Current Affairs – December 03, 2024

Table of contents

{GS1 – A&C – Sites} Ajmer Sharif Dargah

Context (IE): A court petition in Ajmer calls for a survey of the Ajmer Sharif Dargah, suggesting it was built on the remains of demolished Hindu and Jain temples.

Historical Background of Ajmer

Origin of Ajmer: Historically known as Ajaymeru, it is named after its founder, Raja Ajay Pal Chauhan.
Ajmer served as the capital of the Chauhans, a prominent Rajput clan that ruled regions of present-day Rajasthan, Haryana, Delhi, and Uttar Pradesh from the 7th to the 12th centuries CE.
Destruction by Muhammad of Ghor: In 1192, after defeating Prithviraj Chauhan in the Second Battle of Tarain, Muhammad of Ghor’s forces sacked Ajmer, destroying many temples.

The petition references Har Bilas Sarda’s book “Ajmer: Historical and Descriptive” (1911), which notes the destruction of temples but does not directly link it to the construction of the dargah.

Origin and subsequent development of Ajmer Sharif

Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti was interred in 1236 in the cell where he lived. No mausoleum was initially constructed, and his memory faded in Ajmer for over two centuries.
Sultan Mahmud Khan Khalji of Malwa (not to be confused with the Khalji sultans of Delhi) and his son Ghiyasuddin built the first pucca mausoleum. They also constructed the grand Buland Darwaza.
The current white marble dome was built in 1532, during Humayun’s reign. In 1616, Jahangir added a gold railing around the saint’s tomb. Shah Jahan carried out additional expansions.
It is an example of Indo-Islamic architecture, and the dome features a lotus and a crown of gold, donated by Rampur’s Nawab Haider Ali Khan.
The dargah has a royal darbar, Mehfil Khana, constructed in 1888. In the 19th century, the Nizam of Hyderabad donated the Nizam Gate.
The six-day Urs festival marks the death anniversary of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti.

{GS1 – Geo – PG – Climatology} Landfall of Cyclone

Context (IE): Cyclone Fengal made landfall over Puducherry. It is the second cyclone to impact India’s east coast two months after Cyclone Dana.

What is Landfall?

Landfall is the event of a tropical cyclone moving from over water to onto land. According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), a cyclone makes landfall when its centre, or eye, crosses the coast.
When the storm makes landfall, its outer bands may have already reached the coast, bringing strong winds, heavy rain, and a storm surge.

A landfall should not be confused with a direct hit. A direct hit occurs when the core of high winds (eyewall) comes ashore, but the storm’s centre may remain offshore.

Duration of Landfall

Time Frame: Landfalls can last several hours, depending on the cyclone’s wind speed and size.
Post-Landfall Intensity: Cyclones lose intensity after landfall due to reduced moisture supply and increased surface friction. While landfall marks a cyclone’s most devastating phase, it also signals the beginning of its weakening.

{GS2 – Governance – Reforms} Electronic Monitoring of Undertrials

Context (IE): Report on Prisons in India proposed electronic tracking to combat prison overcrowding. Indian jails had a 131.4% occupancy as of Dec 2022, with 75.8% being undertrials.

Benefits of Electronic Tracking

Decongestion of Prisons: Reduces overcrowding by monitoring undertrials outside of prison.
Economic Viability: Electronic tracking, costing ₹10,000–15,000 annually per undertrial, offers a cost-effective alternative to traditional incarceration.
Administrative Efficiency: Reduces the need for large staff to monitor prisoners.
Better Rehabilitation: Enables undertrials to maintain social & work connections, aiding reintegration.
Compliance: Effective tracking ensures adherence to bail conditions, reducing re-offending risk.

Issues

Privacy Concerns: Mandatory tracking can breach right to privacy (e.g., Delhi High Court case involving foreign nationals) or may even involve further invasions of privacy like drug testing and home searches.
‘E-Carceration‘ Risk: Studies warn of electronic monitoring extending incarceration effects, particularly impacting marginalised communities.
Financial Implications for Individuals: In the U.S., individuals often bear the costs, leading to financial strains and inequities. Similar concerns exist for India.
Stigmatisation: Social stigma from visible tracking devices can lead to isolation, stress and anxiety.
Community Disparities: Monitoring often affects lower-income and minority communities more severely, similar to trends seen in Indian prisons where SC, ST and OBC communities are overrepresented.
Human Rights and Ethical Concerns: Potential for misuse; requires consent from monitored individuals and adherence to human rights standards.
Reliability of Technology: Technical malfunctions can undermine effectiveness of monitoring systems.

