Daily Prelims Notes 5 October 2023

Daily Prelims Notes

5 October 2023

Table Of Contents

1. At least seven dead as glacial lake bursts in Sikkim
2. BlueWalker 3 satellite outshines most stars in the night sky
3. This newly discovered fish can change its colour like a chameleon
4. Even platypuses aren’t safe from bushfires — a new DNA study tracks their disappearance
5. RBI sets working group on ECL provisioning
6. BIS designs bitcoin monitor
7. MoD releases 5th positive indigenisation list to give more exposure to domestic industry
8. Nobel Prize in Chemistry for 2023
9. Why the Peace Nobel is awarded in Norway while other in Sweden
10. ED can redact sensitive portion from documents, recording ground for arrest’
11. Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)
12. US House speaker ousted after historic vote

1. At least seven dead as glacial lake bursts in Sikkim

Subject :Geography

Section: Physical geography

Context:

• The flash floods are believed to have been triggered after a lake, formed from the gradual melting of a Himalayan glacier, suddenly overflowed and inundated the Teesta river basin.

Details:

• Cause of flash flood: The South Lhonak lake in northern Sikkim burst and led to the collapse of Chungthang dam.
• Areas impacted: Mangan, Gangtok, Pakyong, and Namchi.
• The Himalayas are estimated to have about 7,500 lakes, of which nearly 10% are in Sikkim.
• The Teesta 3 hydropower project is operated by Sikkim Urja, which is 60% owned by the Sikkim government.
• The Lhonak lake overflow is reminiscent of the 2021 deluge that resulted from an avalanche involving the Nanda Devi glacier in the Himalayas that flooded the Rishiganga river in Uttarakhand and washed away at least two hydroelectric power projects — the 13.2 MW Rishiganga hydroelectric power project, and the Tapovan project on the Dhauliganga river, a tributary of the Alakananda.

Lhonak lake:

• South Lhonak Lake is a glacial-moraine-dammed lake, located in Sikkim’s far northwestern region.
• It is one of the fastest expanding lakes in the Sikkim Himalaya region, and one of the 14 potentially dangerous lakes susceptible to Glacial lake outburst flood (GLOFs).

Scientists’ warnings:

• Scientists at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bengaluru and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), through multiple studies in 2013 and 2019, have warned that the South Lhonak lake was “potentially hazardous” and cautioned the authorities to keep an eye on it as it was expanding “dangerously.”
• Lhonak has grown nearly 1.5 times and South Lhonak nearly 2.5 times their initial size in 1989.
• An earthquake of magnitude 4.9 on Sept 21, 1991 (as reported by United States Geological Survey) near the parent glacier feeding the South Lhonak Lake and the recent earthquake (magnitude 6.9) of Sept 18, 2011 approximately 70 km from the lakes and future earthquakes may trigger the GLOF events.

Glocal lake outburst flow (GLOF):

• A glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) is a type of outburst flood caused by the failure of a dam containing a glacial lake. An event similar to a GLOF, where a body of water contained by a glacier melts or overflows the glacier, is called a jökulhlaup.
• The dam can consist of glacier ice or a terminal moraine. Failure can happen due to erosion, a buildup of water pressure, an avalanche of rock or heavy snow, an earthquake or cryoseism, volcanic eruptions under the ice, or massive displacement of water in a glacial lake when a large portion of an adjacent glacier collapses into it.
• Example: GLOF at Chorabari Tal glacial lake that led to kedarnath flooding in 2013.

Causes of GLOF:

• Increasing glacial melting because of climate change, alongside other environmental effects of climate change (i.e permafrost melting) mean that regions with glaciers are likely to see increased flooding risks from GLOFs. This is especially true in the Himalayas where geologies are more active.
• GLOF can be triggered by several reasons, including earthquakes, extremely heavy rains and ice avalanches.

Regions vulnerable to GLOF:

• A 2023 study found 15 million people at risk from this hazard, mostly in China, India, Pakistan, and Peru.
• Glacial lake outburst floods (GLOF), as such events are called, are a major concern in Bhutan, Tibet, India, Nepal, and Pakistan.
• The IISc study had recommended measures like early warning systems and mitigation measures to be put in place in potential GLOF areas.

