Current Affairs – July 28-29, 2024

{GS1 – Geo – EG – Mineral Resources} SC Ruling on Taxing Mineral Rights

• Context (TH): Recent SC ruling allows States to tax mineral rights and mineral-bearing lands.

• The Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act (MMDR Act), 1957 was perceived to limit States’ powers even though the right to tax mineral rights is included in the State List (entry 50).

Supreme Court Analysis

• The MMDR Act does not limit States’ power to tax mineral rights.
• Royalty under the MMDR Act is not considered a tax but a contractual consideration for mineral rights.
• States can tax mineral-bearing lands under State List (Entry 49), which allows general power to tax lands.

Implications for States

• Opens significant new taxation avenues.
• Supports States’ autonomy and fiscal federalism.
• Enhances States’ ability to deliver welfare schemes and services.

Concerns Raised

• Potential unhealthy competition among States for additional revenue.
• Risk of uneven and uncoordinated spikes in mineral costs.
• Possible increase in industrial product prices due to higher mineral costs.
• National market exploitation for arbitrage.
• The potential risk of leaving mining activities untaxed.

{GS1 – Geo – PG – Climatology} Himachal witnesses shift in snowfall patterns

• Context (TH): Environmentalists alarmed as Himachal(HP) witnesses shift in snowfall patterns.

• There is a gradual shift in snowfall occurrence pattern from winter months towards early summer months.
• As per the data, total snow cover in HP’s major river basins (Satluj, Ravi, Chenab, and Beas), decreased by 12.72% compared to the previous winter.
• According to Climate Central, nearly two-thirds (64%) of locations now get less snow than they did in the early 1970s.

Impacts

• Affect summer water availability: Winter snow usually melts gradually, helping to maintain river flow during the summer.
• Security risks from climate variability: Unpredictable weather in ecologically fragile regions is dangerous.
• Disruptagriculture, ecosystems, and hydropower generation.
• Affect tourism and local economies.
• Destruction of infrastructure in areas prone to avalanches or flooding caused by sudden snowmelt.

Read More>Indian climate,Himalayan Rivers

{GS1 – IS – Issues} Suicides in India

• Context (TH): In India, suicide takes 1 lakh lives annually, and it is the top killer in the 15-29 years category. The suicide rate has increased to 11.3 per 1,00,000 (2022).

Causes

• Sensationalization: Media lacks responsible reporting and sensationalises news to get better ratings.
• Lack of mental health infrastructure and inadequate access to mental health professionals/facilities.
• Social stigma around mental health prevents individuals from seeking help, leading to isolation/despair.
• Family problems and illnesses: Account for 34% and 18% of all suicide-related deaths.
• Educational pressures: Intense academic competition and fear of failure can lead to mental health crises.

Way Forward

• Government Policies: Policies like the National Suicide Prevention Strategy and National Education Policy and their effective implementation can help reduce suicides. For example, the introduction of supplementary examinations in schools drastically reduced suicides in Tamil Nadu.
• Timely supportive action: Suicide prevention counselling. For example, 24×7 toll-free Helpline Kiran.
• Integrating mental well-being in curriculum to build emotional intelligence and normalize mental health discussions in educational institutions.
• Responsible reporting: Create anti-stigma campaigns and penalise media sensationalising suicides.

Read More > Mental Health in India

{GS2 – Governance – Issues} Exam Paper Leaks in India

• Context (TH): Bihar Assembly passed ‘The Bihar Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Bill’ to tackle question paper leaks and other malpractices in government recruitment examinations.

Recent cases of Paper Leaks

• NEET-UG medical entrance examination, 2024.
• Rajasthan Eligibility for Elementary Teachers, 2023.
• Uttarakhand Subordinate Service Selection Commission Examination, 2023.
• UP Constable Recruitment and Promotion Exam, 2023.

Negative Impacts of Paper Leaks

• Erosion of Meritocracy: Paper leaks undermine the principle of merit and create an unfair advantage for those involved in the leak.
• Mental and Physical Fatigue: Students who prepare diligently feel cheated, leading to a sense of injustice, stress and burnout.
• Disproportionate Impact: Repeated examination fees and preparation costs place a heavy burden on students from rural and marginalized communities.
• Loss of trust and confidence: Frequent paper leaks erode trust in the examination system, leading to decreased confidence in one’s abilities.
• Delayed Career Progression: Paper leaks disrupt academic calendars, delaying career opportunities and cancellation of recruitment lists exacerbate job crisis.

