[Mission 2024] INSIGHTS DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS + PIB SUMMARY 5 October 2023

GS Paper 3

 Syllabus: Science and Technology

Source: IE, TH, DTE

 Context: The 2023 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded for the discovery and synthesis of quantum dots, tiny particles with unique optical properties due to their small size.

What are Quantum Dots?

Quantum dots are tiny particles, just a few nanometers in size, with unique optical properties due to their small size. While their atomic structure is the same as bulk materials, quantum dots’ properties can be altered by adjusting their size.

At the nanoscale, these particles exhibit size-dependent characteristics influenced by quantum forces, which differ from macroscopic physics governed by gravity.

Physicists in the 1970s discovered that adding elements like gold, silver, cadmium, sulphur, or selenium could modify the optical properties of glass, but the synthesis of quantum dots had not yet been achieved.

Contributions of the scientists:

Who are the three scientists?

• Alexei Ekimov: Born in 1945 in the former USSR, he obtained his PhD in 1974 from Ioffe Physical-Technical Institute, Saint Petersburg, Russia. He served as the Chief Scientist at Nanocrystals Technology Inc., New York, USA.
• Louis Brus: Born in 1943 in Cleveland, USA, he earned his PhD in 1969 from Columbia University, New York, where he is a professor.
• Moungi Bawendi: Born in 1961 in Paris, he grew up in France, Tunisia, and the US. He currently holds a professorship at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA.

Applications of Quantum dots:

About Quantum Computing:

Insta links:

• Quantum Mission
• The promise in India’s National Quantum Mission

Prelims Links: 

GS1/GS3  Paper 

 Syllabus: Geography/ Disaster Management

Source: IE, DTE

Context: Fourteen people have died, and 102, including 23 Army personnel, are missing in Sikkim after the burst of the South Lhonak Lake, a glacial lake in North Sikkim, due to heavy rains.

• The released water created flash floods in four districts, including Mangan, Gangtok, Pakyong, and Namchi, through the Teesta River.

What are Glaciers?

 Glaciers are large masses of ice that form from the accumulation and compaction of snow over long periods. They flow slowly downhill under their weight and gravity, shaping the landscape and playing a crucial role in Earth’s climate and hydrology by storing and releasing freshwater.

Glaciers cover ∼10% of the Earth’s land surface, but they are shrinking rapidly across most parts of the world, leading to cascading impacts on downstream systems.

What is Glacial Lake outburst flood (GLOF)? 

Retreating glaciers, like several in the Himalayas, usually result in the formation of lakes at their tips, called proglacial lakes, often bound only by sediments and boulders.

If the boundaries of these lakes are breached, it can lead to large amounts of water rushing down, the way by picking up sediments, rocks, and other materials. A majority of the glaciers in the Himalayas are known to be receding, all leading to the formation of several glacial lakes.

Why are they so dangerous? 

The rapid onset and high discharge of GLOFs means there is often insufficient time to effectively warn downstream populations and for effective action to be taken. Also, they often become triggers for other disasters (Cascading disasters)

Recent findings about GLOF:

• Rapid deglaciation(primarily due to global warming) over the last 20 years has led to the growth of many large glacial lakes.
• There has been an increase in the population living in close proximity to glacial lakes between 2002 and 2022.
• According to the ICIMOD, Himalayan glacial lakes increased by about 9% in number, and 14% in the area.
• GLOFs are recognized in the National Disaster Management Plan (NDMP) 2019 of India as a potential climatological disaster.

A cascade of Events: What happened in Sikkim? 

The incessant rain due to the cloudburst led to the outburst of South Lhonak glacial lake. The lake burst resulted in a sudden rise in the water level of the Teesta River and a flash flood. This further led to the breach of the Chungthang Hydro-Dam in Sikkim. Damage to the dam further exacerbated the situation.

What are Cascading disasters?

It refers to the cascading effects of extreme events in which the vulnerabilities overlap and interact, reaching escalation points which then create secondary effects with greater impact than the primary event.

E.g., the Nanda Devi glacier outburst (2021) triggered landslides, avalanches, deluges, and flash floods in the intricately linked tributaries of the Ganga River.

