In news

• The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India has recently tabled a report in the Parliament on whether steps taken by the Union Environment Ministry to conserve India’s coastal ecosystems have been successful.

About the News:

• The CAG frequently undertakes ‘performance audits’ of government programmes and ministries.
• The latest report contains the observations from an audit of Conservation of Coastal Ecosystems from 2015-20.

Centre’s obligations on conserving the Coastline

• The government has issued notifications under the Environment Protection Act, 1986, to regulate activities along India’s coasts particularly regarding construction.
• The Coastal Regulation Zone Notification (CRZ) 2019, implemented by the Ministry, classifies the coastal area into different zones to manage infrastructure activities and regulate them.
• The three institutions responsible for the implementation of the CRZ are:
  • The National Coastal Zone Management Authority (NCZMA) at the Centre
  • The State/Union Territory Coastal Zone Management Authorities (SCZMAs/UTCZMAs) in every coastal State and Union Territory and
  • The District Level Committees (DLCs) in every district that has a coastal stretch and where the CRZ notification is applicable.

Role of the Institutions

• These bodies examine if CRZ clearances granted by the government are as per procedure, if project developers once given the go-ahead are complying with conditions, and if the project development objectives under the Integrated Coastal Zone Management Programme (ICZMP) are successful.

• They also evaluate the measures taken up by the government towards achieving the targets under Sustainable Development Goals, a set of United Nations-prescribed targets for countries towards eradicating poverty and becoming sustainable societies.

Findings of the audit:

• The Environment Ministry hadn’t notified NCZMA as a permanent body and it was being reconstituted every few years.
  • In the absence of defined membership, it was functioning as an ad-hoc body.
• There were instances of the Expert Appraisal Committees-a committee of scientific experts and senior bureaucrats who evaluate the feasibility of an infrastructure project and its environmental consequences not being present during project deliberations.
• There were also instances of the members of the EAC being fewer than half of the total strength during the deliberations.
• The SCZMA had not been reconstituted in Karnataka and there was delayed reconstitution in the States of Goa, Odisha and West Bengal.
• The DLCs of Tamil Nadu lacked participation from local traditional communities.
• There were instances of projects being approved despite inadequacies in the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) reports.
• These included non-accredited consultants preparing the EIA, using outdated data, not evaluating environmental impacts of the project, not appraising the disasters which the project area was prone to and so forth.

Content Source link:

• https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/explained-have-coastal-ecosystem-norms-been-violated/article65764799.ece,
• https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/several-coastal-zone-projects-approved-despite-environmental-impact-assessment-inadequacies-cag-report/article65749308.ece,

Image Source Link:

• https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/crz-rules-will-boost-tourism-centre/articleshow/67296602.cms

In news

India has recently added 11 more wetlands to the list of Ramsar sites making the total number of sites as 75, covering an area of 13,26,677 ha in the country in the 75th year of Independence. 

About Ramsar Sites

• A Ramsar Site is a wetland site designated to be of international importance, which are protected under strict guidelines of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.
• The Ramsar Convention is the intergovernmental treaty that provides the framework for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources.
• The Convention was adopted in the Iranian city of Ramsar in 1971 and came into force in 1975.

 Significance of Ramsar Sites

• Wetland management is a challenging task globally that has the participation of 172 countries. As contracting parties, they understand the value of a dedicated international treaty for a single ecosystem.

• The declining rate of wetlands is a cause of concern for protecting the ecosystem. And it is here, that Ramsar sites recognise wetlands that play a vital role in human survival.
• They support biological diversity of numerous species of plants and animals that depend on the wetlands for their survival and creates for them the most productive environment.
• Wetlands provide benefits for humanity, ranging from freshwater supply, food and building materials, and biodiversity, to flood control, groundwater recharge, and climate change mitigation.

 Ramsar Sites in India

• India signed the Ramsar Convention on 1st Feb 1982.
• Presently, Tamil Nadu has maximum no. of Ramsar sites (14 nos), followed by UP which has 10 nos. of Ramsar sites.
• The details of the newly added sites are tabulated as below:

Source:

• What are Ramsar sites? List of Ramsar sites in India
• 75 Ramsar Sites in 75th Year of Independence

Image source:

• https://twitter.com/GuideforAll/status/1555145228692045824/photo/1

In news

The Union environment ministry has recently notified 1,197.48 sq. km of forest in Kanyakumari and Tirunelveli as Agasthyamalai Elephant Reserve. This will be the fifth elephant reserve in Tamil Nadu.

About World Elephant Day

• Every year on August 12, World Elephant Day is observed with an aim to acknowledge Elephants’ significance in our ecosystem.
• The day was first observed by Canadian filmmakers Michael Clark and Patricia Sims with the Thailand-based Elephant Reintroduction Foundation, in 2012 to bring awareness to the disturbing situations of African and Asian elephants.
• Significance
• The day underlines the awareness of the threats that elephants face in their daily lives.
  • These animals face the threats of poaching, illegal wildlife trade, habitat destruction and more.
  • Hence, the measures to work towards creating a sustainable and safe environment for these creatures where they can thrive.

