Daily Prelims Notes 10 December 2022

December 10, 2022
Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
Category: DPN

Daily Prelims Notes

10 December 2022

Table Of Contents

Subject : Economy

Context:

The Reserve Bank of India has signed a Currency Swap Agreement with the Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA) under the SAARC Currency Swap Framework.

Details:

This agreement will enable the MMA to make drawals in multiple tranches up to a maximum of USD 200 million from the RBI thus, funding short term foreign exchange liquidity requirements.

SAARC currency swap framework

The SAARC currency swap facility came into operation on 15th November, 2012.
The RBI can offer a swap arrangement within the overall corpus of USD 2 billion.
The swap drawals can be made in US dollar, euro or Indian rupee. The framework provides certain concessions for swap drawals in Indian rupee.
The facility will be available to all SAARC member countries, subject to their signing the bilateral swap agreements.
- Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka are part of SAARC grouping.
The framework is valid from November 14, 2019 to November 13, 2022 (extended till 2022).

Currency Swap Arrangement?

A currency swap between two countries is an agreement or contract to exchange currencies with predetermined terms and conditions.
Central banks and Governments engage in currency swaps with foreign counterparts to meet short-term foreign exchange liquidity requirements or to ensure adequate foreign currency to avoid the Balance of Payments (BOP) crisis till longer arrangements can be made.
These swap operations carry no exchange rate or other market risks as transaction terms are set in advance.

2. Export cooperative bodies

Subject : Economy

Context:

A conference to commemorate the 100th International Day of Cooperatives was held at Vigyan Bhavan.

Major announcements

The Centre will set up a National Cooperative Export Society to help enhance exports.

Primary Agriculture Credit Societies may be allowed to sell petroleum products, run PDS shops.

Computerisation of Primary Agriculture Credit Societies will be undertaken.

Concept:

In 2019, the Union government has set up the Cooperative Sector Exports Promotion Forum (CSEPF) under the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) to assist farmers export their products.
- National Cooperative Development Corporation was established by the National Co-operative Development Corporation Act, 1962 as a statutory Corporation under the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare.
- The NCDC has the unique distinction of being the sole statutory organisation functioning as an apex financial and developmental institution exclusively devoted to the cooperative sector.
- The objectives of NCDC are planning and promoting programmes for agricultural produce, foodstuffs, industrial goods, livestock and certain other notified commodities and services on cooperative principles.
  - The Corporation promotes, strengthens and develops the farmers’ cooperatives for increasing production and productivity and instituting post-harvest facilities.
  - The Corporation’s focus is on programmes of agricultural marketing and inputs, processing, storage, cold chain and marketing of agriculture produce and supply seeds, fertilizer and other agricultural inputs etc.
  - In the non-farm sector, the Corporation’s endeavour is to equip cooperatives with facilities to promote income-generating activities, with a special focus on weaker sections such as dairy, livestock, handlooms, sericulture, poultry, fishery, scheduled caste & scheduled tribes, women cooperatives etc.

Primary Agricultural Credit Societies.

It is a village-level institution that works directly with rural residents.
It encourages agriculturists to save, accepts deposits from them, makes loans to deserving borrowers, and collects repayments.
PACS are the lowest unit in a three-tier structure: The other two tiers — State Cooperative Banks (StCB) and District Central Cooperative Banks (DCCB).
Organisational Structure of PACS
- General Body of PACS: Exercise the control over board as well as management.
- Management Committee: Elected by the general body to perform the work as prescribed by the society’s rules, acts, and by-laws.
- Chairman, Vice-Chairman, and Secretary: Work for the benefit of the members by performing their roles and duties as assigned to them.
- Office Staff: Responsible for performing day to day work.

3. RBI rule on loan securitisation

Subject : Economy

Context: Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued new guidelines prohibiting securitization of loans with a residual maturity of less than a year.

Details:

Prohibiting short-term securitization would affect about 5% of the market, especially the gold loan financiers and microfinance institutions (MFI).

