[Mission 2024] INSIGHTS DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS + PIB SUMMARY 11 October 2023

GS3/GS1 Paper 

 Syllabus: Disaster management/ Geography/ Hydropower

Source: BS, DTE

Context: The article highlights the dangers of large dams in India, especially in the Himalayas. It discusses the recent collapse of the Chungthang dam in Sikkim due to the eruption of South Lhonak Lake.

Status of Dam in India: 

India is the 3rd largest dam-owning nation in the world. There are around 5,700 large dams in the country, of which about 80% are over 25 years old.

Benefits of dams

• Generation of hydroelectric power– Dams provide hydropower, which contributes 12% to India’s total energy
• Irrigation– Between 1950- 2000, dams contributed to 35% of the total irrigated land, and increased food grain production by 25%.
• Provision of water to households and industries– The regulated flow of water dilutes harmful dissolved substances in river waters during lean periods by supplementing low inflows and maintaining the quality of water within safe limits.
  • Ex- Tansa dam supplies water to Mumbai city.
• Drought mitigation– dams store water that can be used when rainfall is below normal limits. Ex- Sardar Sarovar dam in Gujrat.
• Flood prevention– dams check the flow of water and prevent flooding in low-lying areas, protecting lives and property.
• Inland navigation– provide navigation channels throughout the year, due to controlled levels of water.
• Recreation– dams offer recreational activities such as boating, fishing and swimming.

Harmful impacts of dams:

Various causes of dam failures:

• Seismic damage: Earthquakes can subject dams to strong ground shaking, which may lead to structural damage or foundation failure.
  • Kobe Earthquake, Japan (1995): While not a dam failure, the Kobe Earthquake in Japan caused damage to dams and their components.
• Erosion and piping: Erosion occurs when the flow of water erodes the soil or rock supporting the dam’s structure. Piping, a related issue, involves the internal erosion of dam materials, creating channels through which water can escape.
• Extreme weather events: Intense and prolonged rainfall, hurricanes, or typhoons can result in dam failures due to increased water inflow, exceeding the dam’s storage capacity.
  • Kedarnath Floods, India (2013): While not a traditional dam failure, the catastrophic flooding in the Kedarnath region of Uttarakhand, India, in 2013, was triggered by heavy rainfall and the sudden release of water from a glacial lake.
• Glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF): In mountainous regions with glaciers, the sudden release of meltwater from a glacier-dammed lake can trigger a GLOF. These events can lead to massive floods downstream, posing a significant threat to communities and infrastructure.
• Human factors: This includes poor operational decisions, inadequate maintenance, conflict and war can contribute to dam failures.
• Design limitations: Flaws in the original design, including inadequate spillways, improper materials, or underestimated water flow calculations can lead to structural weaknesses.

Two examples of large dam failures:

• The recent Derna dam collapse Failure of two roughly 75 and 45-meter tall dams following heavy rain from Storm Daniel against the backdrop of the Libyan civil war resulting in the city of Derna.
• Kakhovka Dam failure: The dam in Ukraine was breached in June 2023, causing extensive flooding along the lower Dnieper River. Many experts have concluded that Russian forces likely blew up a segment of the dam to hinder the Ukrainian counter-offensive.

 While dams contribute extensively towards water management, there are significant risks associated with dams, on account of their ageing and poor management.

Measures taken to ensure dam safety:

Mega dams are large structures over 15 metres in height generating over 400 megawatts of power on average. They cause severe damage to ecosystems and lead to the displacement of indigenous populations.

Alternatives to mega-dams

• Construction of smaller sub-surface dams. Ex- Japan. They reduce evaporation losses and cause less damage to the environment.
• Improving the capacity of existing dams, instead of the construction of new dams- causes less ecological damage.
• Usage of traditional water storage methods– tanks and canals, with the usage of micro irrigation techniques, to reduce requirements of water for irrigation.
• Focus on alternative sources of renewable energy– solar and wind power
• Reuse of water- use of recycled sewage water for irrigation and industrial purposes. This reduces the need for dam construction.

Conclusion:

Dams are the lifeline of Indian agriculture and India’s water security. Dam management should be done in a sustainable way to ensure that they do more good than harm.

