Daily Prelims Notes 27 July 2022
- July 27, 2022
- Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
- Category: DPN
Daily Prelims Notes
27 July 2022
Table Of Contents
- Africa Protected Areas Congress
- Freebies- a violation of Constitutional provisions
- Approves advisory for management of Human-Wildlife Conflict across the country
- Hasdeo Aranya forests.
- Lumpy Skin Disease
- Gross domestic product (GDP)
- Consumer protection body issues notices to EV-makers on fire incidents
- No shortage of antiretroviral drugs in India: Health Ministry
- India adds five more Ramsar sites, ups tally to 54
- Eutelsat- One Web to merge
- The repechage format introduced by World Athletics for the 2024 Paris Olympics
1. Africa Protected Areas Congress
Subject: Environment
Section: Biodiversity
Context: The first-ever Africa Protected Areas Congress has convened in in Kigali, Rwanda to discuss the role of protected areas in conserving nature.
Content:
- A $200 billion trust fund has been initiated to conserve around 8,600 protected areas covering 26 million square kilometres in Africa.
- The trust was one of the many outcomes of the Africa Protected Areas Congress.
- Rwanda became the first country to commit to the trust.
- The concept for a Pan-African Conservation Trust was co-created by Anthropology of Social Change and Development (APAD)– international association working for social development, African Wildlife Foundation– conservation organization focussing on Africa’s wildlife and wildlands and IUCN.
- Conservationists have called for global contributions to it.
- The AWF head said global contributions to the fund were required as Africa was bearing the brunt of other countries’ actions.
Africa Protected Areas Congress (APAC)
- The congress was the first continent-wide gathering of African leaders, citizens and interest groups.
- It was organised by International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) from 18 to 23 July 2022.
- The overarching objective was to position Africa’s protected and conserved areas within the broader goals of economic development and community well-being and to increase the understanding of the vital role parks play in conserving biodiversity and delivering the ecosystem services that underpin human welfare and livelihoods.
- It explored on 3 thematic areas– Protected areas, People and
- It discussed upon the role of protected areas in conserving nature, safeguarding Africa’s iconic wildlife, delivering vital life-supporting ecosystem services, promoting sustainable development while conserving Africa’s cultural heritage and traditions.
- The congress culminated with the adoption of the Kigali Call to Action by the participants.
IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA)
- IUCN’s WCPA is the world’s premier network of protected area expertise, administered by IUCN’s Global Programme on Protected Areas.
- WCPA works by helping governments and others plan protected areas and integrate them into all sectors; by providing strategic advice to policy makers; by strengthening capacity and investment in protected areas; and by convening the diverse constituency of protected area stakeholders to address challenging issues.
2. Freebies- a violation of Constitutional provisions
Subject :Polity
Section: Constitution
Context: Naalaya India, a civil society organisation, has urged the Election Commission to direct the AIADMK and the DMK to remove the freebies promised in their election manifestos, as these violated a number of provisions of the Constitution and the Representation of the People Act
Freebies create Undue Influence:
- The freebie promises likely to vitiate the purity of the election process or exert undue influence on voters in exercising their franchise
- Distribution of irrational freebies amounted to bribery and unduly influencing voters.
- The promise of freebies violated the Election Commission’s mandate for free and fair elections
- Distributing private goods and services, which are not for public purposes from public funds, clearly violate Articles 162, 266(3) and 282 of the Constitution.
- The Election Commission of India said that whether freebies are financially viable or has adverse effect on the economic health of the State is a questionable that has to be considered and decided by the voters of the state.
- The SC told that the government needs to consult the Finance Commission for suggestions. The Finance Commission is an independent body. The Commission, while making allocations to the States, can take into account the debts of each individual States and examine whether offers freebies would be viable for them.
