Daily Prelims Notes 26 October 2023

Daily Prelims Notes

26 October 2023

Table Of Contents

1. NCF sub group suggestion to change India to Bharat not there in final documents
2. Contours of joint theatre commands ready
3. What happens now in Mahua Moitra cash-for-query case
4. SC to Judges to follow roster, taking unassigned cases gross impropriety
5. Russia passes law to withdraw from ratification of nuclear test ban treaty
6. Despite higher taxation, India now second largest crypto market
7. Goa’s green cess comes to haunt metal, mining cos
8. Seed without Borders
9. Soil degradation in India spells doom for millions
10. Why Mumbai is witnessing more poor air quality days
11. The new made-in-India EV charging standard for bikes and scooters: here’s why it matters
12. Brazzaville Summit of the Three Basins needs to find ways to protect world’s tropical forests
13. Action initiated against Kannada filmstars, godmen for wearing tiger claw pendants
14. India won’t meet UN targets to reduce premature mortality from major non-communicable diseases: ICMR-NCDIR
15. The legality of using white phosphorus
16. Nipah virus antibody in bat

1. NCF sub group suggestion to change India to Bharat not there in final documents

Subject: History

Section: Modern India

Context: National Curriculum Framework sub-group suggestion to change ‘India’ to ‘Bharat’ not there in final document

More about the news:

• One of the 25 focus groups formed by the NCERT suggested renaming ‘India’ to ‘Bharat’ in social science textbooks.
• However, the final National Curriculum Framework (NCF) released by the Education Ministry doesn’t mention this change.
• The proposal was made by the social sciences focus group but isn’t confirmed for implementation yet.
• The NCF provides education guidelines, and the NCERT is in the process of drafting new textbooks based on the NCF.

Where does the name ‘Bharat’ come from, in the first place:

• The term “Bharat” has historical roots in Puranic literature and the Mahabharata epic, describing it as the land between the southern sea and the northern abode of snow.
•  It’s associated with an ancient king, Bharata, who was the ancestor of the Rig Vedic tribe and, by extension, all subcontinental people.
• Bharat is the ancient & original name of our country, it was mentioned in Vishnu Puran as well
• Jawaharlal Nehru highlighted the enduring unity of India as Bharata, rooted in a common faith and culture dating back to the remote past.

What was the view of Constituent Assembly:

• In his ‘Discovery of India’, Nehru referred to “India”, “Bharata” and “Hindustan”, but when the question of naming India in the Constitution arose, ‘Hindustan’ was dropped and both ‘Bharat’ and ‘India’ were retained.
• During the Constituent Assembly debates the “Name and territory of the Union” was taken up for discussion on September 17, 1949.
• Right from the time Article 1 was read out as “India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States”, a division arose among the members.
• There were quite a few members who were against the use of the name ‘India’, which they saw as being a reminder of the colonial past.
• HV Kamath suggested that the first article should read, “Bharat, or in the English language, India, shall be…”.
• Hargovind Pant, who represented the hill districts of the United Provinces, made it clear that the people of Northern India “wanted Bharatvarsha and nothing else”.
• None of the suggestions were accepted, illustrating contrasting visions of the budding nation.
• The draft Article 1 of the Constitution – “India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States” – was adopted by the Constituent Assembly on September 18, 1949.
• Apart from Article 1, the Constitution, originally drafted in English does not refer to “Bharat” in any other provision. The Preamble also refers to “We the People of India.”

2. Contours of joint theatre commands ready

Subject : Science and Tech

Section: Defence

Context: The Armed Forces have narrowed down the final contours of the integrated theatre commands

More about the news:

• The Armed Forces in India have made significant progress in defining integrated theatre commands, which aim to combine Army, Navy, and Air Force resources.
• These theatre commands are awaiting government approval and may involve a national defense committee, potentially led by the Defense Minister.
• They aim to enhance jointness among the services and may result in the appointment of a Vice CDS and a Deputy CDS. 
• Three theatre commands focused on Pakistan, China, and maritime threats are in the works, with the possibility of a fourth command for tri-service agencies in the future.
• The structure is nearly final, but human resource matters are still under discussion.
• The HQIDS is expected to come under the CDS, and existing tri-service agencies are also being considered for integration into theatre commands.
• The focus is on promoting jointness in intelligence, logistics, training, and infrastructure, among other areas.
• This represents a significant military reform and has been in discussion for three years. 
• The specific service leadership for each theatre command is yet to be determined, and previous air defense command plans faced objections from the IAF.

