Daily Prelims Notes 6 November 2022
- November 6, 2022
- Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
- Category: DPN
Daily Prelims Notes
6 November 2022
Table Of Contents
- Redact sensitive portion’: Supreme Court gives a way out of sealed cover affidavits
- A third of world heritage glaciers under threat, warns UNESCO
- Iran tests satellite-carrying rocket
- Vaccine trial soon amid fear of Ebola virus spread to other countries
- COP14 on wetlands begins; draft resolution for international mangrove centre in China on agenda
1. Redact sensitive portion’: Supreme Court gives a way out of sealed cover affidavits
Context and issue:
Issue: Government regularly files for sealed cover material in the Supreme court without showing it to the general public, particularly the petitioner.
- In matters involving national security, the Supreme Court has recommended an alternative to habitually filing documents in sealed covers.
- The court ruled that the government might redact the private information and provide the petitioners with the rest. This would take care of the petitioners’ “right to know” as well as the state’s worries about “national security.”
- In the recent case SC was hearing the appeal of the telecast ban against Kerala-based Media One TV. The government desired to transmit its confidential documents behind a sealed cover. It refused to divulge the information to the media organisation whose security clearance was terminated in January for reasons of “national security and public order,” without providing any other information.
- The media company contended that submitting information to the court under secrecy would force the judges to accept the state’s account, even in situations where the petitioners’ fundamental rights are at risk and the government’s story is being contested.
- The court has previously allowed sealed covers, despite efforts to adopt the idea of “open court” through live-streaming hearings.
- In situations including the procurement of Rafale jets, the Bhima Koregaon case, the Assam National Register of Citizens, the Board of Control for Cricket in India, and P. Chidambaram’s anticipatory bail request, sealed covers were without hesitation allowed and even requested. In certain instances, sealed cover even attained the stature of due procedure.
- The habitual handing on of sealed coverings, according to the opposing viewpoint, is an affront to natural justice. Numerous judgments stress the importance of the right to information as a component of the freedom of speech and expression. A democracy that pledges openness and accountability must unavoidably recognise the right of the person to information. The state cannot be allowed to “take away these rights impliedly or in a careless or cavalier manner.”
Supreme Court Cases:
- In Anuradha Bhasin, the court said sensitive portions in government records “can be redacted or such material can be claimed as privileged, if the state justifies such redaction on the grounds, as allowed under the law”.
- In the Ram Jethmalani case judgment, the court said the state is obliged to disclose information in cases in which petitioners seek the protection of fundamental rights.
- In the Chidambaram case, the court held that “it would be against the concept of fair trial if in every case the prosecution presents documents in sealed cover.
What are Open Courts?
- The Open court principle requires that court proceedings presumptively be open and accessible to the public and to the media.
- Open courts are normal court where proceedings of the court are conducted where every person is allowed to watch the proceedings of the court.
- There are instances where it is not practical to accommodate persons other than parties to the proceedings. Therefore, such proceedings are held in camera.
- This means that the proceedings are held in a closed room where the public will not have access to watch the proceedings.
- In criminal cases like rape, it is necessary to protect the identity and modesty of the victim.
Article 142 of the Indian Constitution
- Article 142 allows the Supreme Court to pass any order necessary to do “complete justice” in any case.
- It supplements the powers already conferred upon the Supreme Court under the Constitution to guarantee that justice is done and in doing so the Court is not restrained by lack of jurisdiction or authority of law.
- The phrase ‘complete justice’ engrafted in Article 142(1) is the word of wide interpretation to meet situations created by legal errors or result of operation of statute law or law.
- Thus Article 142 is conceived to give the apex court the powers to meet the situations which cannot be effectively tackled by existing provisions of law.
CONCEPT OF NATURAL JUSTICE
Natural Justice implies fairness, reasonableness, equity and equality. Natural Justice is a concept of Common Law and it is the Common Law world counterpart of the American concept of ‘procedural due process’. Natural Justice represents higher procedural principles developed by judges which every administrative agency must follow in taking any decision adversely affecting the rights of a private individual.