Teesta river:

• Teesta River is a 414 km (257 mi) long river that rises in the Pauhunri Mountain of eastern Himalayas, flows through the Indian states of Sikkim and West Bengal and subsequently enters Bangladesh through Rangpur division.
• In Bangladesh, it falls into Brahmaputra River which after meeting some other major rivers of Bengal delta finally falls into the Bay of Bengal.
• In India, it flows through Mangan District, Gangtok District, Pakyong District, Kalimpong district, Darjeeling District, Jalpaiguri District, Cooch Behar districts and the cities of Rangpo, Jalpaiguri and Mekhliganj.
• It joins the Brahmaputra River at Phulchhari Upazila in Bangladesh.
• 305 km (190 mi) of the river lies in India and 109 km (68 mi) in Bangladesh.
• Teesta is the largest river of Sikkim and second largest river of West Bengal after the Ganges.

2. BlueWalker 3 satellite outshines most stars in the night sky

Subject : Science and technology

Section: Space tech

Context:

• An international team of scientists, including those from Imperial College London, have published a paper in Nature journal, detailing the impact of the prototype BlueWalker 3 satellite on astronomy.

BlueWalker3 satellite:

• The BlueWalker 3 is a prototype satellite, part of a satellite constellation planned by its owner AST SpaceMobile, intended to deliver mobile or broadband services anywhere in the world.
• BlueWalker 3 is AST SpaceMobile’s prototype satellite and is designed to operate directly with standard, unmodified mobile devices. The spacecraft was built with an aperture of 693 square feet to establish connectivity directly with cell phones via 3GPP-standard frequencies.

Why is it a cause of concern?

• Finding: Observations of the BlueWalker 3 showed it was one of the brightest objects in the night sky, outshining all but the brightest stars.
• Concern:
  • Potential to disrupt night sky observations by astronomers. And mitigating against the brightness is difficult beyond masking their position and losing data for that portion of the sky.
    • The night sky is a unique laboratory that allows scientists to conduct experiments that cannot be done in terrestrial laboratories.
  • Because the BlueWalker 3 uses wavelengths close to those that radio telescopes observe in, the satellite could also hamper radio astronomy.

3. This newly discovered fish can change its colour like a chameleon

Subject : Environment

Section: Species in news

Context:

• Scientists have recently discovered a new fish species from the Milak river, Nagaland.

Details about the fish species:

• The newly discovered species Badis limaakumi has been named after Limaakum, assistant professor and head of the zoology department at Fazl Ali College, Nagaland.
• Discovered in Nagaland’s Mokokchung district.
  • Limaakum found the fish during the project Integrated Taxonomic Studies on The Fishes Found in The Rivers of Nagaland.
• It belongs to the family of Badidae, a small freshwater fish found in streams with slow or moderate water flow.
• The fish has a rapid colour-changing ability.
• Fourteen species of Badis — six from the Brahmaputra in West Bengal and B. badis found in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan; seven species from Brahmaputra and Kaladan river and one species B. britzi from Sharavati river of the Western Ghats — were already been identified. The new fish species adds the number to 15.
• Fish from the Badis family are known as chameleon fish for their ability to change colour. This helps them blend with the surroundings when under stress.

Milak river:

• Milak River is situated in Mokokchung district in Nagaland, India. The nearest town to this river is Naga Town and it has been located 40 kms south towards Tuli. Langpangkong Range rises from above the Melak plains and is effectively marked by the gentle and rolling plains. Tuli is one of the most populous towns that are located near to this river in Mokokchung district in Nagaland. Main tributary of the Milak river is Tsurong.
• Doyang river is the longest and the biggest river of Nagaland.

Source: DownToEarth

4. Even platypuses aren’t safe from bushfires — a new DNA study tracks their disappearance

Subject : Environment

Section: Species in news

Context:

• Platypuses are disappearing from waterways after bushfires in Australia.

An evolutionary masterpiece- Platypus:

• They are a species of monotremes but lay eggs.
• They’re one of only five species of mammals that lays egg — the other four are echidnas.
• They have webbed feet for swimming. And they have electroreceptors in their bills to help them find food in rivers and streams.
• They are endemic to eastern Australia, including Tasmania.
• It is one of the few species of venomous mammals, as the male platypus has a spur on the hind foot that delivers a venom, capable of causing severe pain to humans.

