Daily Prelims Notes 19 December 2023

December 19, 2023
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Daily Prelims Notes

19 December 2023

Table of contents

1. How MPs are suspended

Subject: Polity

Section: Parliament

Context:78 Opposition MPs suspended

Who can suspend an MP:

It is the role and duty of the Presiding Officer i.e. Speaker of Lok Sabha and Chairman of Rajya Sabha to maintain order so that the House can function smoothly.
In order to ensure that proceedings are conducted in the proper manner, the Speaker/ Chairman is empowered to force a Member to withdraw from the House.

What are the rules under which the Presiding Officer/Chairman acts:

For Lok Sabha

Rule Number 373 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business
- The Speaker can order a member to immediately leave the House if the member’s conduct is disorderly.
- Those directed to withdraw must do so promptly and stay absent for the remainder of the day’s sitting.
Rule 374:
- The Speaker can name a member who disrespects the Chair’s authority or persistently obstructs House business.
- The named member faces suspension from the House, but this suspension should not exceed the remainder of the session.
- The suspended member must leave the House premises.
Rule 374A (Added in December 2001):
- In cases of gross violations or serious charges, if named by the Speaker, a member is automatically suspended from the House’s service for five consecutive sittings or the remaining session, whichever is shorter.

For Rajya Sabha:

Rule 255 of the Rule Book of Rajya Sabha:
- It empowers the Chairman of Rajya Sabha to direct any Member to withdraw immediately from the House for any disorderly conduct.
Rule 256
- This rule empowers the Chairman to name the members who persistently disregards the authority of the Chair or abuses the rules of the Council.
- After that, the House may adopt a motion suspending the Member for a period not exceeding the remainder of the session.
It should be noted that, unlike Lok Sabha (under rule 374A), Rajya Sabha can not suspend its members without passing a motion for the same.

What are the terms of Suspension:

The maximum period of suspension is for the remainder of the session.
Suspended members cannot enter the chamber or attend the meetings of the committees.
He will not be eligible to give notice for discussion or submission.
He loses the right to get a reply to his questions.

Can courts intervene in a matter of suspension of MPs:

Article 122 of the Indian Constitution establishes the principle that parliamentary proceedings are not subject to questioning in a court of law.
Nevertheless, there have been instances where the judiciary has intervened in the procedural workings of legislatures.
One such case involves the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, which, during its 2021 Monsoon Session, passed a resolution to suspend 12 BJP MLAs for a year. This matter eventually reached the Supreme Court, which ruled that the resolution’s legal effect extended only for the duration of the Monsoon Session and not beyond.

2. Centre launches forest certification scheme to counter foreign agency

Subject: Schemes

Section: Environment

Context: Center launches forest certification scheme to counter foreign agency

More about the news:

The Indian government has launched the Indian Forest and Wood Certification Scheme (IFWCS) to address rising global concerns over deforestation and illicit timber trade.
IFWCS will serve as a national forest certification scheme, providing an alternative to foreign private certification agencies that have operated in India for the past two decades.
The move follows concerns raised in a global investigation by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) about the integrity of existing certifications, affecting the acceptance of Indian products in international markets.
The new certification scheme is government-backed and aims to bring transparency and trust to forest-based product processes.
It covers sustainable forest management, sustainable management of trees outside forests, and chain of custody to trace the origin of forest products throughout the supply chain.
While certification is not mandatory for forest divisions, adhering to the newly developed Indian Forest Management Standards makes them eligible for certification.
The IFWCS is expected to enhance the acceptability of Indian forest-based products in international markets.
The scheme will be overseen by the Indian Forest and Wood Certification Council (advisory), involving various stakeholders, and managed by the Indian Institute of Forest Management (overall management of the scheme)

3. What does COP-28 mean for cities?

Subject: Environment

Section: Int convention

Context:

The 28th Conference of Parties (COP-28) in Dubai has also discussed cities and their future.