Two Principles of Natural Justice
There are mainly two Principles of Natural Justice. These two Principles are:
- ‘Nemo judex in causa sua’. No one should be made a judge in his own cause, and the rule against bias.
- ‘Audi alteram partem’ means to hear the other party, or no one should be condemned unheard.
2. A third of world heritage glaciers under threat, warns UNESCO
Subject: Environment
Context-
- A third of the glaciers on the UNESCO World Heritage list are under threat, regardless of efforts to limit temperature increases, a study conducted by the UN body has found.
More on the news-
- However, the study said it was still possible to save the other two-thirds if the rise in global temperature did not exceed 1.5°C compared to the preindustrial era.
- The UNESCO study, in partnership with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), showed that these glaciers have been retreating at an accelerated rate since 2000 due to CO2 emissions, which are warming temperatures.
- They are currently losing 58 billion tonnes of ice every year — equivalent to the combined annual water use of France and Spain — and are responsible for nearly 5% of observed global sea level rise.
Significance of glaciers-
- Half of humanity depends directly or indirectly on glaciers as their water source for domestic use, agriculture, and power.
- Glaciers are also pillars of biodiversity, feeding many ecosystems.
- When glaciers melt rapidly, millions of people face water scarcity and the increased risk of natural disasters such as flooding, and millions more may be displaced by the resulting rise in sea levels.
Creation of a dedicated fund-
- As many as 50 UNESCO World Heritage sites are home to glaciers, representing almost 10% of the Earth’s total glacierised area.
- This study highlights the urgent need to cut greenhouse gas emissions and invest in nature-based solutions, which can help mitigate climate change.
- In addition to drastically reducing carbon emissions, UNESCO is advocating for the creation of a new international fund for glacier monitoring and preservation.
- Such a fund would support comprehensive research, promote exchange networks between all stakeholders and implement early warning and disaster risk reduction measures.
Several iconic landscapes found in World Heritage sites are–
- Los Glaciares National Park in Argentina contains some of the largest glaciers on the Earth and is threatened by very large ice loss – about 60% of the current volume – by 2100.
- In Europe, the disappearance of small glaciers is projected in the Pyrenees — Mont Perdu World Heritage site before 2040.
- Te Wahipounamu — South West New Zealand, which contains three-quarters of New Zealand’s glaciers, is projected to lose 25% to 80% of the current ice volume over the course of this century.
World Heritage List
- The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) seeks to encourage the identification, protection and preservation of cultural and natural heritage around the world considered to be of outstanding value to humanity. It has World Heritage List for the same.
- This is embodied in an international treaty called the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, adopted by UNESCO in 1972.
International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
- IUCN is a membership Union uniquely composed of both government and civil society organizations.
- Created in 1948, IUCN has evolved into the world’s largest and most diverse environmental network.
- It is headquartered in Switzerland.
- The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, is the world’s most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of plant and animal species.
- The IUCN World Heritage Outlook provides conservation outlook assessments for all natural World Heritage sites.
3. Iran tests satellite-carrying rocket
Subject: Science and Technology
Context-
- Iran’s Revolutionary Guards tested a new satellite-carrying rocket.
More on the news-
- Washington fears the same long-range ballistic technology used to put satellites into orbit could also be used to launch nuclear warheads.
About Ghaem 100-
- The Ghaem 100, Iran’s first three-stage launch vehicle, will be able to place satellites weighing 80 kg in an orbit of 500 km from the earth’s surface.
- The flight test of this satellite carrier with a solid-fuelled engine was successfully completed.
- The rocket would be used to launch Iran’s Nahid satellite for the telecommunications ministry, as per the report.
Iran’s missile programme-
- Iran, which has one of the biggest missile programmes in the Middle East, has had several failed satellite launches in the past few years, blamed on technical issues.
