Daily Prelims Notes 8 June 2023

Daily Prelims Notes

8 June 2023

Table Of Contents

1. Thousands flee homes after destruction of Ukraine dam
2. India and U.S. review export control regulations
3. Mazagon Dock and German firm strike deal on submarines
4. How can we transition to a low-carbon city?
5. NATO to put up biggest air deployment exercise
6. World still off-track from achieving universal energy access to all, says UN report
7. China’s rise as a Space Power
8. Why are migratory birds giving India a miss?
9. Farmyard manure in natural farming leads to higher yields than the conventional method
10. CSE analysis says South Delhi, New Delhi worst affected by ground-level ozone
11. Poisoned Punjab: A single street in this city is home to some 20 cancer patients
12. Inflation Targeting by RBI- Is it effective?
13. RBI’s VRRR auction gets tepid response, again

1. Thousands flee homes after destruction of Ukraine dam

Subject : International Relations

Section: Places in news

Concept :

• Recently, a huge Soviet-era Kakhovka dam that separates Russian and Ukrainian forces was breached and unleashed floodwaters across the war zone.

About Kakhovka Dam:

• It is located on the Dnieper or Dnipro River in southern Ukraine which was built as part of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant.
• The reservoir also supplies water to the Crimean Peninsula and the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant
• Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant is Europe’s largest and gets its cooling water from the reservoir which is located on the southern side, now under Russian control.
• It holds water a volume about equal to the Great Salt Lake in the U.S.

Key facts about the Dnieper

• It is the fourth longest river in Europe.
• It runs a total length of 1,368 miles extending from the uplands of Russia’s Valdai Hills.
• It flows in a southerly direction through western Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine before emptying into the Black Sea.

2. India and U.S. review export control regulations

Subject : International Relations

Section: defence

Concept :

• During the inaugural India-U.S. Strategic Trade Dialogue (IUSSTD), India and the U.S. committed to streamlining their export control systems for critical technologies.
• The talks took place in anticipation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Washington, where several high-technology partnerships, including a deal involving GE-414 jet engine sales to India, are expected to be finalised.
• The meeting focused on ways in which both governments can facilitate the development and trade of technologies in critical domains such as semiconductors, space, telecom, quantum, AI, defence, biotech and others.
• The dialogue is a key mechanism to take forward the strategic technology and trade collaborations envisaged under the India-US initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET).
• Both sides also reviewed their respective export control regulations with the goal of establishing resilient supply chains for these strategic technologies.

About the U.S.-India initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET):

• It was launched by the US President and Indian Prime Minister on the sidelines of the Quad summit on May 2022.
• Goal: To elevate and expand Indo-U.S. strategic technology partnership and defense industrial cooperation between the governments, businesses, and academic institutions of the two countries.
• The initiative will be spearheaded by the National Security Council Secretariat in India and the US National Security Council.
• The initiative would help forge links between the government, academia, and industry in areas such as AI, quantum computing, 5G/6G, biotech, space, and semiconductors.
• Under iCET, the two sides have identified six focus areas of co-development and co-production:
• strengthening innovation ecosystems;
• defense innovation and technology cooperation;
• resilient semiconductor supply chains;
• space;
• STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) talent;
• next-generation telecom.

3. Mazagon Dock and German firm strike deal on submarines

Subject :International Relations

Section :defence

Concept :

• Germany and India are closing in on a deal to build diesel submarines for Indian waters as Russia’s prolonged war in Ukraine has pushed the Indian government to expand its sources of military hardware beyond its top supplier, according to a report by Bloomberg.
• The preliminary agreement or the memorandum of understanding will be signed in the presence of Defense Minister Boris Pistorius who arrived in New Delhi on June 5 for a two-day visit, according to German and Indian officials.

P-75 India Project:

• The P-75 India project is a significant Make in India program to strengthen the Indian Navy’s undersea capabilities.
• Germany expressed enthusiasm for participating in the P-75I competition and building submarines in India.

Bilateral Defense Cooperation:

• Both countries reviewed ongoing defense cooperation and discussed ways to enhance collaboration, particularly in defense industrial partnerships.
• Germany’s participation in P-75I was welcomed by the Indian side.