COP-28 : Linkage With Cities

When the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) initiated the COP in 1995, 44% of people lived in cities.
Currently, 55% of the global population is urban and this is expected to reach 68% by 2050.
The urban world today consumes nearly 75% of primary energy and is responsible for roughly 70% of CO2 (76% of total GHG) emissions.
Hence, the desired results of the Paris commitments are not possible without addressing urban issues.
City representatives have been arguing for multi-level green deal governance and for revising the governance and regulation of energy and climate action.
Some European city groups have been staunchly advocating for direct actions in cities.
Various groups argued for formally recognising the role of subnational governments in global climate change negotiations, accelerating and scaling up climate action by working across all levels of governance and sectors, and providing direct financing and technical assistance to cities and regions.
This will require an ‘out of the box’ imagination as it would mean transgressing the authorities of federal governments.
The efforts of city governments should be formally recognised in COP decision documents.

Role Of Global South?

The cities of the Global South are far more vulnerable than their western counterparts.

Issues:

The city leaders are hardly empowered.
The major employment is in the informal sector.
Adaptation is key as most cities are vulnerable to climate induced disasters.
The pent up drive to attract investments to cities has further widened the gap between the rich and the poor.
In most countries, and in India particularly, 40% of the urban population live in slums.
Pollution is a major contributor in reducing life expectancies and social and economic inequities are quite inherent in their systems.
So, to ensure fair participation in climate action plans and to claim loss and damage compensation, etc., there has to be a radical shift in the processes governing the cities.
One of the ways of achieving progress can be through:
- creating a climate atlas of these cities, mapping them and identifying hotspots.

Exclusion in NDCs:

During the preparation of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and National Adaptation Plans, cities find themselves excluded from the process of climate action plans.
There is hardly any representation of city leaders and civil society groups in this process.

4. Customised mRNA is the next frontier in personalised medicine

Subject: Science and tech

Section: Biotechnology

Context

mRNA (messenger RNA) technology has emerged as a groundbreaking platform in the realm of personalized medicine, showcasing the ability to be easily customized for effective and tailored therapies with minimal side effects.

Basics of mRNA:

At its core, mRNA is a scalable and versatile molecule that plays a vital role in cellular functions.
Unlike traditional drugs, mRNA is inherently present within the human body, with cells naturally creating mRNAs to serve as instructions for protein synthesis.
When cells need to produce specific proteins essential for various functions, they rely on mRNA as the messenger carrying the genetic code or recipe for protein creation.

How mRNA Makes Excellent Medicine:

The unique qualities of mRNA make it an ideal candidate for therapeutic applications.
Scientists can manipulate mRNA to create powerful medicines that address diverse cellular issues.
Since the language of mRNA consists of four nucleotides, scientists can easily decipher the codes and understand the instructions for protein synthesis.
Mutations in the DNA can disrupt these instructions, leading to diseases, and mRNA medicines offer a way to correct or replace these faulty instructions.
The production of mRNA treatments is not only scalable but also consistent.
Unlike traditional drugs that require distinct manufacturing methods for each compound, the process of creating mRNA remains the same for all types.
This uniformity simplifies the production process, making it akin to mastering a basic recipe and allowing for endless variations.
Moreover, the transient nature of mRNA within cells allows for easy dosage adjustments based on changing patient needs.
As cells naturally destroy mRNA when it is no longer required, the flexibility in altering doses ensures that treatments can be fine-tuned to accommodate dynamic health conditions.

mRNA Vaccines and Beyond:

The mRNA technology gained significant recognition with the development of COVID-19 vaccines by Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech, marking the first FDA-approved mRNA-based medicines.
These vaccines demonstrated the adaptability of mRNA-based therapies, enabling quick adjustments to target new viral variants.
Beyond COVID-19, ongoing clinical trials explore mRNA-based vaccines for diseases such as seasonal flu, herpes, respiratory syncytial virus, and more.

mRNA Applications in Disease Treatment:

Expanding beyond vaccines, mRNA holds promise in treating diseases like cancer.
Some mRNA cancer treatments operate as vaccines, training the immune system to specifically target cancer cells.
By leveraging the mutational landscape of cancer cells, mRNA cancer vaccines can be personalized to match individual patients’ specific cancer mutations.
Clinical trials employing personalized mRNA approaches for cancers like pancreatic cancer are currently underway.
The potential applications of mRNA-based medicine extend to various diseases where correcting protein synthesis holds the key to effective treatment.
Ongoing research explores the use of mRNA in heart disease, neurodegenerative disorders, bone loss, and other conditions, offering hope for future protein replacement therapies.

