Daily Prelims Notes 23 February 2023

February 23, 2023
Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
Category: DPN

Daily Prelims Notes

23 February 2023

Table Of Contents

1. 900-year-old parrot lady relives journey from Canada

Subject: History

Section: Art & Culture

Context: At Maharaja Chhatrasal Convention Centre, Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh, an exhibition titled ‘Re(ad)dress: Return of Treasures’ was inaugurated.

More in the news:

The exhibition is part of the first G20 Culture Working Group (CWG)
The exhibition comprises 26 artefacts that have returned to the country after being stolen from India and smuggled abroad and their cultural biographies. The ‘Parrot Lady’, a sandstone sculpture from Khajuraho, is among the 26 artefacts on display.
Others include: the 12th-century Dancing Ganesha, a stone sculpture from central India that went missing but was repatriated from the US in 2021; the 11th-century marble sculpture of Brahma and Brahmani from Gujarat, repatriated from the UK in 2017; and the Yaksha, Amin Pillar from 2nd century BC, which went missing from Haryana, but was later discovered in the UK and repatriated in 1979-80.
The objective of the meet is to achieve a reduction in illicit trafficking of cultural property by 2030, strengthen regulation of online trading platforms and also create awareness about restitution laws and conventions and highlight successful case studies.
The exhibition is conceptualised in six thematic sections: cultural heritage, repatriation of cultural property, historical precedents, conventions and guiding principles, global cooperation and glimpses of the return.

Concept:

The ASI was also a nodal agency to retrieve stolen or illegally exported art objects. From1976 to 2001, 19 antiquities had been retrieved by the ASI from foreign countries either through legal means, indemnity agreement, voluntary action or through out of case settlement. But after 2001, the ASI had not been able to achieve any successdue to discretion and abuse in granting non-antiquity certificates for exports.
India is a signatoryto the 1970 UNESCO Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property (ratified it in 1977).
Perhaps there is a need to sign the 1995 UNIDROIT(International Institute for the Unification of Private Law) Convention on Stolen or Illegally Exported Cultural Objects.
Steps taken by India to preserve and conserve monuments and antiquities include:

Article 51 A (f)-“Its hall be the duty of every citizen of India to value and preserve the rich heritage of our composite culture.”
Article 49-to protect monuments, places and objects of national importance.
Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (AMASR) Act of 1958
AAT (Antiquities and Art Treasures) Act, 1972– to effectively control movable cultural property consisting of antiquities and art treasures.
Antiquities Export Control Act, 1947 – regulate the export of antiquities
National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities, 2007– prepare a national register to document antiquities from different sources in a uniform format.
India Pride Project– Volunteer network spread across globe that tracks and brings India’s stolen antiquities and art treasures.

2. Some of 3695 protected structures may lose monument tag

Subject: Art and Culture

Context: With an aim to redefine monuments and rationalise the use of area around the protected monuments, the government is set to reintroduce the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (AMASR) (Amendment) Bill in the second half of the Budget session.

More in news:

Currently, a monument has to be at least 100 years old. But sources say there is a view to change that benchmark and go back since India has a wealth of ancient monuments, while most ‘100-year-old monuments pertain to the time of the Britishers’. This is in line with the government wanting to shed ‘its colonial past’.
There is also a likelihood of redefining ‘national importance’ as per the ethos of the country, since several centrally protected monuments were included on the list during the British regime, when the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) was established.
These two will pave the way for the denotification of many centrally protected monuments, which currently stand at 3,695.
Similarly, no construction work or related activity is generally permitted in these prohibited and regulated areas in case of all 3,695 protected monuments across the country, unless a specific approval is taken from the National Monuments Authority (NMA).
As this restricts a lot of areas, it is expected that the amendments will pertain to making some relaxation in these zones, specifically in case of smaller and less significant monuments such as statues, cemeteries and cannons, etc.
However, in case of UNESCO World Heritage Sites (India has 40 of them, including Taj Mahal in Agra, Dholavira in Gujarat, Ramappa Temple in Telangana, and Red Fort and Qutub Minar complexes in Delhi), these restrictions may stay, since construction in regulated and prohibited zones may impact these heritage structures.