Some facts about theatre commands and India:

• The Kargil Review Committee, the Naresh Chandra Committee and the Group of Ministers had called for structural changes in higher defence management.
• It was the Shekatkar committee, which had recommended the creation of the post of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and theatre commands.
• The Inter-Services Organisation (Command, Control and Discipline) Bill, 2023, a key prerequisite for theatre commands, got parliamentary approval in August 2023.
• At present, India has 17 single service commands and only two tri-service commands.
• The 17 single service commands are divided as:
  • Army – 7 commands; Airforce – 7 commands; Navy – 3 commands
• The two tri-service commands are: Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC), and The Strategic Force Command (Handles the nuclear weapons).

3. What happens now in Mahua Moitra cash-for-query case

Subject: Polity

Section: Parliament

How serious is Nishikant Dubey’s accusation:

• An MP asking questions in return for consideration is a serious issue that can undermine the integrity of the parliamentary process.
• If this is established, the matter should be referred to the Privileges Committee, which may recommend that the MP be expelled from the House. This issue is relevant to all countries with a parliamentary system of government.
•  For serious matters, there is either the Privileges Committee or a special committee appointed by the House for that particular purpose.

Was an MP previously accused of granting access to Parliament website to others:

• No. This system has come into existence recently.
• As per the rules of Lok Sabha, a Member has to submit a question in a particular form signed by him or her with their identity number.
• The question can be delivered by someone on the Member’s behalf, but it has to be signed by the Member. 
• The signature is verified and the question is then processed.

Is there a rule that specifically bars Members from giving their Parliament login and password to a third person:

• There is no such rule yet because the practice of online submission of questions is recent.
• The rule should have been amended when online submissions were allowed.

What will happen once the Committee starts its proceedings:

• The Committee will call the persons who are involved, the stakeholders i.e  the person who made the complaint, the people who made statements, filed affidavits  and take their evidence.
• After that, the Committee will certainly call the Member against whom the complaint has been made.
• He/She has the right to cross-examine the complainant.
• He/She can also seek the permission of the Speaker to appear through an advocate, who can cross-examine the other side.

What’s the potential duration for the Committee’s decision and the maximum recommended punishment

• The time a Committee takes depends on the complexity of the case.
• In the normal course, two months’ time can be given, and the Committee can seek an extension if needed.
• Moreover, the Ethics Committee can only recommend suspension.
• The Ethics Committee does not have the mandate to refer the matter to an investigative agency like the CBI or police.

Some facts about Ethics Committee:

• Each of the two Houses of Parliament has an ethics committee. They deal with the members’
• Besides overseeing the moral and ethical conduct of members, ethics committee also prepares a Code of Conduct for members, which are amended from time to time.
• The ethics committee in Lok Sabha has 15 members while in Rajya Sabha has 10 members.
• The members of the Ethics Committee are appointed by the Speaker for a period of one year. 

What is the history of Ethics Committees:

• A Presiding Officers’ Conference held in Delhi in 1996 first mooted the idea of ethics panels for the two Houses.
• Then Vice President K R Narayanan constituted the Ethics Committee of the Upper House on March 4, 1997, and it was inaugurated that May to oversee the moral and ethical conduct of members and examine cases of misconduct referred to it.
• The Rules applicable to the Committee of Privileges also apply to the ethics panel.
• In the case of Lok Sabha, a study group of the House Committee of Privileges, after visiting Australia, the UK, and the US in 1997 to look into practices pertaining to the conduct and ethics of legislators, recommended the constitution of an Ethics Committee, but it could not be taken up by Lok Sabha.
• The Committee of Privileges finally recommended the constitution of an Ethics Committee during the 13th Lok Sabha. 
• The late Speaker, G M C Balayogi, constituted an ad hoc Ethics Committee in 2000, which became a permanent part of the House only in 2015.

Who can file complaint:

• Any person may make a complaint to the Committee regarding alleged unethical behavior or breach of Code of Conduct by a member or alleged incorrect information of a member’s interests.
• The Committee may also take up matters suo moto.

What is the punishment that the committee can give:

• Where it has been found that a member has indulged in unethical behaviour or there is other misconduct or a member has contravened the rules, the Committee may recommend imposition of one or more of the sanctions.
• This may include censure, reprimand, suspension from the House for a specific period or any other sanction determined by the Committee.

