Daily Prelims Notes 21 February 2023
- February 21, 2023
- Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
- Category: DPN
Daily Prelims Notes
21 February 2023
Table Of Contents
- International Mother Language Day 2023 – ‘Ekushey February’
- India and Pakistan at Risk of Flooding from Glacial Lakes: New Study
- Waqf board moves HC against centre’s decision
- Autism spectrum disorder
- Can we use moon dust to slow down global warming?
- Rajya Sabha Chairman tells panel to prove ‘ disorderly conduct ‘ of 12 MP’s
- Haryana committed to construct Satluj-yamuna link canal says governor
- Only Parliament can amend the law to provide a uniform marriage age
- UN declares international decade of indigenous languages (2022-32)
- Centre may notify emission trading scheme by June
- TRAI to issue consultation paper on digital inclusion
1. International Mother Language Day 2023 – ‘Ekushey February’
Subject : International Relations
Section : Msc
Concept :
- In recognition of the Bengali people’s struggle for their language and culture, UNESCO announced in 1999 that February 21 would be observed worldwide as International Mother Language Day.
- This year’s theme is “Multilingual education – a necessity to transform education”, emphasising Indigenous people’s education and languages.
International Mother Language Day 2023
- UNESCO promotes this year’s “Multilingual education – a necessity to transform education”, emphasising Indigenous people’s education and languages.
- It also discusses the potential role of technology to advance multilingual education and support the development of quality teaching and learning for all.
- This year, the webinar focuses on two main themes namely;
- Teachers’ role to be enhanced in promoting quality multilingual teaching and learning.
- Reflecting on technologies and their potential to support multilingual teaching and learning.
- UNESCO organizes several events on this day and encourages people to maintain their knowledge of their mother language and learn the use of more than one language.
- Several policies are also announced by governments and non-governmental organizations to promote the learning of language and support.
- Various activities are also organized in schools and colleges to celebrate the diversity of languages.
- Linguistic diversity is increasingly threatened because several languages are disappearing.
- According to UNESCO, 40 percent population of the world does not have access to an education in a language they speak or understand. Therefore, it is necessary to make progress in mother tongue-based multilingual education with the need for understanding its importance.
About 1952 Bengali Language Movement, Bangladesh
- When India gained independence from British rule, the subcontinent of India was divided into a separate Muslim state (East Pakistan and West Pakistan) and a separate Hindu state (India).
- There was a cultural and lingual conflict between East Pakistan (today Bangladesh) and West Pakistan (Today Pakistan).
- In 1948, the government of Pakistan declared Urdu as the national language and due to it, the tensions grew more.
- This decision of the government sparked several violent protests amongst the Bengali-speaking majority in East Pakistan.
- Some students of the University of Dhaka organized a protest with some activists on 21 February 1952. Later that day, the police opened fire at the students, protesters, and four students of the university who were killed.
- The martyrdom of these students who fought for the Bengali language to be used as their mother language officially is remembered on International Mother Language Day.
- Finally on 29 February 1956, Bengali was recognized as the second official language of Pakistan. In 1971, East Pakistan became an independent country namely Bangladesh, and Bengali became its official language.
- As discussed above the General Conference of UNESCO in November 1999 declared International Mother Language Day and on 21st February 2000, the first International Mother language Day was observed.
2. India and Pakistan at Risk of Flooding from Glacial Lakes: New Study
Subject: Geography
Section: Physical Geography
Concept:
- According to a new study, Glacial lake outburst floods threaten millions globally’ published in the journal Nature, around 15 million people across the world face the risk of sudden and deadly flooding from glacial lakes, which are expanding and rising in numbers due to global warming.
- More than half of those who could be impacted live in four countries: India, Pakistan, Peru, and China.
- Glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) are a type of flood that occurs when a glacial lake or a dam containing the lake fails.
Important Findings of the study
- This study estimates that 15 million people live within the 50 km danger zone of glacial lakes.
- It adds that populations in High Mountains Asia (HMA) — a region stretching from the Hindu Kush all the way to the eastern Himalayas — are the most exposed and on average live closest to glacial lakes with around one million people living within 10 km of a glacial lake.
- Another interesting finding of the study is that the glacial flood risks don’t only depend on the size and number of glacial lakes in an area.What also matters is the number of people living in the area, their proximity to the danger zone as well as the levels of social vulnerability.
Glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs)
- A glacial lake outburst flood is a type of catastrophic flood that occurs when the dam containing a glacial lake fails, releasing a large volume of water.
