Daily Prelims Notes 28 April 2023

April 28, 2023
Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
Category: DPN

Daily Prelims Notes

28 April 2023

Table Of Contents

1. African Swine fever threatens India’s Pygmy Hog

Subject: Environment

Section: Species in new

Context: The world’s rarest and smallest wild pig species is “extremely susceptible to extinction” from ASF due to its small populations and limited range.

Pygmy Hogs

Scientific Name: Porcula salvania
Pygmy Hogs are the world’s rarest and smallest members of the pig family.
It is one of the very few mammals that build its own home, or nest, complete with a ‘roof’.
It is an indicator species as its presence reflects the health of its primary habitat, tall and wet grasslands.
Habitat:
- Once found in the narrow strip of tall and wet grassland plains on the Himalayan foothills, from Uttar Pradesh to Assam, through Nepal’s terai areas and Bengal’s duars, it was thought to have become extinct in the 1960s.
- Currently, the only known population lives in Assam, India and possibly southern Bhutan. The only viable population in the wild is in the Manas Tiger Reserve in Assam.
Threats
- One of the main reasons for its decreasing numbers was grassland degradation due to grass burning in the dry season and livestock overgrazing.
Protection Status
- IUCN Red List: Endangered
- Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule I

Pygmy Hog Conservation Programme

Conservation of pygmy hog was initiated by noted naturalist Gerald Durrell and his trust in 1971. While efforts, in the form of a conservation survey, had begun in the late 1970s, the PHCP took off in 1995.
It follows a two-pronged action plan
- Conservation breeding of the animal against possible early extinction and re-introduction in selected sites.
- Habitat management.
Under it, six hogs (two males and four females) were captured from the Bansbari range of the Manas National Park in 1996 for starting the breeding programme.
The success of the initial programme has led to subsequent efforts.
- Between 2008 and 2020, scientists released 130 pygmy hogs into two national parks, Manas and Orang, and two wildlife sanctuaries, Barnadi and SonaiRupai, all in Assam.
- By 2025, the PHCP plans to release 60 pygmy hogs in Manas.

Apart from captive breeding, habitat management in these reintroduction sites was important before the animals were released.
Experts have been working on a ‘Re-wild project’ in Manas on grassland management and restoration.

African swine fever:

It is a highly contagious viral and fatal animal disease that infects and leads to an acute form of hemorrhagic fever in domestic and wild pigs.
It was first detected in Africa in the 1920s.
The mortality is close to 100% and since the fever has no cure, the only way to stop its spread is by culling the animals.
ASF is not a threat to human beings since it only spreads from animals to other animals.
ASF is a disease listed in the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) Terrestrial Animal Health Code and thus, reported to the OIE.

2. Blue washing

Subject :Environment

Section: Climate change

Context: Report flags how corporates have wormed their way into global food governance

More on the News:

A new research has highlighted how corporate capture of global food governance is increasingly taking place in more visible ways. There has been a growing presence of firms in governance and spaces, staking claims to be legitimate actors, for example, through public-private partnerships and multi-stakeholder roundtables.
When corporations are involved in public governance, they can also justify involvement by reframing the concept of public interest in terms that benefit corporations and large private businesses rather than people and the environment, noted Who’s tipping the scales report, released by the International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems (IPES).
The Covid-19 pandemic, coupled with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and food inflation, aggravated the issue of corporate involvement. Following these crises, governments and multilateral agencies have been facing fund crunches.
They control the system “through lobbying behind the scenes, political and institutional donations, market power, shaping trade and investment rules, shaping research and innovation, as well as influencing other structural aspects of global food systems.”
The FAO’s partnership with CropLife, a major pesticide lobby organisation that has many large agribusiness firms as members, is one of the more recent examples of this type of arrangement, the document pointed out.
“While such partnerships allow firms to ‘blue-wash’ or ‘social-wash’ their reputations via closer links with the UN and other intergovernmental bodies, critics have charged that these kinds of partnerships between private sector actors and international governance bodies also create conflicts of interest,” the IPES report said.

Bluewashing

Bluewashing is term used to describe deceptive marketing that overstates a company’s commitment to responsible social practices.
It can be used interchangeably with the term greenwashing but has a greater focus on economic and community factors. Alternatively, it could be phrased as a way that companies hide the social damage that their policies have caused.
Active disinformation is a tool that companies use to make their goods or services more attractive to their consumers and shareholders.