Strategic Partnership Model:

• The SP model involves indigenous manufacturing of major defense platforms in India with a foreign original equipment manufacturer (OEM).
• German company ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) is in the race to secure the submarine-building contract.

Foreign Participants:

• In January 2020, two Indian shipbuilders (Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited and L&T) and five foreign shipbuilders (including TKMS) were cleared to participate in P-75I.
• France’s Naval Group and Russia’s Rubin Design Bureau withdrew from the competition, making TKMS a leading contender.

Timeline and Indigenization:

• P-75I has faced delays, but a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between TKMS and Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders is expected to be concluded during the visit.
• Submarines built under P-75I will have air independent propulsion (AIP) systems and a minimum of 45% indigenization in the first submarine, increasing to 60% in the sixth.

Future Prospects:

• If a contract is awarded to a contender, the first submarine will be delivered after a decade.
• India aims to operate a fleet of 18 new conventional submarines and six nuclear-powered submarines.

India-Germany Strategic Partnership:

• The countries have had a strategic partnership since 2000 and have strengthened ties through intergovernmental consultations.
• Defence Minister Singh highlighted opportunities for German investments in India’s defense production sector and participation in defense industrial corridors.

Shared Goals and Complementarity:

• Singh emphasized the potential for a symbiotic relationship based on shared goals and complementarity of strengths.
• Germany expressed openness to selling submarines to India, emphasizing the importance of reducing India’s dependence on Russian weapons.

4. How can we transition to a low-carbon city?

Subject : Environment

Section: Climate Change

Concept :

• In the year 2020, an enormous amount of 29 trillion tonnes of carbon dioxide was released into the atmosphere by cities.
• Considering the substantial influence cities have on the environment, the presence of low-carbon cities becomes essential in order to alleviate the consequences of climate change.
• The process of transitioning towards cities with low carbon emissions, or even achieving net-zero emissions, necessitates the incorporation of mitigation and adaptation strategies across various sectors.
• This approach, known as the ‘sector-coupling approach’, is vital for reducing carbon footprints in urban systems.

Sector-coupling approach:

• It involves the integration of different energy sectors, such as electricity, heating and cooling, transportation, and industry, to create a more efficient and sustainable energy system.
• By coupling these sectors, low-carbon cities can optimize the use of renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power, and better manage energy demand and supply.
• Energy storage technologies, such as batteries or thermal storage systems, can store excess renewable energy for later use during periods of high demand or when renewable energy generation is low.
• This decentralised approach enhances energy resilience, reduces transmission losses, and minimises the need for fossil fuel-based backup power.
• Sector-coupling emphasises demand-side management and flexibility to optimise energy consumption and reduce carbon emissions.

Significance of energy-system transitions:

• An energy-system transition has the potential to significantly decrease urban carbon dioxide emissions, potentially reaching a reduction of around 74%.
• Recent advancements in clean energy technologies, coupled with declining costs, have eliminated economic and technological obstacles, making it feasible to adopt low-carbon solutions.
• To achieve a successful transition, efforts should be focused on both the demand and supply sides.
• On the supply side, this involves phasing out fossil fuels, increasing the use of renewable energy sources, and implementing carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies.
• On the demand side, employing the “avoid, shift, improve” framework entails reducing energy and material consumption, substituting fossil fuels with renewables, and addressing remaining emissions through the adoption of carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technologies.

Tailored strategies for different cities:

• The strategies for addressing low-carbon challenges differ based on the unique characteristics of each city, highlighting the need for customized approaches.
• Policymakers shall consider both social and environmental fairness, taking into account factors such as a city’s spatial structure, land use, development level, and degree of urbanization while formulating energy-transition policies.
• Established cities can enhance energy efficiency and encourage sustainable modes of transportation like walking and cycling by retrofitting and repurposing existing infrastructure.
• Rapidly growing cities can optimize their urban planning to reduce transportation energy demand by locating residential areas closer to places of work. These cities also have the opportunity to adopt low-carbon technologies, including renewables and carbon capture and storage, as they develop.