- This type of flood is typically caused by rapid melting of glaciers or the buildup of water in the lake due to heavy precipitation or the inflow of meltwater.
- In February 2021, Chamoli district in Uttarakhand witnessed flash floods which are suspected to have been caused by GLOFs.
Causes:
- These floods can be triggered by a number of factors, including changes in the volume of the glacier, changes in the water level of the lake, and earthquakes.
- According to NDMA (National Disaster Management Authority), glacial retreat due to climate change occurring in most parts of the Hindu Kush Himalayas has given rise to the formation of numerous new glacial lakes, which are the major cause of GLOFs.
3. Waqf board moves HC against centre’s decision
Subject : Polity
Section: Msc
Concept :
- The Delhi Waqf Board has moved the High Court against the Centre’s decision to take over 123 Waqf properties, Board chairman Amanatullah Khan said.
- Background :
- The Land and Development Office (L&DO) of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (HUA) recently decided to take over 123 properties of the Delhi Waqf Board, including mosques, dargah and graveyards, based on the report of a two-member committee.
- Khan said the report of the committee was not shared with the Waqf Board, and added that a case challenging its formation was already pending in the Delhi High Court.
Waqf
- Property given in the name of God for religious and charitable purposes.
- In legal terms, permanent dedication by a person professing Islam, of any movable or immovable property for any purpose recognised by the Muslim law as pious, religious or charitable.
How is waqf created?
- A waqf can be formed through a deed or instrument, or a property can be deemed waqf if it has been used for religious or charitable purposes for a long period of time.
- The proceeds are typically used to finance educational institutions, graveyards, mosques and shelter homes.
- A person creating the waqf cannot take back the property and the waqf would be a continuing entity.
- The grant is known as mushrut-ul-khidmat, while a person making such dedication is known as Wakif.
- A non-Muslim can also create a waqf but the individual must profess Islam and the objective of creating the waqf has to be Islamic.
Wagf Board
- It is an Indian statutory body established in 1964 by the Government of India under the Waqf Act, 1954 (now a subsection of the Waqf Act, 1995) for the purpose of advising it on matters pertaining to the working of the State Waqf Boards and proper administration of the Waqfs in the country.
- It is headed by a Chairperson, who is the Union Minister in charge of Wakfs and there are maximum 20 other members, appointed by Government of India as stipulated in the Waqf Act.
Subject : Science and technology
Section :Health
Concept :
- According to the World Health Organisation, ‘Autism spectrum disorder’ (ASD) affects one in 100 children .
- Autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
- Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability caused by differences in the brain.
- The autism spectrum, often referred to as just autism, autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or sometimes autism spectrum condition (ASC), is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by difficulties in social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication, and the presence of repetitive behavior and restricted interests.
- Other common signs include unusual responses to sensory stimuli, and an insistence on sameness or strict adherence to routine.
- Signs of autism usually appear by age 2 or 3. Some associated development delays can appear even earlier, and often, it can be diagnosed as early as 18 months.
- Research shows that early intervention leads to positive outcomes later in life for people with autism.
- There is no cure for autism. There are many forms of therapy, such as speech and occupational therapy that may help autistic people.
Link between gut microbiome and Autism
- Although the researchers have still not established the aetiology of ASD completely, there have been reports which say that the gut-brain axis could have a prominent role in causing ASD.
- The gut microbiome is found to have a big impact on immune modulation and metabolic activities in humans and differences in gut microbiome composition have been seen with respect to various diseases such as Crohn’s disease, celiac disease and autism.
- Immune modulation refers to the actions undertaken by the immune system of the body to ensure its response is proportionate to a threat.
Gut Microbiome
- ‘Gut Microbiome’ is made up of the trillions of microorganisms and their genetic material that live in your intestinal tract.
- These microorganisms, mainly comprising bacteria, are involved in functions critical to your health and wellbeing.
Faecal microbial transplantation (FMT)
- Faecal microbial transplantation (FMT) is regarded as one of the most promising approaches to reverse gut dysbiosis.
- Under FMT, stool samples from healthy individuals are transplanted into the large intestines of affected children.
- A study conducted by Ohio State University in 2017 on FMT reported that the intervention improved both gastrointestinal and ASD-related symptoms.
- FMT is also a cost-effective approach with minimal risk. However, there is a need to build consensus among all stakeholders in order to adopt it.