Impact of bushfire on aquatic animals:

• Research shows aquatic invertebrates (animals with no backbones) and fish can be harmed by bushfire, especially when rain follows fire.
• Bushfires burn and kill the vegetation that stabilizes the soil around rivers or streams. When rain follows fire, a lot of ash, soil and other debris can be washed into waterways. The water chemistry might change or there might be big increases in sediment, which makes the river or stream inhospitable for invertebrates and fish.
• As platypuses feed on aquatic invertebrates such as yabbies, these flow on effects of fire could also impact them.

environmental DNA:

• Just as people leave traces behind as they move through the environment (such as fingerprints, hair and skin cells), so do animals. These traces contain genetic material that can be analysed to identify the likely source. These are known as the ‘Environmental DNA’.

Source: DownToEarth

5. RBI sets working group on ECL provisioning

Subject : Economy

Section: Monetary Policy

In News: RBI has constituted an external working group on expected credit loss (ECL) based framework for provisioning by banks.

Key Points:

• RBI released a discussion paper in January this year on shifting from the incurred-loss approach to the ECL model, a transition aimed at making the banking system more resilient.
• working group chaired by R. Narayanaswamy, former professor of IIM Bangalore, will have domain experts from academia and industry as also representatives from select banks

What is the ECL model?

• ECL model proposed by the regulator, where banks have to recognize stress much earlier, is in contrast to the existing regime where banks make provisions after incurring losses.

Working group’s focus:

• The group’s terms of reference will include laying down the principles for banks while designing the credit risk models to be used for assessing and measuring expected credit losses.
• It will also recommend factors that banks should consider for determination of credit risk based on the guidance provided in IFRS 9 and principles laid out by BCBS.

What will be the impact of ECL framework implementation on banking sector?

• Analysts’ estimates peg the impact of ECL on the core capital of banks at 200 basis points (bps). The current core capital —common equity tier 1 capital —of 46 banks stood at 13.7% on 31 March

6. BIS designs bitcoin monitor

Subject : Economy

Section: Monetary Policy

In News: BIS has come up with a Bitcoin monitoring system aimed at giving authorities a clearer picture on how, when and where the cryptocurrency is used.

Key Points:

• Bank for International Settlements (BIS) project, codenamed Atlas, began at the Dutch central bank more than five years ago.
•  Atlas created a “proof of concept” platform that sucks data from both publicly availa-ble “on-chain” crypto ledger as well as harder to source “off-chain” data reported by onlysome exchanges and users.
• That information then provides a rough picture of cryp-tocurrency activity, although as crypto wallets can be set up anonymously and without the owner specifying location, it is not necessarily precise.
• An initial analysis of data collected by the platform indi-cates that cross-border flows are substantial in economic terms and unevenly distributed across geographical Regions
• BIS’ ‘innovation hub prototype produces “dash-boards” that show information such as how many bitcoin are being converted into US dollars at certain times in certain parts of the world.
• They can also provide an insight into the adoption and relative importance of crypto markets as they rise or fall in popularity.
• Cross-border crypto flows are particularly relevant for central banks in the context of cross-border payments, economic analysis and balance of payments statistics, the BIS said.
• They may represent a sig-nificant part of cross-border transfers for some countries that is hard to quantify because of the current gaps in data.
• Central banks need to gain first-hand knowledge of crypto and DeFi and the risks and opportunities they present to the financial system

7. MoD releases 5th positive indigenisation list to give more exposure to domestic industry

Subject : Economy

Section: Msc

In News: Ministry of Defence (MoD) on releases the fifth Positive Indigenisation list of 98 items at plenary session of ‘Swavlamban 2.0’.

