Daily Prelims Notes 14 January 2025

Daily Prelims Notes

14 January 2025

Table Of Contents

1. Rooster fights held in A.P. despite police warning
2. Call for Renaming India-Linked Fungus
3. The Flat-Top Sada of Konkan

1. Rooster fights held in A.P. despite police warning

Sub: History

Sec: Art and Culture

Context: –

• Kodi Pandem, the banned sport, which has huge patronage in the rural areas, is conducted in a big way during the harvest festival every year. Since its ban by the High Court of Andhra Pradesh in 2016, the police have been trying to enforce it and prevent cruelty towards the birds.
• It is also banned under Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act of 1960 and Andhra Pradesh Gaming Act, 1974.

Recent Developments in Andhra Pradesh:

• Police Raids: As Sankranti approaches, police in Andhra Pradesh have increased raids on rooster fight organizers, knife manufacturers, and habitual offenders associated with the banned sport. Special teams have been formed to monitor and prevent these activities.
• Use of Technology: The Andhra Pradesh police are employing drones and artificial intelligence to monitor and prevent rooster fights and related illegal activities during the festival season.
• Financial Stakes: Despite the ban, significant amounts of money are spent during these events.

Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960: Overview

The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 is a central law enacted to prevent the infliction of unnecessary pain or suffering on animals and ensure their welfare.

• Definition of Cruelty (Section 11):
  • Includes beating, kicking, torturing, or overloading animals.
  • Prohibits organizing or participating in animal fights.
• Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) (Section 4):
  • Established to promote animal welfare, advise the government, and ensure enforcement of the Act.
• Exemptions (Section 28):
  • Permits humane killing of animals for food or religious purposes.

Animal Fights in India: State-Wise Overview

2. Call for Renaming India-Linked Fungus

Sub : Sci

Sec: Health

Why in News

• A group of dermatologists from 14 countries, including India and Germany, has raised concerns about the regional naming of a novel fungal species, Trichophyton indotineae, which causes hard-to-treat skin infections. The naming practice, they argue, promotes prejudice and misinformation, contradicting global guidelines by health organizations.

Trichophyton indotineae:

• Identified in 2020 by Japanese dermatologists in patients from India and Nepal.
• Named following a historical practice of linking infectious agents to specific locations.
• Initially categorized as a variant of Trichophyton mentagrophytes, termed Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) genotype VIII/T. interdigitale.
• Cases have been reported across multiple continents, including Europe, the Middle East, North America, and Asia, often linked to travel and migration from South Asia.
• Predominantly transmitted through person-to-person contact, including skin-to-skin interactions and shared personal items.
• Emerging evidence suggests possible transmission through sexual contact.
• Causes inflammatory and pruritic dermatophytosis, commonly affecting the groin, gluteal region, trunk, and face.
• Notably exhibits high levels of resistance to terbinafine, a common antifungal medication, due to mutations in the squalene epoxidase gene.
• The fungus has been detected in over 40 countries, making it a global health concern.

Concerns Raised by the Dermatologists:

• Naming infectious agents after locations fosters stigma, racial prejudice, and misinformation.
• It contradicts guidelines by: World Health Organization (WHO)
• The naming was based on isolates from only two patients—one Indian and one Nepalese—rendering the designation scientifically unsubstantiated.
• The origin of the fungus remains unclear, making a region-specific name inappropriate.

Internal Transcribed Spacer:

• It serves as a genetic marker for species identification and phylogenetic analysis, particularly in fungi.
• Found in the ribosomal RNA gene cluster.
• Does not code for proteins but helps regulate rRNA production.
• High variability between species makes ITS an ideal region for distinguishing fungal species.
• Used in molecular diagnostics to accurately identify fungi, including Trichophyton indotineae.

3. The Flat-Top Sada of Konkan

Sub: Geo

Sec: Indian Physical Geo

Why in News

• The sada, unique flat-top lateritic plateaus of the Konkan region, have recently been the subject of biodiversity and ecosystem studies.

Konkan Sada:

• Konkan lies between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghats, transitioning into flat-topped plateaus (sada) in Ratnagiri district.
• Sadas are formed through centuries of erosion and resemble the Kaas Plateau in Satara district, known for its rocky terrain.
• Sadawaghapur Plateau: Situated on the Tarle-Patan road in Patan tehsil of Satara district, this plateau is renowned for its vibrant wildflower blooms during the monsoon season, attracting tourists and nature enthusiasts.
• Barsu Sada: Located near Rajapur in the Ratnagiri district, Barsu Sada is notable for its ancient petroglyphs, offering insights into prehistoric human activities in the region.
• Study (2022–2024) recorded 459 plant species, including 105 endemic species.
• Monsoons transform the barren sada into a lush habitat for unique vegetation.
• Documented 31 reptile species, 13 amphibians, 169 bird species, and 41 mammal species.
• Vulnerable Indian flapshell turtle (Lissemys punctata), leopards, jackals, and migratory birds.
• Villages on the sada access water through open wells, springs, and perennial streams.
• Highly weathered lateritic soil acts as a natural rainwater catchment, replenishing groundwater.
• The region hosts 10,000-year-old geoglyphs, showcasing early human creativity.
• Locals practice traditional, pesticide-free farming of rice and millets (Eleusine coracana) on small sada patches during monsoons.
• Laterite stone extraction is a significant threat to the sada’s integrity.
• Being labelled as ‘wasteland’ in the Wasteland Atlas hinders its protection and recognition.

Indian Flapshell Turtle (Lissemys punctata):

• IUCN Status: Vulnerable
• Native Range: Found across South Asia, including India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Bangladesh.
• Prefers freshwater ecosystems like ponds, rivers, marshes, and lakes.
• National Parks in India:
  • Keoladeo National Park (Rajasthan)
  • Kaziranga National Park (Assam)
  • Sundarbans National Park (West Bengal)

Geoglyphs:

• Large designs or motifs created on the ground, typically by removing soil or using rocks to contrast with the surrounding terrain.
• Found in Barsu Sada and other parts of the Konkan region, Maharashtra.
• Dates back approximately 10,000 years. Provides insights into prehistoric human life and their cultural expressions.