5. Can we use moon dust to slow down global warming?
Subject : Environment / Science
Concept :
- It is said that a summerless year followed the volcanic eruption of Mt. Tambora in 1816 which released sulphates and other aerosols into the stratosphere that cooled the atmosphere.
- This has encouraged people to examine the possibility of using similar methods artificially to slow down global warming.
Moon dust coolers
- In a recent paper published in the PLoS Climate journal, researchers from the U.S. have proposed the idea of launching tonnes of dust from the moon to a point in space where the gravitational forces of the earth and the Sun cancel each other out.
- Launching the dust to such a point will ensure that the dust will be stationed there which helps cast a shadow on earth and reduce sunlight to offset carbon emissions.
- Aerosols in the stratosphere, particularly those which are radiation-scattering such as sulphates, have a cooling effect.
- It is to be noted that the summerless year which followed the 1816 eruption significantly affected crop yields worldwide causing disease and starvation.
- Additionally, various climate models also have confirmed that dimming the amount of incoming sunlight with stratospheric aerosols will have similar implications on crop yield.
- A few studies however have argued that such droughts would not be as harmful and that the GDPs of the countries will be positively affected by such solar radiation management (SRM).
Solar radiation management (SRM)
- Solar radiation management (SRM) is a type of climate engineering that aims to reduce or slow down global warming by reflecting sunlight.
- The proposed methods of SRM include increasing the planetary albedo by:
- Placing reflective balloons, sunshades, or mirrors in space.
- Injecting heat-deflecting aerosols directly into Earth’s stratosphere to bounce more of the Sun’s heat back into space.
- Marine Cloud Brightening involves introducing saltwater particles from the ocean up into the cloud layer to increase the reflectivity of clouds.
- Adopting surface-based approaches like whitening roofs, growing more reflective crops, etc.
- Adopting restorative methods such as protecting natural heat reflectors like sea ice, snow and glaciers with engineering projects.
- SRM is said to be a fast and inexpensive approach to slowing down global warming.
Concerns
- There is still uncertainty about the potential changes in rainfall patterns as a result of blocking sunlight which can have unintended consequences in the form of drought and crop losses.
- These methods are best when adopted at the continental scale and not at the regional scale.Thus these measures cannot offset the adverse effects of heatwaves and droughts regionally.
- Various natural and social scientists have raised concerns about SRM techniques and governance.
- There are also concerns regarding the aerosol-loading approach that there will be a rebound effect once spraying stops and the aerosols are washed out of the atmosphere.
6. Rajya Sabha Chairman tells panel to prove ‘ disorderly conduct ‘ of 12 MP’s
Subject : Polity
Concept :
- Rajya Sabha Chairman recently asked the committee of privileges to investigate the alleged breach of privilege by 12 opposition lawmakers for repeatedly entering the well of the House, shouting slogans, and obstructing its proceedings.
About Committee of Privileges – Standing committee:
- This committee consists of 15 members in Lok Sabha ( 10 in case of Rajya Sabha) nominated by the Speaker (Chairman in case of Rajya Sabha).
- In the Rajya Sabha, the deputy chairperson heads the committee of privileges.
Powers and Functions:
- The committee examines every question involving a breach of privilege of the House or of the members or of any Committee thereof referred to it by the House or by the Speaker/Chairman.
- It also 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 its recommendations.
- 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, 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 the disqualification of a member on the 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 the same as in applicable to questions of breach of privilege.
Standing Committees
- The Standing Committees are permanent (constituted every year or periodically) and work on a continuous basis.
- Standing Committees can be classified into the following six categories:
- Financial Committees
- Departmental Standing Committees
- Committees to Enquire
- Committees to Scrutinise and Control
- Committees Relating to the Day-to-Day Business of the House
- House-Keeping Committees or Service Committees.
7. Haryana committed to construct Satluj-yamuna link canal says governor
Subject : Geography
Section:
Concept :
- The Haryana Governor said the State government is committed to constructing the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal in order to get the State’s share of waters in the Ravi and the Beas rivers. The SYL canal is a focal point of a water-sharing dispute between Haryana and Punjab.
Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal
- The canal, once completed, will enable sharing of the waters of the rivers Ravi and Beas between Haryana and Punjab.
- Haryana will get its share of Ravi and Beas waters by diverting equal amount of Sutlej water towards Haryana.
- The Satluj Yamuna Link Canal is a proposed 214-kilometre-long canal connecting Sutlej and Yamuna rivers.