Concept:

Securitization is the pooling of assets into repackaged interest-bearing securities.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) formulated guidelines in 2006 for governing securitisation of standard assets.
- Standard assets (or performing assets) -assets where amounts due have not been outstanding for more than 90 days.
- The regulatory framework provided in the guidelines covers securitisation of standard assets by banks, All India Term Lending and Refinancing Institutions, and Non Banking Financial Companies (including RNBCs).
- Securitisation follows a two-stage process:
  - In the first stage there is sale of single asset or pooling and sale of pool of assets to a ‘bankruptcy remote’ special purpose vehicle (SPV) in return for an immediate cash payment
  - In the second stage repackaging and selling the security interests representing claims on incoming cash flows from the asset or pool of assets to third party investors by issuance of tradable debt securities.
- The Securitisation Guidelines prescribe a minimum retention requirement of 5 per cent to 10 percent of the assets being securitised.
- The assets are held on the books of the originator for a minimum period prior to securitisation.
- The Securitisation Guidelines stipulate certain assets that cannot be securitised, including securitisation exposures, revolving credit facilities and loans with bullet payment.
The Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest Act, 2002 deals with resolving, restructuring and securitisation of non-performing assets (NPAs).
- Section 5 of the Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest Act, 2002, mandates that only Banks and financial institutions can securitise their financial assets.

Central Registry of Securitisation Asset Reconstruction and Security Interest of India-CERSAI

It has been established as a company under section 8 of the Companies Act, 2013 by the Government of India.
The object of the company is to maintain and operate a Registration System for the purpose of registration of transactions of securitisation, asset reconstruction of financial assets and creation of security interest over property, as contemplated under the Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest Act, 2002 (SARFAESI Act).
CERSAI was formed to identify and check fraudulent activity in lending transactions against equitable mortgages i.e to discourage and prevent the practice of taking out various loans from several banks using the same asset or property.
Major shareholders-51% by the Central Government and rest by select Public Sector Banks and the National Housing Bank.

4. Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organization (PESO)

Subject : Governance

Context: All 50 licensing modules under the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) have been integrated into the National Single Window System (NSWS).

Details:

These procuring licenses regulate the safety of hazardous substances such as explosives, compressed gas and petroleum.
PESO has also developed the System for Explosives Tracking & Tracing (SETT) to prevent incidents of theft, diversion, pilferage of explosives from licensed agencies and consumption of explosives for illegal mining and quarrying activities.

Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organization (PESO)

It was formerly known as Department of Explosives
It is an organization under the Department of industrial policy and promotion (DIPP), Ministry of commerce & industry.
It was established in 1898 as a nodal agency for regulating safety of hazardous substances such as explosives, compressed gases and petroleum.
Objective –of ensuring safety and security of public and property from fire and explosion.
Organisation as a statutory authority is entrusted with the administration of Explosives Act, 1884, Petroleum Act, 1934; Inflammable Substances Act, 1952 and the following Rules framed under these Acts.
PESO has its Headquarters at Nagpur in Maharashtra.

Functions:

Scrutiny and approval of site, layout and construction plans for –Explosives manufacturing factories, LPG bottling units etc
Scrutiny and approval of design and construction of Explosives vans, Portable Explosives Magazines etc
Licensing of the premises/units/vehicles mentioned as above.
Periodic examination and testing of cylinders for grant of recognition to the cylinder testing station.
Recognition of competent persons and inspectors under various Rules.
Issue of shot firers permit & foreman’s certificate.
Regular inspection of the units mentioned above.
Destruction of deteriorated and unclaimed/unserviceable/seized explosives.
Examination of petroleum tanks in sea going vessels for issuing gas free certificates for allowing hot work, entry of man in such tanks and entry of such vessels in docks.
Technical investigation of accidents related to the substances coming under the purview of the Acts and Rules administered by the Organisation for ascertaining causes of accident and violations.
Scrutiny and appraisal of proposals to import, export and transport explosives for grant of licence thereof.
Authorisation of new explosives after adequate tests and trials.
Review & Amendment of Rules wherever necessary in Public interest.
Examination/testing of explosives/hazardous substances for classification of hazard.
Advising the Central and State Governments, the Industry and various Organizations on matters relating to the handling of explosives, flammable and other dangerous substances.
The organization also monitors the entire crucial supply chain of liquid oxygen on a real-time basis from producers till the end user in an emergency such as the covid-19 pandemic.

