Daily Prelims Notes 6 February 2022

February 6, 2022
Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
Category: DPN

Daily Prelims Notes

6 February 2022

Table Of Contents

1. ANTARCTIC MICROBES MAY HELP IN PLASTIC CLEAN UP

TOPIC: Environment

Context- A team of Argentine scientists is using microorganisms native to Antarctica to explore the idea of cleaning up pollution from fuels and, potentially, plastics in the pristine expanses of the white continent.

Concept-

The tiny microbes munch through the waste, creating a naturally occurring cleaning system for pollution caused by diesel that is used as a source of electricity and heat for research bases in the frozen Antarctic.
The continent is protected by a 1961 Madrid Protocol that stipulates it must be kept in a pristine state.

Bioremediation:

It can be defined as any process that uses microorganisms or their enzymes to remove and or neutralize contaminants within the environment to their original condition.
It uses naturally occurring bacteria and fungi or plants to degrade or detoxify substances hazardous to human health and/or the environment.
In the marine ecosystem, microbial consortium plays an important role in breaking down oil in the event of a spill.
The microorganisms may be indigenous to a contaminated area or they may be isolated from elsewhere and brought to the contaminated site.
Bioremediation can be effective only where environmental conditions permit microbial growth and activity.

Advantages:

Less expensive.
Environmental friendly.
These microbes are effective in controlling odour, reducing BOD, oil/ grease accumulation in sewage/ polluted water and solids.
These microbial consortia exhibit growth at wider temperature range.
These strains maintain a satisfactory level of Dissolved Oxygen (DO) and therefore aerators, which consume high power, can be avoided or its use can be reduced.

Disadvantages:

Restricted to those compounds that are biodegradable.
There are some apprehensions that the products of biodegradation may be more lasting or toxic than the parent compound.
Takes much more time than other treatment options, such as pyrolysis or incineration.

2. HAVANA SYNDROME

TOPIC: Science & Tech

Context- A recent U.S. intelligence report says that ‘Havana Syndrome’ —a collection of symptoms and related brain injuries, reported by U.S. oﬃcials, particularly diplomats in embassies.

Concept-

What is Havana Syndrome?

‘Havana Syndrome’ is a colloquial name given to a set of symptoms such as dizziness, hearing loss, headaches, vertigo, nausea, memory loss and possible brain injuries ﬁrst reported by 16 U.S. Embassy staﬀ and their family members in Havana, Cuba, in 2016-17.
The symptoms of the syndrome include Nausea, Severe headaches, Fatigue, Dizziness, Sleep problems, Hearing loss.

What did the latest investigation ﬁnd?

A panel, constituted by the Oﬃce of the Director of National Intelligence and the CIA, said that some of the ‘Havana Syndrome’ cases could have been caused by pulsed electromagnetic energy in the radio frequency.
The investigation found that it could have been caused by external stimuli and could not be explained by known medical and environmental conditions.
Psychosocial factors including hypervigilance or reactions to stress especially among individuals who are security-oriented may contribute to long-term eﬀects.

Microwave Weapons:

Direct Energy Weapon (DEW): They are a type of direct energy weapons, which aim highly focused energy in the form of sonic, laser, or microwaves, at a target.
They release electromagnetic radiation which causes sensations in the human body.
Electromagnetic radiation heating the water in the human body makes a person feel dizziness and nausea.

3. CRYPTOCURRENCIES

TOPIC: Science & Tech

Context- In her Budget speech, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman introduced a 30% tax on income earned from transfer of virtual digital assets.

Concept-

The Government is yet to recognise cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin and Ethereum.

What would be the tax component for income from virtual digital assets?

The Budget has proposed a 30% tax on income from the “transfer of any virtual digital asset.”
Secondly, except for the cost of acquisition, no deduction will be allowed.
Thirdly, losses from such transfers cannot be set oﬀ against any income.
Fourthly, tax will be deducted at source at the rate of 1%, so as to capture transaction details, thus initiating a tax deducted at source (TDS) mechanism.

What has been India’s approach to cryptocurrencies?

The Government and the Reserve Bank of India have in the past cautioned people against considering cryptocurrencies as legal tender.
The fact that transactions using such currencies can easily bypass the tax net, and therefore be used for illicit transactions.
The Reserve Bank of India, in 2018, directed banks not to provide services to the cryptocurrency ecosystem.
A 2019 report by an inter-ministerial committee which recommended a ban on all cryptocurrencies.
A separate process of consultation is underway regarding their regulation- A bill on this would be tabled in Parliament.

4. J&K DELIMITATION DRAFT

TOPIC: Polity

Context- The J&K Delimitation Commission has come out with a fresh interim report proposing the redrawing of many Assembly and the lone Lok Sabha constituencies in Kashmir, besides the allocation of one more seat to the division and six more to Jammu.

Concept-

The commission has proposed the redrawing of ﬁve of the eight Assembly segments in Srinagar.

What is Delimitation?

Delimitation means the act or process of fixing limits or boundaries of territorial constituencies in a country to represent changes in population.

