Daily Prelims Notes 7 March 2023

March 7, 2023
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Daily Prelims Notes

7 March 2023

Table Of Contents

1. Global alliance for big cats

Subject: Environment

Section: International conventions

Context: India to launch global alliance for big cats, invest $100 million.

More on the News:

India has proposed to launch a mega global alliance under its leadership to protect big cats and assured support over five years with guaranteed funding of $100 million (over Rs 800 crore).
Last month, the Government reached out to potential IBCA member nations with its proposal. According to a proposed timeline, the alliance is expected to be launched next month in a “suitable office complex” in India.
According to sources in the Environment Ministry, the alliance was “inspired by the arrival of cheetahs” last year from Namibia.
Since the arrival of cheetahs, India is the only country in the world to have tigers, lions, leopards, snow leopards and cheetahs in the wild. India have all the big cats, except the pumas and jaguars, today. So it is only befitting that India takes the lead to bring together all big cat range countries under an UN-like umbrella.

Global alliance for big cats

The proposed International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) will work towards the protection and conservation of the seven major big cat’s tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard, puma, jaguar and cheetah.
Membership to the alliance will be open to 97 “range” countries, which contain the natural habitat of these big cats, as well as other interested nations, international organisations, etc.
The alliance’s purpose is to provide a platform for “dissemination of information on benchmarked practices, capacity building, resources repository, research and development, awareness creation”, etc., on the protection and conservation of big cats.
Its major activities will include “advocacy, partnership, knowledge e-portal, capacity building, eco-tourism, partnerships between expert groups and finance tapping”.
IBCA’s governance structure will comprise a General Assembly consisting of all member countries, a council of at least seven but not more than 15 member countries elected by the General Assembly for a term of 5 years, and a Secretariat.
Upon the recommendation of the Council, the General Assembly will appoint the IBCA Secretary General for a specific term.
After the first five years, which will be supported by India’s “total grant assistance” of $100 million, the IBCA is expected to sustain itself through membership fees, and contributions from bilateral and multilateral institutions and the private sector.

2. U.N. takes step towards new way of tracking greenhouse gases

Subject: Environment

Section: International conventions

Context: The United Nations announced that it had taken a significant step towards trying to fill a key gap in the fight against climate change: standardised, real-time tracking of greenhouse gases.

More on the News:

N.’s World Meteorological Organization has come up with a new Global Greenhouse Gas Monitoring Infrastructure that aims to provide better ways of measuring planet-warming pollution and help inform policy choices.
WMO’s new platform will integrate space-based and surface-based observing systems, and seek to clarify uncertainties about where greenhouse gas emissions end up.
It would result in much faster and sharper data on how the planet’s atmosphere is changing. It will provide vital information and support for implementation of the Paris Agreement.
From the measurements that greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere are at record high. The three major greenhouses gases are carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide. Of those, CO2 accounts for around 66% of the warming effect on the climate.

World Meteorological Organisation (WMO):

The WMO is an intergovernmental organization with a membership of 192 Member States and Territories.
India is a member of WMO.
It originated from the International Meteorological Organization (IMO), which was established after the 1873 Vienna International Meteorological Congress.
Established by the ratification of the WMO Convention on 23rd March 1950, WMO became the specialized agency of the United Nations for meteorology (weather and climate), operational hydrology and related geophysical sciences.’
WMO also encourages research and training in meteorology and hydrology and their related applications and contributes towards reducing the impact of weather- and climate-related hazards.
Predictions concerning locust swarms and the transport of pollutants (nuclear and toxic substances, volcanic ash) are also provided by WMO Members.
WMO is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.
Reports:
- Greenhouse Gas Bulletin.
- Status of the World Climate.