Concept:
Article 162
- The executive power of a State shall extend to the matters with respect to which the Legislature of the State has power to make laws Provided that in any matter with respect to which the Legislature of a State and Parliament have power to make laws,
- The executive power of the State shall be subject to, and limited by, the executive power expressly conferred by the Constitution or by any law made by Parliament upon the Union or authorities thereof Council of Ministers
Article 266(3)
- No moneys out of the Consolidated Fund of India or the Consolidated Fund of a State shall be appropriated except in accordance with law and for the purposes and in the manner provided in this Constitution
Articles 282
- The Union or a State may make any grants for any public purpose, notwithstanding that the purpose is not one with respect to which Parliamentor the Legislature of the State, may make laws.
Election Commission of India (ECI):
- It is a constitutional body. It was established by the Constitution of India to conduct and regulate elections in the country.
- Article 324 of the Constitution provides that the power of superintendence, direction, and control of elections to parliament, state legislatures, the office of the president of India, and the office of vice-president of India shall be vested in the election commission
- The commission was established in 1950 and originally only had one Chief Election Commissioner. Two additional Commissioners were appointed to the commission for the first time on 16 October 1989
- The Election Commissioner Amendment Act, 1989″ was adopted on 1 January 1990 which turned the commission into a multi-member body: a 3-member Commission has been in operation since then and the decisions by the commission are made by a majority vote
- The Chief Election Commissioner and the two Election Commissioners draw salaries and allowances at par with those of the Judges of the Supreme Court of India
- At the state level, Election Commission is assisted by the Chief Electoral Officer of the State
- At the district and constituency levels, the District Magistrates (in their capacity as District Election Officers), Electoral Registration Officers and Returning Officers perform election work
- The tenure of election commissioners is not prescribed by Indian Constitution. According to THE ELECTION COMMISSION (CONDITIONS OF SERVICE OF ELECTION COMMISSIONERS AND TRANSACTION OF BUSINESS) ACT, 1991 Chief Election Commissioner or an Election Commissioner shall hold office for a term of six years from the date on which he assumes his office
- The Chief Election Commissioner of India can be removed from their office in a manner similar to the removal of a judge of the Supreme Court of India which requires a resolution passed by the Parliament of India a two-thirds majority in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha on the grounds of proved misbehaviour or incapacity
- Other Election Commissioners can be removed by the President of India on the recommendation of the Chief Election Commissioner. A Chief Election Commissioner has never been impeached in India.
3. Approves advisory for management of Human-Wildlife Conflict across the country
Subject : Environment
Section: Biodiversity
Context: The Standing Committee of National Board of Wildlife (SC-NBWL) in its 60th meeting held on 05th January has approved the advisory for management of Human-Wildlife Conflict (HWC) in the country.
Causes for Human-Wildlife Conflict:
- Loss of habitat
- Growth of population of wild animals
- Changing cropping patterns that attract wild animals to farmlands
- Movement of wild animals from forests area to human dominated landscapes for food and fodder
- Movement of human beings to forests for illegal collection of forest produce
- Habitat degradation due to growth of invasive alien species, etc
Key advisory to reduce Human-Wildlife Conflict:
- The advisory envisages empowering gram panchayats in dealing with the problematic wild animals as per the section 11 (1) (b) of Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972
- Utilizing add-on coverage under the Pradhan MantriFasalBimaYojna for crop compensation against crop damage due to HWC and augmenting fodder and water sources within the forest areas
- Payment of a portion of ex-gratia as interim relief within 24 hours of the incident to the victim/family.
- The advisory also envisages prescribing inter-departmental committees at local/state level
- Adoption of early warning systems, creation of barriers, dedicated circle wise Control Rooms with toll free hotline numbers which could be operated on 24X7 basis, Identification of hotspots and formulation and implementation of special plans for improved stall-fed farm animal etc
Other Concept:
Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats:
Under IDWH, the financial assistance is provided to State/UT Governments for protection and conservation of wildlife and its habitats in Protected Areas (PAs) as well as outside PAs and also for the recovery programmes of the critically endangered species.