Reasons behind GLOF and its increased frequency:

Key preparedness mechanisms to reduce the risk of Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs):

Conclusion

As the Sendai Framework advocates, there is a need for a shift of approach from managing the disasters (cure) to managing the risks (prevention).

A robust early warning system; a broad framework for infrastructure development, construction, and excavation in vulnerable zones; building the resilience of the communities; and prioritizing disaster risk reduction as an integral part of development planning are the measures much in need now, to manage the risks with cascading disasters.

The usefulness of Glacial Lake:

Glacial lakes are formed due to glacier retreat and hold valuable geological information, including fossils and landmass formation. These lakes can exist for thousands of years, storing information about past environmental changes.

About Teesta River:

Teesta River is a tributary of the Brahmaputra which flows through India and Bangladesh.

It originates in the Himalayas near Chunthang, Sikkim and flows to the south through West Bengal before entering Bangladesh.

Insta Links:

Tackling glacial burst

Mains Links:

What is Glacial Lake Outburst Flooding? Examine the vulnerabilities of hydropower projects in the Himalayan eco-sensitive regionand suggest measures to overcome them.

Content for Mains Enrichment

Source: TH

 Recently, CAG, Girish Chandra Murmu, emphasized utilizing AI for auditing. However, it must be done ethically and accurately.

Challenges in AI auditing:

It includes ensuring ethical AI use, addressing data integrity and bias issues, regulating and standardizing AI, creating international audit frameworks, adapting existing frameworks, managing complex data, and involving specialists in AI audit assignments.

Regulation of AI:

India recognizes the need to establish AI regulation, influenced by global initiatives like the EU. However, specific Indian regulatory actions for AI are yet to be detailed.

 Usage: The examples can be used in questions related to E-Governance

Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Source: TH

Context: Udangudi Panangkarupatti, a type of palm jaggery or gur from Tamil Nadu, has received a Geographical Indication (GI) tag.

• The uniqueness of Udangudi Panangkarupatti lies in its traditional preparation method, which does not involve the use of modern strategies or chemical additives like triple superphosphate and phosphoric acid, which are commonly used in other areas for jaggery production.
• This palm jaggery is distinct due to the presence of red sand dune soil found in the Udangudi region. This soil has low groundwater retention and results in a dry climate with lower moisture content in the atmosphere. These conditions lead to a high sucrose content in the palm sap, enhancing its taste.

Udangudi jaggery has gained popularity not only locally but also internationally, being exported to countries such as Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and Singapore.

Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Source: TOI

Context: Lakshadweep Member of Parliament (MP) Mohammed Faizal has been disqualified from the Lok Sabha for the second time this year.

• This decision follows the Kerala High Court’s refusal to suspend his conviction in a murder case where he was sentenced to a decade of rigorous imprisonment for attempting to murder.
• A Member of Parliament (MP) can be disqualified from the Lok Sabha for a number of reasons, including:

Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Source: TH

 Context: Circular migration involves people moving to and from a destination country based on employment availability, rather than migrating permanently or temporarily.

• Circular migration gained popularity in the 1960s and 1970s due to globalization, improved transportation, and social networks.

To be considered a circular migrant, certain criteria must be met, including temporary residence in the destination, multiple entries into the destination country, freedom of movement, legal right to stay, protection of migrants’ rights, and demand for temporary labour.

This type of migration is now viewed as a balanced approach that benefits both sending and receiving countries.

• For sending countries, it can boost the domestic economy through remittances, foreign capital, and improved infrastructure. However, it can also lead to brain drain as talented individuals may seek opportunities elsewhere.
• For receiving countries, circular migration can help fill low-income, low-skill job gaps and mitigate concerns related to population growth. It promotes brain circulation, where individuals contribute to both countries’ development.

Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Source: IE

Context: The Supreme Court of India has ruled that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) must provide the grounds for arrest in writing to the accused at the time of arrest.