Greenhouse Gases (GHGs)

Atmospheric gases like carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide (N2O), water vapour, and chlorofluorocarbons are capable of trapping the out-going infrared radiation from the earth’s surface thereby causing greenhouse effect.
Hence these gases are known as greenhouse gases and the heating effect is known as greenhouse effect.
Scientists believe that this rise in temperature will lead to deleterious changes in the environment and resulting in odd climatic changes (e.g. increased incidence of El Nino), thus leading to increased melting of polar ice caps as well as of other places like the Himalayan snow caps.
Over many years, this will result in a rise in sea level that can submerge many coastal areas and lead to loss of coastal areas and ecosystems like swamps and marshes (most important ecosystems from the point of ecological services), etc.

Gas	Sources and Causes
Carbon dioxide (CO₂)	Burning of fossil fuels, deforestation
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)	Refrigeration, solvents, insulation foams, aero propellants, industrial and commercial uses
Methane (CH₄)	Growing paddy, excreta of cattle and other livestock, termites, burning of fossil fuel, wood, landfills, wetlands, fertilizer factories.
Nitrogen oxides (N₂O)	Burning of fossil fuels, fertilizers; burning of wood and crop residue.
Carbon Monoxide (CO)	Iron ore smelting, burning of fossil fuels, burning e-waste.

3. Vultures in Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve depending on cattle carcasses for food are at risk of poisoning

Subject: Environment

Section: Species in news

Context: The study by a researcher from the Centre for Wildlife Studies, said the availability of Non-Steroidal Anti Inflammatory Drugs near vulture nesting areas, and the birds’ dependence on cattle carcasses as food sources placed them at great risk; more action is needed for the protection of vulture species.

More on the News:

The study indicated that out of around 3,349 cattle that had died over a decade, around 27 percent, or 929 cattle were lost due to predation by tigers, leopards and Asiatic wild dogs in the region.
Literature from earlier studies points to the presence of vultures in the buffer zone of the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR), rather than in the core area, due to less canopy cover. However, due to the spread of invasive species such as Lantana camara and Eupatorium plants, such wide, open expansive areas for vultures has severely diminished.
In the Nilgiris, parts of Coimbatore and Erode (Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve and Thengumarahada), four species of vultures: the White-rumped vulture, Long-billed vulture, Asian king vulture and Egyptian vulture are spotted frequently, with only the Egyptian vulture not known to be utilising the landscape over the last few decades for nesting.
There is significant awareness among residents and pharmacists that the use of diclofenac is banned, there is unfortunately not the same amount of awareness towards the sale of other harmful NSAIDs such as nimesulide, flunixin and aceclofenac.
The continued sale of harmful NSAIDs in the region poses a serious risk to southern India’s largest vulture population.

Vultures

It is one of the 22 species of large carrion-eating birds that live predominantly in the tropics and subtropics.
India is home to 9 species of Vulture namely the Oriental white-backed, Long-billed, Slender-billed, Himalayan, Red-headed, Egyptian, Bearded, Cinereous and the Eurasian Griffon.

Habitat: The preferred habitats of the Vulture are deserts, savannas and grassland near a water source. It also inhabits open mountain ranges up to 3,000 metres above sea level.
Distribution:Vultures are widely distributed, but they are absent from Australia and most oceanic islands.

Features:

Vultures are medium- to large-sized birds of prey. They are known for eating carrion (the bodies of dead animals).
Baldhead and sometimes bald throat (help in regulating their body temperature)
Behaviour:They soar in circles high above the Earth’s surface. They use the rising air currents to maintain their elevation.
Food habits: Most of the vultures have very broad food habits. They will consume carrion, garbage, and even excrement. But rarely do they prey upon live animals. A few occasionally take helpless prey such as lambs and tortoises or newborn calves.

Significance:

Their habit of eating carrion is extremely beneficial to humans. As it has a considerable effect on reducing the spread of diseases. Some of which can be fatal.