Components of the Scheme:
- Support to Protected Areas (National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuaries, Conservation Reserves and Community Reserves)
- Protection of Wildlife Outside Protected Areas
- Recovery programmes for saving critically endangered species and habitats
Recovery programmes for saving critically endangered species and habitats
So far, 22 species have been identified under the recovery programme. These are the Snow Leopard, Bustard (including Floricans), Dolphin, Hangul, NilgiriTahr, Marine Turtles, Dugongs, Edible Nest Swiftlet, Asian Wild Buffalo, Nicobar Megapode, Manipur Brow-antlered Deer, Vultures, Malabar Civet, Indian Rhinoceros, Asiatic Lion, Swamp Deer, Jerdon’s Courser, the Northern River Terrapin, Clouded Leopard, Arabian Sea Humpback Whale, Red Panda and Caracal
National Board for Wildlife (NBWL)
It is constituted by the Central Government under Section 5 A of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 (WLPA).
However, it is important to point out that the wildlife act, as originally enacted in 1972, did not provide for the NBWL.
It was only through an amendment of the wildlife act in 2002 that the NBWL was constituted.
It is a 47-member committee, headed by the Prime Minister and the minister of environment, forest and climate change (environment minister) as vice chairperson
The National Board may, at its discretion, constitute a Standing Committee under sub-section (1) of Section 5B.
The Standing Committee shall consist of the Vice-Chairperson (Union Minister in charge of Forests and Wildlife) the Member Secretary and not more than ten members to be nominated by the Vice-Chairperson from amongst the members of the National Board.
The NBWL Standing Committee chaired by the Union Minister, Environment & Forests is duty bound to ensure compliance of the mandate’s statutory processes prescribed by the WLPA
Specific provisions in the WLPA include:
- S 33 (a): No construction of commercial lodges, hotels shall be undertaken except with the prior approval of the National Board
- S 35(5): No alteration of the boundaries of a National Park except on a recommendation of the National Board;
- S 35(6): No destruction, removal of wildlife or forest produce from a National Park or diversion of habitat unless State Government in consultation with the National Board authorizes the issue of such permit
- S 38-O (g): Ensure Tiger Reserves and areas linking one protected area with another are not diverted for ecologically unsustainable uses except in public interest and with the approval of the National Board
- S 38-W(1) & (2): No alteration or denotification of Tiger Reserves without the approval of the National Board for Wildlife
Subject : Environment
Section: Biodiversity
Context: Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly has unanimously passed a resolution July 27, 2022 urging the Centre to cancel allocation of coal blocks in Hasdeo Aranya forests.
Tribal communities and activists have been opposing coal mining in the forests for a long time, fearing damage to its biodiversity.
There are five coal blocks in the region, which includes areas like Parsa, Parsa East Kete Basan (PEKB), PEKB Extension, GidhmuriPaturia, Madanpur South and Chotia.
The Hasdeo forest
The Hasdeo forest covering Chhattisgarh’s Korba, Sarguja and Surajpur districts, spans an area of 170,000 hectares. It is a noted migratory corridor and has a significant presence of elephants.
It is also the catchment area of the Hasdeo river, the largest tributary of the Mahanadi. The area was declared as a ‘No-Go Zone’ for mining by the Centre in 2009. Despite this, mining in the region continued as the policy for the ‘No-Go Zone’ was not finalised.
Subject : Science and Technology
Section: Biology
Context: Cattle herders in western Rajasthan have suffered heavy losses due to an outbreak of the contagious Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD). Hundreds of cattle have died from infection, according to data from the state animal husbandary department. The state’s dairy sector has also been badly affected.
- Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) has been infecting India’s bovines.
- The LSD is caused by infection of cattle or water buffalo with the poxvirus Lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV).
- The virus is one of three closely related species within the genus capripox virus, the other two species being Sheeppox virus and Goatpox virus.
- Symptoms – It appears as nodules of two to five centimetre diameter all over the body, particularly around the head, neck, limbs, udder (mammary gland of female cattle) and genitals.
- Other clinical signs include general malaise, ocular and nasal discharge, fever, and sudden decrease in milk production.
- According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) the mortality rate is less than 10%.
- Vectors – it spreads through mosquitoes, flies and ticks and also through saliva and contaminated water and food.
- Control and prevention of lumpy skin disease relies on four tactics – movement control (quarantine), vaccination, slaughter campaigns and management strategies.