Greenwashing:https://optimizeias.com/what-is-greenwashing/#:~:text=Greenwashing%20refers%20to%20%E2%80%9Cthe%20practice,damaging%20than%20they%20actually%20are.%E2%80%9D

3. Dedicated Command Cyber Operations for the Indian Army

Subject :Science and Technology

Section: Defence / Governance

Concept :

The Indian Army will now raise dedicated specialized agencies in each of its six operational or regional commands across the country to handle the cyberspace domain.

Army Commanders Conference

Between April 17 and April 23, the Army Commanders Conference was held.
The conference saw deliberations over wide-ranging Strategic, Training, Human Resource Development, and Administrative aspects and took key decisions in shaping the Army for the future.
A number of welfare measures and initiatives were decided to be implemented for troops as well as veterans during the conference.
One of these measures is the Command Cyber Operations and Support Wings.

About Command Cyber Operations and Support Wings (CCOSW):

The Indian Army is rapidly migrating towards internet centricity, which entails an increased reliance on modern communication systems at all levels.
The CCOSWs will assist the Indian Army’s formations in taking up cyberspace security challenges posed by the growing warfare capabilities of adversaries.

Need & Significance of the CCOSW:

This is an urgent necessity in the backdrop of China developing a wide array of cyberweapons to degrade or destroy an adversary’s military assets and strategic networks even before the actual conventional war kicks off.
China also regularly engages in malicious cyber activities as well as exploits cyberspace for its “grey zone warfare”.
Grey zone warfare basically revolves around exploitation of the operational space between peace and war to change the status quo or coerce an adversary.
The Army believes the CCOSWs will help to safeguard its networks and increase the preparedness levels in this fifth dimension of warfare after land, sea, air and space.
This step will lead to an overall strengthening of the cyber-security posture of the force for both conventional operations as well as grey zone warfare.

Comparing India’s Cyberwarfare Capabilities with Other Countries:

India has so far lagged behind in developing cyberwarfare capabilities.
It was only in 2019 that the Union government approved the creation of a small tri-service Defence Cyber Agency (DCA) at the apex level.
China, in contrast, has a major strategic support force to oversee the People’s Liberation Army’s space, cyber and electronic warfare operations.
The US, too, has a huge Cyber Command, led by a four-star general, to launch a “full spectrum” war if required as well as protect over 15,000 American military networks from attacks round-the-clock.

4. INS Tarkash

Subject : Science and Technology

Section: Defence / IR

Concept :

INS Tarkash from the Indian Navy recently reached Port Sudan to help in the evacuation of stranded Indians as part of “Operation Kaveri”.
INS Tarkash is the third ship to join the evacuation after INS Sumedha and INS Teg.

About INS Tarkash:

It is a state-of-the-art stealth frigate of the Indian Navy equipped with a versatile range of weapons.
Tarkash belongs to the Talwar class of guided missile frigates. These are modified Krivak III class frigates built by Russia.
It was built by the Yantar shipyard in Kaliningrad, Russia.
It was commissioned into Indian Navy service on 9 November 2012 at Kaliningrad and joined the Western Naval Command on 27 December 2012.
It is also equipped with BrahMos missiles instead of the Klub-N missiles, which makes it different from the earlier flight of Talwar-class ships.

INS Sumedha

INS Sumedha is the third ship of the Saryu-class Naval Offshore Patrol Vessels (NOPV) of the Indian Navy.
INS Sumedha was designed and constructed indigenously by Goa Shipyard Limited.
It is fitted with a state-of-the-art weapon and sensor package.
This ship is designed to undertake support operations, coastal and offshore patrolling, ocean surveillance, search and rescue (SAR) operations, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR).

INS Teg

INS Teg is the fourth Talwar-class frigate constructed for the Indian Navy.
Just like the other Talwar-class frigates, INS Teg was built by the Yantar shipyard in Kaliningrad, Russia.
The ship is named after “Teg”, which is a short single-edged curved sword, traditionally used by Sikhs.
INS Teg also uses BrahMos missiles.

Operation Kaveri

It is a rescue operation being carried out by the Indian Government to bring back Indian citizens stranded in Sudan.
According to the official data, the number of Indians in Sudan is around 4,000.
Sudan has been witnessing deadly fighting between the country’s army and a paramilitary group, the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), that has reportedly left several hundred’s dead.
It was triggered by disagreement over an internationally backed plan to form a new civilian government four years after the fall of autocrat Omar al-Bashir and two years after the military coup. Both sides accuse the other of thwarting the transition.