4. SC to Judges to follow roster, taking unassigned cases gross impropriety

Subject: Polity

Section: Judiciary

Context: SC asked Judges to follow roster, taking unassigned cases gross impropriety

More about the news:

• The Supreme Court has emphasized the importance of adhering to the roster for assigning cases to judges, stating that judges must follow discipline and should not take up cases unless specifically assigned by the Chief Justice.
• This statement was made during a hearing related to a civil writ petition allowing the clubbing of First Information Reports (FIRs) against some accused.
• The accused had previously filed criminal writ petitions but turned to a civil writ petition to avoid a judge who had not granted interim relief.
• The Supreme Court criticized this as a “gross abuse of the process of law” and described it as “forum hunting.”
• The Court ordered the accused to pay Rs 50,000 to the Rajasthan State Legal Services Authority as a cost and directed that their conduct be brought to the notice of the relevant court handling petitions to quash the FIRs.

What is the roster system:

• Roster is defined as a systematic planner to allocate different tasks to all the members in order to achieve higher efficiency.

5. Russia passes law to withdraw from ratification of nuclear test ban treaty

Subject: IR

Section: International Conventions

Context: Russian parliament’s upper house votes to revoke nuclear test ban treaty ratification

More about the news:

• Russia’s upper house of parliament voted to revoke the country’s ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, originally signed in 1996 and ratified in 2000.
• The move aims to align Russia with the U.S., which signed but never ratified the treaty.
• Russian officials also cited Western support for Ukraine as a reason for this decision.
• It’s important to note that this withdrawal does not signify an immediate return to nuclear weapons testing. Russia would only consider such action if the U.S. resumed testing.
• The decision is seen as a means to pressure Western allies to reconsider their support for Ukraine amidst escalating tensions between Russia and the West.
• Russian officials have previously alluded to the possibility of using nuclear weapons in the context of the Ukraine conflict.

What is Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT):

• The Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) prohibits nuclear test explosions worldwide.
• It was introduced in September 1996, signed by 187 nations, and ratified by 178. 
• However, for it to take full effect, 44 specific nations must ratify it, with eight, including India, China, Pakistan, North Korea, Israel, Iran, Egypt, and the United States, yet to do so. 
• The CTBT establishes a global monitoring network and allows on-site inspections for compliance.
• Since its introduction, nuclear testing has become widely discouraged, with even non-ratifying states like India, Israel, and Pakistan observing moratoriums on nuclear testing.
• While Russia ratified the agreement in 2000, the US is still to do so

How did CTBT come into Being:

• Between 1945 and 1996, more than 2,000 nuclear tests were carried out — 1,032 of them by the United States and 715 of them by the Soviet Union, according to the UN.
• Britain carried out 45 tests, France 210 and China 45.
• The radioactive fallout from those tests drew criticism from around the globe. The international community’s concern about the effects on health and the environment continued to grow.
• As a result, several attempts to curb the explosive tests were made.
• The 1963 Limited Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty (LTBT) was one of the first such attempts.It prohibited nuclear testing in the atmosphere, outer space, and underwater, but underground tests were still permitted.
• A major breakthrough only came after the Cold War ended around 1990 and the disintegration of the Soviet Union.
• As the geopolitical tensions simmered down, the UN took advantage of the situation and adopted the CTBT, which put a blanket ban on the explosive testing of nuclear weapons.

Why has India Refused to Sign the CTBT:

• India’s interest in a nuclear test ban dates back to Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s 1954 call for a halt in nuclear testing between the U.S. and the Soviet Union.
•  However, this was thwarted due to verification concerns.
•  India’s stance on the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) is driven by national security interests, viewing nuclear weapons as a deterrent. 
• Signing the CTBT, it believes, would limit its strategic autonomy and ability to test, while prioritizing equitable global disarmament and national security.

6. Despite higher taxation, India now second largest crypto market

Subject: Economy

Section: Monetary Policy

In News:  India remains among the top in crypto market adoption as per global report.

Key Points:

• Even with 30 per cent tax on gains and TDS (Tax Deducted at Source) at the rate of 1 per cent, India remains among the top crypto markets in the world, a 2023 global report on crypto by Chainalysis says.
• Chainanalysis, a US-based blockchain data platform has come out with its report ‘The 2023 Geography of Cryptocurrency Report.
• According to the report India leads the world in grassroots adaptation as measured by Global Crypto Adoption Index.
• India has also become the second largest crypto market in the world (US is no. 1) by raw estimated transaction volume, beating out several wealthier nations. The report pegged transactions in India at over $260 billion.
• Crypto taxation in India:
  • Indian Tax Administration uses the term ‘Virtual Digital Asset (VDA)’ for cryptocurrency and NFT.
  • Effective from April 1, 2022, any income from transfer of VDAs is taxable at the rate of 30 per cent (plus surcharge and cess).
  • The government also introduced TDS on VDA, with effect from July 1, 2022.
  • Rate would be 1 per cent and would be deducted by any individual/HUF while buying any VDA.
• Challenges to Indian crypto industry:
  • Uneven implementation of TDS is making it more difficult for home-grown Indian exchanges to compete.
  • To escape the high taxation Indian users are moving towards  international exchanges.
• Hence it is recommended that local rules like TDS should be strictly enforced for all exchanges operating in a given country. Doing otherwise can create an environment of regulatory arbitrage that hurts the country’s native crypto industry.
• India should align with the IMF and FSB recommended roadmap that was adopted during G-20.

7. Goa’s green cess comes to haunt metal, mining cos

Subject: Polity

Section: Judiciary

Context:

• Goa and Gujarat are levying ‘green cess’ on steel manufacturing companies.

What is a ‘cess’?

• A cess is a kind of add-on tax the government levies for collecting purpose-specific funds.
• For instance, the education cess on income tax proceeds is used to fund the country’s development of primary, secondary, and higher education facilities.

About ‘Green Cess’:

• A Green cess is a form of tax levied by the government with the purpose of environment conservation.
• The revenue collected through such cess is used to create green energy infrastructure, combating environmental pollution, afforestation and other such purposes which help in conserving the environment.
• The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) had introduced a similar tax called Green Tax / Eco Tax.
• Goa government has enacted “The Goa Cess on Products and substances causing pollution (Green Cess) Act 2013” and levied Green Cess on industries using or transportation of Coal, Coke and other similar substances causing pollution.
• The levy would be 0.5 per cent of the sale value.

Action from companies:

• Companies are already paying the cess on coal and electricity duty.
• Several companies had challenged the cess in Bombay high court, but the High Court upheld the constitutional validity of the Green Cess Act.

Impact of implementing green cess:

• Increase in cost of steel
• Increased import of steel from China
• Can hamper the ‘Make in India’ plan

Source: Business Line

8. Seed without Borders

Subject: Environment

Section: Judiciary

Context:

• A two-day workshop on “Seeds Without Borders” was held in Thimphu, Bhutan.

Details:

• Nine countries from Asia and the Pacific signed an agreement to strengthen the region’s seed sector.

Seed without Borders (SwB):

• SwB is a regional seed policy agreement that speeds up the distribution of modern rice varieties across countries in Asia, particularly in South and Southeast Asia.
• In 2014, the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) facilitated the agreement signed by India, Bangladesh and Nepal.
• Member countries include: India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Fiji (first pacific nation to join it).
• Member countries signed the Thimpu Protocol of Discussion (2022) that would help improve the process of implementation of the previous agreements under Seeds Without Borders.
• Thimphu protocol of Discussion intends to add roots, tuber crops, and fruit crops to the current ones covered by the agreement such as rice and other cereals, pulses, oil seeds, vegetables, sugarcane and fiber crops.
• Donors to the SwB include: The Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the World Bank, the International Fund for Agricultural Development, Syngenta Foundation, Asian Development Bank (ADB), ADBi, and the SAARC Development Fund.

Source: IRRI

9. Soil degradation in India spells doom for millions

Subject: Geography

Section: Physical Geography

Context:

• India is facing massive degradation of soil and if not corrected, it could impact food security and livelihoods of millions.

Details:

• India, with just 2.4% of the world’s land area, has 18% of the world’s population to feed.
• Most states are affected by soil degradation. The worst are Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Restoring damaged soil takes decades.
• Measures like sustainable agriculture, scientific disposal of wastes, reforestation, and strict implementation of pollution laws are likely solutions.
• According to the National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning:
  • 146.8 million hectares, around 30% of the soil in India is degraded.
  • Of this, around 29% is lost to the sea, 61% is transferred from one place to another, and 10% is deposited in reservoirs.
• Positive viewpoint:
  • Despite large-scale soil degradation, food production has increased due to technological inputs, and now India is the second largest producer of farm produce.

How does soil get degraded?