5. Subordinate debt and preference share

Subject : Economy

Context: The IRDAI permits foreign investors to invest in preference shares and subordinated debt issued by Indian insurers.

Details:

The investments by foreign investors in these two instruments — preference shares and subordinated debt— cannot exceed the sectoral cap (specified under FEMA).
Total quantum of the instruments under ‘other forms of capital’ taken together should be lower of (i) 50 per cent of the total paid-up equity share capital and securities premium of an insurer or (ii) 50 percent of net worth of the insurer.
Issue of subordinated debt would either have to be perpetual, or the maturity/redemption period should not be less than ten years for life insurance companies, general insurance companies and reinsurance insurance companies. The maturity/redemption period should not be less than seven years for health insurance companies.
Insurers have not been permitted to issue either preference shares or subordinated debt with “put option”.

Concept:

Preference shares

It is commonly referred to as preferred stock, are shares of a company’s stock with dividends that are paid out to shareholders before common stock dividends are issued. If the company enters bankruptcy, preferred stockholders are entitled to be paid from company assets before common stockholders.
Most preference shares have a fixed dividend, while common stocks generally do not. Preferred stock shareholders also typically do not hold any voting rights, but common shareholders usually do.
Preference shares fall under four categories: cumulative preferred stock, non-cumulative preferred stock, participating preferred stock and convertible preferred stock
- Cumulative preference share: Cumulative preference shares are a special type of shares that entitles the shareholders to enjoy cumulative dividend payout at times when a company is not making profits. These dividends will be counted as arrears in years when the company is not earning profit and will be paid on a cumulative basis, the next year when the business generates profits.
- Non-cumulative preference shares: These types of shares do not accumulate dividends in the form of arrears. In the case of non-cumulative preference shares, the dividend payout takes place from the profits made by the company in the current year. If there is a year in which the company doesn’t make any profit, then the shareholders are not paid any dividends for that year and they cannot claim for dividends in any future profit year.
- Participating preference shares: These types of shares allow the shareholders to demand a part in the surplus profit of the company at the event of liquidation of the company after the dividends have been paid to the other shareholders. In other words, these shareholders enjoy fixed dividends and also share a part of the surplus profit of the company along with equity shareholders.
- Convertible Preference Shares: Convertible preference shares are a type of shares that enables the shareholders to convert their preference shares into equity shares at a fixed rate, after the expiry of a specified period as mentioned in the memorandum.

Subordinated debt

It is known as a subordinated debenture.
It is an unsecured loan or bond that ranks below other, more senior loans or securities with respect to claims on assets or earnings.
Subordinated debentures are thus also known as junior securities.
In the case of borrower default, creditors who own subordinated debt will not be paid out until after senior bondholders are paid in full.
It is riskier as compared to unsubordinated debt and is listed as a long-term liability after unsubordinated debt on the balance sheet.

Call option and Put option

An option is a derivative, a contract that gives the buyer the right, but not the obligation, to buy or sell the underlying asset by a certain date (expiration date) at a specified price (strike price). There are two types of options:
Call options-Calls give the buyer the right, but not the obligation, to buy the underlying asset at the strike price specified in the option contract. Investors buy calls when they believe the price of the underlying asset will increase and sell calls if they believe it will decrease.
Put options-Puts give the buyer the right, but not the obligation, to sell the underlying asset at the strike price specified in the contract. The writer (seller) of the put option is obligated to buy the asset if the put buyer exercises their option. Investors buy puts when they believe the price of the underlying asset will decrease and sell puts if they believe it will increase.

6. Foreign source under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act 2010

Subject : Economy

Context: The Union Home Ministry has released a list of 117 organisations whose contribution to Indian entities will not be covered under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010.

Details:

The UN agencies and other international bodies-“to be not covered” by the definition of “foreign source” under the FCRA among others includes the UN System’s Secretariat, Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS),Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR),Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR),United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF),United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNClAD).

