Daily Prelims Notes 29 January 2023

January 29, 2023
Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
Category: DPN

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Daily Prelims Notes

29 January 2023

Table Of Contents

1. Soon, Delhi’s air pollution sources to be available in real time

Subject: Environment

Section: Pollution

Context: Delhi would soon be able to know the different sources of air pollution in Delhi and their percentages on a real-time basis with the Delhi government all set to put the data in the public domain through a new website.

More on the News:

Chief Minister is scheduled to inaugurate a ‘super site’ and mobile laboratory (a lab-on-van capturing air pollution readings and sources from different parts of the city) used for the “real-time source apportionment study”, under which data on Delhi’s air were collected and a model (software) created giving sources of air pollution by using air from the surroundings as input.
The source apportionment study is being done by IIT Kanpur, IIT Delhi, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), and the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Mohali at a cost of around ₹12 crore for the Delhi Pollution Control Committee. The Delhi Cabinet had approved the study in July 2021 and an MoU was signed in October that year.
The real-time data could set at rest the frequent tussle between the Delhi and the Central governments over what causes pollution in the Capital and National Capital Region, especially in winter when it spikes.
The Delhi government has been stating that stubble burning is the major cause of air pollution while the Centre had on several occasions cited local pollutants as the main reason.
The data will help the government accurately identify the sources of air pollution and take actions to curb them more effectively.
Until now, though different studies have been done to identify the sources of air pollution and give their percentages, none are on a real-time basis.

Reasons for Air Pollution in Delhi NCR region:

Geographical reasons:
- Location of Delhi: It lies to the northeast of the Thar Desert, to the northwest of the central plains and to the southwest of the Himalayas. As winds arrive from the coasts, bringing with them pollutants picked up along the way, they get ‘trapped’ right before the Himalayas.
- Cold temperature during winter: During summer hotter air rises higher above the surface and takes the pollutants along with it. However, during October-November, the air is not that hot. The pollutants are trapped and tend to get concentrated at lower levels of the atmosphere, resulting in the smoke and haze situation.
- Lack of wind especially after the end of the monsoon: Average wind speed in winter in the Delhi NCR region is one-third of the summer months. This makes the pollutant concentration in the region.
- Dust Storm: -According to SAFAR, 40% of the particulate pollution in Delhi on those specific days could be sourced to a “multi-day dust storm” that originated in the Middle East.
Anthropogenic factors:
- Vehicular and industrial emissions that get trapped in the winter fog: It is one of the biggest causes of dipping air quality in Delhi in winters and around 20% of PM2.5 in winters comes from it.
- Stubble burning: The root cause of stubble burning can be traced back to the 1960s-70s when India introduced several measures as part of its Green Revolution to feed its rising population.
- Fireworks in the run-up to Diwali: It may not be the top reason for air pollution, but it definitely contributed to its build-up.
- Construction Activities: Due to rising population leading to increased spread of Urbanisation, large-scale construction in Delhi-NCR is taking place. This is another culprit that is increasing dust and pollution in the air.
- Open Waste Burning: Delhi also has landfill sites for the dumping of waste and burning of waste in these sites also contributes to air pollution.
- High Population: Over-population adds up to the various types of pollution e.g. huge solid waste, water waste, construction activities emitting particulate pollution etc

2. Exxon scientists accurately forecast climate change back in the 1970s

Subject : Environment

Section : Climate Change

Context: Climatic collapse as we understand it in our world today could have largely been avoided perhaps if we had listened to Exxon’s forecasts and acted then.

More on the News:

One of these moments came in the 1970s when oil giant Exxon chose to ignore its own commissioned research on the impact of fossil fuels.
A new analysis published in the journal Science has found that Exxon’s forecasts from that era have proven incredibly accurate, yet it did not act to prevent its own predictions from happening.
Instead, the company chose to maintain its role as an oil company and fund people to question the science and delay a coherent response.
Possible action if the Forecast is acted upon
- Ahead of the emissions curve
  - US government commits to a net zero carbon economy by 2000.