• Overuse of chemical pesticides and fertilisers
• Excess fertilisers increased nitrate in the soil
• Collapse of water table due to excessive farming
• Untreated sewage and industrial waste
• Other causes include: mining, deforestation, overgrazing, monoculture farming, excessive tillage

Soil degradation can be reduced by:

• Improving groundwater levels, regenerating water, making changes in cropping and land use patterns, and involving communities in the conservation and management of soil, Long-term and balanced use of fertiliser.
• Integrated watershed management with the help of check dams, terracing of land, and contour farming as it will decrease runoff, cutting down on crops that need lots of water, building bunds to stop runoff soil during monsoons, and minimum use of pesticides and chemical fertilisers.
• Use of AI to detect crop pests through thermal imaging, AI-powered early warning system for crop pests, spreading awareness about the soil testing laboratories in India

Soil health card scheme:

• Launched by: Department of Agriculture, cooperation and farmer’s welfare.
• Theme: “Swasth Dharaa. Khet Haraa.” – Healthy Earth. Green Farm.
• It is used to assess the current status of soil health and, when used over time, to determine changes in soil health that are affected by land management.
• It displays soil health indicators and associated descriptive terms. The indicators are typically based on farmers’ practical experience and knowledge of local natural resources.
• The card lists soil health indicators that can be assessed without the aid of technical or laboratory equipment.
• It will contain the status of a farm soil with respect to 12 parameters, namely N,P,K (Macro-nutrients); S (Secondary- nutrient); Zn, Fe, Cu, Mn, Bo (Micro – nutrients); and pH, EC, OC (Physical parameters). Based on this, the SHC will also indicate fertilizer recommendations and soil amendment required for the farm.
• Key features:
  • The government is planning to cover as many as all farmers under the scheme.
  • The scheme will cover all the parts of the country.
  • In the form of soil card, the farmers will get a report. and this report will contain all the details about the soil of their particular farm.
  • A farm will get the soil card once every 3 years.

Other initiatives of government for soil conservation:

1. Watershed Development Project in Shifting Cultivation Areas (WDPSCA)
   • The scheme was implemented from the year 1995-96 It is a 100% Central assistance through the Ministry of Agriculture & Co-operation, Government of India.
   • One of the objectives is: Mitigate ill effects of shifting cultivation by introducing appropriate land use as per land capacity and improved technologies.
   • During 2012-13, Government of India did not release any funds for the scheme.
2. Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme (AIBP)
   • Central assistance scheme sponsored by the Ministry of Water Resources
   • Aim: To increase the area under irrigation thereby increasing the productivity of the area and improving the socio-economic condition of the people.
3. Soil & Water Conservation Scheme under RIDF
   • Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF)- NABARD loan- from 2000-2001.
   • Objective: To enhance the productivity of agriculture and its allied activities and in small river valleys, thereby improving the socio-economic set up of the people in the rural areas.
   • The scheme also envisages to promote sustainable development through conservation and management of soil and water.
4. Rashtriya Krishi Vigyan Yojana (RKVY)
   • Implemented by the Department of Agriculture.
   • Focus area is the development of Rainfed Farming Systems in and outside watershed areas as also integrated development of watershed areas, wastelands, river valleys and for activities relating to enhancement of crop production and popularization of micro-irrigation systems.
   • The thrust area is to protect the loss of topsoil, improving soil fertility, enhancing crop production, land and water productivity of watershed areas comprising wastelands, river valleys and the ecosystem as a whole.
5. Development of Nano-urea and nano-DAP by IFFCO to reduce the use of conventional fertilizers in the agricultural field.

Source: Mongabay

10. Why Mumbai is witnessing more poor air quality days

Subject: Geography

Section: Physical Geography

Context:

• Like Delhi, Mumbai is also witnessing the longest spell of poor air quality since the past two years.

Details:

• Mumbai is considered to be immune to air pollution due to its coastal location. Strong sea breezes would blow dust and other suspended particles away, keeping the city’s air relatively clean.
• But, recently the air quality index (AQI) in some parts of Mumbai went beyond 300 (very poor).

Wind patterns:

• Winds usually alternate between moving from the sea towards the land, and moving from the land towards the sea. This cycle repeats every three to four days during winter.
• When the wind is directed towards the sea, the dust particles get swept away. This acts as a natural cleansing mechanism. Sometimes, when the cycle gets temporarily disrupted for some reason, it has an impact on the city’s air quality.
• Climatic events like La-Nina disrupted these cycles last year.
  • La Nina is a condition in which the sea surface temperatures in the eastern Pacific Ocean become cooler than normal. This large-scale phenomenon influences weather events across the world, and has a wide variety of impacts.
• Cause of pollution this year:
  • Winds in Mumbai were relatively calmer as the monsoon retreated from the city.
  • The city’s temperature soared to a four-year high for October. That created a big temperature gradient between the city and the nearby hilly regions in the Sahyadri ranges. As a result, winds from these areas began moving towards Mumbai, picking up dust from the major construction projects being carried out in Navi Mumbai and surrounding areas.
  • Unfavorable local weather conditions are certainly not the cause of bad air quality in Mumbai. The problem is the increasing number of sources of pollutants. 