Concept:

Foreign source under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010

Indian organisations receiving foreign funds are mandatorily registered under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010.
Organisations/associations in India can accept contributions from a “Foreign Source” only if they are registered with the Ministry of Home Affairs or only after obtaining prior permission from the above Ministry.
The “Foreign Source” has been defined in Section 2(e) of the Act and includes:
- the Government of any foreign country or territory and any agency of such Government;
- any international agency, not being the United Nations or any of its specialized agencies, the World Bank, International Monetary Fund or such other agency as the Central Government may, by notification, specify in this behalf;
- a foreign company;
- a corporation, not being a foreign company, incorporated in a foreign country or territory;
- a multi-national corporation
- a company within the meaning of the Companies Act, 1956, and more than one-half of the nominal value of its share capital is held, by one or more of the following, namely:-
  - the Government of a foreign country or territory;
  - the citizens of a foreign country or territory;
  - corporations incorporated in a foreign country or territory;
  - trusts, societies or other associations of individuals;
  - Foreign company;
- a trade union in any foreign country or territory, whether or not registered in such foreign country or territory;
- a foreign trust or a foreign foundation mainly financed by a foreign country or territory;
- a society, club or other association or individuals formed or registered outside India;
- a citizen of a foreign country.
remittances from Indians abroad i.e. Indian citizens, for the purpose of contributing to the aforesaid associations/organisations do not attract the provisions of FCRA.
Contribution given by the non-resident foreign citizens of Indian origin through their NRE and FCNR accounts maintained in India, the provisions of FCRA will be attracted and these contributions are to be treated as “Foreign Source”.

7. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR)

Subject :Science and Technology

Context-

Over 50% of life-threatening bacterial infections are becoming resistant to treatment: WHO

Report-

Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System (GLASS) report
Findings based on 2020 data from 87 countries.
Published by- World Health Organisation (WHO)
The report, for the first time, analyzes antimicrobial resistance (AMR) rates, tracking trends in 27 countries since 2017.

Report findings-

High levels of bacterial resistance shown by Klebsiella pneumoniae and Acinetobacter spp against carbapenems drug.
Over 60 per cent of Neisseria gonorrhoea infections, a common sexually transmitted disease, show resistance to ciprofloxacin, one of the most widely used oral antibacterials.
over 20 per cent of E.coli isolates, the most common pathogen in urinary tract infections, were resistant to ampicillin and co-trimoxazole, first-line drugs, as well as second-line treatments known as fluoroquinolones.
Bloodstream infections due to resistant E.coli, Salmonella and gonorrhoea infections, have jumped by at least 15 per cent compared to 2017 rates.

What is antimicrobial resistance (AMR)-

Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) is an ability of a microbe to resist the effects of medication previously used to treat them. It is also known as antibiotic resistance.
The WHO defines antimicrobial resistance as a microorganism’s resistance to an antimicrobial drug that was once able to treat an infection by that microorganism.
The resistance to antimicrobials is a natural biological phenomenon.

8. Lots of ‘breakthroughs’, still no cure. Do the new dementia drugs bring us any closer?

Subject :Science and Technology

Context-

What is Dementia?

Dementia is an umbrella term to describe a group of conditions characterised by a loss of brain function; this includes the ability to remember, plan and make decisions.
In Australia, dementia is the second leading cause of death. For women, it’s the leading cause of death.
Older age is the greatest risk factor for dementia. But dementia is not an inevitable or normal consequence of ageing.
Up to 70 per cent of all dementia is attributed to Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer first described as an “unusual disease of the cerebral cortex” in 1906.
- In Alzheimer’s disease, Amyloid protein builds up in the brain, which further triggers the development of Tau (a protein) which induces memory loss.
- Beyond amyloid and tau, a range of other biological, genetic, lifestyle, and environmental factors can also contribute to Alzheimer’s disease.
Other types of dementia include vascular dementia, frontotemporal dementia, and Lewy body disease.
Because Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia, most “dementia breakthroughs” often refer to “breakthroughs” in Alzheimer’s.

Two new drugs-

Two drugs that have received a lot of attention in recent weeks are aducanumab (marketed as Aduhelm) and lecanemab.
Both drugs showed a substantial reduction in amyloid in the brain. But whether this reduction in amyloid resulted in a meaningful benefit in memory and thinking is less clear.
The Food and Drug Administration in the United States granted accelerated approval for aducanumab as it thought the drug would improve or slow Alzheimer’s symptoms.
Lecanemab resulted in a 27 per cent slower decline in memory and thinking ability.

