbachev’s first visit to a non-Warsaw Pact country after taking over as leader of the Soviet Union.

Defence relations: a) Arms sales from the Soviet Union to India continued to define much of the bilateral ties, b) The USSR supplied more sophisticated hardware to India, c) India took a military delegation to Moscow for defence shopping and came back with several agreements.

All this facilitated India to test nuclear devices successfully in 1998 and Russia, under President Vladimir Putin, did not censure it or impose sanctions.

Peace initiatives: During Gorbachev’s visit, he said the objective was to extend his disarmament initiatives in Europe to Asia and to secure Indian cooperation in this task. So Rajiv hailed Gorbachev as a “crusader for peace”.

Cultural exchanges: The Festival of India in the Soviet Union held in July 1987 was the centrepiece of cultural exchange. This made a signal to India and the world that India is a very special friend indeed for Russia.

Other relations: a) An agreement was signed for scientific and economic cooperation during the visit of Gorbachev, b) India and Russia inaugurated a five-year waltz between the two countries.

The collapse of the Soviet Union saw India reset its foreign policy, and helped by the liberalisation of the economy.

CERT-In hosts Cyber Security Exercise “Synergy” for 13 countries as part of International Counter Ransomware Initiative- Resilience Working Group

Source: The post is based on the article “CERT-In hosts Cyber Security Exercise “Synergy” for 13 countries as part of International Counter Ransomware Initiative- Resilience Working Group” published in PIB on 1st September 2022.

What is the News?

Indian Computer Emergency Response Team(CERT-In) under the Ministry of Electronics and IT, Government of India in collaboration with the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA) has successfully designed and conducted the Cyber Security Exercise “Synergy” for 13 countries.

What is Exercise Synergy?

Type: Cyber Security Exercise

Conducted by: Indian Computer Emergency Response Team(CERT-In) in collaboration with the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore(CSA) for 13 countries.

Aim: To exchange best practices among member-states to build network resiliency against ransomware and cyber extortion attacks.

The exercise was conducted as part of the International Counter Ransomware Initiative- Resilience Working Group which is being led by India under the leadership of National Security Council Secretariat(NSCS).

Theme: “Building Network Resiliency to counter Ransomware Attacks”.

Scenario: The exercise scenario was derived from real-life cyber incidents, in which a domestic level (limited impact) ransomware incident escalates to a global cyber security crisis.

Significance: The exercise was successful in meeting its objectives and provided insights for better coordination and cooperation among CRI Member States to build network resiliency and counter ransomware attacks.

Animal Birth Control Rules, 2022: Draft rules allow euthanasia for ill, wounded street dogs

Source: The post is based on the article “Draft rules allow euthanasia for ill, wounded street dogs” published in TOI on 1st September 2022.

What is the News?

The Ministry of Animal Husbandry and Dairying has released the proposed Animal Birth Control Rules, 2022.

What are Animal Birth Control Rules, 2022?

Released by: Ministry of Animal Husbandry and Dairying

Aim: It proposes new rules for animal birth control programmes with the aim to prevent overcrowding of dogs and cats, especially street dogs.

What are the key provisions of the rules?

The rules 1) Provide detailed procedures for vaccination, immunization and sterilisation of pets and street/stray dogs/cats by owners and local civic authorities, 2) Allow the euthanasia of “incurably ill and mortally wounded” street dogs, 3) Propose setting up a monitoring committee that will decide to control the excess population of street dogs through animal birth control programmes in a specific area or region, 4) Suggests setting up an animal helpline by local authorities to resolve complaints regarding dog bites or rabid dogs, 5) Fixes responsibility of resident welfare associations(RWAs) in feeding community animals in their respective localities seeking to end day-to-day conflicts between such associations and dog feeders. 

Explained: Bhang, ganja, and criminality in the NDPS Act

Source: The post is based on the article “Explained: Bhang, ganja, and criminality in the NDPS Act” published in Indian Express on 1st September 2022.

