Current Affairs – November 21, 2024

{GS1 – Geo – PG – Water Resources} “Bhu-Neer” Portal

• Context (PIB): The Ministry of Jal Shakti launched the “Bhu-Neer” portal during the concluding ceremony of India Water Week 2024.

• Developed by Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, in collaboration with National Informatics Centre (NIC), to improve groundwater regulation across India.

Features of “Bhu-Neer”

• PAN-Based Single ID System: This feature allows users to use their PAN (Permanent Account Number) as a single identification system for all groundwater-related activities.
• NOC with QR Code: The portal issues No Objection Certificates (NOCs) with QR codes, ensuring easy verification and authenticity.
• Centralised Database: Provides comprehensive details on the legal framework governing groundwater extraction, regulations at both state and national levels, and access to critical information on groundwater compliance, policies, and sustainable practices.
• Ease of Doing Business: Makes groundwater regulation seamless & faceless.

Current State of Water in India

• Water Scarcity: India, with 18% of the world’s population, has only 4% of its freshwater resources, making it one of the most water-stressed countries globally. As of 2024, this imbalance highlights the nation’s severe water scarcity issues.
• Groundwater Depletion: Groundwater accounts for 80% of the drinking water supply and two-thirds of the irrigation needs in India. Over-extraction of groundwater has led to severe depletion, especially in agricultural states like Punjab, where the water table is drastically falling.
• Water Pollution: Approximately 70% of India’s water is contaminated, with nearly half of the country’s rivers unsafe for drinking or irrigation. India ranks 120^th out of 122 countries on the Global Water Quality Index 2024, indicating poor water quality.
• Rural Water Access: Around 163 million Indians lack access to safe drinking water. Around 600 million people in India face high-to-extreme water stress, with many rural areas still dependent on unsafe water.
• Climate Vulnerability: Climate change has exacerbated droughts and floods, further impacting water availability in India. By 2030, India’s water supply is projected to meet only half of the country’s demand.

Factors Contributing to the Water Crisis in India

• Rapid Population Growth and Urbanization: The increasing population and rapid urbanisation have led to a heightened demand for water, straining the existing water resources and infrastructure.
• Inefficient Agricultural Practices: Agriculture consumes about 80% of India’s freshwater. The dependency on water-intensive crops and inefficient irrigation methods leads to unsustainable water usage.
• Pollution of Water Bodies: Industrial waste, untreated sewage, and agricultural runoff have heavily polluted rivers, lakes, and groundwater, reducing the availability of safe, potable water.
• Depleting Groundwater Reserves: Excessive groundwater extraction, especially for agricultural purposes, has caused significant groundwater depletion in states like Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan.
• Climate Change: Irregular rainfall patterns, frequent droughts & changing monsoon cycles due to climate change have disrupted water availability, worsening the crisis in drought-prone & semi-arid regions.
• Over-Reliance on Monsoons: India’s heavy reliance on monsoon rainfall to replenish water resources makes country vulnerable to monsoon variability, impacting agricultural production and water availability.
• Unequal Distribution and Access: Regional disparities in water availability result in some areas facing acute shortages while others have abundant resources. This unequal distribution leads to limited access to water, particularly in rural and marginalised communities.
• Weak Governance and Policy Implementation: Inconsistent & fragmented water policies, poor governance,& weak enforcement of regulations hinder effective water management and conservation efforts.

Government Initiatives Related to Water Management in India

• Atal Bhujal Yojana
• Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM)
• Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana
• Jal Shakti Abhiyan- Catch the Rain Campaign
• National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG)

{GS1 – MH – Dynasty} Surpur Empire

• Context (TH): Viragallu (hero stones) memorial stones commemorates the deaths of heroes in battle.

About The Surpur Empire

• Also known as the Shorapur Principality, was a state in present-day Yadgir district, Karnataka.
• Rulers: Ruled by the Nayak Dynasty, with Raja Venkatappa Nayak as the last ruler.