E-Carceration refers to the use of electronic monitoring devices, such as GPS-enabled ankle bracelets, as an alternative to physical incarceration. These devices track individuals’ movements to ensure compliance with legal conditions such as house arrest, parole, or bail.

Way Forward

Balancing Privacy and Effectiveness: Implement clear legal safeguards and audit mechanisms to respect privacy while preventing abuse.
Consent: Ensure that monitoring is conducted with the informed consent of the monitored individuals.
Legislative Adjustments: Amend laws to limit electronic tracking to serious cases and those with prior convictions, with appropriate judicial oversight.
Financial Support and Equity: Subsidize monitoring costs for underprivileged individuals; ensure technology reliability and sufficient training for law enforcement.
Mental Health Considerations: Address psychological impacts through support services to mitigate the stress and stigma of electronic tracking.

{GS2 – MoAFW – Initiatives} Farmer ID: Kisan Pehchaan Patra

Context (IE): The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare (MoA&FW) has asked the states to organise camps to ensure a faster generation of Farmer ID. Known as Kisan Pehchaan Patra.

It is an Aadhaar-linked unique digital identity for farmers, managed by State Govt and UTs.
It is connected to various pieces of farmer-related data, including Land records, Livestock ownership, Crops sown, Benefits and subsidies availed, Demographic and family details, etc.
The database created through the Farmer ID will be known as the Farmer registry. It registers under the Agri Stack component of the Centre’s Digital Agriculture Mission.

Source: PIB

{GS2 – Polity – IC – FRs} Places of Worship Act **

Context (TH): The Act has gained attention amid Sambhal violence and the Gyanvapi mosque case. The court ordered a survey in Gyanvapi mosque case, rejecting the challenges posed by 1991 Act, with Justice Chandrachud noting that it doesn’t bar status inquiries.

Also refer to Places of Worship Act 1991.

Historical Claims: Destroyed temples retain their sanctity under Hindu law, challenging mosque validity under Islamic law.
Lack of Clarity: Whether the Act bars questioning a site’s “original” status or just its altered state.
Rising Civil Suits: Contesting the origins of mosques, violating the 1991 Act.
Judicial Delays: Pending petitions challenging the Act’s constitutionality have emboldened lower courts to entertain prohibited suits.
Impact on Communal Harmony: Suits questioning religious sites risk escalating communal tensions.
Role of Judiciary: Oral remarks by Justice D.Y. Chandrachud on allowing status inquiries sparked debates on the Act’s interpretation.
Legislative Intent: Experts emphasise the law’s clear intent to prohibit reopening historical disputes over religious sites.

Way Forward

Judicial Finality: SC must expedite hearings to clarify ambiguities and ensure adherence to the Act.
Legislative Backing: Government must defend the Act’s constitutionality to uphold communal harmony.
Public Awareness: Promoting understanding of the Act’s significance in preserving the secular fabric.

{GS3 – Envi – Hazardous Waste} 40 Years of Bhopal Gas Tragedy

Context (DTE): The 1984 Bhopal Gas Tragedy caused by Methyl isocyanate (MIC) left long-lasting health impacts on survivors, as revealed in a 2010 ICMR study.

Health Impacts of MIC

Severe Organ Damage: Causes inflammation, haemorrhages & swelling in lungs, brain & other organs.
Toxic Blood: Cherry red blood indicates hydrogen cyanide poisoning due to MIC exposure.
Neurological Effects: Leads to brain swelling, neurological disorders and multi-organ damage.
Chronic Respiratory Issues: Triggers asthma, respiratory distress & increased susceptibility to infections.
Reproductive Harm: Associated with higher miscarriage rates, congenital defects & foetal abnormalities.
Eye and Mental Health Problems: Causes vision impairment, irritation and mental health disorders.
Protein and Antioxidant Damage: Alters haemoglobin, reduces glutathione efficacy, impairs oxygen transport, and increases toxin vulnerability.

Challenges in Addressing MIC Exposure

Autopsy Findings: Extensive organ damage and cyanide poisoning were confirmed in victims.
Delayed Medical Response: Initial failure to recognise hydrogen cyanide as a toxic factor resulted in inadequate early treatment.
Denial of Cyanide Presence: Union Carbide’s denial of hydrogen cyanide involvement further delayed effective antidote administration.
Efficacy of NATS Injections: Double-blind studies confirmed that NATS injections were proven effective for cyanide detoxification but were underutilised due to treatment delays.
ICMR Research (1984–1992): Legal and administrative delays hindered the publication of findings on MIC-induced irreversible protein damage.
Toxic Byproducts and Unidentified Compounds: MIC pyrolysis produced unknown toxic substances, complicating long-term health management.

