Daily Prelims Notes 30 December 2024

December 30, 2024
Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
Category: DPN

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Daily Prelims Notes

30 December 2024

Table Of Contents

1. Add mumps vaccine to universal immunisation programme: Tamil Nadu to Centre

Sub : Sci

Sec : Health

Context:

Tamil Nadu has seen a significant rise in mumps cases, with around 150 cases monthly.
This prompted the state to request the Government of India to consider adding the mumps vaccine to the Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP), which already covers vaccines for diseases like tuberculosis, diphtheria, and measles.

About Mumps:

Mumps is a contagious disease that mainly affects children, caused by the mumps virus, which belongs to a family of viruses known as paramyxoviruses.
This infectious disease primarily affects the salivary glands or the parotid glands, which are mainly responsible for the production of saliva.
Mumps disease is usually transmitted through the infected saliva, nasal secretions or respiratory droplets, and close contact with the infected person.
The major symptom of mumps is swelling of the cheeks and jaw, which results from inflammation of the parotid glands.
Mumps typically presents as a self-limiting condition in children, meaning it resolves on its own without major complications in most cases.
In adults, mumps can lead to complications such as orchitis (inflammation of the testicles), which can result in infertility, and encephalitis (inflammation of the brain).
The incubation period of mumps is usually 16–18 days, but can range from 12–25 days.
Vaccination is the only way to prevent mumps.

Call for MMR Vaccine Inclusion:

The Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine in Tamil Nadu has written to the Union Health Ministry, requesting that the Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) vaccine be included in the UIP to control the spread of all three diseases.
Currently, Tamil Nadu’s UIP includes 12 vaccine-preventable diseases, but mumps is not part of the immunization programme.
While the MMR vaccine is available in private hospitals, including it in the UIP would ensure its availability to a wider population.

Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP):

The Immunization Programme in India was introduced in 1978 as ‘Expanded Programme of Immunization (EPI) by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
In 1985, the Programme was modified as ‘Universal Immunization Programme (UIP)’. It is a central sector scheme.
UIP prevents mortality and morbidity in children and pregnant women against 12 vaccine-preventable diseases:
To accelerate the coverage, Mission Indradhanush was envisaged and implemented since 2015 to rapidly increase the full immunization coverage to 90%.

UIP coverage:

Under UIP, immunization is being provided free of cost to pregnant women and children against 12 vaccine preventable diseases:
Nationally against 11 diseases– Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus, Polio, Measles, Rubella, severe form of Childhood Tuberculosis, Rotavirus diarrhoea, Hepatitis B, Meningitis & Pneumonia caused by Hemophilus Influenza type B and Pneumococcal Pneumonia and sub-nationally against 1 disease – Japanese Encephalitis (JE vaccine is provided only in endemic districts).

2. M.P. govt. begins disposal of toxic waste from Union Carbide factory

Sub: Env

Sec: Pollution

Context:

The Madhya Pradesh government has started the process of disposing of 337 tonnes of toxic waste accumulated at the Union Carbide India Ltd. (UCIL) site in Bhopal, 40 years after the infamous Bhopal gas tragedy.

Environmental Cleanup:

There has been ongoing pressure for a comprehensive cleanup of the UCIL plant site to remove toxic residues, which continue to pose a threat to the local environment and the health of the nearby population.
Earlier, the Madhya Pradesh High Court had set a four-week deadline for the authorities for the disposal of the toxic waste.
The waste is expected to be transported to the Treatment, Storage, and Disposal Facility (TSDF) in Pithampur, near Indore.

Bhopal gas tragedy:

The Bhopal gas tragedy was one of the worst industrial accidents in history that occurred on the night of 2nd December 1984 at the Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL) pesticide plant in Bhopal, MP.
It exposed people and animals to the highly toxic gas methyl isocyanate (MIC), causing immediate and long-term health effects and deaths.
Methyl isocyanate is extremely toxic gas and if its concentration in the air touches 21ppm (parts per million), it can cause death within minutes of inhaling the gas.
National Pollution Control Day is observed on December 2 every year to remember the devastating incident.

3. Incidents on loop, but it’s escape for regulator, airlines

Sub: Polity

Sec: National Bodies

Context:

Recently, an Air India Airbus A320 aircraft experienced a serious issue at Goa’s Mopa Airport. The aircraft, bound for Hyderabad, had to reject take-off after it mistakenly entered a parallel taxiway instead of the main runway.

Lack of accountability:

This incident adds to a long history of runway confusion incidents involving Indian airlines, highlighting persistent safety concerns in Indian aviation.
The DGCA is the key body responsible for overseeing aviation safety in India. Despite repeated incidents of runway confusion, the DGCA often places the blame on pilot error without addressing the broader issues of airport infrastructure and airline safety management.

Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA):

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is the national aviation regulatory authority of India and operates under the Ministry of Civil Aviation, primarily dealing with safety issues.
It became a statutory body under the Aircraft (Amendment) Act, 2020.
It is responsible for regulation of air transport services to/from/within India and for enforcement of civil air regulations, air safety and airworthiness standards.
The DGCA is tasked with implementing and enforcing aviation regulations, standards, and procedures in line with ICAO standards and best practices.
It also co-ordinates all regulatory functions with International Civil Aviation Organisation.

International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO):

ICAO is a United Nations (UN) specialized agency, established in 1944.
The Convention on International Civil Aviation was signed in 1944 in Chicago. It established the core principles permitting international transport by air, and led to the creation of the ICAO.
ICAO’s mission is to ensure the safe and orderly development of the international aviation industry. The organisation works with its member states to develop and implement policies and regulations related to air navigation and air transport. India is among its 193 members.
It is headquartered in Montreal, Canada.