History

• The Bedars, a community whose name means “hunter” in Kannada, became the rulers of Surpur after the fall of Vijayanagara.
• Raja Venkatappa Nayak led a rebellion against the British East India Company in 1857, refusing to accept their sovereignty.
• The British captured the city of Surpur, and Raja Venkatappa Nayak was forced to flee to Hyderabad.
• Palace: An example of the superior architecture of the Nayak reign. It features fine wooden work, stone carving, and plasterwork.
• Surpur paintings: Surpur paintings are a type of miniature art that are now largely no longer produced.

{GS2 – Governance – Reforms} Prison Reforms in India

• Context (TH): Indian prisons struggle to balance their dual roles of punishment and rehabilitation.
• The recent introduction of the Model Prisons Act 2023 seeks to modernize India’s prison system and address these long-standing issues.

Challenges in Indian Prisons

• Overcrowding: Prisons house over 5.73 lakh prisoners against a capacity of 4.36 lakh (NCRB 2022); some operate at more than 200% capacity.
• Understaffing: 33% vacancies among prison staff; shortage impacts administration and security.
• High Percentage of Undertrials: 68% of prisoners are undertrials, often languishing for years without conviction.
• Poor Infrastructure: Inadequate hygiene, healthcare, food, clothing and lack of separate spaces for undertrials, convicts, and hardened criminals.
• Limited Reformation: Focus on punishment over rehabilitation, with inadequate vocational training, education and reintegration programs.
• Mental Health Crisis: Over 9,000 prisoners with mental illnesses and 150 suicides, compounded by a lack of mental health professionals in prisons.
• Inequality and Corruption: Influential prisoners receive preferential treatment, while corruption facilitates illegal activities within prisons.
• Barriers for Persons with Disabilities (PwDs): Inaccessible cells and facilities, with Father Stan Swamy case highlighting the severe conditions for disabled inmates.

Impacts of a Flawed Prison System

• Human Rights Violations: Denial of basic rights leads to inhumane living conditions.
• Increased Criminality: Poor rehabilitation increases chances of reoffending.
• Judicial Challenges: Foreign courts cite poor prison conditions to deny extradition requests.
• Global Reputation: Non-compliance with international standards, such as Nelson Mandela Rules, damages India’s image.

Institutional Efforts

Committees and Reports

• Justice A.N. Mulla Committee (1980): Suggested increasing staff and bringing prison management under the Concurrent List.
• Justice Krishna Iyer Committee (1980): Highlighted issues faced by women prisoners.

Model Prisons Act, 2023

• Replaces outdated colonial laws like the Prisons Act, 1894.
• Separate accommodations for women and transgender inmates.
• Emphasis on rehabilitation through skill development and vocational training.
• Transparency through grievance redressal and technological integration (e.g., video conferencing with courts).

Steps to Modernize Indian Prisons

• Legal and Policy Reforms: Strictly implement Section 436A of CrPC to reduce undertrial incarceration.
• Infrastructure Development: Build more prisons to ease overcrowding; upgrade hygiene, healthcare, and accessibility; introduce open prisons based on Rajasthan’s model.
• Focus on Mental and Physical Well-being: Implement the National Mental Health Policy, 2014 and increase mental health professionals and counselors in prisons.
• Rehabilitation and Aftercare: Provide vocational training and skill development, establish aftercare and probation programs to reduce recidivism.
• Data and Accountability: Conduct regular audits and monitoring; maintain records on prisoner demographics, particularly for PwDs.
• Technological Integration: Install jammers to prevent unauthorized communication; use video conferencing to reduce the need for prisoner transport.

Benefits of Comprehensive Prison Reforms

• Reduced Recidivism (tendency of previously convicted individuals to relapse into criminal behavior): A focus on rehabilitation can transform offenders into productive members of society.
• Human Rights Compliance: Aligns India with global standards like the UN’s Nelson Mandela Rules.
• Better Judicial Outcomes: Streamlined processes ensure quicker trials & reduced undertrial population.

Way Forward: Building a Humane Penal System

• Implement the Model Prisons Act 2023 effectively to shift from punitive confinement to rehabilitative justice.
• Holistic Approach: Combine legislative reforms with societal awareness campaigns to destigmatize prisoners.
• Civil Society Participation: NGOs and experts can assist in monitoring and advocacy.
• Model Prisons as Examples: Pilot projects in progressive states can set benchmarks for nationwide implementation.