AMASR Act and ASI

Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958

The AMASR Act provides for preservation of ancient and historical monuments and archaeological sites and remains of national importance.
It provides for the regulation of archaeological excavations and for protection of sculptures, carvings and other like objects.
The Archaeological Survey of India functions under the provisions of this act. The Archaeological Survey of India is the custodian of these monuments.
The Act prohibits construction in ‘prohibited area’, an area of 100 meters around protected monument.
It does not permit construction in such prohibited areas even if it is for public purposes, except under certain conditions.
The central government can extend the prohibited area beyond 100 meters.
The iconic monuments in India, Taj Mahal, Ajanta Caves, The Great Stupa at Sanchi and the Sun Temple of Konark, among others are designated as “ancient monuments of national importance” and protected under the AMASR Act.
National Monument Authority will make a recommendation, for construction of public works to the central government, only if it is satisfied that there is no reasonable possibility of moving the construction outside the prohibited area.

Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)

ASI, under the Ministry of Culture, is the premier organization for the archaeological research and protection of the cultural heritage of the nation.
It was founded in 1861 by Alexander Cunningham– the first Director-General of ASI. Alexander Cunningham is also known as the “Father of Indian Archaeology”.
Its activities include carrying out surveys of antiquarian remains, exploration and excavation of archaeological sites, conservation and maintenance of protected monuments etc.

3. New policy to help Indian communities displaced by annual river & coastal erosion drafted

Subject: Geography

Section : Indian Physical Geography

Context: National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) is drafting India’s first national policy for the mitigation and rehabilitation of the people affected by river and coastal erosion.

About the draft policy:

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs had directed NDMA to draft a policy based on the 15th Finance Commission’s report for 2021, in which it had for the first time emphasised on rehabilitation and resettlement for people displaced by the river and coastal erosion, in view of the increasing threat due to climate change.
Until now, most policies in the country only address displacement after sudden rapid-onset disasters such as floods and cyclones.

Key features include:

The 15th Finance Commission’s report considers two aspects related to the new policy.
- First, it introduces mitigation measures to prevent erosion under the National Disaster Mitigation Fund (NDMF), with an allocation of Rs 1,500 crore for 2021-26.
- Second, for the resettlement of displaced people affected by erosion, it allocates Rs 1,000 crore for the same period under the National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF).
This is being taken out of the recovery and reconstruction window introduced for the first time under NDRF in 2021.
NDMA will coordinate the allocations and expenses under NDRF and NDMF at the national level for mitigation and rehabilitation.
District disaster management authorities would be the nodal agency to implement the measures, aided by other district agencies and a specific panchayat-level committee.
- The DDMA will prepare mitigation and rehabilitation plans and submit them to the SDMAs, from where the proposed measures will be appraised by NDMA and finally submitted to the home ministry.
- A high-level committee of the ministry will then approve the disbursal of funds.
- DDMAs will also be responsible for organising, monitoring and evaluation of the efforts under the supervision of their state and national counterparts.
Detailed hazard assessments carried out by central agencies such as the National Centre for Coast Research, National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management, Central Water Commission and, high-resolution LiDAR data available with National Remote Sensing Centre should be made available to the SDMAs.
- These should be made available in easy-to-access in geographic information systems (GIS) formats by the NDMA.
The policy insists on mapping coastal and river erosion impacts and coming up with a database of diverse challenges confronted by the affected and vulnerable habitations.
The draft policy also recommends impact and vulnerability assessments of regions threatened by coastal and river erosion to be undertaken periodically, which will be spearheaded by SDMAs in coordination with the state departments and DDMAs.

4. Nord Stream spill is biggest methane leak ever, but minuscule compared to global release of the greenhouse gas: UNEP

Subject: Environment

Section : Climate Change

Context: A massive plume of highly concentrated methane was released into the atmosphere after the incident in September 2022.

Report findings:

A UNEP-led assessment found that the rupture of the Nord Stream natural gas pipeline under the Baltic Sea is the biggest single event that led to the massive release of climate-damaging methane. But the incident is a “drop in the ocean compared to the amount of methane released globally”.
The amount of methane released during the incident represents less than 0.1 per cent of the total annual human-made methane emissions.
It also equals the methane emissions the oil and gas industry generates in a single day.
International Methane emission observatory (IMEO) is creating a worldwide public database of methane emissions with unparalleled precision and granularity to spur action to reduce methane emissions.