Key Points:

• Ministry of Defence (MoD) releases the fifth Positive Indigenisation list of 98 items, such as certain categories of combat vehicles and drones, sensors, weapons and ammunitions, to give more exposure to domestic industry and reduce dependence on imports of the military hardware.
• Highly complex systems, sensors, weapons and ammunition have been included in the list. All these items will be procured from indigenous sources as per provisions given in Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020 in staggered timeline.
• Announcement was made at the plenary session of ‘Swavlamban 2.0’, the two-day seminar of Naval Innovation and Indigenisation Organisation (NIIO)
• The list has been prepared by the Department of Military Affairs, lays special focus on import substitution of components of major systems which are being developed and is likely to translate into firm orders in the next five to ten years.
• Other announcements:
  • Defence Minister also launched 76 challenges for the industry under 10th Defence India Start-up Challenges (DISC 10) and DISC 10 PRIME
  • Under the Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) five problem statements were announced.
  • In addition, two INDUS X challenges under ‘INDUS-X Mutual Promotion of Advanced Collaborative Technologies’ (IMPACT) challenges jointly finalised by iDEX and United States Department of Defense (US DoD) were also launched by Rajnath Singh. He also released the Indian Navy’s updated Indigenisation Roadmap ‘Swavlamban 2.0’.
  • Defence Minister also launched SBI NAVeCash Card – a one-of-its-kind dual-chip debit card developed by the State Bank of India (SBI) and the Indian Navy. The card can be used in online mode (as a regular debit card) as well as in offline mode while at sea with no direct connectivity with the bank

8. Nobel Prize in Chemistry for 2023

Subject :Science and technology

Section: Msc

Context: The Nobel Prize in Chemistry for 2023 has been conferred upon Moungi G. Bawendi, Louis E. Brus, and Alexei I. Ekimov for their groundbreaking work on quantum dots.

Contributions of Nobel Laureates

• Louis E. Brus and Alexei I. Ekimov, in the early 1980s, independently created quantum dots, demonstrating the significance of quantum effects in nanoparticle behavior.
• Moungi G. Bawendi revolutionized quantum dot manufacturing methods in 1993, ensuring high-quality production, a crucial requirement for nanotechnology applications.

About Quantum Dots

• Quantum dots are nanoparticles with unique properties, whose characteristics are governed by quantum effects.
• They emit clear light and are used in television screens, LED lamps, and medical applications.
• Their applications range from catalyzing chemical reactions to illuminating tumor tissue for surgical procedures.

Applications Of Q-Dots

• Quantum dots are considered to bring significant benefits to humankind, with their potential applications still being explored.
• These tiny particles could revolutionize fields such as electronics, healthcare, and quantum communication.
• Quantum dots are now an essential tool in the field of nanotechnology.
• They have been instrumental in creating colored light and are envisioned to play a role in flexible electronics, sensors, thin solar cells, and encrypted quantum communication.
• QLED TVs are capable of emitting all colours depending on their size. Thus QLED TVs provide high-definition, brighter and more colorful displays.
• Quantum dots exhibit specific opto-electronic properties. They can be used for fluorescence imaging where quantum dots are injected in the body which when encounters a cancer cell attaches to it. When you shine a light of certain frequency it lights up and doctors can exactly target these cells.
• Q-dots are used in solar cells with higher efficiency.
• In bio-sensors, Q-dot sensors can detect the presence of pathogens in food or water, or monitor the levels of pollutants in the environment.
• In biomedical imaging, Q-dot can revolutionise fluorescence imaging, MRI, and CT scans with its high sensitivity.

9. Why the Peace Nobel is awarded in Norway while other in Sweden

Subject: IR

Section: Awards

Why its given in Norway:

• The Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded by a Norwegian committee, appointed by the Norwegian Parliament, since 1901. 
• Alfred Nobel’s reasons for this choice are speculative, possibly rooted in admiration for Norwegian figures or concerns about political influence
• Some Nobel Historians believe that the Sweden history of militarism may have been one of the reasons.Moreover Sweden and Norway were a union which Norway joined reluctantly after Sweden invaded the country in 1814.

More details about Nobel Prize:

• The Nobel Prize was set up when businessman and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel died and left the majority of his fortune to the establishment of prizes in physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature, and peace
• The Nobel Prizes are awarded annually in six categories: Peace, Literature, Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, and Economic Sciences.
• The Economic Sciences category was added later in 1968 and is officially known as the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel.
• The first Prizes were awarded in 1901 
• The Nobel Peace Prize is awarded in Oslo, Norway, while the others are awarded in Stockholm, Sweden.
• The Nobel Prize consists of a Nobel Medal and Diploma, and a document confirming the prize amount
• The Nobel Prize cannot be given posthumously and it cannot be shared between more than three people.
• One cannot nominate himself/herself for a Nobel Prize.