Ensuring equitable energy governance:

• The social and economic impacts of transitioning to renewable energy sources vary across different sectors and economies.
• A one-size-fits-all approach may lead to disproportionate effects on certain groups or communities. Therefore, issues such as energy security, urbanization, land dispossession, poverty concentration, gender disparities, and reliance on fossil fuel exports need to be considered.
• Developing economies heavily dependent on fossil fuel exports, like Nigeria and Venezuela, may face economic hardships during the transition.
• Developed countries also experience energy poverty and inequity, with high energy costs impacting low-income households’ ability to afford essential amenities.

Laws related to Pollution in India:

• Article 21: Environment is directly related with article 21 of Constitution of India which deals with right to life of individual.
• The two main laws that regulate air pollution in India:
• The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 (Air Act) and
• Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 (EPA).

Government interventions:

• System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) Portal
• Air Quality Index: AQI has been developed for eight pollutants viz. PM2.5, PM10, Ammonia, Lead, nitrogen oxides, sulphur dioxide, ozone, and carbon monoxide.
• Graded Response Action Plan (for Delhi)
• For Reducing Vehicular Pollution:
• BS-VI Vehicles,
• Push for Electric Vehicles (EVs),
• Odd-Even Policy as an emergency measure (for Delhi)
• New Commission for Air Quality Management
• Subsidy to farmers for buying Turbo Happy Seeder (THS) Machine for reducing stubble burning.
• National Air Quality Monitoring Programme (NAMP):
• Under NAMP, four air pollutants viz. SO2, NO2, PM10, and PM2.5 have been identified for regular monitoring at all locations.

5. NATO to put up biggest air deployment exercise

Subject : International Relations

Section: International Organisation

Concept :

• Germany is preparing to host the biggest air deployment exercise in NATO’s history, a show of force intended to impress allies and potential adversaries such as Russia.
• The Air Defender 23 exercise starting next week will see 10,000 participants and 250 aircraft from 25 nations respond to a simulated attack on a NATO member country.
• The United States alone is sending 2,000 U.S. Air National Guard personnel and about 100 aircraft to take part in the training maneuvers.
• Germany’s military has warned the huge air force drill will have an impact on people using civil airlines in Europe.
• While the exercise was planned for several years, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 has jolted NATO into preparing in earnest for the possibility of an attack on its territory.
• Sweden, which is hoping to join the alliance, and Japan are also taking part in the exercise.

About Air Defender 23 exercise

• The exercise will be held across Germany, with some of the training taking place at Ramstein Air Base, which is one of NATO’s largest air bases. The exercise will focus on a variety of air defense and air interoperability topics, including:
  • Airspace surveillance and control
  • Air interdiction
  • Air combat maneuvering
  • Air refueling
  • Command and control
  • Logistics
• The exercise is being held in response to the increased threat posed by Russia following its invasion of Ukraine. The exercise is designed to demonstrate NATO’s readiness to respond to any threat to its airspace.
• Air Defender 2023 is a major undertaking, and it is a testament to the strength of the NATO alliance. The exercise will help to ensure that NATO is ready to defend its airspace and its citizens in the event of any threat.

6. World still off-track from achieving universal energy access to all, says UN report

Subject : Environment

Section:

Concept :

• Factors like high inflation, uncertain macroeconomic outlook and debt distress are keeping the world off-track for attaining United Nations-mandated Sustainable Development Goal 7 by 2030, according to a new UN report.
• SDG 7 is to “ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all.”

About the Report :

• Tracking SDG7: The Energy Progress Report 2023 was released June 6, 2023.
• This report provides a comprehensive overview of the progress made towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7), which aims to ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all by 2030.
• The report also highlights the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in the pursuit of this goal.
• The five SDG 7 custodian agencies, International Energy Agency (IEA), International Renewable Energy Agency, United Nations Statistics Division, World Bank and the WHO, collaborated to release the document.