System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR):

• Initiative of: Ministry of Earth Science, Govt. of India.
• Operated by: Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune
• SAFAR envisages a research based management system where strategies of air pollution mitigation go hand in hand with a nation’s economic development to target a win-win scenario.
• Air Quality Index of SAFAR:
  • There are six AQI categories, namely Good + Satisfactory, Moderately polluted, Poor, Very  Poor,  and  Severe. 
  • Each  of  these  categories  is  decided  based  on  ambient concentration values of air pollutants and their likely health impacts (known as health breakpoints).
  • AQ sub-index and health breakpoints are evolved for eight pollutants (PM10, PM2.5, NO2, SO2, CO, O3, NH3, and Pb) for which short-term (upto 24-hours)
  • National Ambient Air Quality Standards are prescribed.

Source: IE

11. The new made-in-India EV charging standard for bikes and scooters: here’s why it matters

Subject: Science and Tech

Section: Msc

Context:

• The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has approved an indigenously developed AC and DC combined charging connector standard {ISI7017 (Part 2 / Sec 7): 2023} for light electric vehicles (LEVs) such as scooters, bikes, and rickshaws.

About the new standard- ISI7017 (Part 2 / Sec 7): 2023:

• Developed by: NITI Aayog, the Department of Science and Technology, electric two-wheeler maker Ather Energy, and various other government and industry stakeholders.
• It is the first in the world that combines alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC) for LEVs. Combined AC and DC charging standards for electric four-wheelers are already in use around the world.

Why is a national standard needed for India?

• EV makers in India are not mandated to follow a specific standard for charging connectors, thus different automakers use different charging connectors for their vehicles.
  • Example: Ola’s proprietary Hyperchargers are designed for charging Ola Electric scooters only. Ather Energy’s open source charging standard is used by its own scooters and by Hero Vida V1 e-scooters.
• Too many charging standards for EVs makes it difficult for public charging stations to cater to each individual type, thus adding to range anxiety — the fear that the vehicle would run out of charge, and there will be nowhere to recharge it.
• Even now the new standard does not mandate EV makers to use a uniform standard that can help address range anxiety and promote faster adoption of EVs.

What is the situation in other countries around the world?

• CHINA:  World’s largest electric car market in terms of both sales and vehicles on the road, uses a national standard for EV charging connectors that is called GB/T.
• UNITED STATES: The US does not have a national standard as of now.
• EUROPE: In Europe, CCS is the predominant charging connector standard, and is also a European Union (EU) requirement for EV charging networks.
• JAPAN: Charging standard is called CHAdeMO, a charging standard developed in 2010.

Source: IE

12. Brazzaville Summit of the Three Basins needs to find ways to protect world’s tropical forests

Subject: Environment

Section: International conventions

Context:

• The Three Basins Threat Report: Fossil Fuel, Mining, and Industrial Expansion Threats to Forests and Communities, published by Earth Insight and other non-profits, documents the challenges that the world’s remaining tropical forest basins face.

Summit of three basins:

• The first Summit of the Three Tropical Forest Basins was held in Brazzaville in 2011 and resulted in the Declaration of the Summit of the Three Tropical Forest Basins, which recognised the need to establish a platform to promote cooperation among the countries of the three basins.
• A Summit of Three basins is going to be held at Brazzaville, Republic of Congo.
• Aim: To strengthen South-South governance for three ecosystems — Amazon, Congo, Borneo-Mekong and Southeast Asia.
• Large parts of tropical forests in these areas remain threatened by fossil fuel, mining and extractive industry expansion.
• These basins are moving towards a systemic ecosystem breakdown that affects global climate stability, biodiversity and the livelihoods of millions of indigenous peoples and local communities.

Threat from oil and gas extraction in these ecosystems:

• In Indonesia, half of all nickel concessions overlap with natural forests.
• In the Amazon basin, nearly 13 percent of undisturbed tropical forests overlap with existing or planned oil and gas blocks and more than 33 percent overlap with active and inactive mining concessions.
• In the Congo basin, more than 39 per cent of undisturbed Tropical Moist Forests overlap with oil and gas blocks and nearly 27 percent overlap with mining concessions. It is a threat to the Indigenous pygmy and other rare and threatened peoples.
• In Southeast Asia, nearly 20 percent of undisturbed Tropical Moist Forests are in oil and gas blocks designated for production or exploration.