Insta Links:

• Dam Safety Act
• Dam Safety

Mains Links:

 Dam failures are always catastrophic, especially on the downstream side, resulting in a colossal loss of life and property. Analyze the various causes of dam failures. Give two examples of large dam failures. (UPSC 2023)

 GS Paper 4

 Source: TH,

Example 1: NewsClick Raid Case

 The Special Cell of Delhi Police conducted raids on the homes and offices of journalists associated with the news portal NewsClick in connection with an alleged terror financing case. Some have been arrested under the under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

Ethical Issues in the Case:

Article 20(3) of the Constitution protects against self-incrimination. In the K.S. Puttaswamy v. Union of India (2017) case, it was ruled that disclosing passwords in criminal investigations falls under the “legitimate interests of the State” exception and doesn’t violate privacy.

Also, the Karnataka High Court (2021) ruled that providing passwords doesn’t violate this. The Digital Personal Data Protection Act allows the seeking of information (such as Passwords/Sources) from journalists by the Police, impacting journalistic sources.

Example 2: Gandhi’s Ethical Values (as highlighted in the article)

Source: TH

Example 3: IIT Bombay: Segregation of Mess Tables

 Source: TOI

The article addresses an issue at IIT Bombay where mess tables have been segregated for vegetarians, leading to protests and fines for dissenting students.

Ethical Issues concerned in the case:

Solutions: To address these issues, IIT Bombay should directly tackle prejudices and caste-based discrimination, de-segregate the mess, promote a supportive environment, and proactively manage student concerns to foster a harmonious educational environment.

GS4/GS2 Paper 

 Syllabus: Emotional Intelligence/ Government Policies and Intervention

Source: IE

 The Union Ministry of Education has released draft guidelines to prevent student suicides in schools 

 These guidelines are titled UMMEED (Understand, Motivate, Manage, Empathise, Empower, Develop)

Aim of the Guidelines: The guidelines aim to help schools enhance sensitivity, understanding, and support for students, emphasizing the importance of every child’s well-being, “Every Child Matters”

Usage: The Measures can be used in Case studies or Ethics answers/ Indian Society Answers

Insta Links:

• Academic Distress’ and Student Suicides in India
• “Student Cell”: For suicide prevention

Content for Mains Enrichment

Source: IE

 Kerala is launching a “back to school” program for 46 lakh women enrolled in the Kudumbashree poverty alleviation mission. Over the next two months, more than 2,000 schools will open on weekends to provide training on adapting to the digital age.

The program aims to empower women, enhance household incomes, and strengthen the mission’s functioning.

Classes will cover topics like organizational strength, community life security, and digital age skills.

Usage: The example can be used in Indian society/ Social Justice/ Governance/Women-related questions on the Empowerment of Women.

Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Source: TH

Context: India’s Tele-MANAS, a round-the-clock mental health helpline launched on World Mental Health Day in 2022, has received over 3,40,000 calls from 32 states and union territories.

• The helpline was initiated in response to the increased mental health challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, providing essential mental health first-aid support.

Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Source: IE

 Context: The Baiga Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) in Chhattisgarh has been granted habitat rights, making it the second PVTG to receive such rights in the state.

• Out of 75 PVTGs in India, only three have received habitat rights, including the Bharia PVTG in Madhya Pradesh, the Kamar tribe, and now the Baiga tribe in Chhattisgarh.

About Habitat Rights:

• Habitat rights are granted under the Forest Rights Act and provide communities with rights over their customary territories, cultural practices, livelihood means, biodiversity knowledge, and protection of their natural and cultural heritage.
• Habitat rights help safeguard traditional livelihoods and ecological knowledge, and they empower PVTG communities to access government schemes and initiatives to develop their habitats.

Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Source: Economic Times

 Context: The Ministry of Commerce & Industry in India has launched a digital system for issuing automatic ‘Status Holder’ certificates under the Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) 2023.

• This system eliminates the need for exporters to apply to the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) for a Status Certificate.
• Instead, the IT system will determine export recognition based on the Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics (DGCIS) merchandise export electronic data and other risk parameters.

The new system simplifies the process, reduces compliance burdens, and promotes ease of doing business. The Status Holder certification program enhances the credibility of Indian exporters in international markets and offers privileges like simplified procedures, priority custom clearances, and exemptions from certain requirements.

Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Source: PIB

 Context: The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) Annual Report for 2022-2023 has been released, focusing on key employment and unemployment indicators. The survey’s key findings are as follows:

Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR):

The labour force participation rate (LPR) is a measure of the proportion of a country’s working-age population that is actively engaged in the labour market.