Methane emission:

In October 2023, scientists had identified more than 50 ‘super-emitters’ of heat-trapping methane gas in central Asia, west Asia and the southwestern United States.
Most of these sites have ties with agriculture and fossil fuel industries.
Methane accounts for a small portion of human-induced greenhouse gas emissions compared to carbon dioxide. But it is thought to be 80 times more efficient than carbon dioxide at trapping atmospheric heat in the 20 years following its release.
Methane stays in the atmosphere for only ten years, unlike CO2, which persists for hundreds or thousands of years.
This indicates that a significant decrease in methane emissions might sharply reduce anticipated global warming by the middle of the century.

International Methane Emissions Observatory (IMEO)

Launched by: UN Environment Programme (UNEP) with support from the European Union
Launched at the recent G20 Summit.
Objective of the IMEO
- The observatory aims to provide credible data to track the country’s progress on meeting methane reduction pledges and to promote best practices.
- It will initially focus on methane emissions from the fossil fuel sector and then expand to other major emitting sectors like agriculture and waste.
- It will also monitor commitments made by countries in the Global Methane Pledge, a US- and EU-led effort to slash methane emissions by 30% by 2030.

5. Reviving Adi Ganga: Central funds, international project give hope

Subject :Geography

Section : Indian Physical Geography

Context:

The National Mission for Clean Ganga has allotted around Rs 650 crore to revive the ancient river, the Adi Ganga (the original channel of River Ganga passing through the city of Kolkata), and it has also been included in a multi-country river project on combating pollution.

More on the news:

The developments come after the National Green Tribunal had directed the West Bengal government to complete its rejuvenation by 2025.
The panelists at an international water conference organised in Sylhet, Bangladesh by the non-profit Action Aid decided to explore the possibility of a pan-south Asian project to address the pollution of one key river each in India, Bangladesh, Nepal, China and Malaysia. Adi Ganga was selected from India.
Apart from Adi Ganga, Buriganga in Bangladesh, Puyang in China, Bagmati in Nepal and Klang in Malaysia were also chosen for pollution study

About the river: Adi Ganga

Adi Ganga (also known as the Gobindapur Creek and Tolly’s Canal), is a stream that was part of the Hooghly River in the Kolkata area of India.
Adi Ganga was the river’s main channel till the 17th century.
- Source of the river- Sundarbans
- Around 1750, a canal was dug to connect the main course of the river with the lower part of River Saraswati adjacent to
- The resultant Hooghly became the main river stretch and Adi Ganga turned into a secondary tributary.
However, Adi Ganga continued to thrive till the 1970s. Since then, its water quality gradually deteriorated until it turned into a sewer and got rapidly encroached, even fully filled up just beyond the boundary of the city’s municipal corporation.
Also the choking of Adi Ganga severely impacted the natural drainage of the area.
According to the state pollution control board data the dissolved oxygen is zero for Adi Ganga river.
After crossing the Kolkata city, the river vanishes into the concrete houses, halls and roads.

Efforts to clean the river:

In 1998 the Calcutta High Court directed removal of all encroachments within a month, but a report, came after two decade of the order, showed that the encroachments were still existing.
The expansion of the Metro Rail in 2009 from the Tollygunge tram depot to Garia in the southern part of the city accentuated the situation as 300 pillars supporting the rails were being anchored at the middle of the channel.

6. Working Mechanism For Consultation And Coordination meeting : India and China

Subject : International Relations

Section :India’s neighbour

Concept :

The 26th meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) was held in Beijing on Wednesday.
This was the first in-person WMCC meeting since the 14th meeting held in July 2019.

About WMCC:

The WMCC was established in 2012 as an institutional mechanism for consultation and coordination for management of India – China border areas, as well as to exchange views on strengthening communication and cooperation, including between the border security personnel of the two sides.
It is headed by joint secretary-level officials from both sides.
They are entrusted to help the special representative for boundary talks, a position currently held by NSA Ajit Doval.
Significance : The 26th meeting was significant as it took place amid ongoing tensions between the two countries, particularly in the wake of the 2020 clashes in the Galwan Valley.
Purpose :
- To bring back normalcy in the bilateral relations between India and China
- To restore peace along the Line of Actual Control.

7. Dickinsonia fossil found in Bhimbetka is old beehive

Subject : Art and Culture

Concept :

Fossils of an extinct species of animal (Dickinsonia) that scientists reported in a sensational discovery from India’s Bhimbetka Rock Shelters in 2021 have been found to be belied hopes.