Sustainable Development Goals target:

• SDG targets have been set in a wide array of fields and sectors—from economy and employment, to housing, agriculture, land records, sustainable environment and energy.
• Economy: The target for the economy is to raise the gross domestic product to nearly $4 trillion by 2022-23. The economy has largely shrunk during the COVID-19 pandemic, making it even more difficult to meet the deadline.
• Employment: The target is to increase the female labour force participation rate to at least 30 per cent by 2022-23; it stood at 17.3 per cent in January-March 2020.
• Housing: The targets are to construct 29.5 million housing units under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY)-Rural and 12 million units under PMAY-Urban; only about 46.8 per cent and 38 per cent respectively of the targets under ‘Housing for All’ have been achieved.
• Provision of drinking water: The target is to provide safe piped drinking water to all by 2022-23; only 45 per cent of the target has been achieved.
• Agriculture: The target is to double farmers’ income by 2022. While the average monthly income of an agricultural household has increased to Rs 10,218 from Rs 6,426. The share of income from crop production in the average monthly income of an agricultural household has, in fact, dropped — to 37.2 per cent in 2018-19, from 48 per cent in 2012-13.
• Digitisation of land records: Another target is to digitise all land records by 2022. While states like Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal and Odisha have made good progress, states like Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh and Sikkim languish at 5 per cent, 2 per cent and 8.8 per cent digitisation of land records, respectively. Overall, 14 states have witnessed deterioration in the quality of land records since 2019-20.
• Air pollution: The target is to bring down PM2.5 levels in Indian cities to less than 50 microgramme per cubic metre (µg/m3). In 2020, when vehicular movement was restricted due to the pandemic, 23 of the 121 cities monitored for PM2.5 exceeded 50 µg/m3.
• Solid waste management: The target is to achieve 100 per cent source segregation in all households. The overall progress is 78 per cent; and while states like West Bengal and Delhi are woefully behind. Manual scavenging is targeted for eradication, but India still has 66,692 manual scavengers.
• Increasing the forest cover: The target is to increase it to 33.3 per cent of the geographical area, as envisaged in the National Forest Policy, 1988. By 2019, 21.67 per cent of India was under forest cover.
• Energy: The target is to achieve 175 GW of renewable energy generation capacity by 2022. Only 56 per cent of this target has been achieved thus far.

Key highlights of State of India’s Environment (SoE) 2022 report:

• It has a comprehensive set of infographics and statistical analysis of how India’s states are faring in meeting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• Uttar Pradesh and Bihar are below the national average in 11 and 14 SDGs, respectively. Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Himachal Pradesh fared best.
• With respect to SDG 1 (poverty eradication), six of the poorest performers include Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
• Meghalaya, Assam, Gujarat, Maharashtra and West Bengal — also feature in the list of worst performers as far as ending hunger and malnutrition is concerned (SDG 2).
• In water and sanitation (SDG 6), the performance of Delhi, Rajasthan, Assam, Punjab and Arunachal Pradesh is a cause for concern .
• SDG 7 — related to clean and affordable energy has seen an above average performance, with most states achieving the target.
• In climate action (SDG 13), 13 states and two Union territories score below the national average. Odisha tops the good performance chart, followed by Kerala; Jharkhand and Bihar bring up the rear.

7. China’s rise as a Space Power

Subject : Science and Technology

Section: Space technology

Concept :

• Three astronauts working at China’s space station returned to Earth on Sunday (June 5), state media reported, hailing their six-month-long mission as a “complete success”.
• The astronauts have been replaced by the crew of Shenzhou 16 spacecraft, which was launched on May 29 and docked at the space station the following day.
• As per the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA), the returning astronauts — Fei Junlong, Deng Qingming and Zhang Lu — touched down in their Shenzhou 15 spacecraft return capsule at the Dongfeng landing site.
• They had travelled to China’s new Tiangong space station in November 2022, and carried out four extravehicular activities (EVA), or spacewalks, during their stay, thus becoming the crew to accomplish the most EVAs of all Chinese crews to date.

Shenzhou 16 Mission

• The successful completion of the Shenzhou 15 mission and the glitch-free launch of Shenzhou 16 underscore China’s rapidly growing space programme.
• This important mission marked the fifth manned mission to the Chinese space outpost since 2021, underscoring China’s commitment to advancing its space program.
• The Shenzhou 16 crew, which includes China’s first civilian who has gone into space, has taken over the operations of the Tiangong space station.
• The astronauts will conduct large-scale in-orbit tests and experiments in various fields, including studies related to quantum phenomena, space time-frequency systems, general relativity, and the origins of life.