{GS2 – Social Sector – Health} HIV Genome Detection

• Context (PIB): Researchers developed an innovative diagnostic platform called GQ-RCP (GQ Topology-Targeted Reliable Conformational Polymorphism) for detection of HIV genome-derived G-Quadruplex (GQ) structures.

• The platform offers an improvement in reducing false-positive results compared to conventional diagnostic methods by targeting specific nucleic acid sequences.
• The innovation utilises a fluorometric test that recognises unique GQ structures and a characteristic DNA configuration, thereby enhancing reliability and accuracy in HIV detection.

Background on HIV and Diagnostic Challenges

• HIV-1: It is a retrovirus causing AIDS and poses a global health threat due to its persistent nature.
• Current Diagnostic Issues: Existing HIV diagnostics often miss early infections and risk false positives due to cross-reactivity.
• Early Detection Limitations: Conventional methods have reduced sensitivity and long processing times.
• Nucleic Acid-Based Diagnostics: These diagnostics are prone to false positives because general DNA probes do not distinguish between specific and non-specific amplicons.

What are G-Quadruplexes (GQs)?

• GQs are four-stranded non-canonical DNA structures formed by sequences rich in guanine. These structures are known to exist in pathogenic genomes, such as HIV, and represent a specific target for novel molecular probes.

The GQ-RCP Platform

• Initial Use: Originally designed for detecting pathogens like SARS-CoV-2.
• Adaptation for HIV: The platform was adapted for HIV diagnosis, showcasing its versatility.

How the GQ-RCP Platform Works?

• Reverse Transcription and Amplification: The method involves reverse transcription and amplification of a 176-nucleotide-long segment of HIV DNA.
• pH-Mediated Transition: The study demonstrated a single-step quantitative transition of double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) into the GQ conformation at specific pH levels.
• Fluorometric Detection: The GQ structure is recognised by the fluorescent probe (TGS64), which emits a detectable signal.

Advantages of the GQ-RCP Platform

• High Specificity: Reduces the risk of false positives caused by non-specific amplification.
• Ease of Integration: It can be incorporated into existing diagnostic systems for broader applications.
• Versatility: Suitable for detecting various DNA/RNA-based pathogens, including bacteria and viruses.

{GS2 – Social Sector – Health} Nafithromycin – India’s first Indigenous antibiotic

• Context (PIB): The Government announces India’s first indigenous antibiotic, Nafithromycin, to tackle Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR).

• It is a collaborative effort supported by the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) under the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and under the Biotechnology Industry Partnership Program (BIPP) brought to market by Wockhardt under the trade name Miqnaf.
• It is specifically developed to treat Community-Acquired Bacterial Pneumonia (CABP), a severe condition caused by drug-resistant bacteria.
• CABP disproportionately affects vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly, and immune-compromised individuals, including patients with diabetes and cancer.

Key Features

• Short Treatment Duration: A three-day regimen offers 10 times the efficacy than existing antibiotics.
• Broad-Spectrum Action: Targets both typical and atypical pathogens, addressing gaps left by existing antibiotics like azithromycin.
• Improved Safety Profile: Minimal gastrointestinal side effects, no significant drug interactions, and unaffected by food consumption, ensuring patient convenience.
• Global Innovation: Nafithromycin is the first new antibiotic in its class globally in over 30 years.

{GS2 – Vulnerable Sections – Women} Part-Time Employment: A Key to Boost Women’s Workforce Participation

• Context (IE): India’s low female labour force participation rate of 37% is primarily driven by excessive caregiving responsibilities and the absence of structured part-time employment contracts.

Need for Enhancing Women’s Workforce Participation

• Economic Growth: Higher participation rate can unlock untapped productivity & enhance GDP growth.
• Reduced Poverty: Dual-income households can achieve better financial stability.
• Social Empowerment: Women’s employment challenges gender stereotypes and fosters equality.
• Utilizing Skills: Many educated/skilled women remain unemployed due to societal & structural barriers.