- It is a 214-km canal, 122 km of which was to run through Punjab and the rest through Haryana.
- Haryana has completed its side of the canal, but work in Punjab has been hanging fire for over three decades.
- Water resources are under the State List, while the Parliament has the power to make laws regarding inter-state rivers under the Union List.
Key Highlights about Sutlej and Yamuna River
Sutlej:
- The ancient name of Sutlej River is Zaradros (Ancient Greek) Shutudri or Shatadru (Sanskrit).
- It is the longest of the five tributaries of the Indus River that give the Punjab (meaning “Five Rivers”) its name.
- Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas and Satluj are main tributaries of Indus.
- It rises on the north slope of the Himalayas in Lake La’nga in southwestern Tibet.
- Flowing northwestward and then west-southwestward through Himalayan gorges, it enters and crosses Himachal Pradesh before beginning its flow through the Punjab plain near Nangal.
- Continuing southwestward in a broad channel, it receives the Beas River (and forms 65 miles of the India-Pakistan border before entering Pakistan and flowing another 220 miles to join the Chenab River west of Bahawalpur.
- Sutlej River meets the Beas River in Harike in the Ferozpur district before entering Pakistan.
- The combined rivers then form the Panjnad, the link between the Five Rivers and the Indus.
- Luhri Stage-I Hydro Electric Project is located on River Satlujin Shimla and Kullu districts of Himachal Pradesh.
Yamuna:
- The river Yamuna, a major tributary of river Ganges, originates from the Yamunotri glacier near Bandarpoonch peaks in the Mussoorie range of the lower Himalayas at an elevation of about 6387 meters above mean sea level in Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand.
- It meets the Ganges at the Sangam (where Kumbh mela is held) in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh after flowing through Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Delhi.
- Length: 1376 km
- Important Dam: Lakhwar-Vyasi Dam (Uttarakhand), Tajewala Barrage Dam (Haryana) etc.
- Important Tributaries: Chambal, Sindh, Betwa and Ken (Right bank).
8. Only Parliament can amend the law to provide a uniform marriage age
Subject: Polity
Section: Judiciary
Concept:
- The Supreme Court while dismissing a petition seeking to increase the minimum age of marriage of women from 18 to 21 has said that only Parliament can amend the law to provide a uniform marriage age as it is left to the ultimate wisdom of the Parliament.
- The Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud has held that it should not be perceived that the judiciary is the exclusive custodian of the Constitution as the Parliament is equally the custodian of the Constitution.
- The petitioner sought a legislative amendment to increase the minimum age of marriage to 21 years saying that the prescription of 18 years was arbitrary.
- However, according to the apex court, it is trite law that the court in its exercise of Article 32 of the Constitution cannot issue a mandamus to the Parliament to legislate a matter entrusted to the Parliament or the State Legislatures to exercise power.
Prerogative Writs
- Mandamus is among the “prerogative writs” in English common law — meaning the extraordinary writs or orders granted by the Sovereign when ordinary legal remedies are inadequate.
- These are habeas corpus, mandamus, prohibition, certiorari, and quo warranto.
- In India, the Supreme Court can issue prerogative writs under Article 32 of the Constitution, and the High Courts under Article 226.
Mandamus
- Mandamus literally means ‘we command’. When issued to a person or body, the writ of mandamus demands some activity on their part.
- It orders the person or body to perform a public or quasi-public duty, which they have refused to perform, and where no other adequate legal remedy exists to enforce the performance of that duty.
When is it used?
- The writ cannot be issued unless the legal duty is of public nature, and to whose performance the applicant of the writ has a legal right.
- The remedy is of a discretionary nature — a court can refuse to grant it when an alternative remedy exists.
- However, for enforcing fundamental rights, the alternative remedy argument does not hold as much weight, since it is the duty of the Supreme Court and the High Courts to enforce fundamental rights.
- When a public officer or government does an act that violates the fundamental right of a person, the court would issue a writ of mandamus against such authorities so that the person’s rights are not infringed.
- The writ can also be issued against inferior courts or other judicial bodies when they have refused to exercise their jurisdiction and perform their duty.
Limitations
- Under Article 361, mandamus cannot be granted against the President or Governor of a State, “for the exercise and performance of the powers and duties of his office or for any act done or purporting to be done by him in the exercise and performance of those powers and duties”.
- The writ also cannot be issued against a private individual or body, except where the State is in collusion with the private party for contravening a provision of the Constitution or a statute.