How has China’s space programme evolved?

• The roots of China’s space ambitions go back to 1957 when the Soviet Union successfully launched the world’s first artificial satellite, Sputnik-1, into space. That year, Chairman Mao Zedong declared China would also launch its own satellite.
• China’s first major milestone came in 1970 when it launched its first artificial satellite, Dong Fang Hong 1, from the Jiuquan launch centre in the northwestern province of Gansu.
• Although the satellite wasn’t technologically sophisticated, it made China the fifth country to send a satellite into orbit after the Soviet Union, the US, France and Japan.
• Buoyed by the success of Dong Fang Hong 1, China announced plans to send two astronauts into space by 1973 — the programme, known as ‘Project 714’, it was officially adopted in 1971. The programme, however, had to be cancelled as the political turmoil of the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) played out.
• By the 1980s, China began launching satellites on a regular basis, and entered the commercial market, offering to send satellites into space for companies and other countries for much cheaper than the US.
• In 1992, China announced Project 921, a programme to launch and return to Earth a crewed spacecraft.
• This goal was achieved in 2003, when China became the third country after the US and Russia to use its own rocket to send a human into space: astronaut Yang Liwei spent about 21 hours in space aboard the Shenzhou-5 spacecraft.
• China’s Mars rover China sent its first rover, known as Zhurong, to Mars in 2020. However, has been in hibernation since last May due to an “unpredictable accumulation” of dust.
• A string of successes followed. China sent a rover to Mars in 2020, accomplished a soft landing on the far side of the Moon in 2019 and collected and brought back to Earth samples from the lunar surface.
• In November 2022, China finished the Tiangong space station, which it had begun building in 2011. The space station currently has three modules, and can support three astronauts, or up to six people during crew rotations.
• It carries several pieces of cutting-edge scientific equipment including, according to the state news agency Xinhua, “the world’s first space-based cold atomic clock system”.
• It is possible that once the multi-agency International Space Station (ISS) reaches the end of its operations in 2030, Tiangong will be the sole in-orbit outpost for scientific research.

What space missions has China planned for the future?

• In January 2022, China published ‘Perspective’, which showcased its major achievements in the space sector since 2016, and laid out the roadmap for upcoming space missions.
• It said, “In the next five years, China will integrate space science, technology and applications while pursuing the new development philosophy, building a new development model and meeting the requirements for high-quality development. It will start a new journey towards a space power.”
• Among several ambitious future projects, the one that stands out is its goal to land astronauts on the Moon before 2030.
• Another important Chinese project involves building a base on the Moon in collaboration with Russia.
• International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) will be constructed “on or close to the South pole of the Moon, with long-term and short-term crew missions planned for the early 2030s”.
• Other future missions include expanding the Tiangong space station, sending another probe to Mars, and eventually sending probes to Jupiter and Saturn.

8. Why are migratory birds giving India a miss?

Subject :Environment

Section :Species in news

Context:

• Harriers, hawk-like birds, are not visiting the grasslands of India as they were used to in the past. The reason is shrinking grasslands and the grasslands being replaced by trees and agriculture.

Migratory birds:

• Thousands of birds migrate between their breeding and non-breeding grounds twice a year.
• Some migratory birds are the Amur falcon, wandering albatross, Arctic terns, and the bar-tailed godwits(undertake sea-crossings of more than 11,000 km non-stop).
• Reason for their migration:
  • The reduction in day length and temperatures in temperate regions during winter lowers food availability, making the birds move southwards to the warmer tropical regions for food.
  • Another reason is to reduce competition with other related species.

The flyways:

• Long-distance migratory birds have evolved to use certain flight paths for their journeys: called flyways, these span continents and oceans.
• A flyway includes not just migratory pathways but also breeding and wintering ranges.
• Broadly, there are eight migration flyways across the world.
• They were initially classified on the basis of the migration of the waterfowl, which journey in large flocks, but these paths are also used by other birds ranging from small songbirds (passerines) and tiny warblers to large birds of prey (raptors).
• There are three major flyways in Asia:

1. The West Pacific Flyway
2. The East Asian Australasian Flyway
3. The Central Asian Flyway (CAF)

• India falls within the CAF, which is spread across Eurasia from the Arctic Ocean to the Indian Ocean, and geographically spans 30 countries.
• This flyway is used by at least 400 species of birds, which breed in the central Asian region and migrate down south to the Indian subcontinent during winter.
• The topography and ecosystem diversity along the flyway include the high-altitude Himalayan plateau, deserts, lakes and marshes, and steppe/grassland habitats.