Background :

In 2021, researchers spotted by chance what looked like a 44-cm-wide fossil of Dickinsonia, an animal that lived at least 538 million years ago, in a cave.
Dickinsonia fossils in other parts of the world have indicated it was circular or oval in shape, somewhat flat, with rib-like structures radiating from a central column.
In 2022, researchers were able to conclude that “the impression resulted from decay of a modern beehive which was attached to a fractured rock surface”.

About Dickinsonia:

It is an extinct genus of basal animal that lived during the late Ediacaran period in what is now Australia, Russia and Ukraine.
These creatures arose in a world devoid of predators, and had no need for hard protective carapaces or skeletons.
The discovery of cholesterol molecules in fossils of Dickinsonia lends support to the idea that Dickinsonia was an animal.

Bhimbetka Caves:

The Bhimbetka rock shelters are an archaeological site in central India that spans the Paleolithic and Mesolithic periods, as well as the historic period.
It exhibits the earliest traces of human life in India and evidence of Stone Age starting at the site in Acheulian times.
It is located in the Raisen District in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh.
It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that consists of seven hills and over 750 rock shelters distributed over 10 km
At least some of the shelters were inhabited more than 100,000 years ago.
The Bhimbetka site has the oldest-known rock art in India, as well as is one of the largest prehistoric complexes.
Bhimbetka meaning “Bhima’s resting place” or “Bhima’s lounge”, is compound word made of Bhima (second brother among the five Pandavas of Mahabharata) and Baithaka (seat or lounge). According to the native belief, Bhima during his exile used to rest here to interact with the locals.

8. Rupee trade facing friction as bank’s wary of US sanction

Subject : Economy

Section: External Sector

Concept :

There is a lack of clarity among banks about the International Trade Settlement mechanism in rupees (INR) and those with exposure to the U.S. are wary of sanctions, the Chairman of India’s Engineering Export Promotion Council (EEPC) said.
Early last year, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had set up the International Trade Settlement mechanism in rupee, a move aimed at facilitating trade with countries under sanctions such as Russia.

Indian rupee trade settlement mechanism

The RBI has announced the setting up of this mechanism to carry out international trade in Indian rupees.
The Indian rupee trade settlement mechanism is a means of using the Indian rupee in all international transactions instead of dollars and other big currencies.
Special vostro rupee accounts, or SVRA, have been opened by the Indian banks with the banks of Mauritius, Russia, Sri Lanka.

For Importers in India:

Importers in India undertaking imports through the mechanism will be required to make payment in rupees which must be credited into the Vostro account of the correspondent bank of the partner country, against the invoices for the supply of goods or services from the overseas seller or supplier.

For exporters of India:

In a similar way, exporters of India exporting goods and services through this mechanism must be paid the export proceeds in the Indian currency from the balance in a designated Vostro account of the correspondent bank of the partner country.

Vostro & Nostro Account

A vostro account is a record of money held by a bank or owed to a bank by a third party (an individual, company or bank).
The nostro account is a way of keeping track of how much of the bank’s money is being held by the other bank.
For further reference – https://optimizeias.com/vostro-account/

9. A legislator has to obey part whip – Uddhav Thackeraytells SC

Subject : Polity

Section :Parliament and State legislature

Concept :

A legislator has to obey the party whip and cannot diverge on his own, saying his constituency is disillusioned by the ruling party leadership, former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray argued in the Supreme Court on Wednesday.

About Whip

A whip is a directive from the party that binds party members of a House to obey the line of the party.
Though the office of whip is not officially recognised in the standing orders, there has been a long tradition to give them a place in the Parliamentary form of government.
The whip plays a crucial role in ensuring the smooth and efficient conduct of business on the floor of the House.
The whip is an MP/MLA drawn from the party that is in power and also from the party that sits on the opposition bench. They are vital in maintaining the links between the internal organisation of party inside the Parliament.
It is also the duty of the chief whip to maintain discipline of the party on the floor of the House. Besides, he is responsible for keeping MPs, especially Ministers, informed of opinion in the party on the moods of individual members.
If an MP/MLA violates his party’s whip, he faces expulsion from the House under the Anti-Defection Act.
Constitutional status: The office of ‘whip’, is mentioned neither in the Constitution of India nor in the Rules of the House nor in a Parliamentary Statute. It is based on the conventions of the parliamentary government.
Non-applicability of Whip: There are some cases such as Presidential elections where whips cannot direct a Member of Parliament (MP) or Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) on whom to vote.