Current Scenario of Female Labor Force Participation

• Global Comparison: In developed nations, fewer than 40% of the working-age population is outside the labor force, while in India, this figure is nearly 60%.
• India’s Female Labor Force Participation Rate (FLFPR):
  • PLFS data: Increased from 23.3% in 2017-18 to 37% in 2022-23.
  • Rural FLFPR: Rose from 24.6% to 41.5%, driven by self-employment in agriculture.
  • Urban FLFPR: Marginal growth from 20.4% to 24.5%, highlighting challenges in engaging skilled women in urban areas.

Advantages of Part-Time Employment for Women

• Flexibility: Part-time contracts offer flexibility, allowing women to balance work and caregiving duties.
• Work Opportunities: These contracts can provide valuable job opportunities, especially for women already engaged in household responsibilities.
• Access to the Labor Market: A structured part-time work framework can help women re-enter the labour force without needing to commit to full-time employment.

Challenges to Part-Time Employment for Women

• Lack of Framework: India’s labor laws poorly define part-time work, with no job security, regulated wages or guaranteed hours; the Minimum Wage Act (1948) does not account for part-time roles.
• Lack of Regulation: Part-time work often lacks protections like job security, regulated pay, or a minimum number of hours.
• Employer Discretion: Many part-time jobs are based on employer discretion, with inconsistent work schedules and conditions.
• Potential for Exploitation: Without proper legal frameworks, part-time women employees may face unfair treatment or exploitation in terms of wages and work conditions.
• Other challenges

Way Forward

• Policy Reforms: Governments should introduce clear laws addressing part-time work, ensuring fair pay, job security, and regulated work hours.
• Job Creation in Urban Areas: Focus on creating more job opportunities for skilled women in urban settings, ensuring alignment with their education and skills.
• Awareness and Education: Raise awareness about the benefits of part-time work and encourage employers to offer more flexible employment options.
• Incentivizing Employers: Government incentives can encourage businesses to adopt part-time roles, ensuring they provide fair compensation and job stability.
• Work-Life Balance Support: Policies that support work-life balance, like childcare support or family leave, could ease the caregiving burden on women.

{GS3 – Envi – Plastic Pollution} Global Plastics Treaty: A Need for Holistic Lifecycle Management

• Context (DTE): Global negotiations for a legally binding treaty on plastic pollution are advancing, with a key session, INC-5, set to take place in Busan, South Korea, from Nov 25 – Dec 1, 2024.
• The treaty aims to address the entire plastic lifecycle, focusing on human health, environmental protection, and ensuring a just transition for informal waste collectors and recyclers.

Impact of Plastics

• Soil Pollution: Plastics reduce soil fertility, impairing plant growth and agricultural productivity.
• Marine Pollution: Plastics disrupt marine ecosystems, harm aquatic life, and reduce resilience to climate change.
• Water Contamination: Plastic waste pollutes water sources, endangering human and aquatic health.
• Microplastics Hazard: Tiny plastic particles, ingested by humans and animals, pose serious health risks.
• Chemical Leaching: Plastics release harmful chemicals like BPA and phthalates into food and water, leading to severe health issues.
• Production-Related Health Risks: Communities near plastic manufacturing facilities face exposure to toxic chemicals, impacting vulnerable groups like women and children.
• Gendered Health Risks: Women in informal sectors, such as waste picking, face reproductive health issues and increased cancer risks due to chemical exposure.
• Ecosystem Disruption: Plastic pollution weakens ecosystems, exacerbating environmental challenges like climate change.
• Global Inequity in Plastic Waste Management: Low-income communities, especially in South Asia, disproportionately bear the burden of managing imported plastic waste, facing toxic exposure and environmental degradation.

Need for a Global Plastic Treaty

• Lifecycle Impact: Plastics harm ecosystems and human health throughout their lifecycle, releasing hazardous endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) like PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) into air, water, and soil.
• Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC): The INC aims to establish a legally binding global framework to reduce plastic pollution, with the final meeting set in South Korea.
• Terminology Clarity: Clear definitions of “just transition” and the informal waste sector are necessary to ensure effective policy implementation.
• Global Inequity: A treaty is essential to address disproportionate impacts on low-income nations that manage excessive plastic waste imports and environmental degradation.
• Inclusion of Informal Workers: International Alliance of Waste Pickers (IAWP) calls for integrating informal waste collectors into the treaty discussions, ensuring their rights and livelihoods are safeguarded.
• Toxic Chemicals: Hazardous substances in plastics, linked to cancer and hormonal issues, disproportionately affect women and children.
• Polluter Responsibility: Enforcing the “polluter pays” principle ensures producers take accountability for the environmental and health impacts of their products.