Conservation Initiatives:

National Board for Wildlife(NBWL) has approved an Action Plan for Vulture Conservation 2020-2025. Key highlights of the plan include,
- Vulture Conservation Centre: Uttar Pradesh, Tripura, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu will get a vulture conservation and breeding centre.
- Vulture Safe zone:Establishment of at least one vulture-safe zone in each state for the conservation of the remnant populations in that state.
- Rescue Centres: Establishment of four rescue centres, in Pinjore (Haryana), Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh), Guwahati (Assam) and Hyderabad (Telangana). There are currently no dedicated rescue centres for treating vultures.
- Toxic Drugs: A system to automatically remove a drug from veterinary use if it is found to be toxic to vultures with the help of the Drugs Controller General of India.
- Vultures Census:Coordinated nationwide vulture counting involving forest departments, the Bombay Natural History Society, research institutes, nonprofits and members of the public. This would be for getting a more accurate estimate of the size of vulture populations in the country.
- Database on Threats to Vulture:A database on emerging threats to vulture conservation including collision and electrocution, unintentional poisoning.

4. Salt flats around the world are covered in a similar pattern of ridges

Subject: Environment

Section: Msc

Context: In a new study, researchers from Austria, Germany, and the U.K. may finally have an explanation. Using a combination of ground sampling and computer models, they have pointed their fingers at the way salt flows up and down in the soil below this formation. It is important to know the underlying mechanism because salt flats have significant effects on both humans and the climate.

Salt flats:

A salt flat is a natural landscape in which a large area of flat land is covered by salt.
Perhaps the world’s most well-known salt flat is the Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia. It is the largest in the world of its kind, and also contains more than half of the planet’s lithium reserves.
A salt flat forms from a natural water body whose recharge rate is lower than the evaporation rate. Over time, all the water evaporates, leaving behind the dissolved minerals, usually salts.
They reflect sunlight strongly and thus appear bright. The underlying soil is highly saline: even if the water table is shallow, the groundwater is too salty for humans to drink.

How do the shapes form?

The researchers began with the hypothesis that the salt on the surface is influenced by the salt flowing through the soil below.
The researchers found that the salt penetrated deeper into the soil exactly below the ridges, and remained shallow under the flat areas.
That is, if the topmost layer is removed and looked directly down at the soil that the salty groundwater is flowing deeper into the soil along vertical sheets, not throughout is visible.

What explains this finding?

The surface of a salt flat has a layer of salt that has been deposited over time. So just under the surface, the groundwater is highly saline and denser than the groundwater further below.
If any water reaches and rises above the surface, it evaporates to leave more salt behind. The researchers found that if the rate of evaporation is sufficiently high, i.e. if the rate of salt deposition on the surface is sufficiently high, the denser groundwater will sink down and the less-saline, less-dense groundwater will rise to the top. This body of descending and ascending water is called a convection cell.
Over time, there will be more saline groundwater rising up towards the surface through the convection cells than through other parts of the soil – simply because the less-dense water within the column is being displaced upwards.
As a result, the salt this water carries will accumulate on the surface, forming the narrow ridges that make up the polygons.
When winds blow over salt flats, they carry some of the salt with them as particulate matter. When this air mass reaches the ocean, it deposits the salts there. Such sea salt can enter the atmosphere and go on to swirl at the centre of cyclones. When a salt-bearing air mass reaches an inhabited area, the particles cause significant respiratory problems.
To mitigate the deleterious effects of salt flats, experts have recommended covering them in a shallow layer of water, so that the salt is deposited on the surface more uniformly and less salt is carried away by winds.

5. 2022 winter air in Delhi NCR ‘cleanest’ in five years but ‘toxic’

Subject: Environment

Section: Pollution

Context: There was heavy and extended rainfall in the early phases of the season that prevented smog episodes from building up, says CSE report.

More on the News:

The winter of 2022 was Delhi’s “cleanest” in the last five years, though its air remains “toxic”. The main determinants for the improved air quality were favourable meteorological conditions as well as a reduction in pollution from farm fires, Delhi-based think tank, the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE).
The improvement is a combined effect of meteorology and emergency action based on pollution forecasting. There was heavy and extended rainfall in the early phases of the season that prevented smog episodes from building up and also lowered the seasonal average.
The CSE’s numbers, sourced from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), suggest that a factor behind reduced pollution last winter was a drop in instances of ‘severe pollution’. There were only 10 days when air quality was ‘severe’ or ‘severe+’ — the highest levels of pollution. In comparison, there were 24 such days in 2021, 23 in 2020, 25 in 2019, and 33 in 2018.
Despite the decline, Delhi continues to remain the most polluted among the cities and towns of NCR.