mRNA-Based Medicine: The Future Landscape

The future holds promise for treating diseases arising from incorrect protein synthesis.
Early studies show encouraging signs in areas such as wound healing for diabetic patients and addressing rare genetic disorders like propionic acidaemia.
The ability to easily customize and produce mRNA positions it as a transformative force in personalized medicine.
With ongoing advancements and a deeper understanding of mRNA’s capabilities, this technology stands poised to revolutionize medical treatments, offering effective and tailored therapies with fewer side effects.

5. India’s 1st Arctic Winter Expedition

Subject: Environment

Section: Int. Conventions

Context:

India will script history by commencing year-round observations in Svalbard, the world’s northernmost inhabited place, in the Arctic.

The Himadri station and India’s facilities in the Arctic:

It is situated in the Ny-Alesund region of Svalbard, Norway.
It is India’s first permanent Arctic research station.
It is located at a distance of 1,200 kilometres (750 mi) from the North Pole.
India has an atmospheric science facility called Gruvebadet Observatory that houses various atmospheric observation networks.
The country has initiated new scientific projects in the Canadian High Arctic (Nunavut region) and plans to initiate studies in Greenland soon.

Why has India taken fewer studies in the Arctic?

Unlike Antarctica, which is governed by the Antarctic Treaty, the Arctic region belongs to various national jurisdictions. Various geopolitical complications, such as the current war between Ukraine and Russia, have made half of the Arctic region (the Russian Arctic) inaccessible to the world.

Why is it significant for India?

Studying the Polar-tropical climate teleconnections will help us to better predict the monsoon vagaries on a decadal scale.
Several evidences show that many of the extreme precipitation events happening in India have their origins in the loss of Arctic sea ice.
The increased intensification of Arabian Sea cyclones is associated with a warmer Arctic.

National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research, (NCPOR):

The NCPOR, formerly known as the National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research (NCAOR) is an Indian research and development institution, situated in Vasco da Gama, Goa.
It is the nodal agency for India’s polar expeditions.
It is an autonomous institution of the Department of Ocean Development (DOD), Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India which is responsible for administering the Indian Antarctic Programme and maintains the Indian government’s Antarctic research stations, Bharati and Maitri.

6. What is ‘noma’, the latest addition to WHO’s list of neglected tropical diseases

Subject: Science and tech

Section: Health

In the news:

The WHO recently acknowledged noma, a severely debilitating oral and facial gangrenous disease, as an official neglected tropical disease (NTD) due to its dire impact and historical neglect.

About the Noma disease:

Noma eats away facial tissue and bones if not treated early.
Also known as cancrumoris or gangrenous stomatitis,noma primarily affects impoverished children aged 2-6 in poor communities, linked to extreme poverty, malnutrition, and inadequate hygiene. It has a mortality rate of approximately 90 per cent.
Noma is prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa, predominantly affecting children in impoverished settings.
- Noma was prevalent in the past but largely vanished from the Western world with improved living conditions. It was even noted in World War II concentration camps.
Noma begins with gum inflammation, caused by bacteria in the mouth, and rapidly progresses into extensive tissue destruction and bone damage if untreated.
Scarce data exists on current cases, with estimates dating back to 1998, reflecting the disease’s hidden nature.
Early detection is crucial as therapy effectiveness diminishes in later stages. Basic hygiene, antibiotics, and nutrition rehabilitation slow its spread, but access to adequate treatment remains a challenge due to poverty.
Survivors face severe consequences such as facial disfigurement, muscle spasms, speech problems, and oral incontinence, compounding the challenges posed by extreme poverty.
Inclusion in the WHO’s NTD list aims to raise awareness, drive research, secure funding, and implement comprehensive strategies to combat the disease’s devastating impact, especially in underserved communities.

7. Heat waves to intensify in Madagascar, one of Earth’s richest biodiversity hotspots: WWA study

Subject: Environment

Section: Protected Areas

Context:

Madagascar has experienced a heat wave at least two months early this year.