Central Asian Flyways (CAF):

• According to the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS), a United Nations initiative, the CAF has the least available information on migratory birds compared with the other major flyways.
• Precise tracking information is available for less than 1 per cent of the bird species using the CAF.
• Threats affect the birds on this route: habitat loss, prevalent practices of hunting, intensive agriculture, and lack of pesticide management.

Bird Count India:

• It is an informal partnership of organisations and groups working together to increase the collective knowledge about bird distribution and population, has been instrumental in promoting small-scale monitoring programmes by individual birdwatchers.

A comprehensive study on birds:

• The State of India’s Birds Report (SoIB), published in 2020, was the first comprehensive study on the distribution range, trends in abundance, and conservation status of most of the bird species that commonly occur in India.
• Based on crowdsourced and citizen science data, uploaded in the eBird platform.
• Analysis of the report:
  • 52 per cent of the 867 species assessed are on the decline. This includes long-distance migratory birds and birds associated with open ecosystems such as grasslands.
  • For example, the species such as pallid harriers, steppe eagles and tawny eagles, all of which migrate to or within India from the central Asian steppes, are getting rarer.

Mapping the migratory patterns:

• Ringing programmes such as EURING have run for decades, mapping the migratory routes of more than 100 species of birds along the Eurasian-African flyways.
• Bird ringing programmes have been going on in India for the last five decades. Although the programme has provided valuable information, the proportion of ring recoveries is very low.
• Some information collected are:
  • Now we know about the high-altitude crossing undertaken by the bar-headed geese across the Himalayas, the long migratory flights of the Amur falcons, the loop migrations across and away from the Himalayas by the demoiselle cranes, the movement and behaviour of threatened species such as the great Indian bustard and the lesser florican, which move within relatively smaller ranges in the arid part of the country.
  • Raptors such as black-eared kites, harriers, and various species of vultures are also being tracked.
• Citizen science bird monitoring initiatives launched in India in the last 10 years include the Common Bird Monitoring Programme of the Bombay Natural History Society, Bird Atlases in a few States conducted by Bird Count India, and the annual Asian water bird census that happens across all major wetlands in India. 
• A study conducted by the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE) documented a decline in 28 per cent of the 50 species observed over 10 years.
  • ATREE has also started species-oriented monitoring initiatives such as the HarrierWatch programme.

9. Farmyard manure in natural farming leads to higher yields than the conventional method

Subject :Environment

Section :Agriculture

Context:

• Natural farming practices alone could not yield as much as conventional farming, but supplemented with farmyard manure (FYM), crop yields were invariably higher than those from conventional or chemical farming.

Details:

• This was established in a field survey done in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra during February-May 2019 by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)-National Academy of Agricultural Research Management, Hyderabad.

Study findings:

• The study has examined the adoption pattern of different components of natural farming and estimated the crop yield and farm income under these practices as compared to existing farming practices.
• Intercropping is a major recommended practice in natural farming as it reduces soil stress by reducing the mining of only specific nutrients from the soil, as in the case of a solo/mono-crop.
  • Only 26 per cent, 45 per cent and 17 per cent of farmers who have adopted natural farming in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra, respectively, practice inter / mixed crops.
  • The low percentage was due to the fact that paddy is the major crop in the study area and is preferably cultivated as a single crop.
  • Karnataka (at 45 per cent) had the highest rate of inter / mixed cropping among the study states.
• Another important component of natural farming- mulching– was found to be followed by farmers, depending on the crop and availability of mulching material.
• A substantial reduction in the input cost of natural farming as compared to non-natural farming due to the non-use of expensive agrochemicals was found.
• The study also pointed out several challenges in natural farming adoption.
  • Natural farming was also perceived to be more labour intensive and regular monitoring by farmers was required.
  • The farmers also expected higher prices for the natural farming produce, considering it is free from chemicals.
  • Hence, the non-availability of designated markets for natural farming produce (as in the case of organic produce) has driven reluctance towards natural farming adoption.