About importance of Elephants

• Asian elephants are listed as “Endangered" on the IUCN Red List of threatened species.
• Elephants are important ecosystem engineers.
• They make pathways in dense forested habitat that allow passage for other animals.
• An elephant footprint can also enable a micro-ecosystem that, when filled with water, can provide a home for tadpoles and other organisms.

• As keystone species, they help maintain biodiversity of the ecosystems they inhabit.
• Further, during the dry season, elephants use their tusks to dig for water, which provides water for other animals that share harsh habitats.
• They are also one of the major ways in which trees disperse their seeds; some species rely entirely upon elephants for seed dispersal.

About the notification of Elephant Reserve

• Now, the state forest department will get additional funding under the centrally-sponsored Project Elephant.
• Although the area is already protected as a reserve forest or wildlife sanctuary, elephant reserve status will focus on the protection and conservation of elephants as indicator species representing a healthy ecosystem.
• The elephant corridors will be identified and better management practices can be adopted.
• With the new inclusion, there are 32 notified Elephant Reserves (ERs) in the country spread over 15 states.

Source:

• World Elephant Day: TN takes a leap in conservation, Agasthyamalai reserve for tuskers notified
• WHY THEY MATTER.
• World Elephant Day.

Image source:

• https://twitter.com/moefcc/status/1187695322723520512/photo/1

• Context: The Ministry of Jal Shakti has sanctioned more than ₹ 30,000 crore for projects aimed at cleaning Ganga and its tributaries.
• Namami Gange Programme is anIntegrated Conservation Mission, approved as a ‘Flagship Programme’ by the Union Government in 2014 to accomplish the twin objectives of effective abatement of pollution and conservation and rejuvenation of River Ganga.
• It is being operated under the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal Shakti. 
• The program is being implemented by the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG),and its state counterpart organizations-State Program Management Groups (SPMGs).
• It has a Rs. 20,000-crore, centrally-funded, non-lapsable corpusand consists of nearly 288 projects.

• The main pillars of the Program include: Sewerage Treatment Infrastructure, River-Front Development, River-Surface Cleaning, Bio-Diversity, Afforestation, Public Awareness, Industrial Effluent Monitoring, Ganga Gram.
• The focus of the project is centred in 5 states namely Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar and West Bengal.
• It is being funded by the World Bank.

Source:

• https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/rs-30-000-crore-sanctioned-to-clean-ganga-jal-shakti-minister-gajendra-singh-shekhawat-3259720

Image source:

• https://swachhindia.ndtv.com/what-namami-gange-can-do-that-earlier-ganga-clean-up-plans-couldnt-9139/

• Context: Indian companies for the first time have received significant volumes of petroleum coke from Venezuela.
• Petroleum Coke is a substance obtained as a product from the oil refining process.

• It is a carbon-rich solid material derived from final cracking process which is a thermo-based chemical engineering process that splits long chain hydrocarbons of petroleum into shorter chains that takes place in coker units.
• It is used as fuel in Cement, Lime Kilns, Gasification units, Industrial Boilers and as carbon source in Electrodes for electro metallurgical industries, Synthetic Graphite, Aluminium Anodes, etc.
• There are two distinctive grades of Petroleum Coke High Grade (Green Pet Coke) and Fuel Grade Petcoke.
• Benefits of Fuel grade Petcoke over coal include:
  • It is a direct replacement of coal as a fuel but has higher calorific value and causes huge emission of sulphur dioxide and other pollutants.
  • Petcoke is hydrophobic as compared to coal which is hydrophilic.
  • Being a solid fuel, Petcoke has low volatile matter thus suffers no evaporation losses.
  • It helps saving in transportation cost due to higher density compared to liquid fuels.
  • It has low ash content.
• The Supreme Court has banned the use of petroleum coke or petcoke in the NCR.

Source:

• https://www.business-standard.com/article/economy-policy/in-a-first-india-buys-discounted-venezuelan-petcoke-to-replace-coal-122081600318_1.html

Image source:

• https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/rs-30-000-crore-sanctioned-to-clean-ganga-jal-shakti-minister-gajendra-singh-shekhawat-3259720

• Context: The central government has recently launched Paalan 1000 National Campaign and Parenting app to focus on child health.
• The programme focusses on the cognitive developments of children in the first 2 years.
• The parenting app will focus on parental advice to parents and caregivers, on daily routine and resolve various doubts, thus assisting them in the development of the child.
• The programme is aligned the mission of the Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) emphasising responsive care and focusing interventions on the first 1000 days.
• The first 1000 days establish a solid platform for a child’s physical, mental, emotional, cognitive and social health.
• India has taken rapid strides in reducing child mortality since 2014 from 45 per 1000 live births to 35 per 1000 live births in 2019.
  