Major concerns about the drugs

Side effects include- Brain swelling and small brain bleed as detected on brain scans.
High cost of drugs- Aducanumab costs US$28,200 (A$42,000) per patient per year.

9. Life of plastic: Kenya, South Africa announce ‘just transition’ initiative for waste-pickers

Subject :Environment

The Just Transition initiative (JTI)-

The Just Transition initiative “seeks to foster the element of a just transition within the letter and spirit of the proposed legally binding instrument.
Launched by-
- Kenya and South Africa, in the aftermath of negotiations on a global treaty to end plastic pollution.
Aim-
- To end plastic pollution in a way that is as fair and inclusive as possible to everyone concerned.
- To create decent work opportunities for waste-pickers and other workers in the plastic value chain.

What is Just Transition?

A just transition is based on making visible those already working at all stages of the plastic value chain, including workers under informal and cooperative settings and recognising their fundamental human dignity and historic contribution.
It involves maximising the social and economic opportunities of ending plastic pollution while minimising and carefully managing any challenges.
A plan for a just transition will guarantee better and decent work, social protection, training opportunities and greater job security for workers at all stages of the plastic value chain.

Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) to phase out plastic-

In February 2022, at the resumed fifth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-5.2), a historic resolution (5/14) was adopted to develop a legally binding instrument on plastic pollution with the ambition to complete the negotiations by end of 2024.
The Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) was established to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment.
The first meeting of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-1) took place in a hybrid format from 28 November to 2 December, in Punta del Este, Uruguay.

Demand being put at the meeting-

Petrochemical companies should immediately phase toxic chemicals out of plastics production and recycling, eliminate non-recyclable plastics and ensure that all materials have value.
Rejection of false solutions like incineration and pyrolysis.

What is Incineration?

Incineration is the combustion of organic matter in the presence of oxygen.
It is one of the major ways of destroying waste materials.
It is a type of thermal treatment carried at very high temperatures.
The incineration process converts waste into ash, gases (flue gas) and heat.
The heat generated from this treatment can be used to generate electricity.

There are several methods of carrying out the incineration process:

Burn pile – includes burning combustible material piles on the ground in an open area.
Burn barrel – the combustible material is placed inside a metal barrel and is burnt. This method avoids the spread of burning materials and the ash produced at the end of the incineration settles down to the bottom of the barrel.
Rotary kiln – A rotary kiln is a type of incinerator. These incinerators are used in industrial-scale applications. It has more equipment, and the incineration process is more advanced and complicated.
Fluidized bed – this method includes passing heated air through a sand bed until a fluidized bed condition is created. Then the waste particles are introduced into this fluidized bed.
Moving grate – this is the typical type of incinerator used in municipal waste management processes. The combustion is more efficient and is complete.

What is Pyrolysis?

Pyrolysis is the combustion of organic matter in the absence of oxygen.
This is a thermal decomposition carried out in an inert atmosphere such as in the presence of vacuum gas.
The chemical composition of the material is changed by this process, and the process is irreversible.
Generally, pyrolysis of organic materials causes the production of volatile components along with a carbon-containing solid residue and tar.
This process gives end products in the solid phase, liquid phase and gas phase as well.
The pyrolysis is done at temperatures above 430°C.
A carbonization is a form of pyrolysis which leaves a solid residue rich with carbon.

Uses of pyrolysis are as follows:

Ethylene production
Production of tar
Production of biofuels from biomass.

What are the Similarities Between Incineration and Pyrolysis?

Both incineration and pyrolysis include the burning of materials at very high temperatures.
Both processes produce gaseous compounds as end products.

What is the Difference Between Incineration and Pyrolysis?

Incineration vs Pyrolysis
Incineration is the combustion of organic matter in the presence of oxygen.	Pyrolysis is the combustion of organic matter in the absence of oxygen.
Atmosphere
Incineration is done in the presence of oxygen.	Pyrolysis is done in the absence of oxygen.
End Products
Incineration produces ash and gases.	Pyrolysis produces gaseous components along with trace amounts of liquid and solid residues.

