Current Affairs – December 10, 2024

{GS2 – Polity – IC – FRs} Right to Disconnect in India

• Context (TH | IE): The recent death of an Ernst & Young employee has intensified discussions on the need for a “Right to Disconnect“ law in India to address workplace stress and burnout.

Need for the Right to Disconnect

• Lack of Legal Framework in India: No specific laws ensure the right to disconnect.
• Constitutional Advocacy: Article 38 promotes people’s welfare, and Article 39(e) safeguards workers’ health and strength.
• Judicial Support: Vishakha v. State of Rajasthan (1997) recognises dignity in the workplace, and Ravindra Kumar Dhariwal (2021) advocates reasonable accommodation.
• Addressing Workplace Stress: 49% of Indian workers report stress impacting their mental health (ADP Research Institute).
• Overburdened Workforce: Indian professionals, especially women, work over 55 hours a week, the highest globally (The Hindu).
• Health Concerns: Prolonged working hours are linked to stress, coronary diseases and reduced well-being (Harvard Business Review).

• Reduced Quality of Life: Hustle Culture encourages relentless productivity at the cost of personal health. Excessive work hours diminish personal satisfaction and happiness.

Benefits of the Right to Disconnect

• Enhanced Productivity and Creativity: Happier employees are proven more efficient and innovative (University of Oxford study).
• Better Work-Life Balance: Employees gain time for personal commitments, reducing burnout.
• Improved Health: Reduces stress-related illnesses and enhances overall well-being.

Challenges in Implementation

• Cultural Barriers: The Indian work culture prioritises continuous professional striving, making disconnection unconventional.
• Economic Concerns: Reduced working hours may affect economic growth.

Way Forward

• Legislation: Enact laws like the 2018 private member bill proposing disconnection policies.
• Workplace Reforms: Include flexible schedules, mandatory breaks and mental health support.
• Employer Accountability: Mandate policies respecting work-life boundaries & just working hours.
• Global Best Practices: Learn from successful global models to adapt to India’s needs.

Global Examples of Disconnect Laws

• France: Protects employees from penalties for being unreachable after hours.
• Portugal: Restricts employers from contacting workers outside official hours, except in emergencies.
• Australia: Enforces after-hours disconnection under the Fair Work Legislation Amendment.
• Spain: Ensures workers can switch off devices outside work hours (Article 88, Organic Law 3/2018).

{GS3 – Agri – Fertilisers} Imbalanced Fertiliser Use and Soil Health

• Context (IE): The 10th World Soil Day, themed “Caring for Soils – Measure, Monitor, and Manage,” underscored the critical issues of soil degradation and nutrient imbalances in India.

Need for Healthy Soils

• Topsoil Formation: Requires 1,000 years to form 2-3 cm; essential as 95% of food depends on it.
• Nutrient Deficiency in Indian Soils
  • Nitrogen (N): Adequate in <5% of soils.
  • Phosphate (P): Sufficient in 40%.
  • Potash (K): Sufficient in 32%.
  • Organic Carbon: Found in 20%.
  • Micronutrients: Deficiencies in sulphur, iron, zinc, and boron range from moderate to severe.

Challenges in Agriculture Due to Sick Soil

• Impact on Productivity: Imbalanced fertilisers create greener crops but reduce grain yields.
• Environmental Hazards: Nitrogen emissions harm the atmosphere and deplete soil quality.
• Farmer Profitability: Suboptimal yields lower financial returns.

Issues with Fertiliser Use and Policy

• Skewed Fertiliser Subsidy: Rs 1.88 lakh crore (~4% of the Union budget) with 66% allocated to urea, distorting pricing.
• Imbalanced Nutrient Application: Overuse of nitrogen (N) and underuse of phosphorus (P) & potassium (K); Punjab overuses N by 61% & underuses K by 89%, Telangana underuses P by 13% & K by 82%.
• Low Nutrient Use Efficiency (NUE): Only 35-40% of applied fertilisers are absorbed by plants; excess nitrogen emits nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas 273 times more potent than CO2.
• Diversion: 20-25% of subsidised urea is diverted for non-agricultural purposes or smuggled.

Benefits of Balanced Nutrient Use

• Higher Yields: Proper N, P, K balance boosts grain production.
• Environmental Protection: Reduces harmful emissions and mitigates soil degradation.
• Increased Income: Better yields ensure farmer profitability.