- There is no treatment for the virus, so prevention by vaccination is the most effective means of control.
- Secondary infections in the skin may be treated with Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatories (NSAIDs) and also antibiotics when appropriate.
- Global Spread:
- LSD is endemic to Africa and parts of West Asia, where it was first discovered in 1929.
- In Southeast Asia the first case of LSD was reported in Bangladesh in July 2019.
- In India, which has the world’s highest 303 million heads of cattle, the disease has spread to 15 states within just 16 months.
- In India it was first reported from Mayurbhanj, Odisha in August 2019.
6. Gross domestic product (GDP)
Subject :Economy
Section: National income
Context: GDP not effective measures of progress
- Gross domestic product (GDP) is the single standard indicator used across the globe to indicate the health of a nation’s economy: one single number that represents the monetary value of all the finished goods and services produced within a country’s borders in a specific period.
- India’s GDP is calculated with two different methods, one based on economic activity (at factor cost), and the second on expenditure (at market prices).
- The factor cost method assesses the performance of eight different industries.
- The expenditure-based method indicates how different areas of the economy are performing, such as trade, investments, and personal consumption.
- Further calculations are made to arrive at nominal GDP (using the current market price) and real GDP (inflation-adjusted). Among the four released numbers, the GDP at factor cost is the most commonly followed figure and reported in the media.
- The Central Statistics Office under the Ministry of Statistics and Program Implementation is responsible for macroeconomic data gathering and statistical record keeping.
- Its processes involve conducting an annual survey of industries and compilation of various indexes such as the Industrial Production Index (IPI) and the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
- The Central Statistics Office coordinates with various federal and state government agencies and departments to collect and compile the data required to calculate the GDP and other statistics.
- Similarly, production-related data used for calculating IPI is sourced from the Industrial Statistics Unit of the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
- All the required data points are collected and aggregated at the Central Statistics Office and used to arrive at GDP numbers.
7. Consumer protection body issues notices to EV-makers on fire incidents
Subject :Polity
Section: National body
Context:
Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has issued notices to several electric vehicle makers taking suo motu cognisance of recent incidents of fires and exploding batteries. It is also working on guidelines to check on misleading fake and paid reviews to protect consumer interest. As per CACP mandatory for makers of such products to conform to the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS)norms. It has already been running a similar countrywide campaign to check on substandard helmets, pressure cookers and LPG gas cylinders.
Central Consumer Protection Authority
- The authority is being constituted under Section 10(1) of The Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
- Aim: To protect the rights of the consumer by cracking down on unfair trade practices, and false and misleading advertisements that are detrimental to the interests of the public and consumers.
- It will be headquartered in the National Capital Region of Delhi but the central government may set up regional offices in other parts of the country.
Powers and Functions:
- Inquire or investigate into matters relating to violations of consumer rights or unfair trade practices suomotu, or on a complaint received, or on a direction from the central government.
- Recall goods or withdrawal of services that are “dangerous, hazardous or unsafe.
- Pass an order for refund the prices of goods or services so recalled to purchasers of such goods or services; discontinuation of practices which are unfair and prejudicial to consumer’s interest”.
- Impose a penalty up to Rs 10 lakh, with imprisonment up to two years, on the manufacturer or endorser of false and misleading advertisements. The penalty may go up to Rs 50 lakh, with imprisonment up to five years, for every subsequent offence committed by the same manufacturer or endorser.
- Ban the endorser of a false or misleading advertisement from making endorsement of any products or services in the future, for a period that may extend to one year. The ban may extend up to three years in every subsequent violation of the Act.
- File complaints of violation of consumer rights or unfair trade practices before the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, and the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission.
Composition:
- It will have a Chief Commissioner as head, and only two other commissioners as members — one of whom will deal with matters relating to goods while the other will look into cases relating to services.
- The CCPA will have an Investigation Wing that will be headed by a Director General.
- District Collectors too, will have the power to investigate complaints of violations of consumer rights, unfair trade practices, and false or misleading advertisements.
