Daily Current Affairs UPSC 10 May 2024

Rat Hole Mining

• Despite a ban by the National Green Tribunal in 2014, the 26,000 abandoned rat-hole coal mines in East Jaintia Hills district of Meghalaya remain operational.
• Rat hole mining involves digging narrow pits into the ground to extract coal, a practice mostly seen in Meghalaya due to the thinness of coal mines in the region.
• There are two types of rat hole mining: side-cutting procedure and box-cutting.
• Issues associated with rat hole mining include land degradation, deforestation, soil erosion, and water pollution.
• Safety measures such as proper ventilation, structural support, and safety gear for workers are lacking in rat hole mining operations, leading to concerns about child labor.

Kamikaze Drones

• The first kamikaze drone in India was created by Kadet Defence Systems in partnership with DRDO.
• Kamikaze drones, also known as Loitering Aerial Munitions or Suicidal drones, have unique features.
• These drones can loiter over target areas for extended periods to identify targets accurately.
• They have precision target capabilities and can change targets or abort missions mid-flight.
• The drones are adaptable to various terrains, including deserts, plains, and high-altitude environments.
• They have a loitering capacity of around 12 hours and a flying range of 150 km to 300 km.

Exemptions to Right To Information (RTI) Act

• The Delhi High Court has stated that the challenge of gathering data is not a valid reason to refuse information under the RTI Act.
• Section 8 of the RTI Act covers exemptions from disclosing information.
• Exemptions include information that could impact the sovereignty and integrity of India, information prohibited from publication by a court or tribunal, and information concerning trade secrets.
• Despite the Official Secrets Act, a public authority can permit access to information if the public interest in disclosure is greater than the harm to protected interests.

1954 Hague Convention

• UNESCO marked the 70th anniversary of the adoption of the Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict.
• The Convention is the first international legal framework focused on safeguarding movable and immovable heritage, protecting cultural property in both times of peace and conflict.
• There are 135 member states, including India, that have adopted the Convention and its two Protocols (1954 and 1999) under UNESCO's guidance.
• The 1999 protocol to the Convention includes a list of Cultural Properties under Enhanced Protection.

Sonai Rupai Wildlife Sanctuary

• The National Green Tribunal has taken notice of construction activities in Sonai Rupai Wildlife Sanctuary, including polling stations and schools.
• Sonai Rupai Wildlife Sanctuary is located in the foothills of the Himalayas in the Sonitpur district of Assam.
• Together with Nameri National Park, it forms part of Sonitpur Kameng Elephant Reserve.
• It is recognized as an Important Bird Area by Birdlife International.
• The sanctuary is home to a variety of fauna including Asian Elephants, Indian Bison, Leopards, Indian Gaur, Sambar, Hog Deer, and Sloth Bears.
• The flora in the sanctuary consists of Evergreen, Semi-evergreen, and Moist Deciduous forests.
• The sanctuary is surrounded by perennial rivers such as Dolsiri, Gabharu, Gelgeli, Belsiri, and Sonairupai.

Bakanae Disease or Foot Ro

• Punjab Agricultural University has created a biocontrol agent, Trichoderma asperellum, to control 'foot rot' or 'bakanae' disease in Basmati rice.
• Bakanae disease is a fungal infection that spreads through roots or crowns of plants, causing them to grow abnormally tall with pale, thin leaves and produce fewer tillers and partially filled or empty grains.
• The disease is caused by the fungus Gibberella Fujikuroi and can affect both young and mature plants.
• Management strategies for Bakanae disease include seed treatment with fungicides and salt water to separate infected seeds.

Anthropogenic Change and Infectious Diseases

• A recent study indicates that human-caused changes are contributing to the increase in emerging infectious diseases.
• Pathogenic microorganisms like bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi are responsible for infectious diseases.
• The study found that factors like biodiversity loss, climate change, chemical pollution, landscape changes, and species introductions are affecting the risk of infectious diseases.
• Biodiversity loss is seen as the primary environmental factor driving infectious disease outbreaks.
• Urbanization is linked to a decrease in disease occurrences.
• Taking steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, maintain ecosystem health, and prevent biological invasions could help lessen the impact of diseases on plants, animals, and humans.