- Solar provides power and food
  - Further research results in enormous economic growth as the technology not only produces power but food through the use of seawater greenhouses.
  - By 2000, North Africa is the main exporter of large solar power plants around the world.
- Petrol becomes a quaint hobby
  - In the late 1980s the first production electric vehicle, the EV1. The car uses Nasa-patented batteries and space-age materials to produce cars that outperform petroleum vehicles in every area but extreme range.
  - Exxon’s PR machine devises a “plugging into the Sun” programme promoting micro rooftop solar panels that refuel the EV1s for free.
  - The micro-grids developed for car charging are also suitable for developing countries without large electrical grids.
  - By the late 1990s, huge “liquid metal” batteries allow inter-seasonal energy storage, creating an energy reserve sufficient to allow the roll out of large wind and solar projects around the world.
  - This makes coal and oil too expensive for energy production and its use is ramped down and eventually put into the history books by 1997.
- Collapse averted
  - Seeing the opportunity for the manufacture of gasoline, many renewable energy firms begin the manufacture of “synth oil”.
  - By the 2000s, human society produces barely any greenhouse gases for manufacturing, transport or energy.
  - But climatic collapse as we understand it in our world today has largely been avoided.

3. Noble’s Helen: Arunachal Pradesh yields India’s newest butterfly

Subject: Environment

Section : Species In News

Context: The Noble’s Helen, recorded from the Namdapha National Park, is disappearing from its previously known ranges in Myanmar, China, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.

More on the News:

A swallowtail butterfly disappearing from its previously known ranges from Myanmar and southern China to Vietnam has been recorded for the first time in India.
Butterfly enthusiasts recorded the “extremely rare” Noble’s Helen (Papilio noblei) from three locations in the Namdapha National Park of Arunachal Pradesh between September 2019 and September 2021.

About Noble’s Helen butterfly:

It is a swallowtail butterfly with a wingspan of 100–120 mm.
It has an extra white spot in the dorsum of the forewing.
Scientific name: Papilio noblei
Distribution: They are found in Myanmar, Yunnan, Hubai (China), North Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam.
The species is known to be very rare in occurrence in its previously known ranges.
The Noble’s Helen, closest to the Papilio antonio from the Philippines and characterized by a much large dorsal white spot, was once common in the montane forest at moderate elevations in northern Thailand.
Apart from Thailand, this species of swallowtail butterfly has been reported from Myanmar, Yunnan and Hubai regions of China, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.

Namdapha national park:

Geography

Namdapha National Park is the largest protected area in the Eastern Himalaya biodiversity hotspot and is located in Arunachal Pradesh.
It is India’s easternmost tiger reserve. It is located in the Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh near the international border with Myanmar.
It lies on the international border between India and Myanmar (Burma) within Changlang District in the state of Arunachal Pradesh.
The Namdapha protected area is located between Dapha Bum ridge of Mishmi Hills, of North Eastern Himalayas and Patkai Ranges.
It lies in close proximity to the Indo-Myanmar-China trijunction.
It was declared a National Park in 1983.
It falls within the geographical sub-tropical zone and enjoys the sub-tropical climate.
Among the last great remote wilderness areas of Asia, Namdapha and its adjoining areas, is flanked by the Patkai hills to the south and south-east and by the Himalaya in the north. The area lies close to the Indo-Myanmar-China trijunction.
The entire area is mountainous and comprises the catchment of the Noa-Dihing River, a tributary of the great Brahmaputra River which flows westwards through the middle of Namdapha.

Biodiversity:

It is only park in the World to have the four Feline species of big cat namely the Tiger, Leopard, Snow Leopard and Clouded Leopard and numbers of Lesser cats.
Of the many other important animals are the elephants, black bear, Indian Bison, several species of deer’s, reptiles and a variety of arboreal animals.
Among the bird species, most notable are the White winged Wood Ducks, a rare and endangered species, the great Indian hornbills, jungle fowls and pheasants flop their noisy way through the jungle, and which harbours other colorful bird and animal species.
Hoolock Gibbons (Hylobates Hoolock), a highly endangered and only ‘ape’ species found in India is found in this national park.
The park is also famous for critically endangered species like the Namdapha flying squirrel.
Flora: Sapria himalayana, Amentotaxus, Cephalotaxus, Pinus merkusii (Sumatran pine) and Abies delavayi (Delavay’s Fir) etc.