• The decision emphasizes that the ED should not engage in vindictive conduct and should act fairly and transparently.
• The ruling came in response to a plea by Pankaj Bansal and Basant Bansal, Directors of the M3M real estate group, who challenged their arrest by the ED under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The Punjab and Haryana High Court had refused to set aside their arrest.
• The court criticized the ED’s style of functioning and declared the arrest as illegal. It clarified that reading out the reasons for arrest to the accused does not fulfil the legal requirements.

Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Source: TH

 Context:  The Indian government has officially established the National Turmeric Board, responding to a longstanding demand from turmeric farmers across the country.

• The board, under the Union Commerce Ministry, will be dedicated to the development and growth of turmeric and turmeric-related products in India.
• India is a leading producer and exporter of turmeric in the world.
• The largest producing states of Turmeric are Maharashtra, Telangana, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. India has more than 62% share of world trade in turmeric

Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Source: Financial Express

 Context: The Indian government aims to triple palm oil production by 2030 as part of the national oil palm mission.

• This initiative is in response to the projected increase in domestic edible oil consumption from 24 million tonnes to 30 million tonnes by 2030.
• Despite these efforts, India’s import dependence on edible oils is expected to continue due to rising consumption.
• Currently, India imports around 14 million tonnes of edible oil, which is likely to reach a record 17 million tonnes in the current oil year due to falling global prices.

Major oil palm-growing states in India include Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Kerala, which account for 98% of total production.

 Palm oil is an edible vegetable oil that comes from the fruit of the oil palm tree. It’s the most widely used vegetable oil in the world and is found in about 60% of all packaged products in supermarkets.

• Palm oil is used in Food manufacturing, Beauty products, Biofuel, and Cookies. 
• There are two types of palm oil: 
• Crude palm oil:Comes from squeezing the fleshy fruit
• Palm kernel oil:Comes from crushing the kernel, or the stone in the middle of the fruit

Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Context: The International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI), in collaboration with the Global Fund for Coral Reefs (GFCR) and the High-Level Climate Champions (HLCC), has launched the Coral Reef Breakthrough.

• This initiative aims to safeguard at least 125,000 square kilometres of shallow-water tropical coral reefs by 2030 through investments of at least US$12 billion.

The Coral Reef Breakthrough will focus on four action points:

• Mitigating local drivers of loss, including land-based pollution, coastal development, and overfishing.
• Doubling the area of coral reefs under effective protection by aligning with global coastal protection targets.
• Accelerating restoration efforts to impact 30% of degraded reefs by 2030.
• Securing investments of at least USD 12 billion by 2030 from public and private sources to conserve and restore coral ecosystems.

Coral reefs are underwater ecosystems made up of colonies of tiny corals called polyps. These marine invertebrates have hard exoskeletons made of calcium carbonate. They are sessile, meaning they are permanently fixed in one place. 

 Coral reefs are massive structures made of limestone deposited by coral polyps. They are sometimes called the “rainforests of the sea” because they support approximately 25 per cent of all known marine species. 

Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Source: Reuters

 Context: The deaths of 120 river dolphins in a tributary of the Amazon River are believed to be linked to a severe drought and high temperatures.

• Low river levels during the drought have led to water temperatures that are harmful to the dolphins.

Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Source: TOI

 Context: Two Olive Ridley turtles, fitted with satellite transmitters, have embarked on remarkable journeys in search of food after laying eggs on Sindhudurg district beaches in Maharashtra.

• One has covered an impressive 5,000 kilometres from the Arabian Sea to the Bay of Bengal. And the fellow turtle with a transmitter, is currently north of the Malabar coast.

Olive ridley turtles are one of the smallest sea turtle species. They are named for the olive green colour of their heart-shaped shells. They are found primarily in the tropical regions of the Pacific, Indian, and Atlantic oceans. 

• Protection Status:
• Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule 1
• IUCN Red List: Vulnerable
• CITES: Appendix I

Mapping

Source: TH

 Context: Armenia’s Parliament voted to join the International Criminal Court (ICC), a move that has strained its relationship with Russia.

The ICC issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin related to events in Ukraine, leading Moscow to view Armenia’s ICC membership as unfriendly.

Armenian move was prompted by Azerbaijan’s capture of the Nagorno-Karabakh region and the subsequent exodus of people of Armenian descent from the region.