Way Forward

• Deregulation of Fertiliser Prices: Replace subsidies with direct income transfers (digital coupons). Foster innovation by mirroring reforms in industries like diesel and cement.
• Micronutrient Promotion: Advocate for micronutrient application to optimise productivity and income.
• Integrated Data Utilization: Use soil health cards, fertiliser sales, PM-KISAN, land records, and crop data for targeted reforms.
• Farmer Awareness Campaigns: Educate on long-term soil health and profitability benefits.

{GS3 – Agri – Food Security} Twin Crisis of Food and Energy Security **

• Context (TH): The World Bank highlights the twin crises of food and energy insecurity as critical challenges for global stability, necessitating a reimagined approach to agriculture.

Causative Factors for Food and Energy Insecurity

• High Energy Dependence: Agriculture uses fossil fuels for machinery, irrigation, fertiliser production and transport, contributing over 20% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
• Food Insecurity: Between 2020-2023, 11.8% of the global population faced severe food insecurity, projected to reach 956 million by 2028.
• Energy Inequity: Low-income nations, consuming a fraction of global energy, face disproportionate impacts from supply disruptions and price volatility.
• Climate Vulnerability: Extreme weather damages infrastructure, disrupting supply chains.
• Biofuel Competition: Agriculture’s dual role of food production and biofuel supply strains resources, raising moral concerns about prioritisation.

Need for Addressing Food and Energy Security

• Central to Global Stability: Tackling food and energy insecurities together is essential for sustained growth and environmental balance.
• Interconnected Challenges: Agriculture is a major energy consumer and contributor to climate change, making its transformation critical.
• Population Growth and Climate Stress: Increasing demand for food and energy amidst rising temperatures and extreme weather events.

Implications of Addressing Food and Energy Security

• Escalating Costs: Addressing food insecurity requires $90 billion annually till 2030, with $300–400 billion needed to transform global food systems.
• Geopolitical Vulnerabilities: Export bans and natural gas price volatility increase fertiliser costs, impacting countries like India, which imports 60% of its DAP fertilisers.
• Low-Income Nation Burden: Food insecurity expenses often surpass 95% of GDP in economically vulnerable nations.

Way Forward

• Foster Technological Integration: Promote cost-effective agricultural innovations like solar-powered systems and energy-efficient mechanisation.
• Strengthen Global Cooperation: Enhance support for low-income nations through equitable financing and resource-sharing frameworks.
• Balancing Biofuel and Food Needs: Develop policies prioritising food security while gradually integrating sustainable biofuel production.
• Resilience Building: Focus on climate-resilient crops and decentralised energy solutions to reduce vulnerability to external shocks.
• Inclusive Energy Transition: Ensure renewable energy adoption benefits vulnerable regions, addressing structural barriers and affordability.

Opportunities in Renewable Energy

• Investment Growth: Renewable energy investments reached $500 billion in 2022, focusing on solar irrigation and biomass energy in agriculture.
• Potential Transformation: Technologies like solar irrigation offer promise but are hindered by high costs and limited infrastructure in low-income regions.
• Mineral Wealth Utilisation: Africa’s mineral resources for renewables must benefit local economies to break poverty cycles.

{GS3 – Envi – Degradation} Coastal Hardening

• Context (DTE): Scientists report that coastal hardening has affected one-third of sandy beaches globally, causing severe coastline loss and threatening marine ecosystems.

• Coastal hardening refers to the creation of rigid, semi-impermeable structures by humans that alter natural landscapes. These can obstruct the shoreline retreat and landward translation of sandy beaches.
• Examples: These include seawalls, harbours, roads, highways, buildings, railway revetments etc.
• Purpose of Coastal Hardening: Primary aim of these structures is to protect coastal areas from erosion and flooding, especially given the rapid increase in population migration towards coasts since the 1950s.
• Global Statistics: Approximately 33% of the world’s sandy beaches have hardened. Bay of Bengal (84%), Western and Central Europe (68%), Mediterranean (65%), Western North America (61%) & East Asia (50%).

Advantages of Coastal Hardening

• Protection from Erosion and Flooding: Coastal hardening structures, such as seawalls and breakwaters, provide critical protection against coastal erosion and flooding. They shield infrastructure, homes, and communities from the destructive force of waves and storms.
• Economic Stability: These structures help protect valuable coastal properties and investments by preventing coastal erosion. This, in turn, maintains the economic stability of coastal regions, especially those reliant on tourism and fisheries.
• Infrastructure Preservation: Coastal hardening ensures the longevity and stability of essential infrastructure like roads, bridges, and ports. These structures are vital for transportation and trade, supporting local and national economies.
• Land Reclamation: Coastal hardening can facilitate land reclamation projects, creating new land for development, which can be particularly valuable in densely populated coastal cities.