How delimitation is carried out?

Under Article 82, the Parliament enacts a Delimitation Act after every Census.
Under Article 170, States also get divided into territorial constituencies as per Delimitation Act after every Census.
Once the Act is in force, the Union government sets up a Delimitation Commission.
The first delimitation exercise was carried out by the President (with the help of the Election Commission) in 1950-51.
The Delimitation Commission Act was enacted in 1952.
Delimitation Commissions have been set up four times — 1952, 1963, 1973 and 2002 under the Acts of 1952, 1962, 1972 and 2002.
There was no delimitation after the 1981 and 1991 Censuses.

Delimitation Commission:

The Delimitation Commission is appointed by the President of India and works in collaboration with the Election Commission of India.
Composition:
- Retired Supreme Court judge
- Chief Election Commissioner
- Respective State Election Commissioners

5. SARISKA TIGER RESERVE

TOPIC: Environment

Context- The tiger population in Sariska Tiger Reserve has gone up to 25, while the resources are being provided to create water holes and develop grasslands for ungulates as a prey base.

Concept-

Sariska Tiger Reserve

Sariska Tiger Reserve is located in Aravali hills and forms a part of the Alwar District of Rajasthan.

The Reserve is immensely rich in flora and fauna, and is famous for Royal Bengal Tiger.
The park has populations of leopards, Nilgai, Sambar, chital etc. It also shelters a large population of Indian peafowl, crested serpent eagles, sand grouse, golden backed woodpeckers, great Indian horned owls, tree pies, vultures, etc.
Sariska was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1955 and was declared the tiger reserve later in 1978, making it a part of India’s Project Tiger.
- The Sanctuary houses ruined temples, forts, pavilions and a palace.
- Kankarwadi fort is located in the center of the Reserve and it is said that Mughal emperor Aurangzeb had imprisoned his brother Dara Shikoh at this fort in struggle for succession to the throne.
- The Reserve also houses a famous temple of lord Hanuman at Pandupole related to Pandavas.

Project Tiger:

Project Tiger is an ongoing Centrally Sponsored Scheme of the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change providing central assistance to the tiger States for tiger conservation in designated tiger reserves.
The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) is a statutory body of the Ministry, with an overarching supervisory/coordination role, performing functions as provided in the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
- The NTCA was launched in 2005, following the recommendations of the Tiger Task Force. It was given statutory status by the 2006 amendment of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
India now has as many as 2,967 tigers in the wild, with more than half of them in Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka, according to the latest tiger census 2018.
The population of tigers have increased by 33% since the last census in 2014 when the total estimate was 2,226.
Sariska is the first tiger reserve to have successfully relocated Royal Bengal tigers in India and at present there are around 25 tigers in the reserve.

6. FARMER PRODUCER OGANIZATIONS (FPOs)

TOPIC: Agriculture

Context- Prime Minister Narendra Modi has stated that the Union government is resolved to mobilise small farmers in to farmer producer organisations (FPOs) and make them inﬂuential market forces in the years to come to improve their incomes by developing agriculture value chain.

Concept-

What is an FPO?

Farmers’ Producer Organisation (FPO), also known as farmers’ producer company (FPC), is an entity formed by primary producers including farmers, milk producers, fishermen, weavers, rural artisans, and craftsmen.
An FPO can be a Producer Company, a Cooperative Society or any other legal form.
FPOs are basically the hybrids of cooperatives and private companies.
- The participation, organisation and membership pattern of these companies are more or less similar to the cooperatives.
- But their day-to-day functioning and business models resemble those of the professionally-run private companies.
The Companies Act was amended by incorporating Section-IX A in it to allow creation and registration of FPOs under it.

Formation and Promotion of 10,000 new FPOs Scheme

Launched by Ministry of Agriculture& Farmers Welfare
Implementing Agencies – Nine agencies including NABARD, SFAC, NAFED, etc.
FPOs will be provided financial assistance uptoRs 18 lakh per FPO for a period of 3 years.
A credit guarantee facility upto Rs. 2 crore of project loan per FPO can be availed Training & skill development modules have been developed to further strengthen the FPOs.
At district level, a District Level Monitoring Committee (D-MC) is constituted for overall coordination & monitoring.
At National level, National Project Management Agency (NPMA) has been engaged for providing overall project guidance and coordination.

7. STAR CAMPAIGNERS IN ELECTIONS

TOPIC: Polity

Context- The Election Commission of India (ECI) instructed States to provide “adequate security cover” to star campaigners of political parties after Lok Sabha member and AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi was attacked on his way back to Delhi from campaigning in western Uttar Pradesh

Concept-

Who is a star campaigner?

A star campaigner is a celebrity vote seeker in an election for a party.
This person can be a politician or even a film star.
There is no law governing who can or cannot be made a star campaigner.
They are nominated by the concerned political parties specifying their constituencies and duration of the status.

How many star campaigners can be there?

Since political parties appoint star campaigners, the Election Commission has issued guidelines the Model Code of Conduct regulating poll campaign by them.
A ‘recognised’ party declared as such by the Election Commission can nominate a maximum of 40 star campaigners.