Annex 13 of ICAO:

ICAO Annex 13, titled “Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation”, is a key international standard that provides guidelines for the investigation of aircraft accidents and incidents.
Annex 13 makes it mandatory for a member-state to investigate accidents and serious incidents and identify the cause and take corrective steps to prevent a recurrence.
Annex 13 applies to the investigation of all accidents and serious incidents involving civil aircraft, regardless of their location. This includes aircraft accidents occurring on land, sea, or in international waters.

Accident and Incident:

The annex defines the terms “accident” and “incident” based on the severity of the event.
An accident typically results in serious injury or death or substantial damage to the aircraft.
An incident is a less severe event that may not result in significant damage or injury but could still indicate safety risks.

4. From Gemini to Llama: How AI Titans are Shaping the Industry

Sub: Sci

Sec: Awareness in IT

Why in News

Artificial Intelligence (AI) continues to dominate technological advancements in 2024, with groundbreaking developments from tech giants such as Google, OpenAI, Meta, and others.

Key Developments in Artificial Intelligence in 2024:

Google’s Gemini: Google’s initial AI model, Bard, faced criticism in 2023. However, the launch of Gemini marked a turning point.
Gemini 2.0 Flash Thinking Model: Enhanced reasoning capabilities with the ability to outline thought processes.
- Trillium AI Accelerator Chip: Improved processing for AI-driven applications.
- Willow Quantum Chip: Breakthroughs in quantum computing.
OpenAI’s o3 Model: Built upon o1 with advanced reasoning capabilities. Outperformed in tasks like coding and complex mathematics. Integral to Microsoft’s 365 Copilot AI Assistant.
Anthropic’s Claude 3.5 Sonnet: “Computer Use” Capability – Autonomous execution of tasks such as typing and browsing. Monitored AI use during the U.S. Presidential elections via its Clio tool.
Mistral AI: It is a French artificial intelligence (AI) startup that specializes in open-source and commercial large language models (LLMs):
- Mistral 7B and Mixtral 8x7B: Open-weight models for customization.
- Mistral Large 2: Integrated into IBM’s Watsonx for advanced applications.
- Partnered with Qualcomm to bring generative AI to Snapdragon-powered devices.
- Established a Palo Alto office to attract global AI talent.
Meta’s Llama Models: It is a family of open-source language models that are used for research and commercial purposes
- Llama 3 (April 2024): 8B and 70B parameters with multilingual and coding capabilities.
- Llama 3.1 and 3.2: Increased parameter size (up to 405B), multimodal support for text and images, and mobile optimization.
- Integrated into Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
On-Device AI Integration in 2024: AI chips such as Apple’s Neural Engine, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon AI Engine, and Google’s Tensor Chipset integrated into consumer electronics. Enabled tasks like real-time translation, photo enhancement, and augmented reality.
PCs equipped with NVIDIA, AMD, and Apple’s chips supported AI-powered tools for transcription, gaming, and video editing.

5. India’s PSLV-C60 Mission: A Milestone in Space Technology

Sub :Sci

Sec: Space sector

Why in News

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is set to conclude 2024 with a groundbreaking mission, PSLV-C60, scheduled for launch on December 30, 2024. This mission will test key technologies for interplanetary missions and human spaceflight, marking a significant step forward in India’s space exploration ambitions.

About PSLV-C60 Mission:

SPADEX or Space Docking Experiment is a twin spacecraft mission being developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation to mature technologies related to orbital rendezvous, docking, formation flying, with scope of applications in human spaceflight, in-space satellite servicing and other proximity operations
The SPADEX mission involves a spacecraft with two components – Chaser and Target.
SDX01 (Chaser) and SDX02 (Target), each weighing 220 kg, will demonstrate in-orbit docking and undocking capabilities.
These satellites will rendezvous in low Earth orbit and perform intricate manoeuvres to dock and undock, showcasing advanced space docking technology.
The fourth stage of the PSLV-C60, called the PSLV Orbital Experimental Module (POEM-4), will carry over 20 payloads developed by ISRO, academic institutions, and private companies.
The satellites will be placed in a 470-km circular orbit with a 55° inclination.
The ‘Chaser’ and ‘Target’ will initially maintain a 10-20 km separation, eventually reducing it to 3 meters for docking. Post-docking, the mission will demonstrate power transfer and undocking procedures.
‘Chaser’ carries a high-resolution camera.
‘Target’ is equipped with a miniature multispectral payload and a radiation monitor.
The mission is a precursor to the Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS) and Chandrayaan-4, laying the foundation for advanced in-orbit operations.
Payloads on POEM-4:
- Relocatable Robotic Manipulator: Demonstrates a robotic arm using an inchworm walking technique, a key innovation for space operations.
Biological Experiments:
- Growth of cowpea seeds and spinach cells in microgravity to study plant physiology.
- Measurement of gut bacterium growth to enhance understanding of astronaut health.
Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR): Payloads like GLX-SQ and Varuna aim to demonstrate high-resolution imaging technologies for earth monitoring.

Green Propulsion Technologies:

RUDRA 1.0 HPGP: A green propulsion system by Bellatrix Aerospace with a thrust of 1 N.
VYOM 2U: A safer, high-performance alternative to hydrazine, developed by Manastu Space.

Gaganyaan Developments:

December 18, 2024, marked the official assembly of the human-rated LVM-3 (HLVM-3) for its first uncrewed Gaganyaan mission, highlighting progress in India’s human spaceflight program.
Earlier milestones, such as the 2014 Crew-module Atmospheric Re-entry Experiment (CARE), laid the groundwork for this ambitious program.