Challenges of Coastal Hardening

• Environmental Degradation: Coastal hardening can lead to the loss of natural habitats and biodiversity. The rigid structures often disrupt the natural coastal processes, impacting marine and coastal ecosystems.
• Beach Erosion: While protecting the immediate area, coastal hardening can exacerbate erosion in adjacent areas. The deflected wave energy can erode nearby unprotected beaches.
• High Costs: The construction & maintenance of coastal hardening structures are expensive. Continuous investment is required to repair & upgrade these structures, which can strain local and national budgets.
• Aesthetic and Recreational Impact: Coastal hardening can detract from the natural beauty of coastal areas. It can also reduce access to beaches and waterfronts, impacting recreational activities and tourism.
• False Sense of Security: It can lead to a false sense of security, encouraging development in vulnerable coastal areas. This can increase the risk to life and property in the event of severe storms or sea-level rise.

{GS3 – Envi – Degradation} UNCCD Report on Land Drying

• Context (TH): The U.N. Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) report “The Global Threat of Drying Lands” has highlighted an increase in global aridification, with over 77% of Earth’s land becoming drier in the last 30 years.

Key Findings of the Report

• The Scale of Global Drying: During the three decades leading up to 2020, global drylands expanded by approximately 4.3 million square kilometres, an area nearly a third larger than India. These drylands cover more than 40% of the Earth’s total land area.
• Population Implications: The number of people living in drylands doubled to 2.3 billion over the past 30 years. Asia and Africa host about half of the world’s dryland inhabitants.
• High-Risk Areas: High greenhouse gas emission scenarios predict dryland expansion in regions such as the US, Venezuela, Brazil, Argentina, Mediterranean region, Black Sea coast, southern Africa, & Australia.

Regional Impact

• Regions particularly affected by drying trends include 96% of Europe, the US, Brazil, Asia, and Africa.
• South Sudan and Tanzania have the highest percentage of land transitioning to drylands, with China experiencing the largest total area shift.
• Densely populated drylands are found in California, Egypt, Pakistan, India and China.

{GS3 – IS – Issues} Evolving Trends in Smuggling in India

• Context (IE): The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) report highlights inventive smuggling methods, emerging routes and increased contraband seizures across India.
• In FY24, contraband seizures included 107 kg cocaine (₹975 crore), 49 kg heroin (₹365 crore), 136 kg methamphetamine (₹275 crore) and 9.1 crore contraband cigarette sticks (₹179 crore).

Methods and Creative Techniques of Smuggling

• Cocaine Concealment: trafficked via parcels from Brazil and Costa Rica, commonly concealed in children’s storybooks, wigs, shampoo bottles, thermocol balls and wooden articles.
• Drug Mules: Foreign nationals and Indians are used as carriers through scams like fake job offers.
• Illicit Cash: Smuggled inside lehengas, henna packets and thermocol balls.
• Gold Smuggling: Disguised in car pistons, knee caps, food processors or transported mid-sea via fishing boats from Sri Lanka.
• Diamond Concealment: Found in unconventional items like chocolate packets.

Associated Issues

• Technological Sophistication: Smuggling syndicates exploit weak surveillance and advanced concealment methods.
• Border Vulnerabilities: Coastal and land borders, including Mandapam and Vedhalai coasts.
• Duty Evasion: Gold imported from Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and under ASEAN-India FTA benefits, leading to an estimated ₹400 crore duty evasion.

Emerging Smuggling Routes

• Traditional Land and Sea Routes: Linked to the Death Crescent (Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan) and Death Triangle (Myanmar, Laos, Thailand).
• Air Transit via Africa: South American cocaine routed through African countries by foreign nationals.
• Middle East Free Trade Zones: Key hubs for contraband cigarettes shipped from Southeast Asia to India.

Way Forward

• Enhanced Surveillance: Strengthen border and airport security with advanced scanners and technology.
• Regulatory Reforms: Address loopholes in trade agreements to curb duty evasion.
• Public Awareness: Educate citizens about job scams and smuggling traps to reduce victimisation.
• International Collaboration: Partner with countries like Dubai & African nations for intelligence sharing.

{Prelims – Envi – Species} Indian Star Tortoise (Geochelone elegans)

• Context (TH): Researchers have found two genetically different groups of Indian star tortoises, indicating that releasing seized tortoises without proper planning could harm conservation efforts.