• An increasing trend in LFPR for persons aged 15 years and above was observed
• In rural areas, LFPR increased from 50.7% in 2017-18 to 60.8% in 2022-23.
• In urban areas, LFPR increased from 47.6% to 50.4% over the same period.
• LFPR for males in India increased from 75.8% in 2017-18 to 78.5% in 2022-23.
• For females, LFPR increased from 23.3% to 37.0% during this time.

Worker Population Ratio (WPR):

The worker-population ratio (WPR) is the ratio of a country’s working population to its population, multiplied by 100. It’s calculated by dividing the total number of workers by the total population. 

• The survey showed an increasing trend in WPR for persons aged 15 years and above.
• In rural areas, WPR increased from 48.1% in 2017-18 to 59.4% in 2022-23.
• In urban areas, WPR increased from 43.9% to 47.7% during the same period.
• WPR for males in India increased from 71.2% in 2017-18 to 76.0% in 2022-23.
• For females, WPR increased from 22.0% to 35.9% over this time frame.

Unemployment Rate (UR): 

The unemployment rate is the percentage of unemployed workers in the total labour force. The labour force includes all people who are employed or unemployed. The unemployment rate is calculated by dividing the number of unemployed people by the total labour force.

• A decreasing trend in UR for persons aged 15 years and above was observed.
• In rural areas, UR decreased from 5.3% in 2017-18 to 2.4% in 2022-23.
• In urban areas, UR decreased from 7.7% to 5.4% during the same period.
• UR for males in India decreased from 6.1% in 2017-18 to 3.3% in 2022-23.
• For females, UR decreased from 5.6% to 2.9% over this time frame.

Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Source: TH

 Context: Multimodal artificial intelligence (AI) is gaining prominence as the next frontier in AI development.

• Multimodal AI systems allow users to interact with AI through various means, such as images, sounds, videos, and text. This approach is important because it aligns more closely with how humans understand and interpret information from diverse sources.

Key points regarding multimodal AI:

• Leading AI companies like OpenAI and Google are actively pursuing multimodal AI systems. OpenAI, known for GPT-3 and GPT-4, has enabled its models to understand and analyze images, and its mobile apps are being equipped with speech synthesis for more interactive conversations with chatbots.

Working of Multimodal Artificial Intelligence:

• It involves combining different modalities such as text and images or text and audio during training. This enables AI systems to understand and generate content across various modalities. For example, OpenAI’s DALL.E model connects text and images to generate visual content based on text prompts, while GPT’s voice processing capabilities are rooted in Whisper, its speech-to-text translation model.

Applications of Multimodal AI:

• Multimodal AI has practical applications, such as automatic image caption generation, detecting hate speech in memes, predicting dialogue in videos, and even potential uses in fields like medicine, autonomous driving, and robotics.
• In medicine, multimodal AI is useful for processing complex datasets from sources like CT scans. In speech translation, AI models can perform text-to-speech, speech-to-text, speech-to-speech, and text-to-text translations for various languages.

Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Source: Deccan Herald

 Context: The second Global Amphibian Assessment, conducted by over 1,000 experts and analysing 8,011 species worldwide, has revealed that the elusive dancing frogs of the Western Ghats are one of the most threatened amphibian genera.

Key Findings:

• This assessment points out that 41 per cent of amphibian species are on the brink of extinction globally, with climate change, habitat loss, disease, fire, invasive species, and over-exploitation posing significant threats to them.
• The dancing frog genus, Micrixalus, which is part of the endemic family Micrixalidae, is identified as the most threatened frog genus in India.
• Additionally, the Nyctibatrachidae, commonly known as night frogs, has 83.9 per cent of its species threatened across the southern states of Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu.
• Amphibians are currently the second most declining taxa globally, after corals, making their conservation a matter of great concern.

Mapping

Source: IE

 Context: India and Tanzania have elevated their ties to a strategic partnership level. They signed six agreements covering digital cooperation, culture, sports, maritime industries, and white shipping information sharing.

Additionally, they agreed on a five-year roadmap to expand their defence cooperation. Both countries are working on a trade agreement in local currencies. India views Tanzania as a valued partner in the Indo-Pacific.

Tanzania is an East African country known for its vast wilderness areas. They include the plains of Serengeti National Park, populated by the “big five” game (elephant, lion, leopard, buffalo, rhino), and Kilimanjaro National Park, home to Africa’s highest mountain.