- A U.N. resolution in 2015 called on Iran to refrain for up to eight years from work on ballistic missiles designed to deliver nuclear weapons following an agreement with six world powers.
What was the 2015 Iran nuclear deal?
- The deal is formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
- The JCPOA was the result of prolonged negotiations from 2013 and 2015 between Iran and P5+1 (China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, the United States + Germany).
- Under the deal, Iran agreed to significantly cut its stores of centrifuges, enriched uranium and heavy-water, all key components for nuclear weapons.
- Iran also agreed to implement a protocol that would allow inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to access its nuclear sites to ensure Iran would not be able to develop nuclear weapons in secret.
- While the West agreed to lift sanctions related to Iran’s nuclear proliferation, other sanctions addressing alleged abuses of human rights and Iran’s ballistic missile programme remained in place.
- The US committed to lifting sanctions on oil exports, but continued to restrict financial transactions, which have deterred international trade with Iran.
- Nonetheless, Iran’s economy, after suffering years of recessions, currency depreciation, and inflation, stabilized significantly after the deal took effect, and its exports skyrocketed.
- Israel, America’s closest ally in the Middle East, strongly rejected the deal, and other countries like Iran’s great regional rival Saudi Arabia, complained that they were not involved in the negotiations even though Iran’s nuclear programme posed security risks for every country in the region.
- After Trump abandoned the deal and reinstated banking and oil sanctions, Iran ramped up its nuclear programme in earnest, returning to approximately 97% of its pre-2015 nuclear capabilities.
4. Vaccine trial soon amid fear of Ebola virus spread to other countries
Subject: Environment
Context- Ebola outbreak in Uganda
More on the news-
- The Ebola virus outbreak that began in Uganda on September 20 after one case was confirmed in Mubende district the previous day has spread to at least 130 people (lab confirmed) and caused 43 deaths as on November 2.
- The increase in fatalities has in turn increased the case fatality rate among lab-confirmed cases to 33% (43/130); the case fatality rate was 26.5% (34/128) as on October 29.
- The deadly virus has now reached the capital city Kampala which was restricted to the rural areas of Uganda since the outbreak began in September.
Difficulty in tracing-
- Spreading of the virus to the cities entails an increased risk of the virus spreading to a large population and the increased difficulty of tracing.
- The virus has already spread to school children.
- Also, there is a risk of the virus spreading across borders.
A rare strain of ebola virus-
- Unlike the large Ebola outbreak of 2014-2016 caused by the Zaire strain that started in Guinea and spread to two other Western African countries — Sierra Leone and Liberia — by July 2014, the outbreak in Uganda is caused by the relatively rarer Sudan strain.
- Uganda is facing a Sudan Ebola virus outbreak after a decade.
Vaccine against the Sudan strain of Ebola virus-
- The Ebola outbreak of 2014-2016 which spread to over 28,000 people and killed 11,000 people allowed the testing of Merck’s vaccine through a ring vaccination strategy.
- Currently, there are no vaccines available for the Sudan strain of the Ebola virus.
- Merck developed a vaccine specifically against the Sudan strain in 2015 and 2016 after the success of the vaccine against the Zaire strain.
- Besides Merck’s vaccine for the Sudan strain, two other vaccines by the Sabin Vaccine Institute and the University of Oxford are in the process of being produced for clinical testing.
- While Merck’s vaccine uses the VSV (vesicular stomatitis virus) platform, both Sabin Vaccine Institute and the University of Oxford use the chimpanzee adenoviruses to carry the virus protein into humans, much like in the case of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.
- Clinical trials using the ring vaccination strategy of administering the vaccine among the contacts might begin by mid-November.
Ring vaccination strategy of administering the vaccine-
- Ring vaccination is a strategy to inhibit the spread of disease by vaccinating those who are most likely to be infected.