Source: greenverz

• Star Pattern: The Indian star tortoise’s shell is adorned with unique, star-shaped patterns that provide it with camouflage in the dappled light of its natural habitat.
• Size: They are relatively small compared to other tortoises, with adult females typically larger than males.
• Habitat: These tortoises are adaptable to various habitats, including dry forests, scrublands, & grasslands.
• Geographic Range: They are native to India, particularly in the arid and semi-arid regions of northwest and southern India and parts of Sri Lanka.
• Temperature-Dependent Sex Determination: The sex of the hatchlings is determined by the temperature at which the eggs are incubated; higher temperatures tend to produce females, while lower temperatures produce males.
• Protection: Listed in Appendix I of CITES and Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972.
• IUCN Status: Vulnerable.

{Prelims – Envi – Species} The Amur or Siberian tiger (Panthera tigris altaica)

• Context (DTE): A study on Amur tigers in Russia reveals limited genetic diversity, underscoring the importance of preserving this subpopulation to maintain species resilience.

Source: Wikipedia

• Location: Primarily found in Russian Far East, with a small population in China, Siberia & Korea.
• Habitat: Amur tigers live in temperate forests with harsh, cold climates, unlike other tiger subspecies.
• Behaviour and Unique properties: They follow the migration patterns of their prey, adapting to seasonal changes in their environment. Grows thick pale fur in winter and thinner dark fur in summer for warmth. They prefer water-rich areas and swim well.
• Symbolism: The Amur tiger symbolises strength and wilderness in Russian culture.
• IUCN Status: Endangered.

{Prelims – In News} LISA by Indian Railway

• Context (NIE): The Indian Railways has implemented Linen Inspection and Sorting Assistant (LISA).

• It is an advanced AI-based automation machine designed to ensure 100% quality inspection of bed sheets used in trains, introduced as a pilot project at Ghorpadi Integrated Coaching Complex (GICC).
• It can quickly process large volumes of linens, significantly improving operational efficiency.

{Prelims – PIN – Middle East} Change in dynamics in Syria

• Context (TH): Conflict in Syria continues with Israeli airstrikes targeting military sites in Aleppo, Hama, Homs, and Palmyra.

Source: TH

{Prelims – PIN India} Pollution in Buddha Nullah

• Context (IE): Farmers in Punjab and Rajasthan protest against pollution in Buddha Nullah caused by untreated factory waste, affecting public health and agriculture.

• The pollution issue has been ongoing for years, with the National Green Tribunal urging central and state pollution boards to take action against polluting units.
• Buddha Nullah is a seasonal water stream that runs through the Malwa region of Punjab and drains into the Sutlej River, a tributary of the Indus River.
• It passes through the industrial city of Ludhiana before it finally drains into the Sutlej.
• Its pollution has been associated with the “cancer belt” in Punjab, particularly in the Malwa region.

• Impacts: Contamination affects agricultural productivity due to using polluted water for irrigation. The local fishing economy has suffered as aquatic life in the nullah has been nearly destroyed.

Sources of Pollution

• Untreated Sewage: Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) in Ludhiana fail to treat sewage effectively, allowing untreated waste to be discharged into Buddha Nullah.
• Industrial Effluents: Multiple dyeing units in Ludhiana release untreated industrial effluents into stream.
• Miscellaneous Waste: Civic bodies have identified hundreds of outlets dumping wastes into Buddha Nullah, including cow dung from nearby dairies.

Read More > Water Pollution Control Measures.

{Prelims – S&T – RE} Conversion of Waste Heat to Electricity

• Context (PIB): A new material with a high potential for converting waste heat to energy is developed by introducing twisted layers in ferecrystals (a unique class of misfit-layered compounds).

Thermoelectric Energy Conversion

• Thermoelectric energy conversion captures and converts waste heat from sources like industrial processes in chemical, thermal, steel plants, petroleum refineries, and vehicle exhaust into electricity.
• The process is measured using the thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT), which evaluates a material’s efficiency in converting heat into electricity.

What are Misfit Layered Compounds (MLCs)?

• MLCs are 2D superlattice materials composed of alternating layers with distinct atomic structures.
• They have weaker bonding along the stacking direction due to structural misalignment.
• This misalignment results in a ‘misfit’ between the layers, which weakens bonding along the stacking direction but can block heat transport due to rotational disorder between the layers.

Characteristics of Ferecrystals

• Ferecrystals are a unique class of MLCs with rotational disorder between layers.
• This twisting reduces heat conduction, making them excellent heat blockers.
• These properties are particularly advantageous for thermoelectric applications.