What is the News?

The Karnataka High Court has recently granted bail to a man arrested for possessing 29 kg of bhang and 400 g of ganja.

While granting bail, the court observed that nowhere in the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances(NDPS) Act is bhang referred to as a prohibited drink or prohibited drug. Since the ganja recovered was below commercial quantity, the accused was given bail on a personal bond of Rs 2 lakh.

What is Bhang?

Bhang is the edible preparation made from the leaves of the cannabis plant, often incorporated into drinks such as thandai and lassi, along with various foods. 

Bhang has been consumed in the Indian subcontinent for centuries and is frequently consumed during the festivals of Holi and Mahashivratri.

What is the NDPS Act?

NDPS Act was enacted in 1985. It is the main legislation that deals with drugs and their trafficking. 

Various provisions of the Act punish the production, manufacture, sale, possession, consumption, purchase, transport, and use of banned drugs except for medical and scientific purposes.

Cannabis under the NDPS act

The NDPS Act defines cannabis (hemp) as a narcotic drug based on the parts of the plant that come under its purview. 

The Act lists these parts as 1) Charas, 2) Ganja, and c) any mixture with or without any neutral material, of any of the above forms of cannabis or any drink prepared therefrom.

Note: Bhang which is made with the leaves of the plant, is not mentioned in the NDPS Act.

Exemptions: The Act states that the government may allow cultivation of any cannabis plant for industrial purposes only of obtaining fibre or seed or for horticultural purposes.

Cannabis and Penalty: Section 20 of the NDPS Act lays out the punishment for the production, manufacture, sale, purchase, import and interstate export of cannabis, as defined in the Act. The prescribed punishment is based on the number of drugs seized.

PAREKH: Govt proposes a new regulator for ‘uniformity’ in all board exams

Source: The post is based on the article “PAREKH: Govt proposes a new regulator for ‘uniformity’ in all board exams” published in Indian Express on 1st September 2022.

What is the News?

The Union government is planning to set up a national regulator PAREKH for achieving a benchmark framework to assess students at the secondary and higher secondary level.

What is PAREKH?

Full-Form: PAREKH stands for Performance Assessment, Review and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development.

It will act as a constituent unit of the NCERT.

Mandate: It will be tasked with holding periodic learning outcome tests like the National Achievement Survey(NAS) and State Achievement Surveys.

Objectives: To encourage and help school boards to shift their assessment patterns toward meeting the skill requirements of the 21st century.

– To bring uniformity across the state and central boards which currently follow different standards of evaluation, leading to wide disparities in scores.

– To put an end to the emphasis on rote learning, as envisaged by the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

Composition: Its team will consist of leading assessment experts with a deep understanding of the education system in India and internationally.

Significance: PAREKH will eventually become the national single-window source for all assessment-related information and expertise, with a mandate to support learning assessment in all forms, both nationally and where applicable, internationally.

Cabinet approves disposal of Chana procured under Price Support Scheme & Price Stabilization Fund

Source: The post is based on the article “Cabinet approves disposal of Chana procured under Price Support Scheme & Price Stabilization Fund” published in PIB on 31st August 2022.

What is the News?

Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved the disposal of Chana (Pulses) to States/UTs at a discounted rate to be utilized for various Welfare Schemes from the stock of pulses procured under the Price Support Scheme(PSS) & Price Stabilization Fund (PSF).

What is a Price Support Scheme?

Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare

Purpose: The scheme is operationalised only when prices of agri-produce fall below the minimum support price(MSP).

Click Here to read more about the scheme

What is the Price Stabilization Fund(PSF)?

Setup in: 2014-15

Nodal Ministry: Department of Consumer Affairs

Aim: To help regulate the price volatility of important agri-horticultural commodities like onion, potatoes and pulses.

Features of the scheme: The scheme provides for maintaining a strategic buffer of commodities for subsequent calibrated release to moderate price volatility and discourage hoarding and unscrupulous speculation. 