10. Health to harm: Researchers call for action against pharma pollution

Subject :Environment

Context-

The academics from the University of Exeter, United Kingdom, have joined forces with thought leaders from other universities, industry, government and non-profit organisations to call for societal-wide action on reducing pharmaceutical pollution from human healthcare.

Extent of pharmaceutical pollution-

Almost half, or 43 per cent, of the world’s rivers are contaminated with active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) in concentrations that can have disastrous ramifications on health.
In 2019, AMR accounted for more than half a million deaths in the European region and about five million globally.

Major cause of this pollution-

Throwing away unused drugs/medicines rather than returning them to the pharmacies.
As a consequence, drug pollution levels are rising in waterways across the UK and globally.

Pharmaceuticals led water pollution in India-

India is one of the biggest manufacturers of pharmaceuticals worldwide.
Varieties of pharmaceuticals have been detected on the surface, ground, and even in drinking water in many Indian cities due to the discharge of waste effluents.
The pollutants majorly enter water bodies due to the following sources: pharmaceutical manufacturing plants, hospitals, wastewater treatment plants, etc.
As a consequence, they cause adverse effects on land, water, food, and people’s health.
It has been estimated that about 60000 newborns die annually in India because of multidrug-resistance infections, where pharmaceutical water pollution with antimicrobial drugs is responsible for that.
A range of emerging contaminants pollutes the rivers near the pharma sites.
Musi River in Hyderabad is highly contaminated with drugs from pharmaceutical companies.
The concentrations were about 1000 times higher than rivers found in developed countries.
When these pharmaceutical clusters come in contact with pathogenic bacteria, it causes harmful diseases in humans.

11. Okavango, Murchison Falls: Big Oil closing in on two iconic African Edens, flags report

Subject :Environment

Context-

Oil companies are threatening two of Africa’s most iconic biodiversity hotspots (Okavango delta and Murchison falls) in an effort to drill for oil that will ultimately make its way to a global elite and won’t benefit Africans, a recent report by a German non-profit has highlighted.

Okavango delta-

The Okavango delta is formed by the Okavango river, which originates in the highlands of Angola.
It flows into the Kalahari desert of southern Africa and spreads out, forming what is called a ‘fan’.
The Okavango’s waters make the otherwise dry area a waterlogged wetland that provides vital water resources for animals, plants and over one million people.
The delta is also the homeland of indigenous people like the San.
The delta is home to Africa’s Big Five wildlife species: Savanna elephants, Cape buffaloes, rhinos, lions and leopards.
There are also giraffes, zebras, antelopes, pangolins, 400 bird species and over 1,000 plant species.

Murchison Falls-

It is situated on the northern shore of Lake Albert, one of the Rift Valley Great Lakes that lies on the border between Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The Victoria Nile flows through the park and elephants, hippos, Nile crocodiles, buffaloes and marabou storks can regularly be seen on its banks.
This natural refuge harbours 556 bird species and 188 mammal species.

Oil drilling led environmental damage-

In 48 out of 55 African nations, oil, gas and coal companies are either exploring or developing new fossil reserves, building new fossil infrastructures such as pipelines or liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals or developing new gas and coal-fired power plants.
In the Okavango delta region-
- ReconAfrica, a Canadian company, has been drilling for oil in the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Nature Conservation Area (KAZA).
- An oil spill could pollute the Okavango River and ultimately also the Okavango delta.
- KAZA is the second-largest nature and landscape conservation area in the world.
- It is spread across the borders of Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
In the Murchison fall region-
- French oil giant TotalEnergies and China’s National Offshore Oil Company (CNOOC) plan to exploit one billion barrels of crude oil from the Tilenga oil field at the northern tip of Lake Albert and the Kingfisher oil field at the southern end of the lake.
- The 1,443 km long pipeline will transport the crude through Uganda and Tanzania to the Indian Ocean Port of Tanga.
- The whole project would cut through the habitats of several wild species.
Once the pipeline reaches the Tanzanian coast, oil tankers would steer through mangrove swamps and coral reefs to export the oil.
The pipeline will also run through 178 villages in Uganda and 231 villages in Tanzania. All in all, TotalEnergies’ and CNOOC’s project will force more than 100,000 people off their lands.