4. Sea winds erode Sundarbans temple

Subject: History

Section: Art and Culture

Concept:

The impact of climate change, especially the increase in air salinity, is eroding the outer wall of Jatar Deul, an 11th century terracotta Shiva temple.
It is located at Raidighi in South 24 Parganas, West Bengal.
According to the Archeological Survey of India, “the outer brick wall of the temple is getting eroded, with the edge of bricks suffering steady corrosion due to increase in air salinity,”.
The temple is facing erosion because of hydraulic action or air salinity.
Trees provide a barrier to coastal winds on the upper part of the temple which reduces the erosion on this side.
Stone temples located along the coast — such as the famed Konark temple of Odisha — are less affected by salinity since the porosity of stone is far less than that of brick.

About Jatar Deul temple:

It is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva.
The Temple stands on a small hill in the landscape of the southern Sundarbans
A copper plate found near the temple in 1875 suggests that Raja Joychandra constructed the temple in 975 AD.
The temple has been classified as a Monument of National Importance by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

Structure:

This temple is facing towards the east and follows the Kalingan style of architecture.
The temple is built over a raised platform.
It has an arched gateway leading to the sanctum.
The sanctum is situated below the ground level.
The sanctum houses Lingas, pictures and idols of various gods & goddesses of Hindu pantheon.
The walls of the temple were intricately decorated with decorative bricks, but most of it is lost due to unplanned reconstruction.

Kalingan style of architecture:

It is a style of Hindu architecture which flourished in the ancient Kalinga previously known as Utkal and part of the kingdom of Magadha or present eastern Indian state of Odisha.
In Kalinga style – the temple is made up of two structures: a tower and hall. The Tower is called ‘Deula’, and the hall is called ‘Jagmohan’.
The style consists of three distinct types of temples: Rekha Deula, Pidha Deula and Khakhara Deula.
Rekha Deula: It is a tall building with a sikhara. The Rekha Deula means a shrine with different parts in a line.Eg: Rekha Deula in the Lingraj Temple of Bhubneshwar.
Pidha Deula: Pidha Deula refers to the square building with a pyramid-shaped roof, like the vimanas.Eg: The assembly hall of the Konark Sun Temple.
Khakhara Deula: It is altogether a different style of architecture closely appearing similar to the Dravidian Gopuran design. The temples of the feminine deities as Shakti are temple of this type. Eg: Baitala temple of Bhubneshwar dedicated to Chamunda.

5. Mughal Gardens renamed as Amrit Udyan

Subject : History

Section : Art and Culture

Concept :

The iconic Mughal Gardens at the Rashtrapati Bhavan (President’s House) in Delhi have been renamed as Amrit Udyan.
The cluster of about 15 gardens will collectively be known as Amrit Udyan.
Individual gardens within the sprawling Presidential Estate — Herbal Garden, Musical Garden and Spiritual Garden — will retain their names.

Mughal Gardens in India

These are developed in Islamic architectural style by the Mughals in India and other countries.
These gardens are frequently seen as a place for relaxation and meditation.
The Mughals were known to appreciate gardens. In Babur Nama, Babur says that his favourite kind of garden is the Persian Charbagh style (literally, four gardens).
Defined by its rectilinear layouts, divided in four equal sections, these gardens can be found across lands previously ruled by the Mughals.
From the gardens surrounding Humanyun’s Tomb in Delhi to the Nishat Bagh in Srinagar, all are built in this style – giving them the moniker of Mughal Gardens.
A defining feature of these gardens is the use of waterways, often to demarcate the various quadrants of the garden.
Gardens are formal in style; symmetrically designed in rectangular or square.
These were not only crucial to maintain the flora of the garden, they also were an important part of its aesthetic.
Fountains were often built, symbolising the cycle of life.
Mughal gardens are surrounded by a high, robust wall. The wall’s summit is decorated with serrated battlements.
The entrances are often towering and beautiful. The doors are massive wooden structures studded with hefty iron nails and spikes.
Examples: The Taj Mahal Garden, Agra Fort, Humayun’s Tomb Garden, and the Red Fort Garden.