Natural Farming:

• It is defined as “chemical-free farming and livestock based”.
  • Soundly grounded in agroecology, it is a diversified farming system that integrates crops, trees and livestock, allowing the optimum use of functional biodiversity.
• It holds the promise of enhancing farmers’ income while delivering many other benefits, such as restoration of soil fertility and environmental health, and mitigating and/or reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
• This farming approach was introduced by Masanobu Fukuoka, a Japanese farmer and philosopher, in his 1975 book The One-Straw Revolution.
• Internationally, Natural Farming is considered a form of regenerative agriculture—a prominent strategy to save the planet.
• In India, Natural farming is promoted as Bhartiya Prakritik Krishi Paddhati Programme (BPKP) under Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY).
  • BPKP is aimed at promoting traditional indigenous practices which reduce externally purchased inputs.

10. CSE analysis says South Delhi, New Delhi worst affected by ground-level ozone

Subject :Environment

Section :Pollution

Context:

• According to a new analysis by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), parts of the Delhi-NCR region witnessed ground-level ozone readings exceeding the national standards on 87 out of 92 days in the summer period between March and May. The worst affected parts in the area are New Delhi and South Delhi neighbourhoods.

Details:

• The region is seeing a rare phenomenon where ozone levels remain elevated hours after sunset — ground-level ozone should ideally become negligible during the night.
• Another issue is that the pollutant, which once used to be prominent only during the summers, has become a yearlong problem.
• The pollutant can also travel long distances due to wind and affect rural areas also.

Ground-level Ozone:

• Also known as tropospheric ozone.
• It is a colourless and highly irritating gas that forms just above the Earth’s surface (up to 2 miles above the ground).
• It’s not directly emitted into the air but rather produced when two primary pollutants react in sunlight and stagnant air.
• These two primary pollutants are nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
• Therefore, ground-level ozone is called a “secondary” pollutant.

Sources of NOx and VOCs:

• NOx and VOCs come from natural sources as well as human activities.
  • About 95 per cent of NOx from human activity comes from the burning of coal, gasoline and oil in motor vehicles, homes, industries and power plants.
  • VOCs from human activity come mainly from gasoline combustion and marketing, upstream oil and gas production, residential wood combustion, and from the evaporation of liquid fuels and solvents.

Harmful effects of Ground-level ozone:

• The ground-level ozone is a highly reactive gas and it has serious health consequences.
• Those with respiratory conditions, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and particularly children with premature lungs and older adults are at serious risk.
• This can inflame and damage airways, make lungs susceptible to infection, aggravate asthma, emphysema, and chronic bronchitis and increase the frequency of asthma attacks leading to increased hospitalisation.
• The pollutant can also affect sensitive vegetation and ecosystems, including forests, parks and wildlife refuges.
• Significantly, it can harm sensitive vegetation during the growing season too.

Situation of Ground-level Ozone in India:

• As per the 2020 State of Global Air report, the age-standardised rates of death attributable to ground-level ozone are among the highest in the country.
• The seasonal 8-hour daily maximum concentrations have recorded one of the highest increases in India between 2010 and 2017– about 17 per cent.

Gothenburg Protocol 1999 (Multi Effect Protocol):

• The official title of the protocol is UNECE Protocol to Abate Acidification, Eutrophication, and Ground-level Ozone (Gothenburg Protocol) (Protocol to the UNECE Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution (LRTAP)).
• The Gothenburg Protocol was established to address pollutants that cause acidification and ground-level ozone.
• It sets limits on air pollutants including sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, ammonia, and volatile organic compounds that are hazardous to human health and the environment.
• It was updated in 2012 to include particulate matter (PM) and black carbon (as a component of PM) and to include new commitments for 2020.
• The Protocol establishes legally binding emissions reduction commitments for 2020and beyond for the major air pollutants:
  • sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), ammonia (NH3), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and delicate Particulate Matter (PM5).
  • these chemicals also contribute to photochemical smog formation.