Typhoid

• The tendency to incorrectly diagnose typhoid based on a single Widal test is hindering the accurate assessment of India's typhoid burden.
• The Widal test is used to detect typhoid or enteric fever by looking for antibodies produced against the salmonella bacteria in a blood sample.
• Typhoid fever is caused by the bacterium Salmonella Typhi, which infected individuals carry in their bloodstream and intestinal tract.
• The disease is typically spread through contaminated food or water, but can be prevented by the typhoid conjugate vaccine.

Gopal Krishna Gokhale (1866 – 1915)

• The celebration of Gopal Krishna Gokhale's birth anniversary took place.
• Gopal Krishna Gokhale was born in the Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra and was known for his moderate and liberal political beliefs.
• He served as the President of the INC during the Banaras session in 1905 and founded the 'Servants of India Society' the same year.
• Gokhale's contributions included laying the foundations of constitutionalism in politics, promoting capitalist development in economics, and advocating for the dignity of individuals regardless of race, religion, language, or class.
• His values included liberalism, patriotism, and leadership.

WHO's NTD Progress Report

Progress towards NTD Road map 2021-2030

• The report discusses the advancements made in 2023 towards achieving the targets set in the Road map for NTDs 2021-2030, which include reducing the number of people needing treatment for NTDs by 90%, reducing disability-adjusted life years related to NTDs by 75%, eliminating at least one NTD from 100 countries, and eradicating dracunculiasis and yaws globally.

Findings of the report

• In 2022, 1.62 billion people required interventions against NTDs.
• Five countries eliminated one NTD, and one country eliminated two NTDs in 2023.
• India had 40.56% of its population requiring interventions against NTDs in 2022 and has been certified free of dracunculiasis since 2000 and yaws since 2016.

Challenges with NTDs

• Lack of reliable data on various NTDs.
• Underdiagnosis and under-reporting due to insufficient surveillance and detection.
• Inadequate funding and slow adoption of new NTD interventions.
• High out-of-pocket expenditure making vulnerable populations more at risk.

Recommendations

• Accelerate progress in countries with high NTD burdens.
• Reposition NTDs within the global health agenda, including in health emergencies and pandemic prevention efforts.
• Develop a work plan for 2025-2030 with clear timelines and targets.

Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs)

• NTDs encompass a range of conditions of parasitic, bacterial, viral, fungal, and non-communicable origins, primarily found in tropical regions.
• These diseases are considered 'neglected' as they are often overlooked in global health discussions.
• Examples of NTDs include yaws, chikungunya, dengue, trachoma, dracunculiasis, leprosy, lymphatic filariasis, rabies, soil-transmitted helminthiases, and leishmaniasis.

Supreme Court Halts Mining Leases in Aravallis

The Court's Order and Aravallis

• The Court's order applies to Delhi, Rajasthan, Haryana, and Gujarat, where the Aravallis are located.
• The Central Empowered Committee (CEC) submitted a report stating that the Aravallis include hills and a 100-meter-wide buffer zone around them.
• The CEC was established by a Supreme Court order in the T.N. Godavarman Thirumalpad case to oversee the Court's environmental rulings.

About Aravallis

• The Aravalli Range is one of the world's oldest fold mountains, stretching over approximately 350 miles and formed during the Precambrian period.
• The region is home to various flora and fauna, including leopards, striped hyenas, golden jackals, palm civets, and Indian crested porcupines, and features dry deciduous forests.
• The rivers originating from the Aravallis include Banas, Luni, Sakhi, and Sabarmati, with the highest peak being Guru Shikhar in Rajasthan.

Major Threats to Aravallis Range

• Illegal mining has caused the disappearance of 31 hills in the Aravallis area of Rajasthan in 2018.
• Deforestation due to timber demand and urbanization has led to biodiversity loss and land degradation.
• Haryana's undermining of the Natural Conservation Zone (NCZ) designation has threatened the protection of the Aravalli range, as the 2021 Regional Plan zoned the entire range in Delhi, Haryana, and Rajasthan as NCZ.

 "Mammoth DAC+S Plant Begins Operation in Iceland"

Climeworks' Second DAC+S Facility

• The second commercial DAC+S facility of Swiss Company Climeworks is larger than its predecessor Orca.

DAC+S Technology

• DAC+S technology is a Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) technology that captures CO2 directly from the atmosphere at any location.
• This technology is different from carbon capture, which is typically done at the point of emissions.
• The captured CO2 can be permanently stored in deep geological formations (DAC+S) or used for various applications.