10. Mohiniyattam

Subject : Art and Culture

Section : Art and Culture

Concept :

Mohiniyattam exponent Kanak Rele, who played a significant role in bringing a systematic structure, academic veracity and much currency to Mohiniyattam, besides propagating female roles in Kathakali, died morning in Mumbai.
Rele was conferred with the Padma Bhushan in 2013.

About Mohiniyattam

Mohiniyattam is a classical dance style from Kerala state and one of the eight principal Indian classical dance.
The Mohiniyattam is a popular dance form with a drama in dance, performed with subtle gestures and footwork.

A brief history of the dance form

Some scholars trace Mohiniattam to the second or third century A.D. (to the era of the great Tamil epic, Silappadikaaram), whereas others maintain that it was created in the middle of the eighteenth century in the court of Maharaja Svati Tirunal of Travancore
It is also believed that the dance form acquired its affinity with the Bharata Natyam technique and Karnatak Music and thereby its repertoire, in Swati Tirunal’s court.
In the beginning of the 20th Century, like all the other traditional arts, Mohiniattam also went into oblivion due to the policies of the British.
During colonial times the dance suppressed but it was revived during national independence movement by V.N. Menon.

Salient features associated with the dance-form

Mohiniyattam is characterized by graceful, swaying body movements with no abrupt jerks or sudden leaps. It belongs to the Lasya style which is feminine, tender and graceful.
The most characteristic element of the “form” component of Mohiniattam is the circular or spiral movement of all the limbs of the body. This gives it a swaying effect which resembles the movement of a pendulum and thus it is called aandolika.
The movements are emphasized by the glides and the up and down movement on toes, like the waves of the sea and the swaying of the coconut, palm trees and the paddy fields.
Movements have been borrowed from Nangiar Koothu and female folk dances Kaikottikali and the Tiruvatirakali.
The footwork is not terse and is rendered softly. Importance is given to the hand gestures and Mukhabhinaya with subtle facial expressions.
Mohiniyattam lays emphasis on acting. The dancer identifies herself with the character and sentiments existing in the compositions like the Padams and Pada Varnams which give ample opportunity for facial expressions.
The hand gestures, 24 in number, are mainly adopted from Hastalakshana Deepika, a text followed by Kathakali. Few are also borrowed from Natya Shastra, Abhinaya Darpana and Balarambharatam.
The gestures and facial expressions are closer to the natural(gramya) and the realistic (lokadharmi) than to the dramatic or rigidly conventional (natyadharmi).
Vocal music of this performance art incorporates different rhythms and lyrics of many of the compositions performed in this dance form are in Manipravala that is a mix of Sanskrit and Malayalam language while the music style is Carnatic.
Instruments played during a Mohiniattam performance usually comprises of Kuzhitalam or cymbals; Veena; Idakka, an hourglass-shaped drum; Mridangam, a barrel-shaped drum with two heads; and
Imminent 20th-century exponents of Mohiniattam apart from Vallathol Narayana Menon were Kalamandalam Kalyanikutty Amma, Thankamony, Krishna Panicker and Mukundraja.
Present day exponents include Sunanda Nair; Smitha Rajan, granddaughter of Kalyanikutty Amma; Radha Dutta; Vijayalakshmi; Gopika Varma and Jayaprabha Menon among others.

11. Mukaab City

Subject : International Affairs

Section : Places in news

Concept :

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince unveiled The Mukaab, which is a 400-meter-high, wide, and long long indoor supercity in the center of Riyad
The Mukaab, the super city, will be large enough to hold 20 empire state buildings and it is aimed that the PIF-backed giga-project will become a new global icon of technology, sustainability, mobility, and Saudi Innovation.
The Mukaab will be in the center of the Wider New Murabba Development created by His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Prime Minister and Chairman of the New Murabba Development Company (NMDC) to bring the project to fruition.