12. Behind Mumbai’s unusually foul air, changes in wind pattern

Subject: Geography

Context:

Over the last one month, the air quality of the financial capital is distinctly poorer compared to previous year.

Prolonged bad air quality in Mumbai-

SAFAR app is showing the overall air quality index (AQI) in Delhi is 249 (poor) while that in Mumbai is 309 (Very poor).
Mumbai has an locational advantage- its relatively cleaner air is due to strong sea breezes which sweeps the pollutant away from the land surface.
Earlier Mumbai has seen the rise in air pollutants but this time the phase of bad air quality is perticularly prolonged.

Probable reason for bad air quality-

Slower wind speed- Wind speed in mumbai is relatively slower this year, reducing its ability to sweep away pollutants.
Change in flow pattern-
- Generally, In Mumbai, the wind flows from land to sea for a few days and then from sea to land. This cycle gets repeated every 3-4 days.
- When the wind flows from land to sea, it sweeps away the pollutants.
- But this year, the cycle is getting delayed from 3-4 days to more than 10 days. This led to large scale accumulation of air pollutants over the city.
Rise in PM 10 pollutant suggests the cause of bad air quality could be large scale increases in construction activities. As PM2.5 mostly comes from vehicular or Industrial emissions of power plants, while PM10 comes from large scale construction activities.

13. Debate over jumbos, vermins

Subject :Environment

Context-

The Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Bill 2022 has invited scrutiny on two major issues: the exemption made to allow the transfer of captive elephants, and the sweeping powers given to the Centre to declare species as vermin.

Status of elephant under WLPA, 1972-

In 1897, the Elephants’ Preservation Act prohibited the killing or capture of wild elephants unless in self-defence or to protect property and crops, or under a licence issued by the district collector.
The Wildlife (Protection) Act (WLPA), 1972, identified the elephant, along with the bullock, camel, donkey, horse, and mule, as a “vehicle”.
Given the highest legal protection in 1977, the elephant is the only animal in WLPA’s Schedule-I that can still be owned legally — by means of inheritance or gift.

What the amendment has proposed-

In 2003, Section 3 of the WLPA prohibited trade in all captive wildlife and any (non-commercial) transfer across state boundaries without permission from the concerned chief wildlife warden.
The WLPA (Amendment) Bill 2021 proposed an exception to Section 43: “This section shall not apply to the transfer or transport of any live elephant by a person having a certificate of ownership, where such person has obtained prior permission from the State Government on fulfillment of such conditions as may be prescribed by the Central Government.”

Issue with the amended clause-

Conservationists has raised objection against the blanket exemption and recommended that it should be limited to temple elephants kept for religious purposes.
Elephant traders may put wild populations at greater risk of capture, and defeat the very purpose of WLPA.

Centre-state conflict over vermin-

Since 1972, the WLPA has identified a few species — fruit bats, common crows and rats — as vermin or nuisance animals that spread diseases or destroy crops and are not protected under the Act.
Killing animals outside this list was allowed under two circumstances:
- Under Section 62 of WLPA, given sufficient reasons, any species other than those accorded the highest legal protection (such as tiger and elephant but not wild boar or nilgai) can be declared vermin at a certain place for a certain time.
- Under Section 11 of WLPA, the chief wildlife warden can allow the killing of an animal irrespective of its status in the Schedules, if it becomes “dangerous to human life”.
The state governments took the decisions under Section 62 until 1991 when an amendment handed these powers to the Centre.
Under Section 11, states could issue culling permits only locally and for a few animals.
Recently, centre has started using its power under section 62 to issue sweeping orders declaring species as vermin at even state levels, often without any credible scientific assessment.
Centre has declared nilgai as vermin in 20 districts of bihar, Rhesus macaque (monkey) as vermin in shimla municipality.
Centre has declined Kerala’s request to declare wild boars as vermin.

Note: Few topics from the Hindu will be covered tomorrow

Three Himalayan medicinal plants enter IUCN Red List
Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre gets new trisonic wind tunnel
Hot test of scramjet engine conducted successfully
Nod to appoint 3 additional judges as permanent judges
Bill seeks setting up of Commission to curb medical costs
Centre introduces Bills to modify ST list in four States