9. UN declares international decade of indigenous languages (2022-32)
Subject : International Relations
Section: Msc
Concept :
- By adopting a resolution on the occasion of closing ceremony of international year of indigenous languages 2019, United Nations declared international decade of indigenous languages beginning from 2022.
- The resolution was based on the recommendations made by the 3rd committee of UNGA (relating to social, humanitarian and cultural issues) led by Ecuador and Bolivia.
- The proclamation of an International Decade is a key outcome of the 2019 International Year of Indigenous Languages, for which the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) lead global efforts.
- The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization ( UNESCO )will serve as the lead agency for the international decade of indigenous languages, as it did for international year, in with the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) and other relevant UN Agencies.
- The International Decade aims at ensuring indigenous peoples’ right to preserve, revitalize and promote their languages, and mainstreaming linguistic diversity and multilingualism aspects into the sustainable development efforts.
10. Centre may notify emission trading scheme by June
Subject : Environment
Section: Climate Change
Concept :
- After the passing of the Energy Conservation (Amendment) Bill last December, the Centre is now in the final stages of notifying an Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) that would require polluting industries to achieve certain standards of energy efficiency and permit them to ‘trade’ these improvements.
What is Emissions Trading?
- Emissions Trading is one of the so-called Kyoto Mechanisms under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
- Emissions trading is a market-based method of pollution control by offering financial incentives for lowering pollutant emissions.
- As a crucial instrument for mitigating climate change, carbon emission trading for CO2 and other greenhouse gases has been implemented in China, the European Union, and other nations.
- In an emissions trading scheme, a central authority or governmental organization allots or sells a finite number of permits that authorize the release of a particular quantity of a particular pollutant over a finite time period.
- Polluters must possess licenses for a quantity equivalent to their emissions.
- If polluters wish to expand their emissions, they must purchase licenses from people who are prepared to do so.
Cap on emission and Tradable allowance
- The two main elements of emissions trading systems are a limit (or cap) on pollution and tradable allowances that are equivalent to the limit and allow holders of the allowances to emit a certain amount of the pollutant.
- This cap makes sure the environmental objective is achieved, and the tradable allowances provide each emissions source the freedom to choose their own course for compliance.
- These initiatives are frequently referred to as “market-based” because permits can be purchased and sold on an allowance market.
11. TRAI to issue consultation paper on digital inclusion
Subject: Polity
Section: National Body ( Statutory)
Context: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) will bring out a consultation paper to further strengthen digital inclusion in the country, and devices, connectivity and literacy will be the three key aspects it will dwell into
Concept:
Digital divide
- Digital divide is a term that refers to the gap between demographics and regions that have access to modern information and communications technology, and those that don’t or have restricted access
- The digital divide typically exists between those in cities and those in rural areas; between the educated and the uneducated; between socioeconomic groups; and, globally, between the more and less industrially developed nations.
- According to CSC e-Governance Services India Ltd, a special purpose vehicle set up by the ministry of electronics and information technology, there has been a 100% surge in data consumption. There is a rural-urban component to the digital divide. Internet density in rural areas accounting for 66% of population is around 25%, while among urban population (34%), internet density is almost 98%.
- According to the Internet and Mobile Association of India, male users account for 67% of India’s online population; women account for just 29%.
About TRAI:
- The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) was established in 1997 by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Act, 1997.
- The head office of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) is located at New Delhi.
- The TRAI consists of a Chairperson, two whole-time members and two part-time members, all of which are appointed by the Government of India.
Functions of TRAI:
- The function of the TRAI is to make recommendations to the central government on matters related to service providers, Revocation of license for non-compliance , Measures to facilitate competition and promote efficiency in the operation of telecommunication services to facilitate their growth etc.
- Laying down the standards of quality of service to be provided by the service providers.
- Timely and officially notifying the rates at which the telecommunication services within India and outside India shall be provided under the TRAI Act, 1997.
- The recommendations of the TRAI are not binding upon the Central Government.
Powers of TRAI:
- It can call upon any service provider to furnish in writing the information or explanation relating to its affairs as the Authority may require.
- The Authority may appoint one or more persons to make an inquiry in relation to the affairs of any service provider.
- It is empowered to direct any of its officers or employees to inspect the books of accounts or other documents of any service provider.
- The Authority shall have the power to issue such directions to service providers as it may consider necessary for proper functioning by service providers.