Causes

• Internal Leakage: This involves individuals within the examination system, such as teachers, examiners, or administrative staff, leaking the question paper.
• Organised Activities: Gangs operating in Bihar were responsible for NEET paper leakage.
• Lack of Special Investigation Agency: To investigate examination offenses and bring speedy justice.
• Technological Vulnerabilities: Cyberattacks and data breaches can result in paper leaks of online exams.
• High Stakes Examinations: Competitive exams with limited seats often lead to increased pressure to obtain the question paper illegally.

Steps Taken

• Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2014: To bring greater transparency, fairness and credibility in the public examinations system.
• National Testing Agency (NTA): Established as a specialized body to make the examination system more scientific, reliable, and professional.
• Digitalization:Transition to online mode reduces the risk of physical paper leaks.
• Advanced Security Features: OMR sheets with Barcode is encoded with student information and paper details and are difficult to replicate.

Way Forward

• Fast-Track Courts: Setting up dedicated courts to expedite trials.
• Provide Compensation: For the preparation, emotional toll and financial costs occurred to students.
• Strengthened Security Measures: Increased surveillance, use of technology, and secure question paper handling procedures.
• Enhance Penalties and Strengthen Enforcement: All States should impose harsh punishments and strict measures as per the Public Examinations Prevention of Unfair Means Act.

{GS2 – IR – Groupings} BIMSTEC Foreign Ministers’ Retreat

• Context (TH): India hosted the 2^nd BIMSTEC Foreign Ministers’ Retreat with a focus on providing an “informal platform to discuss ways and means of cooperating and accelerating action in security, connectivity, trade, and investment within the Bay of Bengal.”

• India is reinforcing relationships with eastern neighbors to counter China’s influence in the Bay of Bengal and to reinforce its status as a key security partner in the region.

Strengthening Ties with Eastern Neighbors

• Strengthening ties with Bangladesh and Myanmar accords the advantage of providing landlocked northeastern regions with access to the sea.
• Improved ties with Myanmar and Thailand will enhance their presence in the Indo-Pacific, leveraging their ASEAN membership.
• BIMSTEC Vision reflects India’s Neighbourhood First, Act East Policy, and SAGAR vision.
• India announced support for cancer research and e-visas for patients of all BIMSTEC states.
• Members shared ideas such as mapping mineral resources, promoting vertical integration in production, and cooperation in the Blue Economy.
• The multilateral retreat also had significant bilateral achievements:
  • Myanmar: India raised concerns about the flow of displaced persons, narcotics, and arms across the border and urged for the return of unlawfully detained Indians.
  • Bangladesh: Bangladesh requested India’s help to ensure the smooth supply of daily essentials and the technical team for the Teesta project.

{GS3 – Envi – CC} Carbon Trading Mechanism in Agriculture Sector

• Context (PIB): The Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare announced in Rajya Sabha that the agriculture sector is now included under the Carbon Credit Trading Scheme, 2023.

Carbon Credit Trading Scheme, 2023

• It is an initiative by the Ministry of Power for implementation of carbon trading mechanism in India.
• Under this, carbon credit certificates are issued by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) to entities that surpass their emission reduction targets.
• The Ministry of Power notifies obligated entities based on recommendations from the BEE.
• Emission intensity targets are set by the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, based on recommendations from the Ministry of Power.
• Entities failing to meet their targets must purchase carbon credit certificates.
• The scheme is overseen by a National Steering Committee chaired by the Power Secretary.

Carbon Trading Mechanism in Agriculture Sector

• The Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare has developed a framework to promote the Voluntary Carbon Market (VCM), to promote carbon markets among the farming community.
• The primary objective of the VCM is to create awareness and build capacity among stakeholders.
• Farmers can adopt sustainable agriculture practices and receive additional income from carbon credits and other agro-ecological benefits (improved soil, water, and biodiversity).
• In the long run, this framework will contribute to sustainable development goals, support rural livelihoods, and promote resilience in agriculture.