Details:

Madagascar’s population, heavily affected by poverty and lacking access to basic amenities, faces increased health risks due to extreme heat. Malaria cases in Antananarivo are rising as warmer temperatures expand the mosquito range.
Madagascar ranks 124th out of 125 countries in the 2023 Global Hunger Index, highlighting alarming levels of hunger with a score of 41.0.

Geography of Medagascar:

Madagascar is the world’s fourth-largest island and is second-largest island country, located just off the western coast of the African mainland in the Indian Ocean.
Antananarivo is the capital city.
Madagascar is a global hotspot, home to a vast array of unique plant and animal species found nowhere else on Earth.
Mangoky River: One of Madagascar’s major rivers, flowing from the central highlands to the Mozambique Channel, impacting local ecosystems and communities.
Around 90% of Madagascar’s wildlife is endemic, featuring iconic species like lemurs, fossas, chameleons, and unique flora such as baobab trees and orchids.
- Lemurs: This primate group is endemic of Madagascar, and are wet-nosed primates of the superfamily Lemuroidea.
- With over 100 species of lemurs, showcasing a range of sizes, behaviors, and habitats.
Tsingy de Bemaraha: A unique limestone formation in western Madagascar, characterized by sharp, needle-like limestone formations.
Threats to Biodiversity: Deforestation, habitat loss due to agriculture, logging, and illegal wildlife trade pose significant threats to Madagascar’s unique flora and fauna.

World Weather Attribution (WWA):

Established in 2014.
It operates globally, with collaborations and contributions from climate scientists and institutions worldwide.
Aim and Objective: World Weather Attribution aims to rapidly assess and attribute extreme weather events to climate change.
- Its objective is to provide quick, scientifically grounded analyses to determine the influence of human-induced climate change on specific weather events, thereby enhancing public understanding and awareness of the connections between climate change and extreme weather occurrences.

8. JN.1 COVID sub-variant cases on rise: All you need to know as WHO issues alert

Subject: Science and tech

Section: Health

Context:

A new JN.1 COVID sub-variant is on the rise.

Details:

Respiratory diseases are increasing around the world due to a number of pathogens including COVID19, flu, rhinovirus, mycoplasma pneumonia & others.
SARS-CoV-2 continues to evolve. JN.1 (subvariant of BA.2.86) is already a Varient of Interest (VOI) and continues to increase in circulation.

JN.1 variant of COVID:

It is considered the Omicron subvariant BA.2.86 or Pirola. This variant was first detected in September 2023 in the United States.
It is capable of spreading faster and evading immunity.
It is a severely immune-evasive and fast-spreading variant, markedly different from XBB and all other prior versions of this virus.
This enables it to infect people who had previous Covid infections and also people who were vaccinated.

Classification of Variants by CDC:

Variant of Interest (VOI):
- Characteristics: Variants with specific genetic markers linked to changes in receptor binding, reduced neutralization by antibodies, potential diagnostic impact, or increased transmissibility/severity.
- Example:B.1.617 variant with mutations E484Q and L452R, identified in India, classified as VOI by WHO.

Variant of Concern (VOC):
- Traits: Variants showing evidence of increased transmissibility, severe disease, reduced neutralization by antibodies, vaccine/treatment effectiveness, or diagnostic failures.
- Examples:1.1.7 (UK), B.1.351 (South Africa), P.1 (Brazil), B.1.427, and B.1.429 variants in the US.

Variant of High Consequence:
- Definition: Variants drastically reducing the effectiveness of preventive measures or medical countermeasures.
- Status: No variants of high consequence reported circulating in the US by CDC.

Variants Under Investigation (VUI):
- Criteria: Variants with potential epidemiological, immunological, or pathogenic properties warrant formal investigation.
- Status: Variants emerging from the 1.617 lineage currently designated as VUI by Public Health England (PHE).

9. Finance Secy. fails to appear in House, matter sent to Privileges Committee

Subject: Polity

Section: Parliament

Context:

The Principal Secretary of the Finance Department failed to appear before the Delhi Legislative Assembly after being summoned by it, prompting Speaker Ram Niwas Goel to refer the matter to the Privileges Committee of the House.
The Assembly had passed a resolution asking Principal Secretary (Finance) Ashish Chandra Verma to appear before it to explain why funds were not being released by his department for various works in the city.