Why political parties need a star campaigner?

It has a lot to do with poll expenditure. The Election Commission keeps a tab on expenditure incurred by individual candidates during campaign Rs 70 lakh for most states in one constituency by each candidate.
Expenditure incurred on electioneering by the star campaigner is not added to a candidate’s poll expenditure giving him/her more leeway.
According to the Representation of People’s Act, these expenses will be borne by the political parties. But terms and conditions apply.

When PM is the star campaigner?

The MCC guidelines say when a prime minister or a former prime minister is star campaigner, the expenditure incurred on security including on the bulletproof vehicles will be borne by the government and will not be added to the election expenses of the party or the individual candidate.
However, if another campaigner travels with the prime minister or a former minister, the individual candidate will have to bear 50 per cent of the expenditure incurred on the security arrangements.

8. AFSPA

TOPIC: Security Issues

Context- The Manipur Congress has promised to repeal the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act of 1958 if voted back to power in the State.

Concept-

About AFSPA: Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958:

A British-era legislation that was enacted to quell the protests during the Quit India movement, the AFSPA was issued by way of four ordinances in 1947.
The ordinances were replaced by an Act in 1948 and the present law effective in the Northeast was introduced in Parliament in 1958 by the then Home Minister, G.B. Pant.
It was known initially as the Armed Forces (Assam and Manipur) Special Powers Act, 1958.
After the States of Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Nagaland came into being, the Act was adapted to apply to these States as well.
The ASFPA gives unfettered powers to the armed forces and the Central armed police forces deployed in “disturbed areas” to kill anyone acting in contravention of law and arrest and search any premises without a warrant and with protection from prosecution and legal suits.
- Disturbed Areas: The Act was amended in 1972 and the powers to declare an area as “disturbed” were conferred concurrently upon the Central government along with the States.

Recommendations of Jeevan Reddy Committee 2004:

AFSPA should be repealed and appropriate provisions should be inserted in the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967
The Unlawful Activities Act should be modified to clearly specify the powers of the armed forces and paramilitary forces and Grievance cells should be set up in each district where the armed forces are deployed.

Second ARC Recommendation:

The 5th report of the Second Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC) on public order has also recommended the repeal of the AFSPA. However, these recommendations have not been implemented.

Supreme Court Views on the Act:

The Supreme Court has upheld the constitutionality of AFSPA in a 1998 judgment (Naga People’s Movement of Human Rights v. Union of India).

9. SOLAR STORMS

TOPIC: Science & Tech

Context- Through analysis of ice cores from Greenland and Antarctica, a research team has found evidence of an extreme solar storm that occurred about 9,200 years ago.

Concept-

What is a Solar Storm?

A solar storm or a Coronal Mass Ejection as astronomers call it is an ejection of highly magnetized particles from the sun.
These particles can travel several million km per hour and can take about 13 hours to five days to reach Earth.
Earth’s atmosphere protects us, humans, from these particles.
This field of research helps to understand Space Weather.
They can trigger intense light in the sky on Earth, called auroras.
- Some of the energy and small particles travel down the magnetic field lines at the north and south poles into Earth’s atmosphere.
- There, the particles interact with gases in the atmosphere resulting in beautiful displays of light in the sky.
- The aurora in Earth’s northern atmosphere is called an aurora borealis or northern lights. It’s southern counterpart is called an aurora australis or the southern lights.

10. DHOLAVIRA

TOPIC: Art & Culture

Context- Dholavira, a Harappan city situated on the island of Khadir, near the India Pakistan International Border, came into limelight after UNESCO declared it a World Heritage Site on July 27, 2021.

Concept-

About Dholavira:

It was discovered in 1968 by archaeologist JagatPati Joshi.
After Mohen-jo-Daro, Ganweriwala and Harappa in Pakistan and Rakhigarhi in Haryana of India, Dholavira is the fifth largest metropolis of Indus Valley Civilization (IVC).
The ancient city of Dholavira is an archaeological site at Kachchh District, in the state of Gujarat, which dates from the 3rd to mid-2nd millennium BCE.
Dholavira’s location is on the Tropic of Cancer.
It is located on Khadirbet island in the Kachchh Desert Wildlife Sanctuary in the Great Rann of Kachchh.

Distinct Features of the Dholavira Site:

Artifacts that were found here include terracotta pottery, beads, gold and copper ornaments, seals, fish hooks, animal figurines, tools, urns, and some imported vessels.
Cascading series of water reservoirs.
Outer fortification.
Two multi-purpose grounds, one of which was used for festivities and other as a marketplace.
Nine gates with unique designs.
Funerary architecture featuring tumulus — hemispherical structures like the Buddhist Stupas.
Multi-layered defensive mechanisms, extensive use of stone in construction and special burial structures.
It was also a hub of manufacturing jewellery made of shells and semi-precious stones, like agate and used to export timber.
Unlike graves at other IVC sites, no mortal remains of humans have been discovered at Dholavira.