Current Affairs – October 08, 2025

{GS1 – Geo – PG – Geomorphology} Landslides in West Bengal and Himachal Pradesh

• Context (IE | IE): Recently, heavy rainfall triggered a series of deadly landslides across the Himalayan districts of Darjeeling and Kalimpong in West Bengal, and Bilaspur district in Himachal Pradesh.

About Landslide

• Definition: A landslide is the rapid downward movement of rock, debris, or soil caused by gravity, often triggered by rainfall, earthquakes, or human disturbances.
• Mechanism: Landslides occur when the downward gravitational force exceeds the binding strength of the slope materials (e.g., soil, rock), resulting in large-scale mass movement.
• Natural Triggers: Long monsoon spells, seismic tremors, volcanic activity, snowmelt, inadequate drainage, rapid river incision, and glacial retreat.
• Human Factors: Deforestation, slope cutting for roads, unregulated construction, quarrying, and alteration of natural drainage channels.
• Flagship Project: National Landslide Risk Mitigation Project (NLRMP) was launched to strengthen hazard mapping, real-time monitoring, and early warning systems in 66 landslide-prone districts in India.
  • National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), under the Ministry of Home Affairs, is the nodal agency for the project.

Landslide Distribution in India

• Extent in India: About 12.6% of India’s non-snow-covered land, or nearly 0.42 million square kilometres, is vulnerable to landslides (GSI). 42% of the vulnerable area is in the Northeastern region.
• Regional Share: The North-Western Himalayas account for 66.5% of landslides, followed by the North-Eastern Himalayas (18.8%) and the Western Ghats (14.7%).
• States Hotspots: Mizoram recorded the highest number of landslides with 12,385 cases (1998-2022), followed by Uttarakhand (11,219) and Jammu & Kashmir (7280).
• District Hotspots: Rudraprayag and Tehri Garhwal districts in Uttarakhand report the highest landslide density, especially along the Alaknanda valley and Char Dham route.

Read More > Landslides

{GS2 – Social Sector – Health – Issues} E-Cigarettes and the Rising Health Risks**

• Context (NOA | ET): WHO’s first global estimate of e-cigarette use reveals that teens are nine times more likely to vape than adults.

Key Findings of WHO’s Report

• 15 million teens (13–15 yrs) use e-cigarettes, and youth are 9 times more likely to vape than adults.
• Total Vapers: >100 million globally, including 86 million adults, mainly in high-income countries.
• Tobacco users declined from 1.38 billion (2000) → 1.2 billion (2024).
• Regional Trends
  • Southeast Asia: Male tobacco use fell from 70% → 37% (2000–2024).
  • Europe: Now the highest tobacco prevalence (24.1% overall).

Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act, 2019

• Complete Ban: The Act prohibits the production, manufacture, import, export, transport, sale, distribution, storage, and advertisement of all electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes).
• Prohibited Activities: No individual or company can trade, advertise, or promote e-cigarettes.
• Penalties:
  • Manufacture, sale, or advertisement: Imprisonment up to 1 year or a fine up to ₹1 lakh (first offence); for subsequent offences, imprisonment up to 3 years or a fine up to ₹5 lakh.
  • Storage of e-cigarettes: Imprisonment up to 6 months or a fine up to ₹50,000, or both.
• Exemptions: The Act does not apply to approved research and testing activities.

Challenges in the Implementation of the Act in India

• Online Sales: A 2023 study by the NGO Voluntary Health Association of India found that over 60% of e-cigarette products were accessible via e-commerce platforms in India.
• Youth Targeting: Influencer marketing on social media and flavour-based products attract minors.
• Absence of Cessation Support: Only 1 in 5 tobacco users in India has access to counselling or nicotine replacement therapy (Global Adult Tobacco Survey, 2022).
• Product Innovation: New disposable and flavoured devices enter the market under alternative brand names, evading customs and enforcement scrutiny.

Way Forward

• Digital Surveillance: Deploy AI-based monitoring tools to detect online vape sales and social-media promotions. E.g. Inspired by the EU’s “Track & Trace” digital monitoring system.
• Youth Awareness Campaigns: Integrate anti-vaping education under the National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP). E.g. New Zealand’s “Vape-Free Schools” policy to reduce adolescent exposure.
• Cessation Infrastructure: Expand quit-support helplines like “mCessation Programme” under Digital India, which has already helped over 3 million tobacco users attempt quitting.
• Inter-Agency Coordination: Create a central “Nicotine Product Enforcement Task Force” involving the MoHFW, IT Ministry, and the Customs.

Read More > E-Cigarettes

{GS2 – Social Sector – Health} National Centre for Vector Borne Diseases Control

• Context (TH): Recently, the National Centre for Vector Borne Diseases Control (NCVBDC) reported over 4,000 dengue cases in Telangana between April and August 2025.

National Centre for Vector Borne Diseases Control

• Nodal agency under Ministry of Health & Family Welfare for prevention of vector-borne diseases.
• Implements the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP) and provides technical and financial support to States/UTs.
• Focuses on six major diseases — malaria, dengue, chikungunya, Japanese encephalitis, kala-azar, and lymphatic filariasis; malaria, kala-azar, and lymphatic filariasis are targeted for elimination, while others are closely monitored for outbreaks.
• Facilitates surveillance, capacity building, entomological research, and quality control to strengthen disease prevention and control.
• Key initiatives include the National Anti-Malaria Programme, Kala-azar Control Programme, National Filaria Control Programme, and Dengue & Chikungunya Control Programme.