Basic Concepts For Prelims:

Parliamentary Privileges:
- Parliament and its Members (MP’s) have certain rights and immunities that enable them to function effectively in their legislative roles. These are called parliamentary privileges.
- Article 105 and Article 194 of the Indian Constitution mentioned certain privileges for the Member of Parliament and State Assembly respectively so that they can perform their duties without any obstruction.
- They are the special rights, immunities and exemptions enjoyed by the Members of Parliament/State Assembly, its committees and their members.
- These privileges do not extend to the president who is also an integral part of the Parliament. These privileges are necessary to secure their independence in working.
- Without these privileges; The Houses cannot maintain their authority, dignity and honour. The House cannot protect its members from any obstacle in the discharge of their parliamentary responsibilities.
- The Indian Constitution has also extended these privileges to the persons who are authorised to speak and take part in the Parliamentary procedures or any of its committees.
- These include the attorney general of India and Union ministers.

Sources of the privileges:

The Parliament till now not explicitly create code for privileges. As of now, it is based on 5 sources – Constitution, statutes, House procedures, Parliamentary conventions and judicial interpretations.

Breach of privilege:

A breach of privilege is a violation of any of the privileges of MPs/Parliament.
Among other things, any action ‘casting reflections’ on MPs, parliament or its committees; could be considered breach of privilege.
This may include publishing of news items, editorials or statements made in newspaper/magazine/TV interviews or in public speeches.

Two broad categories of Privileges:

Collective Privileges – Those that are collectively enjoyed by the each House of Parliament.
Individual Privileges – Those that are individually enjoyed by the members.

About the Privilege committee:

Each House of Parliament is the guardian of its privileges. Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha have the authority to take suit- able action against anyone who breaches the privileges of its members or commits contempt of the House.
There are two mechanisms by which Parliament takes up these matters. The first is by a member raising the issue on the floor of the House, and then the House decides on it.
But Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha usually send the matter for a detailed examination to their Privilege committee. The committee recommends to the House a course of action which is then accepted by it.
This Committee consists of 15 members (10 members in case of Rajya Sabha) nominated by the Speaker (Chairman in case of Rajya Sabha).
Its function is to examine every question involving breach of privilege of the House or of the members of any Committee therefore referred to it by the House or by the Speaker.
It determines with reference to the facts of each case whether a breach of privilege is involved and makes suitable recommendations in its report.
It also states the procedure to be followed by the House in giving effect to the recommendations made by it.
When a question of privilege is referred to the Committee by the House, the report of the Committee is presented to the House by the Chairman or, in his absence, by any member of the Committee.
Where a question of privilege is referred to the Committee by the Speaker under rule 227, the report of the Committee is presented to the Speaker who may pass final orders thereon or direct that it be laid on the Table of the House.
The Speaker/ Chairman may refer to the Committee any petition regarding disqualification of a member on ground of defection for making a preliminary inquiry and submitting a report to him.
The procedure to be followed by the Committee in these cases is so far as may be same as applicable to questions of breach of privilege.

What kinds of cases come to the committee?

Usually, the committees examine cases where MPs complain that an outsider has breached their privilege.
For example, the Lok Sabha committee recently looked at multiple instances in which MPs alleged that government officials have either violated protocol or been unresponsive. But this year, MPs have also brought questions about breach of privilege by other MPs.
In Rajya Sabha, MPs have brought eight cases of breach of privilege against their colleagues. These are about video recording unauthorised proceedings, gross disorderly conduct, repeated submission of identical notices, disrespectful observations against the chairman, misleading the media about the house proceedings.

What actions can the committee take?

The Committee of Privileges has the power to recommend to the House for its consideration the issuance of admonitions, reprimands, suspension and, in rare cases, expulsion from the House.
The convention followed by the committee of both Houses is that if the MP against whom a privilege House proceedings matter is raised gives an unqualified apology the issue is allowed to rest.