Read more >Reducing Carbon Footprint of Agrifood Systems

{GS3 – Envi – Degrdation} Oil Spills

• Context (IE): Typhoon Gaemi caused the sinking of the MT Terra Nova, which was carrying 1.4 million liters of oil, in Manila Bay.
• The oil spill could become the largest in Philippine history and their Coast Guard is deploying containment booms and skimmers for mitigation.

What is an Oil Spill?

• It occurs when oil is accidentally released into the environment (typically from tankers, drilling rigs, pipelines, or refineries). They can be triggered by natural disasters, human error, or equipment failure.
• When oil spills into water, it spreads rapidly (lighter density compared to water).
• This forms a layer on the surface that blocks sunlight and disrupts photosynthesis in marine plants and phytoplankton.

Impact on the Environment

• Marine animals (near the surface) face immediate dangers.
• Oil coating on birds’ feathers impairs their insulation, leading to hypothermia and drowning.
• Fish and invertebrates suffer from reproductive and growth challenges.
• Oil suffocates coastal ecosystems (mangroves, coral reefs, and marshlands), killing vital plants and animals, with recovery taking decades and some species facing extinction threats.
• Can reduce biodiversity due to bioaccumulation.

Read more >Concerns with Oil Spill

Challenges with Cleaning

• Rough seas or strong currents complicate containment and removal.
• Varied oil properties, like sinking or emulsifying with water, make separation difficult.
• Chemical dispersants may harm marine life.
• Manual clean-up is labor-intensive and less effective in remote areas.
• The cleanup effort is often costly and lengthy, diverting resources from other critical areas.
• Major oil spills from the past show complex recovery challenges (Exxon Valdez spill(1989), Gulf of Alaska and Deepwater Horizon disaster(2010).

{GS3 – Envi – Species} Tigers in India

• Context (TH): Government data indicates that 628 tigers have died in India over the past five years, and 349 people have been killed in tiger attacks during this period.

Read More >National Tiger Conservation Authority, Project Tiger,Man Animal Conflict

{GS3 – S&T – AI} Environmental Impact of AI

• Context (IE): Artificial intelligence (AI) has a very heavy emissions footprint, becoming evident now as Google’s Environment Report, 2023 revealed a 13% rise in emissions due to higher electricity consumption in data centers, driven by AI tools.

Negative Impact

• Power guzzling intelligence: Simple AI queries (like in ChatGPT) can use 10-33 times more energy than a Google search.
• Greater Data Processing: AI models require extensive data processing, leading to increased electrical signal usage, heat generation, and cooling needs.
• Rising Global Demand: Data centers account for 1-1.3% of global electricity demand, projected to reach 1.5-3% by 2026, surpassing electric vehicles’ 0.5% share (International Energy Agency).
• Significant Regional Impact: Data centers consume up to 18% of national electricity in Ireland and 1.3-4.5% in the US (International Energy Agency). Similar data is lacking for India.
• Water Resource Strain: Cooling data centers demand substantial water; for example, GPT-4’s data center in Iowa(US) used 6% of the district’s water supply.
• Future Concerns for India: Rapid AI and data center expansion in India could exacerbate environmental impacts, necessitating efficient planning and emission reduction measures

Positive Impact

• AI-driven optimization can significantly enhance energy efficiency in industrial processes and transportation, reducing overall consumption.
• AI facilitates in designing materials that require fewer resources and improves battery storage and carbon capture technologies.
• AI enhances the efficiency of electricity use from renewable sources and improves energy management in smart grids and power plants.
• AI systems can monitor real-time environmental changes as well as track illegal activities(like poaching) offering timely data for action.
• AI helps in optimizing agricultural practices by analyzing images to detect crop nutrition needs, pests, and diseases.
• AI can be used to monitor and predict emissions and optimize existing processes. For example, Boston Consulting Group study found that applying AI to industrial practices could reduce global emissions by 5-10% by 2030 and generate $1.3 trillion to $2.6 trillion in cost savings.

{Prelims – In News} Tinzaparin

• Context (TH): Recently, researchers found that tinzaparin significantly reduces cell damage caused by spitting cobra venom.

• It is a drug for serious blood clots and works by producing antibodies that inhibit the synthesis of heparan sulfate (an anticoagulant) targeted by the venom.
• It is inexpensive and widely available.

Heparan sulphate

• It is a sugar compound present in all animal tissues.
• It regulates the formation of blood vessels and blood clots in the human body.