Source: DownToEarth

13. Action initiated against Kannada filmstars, godmen for wearing tiger claw pendants

Subject: Environment

Section: Environmental legislation

Context:

• Authorities in Karnataka have initiated action against four Kannada film actors and two self-proclaimed godmen who have openly flouted the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 by wearing tiger claw lockets around their necks.

Details:

• Following the directions, the Principal Chief Conservator of Forest has passed orders to take action against the violators.
• Harvesting body parts of a tiger or any wild animal for vanity, whether from the carcass of the animal or hunting it for wildlife trade, is treated equally under the law.
• The investigating agencies must trace out the incidences of hunting wildlife for commercial gains, harvesting the body parts of the wild animals, processing them, transporting them, and trading them.

Section 39 of WPA 1972:

• Any person who obtains, by any means, the possession of Government property (including wildlife or any part of it), shall, within forty-eight hours from obtaining such possession, make a report as to the obtaining of such possession to the nearest police station or the authorised officer and shall, if so required, hand over such property to the officer-in-charge of such police station or such authorised officer, as the case may be.
• No person shall, without the previous permission in writing of the Chief WildLife Warden or the authorised officer–
  • acquire or keep in his possession, custody or control, or
  • transfer to any person, whether by way of gift, sale or otherwise, or
  • destroy or damage, such Government property.
• The imprisonment can be three years minimum, extendable up to seven years, and a fine of Rs 25,000.
• If body parts like pelts, claws, or, for that matter, even a single strand or hair is harvested from the carcass of an animal or from an animal hunted down for harvesting of body parts, the amount of fine levied is similar.
• The burden of proof falls on the defendant and not the prosecution. The defendant has to prove that s/he is not in possession of a wildlife item.

For details of Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2021: https://optimizeias.com/wildlife-protection-amendment-act-2021-2/

Source: DownToEarth

14. India won’t meet UN targets to reduce premature mortality from major non-communicable diseases: ICMR-NCDIR

Subject: Science and Tech

Section: Health

Context:

• India will likely miss reaching targets set by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations-mandated Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) to reduce premature deaths from four major Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD), according to an analysis by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

Details:

• The assessment was conducted by the ICMR’s National Centre for Disease Informatics and Research (NCDIR) in Bengaluru.
• Method used for assessment: The publicly available data from the census for population and the Sample Registration System (SRS) for cause of death by 5-year-age groups were extracted. Age-standardized premature mortality rates, unconditional probability of dying, and annual percent change (APC) were computed.
• The WHO has defined the unconditional probability of dying (UPoD) from the four NCDs between the ages of 30 and 69 as the progress indicator for monitoring the reduction in premature mortality.
• Four of 10 NCD deaths are premature and occur before the age of 70. The majority of these premature deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries, resulting in productivity loss and economic impact.

Findings of the assessment:

• UPoD was higher among males, particularly around the age of 44, owing to risk factors such as tobacco use and alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, overweight/obesity, inappropriate diet (including high salt intake), and high systolic blood pressure.
• NCDs account for 66 per cent of all deaths in India, of which 22 per cent were premature deaths in 2019.
• The premature mortality rate for four major non-communicable diseases (NCD) namely cancer, cardiovascular disease (CVD), chronic respiratory diseases (CRD), and diabetes, is projected to decrease by 13.9 percent from 2010 to 2025 in India.
  • WHO target is a 25 per cent reduction in premature mortality rate of these NCDs.
  • SDG target: Reduce it to a third from 2015 to 2030.
  • The target of 25 per cent (WHO) and 33 per cent (SDG) could possibly be reached by 2039 and 2053 in India.
• Lower and middle-income countries are reducing NCDs at a higher rate at 25.1 per cent.
• Other countries’ previous reduction rates include Moldova (25 percent), Peru (23.2 percent among women), China (38.7 per cent), and Sweden (26.6 per cent).

Surveillance programme for NCDs in India:

• National Program for Noncommunicable Diseases, the National Tobacco Control Program, the Eat Right India movement, the National Health Policy of 2017, and the National multi-sectoral action plan for prevention and control of Common NCDs 2017-2022.

Source: DownToEarth

15. The legality of using white phosphorus

Subject: IR

Section: International Conventions

Context:

Human Rights Watch recently accused Israel of using white phosphorus munitions in Gaza, raising concerns about the potential risks posed to civilians.