- This strategy vaccinates the contacts of confirmed patients, and people who are in close contact with those contacts.
- This way, everyone who has been, or could have been, exposed to a patient receives the vaccine, creating a ‘ring’ of protection that can limit the spread of a pathogen.
- Ring vaccination requires thorough and rapid surveillance and epidemiologic case investigation.
- The Intensified Smallpox Eradication Program used this strategy with great success in its efforts to eradicate smallpox in the latter half of the 20th century.
About Ebola virus disease (EVD)-
- EVD, formerly known as Ebola haemorrhagic fever is a deadly disease with occasional outbreaks that occur mostly on the African continent.
- The Ebola virus was first discovered in 1976 near the Ebola River in what is now the Democratic Republic of Congo.
- It most commonly affects people and nonhuman primates (such as monkeys, gorillas, and chimpanzees).
- It is caused by an infection with a group of viruses within the genus Ebolavirus:
- Ebola virus (species Zaire ebolavirus)
- Sudan virus (species Sudan ebolavirus)
- Taï Forest virus (species Taï Forest ebolavirus, formerly Côte d’Ivoire ebolavirus)
- Bundibugyo virus (species Bundibugyo ebolavirus)
- Reston virus (species Reston ebolavirus)
- Bombali virus (species Bombali ebolavirus)
Host: Fruit bats of the Pteropodidae family are natural Ebola virus hosts.
Transmission:
- Animal to Human Transmission occurs through close contact with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected animals such as fruit bats, chimpanzees, gorillas, monkeys, forest antelope or porcupines found ill or dead or in the rainforest.
- Human-to-Human Transmission occurs via direct contact (through broken skin or mucous membranes) with the Blood or body fluids of a person who is sick with or has died from Ebola.
- Signs and Symptoms: Symptoms may appear anywhere from 2 to 21 days after contact with the virus, with an average of 8 to 10 days which include Fever, Fatigue, Muscle pain, Body weakness, Headache, Sore throat, Vomiting, Diarrhea, Symptoms of impaired kidney and liver function, in some cases, both internal and external bleeding.
5. COP14 on wetlands begins; draft resolution for international mangrove centre in China on agenda
Subject: Environment
Context-
- The 14th Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties (COP14) to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands began November 5, 2022, to discuss the state of wetlands globally.
More on the news-
- The event is being held in two different venues: Wuhan in China and Geneva in Switzerland from November 5-13.
- Items on the agenda include waterbird population estimates, Ramsar Convention criteria, lists of wetlands of international importance and conservation of small wetlands, and a draft resolution by China to host an international mangrove centre among others.
- The draft resolution on establishing the International Mangrove Center has been submitted by China and is cosponsored by Cambodia and Madagascar.
Aims and objectives of the COP-
- The Conference of the Contracting Parties (COP) invites Parties and relevant stakeholders to join this international mangrove cooperation mechanism for technical exchanges, collaborative research, education and training, and pilot projects on conservation and restoration, to protect mangrove biodiversity and coastal blue carbon ecosystems, enhance mangrove ecosystem services and resilience to climate change.
What is Ramsar Recognition?
- A Ramsar site is a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention, which is also known as the ‘Convention on Wetlands’ — an intergovernmental environmental treaty established by UNESCO in 1971, and named after the city of Ramsar in Iran, where the convention was signed that year.
- Ramsar recognition is the identification of wetlands around the world, which are of international importance, especially if they provide habitat to waterfowl (about 180 species of birds).
- There is international interest and cooperation in the conservation of such wetlands and the judicious use of their resources.
- 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.
Criteria: One of the nine criteria must be fulfilled to be the Ramsar Site.
- Criterion 1: If it contains a representative, rare, or unique example of a natural or near-natural wetland type found within the appropriate biogeographic region.
- Criterion 2: If it supports vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered species or threatened ecological communities.