Carbamoylation: Chemical alteration of proteins and enzymes due to reaction with compounds like MIC, leading to permanent structural and functional changes in the body.

Way Forward

Timely Interventions: Immediate identification and treatment of toxins are crucial in chemical disasters.
Research and Transparency: Unhindered scientific investigation & timely dissemination of findings.
Strengthen Antidote Use: Early use of effective treatments like NATS can save lives in future incidents.
Addressing Long-Term Health Issues: Comprehensive healthcare for survivors, including respiratory, neurological, and psychological support.

{GS3 – Envi – Pollution} INC-5 Outcomes and Implications

Context (DTE): The fifth Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) meeting in Busan (South Korea) concluded without reaching a treaty to combat global plastic pollution.

Lack of Ambition: The Chair’s text, aimed at including all nations’ views, failed to present bold measures needed to address the crisis effectively.
Transparency Issues: The exclusion of scientific experts, civil society organisations, and representatives from vulnerable communities led to criticism of the process.
Impact on Vulnerable Communities: Decisions made without input from affected communities risk worsening social and environmental disparities.
Division Among Nations: The meeting highlighted significant rifts among participating countries, undermining progress and collective action.
Concerns Over Legitimacy: Closed-door negotiations raised questions about the legitimacy and inclusivity of the decision-making process.
Political Expediency: The focus on reaching consensus at the expense of ambitious action showcased the prioritisation of political compromise over environmental urgency.

Way Forward

Strengthened Inclusivity: Future negotiations must ensure the participation of all relevant stakeholders, particularly those from vulnerable communities.
Enhanced Transparency: Open discussions and greater accessibility to decision-making processes are necessary to build trust and legitimacy.
Ambitious Targets: To make meaningful progress, upcoming treaty drafts must include stringent and actionable commitments to curb plastic pollution effectively.

{Prelims – In News} Brain Rot *

Context (IE): ‘Brain rot’ was officially recognised as the Oxford Word of The Year 2024.

Brain rot refers to declining mental or intellectual abilities due to too much unchallenging online content. It highlights how digital culture affects language and society.
First Usage: First used by Henry David Thoreau in 1854.
Last year’s word was “Rizz,” which means attractiveness and ability to attract a romantic partner.

{Prelims – PIN World – SA} Nazca Lines *

Context (IE): AI has helped to discover hundreds of mysterious Nazca lines in Peru. These are a group of geoglyphs known for depicting larger-than-life animals, plants and imaginary beings.

Source: smithsonianmag

Geoglyphs are designs made on the ground using landscape elements such as stones, dirt or lumber.
The geoglyphs, drawn more than two millennia ago on the surface of southern Peru, feature different subjects, but mainly plants and animals.
Geometric shapes, such as triangles, trapezoids and spirals, are also found. Some designs have been associated with astronomical functions as well.
The Lines were declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1994.

{Prelims – S&T – Defence} Harimu Shakti Joint Miltary Exercise

Context (PIB): The India- Malaysia Joint Military Exercise “Harimu Shakti” was conducted in Malaysia.

Represent Mahar Regiment from India and The Royal Malaysian Regiment from Malaysia.
It is an annual training event conducted alternatively in India and Malaysia.
Aim: To enhance the joint military capability of both sides to undertake counter-insurgency operations in jungle terrain under Chapter VII of the United Nations Mandate.

{Prelims – Sci – Chemistry} Sewer Gas

Context (TH): 377 deaths occurred between 2019 and 2023 due to sewer and septic tank cleaning.
Sewer gas is a mixture of toxic and non-toxic gases formed through microbial decomposition of organic matter in anaerobic environments having high organic waste concentration, stagnant water, acidic environments, and warm temperatures.
It includes harmful gases like hydrogen sulfide (H₂S), methane (CH₄), ammonia (NH₃), carbon dioxide (CO₂), and carbon monoxide (CO).

About Hydrogen Sulfide (H₂S)

It is a colourless, flammable, extremely hazardous gas with a “rotten egg” smell at low concentrations.
At high levels (>100 ppm), H₂S causes olfactory fatigue, paralysing the sense of smell.
It causes severe eye and respiratory irritation, leading to chronic lung damage, Rapid loss of consciousness and respiratory distress and can lead to immediate respiratory arrest and death.

Read More > Issues Faced by Sanitation Workers.