10. NGT questions Tamil Nadu government on how oil spill reached Pulicat

Subject: Environment

Section: Pollution

Context:

The southern Bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Monday questioned the State government and the Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited (CPCL) on how the oil spill reached Pulicat backwaters if, as per reports submitted by the government, the slick was stopped from entering the sea.

About National Green Tribunal:

The National Green Tribunal has been established under the National Green Tribunal Act 2010.
New Delhi is the Principal Place of Sitting of the Tribunal and Bhopal, Pune, Kolkata and Chennai shall be the other four places of sitting of the Tribunal.
NGT is mandated to make disposal of applications or appeals finally within 6 months of the filing of the same.

What is the composition of NGT?

The Tribunal comprises the Chairperson, the Judicial Members, and Expert Members.
They shall hold office for a term of 5 years and are not eligible for reappointment.
The Chairperson is appointed by the Central Government in consultation with the Chief Justice of India (CJI).
A Selection Committee shall be formed by the central government to appoint the Judicial Members and Expert Members.
There are to be at least 10 and a maximum of 20 full-time Judicial members and Expert Members in the tribunal.

Powers & Jurisdiction

Established for effective and expeditious disposal of cases relating to environmental protection and conservation of forests and other natural resources.
It has appellate jurisdiction to hear appeals as a Court.
The Tribunal is not bound by the procedure laid down under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, but shall be guided by principles of natural justice.

Basics of Pulcat Lake

Pulicat Lake is the second largest brackish water lagoon in India, after Chilika Lake. It is present in the Coromondal Region i.e. Andhra Pradesh–Tamil Nadu Border.
The barrier island of Sriharikota separates the lake from the Bay of Bengal and is home to the Satish Dhawan Space Centre.
The lake encompasses the Pulicat Lake Bird Sanctuary.
Flamingo Festival is held every year to promote tourism in Pulicat Lake and Nellapattu. It has been organized for the past 12 years.
The primary inflows to Pulicat Lake are Arani, Kalangi and Swarnamukhi.
About 96% of the Pulicat Lake is present in Andhra Pradesh while only 3% is present in Tamil Nadu.
The Buckingham Canal, a navigation channel, is part of the lagoon on its western side.

11. Afghanistan left out of COP-28 and hopes for inclusion in COP-29

Subject: Environment

Section: Int Conventions

Context:

Humanitarian concerns have been raised over Afghanistan being left out of United Nations climate negotiations for a third year in a row, as the country grapples with worsening drought and floods.

More about News:

Afghanistan is one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change, but the country was absent from the COP28 climate summit in Dubai. It has been left out of U.N. talks since the Taliban took over Kabul in 2021.
No foreign government has formally recognised Taliban leadership and it doesn’t have a seat at the U.N. General Assembly.
Foreign officials have cited the Taliban’s restrictions on women as the reason for current isolationist policies, particularly its barring of girls and women from high school and universities.
The U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)‘s COP Bureau, which is responsible for accrediting parties to the annual summits, decided at a November 2022 meeting to defer a decision on future Afghanistan representation.
The Taliban’s takeover of government institutions has also meant that Afghanistan is unable to access key U.N. climate funds, including the Green Climate Fund (GCF).

About GCF:

The GCF was set up in 2010 under the UNFCCC’s financial mechanism to channel funding from developed countries to developing countries to allow them to mitigate climate change and also adapt to disruptions arising from a changing climate.

How it helps?

The Green Climate Fund will support projects, programmes, policies and other activities in developing country Parties using thematic funding windows.
It was intended to be the centerpiece of efforts to raise Climate Finance of $100 billion a year by 2020.

The Fund will promote the paradigm shift towards low-emission and climate-resilient development pathways by providing support to developing countries to limit or reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and to adapt to the impacts of climate change, taking into account the needs of those developing countries particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change.
The Fund will strive to maximize the impact of its funding for adaptation and mitigation, and seek a balance between the two, while promoting environmental, social, economic and development co-benefits and taking a gender-sensitive approach.

Who will govern the Fund?

The Fund is governed and supervised by a Board that will have full responsibility for funding decisions and that receives the guidance of the Conference of Parties (COP). The Fund is accountable to, and functions under the guidance of, the COP.