Delhi Air Pollution https://optimizeias.com/soon-delhis-air-pollution-sources-to-be-available-in-real-time/

National Ambient Air Quality Standards

The mandate provided to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act empowers it to set standards for the quality of air.
Hence the current National Ambient Air Quality Standards were notified in November 2009 by the CPCB.
Prior to this, India had set Air Quality standards in 1994, and this was later revised in 1998.
The 2009 standards further lowered the maximum permissible limits for pollutants and made the standards uniform across the nation.
Earlier, less stringent standards were prescribed for industrial zones as compared to residential areas.
Pollutants covered:
1. Sulphur Dioxide (SO2)
2. Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2),
3. Particulate Matter (size less than 10 µm) or PM 10
4. Particulate Matter (size less than 2.5 µm) or PM2.5
5. Ozone (O3)
6. Carbon Monoxide (CO)
7. Ammonia (NH3)
8. Lead
9. Benzene (C6H6)
10. Benzo(a)Pyrene (BaP)
11. Arsenic(As)
12. Nickel (Ni)

6. Record 6.37 lakh Olive Ridley turtles arrive at Odisha’s Rushikulya beach for mass nesting

Subject: Environment

Section: Species in news

Olive Ridley turtles dig holes on the beach with their front flippers for hours. Subsequently, they use their hind flippers to scoop out sand to create a cavity. They lay dozens of eggs at one go and cover them again with sand. Before sunrise, the turtles return to the sea, leaving behind the eggs, which would hatch after 40-60 days. The hatchlings are expected to emerge from the eggs in the month of April and May.
Turtles also arrive at Gahirmatha beach in Odisha’s Kendrapara district, which is known as the world’s largest known rookery. Besides, Puri and Devi River mouth beaches too host Olive Ridley turtles this time around.
As part of a long-term study, researchers of the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) continued tagging of Olive Ridley turtles at three mass nesting sites – Gahirmatha, Devi river mouth, and Rushikulya. The metal tags affixed to turtles are non-corrosive and they do not harm their body. The metal can be removed later. The tags are uniquely numbered containing details such as name of organisation, country code, and email address.

7. Muggers of Rapti: Anthropogenic threats pose risk to saurians in Nepal’s Chitwan National Park, says study

Subject: Environment

Section: Species in news

Context:

Mugger

The mugger or marsh crocodile is one of the 24 extant species of crocodilians found It is found India, Pakistan, Nepal and Iran.
The species is listed as ‘Vulnerable’ in the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List. It has been enlisted on Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora since 1975.
In Nepal, muggers are found in the Terai lowlands near the border with India. A study last year noted that the species has become extinct locally in many parts of Nepal due to habitat loss despite being protected by law.

Threats:

Anthropogenic threats like illegal fishing and sand mining pose a threat to the mugger crocodiles (Crocodylus plaustris) of the Rapti river flowing along the Chitwan National Park (CNP) in south-central Nepal, contiguous to the Valmiki Tiger Reserve in Bihar

Rapti river

The Rapti originates in the Mahabharat Hills and lower range of the Himalayas and flows westward along the northern border of the CNP. The surveys were conducted along a 52 km river stretch from Jindagani Ghat (the eastern side) to Golaghat (Rapti-Narayani confluence) on the western side.

8. GI (Geographical Indication) tag for the khorasani imli or the fruit of the baobab

Subject: Environment

Section: Species in news

Context: Madhya Pradesh seeks GI tag for the fruit of the endangered baobab in Mandu

What is Baobad?

It is Native to mainland Africa and the island country of Madagascar
It is a deciduous tree( baobab Adansonia digitata) and can live up to 2,000 years and is a globally threatened species.

Why it is important?