6. 90 fossil nests belonging to India’s largest dinosaurs uncovered – Titanosaurs

Subject : Science and Technology

Section : Msc

Concept :

In central India’s Narmada Valley, researchers discovered 92 nesting sites containing a total of 256 fossil eggs belonging to titanosaurs, which were among the largest dinosaurs to ever live.
The Lameta Formation, located in the Narmada Valley, is well-known for fossils of dinosaur skeletons and eggs of the Late Cretaceous Period that lasted from about 145 to 66 million years ago.
Based on the layout of the nests, it is inferred that these dinosaurs buried their eggs in shallow pits like modern-day crocodiles.
Certain pathologies discovered in the eggs, such as a rare case of “egg-in-egg,” suggest that titanosaur sauropods had a reproductive physiology similar to birds and may have laid their eggs sequentially, as seen in modern birds.
The presence of multiple nests in the same area suggests that these dinosaurs, like modern birds, engaged in colonial nesting behaviour.
The close spacing of the nests, on the other hand, left little room for adult dinosaurs, lending credence to the theory that adults abandoned the hatchlings (newborns) to fend for themselves.
The findings contribute significantly to palaeontologists’ understanding of how dinosaurs lived and evolved.

7. SC presses need for reform on tedious bail processes

Subject: Polity

Section :Constitution

Concept:

At a recent conference in Varanasi, Justice Kaul said the inflow of bail and remission cases to the Supreme Court was so high that “some kind of revolution” or “out of the box thinking” would be required on the part of the government to change things.

Indian Law on Bail

The CrPC does not define the word bail but only categories offenses under the Indian Penal Code as ‘bailable’ and ‘non-bailable’.
The CrPC empowers magistrates to grant bail for bailable offenses as a matter of right.
This would involve release on furnishing a bail bond, without or without security.
In case of Non-bailable offenses , a magistrate would determine if the accused is fit to be released on bail.
Non-bailable offenses are cognizable, which enables the police officer to arrest without a warrant.
Section 436 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, lays down that a person accused of a bailable offense under I.P.C. can be granted bail.
On the other hand, Section 437 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 lays down that the accused does not have the right to bail in non-bailable offenses.
It is the discretion of the court to grant bail in case of non-bailable offenses.

8. Breast cancer: more insights on how hormonal therapy works

Subject: Science and technology

Section: Biotechnology

Concept:

Work carried out by researchers from the Integrated Cancer Genomics Laboratory at the Advanced Centre for Training, Research, and Education in Cancer (ACTREC) in Mumbai’s Tata Memorial Centre has shed more light on the molecular mechanism through which progesterone treatment prior to breast cancer surgery is quite likely to increase the survival rates of patients.

Hormone Therapy for Breast Cancer

Some types of breast cancer are affected by hormones, like estrogen and progesterone.
The breast cancer cells have receptors (proteins) that attach to estrogen and progesterone, which helps them grow.
Most types of hormone therapy either lower estrogen levels in the body or stop estrogen from helping breast cancer cells grow.
Hormone therapy can reach cancer cells almost anywhere in the body and not just in the breast.
It’s recommended for women with tumors that are hormone receptor-positive. It does not help women whose tumors don’t have hormone receptors (these tumors are called hormone receptor-negative).
Hormone therapy is often used after surgery (as adjuvant therapy) to help reduce the risk of the cancer coming back.
Sometimes it is started before surgery (as neoadjuvant therapy).
It is usually taken for at least 5 years.

9. Researchers offer tips to save Kerala’s sinking island – Munroe Thuruthu Island

Subject: Geography

Section: Climate

A study conducted by the National Centre for Earth Science Studies (NCESS) has revealed anthropogenic interventions as the main reason for the plight of Munroe Thuruthu residents, Kerala’s first set of climate refugees.

Munroe Thuruthu Island

Munroe Thuruthu (13.4 sq. km.) is a string of eight islets at the confluence of the Ashtamudi Lake and the Kallada River.
It is located in the Kollam district of Kerala.
It was named after Colonel John Munroe, the British Resident of erstwhile Travancore State.

Ashtamudi Lake

Ashtamudi Lake or Ashtamudi Kayal, is in the Kollam district of Kerala.
It possesses a unique wetland ecosystem and a large palm-shaped water body.
Ashtamudi means ‘eight braids’ in the local Malayalam language.
The name is indicative of the lake’s topography with its multiple branches.
The lake is also called the gateway to the backwaters of Kerala and is well known for its houseboats and backwater resorts.
Ashtamudi wetland was included in the list of wetlands of international importance, as defined by the Ramsar convention for the conservation and sustainable utilization of wetlands.

Kallada River

Kallada River is the longest river in Kollam District, Kerala, India.
The river originates in Kulathupuzha, a part of Western Ghats and flows west reaching Arabian Sea after travelling a distance of 120km.