11. Poisoned Punjab: A single street in this city is home to some 20 cancer patients

Subject :Environment

Section :Pollution

Context:

• An entire street in Abohar city of Fazilka district is colloquially known as “cancer street”, as a large number of cancer cases are reported among the residents.

Details:

• Water contaminated with high levels of arsenic is a cause of bladder cancer, and it’s also been associated with skin and lung cancers.
• Villages like Gaunspur, Churi Wala, Dharangwala and Burj Mohar have a huge burden of diseases like cancer deaths, severe skin and dental issues and intellectual disabilities in children.
• At least 20 people suffer from cancer on street number 2 of the road, a lengthy lane with 65 households.
• Major cause: Polluted water from industrial effluents and municipal wastes.
  • Polluted water from the Buddha nullah merges with the Sutlej, which in turn feeds the Sirhind canal, which is the main source of water for these villages and Abohar city.
  • The Buddha nullah is a 40 km long stream that passes through Ludhiana city before merging with the river in the Ludhiana district.

Pollution is causing cancer:

• Sewers carrying industrial, agricultural, domestic and municipal waste have been entering the nullah for a long time.
• In 2010, the Union Ministry of Environment & Forests declared the nullah a critically polluted area.
• Dyeing and electroplating industries use heavy metals and their effluents get dumped into the Buddha Nullaillegally.
• The groundwater is unfit for drinking as the total dissolved solid (TDS) levels are around 3,000 milligrams per litre (mg/L), which is higher than the permissible limit of 500 mg/L.

12. Inflation Targeting by RBI- Is it effective?

Subject :Economy

Section: Monetary Policy

How inflation is supposed to be controlled by RBI through change in Repo Rate:

• Repo rate is the rate at which RBI lends to the banks, the raising of repo reduces inflation through two channels of demand reduction:
  • Consumption: Making loans costlier, hence reducing the demand and hence inflation.
  • Investment: Costlier credit reduces investment demand, reducing inflation. Further lesser investment is liked to slower creation of jobs that would also contribute to inflation.
• This approach sacrifices GDP growth rate for reduced inflation.
• From April 2022 RBI has been increasing the repo rate with every MPC meeting. Inflation has also come down during the period. RBI is now expected to pause rate hike.

Criticism of the RBI’s inflation targeting regime:

• Ignores the cost-push inflation: The current framework ignores the contribution of indirect taxes to inflation. Thus the fiscal policy tool of managing inflation is ignored and reliance is mainly on increasing interest rates, which reduces growth also.
• India’s job-less growth: Reduced investment is supposed to also reduce the demand side inflation by reducing the pace of creation of new jobs. But in India, GDP growth does not come from employment generation. So this channel of inflation control is weak.

What then explains the inflation moderation:

• It is suggested that RBI’s policy moves just happen to be in sync with the actual inflation reduction which is explained by factors like: reduced crude oil prices and better agricultural output over the last year.
• International raising of interest rates has helped reduce crude oil prices, but RBI’s role may not be relevant here, and may just be a free rider here.

13. RBI’s VRRR auction gets tepid response, again

Subject :Economy

Section: Monetary Policy

RBI uses reverse repo auctions to suck excess liquidity from the banking system. Banks choose to park the excess liquidity through these Reverse Repo auctions when:

• There is certainty about near term interest rate
• The reverse repo rate is sufficiently higher than the overnight call money rate. (which is the short term borrowing rate in case of a shortfall in liquidity)

Market experts say banks are preserving liquidity because:

• RBI’s monetary policy stance remains as “withdrawal of accommodation”, banks, fearing sudden liquidity mismatches, seem to be holding back on deploying funds in the auctions
• advance tax payments will lead to outflows in mid-June.
• VRRR auction allows banks to park funds only for 15 days, hence only small amounts are allotted by the banks.

Government impact on banking liquidity:

• Government spending: Government through spending on both capital and revenue fronts contributes to the liquidity in the banking system. Currently the additional liquidity is from the Rs. 87,000 crore dividend that RBI has given to the government.
• Maturity of government securities: When banks buy a government security they pay for an asset the value of which they will get at maturity. When securities mature, the banks have added liquidity.