The resilient, endangered trees have supported tribal livelihoods for centuries. The fruits of baobabs are known to be nutritious and used in traditional remedies.

Where it is found?

Baobabs, while few and far in numbers across India, are considered the most abundant in Mandu town in Madhya Pradesh, where the Bhil tribe has historically preserved them

How GI tag will help?

A GI tag acts as a trademark for a product in a specific geographical region possessing unique or valuable properties. GI tag can be given to agricultural, horticultural or forestry products such as fruits, vegetables, seeds, flowers and other products of trees. The GI tag can be applied for by the producers of the concerned goods or an entity representing them. The application undergoes examination and scrutiny after which, if accepted, it goes through the process of registration.

Does MP has other GI tags?

So far, Madhya Pradesh has at least 10 GI indicators for different products such as Kadaknath black chicken and chanderi sarees, which get legal protection against unauthorised use. The tag provides the product a unique identity which helps the local community to market it better and benefit more.

9. Rice husk biochar removes fluoride from groundwater, prevents drinking water contamination, new study shows

Subject :Environment

Section: Pollution

Why flouride contamination is dangerous?

Prolonged fluoride consumption in higher concentrations in drinking water can cause dental fluorosis, skeletal fluorosis, kidney diseases, arthritis.
Skeletal fluorosis is somewhat more difficult to identify unless significant deformation occurs and typically requires radiographic testing. Thus, it may not be as prominent as dental fluorosis. For 4,157 habitats over 98 blocks in 11 districts of Bihar, the level of fluoride in the groundwater is alarmingly high.

How contamination happens?

Groundwater, extracted with tube wells and hand pumps, is the most important source for drinking and cooking in rural India. Blind extraction encourages groundwater contamination with several pollutants, mainly geogenically.

Where this contamination is prominent?

In Bihar, for instance, groundwater in the rural areas of 31 of the 38 districts have high concentrations of arsenic, fluoride and iron, constituting a serious health risk. Fluoride, one of the pollutants in groundwater, is primarily caused by geological processes but is also contributed through anthropogenic activities across India.

Why rice husk biochar?

Crop residue management is challenging in Bihar and across India, as farmers willingly or unwillingly burn the residue on farms. Biochar’s can help in this.

How it happens ?

What is a Biochar?

Biochar is a high-carbon, fine-grained residue that is currently produced through modern pyrolysis processes (direct thermal decomposition of biomass in the absence of oxygen and preventing combustion).
It produces a mixture of solids (the biochar proper), liquid (bio-oil), and gas (syngas) products.
Biochar may increase soil fertility of acidic soils (low pH soils), increase agricultural productivity, and provide protection against some foliar and soil-borne diseases.

Beneﬁts of biochar:

Biochar has other uses too — apart from safekeeping carbon, biochar has several uses in agriculture.
Agricultural leftovers such as rice husk are a major source of biomass, and the biochar it forms has signiﬁcant mineral content. Adding it to soil enriches plant nutrients.
The porous nature of biochar makes it suitable for remediation — the adsorption of toxic substances in polluted soils – thus reducing the potency of contaminants in the soil.

10. Living near the birds can lead to diseases in humans

Subject: Science and technology

Section: Health

Concept:

Recently, the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) in Maharashtra put up several posters warning people against feeding pigeons in order to spread public awareness about hypersensitive pneumonia, a lung disease which is contracted by living near pigeons.

Diseases spread by proximity to Pigeon

Pigeons may lead to various kinds of lung diseases, ranging from respiratory allergies to serious infections.
Severe cases may lead to Pneumonia-Psittacosis, which is a bacterial infection
Hypersensitive pneumonia (a lung disease which is contracted by living near pigeons) (also known as Pigeon Breeder’s Disease)
Histoplasmosis (fungal infection with high mortality rates)
Cryptococcal infections (it may lead to pulmonary or meningeal infections)

How does residing near pigeons lead to disease among humans?

Being in the proximity of birds including pigeons can lead to diseases, especially if they are in the home as companion birds or in heavy numbers in the vicinity of the home with droppings and feathers accumulating nearby.
The breathable antigen arising from the bird droppings and feathers goes into the lung and leads to an immunological reaction, which damages the lung.