5. Breach of privilege probe against MP

Subject: Polity

Section: Parliament

Concept:

The Chairman of Rajya Sabha has referred a complaint of “breach of privilege” to a committee against an MP for alleged “disrespectful” remarks made against the Chair.
The committee has been asked to investigate and report the matter, while no deadline has been mentioned.

Parliamentary privilege

Parliamentary privilege refers to rights and immunities enjoyed by Parliament as an institution and MPs in their individual capacity, without which they cannot discharge their functions as entrusted upon them by the Constitution
According to the Constitution, the powers, privileges and immunities of Parliament and MPs are to be defined by Parliament (Article 105). No law has so far been enacted in this respect.
In the absence of any such law, it continues to be governed by British Parliamentary conventions.

Breach of privilege

A breach of privilege is a violation of any of the privileges of MPs/Parliament. Among other things, any action ‘casting reflections’ on MPs, parliament or its committees; could be considered breach of privilege.
A notice is moved in the form of a motion by any member of either House against those being held guilty of breach of privilege
The Speaker/Chairperson can decide on the privilege motion himself or herself or refer it to the privileges committee of Parliament.

Rules Governing Privilege

The Constitution (Article 105) mentions two privileges, i.e. freedom of speech in Parliament and right of publication of its proceedings.
Rule No 222 in Chapter 20 of the Lok Sabha Rule Book and correspondingly Rule 187 in Chapter 16 of the Rajya Sabha rulebook governs privilege.
A member may, with the consent of the Speaker or the Chairperson, raise a question involving a breach of privilege either of a member or of the House.
The rules mandate that any notice should be relating to an incident of recent occurrence and should need the intervention of the House.

Privileges Committee

In the Lok Sabha, the Speaker nominates a committee of privileges consisting of 15 members as per respective party strengths.
A report is then presented to the House for its consideration.
The Speaker may permit a half-hour debate while considering the report.
The Speaker may then pass final orders or direct that the report be tabled before the House.
A resolution may then be moved relating to the breach of privilege that has to be unanimously passed.
In the Rajya Sabha, the deputy chairperson heads the committee of privileges, that consists of 10 members.

Role of the Speaker/Rajya Sabha Chair

The Speaker/RS chairperson is the first level of scrutiny of a privilege motion.
The Speaker/Chair can decide on the privilege motion himself or herself or refer it to the privileges committee of Parliament.
If the Speaker/Chair gives consent under Rule 222, the member concerned is given an opportunity to make a short statement.

6. Acute Mountain Sickness

Subject: Geography

Section: Physiography

Concept:

Anurag is the second Indian to be rescued from Mount Annapurna this week after Baljeet Kaur.

Acute Mountain Sickness

Acute mountain sickness can occur when a person who is used to being at a low altitude ascends to a higher altitude.
It is the most common type of high-altitude illness and occurs in more than one-fourth of people traveling to above 3500 m (11 667 ft) and more than one-half of people traveling to above 6000 m (20 000 ft).
Symptoms include headache, fatigue, poor appetite, nausea or vomiting, light-headedness, and sleep disturbances.
In less than 1% of cases, symptoms can progress to high-altitude cerebral edema, a life-threatening condition marked by symptoms of wobbly gait, confusion, and decreased consciousness.

Mt. Annapurna

Mount Annapurna is situated in the Annapurna Mountain range of Gandaki Province, north-central Nepal.
It is the tenth highest mountain in the world at 8,091 meters above sea level.
The entire massif and surrounding area are protected within the 7,629-square-kilometre Annapurna Conservation Area.
It is also known as the Killer Mountain due to its fatality to summit rate.

For further notes on Mountain peaks, refer – https://optimizeias.com/our-worst-nightmares-have-come-true-kin-of-mountaineer-missing-in-nepal/

7. Wrestlers in SC: What law says on FIR in sexual harassment cases

Subject :Polity

Section : legislations in news

Why in News?

The Supreme Court issued notice to the Delhi Police on a petition filed by seven wrestlers seeking an FIR against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president and BJP MP, on allegations of sexual harassment.

Law on FIR after a Sexual Harassment Complaint

Section 154 (1) of the Code of Criminal Procedure – enables police to register an FIR after receiving information about a cognizable offence.
A cognizable offence/case – A police officer may make an arrest without a warrant.
Indian Penal Code Sections pertaining to sexual harassment and sexual assault fall within the category of cognizable
The law also has provision for the registration of a ‘Zero FIR’.

What is Zero FIR?

Even if the alleged offence has not been committed within the jurisdiction of the police station approached, the police can file an FIR and transfer it to the police station concerned.