Mukaab Indoor Super-City is Saudi Arabia’s Next Mega-Project in Riyadh- Key Features

The Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia has announced the project Mukaab which is aimed to be the world’s largest modern downtown in Riyadh.
The Mukaab, is a cube-like city that will form the centerpiece of a new downtown area in Riyadh.
The establishment of Mukaab aims to transform a 19-square-kilometer area to the northwest of Riyadh into a new gen mixed-use district.
The development team of Mukaab confirms that the super city will offer ever-changing environments using digital and virtual technology to create holographic displays.

Aim of the project Mukaab and Structure

The Mukaab, the super city, is based on the Najdi architecture with more futuristic approach.
The building will enclose a tower on top of a spiral base. The structure will feature two million square meters of floor space that will be a hospitality destination with retail, cultural, and tourist attractions, featuring residential and hotel units, commercial space, and recreational facilities.
The Mukaab, a new Murabba project will feature 1,04,000 residential units, 9000 hotel rooms, 9,80,000 square meters of retail space, and 1.4 million square meters of office space. It will also include a green area and walking paths to promote a healthy lifestyle.
The developers informed that the project would create more than 340,000 jobs and the Mukaab project is scheduled to be completed by 2030.

Is the structure inspired by the Kaaba?

However, the Saudi Arabia government has come under criticism from certain people who consider the planned Mukaab to closely resemble the Kaaba.
The Kaaba, located in Mecca, the holiest city for Muslims, is a black cuboid structure considered to be the most sacred site in all of Islam.
Every year, millions of pilgrims from across the world flock to Mecca for the Hajj pilgrimage where they circumambulate around the Kaaba.

Najdi Architecture

It is one of the Arabian architectural styles, developed in the Saudi Arabian region
The Najdi Architecture of Saudi Arabia doesn’t employ arches and domes both for structural as well as symbolic reasons.
For example, Qasr-al-Masmak is the fortress in the old city of Riyadh, built as late as 1865, is missing on the arcuated spans in its construction.
The typical houses in the Najd region are usually two stories high and built around an open central courtyard.
The shape of the courtyard is usually geometric like a rectangle or a square and it works as lungs of the houses to regulate the microclimate and provide a private space for the family to maintain the private life.
The main material to built this kind of house is sun-dried mud bricks and mud.

12. Venice’s famous canals are now drying

Subject : Geography

Section: Places in news

Concept :

A high-pressure system is stuck over Venice, creating low tides, which has led to low water levels and dry canals.
However, experts suggest the root cause behind the issue is the drought-like situation across Italy.
Apart from this, tourists have also been left disappointed as gondolas, the flat-bottom long boats that travel under the famous bridges of Venice, can’t navigate the dried-up routes.
Note : In 2019, the city of venice was flooded due to high tides.

Acqua alta

Acqua alta is the name given to exceptionally high tides in the Adriatic Sea.
Late autumn and winter are the seasons for high tides or acqua alta in Venice.
The phenomenon occurs mainly between autumn and spring, when the astronomical tides are reinforced by the prevailing seasonal winds that hamper the usual reflux.
The main local winds involved are the sirocco and the Bora.

City of Venice

Located in northern Italy, the city of Venice has a unique geography.
It is a collection of over 118 small islands spread over a lagoon, which is a kind of water body that is separated from a larger water body through some kind of land formation.
Covering 70,176.4 ha., the Venetian lagoon is separated from the Adriatic Sea.
The islands are located in the shallow Venetian Lagoon, an enclosed bay that lies between the mouths of the Po and the Piave rivers.
The lagoon and a part of the city are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Venice has been known as “La Dominante”, “La Serenissima”, “Queen of the Adriatic”, “City of Water”, “City of Masks”, “City of Bridges”, “The Floating City”, and “City of Canals”.

Water Crisis in Italy

Since last summer, the region has been seeing a severe shortage of water in its rivers and lakes.
Italian Alps have received nearly half of the normal snowfall during this winter. This is worrying as snow is an important source of water in spring and summer when, by melting, it ensures water supplies in the months it is most needed.
Meanwhile, Italy’s longest river, the Po, which travels from the Alps to the Adriatic, has 61 per cent less water than normal at this time of year.
To make matters worse, Italy’s largest lake, Lake Garda, is also suffering from low water levels.