11. GSI Discovers Gold Deposits in Odisha

Subject : Geography

Section: Economic Geography

Concept:

Context: Steel and Mines Minister Prafulla Kumar Mallik has informed the state Assembly that gold deposits have been found in three districts of Odisha, including Deogarh, Keonjhar, and Mayurbhanj.

More about the news?

Geological Survey of India (GSI) conducted a preliminary survey and found the presence of gold deposits in the Adas area of Deogarh, Gopur, Gazipur, Kusakala, Adal, Saleikana, Dimirimunda, and Karadanga area of Keonjhar.

Gold Reserves in India

Gold usually occurs in auriferous [(of rocks or minerals) containing gold] rocks.
It is also found in sands of several rivers.
Gold is also known as international currency.
Resources in terms of the metal ore (primary) are located in
Bihar (45 per cent)
Rajasthan (23 per cent)
Karnataka (22 per cent)
West Bengal (3 per cent)
Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh (2 per cent each)
Resources in terms of metal content
Karnataka,
Rajasthan,
Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, etc.
Kolar Gold Field, Hutti Gold Field and Ramgiri Gold Field are the most important gold fields.

Karnataka :

Karnataka is the largest producer of gold in India.
Gold mines are located in Kolar [Kolar Gold Field], Dharwad, Hassan and Raichur [Hutti Gold Field] districts.
Kolar Gold Fields is one of the deepest mines of the world. [Usually, gold mines are the deepest mines in the world. Mponeng Gold Mine in South Africa is the deepest mine in the world (3.9 km deep)]
Hutti mines are exploited to their maximum levels and the ore left behind is of very low grade. The mining has almost ceased due to little or no profitability.
The Kolar Gold Field has also run out of quality reserves and is on the verge of closure.

Andhra Pradesh :

Second largest producer of gold in India.
Ramagiri in Anantapur district is the most important gold field in AP.
Alluvial Gold [gold scattered in silt] and Placer deposits [gold bearing rocks] in small quantity are widely spread in a large number of rivers

Jharkhand :

Sands of the Subarnarekha (gold streak) river have some alluvial gold.
Sona nadi in Singhbhum district is important.
Sonapat valley is another major site with alluvial gold.

Kerala :

The river terraces along the Punna Puzha and the Chabiyar Puzha have some alluvial gold.

12. Army Court martial

Subject : Polity

Section: Judiciary

Concept :

An Army court martial in Jammu and Kashmir has recommended life imprisonment for a Captain in connection with the killing of three men in a staged encounter at a remote hilly village at Amshipura in the Shopian district of south Kashmir in July 2020.
The sentence will be final after it is confirmed by the Northern Army Commander.
Bhoopendra Singh was court-martialled after a Court of Inquiry found that troops under his command had exceeded their powers under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act.

Court Martial

A court martial is a type of military court that is empowered to try members of the armed forces for offenses committed under military law.
The purpose of a court martial is to maintain discipline and order within the military by ensuring that members of the armed forces are held accountable for their actions.
A court martial is typically composed of military officers who serve as both judge and jury.

What are the legal provisions related to court martial in India?

The legal provisions related to court martial in India are primarily governed by three laws:
The Army Act, 1950: applies to members of the Indian Army.
The Navy Act, 1957: applies to members of the Indian Navy.
The Air Force Act, 1950: applies to members of the Indian Air Force.

Armed Forces Tribunal Act 2007

This act established the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT).
AFT is a quasi-judicial body in India that deals with service-related matters of armed forces personnel.
It has jurisdiction over disputes and appeals arising out of service matters, including court martial proceedings.

What are the different kinds of courts-martial in India?