Some details about the Nobel Foundation:

• The Nobel Foundation, a private institution established in 1900, has ultimate responsibility for fulfilling the intentions of Alfred Nobel’s will.
• They also ensure that the prize-awarding institutions are guaranteed independence in their work of selecting recipients.
• The Foundation is also tasked with strengthening the Prize’s position by administering and developing the brands and intangible assets that have been built up during the Nobel history, which spans more than 100 years.
• The Nobel Foundation also strives to safeguard the prize-awarding institutions’ common interests.

How are the Nobel Prize laureates selected:

What are the institutions that choose winners:

• The Nobel Committees of the prize-awarding institutions are responsible for the selection of the candidates, the institutions being:
  • Nobel Prize in Physics, Nobel Prize in Chemistry: The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
  • Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine: The Karolinska Institutet
  • Nobel Prize in Literature: The Swedish Academy
  • Nobel Peace Prize: A five-member Committee elected by the Norwegian Parliament (Storting)
  • Prize in Economic Sciences: The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences

Who are the Indians (or individuals of Indian origin) who have been honoured with the Nobel:

• Rabindranath Tagore (Literature, 1913),
• C V Raman (Physics, 1930)
• Hargobind Khorana (Medicine, 1968)
• Mother Teresa (Peace, 1979)
• Subramanian Chandrashekhar (Physics, 1983),
• The Dalai Lama (Peace, 1989)
• Amartya Sen (Economics, 1998)
• Venkatraman Ramakrishnan (2009)
• Kailash Satyarthi (Peace, 2014).

10. ED can redact sensitive portion from documents, recording ground for arrest’

Subject: Polity

Section: National organisation

Context: SC has ruled that the agency must furnish the grounds of arrest in writing to the accused at the time of arrest.

More about the news:

• The Supreme Court, in a ruling on October 3, directed the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to provide written grounds of arrest to accused individuals, allowing redaction of sensitive information to protect investigations. 
• It emphasized that the ED should not label non-confessional responses during interrogation as ‘evasive.’
• The decision aimed to ensure fairness, legal counsel access, and compliance with constitutional rights, countering varying practices by ED officers across the country.
• The judgment highlighted the importance of written arrest grounds and cautioned against expecting confessions during custodial interrogations.

Some facts Enforcement Directorate:

• It is a Multi-Disciplinary Organization mandated with the task of enforcing the provisions of two special fiscal laws – Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (FEMA) and Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA). 
• The origin of this Directorate goes back to 1st May, 1956, when an‘Enforcement Unit’was formed, in Department of Economic Affairs, for handling Exchange Control Laws violations under Foreign Exchange Regulation Act, 1947 .
• In the year 1957, this Unit was renamed as ‘Enforcement Directorate’.
• The administrative control of the Directorate was transferred from Department of Economic Affairs toDepartment of Revenue in 1960.
• The Directorate enforces two laws;
  • FEMA, a Civil Law having quasi-judicial powers, for investigating suspected contraventions of the Exchange Control Laws and Regulations with the powers to impose penalties on those adjudged guilty.
  • PMLA, a Criminal Law, whereby the Officers are empowered to conduct enquiries to locate, provisionally attach/confiscate assets derived from acts of Schedules Offenses besides arresting and prosecuting the Money Launderers.
• The ED has its headquarters in New Delhi and has many regional offices all over the country.
• Composition– Besides directly recruiting personnel, the Directorate also draws officers from different Investigating Agencies, viz., Customs & Central Excise, Income Tax, Police, etc. on deputation.
• It is headed by the Director of Enforcement, who is an IRS officer Other functions:

What is ED’s Jurisdiction:

• Both FEMA or PMLA apply to the whole of India. So, the ED can take action against any person on which this act applies.
• Cases under FEMA may lie in civil courts where PMLA cases will lie in criminal courts.
• The agency has jurisdiction over a person or any other legal entity who commits a crime.
• All the public servants come under the jurisdiction of the agency if they are involved in any offence related to money laundering.
• ED can not take an action suo motu. One has to complain to any other agency or Police first and then ED will investigate the matter and will identify the accused.
• The ED will investigate the matter and may attach the property of an accused person and also make an arrest and start proceeding with the violation of the provisions of FEMA and PMLA act.
• The matter will be resolved by way of adjudication by courts or PMLA courts.

11. Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)

Subject: IR

Section: Grouping

Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS):

• The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) is an intergovernmental organization formed in 1991 by former Soviet Union nations.
• It promotes cooperation in various domains, including politics, economics, environment, humanitarian, culture, and more.
• Founding members comprise Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine, with other Soviet republics joining later after signing the Alma-Ata Protocol.
• Now, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) has the following countries as its members:
• 3 Founding members: Russia, Belarus & Ukraine
• 9 other members: Armenia, Kazakhstan, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Moldova and Kyrgyzstan.
• Headquarters of the CIS is in Minsk, Belarus
• Meetings are held periodically on a rotating basis at the CIS countries’ capitals.

12. US House speaker ousted after historic vote

Subject: Polity

Section: Parliament

Context:Kevin McCarthy becomes the first Speaker ever to be ousted from the Office

More about the news:

• A faction of Republicans in the US House of Representatives removed Speaker Kevin McCarthy, marking the first-ever such removal in House history.
• The move follows McCarthy’s reliance on Democratic votes to avoid a government shutdown.
•  Matt Gaetz, a far-right Republican, led the rebellion against McCarthy.
• The House faces uncertainty as it seeks a new speaker, and legislative activity comes to a halt.
• Democrats declined to help McCarthy, and potential successors remain unclear, leaving Congress in uncharted waters for critical issues like government funding, Ukraine aid, and more.
• McCarthy’s ouster could have implications for the future of Republican leadership.

What is a Speaker of the House in United States House of Representatives:

• The US Constitution created the position of Speaker of the House, responsible for presiding over the lower house of Congress.
• Traditionally, the Speaker is a current member of the majority party, although this is not mandated by the Constitution.
• As a result, they not only oversee the House of Representatives but also serve as the leader of the majority party within the chamber.

How is a Speaker chosen:

• The House of Representatives functions on a two-year cycle, known as a “session.”
• The very first thing a new session of the House of Representatives must do is vote for a Speaker of the House.Without that person in place, the chamber cannot move on to any other function, including swearing-in members.
• In the weeks after an election, the Republican conference and the Democratic caucus hold an informal vote among their members.
• This voting is done to decide who they want to nominate to lead their party.
• But members are not obligated to vote for the party’s chosen candidate.
• While it has been the tradition for the speaker candidate to be a member of the House, it is not required.
• The vote for Speaker requires a candidate to receive the support of a majority of the House i.e 218 votes out of the 435 members of the House.
• The existing leader of the majority party is usually presumed to be the person to assume the speakership.

How can the speaker of the House:

• Under the newly adopted rule in January 2023, any single member of the House could offer a privileged resolution declaring the Office of Speaker vacant.
• Procedural votes could be offered to slow down the motion, but when it does come to the floor, it would need only a simple majority of the House  or 218 members currently to pass.

Speaker of the Lok Sabha:

• The Speaker of the Lok Sabha is elected from among its members by a simple majority of members present and voting in the House.
• The Speaker holds Office from the date of his/her election till immediately before the first meeting of the next Lok Sabha.
• Functions of Speaker
  • He/She is the final interpreter of the provisions of the Constitution of India, the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business of Lok Sabha and the parliamentary precedents, within the House.
  • He/She presides over a joint sitting of the two Houses of Parliament.
  • He/She can adjourn the House or suspend the meeting in absence of a quorum.
  • He/She decides whether a bill is a money bill or not and his/her decision on this question is final.
  • Committees like the Business Advisory Committee, the General Purposes Committee and the Rules Committee work directly under her Chairmanship

How can the Speaker of the Lok Sabha removed:

• Under Article 179 of the Constitution, a Speaker can be removed by a resolution of the Assembly passed by a majority of “all the then members of the Assembly”. The process begins with a notice of at least 14 days.
• This is to note that during resolution for removal of the Speaker, the Speaker is not in position to cast his vote even if there is tie.