13. 6 years minimum age for Class 1 admission

Subject : Schemes

Section: Education

Context: Students can be admitted to Class 1 only at the age of “6+” years instead of the earlier practice of “5+” years, the Education Ministry told States and Union Territories

Concept:

NEP 2020, children in the age group of 3 years to 6 years were not covered within the 10+2 structure of formal schooling.
Under the new structure, children aged 3 to 8 years come under the foundational section including three years of pre-school and two years of primary school followed by preparatory, middle and secondary sections in a 5+3+3+4 formula.

Department of School Education and Literacy has now reiterated

align their age of admission with the policy and provide admission to Grade-I at the age of 6+ years
ensure accessibility to three years of quality preschool education for all children, whether they were studying in anganwadis, or in preschools run or aided by the government, by NGOs or by other private players.
States such as Delhi consider April 1 in the year of admission as the date when a child should be 6 years old or older, while many other States consider January 1 or July 1. The Central government-run Kendriya Vidyalayas also use July 1 as their cut-off date.
The Centre’s reminder is in line with the latest National Education Policy’s emphasis on improving foundational learning by bringing early childhood care and education under the formal schooling system and moving it from the aegis of the Ministry of Women and Child Development to the Education Ministry.

14. Election Commission’s has no power to decide on party’s account and property

Subject :Polity

Section: Elections

Context: After the Election Commission’s (EC) February 17 decision granting the Shiv Sena name and symbol to Maharashtra Chief Minister’s faction, the next big question is who will control the party’s properties and bank accounts.

Concept:

The EC relied on the “test of majority”. It is found based on the support of the majority of the MLAs, MLCs, and MPs.
When the Commission ruled on a dispute between factions of the Congress in January 1971, it can only rule on the use of the registered name and symbol under the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968

The Supreme Court, by upholding the EC decision in the Sadiq Ali case in November 1971, ruled,

The claim made in this respect is only for the purpose of symbols in connection with the elections to Parliament and State Legislatures and the decision of the Commission pertains to this limited matter.
The Commission while deciding the matter under Paragraph 15 does not decide disputes about property.
The proper forum for adjudication of disputes about property are the Civil Courts.

Paragraph 15 of the EC order

its power to decide disputes between splinter groups of a recognised political party is mentioned in para 15.
When the Commission is satisfied on information in its possession that there are rival sections or groups of a recognised political party after verification ,decide that one such rival section or group or none of such rival sections or groups is that recognised political party
The decision of the Commission shall be binding on all such rival sections or groups.

EC officials said that the panel had no role in the matter.This matter can be decided by a civil court if either side decides to move it.

15. First ever lithium mines auction likely by June

Subject : Geography

Section: Economic Geography

Context: India plans to auction blocks of lithium mines, recently discovered in Jammu and Kashmir, between April and June, a mines ministry official said

Concept:

India had recently declared that it has established “lithium inferred resources” calculated on the basis of physical and chemical study of the surface and samples along the SalalHaimana area of Reasi district in Jammu & Kashmir.

Stages of exploration (G4 TO G1) and future prospects by GSI

The resources are estimated at 5.9 million tonnes (mt), and work is at a preliminary exploration stage also called G3.
Most of the resources are in rock formation and those acquiring the blocks may need to put up processing plants.
Mapping is considered the first step in identifying the presence of a mineral, followed by exploration’s had mapped and reported the deposits of lithium in Jammu and kashmir in
India moved from reconnaissance or mapping stage (G4) to prospecting stage (G3) for the lithium mines. Generally conducted for smaller areas, a few kms. To tens of Sq.kms.Pitting and trenching carried out to expose the orebody if near to the surface.
The next stage, G2 (general exploration) entails studies to estimate the shape, size and grade of minerals. length, width and depth identified based on surface studies and drilling data. Pitting, trenching and bed rock sampling on all outcrop sections.
Ultimately, in the G1 stage, the characteristics of the deposit are established with accuracy. Exploratory openings or boreholes are drilled at closer intervals along the strike and also depth wise, to accurately determine the shape, size, disposition of oreand grade of ore body.
As we go from G4 to G1 the size of the area being explored is reduced.
According to mines ministry officials, there will be more “field studies in the Himalayan regions” Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh given the topographical similarities

Import dependence:

India currently imports all the major components that go into lithium ion cell manufacturing, with the import bill estimated at around ₹16,300 crore during the April–December period this fiscal.
China controls nearly 77 percent of lithium ion manufacturing capacities and six of the 10 major producers are based there.
It also controls mines globally by investing in the companies that mine the metal.