- Criterion 3: If it supports populations of plant and/or animal species important for maintaining the biological diversity of a particular biogeographic region.
- Criterion 4: If it supports plant and/or animal species at a critical stage in their life cycles, or provides refuge during adverse conditions.
- Criterion 5: If it regularly supports 20,000 or more waterbirds.
- Criterion 6: If it regularly supports 1% of the individuals in a population of one species or subspecies of waterbird.
- Criterion 7: If it supports a significant proportion of indigenous fish subspecies, species or families, life-history stages, species interactions and/or populations that are representative of wetland benefits and/or values and thereby contributes to global biological diversity.
- Criterion 8: If it is an important source of food for fishes, spawning ground, nursery and/or migration path on which fish stocks, either within the wetland or elsewhere, depend.
- Criterion 9: If it regularly supports 1% of the individuals in a population of one species or subspecies of wetland-dependent non avian animal species.
Significance:
- Ramsar Tag helps develop and maintain an international network of wetlands which are important for the conservation of global biological diversity and for sustaining human life through the maintenance of their ecosystem components, processes and benefits.
- Sites are protected under strict guidelines of the convention.
Status of mangroves in China-
- Mangrove forests in China is growing on the northern edge of the global mangrove distribution.
- Limited by the low temperature, China has fewer mangrove species compared with other Southeast Asian countries, which are the centre of global mangrove distribution.
- Mangroves in China were distributed in the provinces of Hainan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian, and Zhejiang, as well as Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan (which the People’s Republic claims as its province).
- All these areas are located in the extreme tropical south of the country.
- The Chinese government, along with three partner organisations, released Report on China Mangrove Conservation and Restoration Strategy Research Project in 2020.
- The document was China’s first research report to assess the state of mangroves in the country comprehensively.
- It is available on the website of the Global Mangrove Alliance.
- The report also noted that since the 1990s, the mangrove area in China had decreased sharply to 22,000 hectares in 2000, only 45 per cent of that of the early 1950s.
India’s stand on China’s proposal to establish an International mangrove centre-
- Mangroves is typically tropical in nature than temperate.
- There is a serious volume of experience that tropical countries such as India, Bangladesh and Indonesia have in terms of conservation, restoration and socio-economic aspects of mangroves.
- An international centre would probably benefit more if it was being hosted by these countries rather than a temperate country wherein the diversity and the issues related to mangroves are very different compared to a tropical one.
What are the Wetlands?
- Wetlands are ecosystems saturated with water, either seasonally or permanently.
- They include mangroves, marshes, rivers, lakes, deltas, floodplains and flooded forests, rice-fields, coral reefs, marine areas no deeper than 6 metres at low tide, as well as human-made wetlands such as waste-water treatment ponds and reservoirs.
- Though they cover only around 6% of the Earth’s land surface, 40% of all plant and animal species live or breed in wetlands.
Functions of wetland
About Mangrove-
- A Mangrove is a small tree or shrub that grows along coastlines, taking root in salty sediments, often underwater.
- The word ‘mangrove’ may refer to the habitat as a whole or to the trees and shrubs in the mangrove swamp.
- Mangroves are flowering trees, belonging to the families Rhizophoraceae, Acanthaceae, Lythraceae, Combretaceae, and Arecaceae.
Features of Mangroves:
- Saline environment: They can survive under extremely hostile environments such as high salt and low oxygen conditions, mangroves have special roots for this purpose called breathing roots or pneumatophores.
- These roots have numerous pores through which oxygen enters the underground tissues.
- Survival in Extreme Conditions: With their roots submerged in water, mangrove trees thrive in hot, muddy, salty conditions that would quickly kill most plants.
- Succulent leaves: Mangroves, like desert plants, store fresh water in thick succulent leaves. A waxy coating on the leaves seals in the water and minimises evaporation.
- Viviparous: Their seeds germinate while still attached to the parent tree. Once germinated, the seedling grows into a propagule.