For building such stock, the scheme promotes direct purchase from farmers/farmers’ associations at the farm gate/Mandi. 

Fund Utilization: The PSF fund is utilized for granting interest-free advance of working capital to Central Agencies, State/UT Governments/Agencies to undertake market intervention operations. 

Apart from domestic procurement from farmers/wholesale mandis, import may also be undertaken with support from the Fund.

Explained: What are anti-radiation pills, how will they help in case of a nuclear emergency in Ukraine?

Source: The post is based on the article “Explained: What are anti-radiation pills, how will they help in case of a nuclear emergency in Ukraine?” published in Indian Express on 1st September 2022.

What is the News?

With fears of a nuclear disaster at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia power plant growing, the European Union has decided to pre-emptively supply 5.5 million anti-radiation pills distributed among residents in the vicinity.

What is a radiation emergency?

These are unplanned or accidental events that create radio-nuclear hazards to humans and the environment. 

Such situations involve radiation exposure from a radioactive source and require prompt intervention to mitigate the threat. Dealing with such an emergency also involves the use of anti-radiation tablets.

What are anti-radiation pills?

Potassium iodide (KI) tablets, or anti-radiation pills, are known to provide some protection in cases of radiation exposure. They contain non-radioactive iodine and can help block absorption, and subsequent concentration, of radioactive iodine in the thyroid gland.

How do these anti-radiation pills work?

After a radiation leak, radioactive iodine floats through the air and then contaminates food, water and soil.

While radioactive iodine deposited during external exposure can be removed using warm water and soap, the bigger risk is inhaling it.

The thyroid gland which uses iodine to produce hormones to regulate the body’s metabolism has no way of telling radioactive from non-radioactive iodine.

Potassium iodide(KI) tablets rely on this to achieve ‘thyroid blocking’. KI pills took a few hours before or soon after radiation exposure to ensure that non-radioactive iodine in the medicine is absorbed quickly to make the thyroid “full”.

But KI pills are preventive only and cannot reverse any damage done by radiation to the thyroid gland.

PM inaugurates Atal Bridge on Sabarmati river

Source: The post is based on the article “PM inaugurates Atal Bridge on Sabarmati river” published in Hindustan Times on 27th August 2022.

What is the News?

The Prime Minister has inaugurated the pedestrian-only ‘Atal Bridge’ on Sabarmati river in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad city.

What is Atal Bridge?

Atal Bridge is a foot-over bridge (FOB) on the Sabarmati river in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.

Apart from being used by pedestrians, the bridge can also be used by cyclists to cross the river.

The bridge is designed in such a way that it can be used by people from both the upper and lower levels of the river.

What is the Sabarmati River?

The Sabarmati river is one of the major west-flowing rivers in India.

It originates in the Aravalli Range of the Udaipur District of Rajasthan and meets the Gulf of Khambhat of the Arabian Sea after travelling 371 km in a south-westerly direction across Rajasthan and Gujarat.

Explained: Why has the US grounded its Chinook helicopters, and what it means for India

Source: The post is based on the article “Explained: Why has the US grounded its Chinook helicopters, and what it means for India” published in Indian Express on 1st September 2022.

What is the News?

The US Army has grounded its fleet of CH-47 Chinook helicopters after finding the helicopter to be at risk of engine fires. 

What are Chinook Helicopters?

Chinook Helicopters are medium-lift, multi-role helicopters manufactured by Boeing.

Click Here to read more

Why has the US Army grounded Chinook?

The Chinook fleet has been grounded by the US Army as it is suspected that some engine fires broke out on an unspecified number of helicopters. 

What implications does this development have for the Indian Air Force(IAF)?

The IAF operates a fleet of 15 Chinook helicopters, and it has not grounded them as it awaits more word on the US development.

The Chinooks were inducted into the IAF in 2019. One Helicopter Unit of Chinooks is based in Chandigarh while the other is based at Mohanbari air base in Assam.