BIS- the Bureau of Indian Standards
- The Bureau of Indian standards (BIS) Act 2016 establishes the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) as the National Standards Body of India.
- The Act allows the union government to make it compulsory for certain notified goods, processes, articles, etc. to carry the standard mark in the public interest, safety of the environment, national security or to prevent unfair trade practices.
- Additionally, there is a provision in the Act for the recall or repair for products that bear the Standard Mark but do not conform to the required Indian
- Products/Goods need BIS standardizations are
- Helmets, pressure cookers and LPG gas cylinders.
- Geysers, immersion water heaters, domestic gas stoves, microwave ovens and sewing machines.
- Alternate fuels
- E-mobility
- Medical Devices
- Smart Cities
- Digital Technologies (e.g. Industry 4.0, Artificial Intelligence, Block Chain etc.)
- New and Renewable energy.
- BIS (Hallmarking) Regulations, 2018 under the BIS act calls for Hallmarking of:
- Gold jewellery and gold artefacts
- Silver jewellery and silver artefacts
8. No shortage of antiretroviral drugs in India: Health Ministry
Subject :Polity
Section: National body
Context:
- There is adequate stock for around 95% ‘People Living with HIV’, Health Ministry clarifies
- 1st & 2nd line antiretroviral drugs ARV regimens like Tablet TLD (Tenofovir+ Lamivudine+ Dolutegravir) and other ARV regimens.
- India is one of the very few countries that provides free anti-retroviral medicines for life-long treatment of more than 14.5 lakh PLHIV through 680 antiretroviral therapy (ART) centres under its National AIDS Control Programme (NACP), which is fully funded by the Government of India.
- Tablet Dolutegravir (DTG)-50mg is required for around 50,000 PLHIV who are either on Alternate-1st/2nd or 3rd-line regimens, or those with TB co-infection
- National strategic plan (2017-24) and Mission SAMPARK
- The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has launched the plan with aim to eradicating HIV/AIDS by 2030. It is expected to pave a roadmap for achieving the target of 90:90:90.
Target of 90:90:90-
- By 2020, 90% of all people living with HIV will know their HIV status.
- By 2020, 90% of all people with diagnosed HIV infection will receive sustained antiretroviral therapy.
- By 2020, 90% of all people receiving antiretroviral therapy will have viral suppression.
- Mission ‘SAMPARK’ aimed at tracing those who are HIV positive and are to be brought under antiretroviral therapy (ART) services
- The Global Fund for AIDS TB and Malaria (GFTAM)
- Recently, India has announced a contribution of $22 million to the Global Fund for AIDS, TB and Malaria (GFTAM) for the 6th replenishment cycle (2020-22). The Global Fund is a partnership designed to accelerate the end of AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.
- As an international organization, the Global Fund mobilizes and invests more than $4 billion a year to support programs run by local experts in more than 100 countries.
9. India adds five more Ramsar sites, ups tally to 54
Subject :Polity
Section: National body
Context:
- These are the Karikili Bird Sanctuary, Pallikaranai Marsh Reserve Forest and Pichavaram Mangrove in Tamil Nadu, the Sakhya Sagar in Madhya Pradesh and Pala Wetland in Mizoram.
- India’s Ramsar wetlands are spread over 11,000 sq km — around 10% of the total wetland area in the country — across 18 States.
- No other South Asian country has as many sites though this has much to do with India’s geographical breadth and tropical diversity.
- India has 19 types of wetlands whereas Gujarat has the maximum area followed by Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.
- The United Kingdom (175) and Mexico (142) — smaller countries than India — have the maximum Ramsar sites whereas Bolivia spans the largest area with 148,000 sq km under the Convention protection.
- Criteria to be designated as RAMSAR sites
- To be Ramsar site, however, it must meet at least one of nine criteria as defined by the Ramsar Convention of 1961, such as supporting vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered species or threatened ecological communities or, if it regularly supports 20,000 or more waterbirds or, is an important source of food for fishes, spawning ground, nursery and/or migration path on which fish stocks are dependent upon.