In India, there are four kinds of courts-martial that can be convened to try members of the armed forces for offenses committed under military law. These are:
General Court Martial (GCM): This is the highest level of military court martial in India, and it can be convened to try the most serious offenses, including those that carry the death penalty.
District Court Martial (DCM): A DCM can be convened to try offenses that are less serious than those that would be tried by a GCM.
Summary General Court Martial (SGCM): An SGCM can be convened to try minor offenses.
Field General Court Martial (FGCM): An FGCM can be convened to try offenses committed during active military operations.

What is the process of Court Martial in the Indian military?

Initiation of enquiry
When the Army wants an allegation against its personnel investigated, it first sets up a Court of Inquiry (CoI) for the purpose.
This stage is similar to the registering of a First Information Report (FIR) by police.
A Court of Inquiry investigates the complaint, but cannot award a punishment.
It only records the statements of witnesses.
This is comparable to the examination of witnesses by a police officer under Section 161 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).
Recording of summary of evidence
Based on the findings of the CoI, a tentative chargesheet is drawn up by the commanding officer of the accused officer, which is akin to the police filing a chargesheet.
After this, the hearing of charges takes place, which is like the initial summoning of an accused by the magistrate in a case involving civilians.
The summary of evidence is then recorded, which is akin to the framing of charges by the magistrate.

Ordering of General Court Martial (GCM)

After summary of evidence is recorded, a general court martial (GCM) is ordered.
This stage is like the conduct of a trial by any judicial court in matters involving civilians.
The GCM announces a sentence in the form of recommendations, which are sent to the command concerned for legal vetting.
In a magisterial court, the magistrate announces a sentence when the trials are over. This sentence is not recommendatory in nature.
Vetting of sentence by Army’s Judge Advocate General (JAG) Department
Recommendations by GCM is sent to respective army command (in the present case, it was sent to Army’s Northern Command).
It is then legally vetted by senior officers of the Army’s Judge Advocate General (JAG) Department.
The officers will advise on legal infirmities in the trial sentence, if any, or whether they find it to be disproportionate; and on any possible remission of the sentence.
The commander of that Command then directs the convening authority to confirm, remit, or revise the sentence in case the punishment has to be enhanced.
The convening authority is the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the division.
As per rules, the Army Commander does not require permission to decide on remission of a sentence.
But if he wants to enhance the sentence, the case must go back to the same jury of the GCM for revision.

What is the legal recourse available to the accused?

Under the Army Act, the accused can file a pre-confirmation petition as well as post- confirmation petition.
A pre-confirmation petition will go to the Army Commander, who may look into its merits.
Post-confirmation petition must be filed with the government since the officer is cashiered — his ranks are removed and he is dismissed from service — after confirmation of the sentence by the Army commander.
After these options have been exhausted, the accused can approach the Armed Forces Tribunal, which can suspend the sentence.
The president of India, under Article 72 of the Constitution, can use his/her powers to pardon, reprieve, respite or remission of punishment or sentence given by a court martial.

13. SWAMIH Investment Fund

Subject : Government Schemes

Section: Infrastructure

Concept :

SWAMIH (Special Window for Affordable and Mid-Income Housing) Investment Fund has completed 20,557 homes since inception in 2019.
It is India’s largest social impact fund specifically formed for completing stressed and stalled residential projects.

SWAMIH Investment Fund

It is a government backed fund, set up as a Category-II AIF (Alternate Investment Fund) debt fund registered with SEBI (Securities and Exchange Board of India), launched in 2019.
The Fund is sponsored by the Ministry of Finance and is managed by SBICAP Ventures (a State Bank Group company).
Eligibility Criteria:
The real estate projects must be Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act (RERA)-registered which have been stalled due to a lack of adequate funds.
Each of these projects must be very close to completion.
They must also fall under the ‘Affordable and Middle-Income Project’ category (any housing projects wherein housing units do not exceed 200 sq.m.).
Net-worth positive projects are also eligible for SWAMIH funding.
Net-worth positive projects are those projects for which the value of their receivables (debts owed to them by buyers), plus the value of their unsold inventories is greater than their completion costs and outstanding liabilities

Objective:

It aims to provide financing to enable completion of stalled housing projects and ensure delivery of apartments to homebuyers.
To unlock liquidity in the real estate sector and provide a boost to core industries such as cement and steel.