About CDR

• CDR refers to activities that remove CO2 from the atmosphere and store it durably in geological, terrestrial, or ocean reservoirs.
• The IPCC Sixth Assessment Report states that CDR is a necessary element to achieve net-zero CO2 and GHG emissions.

Other CDR Technologies

• Afforestation/Reforestation and Soil Carbon Sequestration involve fixing atmospheric carbon in biomass and soils.
• Enhanced Weathering involves mining rocks containing minerals that naturally absorb CO2.
• Ocean-based CDR includes ocean fertilization, ocean alkalinity enhancement, coastal blue carbon management, and more.
• Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) uses biomass as energy for CDR and stores biogenic carbon geologically.

Challenges in CDR

• Challenges in CDR include higher energy needs and costs, air pollution through mining, significant land and water demand, ocean acidification, and more.

 "Revolutionizing Agriculture in Emerging Economies: WEF Report"

WEF's AI for Agriculture Innovation (AI4AI) Initiative

• The AI4AI initiative by the World Economic Forum aims to expand agritech services through partnerships between the public and private sectors.

Challenges in Agritech Adoption

• High initial costs and lack of standardized practices are obstacles to adopting agritech.
• Issues with sharing and owning farm data.
• Uncertainty about the return on investment in agritech.

Way Forward in Agritech Adoption

• Implementing a gender-inclusive digital framework.
• Collaborating with public and private entities to scale agritech.
• Educating and generating interest among farmers in agritech solutions.

India's Initiatives for Agritech Adoption

• Agri Stack: A platform that connects farmers with agritech services from the government and start-ups.
• Agricultural Data Exchange (ADeX): India's first data exchange platform for farmer services.
• Digital Agriculture Mission (DAM): Includes initiatives like the India Digital Ecosystem of Agriculture (IDEA), Farmers Database, Unified Farmers Service Interface (UFSI), and National e-Governance Plan in Agriculture (NeGPA).

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"Ban on Imported Ammunition for Army in 2022"

Boost in Indigenous Ammunition Supply in India

• India has successfully found indigenous suppliers for 150 out of 175 types of ammunition, reducing the country's reliance on imports.
• Currently, only 5 to 10 per cent of the ammunition requirement is being met through imports.

Reasons for the Increase in Indigenous Supply

• Positive indigenisation lists have been released by the Indian Ministry of Defence, allowing India to produce items domestically instead of importing them.
• The corporatisation of Indian Ordnance Factories in 2021 has enhanced functional autonomy and efficiency in production units.
• Private player participation, such as the Adani Group unveiling India's first private sector ammunition-missile manufacturing complex in Uttar Pradesh, has also contributed to the boost in indigenous supply.

Significance for Defence Indigenisation

• Achieving self-reliance in defence and reducing import dependency is crucial for India to maintain its strategic autonomy.
• Ramping up ammunition production not only positions India as a reliable supplier in the international market but also prevents disruptions in the supply chain.
• Producing ammunition domestically is more cost-effective than importing equipment and also boosts technological innovation in the defence sector.

"Revolutionizing India's Toy Industry: GTRI Report"

Developing India's Toy Industry and Boosting Exports.

Decrease in Toy Imports and Increase in Exports

• India's toy imports decreased significantly from FY2019 to FY2024, with a drop in imports from China.
• However, imports increased from ASEAN countries, Sri Lanka, and Czech Republic.
• Despite this, exports decreased from FY2022 to 2024, with India representing only 0.3% of global toy exports.

Measures to Promote Local Toy Industry

• Import duty was increased to 70% in 2021, giving a competitive advantage to the local industry.
• Quality Control Order (QCO) mandates compliance with specific Indian Standards for safety.
• Scheme of Funds for the Regeneration of Traditional Industries (SFURTI) supports toy clusters.
• National Action Plan for Toys (NAPT) includes 21 specific action points to promote the industry.

Proposed Strategy to Boost Exports

• Investing in R&D, creating specialized toy manufacturing hubs, and modernizing traditional Indian toys.
• Encouraging global toy brands to manufacture in India.
• Adopting best practices to produce low-cost and high-quality toys.
• Localizing production of key inputs like imitation stones, plastics, and electric motors.

Obstacles Facing the Indian Toy Industry:

• The Indian toy industry faces challenges due to a lack of focus on research and development.
• Marketing and branding efforts have not been successful in promoting Indian toys.
• The industry is impacted by the availability of cheap imported toys.
• Designing and prototyping in the Indian toy industry come with high costs.