Justice JSVerma Committee Report

The Committee on Amendments to Criminal Law, aka the Justice JS Verma Committee – formed in the aftermath of the December 16, 2012 Delhi gangrape case.
Recommended insertion of a section where if an officer in-charge of a police station refuses “or without reasonable cause” fails to record information related to a cognizable offence, he shall be punished. Hence section 166A was inserted in the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2013.

What is Section 166A of Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2013

If a public servant failed to conduct an investigation wherever it necessitates or especially if failed to register an FIR in cases of sexual offences under Section 154 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, rigorous imprisonment for a term of minimum six months and maximum two years can be given, and he shall also be liable to paying a fine.
Although this includes all cognizable offences, the provision particularly mentions certain sections of the IPC, including those related to sexual harassment, rape, and gangrape.

Ministry of Home Affairs issued advisories on mandatory action by the police in cases of crimes against women.

FIR Provisions Under POCSO Act

Section21– Any failure to report the offence or failure to record such an offence shall be punished with jail extending to six months or a fine or both.

Therefore Report to be filed mandatorily on receiving a complaint including from a child.

Refusal to File FIR by Police

Section 154 (3) of the CrPC – a person aggrieved after refusal to file FIR by a police in-charge can send the information to the Superintendent of Police. The SP, after verification that the information discloses the commission of an offence, shall either investigate the case herself or direct for a probe.
Section 156 of CrPC
If a person is aggrieved by the police’s refusal to file an FIR, a complaint can be made before a magistrate under section156 (3).
The magistrate court can then order registration of a case at the police station.
The complaint before the magistrate would be treated as an FIR and the police can initiate its investigation

Lalita Kumari vs Govt of UP and ors. 2013

Issue – whether the police officer is bound to file an FIR for information received of a cognizable offence or does the officer have the power to conduct a ‘preliminary inquiry’ before the FIR.

Constitution bench judgement – registration of an FIR under section 154 CrPC is mandatory if information of a cognizable. Scope of preliminary inquiry – only to ascertain whether the information reveals any cognizable offence. Preliminary Enquiry should not exceed seven days.

8. Autonomous Hill Development Council

Subject: Polity

Section: Federalism

Why in News?

Assam tribal group Dimasa National Liberation Army signs pact with government to shun violence, following a tripartite agreement, Memorandum of Settlement (MoS) with the Centre and the Assam government. Among the provisions of the MoS is formation of a Dimasa Welfare Council, headquartered in Guwahati.

Autonomous Hill Development Council:

Established under Sixth Schedule of Indian Constitution for the administration of tribal areas in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram.
Article 244 (2) and Article 275 (1) of the Constitution.
To safeguard the rights of the tribal population in these states.
Governor is empowered to increase or decrease the areas or change the names of the autonomous districts.
Fifth schedule areas – executive powers of the Union will apply; But Sixth schedule areas – within executive authority of the state.
Fifth schedule – administration and control of scheduled areas and scheduled tribes in any state except the four states of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram. These 4 states are administered under sixth schedule.
The acts of Parliament or the state legislature do not apply to autonomous districts and autonomous regions or apply with specified modifications and exceptions.
The Councils have also been endowed with wide civil and criminal judicial powers, for example establishing village courts etc. However, the jurisdiction of these councils is subject to the jurisdiction of the concerned High Court.
In Assam – Hill districts of Dima Hasao, Karbi Anglong and West Karbi and the Bodo Territorial Region are under Sixth Schedule.

According to the MoS signed, Dimasa Welfare Council, headquartered in Guwahati is to be formed based on the recommendations of which the state will provide development funds for Dimasa people “residing outside the jurisdiction of North Cachar Autonomous Hills Council”.

MoS Provisions

Economic rehabilitation of surrendered cadre
Withdraw of criminal cases for non-heinous offences
Review of criminal cases for heinous offences a case-to-case basis
The Centre and the state may consider a Rs500- crore package each over five years for infrastructure development.

9. OECD’s Automatic Exchange of Information (AEOI) framework

Subject: International Relations

Section: International

Why in News?

India wants non-financial assets included in OECD information exchange framework. At present, the OECD’s AEOI framework provides for sharing of financial account details. India is pushing to widen the scope of the common reporting standard (CRS) at the G20 grouping to include non-financial assets like real estate properties under the automatic exchange of information among OECD countries.

What is OECD’s AEOI Framework

Provides for sharing of financial account details among signatory countries with an aim to check tax evasion.
India currently has AEOI with 108 jurisdictions for receiving financial information and with 79 jurisdictions for sending information automatically.
Flow of information has helped us in increasing tax collection and revenue buoyancy has increased

Related Provisions

OECD also approved the Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework (CARF) – Provides for the reporting of tax information on transactions in Crypto-Assets in a standardized manner, with a view to automatically exchanging such information.