- Significance of being RAMSAR site
- Being designated a Ramsar site does not necessarily invite extra international funds but
- that States — and the Centre — must ensure that these tracts of land are conserved and spared from man-made encroachment.
- Acquiring this label also helps with a locale’s tourism potential and its international visibility.
- Significance of Wetland on Ecosystem
- Wetlands are also known to have among the highest soil-carbon densities and therefore play a major role in buffering carbon dioxide emissions.
- Wetlands in Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat serve as important spaces for migratory birds.
- Definition of Wetlands, according to the Environment Ministry
- They are an area of marsh, fen, peatland or water; whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, with water that is static or flowing, fresh, brackish or salt, including areas of marine water the depth of which at low tide does not exceed six metres,
- but does not include river channels, paddy fields, human-made water bodies/ tanks specifically constructed for drinking water purposes and structures specifically constructed for aquaculture, salt production, recreation and irrigation purposes.”
10. Eutelsat- One Web to merge
Subject: Science and Technology
Section: Space
- Eutelsat will combine its strong fleet of 36 Geostationary Orbit (GEO) satellites with OneWeb’s constellation of 648 Low Earth Orbit satellites, of which 428 are currently in orbit.
- With its uniquely superior GEO/LEO offerings, complementing high throughput with low latency, the combined entity will help bolster the satellite communication capabilities of the nation, catering to the varied range of needs of the private industry as well as the government
Initiatives for Satellite Internet:
- ‘Five to 50’ service (OneWeb): OneWeb, a private company, has successfully launched constellations of 218 satellites in LEO.
- The company only has one more launch to complete before it obtains the capacity to enable its ‘Five to 50’ service of offering internet connectivity to all regions north of 50 degrees latitude.
- The Five to 50 service is expected to be switched on by June 2021 with global services powered by 648 satellites available in 2022.
- Starlink: It is a venture of SpaceX.
- Starlink currently has 1,385 satellites in orbit and has already started beta testing in North America and initiating pre-orders in countries like India.
- However, Starlink’s satellites fly closer to the earth and therefore, the company requires a larger fleet to provide global connectivity than OneWeb.
- Project Kuiper: It is a project of Amazon announced in 2019.
- Loon Project: Google launched its ‘Loon’ project in 2013, using high-altitude balloons to create an aerial wireless network.
- After testing the service in rural Kenya, Google’s parent company, Alphabet, abandoned the project in 2021.
11. The repechage format introduced by World Athletics for the 2024 Paris Olympics
Subject :International Relations
Section: International
- World Athletics on Monday announced that they were set to introduce a repechage round in individual track events from 200m to 1500m races for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
- According to World Athletics, the events at the Olympics would now consist of a round one, repechage round, semi-finals and finals. Repechage for the 100m race was not included because the event already has preliminary heats in place.
What is repechage?
- Repechage essentially means a second chance. If a sport has repechage, it means that the athlete will get one more chance to compete and move into further rounds and possibly the final, even if they have lost once in the initial rounds.
What is the need for repechage in athletics?
- As it happens, sometimes the best athletes – for plenty of reasons – are not able to reach the final. In some cases, the sheer quality differential in certain heats would mean that an athlete could have qualified for further rounds, had they been among other athletes in their category, in a different heat.
- In some cases, rankings or conditions can all take their toll and derail the qualification process of an athlete. The repechage gives a second chance to those athletes. It allows the best quality on display at the final event.
Which event is it a part of currently?
- Repechage is currently part of wrestling and taekwondo at the Olympics in a similar fashion. For both events, if a participant loses in the first round and their opponent reaches the final, then that participant would need to wrestle against the finalists’ second-round opponent and move up to the bronze medal position. The bronze medal is the upper limit of the repechage in wrestling with finalists from both brackets facing each other for a gold medal match.
International Olympic Committee
- The IOC is the supreme authority of the Olympic Movement and is responsible for organising the modern Summer and Winter Olympic Games.
- The IOC is the governing body of the National Olympic Committees (NOCs), which are the national constituents of the worldwide Olympic Movement. As of 2016, there are 206 NOCs officially recognised by the IOC.