SOURCES:

• https://health.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/policy/centre-launches-early-childhood-development-conclave-paalan-1000-national-campaign-and-parenting-app/93593804
• Union minister launches Paalan 1000 campaign, parenting app to focus on child health - India News (indiatoday.in)

• Context: National Intellectual Property Awareness Mission (NIPAM) has recently achieved the target of imparting Intellectual Property (IP) awareness and basic training to 1 million students on  ahead of the actual deadline.
• NIPAM, was launched on 8 Dec 2021 as a part of “Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav'' celebrations.
• It imparts IP awareness and basic training.

• The flagship programe aims to inculcate the spirit of creativity and innovation to students of higher education (classes 8 to 12).
• The program is being implemented by Intellectual Property Office, the Office of Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trademarks (CGPDTM), Ministry of Commerce and Industry. 
• Intellectual property (IP) refers to creations of the mind, such as inventions; literary and artistic works; designs; and symbols, names and images used in commerce and is protected in law, for example, patents, copyright, designs and Trademarks.
• The IP system aims to foster an environment in which creativity and innovation can flourish.
• In India, these rights are outlined in Article 27 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which provides for the right to benefit from the protection of moral and material interests resulting from authorship of scientific, literary, or artistic productions.

SOURCES:

• https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1850898

Essence – The editorial discusses the financial position of power sector and its impact on the state’s finance. It refers to the recent RBI and PRS report in support of its arguments. It highlights that the real financial loss in power sector is much more than the figure indicated in the public which is calculated by accounting subsidies and grants under various schemes. It mentions that most of the loss are with DISCOMS and highlights that if these losses are included in state’s balance sheet, then they are much behind the fiscal target as suggested by the 15^th Finance commission.

Towards the end is highlights that these losses are being perpetually financed by the PSB and NBFCs like Power Finance Corporation (PFC) and Rural Electrification Corporation (REC). The editorial also highlights how these NBFCs has recently became major financer for Power sector losses.

Why should you read this editorial?

• To know about the real financial condition of the Power sector
• To know about how this sector is linked to state finance.

Source:

• https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/power-a-reality-check-analysis-of-state-government-finances-8094214/

Essence - The article talks about the ongoing China-Taiwan Crisis and its backdrop including the history of previous China-Taiwan conflicts. In doing so, it highlights the long-term causes behind the crisis and also the immediate causes. The present crisis, like the previous ones, is different in the sense that the US keeps on delivering different statements.

The US maintains strategic ambiguity while president Joe Biden says that it would come to Taiwan’s rescue if needed; and yet there is no clear step taken by the US despite the repetitive violation of China Taiwan median line by Chines forces (which is seen by Taiwan as China’s attempts to send the message that it sees Taiwan as its own territory and therefore free to do what it pleases in its own territory).

On the other hand, China sees it as a strategic time to reclaim Taiwan while the US is caught in a triangle of its failure in the Middle East, its desire to help Ukraine win the Ukraine war, and the brewing conflict in the Taiwan Strait.

Why should you read this editorial?

• The article provides insights into the background of the present Taiwan Crisis.
• The article is a good geo-political analysis of the Taiwan Crisis

Source:

• https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/the-geopolitics-of-the-fourth-taiwan-crisis/article65780496.ece/amp/

Background

Shaheed Kartar Singh Sarabha, was a Ghadarite and revolutionary, and was charged by authorities for his role in the ‘Lahore Conspiracy Case’, and was hanged to death in 1915 after a judge pronounced him “the most dangerous of all rebels”.

About Kartar Singh Sarabha

• Born in a village near Ludhiana, Punjab, he left for the United States in 1912 for further education and eventually better job opportunities, at the age of 16.
• He truly believed in the principles of equality, justice, and freedom, and was willing to pay the ultimate sacrifice at a young age.
• Very often, the image of an enslaved, shackled, insulted, helpless, impotent India would often flash in front of his eyes. Thus, his The determination to liberate India from foreign rule got
• After the Ghadr Party was formed in 1913, Kartar Singh volunteered to work for the movement.
• He along with others played an important role in bringing out the newsletter ‘Ghadar’, from the Ghadar Party office.
  • The newspaper highlighted the atrocities of the British and fuelled revolutionary ideas among overseas Indians.
• In the Komagata Maru incident in 1914, while many of his compatriots were arrested upon arrival across different port cities, Kartar Singh made his way through to Punjab, entered various cantonments in the province and attempted to radicalise the Indian soldiers stationed there.
• Internally, the Ghadarites had set the date for armed revolt, but the British acted upon the intelligence they received and arrested many revolutionaries including Kartar
• Also, later Kartar and his fellow compatriots were tried in April 1915 for their role in the plot to overthrow the British by fomenting armed rebellion
  • Further, he was convicted and hanged on 16 November 1915.
• But his death didn’t go in vain, as his sacrifice would inspire the likes of Bhagat Singh to fight for the cause of India’s freedom.

Quote

"One individual may die for an idea, but that idea will, after is death, incarnate itself in a thousand lives." -Subhas Chandra Bose

Source:

• A Hero to Bhagat Singh, This Punjabi Sacrificed His Life for India’s Freedom At 19

Image source:

• http://twocircles.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/kartar.jpg