About White Phosphorus:

• It is a pyrophoric that ignites when exposed to oxygen, producing thick, light smoke alongside an intense 815-degree Celsius heat (Pyrophoric substances: These are those substances which ignites very quickly i.e., under five minutes when in contact with air).
• It serves as a crucial element in creating dense smoke screens during combat, obstructing visibility and providing cover for military maneuvers.
• Uses: Used in Incendiary devices like grenades and artillery shells.
• Global Status: Under the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals, the internationally agreed-upon system to standardize chemical hazard classification and communication, white phosphorus falls under “Pyrophoric solids, category 1”, which includes chemicals that catch fire “spontaneously” when exposed to air. It is among the most unstable of pyrophoric substances.
• However, ethical concerns come to the forefront when considering the use of white phosphorus in densely populated areas. Its potential to cause severe burns and prolonged suffering necessitates a closer examination.
• The Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) places restrictions on incendiary weapons like white phosphorus, aiming to safeguard civilians.

International Humanitarian Law:

• White phosphorus usage falls under the purview of international humanitarian law, which seeks to minimize harm to both civilians and combatants during armed conflicts.
• Central to this body of law are the principles of distinction and proportionality. Distinction mandates the differentiation between combatants and civilians, while proportionality ensures that military actions do not result in excessive harm to civilians in comparison to the military advantage sought.
• Moreover, international humanitarian law explicitly prohibits indiscriminate attacks that may disproportionately harm civilians and their property.

Protocol III and Incendiary Weapons:

• Protocol III under the CCW provides a specific framework for incendiary weapons. It defines an “incendiary weapon” as an armament primarily designed to set fire to objects or inflict burn injuries on individuals through the action of flame, heat, or a combination thereof, produced by a chemical reaction of a substance delivered on the target.
• This definition includes an exemption for munitions that may cause unintended incendiary effects, like illuminants, tracers, smoke, or signaling systems.
• White phosphorus munitions are primarily intended for producing illuminating and smokescreen effects, with the incendiary aspects being secondary or unintentional.
• Consequently, they fall within the exceptions outlined in Protocol III’s definition of an “incendiary weapon.”

Way Forward:

• The legal implications of employing white phosphorus in warfare underscore the importance of upholding international law, treaties, and protocols to reduce harm to both civilians and the environment. Breaches of these legal principles can lead to global condemnation, investigations, and potential prosecution for war crimes.
• Strengthening Protocol III offers a binding agreement for states, preventing the exploitation of legal ambiguities. Clearer rules would facilitate enforcement, making violations more easily identifiable.

Conclusion:

The controversy surrounding white phosphorus munitions highlights the multifaceted nature of armed conflicts, where military necessity often clashes with the imperative to protect civilians and the environment. Resolving this issue requires a concerted effort to reinforce international legal frameworks, ensuring that the use of such substances is well-regulated and in compliance with humanitarian principles. Ultimately, upholding these laws is not just a matter of legal obligation but a moral duty to safeguard human rights and the world we live in.

16. Nipah virus antibody in bat

Subject : Science and Tech

Section: Health

Context:

Kerala will intensify the disease surveillance activities and maintain vigil against Nipah as Nipah virus antibodies have been detected in bats in Wayanad as well in Indian Council of Medical Research’s bat surveillance studies.

About Nipah virus (NiV):

• It is a zoonotic virus (it is transmitted from animals to humans).
• The organism which causes Nipah Virus encephalitis is an RNA or Ribonucleic acid virus of the family Paramyxoviridae, genus Henipavirus, and is closely related to Hendra virus.
• Hendra virus (HeV) infection is a rare emerging zoonosis that causes severe and often fatal disease in both infected horses and humans.
• It first broke out in Malaysia and Singapore in 1998 and 1999.
• It first appeared in domestic pigs and has been found among several species of domestic animals including dogs, cats, goats, horses and sheep.

Transmission:

• The disease spreads through fruit bats or ‘flying foxes,’ of the genus Pteropus, who are natural reservoir hosts of the Nipah and Hendra viruses.
• The virus is present in bat urine and potentially, bat faeces, saliva, and birthing fluids.

Symptoms:

• The human infection presents as an encephalitic syndrome marked by fever, headache, drowsiness, disorientation, mental confusion, coma, and potentially death.

Prevention:

Currently, there are no vaccines for both humans and animals. Intensive supportive care is given to humans infected by Nipah virus.