Advantages of a Holistic Global Approach

• Health and Environmental Protection: A global treaty will help mitigate the harmful effects of plastic production and disposal, ensuring better health outcomes for vulnerable populations.
• Global Accountability: By holding plastic producers accountable for the entire lifecycle of their products, the treaty could encourage more responsible manufacturing practices and waste management strategies.
• Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration: Addressing the plastic crisis will require collaboration between governments, industries, civil society, and affected communities, including waste pickers’ organizations and the scientific community.

Disadvantages and Potential Challenges

• Implementation Challenges: Enforcing a global treaty could be difficult, especially when it comes to regulating multinational corporations and ensuring compliance from all nations.
• Economic Resistance: Industries reliant on plastic production may resist stringent regulations, citing potential economic impacts, especially in low-income countries where plastic is still heavily used.

Way Forward

• Legal Framework for Plastic Regulation: The treaty should establish a legal framework to regulate hazardous chemicals in plastics, with specific protections for vulnerable groups like women and children.
• Eliminate Single-Use Plastics: Governments should commit to reducing plastic production, particularly single-use plastics, and incentivize the development of eco-friendly alternatives.
• Inclusive Multi-Stakeholder Approach: The treaty should involve a diverse range of stakeholders, including affected communities, waste pickers’ organizations, non-profits, industry leaders, and medical practitioners.
• Support for Vulnerable Regions: South Asia and other vulnerable regions should receive additional support for managing the plastic crisis, including financial aid for waste management and pollution control technologies.
• Incorporating Informal Workers: By including informal waste collectors in policy discussions and protecting their livelihoods, the Global Plastics Treaty can promote social justice and equity.
• Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR): Rethinking EPR norms is crucial to integrating informal workers into the new legal framework.

{Prelims – PIN} Saint Francis Xavier

• Context (IE): The exposition of Saint Francis Xavier’s sacred relics in Goa is a 45-day spiritual event starting in November, attracting pilgrims and tourists for veneration, marked by a religious ceremony.

About Saint Francis Xavier

• Francis Xavier, venerated as Saint Francis Xavier, was a Catholic missionary and saint who was a co-founder of the Society of Jesus.
• He was born in Javier, Kingdom of Navarre (in present-day Spain); he was one of the first seven Jesuits.
• Arrival in Goa: Saint Francis Xavier arrived in Goa in 1542 to restore Christianity among Portuguese settlers. Also referred to as “Goencho Saib” (Lord of Goa).
• Journey: His body was exhumed and transported to Malacca, then transported to Goa in 1554. Now the relics are placed in the Basilica in 1624.

{Prelims – Sci – Bio} Candidatus Phytoplasma: Microbe Affecting Sesame Fields

• Context (PIB): Researchers identified a new microbe Candidatus Phytoplasma, responsible for a peculiar disease affecting the sesame fields of Midnapore in West Bengal.

• The disease causes sesame plants to revert from their flowering and fruiting stage to their vegetative state, with white flowers turning green.

Characteristics of Candidatus Phytoplasma

• It is a cell wall-lacking bacteria produced in plants’ nutrient-rich phloem and sieve cells.
• These bacteria are transmitted primarily through phloem feeder insects (leafhoppers, plant-hoppers, psyllids, and dodders).
• They infect many commercially valuable crops like Catharanthus, tobacco, maise, and grapevine causing disfigurement and virescence of floral parts.

Importance and Historical Background of Sesame

• Sesame, often called the Queen of Oil, is one of the oldest oilseed crops, with remnants found in Harappa and Mohenjodaro.
• It is highly valued for its medicinal properties, containing antioxidants that are beneficial for heart health.
• It is not commonly used as a principal edible oil in India.