Alternative Investment Fund

An AIF is a type of investment vehicle that pools money from a variety of investors to invest in assets beyond traditional stocks, bonds, and cash. These assets may include private equity, hedge funds, real estate, commodities, or other non-traditional investments.
AIFs are typically marketed to high-net-worth individuals and institutional investors who have the knowledge and resources to invest in more complex and less liquid assets.
In India, Regulation 2(1)(b) of Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) Regulations (AIFs), 2012 lays down the definition of AIFs.
AIF does not include funds covered under the SEBI (Mutual Funds) Regulations, 1996, SEBI (Collective Investment Schemes) Regulations, 1999 or any other regulations of the Board to regulate fund management activities.

14. US Supreme Court hears case challenging Section 230 of US Communication decency act

Subject : International Relations

Section: Msc

Concept :

The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) began hearing two pivotal lawsuits that will for the first time ask it to interpret Section 230 of the U.S. Communications Decency Act of 1996, the law that has shielded tech companies from liabilities over decades and essentially shaped the internet.

Section 230

Section 230 is a section of the United States Code that was enacted as part of the Communications Decency Act of 1996, which is Title V of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, and generally provides immunity for online computer services with respect to third-party content generated by its users.
At its core, Section 230(c)(1) provides immunity from liability for providers and users of an “interactive computer service” who publish information provided by third-party users:
No provider or user of an interactive computer service shall be treated as the publisher or speaker of any information provided by another information content provider.
Section 230(c)(2) further provides “Good Samaritan” protection from civil liability for operators of interactive computer services in the good faith removal or moderation of third-party material they deem “obscene, lewd, lascivious, filthy, excessively violent, harassing, or otherwise objectionable, whether or not such material is constitutionally protected.”

Background

Section 230 was developed in response to a pair of lawsuits against online discussion platforms in the early 1990s that resulted in different interpretations of whether the service providers should be treated as publishers or, alternatively, as distributors of content created by their users.

15. Adenovirus Infection

Subject : Science and technology

Section: Health

Concept :

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said that 19 children have succumbed to acute respiratory infection (ARI) in West Bengal so far and six of them had contracted the adenovirus.

Adenoviruses

Adenoviruses are common viruses that cause a range of illnesses. They can cause cold-like symptoms, sore throat, bronchitis, pneumonia, diarrhoea and pink eye(conjunctivitis).
Adenoviruses (ADVs) are DNA viruses ranging from 70-90 nanometre in size, which induce many illnesses in humans like cold, respiratory infection etc.
Adenovirus vaccine :
Adenoviruses are preferred for vaccines because their DNA is double stranded which makes them genetically more stable and the chances of them changing after injection are lower.
Rabies vaccine is an adenovirus vaccine.
Adenovirus vaccines are a type of viral vector vaccine.
In this vaccine, adenovirus is used as a tool to deliver genes or vaccine antigens to the target host tissue.
However, there are drawbacks of adenovirus vector vaccines like pre-existing immunity in humans, inflammatory responses etc.
Just as human bodies develop immune responses to most real viral infections, they also develop immunity to adenoviral vectors. Since adenoviral vectors are based on natural viruses that some humans might already have been exposed to, these vaccines might not work for everyone.

How are Adenoviruses Transmitted?

Adenoviruses are usually spread from an infected person to others in the following ways.
Close personal contact, such as touching or shaking hands
Air transmission through coughing and sneezing
Touching an object or surface with adenoviruses on it, then touching mouth, nose or eyes before washing hands.

How is adenovirus infection treated?

There is no specific treatment for people with adenovirus infection. Most adenovirus infections are mild. So these infections may require only to relieve symptoms, such as over-the-counter pain medicines or fever reducers.

Comorbidity

The simultaneous presence of more than one health disorder in a person is known as comorbidity.
These disorders may exist independent of each other, or may be interlinked due to the same underlying causes.
For example, a person with obesity often suffers from heart disease and/or diabetes.