- The mature propagule then drops into the water and gets transported to a different spot, eventually taking root in solid ground.
Geographical Location:
- Mangroves are found only along sheltered coastlines within tropical or subtropical latitudes because they cannot withstand freezing temperatures.
- They share the unique capability of growing within reach of the tides in salty soil.
Area Covered
- Global Mangrove Cover:
- The total mangrove cover in the world is 1,50,000 sq kms.
- Asia has the largest number of mangroves worldwide.
- South Asia comprises 8% of the world’s mangrove cover.
- India’s contribution is8% total mangrove cover in South Asia.
Mangroves in India:
- Coverage:
- According to the India State of Forest Report, 2019, the mangrove cover in India is 4,975 sq km, which is 15% of the country’s total geographical area.
- West Bengal has45% of India’s mangrove cover, followed by Gujarat 23.66% and A&N Islands 12.39%.
Largest Mangrove Forest:
- Sundarbans in West Bengal are the largest mangrove forest regions in the world. It is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- The forest is home to the Royal Bengal tiger, Gangetic dolphins and Estuarine crocodiles.
- Bhitarkanika Mangroves: The second largest mangrove forest in India is Bhitarkanika in Odisha created by the two river deltas of River Brahmani and Baitarani.
- It is one of the most significant Ramsar wetlands in India.
- Godavari-Krishna Mangroves, Andhra Pradesh: The Godavari-Krishna mangroves extend from Odisha to Tamil Nadu.
- The deltas of the Ganges, Mahanadi, Krishna, Godavari, and Cauvery rivers contain mangrove forests.
- The backwaters in Kerala have a high density of mangrove forests.
- Pichavaram in Tamil Nadu has a vast expanse of water covered with mangrove forests. It is home to many aquatic bird species.
Threats Faced by Mangroves
- Commercialisation of Coastal Areas: Aquaculture, coastal development, rice and palm oil farming and industrial activities are rapidly replacing these salt-tolerant trees and the ecosystems they support.
- Mangrove coverage has shrunk by half in the last 40 years. Less than 1% of tropical forests are mangroves.
- Shrimp Farms: The emergence of shrimp farms has caused at least 35% of the overall loss of mangrove forests.
- Temperature-Related Issues: A fluctuation of ten degrees in a short period of time is enough stress to damage the plant and freezing temperatures for even a few hours can kill some mangrove species.
- Soil-Related Issues: The soil where mangroves are rooted poses a challenge for plants as it is severely lacking in oxygen.
- Excessive Human Intervention: During past changes in sea level, mangroves were able to move further inland, but in many places, human development is now a barrier that limits how far a mangrove forest can migrate.
- Mangroves also frequently suffer from oil spills.
Conservation of Mangroves
- UNESCO Designated Sites: The inclusion of mangroves in Biosphere Reserves, World Heritage sites and UNESCO Global Geoparks contributes to improving the knowledge, management and conservation of mangrove ecosystems throughout the world.
- International Society for Mangrove Ecosystem (ISME): The ISME is a non-governmental organization established in 1990 to promote the study of mangroves with the purpose of enhancing their conservation, rational management and sustainable utilization.
- Blue Carbon Initiative: The International Blue Carbon Initiative is focused on mitigating climate change through the conservation and restoration of coastal and marine ecosystems.
- It is coordinated by Conservation International (CI), IUCN, and the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission-UNESCO (IOC-UNESCO).
- International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem: UNESCO celebrates this day on July 26 with the aim of raising awareness about mangrove ecosystems and promoting their sustainable management and conservation.
- Mangroves for the Future Initiative: IUCN and UNDP developed a unique initiative to promote investment in coastal ecosystem conservation called the “Mangroves for the Future (MFF)”.
- The member nations include Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar, Pakistan, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam.
- National Mangrove Committee: The Government of India set up a National Mangrove Committee in 1976 which advises the government about the conservation and development of mangroves.