OECD’s Tax Transparency report

Asian nations estimated to have lost €25 billion in revenue in 2016 due to tax evasion and illicit financial flows.
4 per cent of Asia’s financial wealth amounting to Euro 1.2 trillion was held offshore, leading to a potential annual revenue loss of Euro 25 billion for the region in 2016.
Slower economic growth, increased government expenditure on public health, social and economic support, and other areas make the fight against tax evasion and other illicit financial flows (IFFs) even more pressing.
Asia accounted for 38.8 per cent of the estimated USD 7.8 trillion lost by developing countries due to IFFs between 2004-2013.
- The ‘Tax Transparency in Asia 2023’ report was launched at the meeting of the Asia Initiative of the Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes. Currently 167 jurisdictions are members of the Global Forum which include all G20 countries.

About Common Reporting Standard (CRS)

The Common Reporting Standard (CRS) is developed in response to the G20 request and approved by the OECD Council on 15 July 2014.
It requires jurisdictions to obtain information from their financial institutions and automatically exchange that information with other jurisdictions on an annual basis.
It specifies the financial account information to be exchanged, the financial institutions required to report, the different types of accountsand taxpayers covered, as well as common due diligence procedures to be followed by financial institutions.

About OECD

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is an international, intergovernmental economic organization of 38 countries that works to build better policies for better lives.
OECD was founded in the year 1961 to stimulate world trade and economic progress headquartered at Paris, France.
OECD originated in 1948, as the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation (OEEC) to govern the predominantly US-funded Marshall Plan for post-war reconstruction on the continent.
Most OECD members are high-income economies with a very high Human Development Index (HDI) and are regarded as developed countries. OECD members are democratic countries that support free-market economies.
India is a key partner of OECD.

10. Sudan’s Rapid Security Forces

Subject :International Relations

Section: Places In news

Why in News?

Sudan’s military and its paramilitary forces have been involved in a fierce battle against each other since April 15, leaving at least 420 people dead and more than 3,700 wounded. The clashes follow months of heightened tension between the Army Chief and the Rapid Support Force (RSF) head. Both the generals are at loggerheads as they fight for control of Sudan’s major institutions.

Rapid Support Forces in Sudan

Trace its roots to the Janjaweed militias — a group of Arab tribes primarily based in western Sudan, including the contentious region of Darfur.
Janjaweed militias called themselves horsemen – helped the Sudanese government quell a rebellion by peasants in Darfur by perpetrating violence against the rebels and civilians in isolated areas.
According to the United Nations, an estimated 300,000 people were killed in the conflict between 2003 and 2008, and 2.5 million more were displaced.
In 2007, the United States government declared the violence in Darfur “genocide” perpetrated by the government and its allied forces, including the Janjaweed militias.
The International Criminal Court opened investigations into the genocidal violence, indicting Sudan’s then President Bashir, on charges of genocide and crimes against humanity in 2009.

Formal Constitution in 2013.

The Sudan President institutionalized the Janjaweed militias in 2013, when it became the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and Hamdan was appointed as its head.
Then, RSF carried out brutal violence across Sudan – war crimes in Darfur in 2014 and 2015, killing over 100 people in Khartoum in 2019.
Expanded to become the President’s guard against any coup by the Army.
In 2015, the RSF along with Sudan’s Army, supplied troops to fight in the war in Yemen to support Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates troops, in return for received money and weapons.
Partnered with the Russian mercenary Wagner Group in 2017 to mine the vast gold reserves in Sudan, which expanded the political, economic and political influence of RSF. Led to conflict with the Army.
Members include former military and intelligence officers with estimated 70,000 to 1,50,000 fighters. More fighters recruited from Sudan’s east and north to widen support.

About the International Criminal Court

The International Criminal Court (ICC) investigates and, where warranted, tries individuals charged with the gravest crimes of concern to the international community: genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and the crime of aggression.
Governed by an international treaty called ‘The Rome Statute’, the ICC is the world’s first permanent international criminal court.
India is not a party to Rome Statute along with US and China and thus, is not a member of ICC.
ICC is not a UN organization but is has a cooperation agreement with the United Nations.
When a situation is not within the Court’s jurisdiction, the United Nations Security Council can refer the situation to the ICC granting it jurisdiction. This has been done in the situations in Darfur (Sudan) and Libya.