{GS2 – Governance – Initiatives} SC Issues Nationwide Directions for Road Safety

• Context (LL | TH): The Supreme Court has directed all States and UTs to formulate comprehensive road safety rules within six months.

Key Directives Issued by SC

• Framing of Rules: States and UTs must include provisions on helmet enforcement, pedestrian crossings, wrong-lane driving, unsafe overtaking, and LED headlight.
• Helmet Enforcement: Authorities will ensure compliance for both riders and pillion passengers through e-enforcement systems, including camera surveillance and digital challans.
• Pedestrian Safety: Safe crossings, shaded waiting zones, tactile paving, and adherence to Indian Roads Congress (IRC) standards at bus terminals, metro, and railway stations.
• Accountability: Under Section 198A of the MV Act, officials and contractors can be personally liable for pedestrian deaths caused by poor road design or maintenance.
• LED Headlights & Hooters: The court directed the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) and State authorities to define maximum luminance and beam angles.
  • Also directed to ban unauthorised red-blue strobe lights and hooters completely.

Grievance Redressal and Monitoring

• States, municipal bodies, and the NHAI must create a dedicated online grievance redressal system for complaints on footpath maintenance, encroachment, and pedestrian issues.
• The system must include a review mechanism for unresolved complaints.
• The Supreme Court will continue to monitor compliance and review progress after seven months.

Read More> Road Safety in India

{GS2 – IR – India-Qatar} India–Qatar Joint Meetings 2025

• Context (PIB | NOA): The Indian Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal, co-chaired the Qatar–India Joint Commission on Economic and Commercial Cooperation and addressed the Joint Business Council meeting in Doha with his Qatari counterpart.

Key Highlights

• Trade Expansion: Both sides recognised untapped trade potential and agreed to double bilateral trade (USD 14 billion in FY25) by 2030.
• CEPA Progress: They reaffirmed the establishment of a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) to enhance trade and investment flows.
• Energy Partnership: India acknowledged Qatar’s long-term agreement for LNG supply of 7.5 million tonnes per year from 2028.
• Digital Cooperation: India launched the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) in Doha, making it the eighth country to accept UPI.

Read More > India-Qatar Relations

{GS2 – IR – Issues} United Arab Emirates Introduces Sugar Tax *

• Context (IE): The United Arab Emirates (UAE) will implement a sugar tax on sweetened beverages beginning January 1, 2026, to decrease high sugar consumption and promote public health.

• The new legislation aligns with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)’s regional framework for a tiered volumetric excise on sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs).

About Sugar Tax

• A sugar tax is a fiscal policy that raises the price of sweetened beverages through taxation to decrease excessive sugar consumption and promote healthier lifestyles.
• Objectives: The measure aims to lower the burden of sugar-related illnesses (e.g., obesity, diabetes, etc.) while raising funds for public health programs.
• India Policy: India imposes a 40% sin tax on sugary drinks, in addition to 28% GST and 12% compensation cess, making the overall tax burden among the highest worldwide.

About the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)

• The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is a regional political and economic alliance established to promote political, financial, and security cooperation among member nations.
• Formation: Founded in 1981, as a response to the Iran-Iraq War and the 1979 Iranian Revolution, it comprises six Arab states: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
• Security Arm: The Peninsula Shield Force, established in 1984, serves as the GCC’s joint military force.

{GS3 – S&T – Defence} Defence Manufacturing Target of ₹3 Lakh Crore by 2029**

• Context (NOA | TH): India has set an ambitious target to achieve ₹3 lakh crore in defence manufacturing and ₹50,000 crore in defence exports by 2029.

Rising Domestic Defence Production

• India’s defence production reached a record ₹1.5 lakh crore in FY 2024-25, a sharp increase from ₹46,000 crore in 2014.
• Approximately 25% of annual procurement is now reserved for MSMEs, with over 350 items earmarked exclusively.
• In FY 2024-25, the Ministry of Defence awarded 92% of contracts to the domestic industry.
• Defence Production and Export Promotion Policy (DPEPP) 2020 targets ₹1.75 lakh crore in production and ₹35,000 crore in exports by 2025.

Defence Startups on the Rise

• Defence Minister has urged entrepreneurs to create India’s first defence unicorn, a $1 billion startup that would signify the maturity of the domestic defence ecosystem.
• Since its launch in 2018, the Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) programme has supported over 650 innovators and led to prototype procurements worth ₹3,000 crore.
• Under the new Defence Procurement Manual (DPM-2025), startups will receive assured five-year contracts, which can be extended for another five years.

Government Initiatives for Defence Production

• The government introduced Positive Indigenisation Lists (PILs) to ban imports of specific items and promote domestic manufacturing.

• Indigenous manufacturing is gaining momentum, with 64% of Tejas Light Combat Aircraft parts made locally.
• Liberalised FDI policy allows up to 74% through the automatic route and higher.

Read More> Defence Procurement Manual (DPM) 2025 | AI In Warfare | Defence Modernisation in India

{GS3 – Envi – Degradation} Wildfire Smoke & Rising Mortality

• Context (IE): Researchers warn that if current warming trends persist, wildfire smoke exposure could kill 70,000 Americans annually by 2050 +

  The study links rising temperatures, worsening wildfires, and PM2.5 pollution to major health threats.

Key Facts from the Research

• Annual smoke-related deaths projected to reach 70,000 (by 2050) vs. ~12,000 currently. (Nature, 2025)
• Over 2 million cumulative deaths expected by 2050 if emissions persist.
• Planet warmed 1.3°C since the Industrial Revolution.
• Frequency of extreme wildfires has doubled in two decades. (Stanford–Harvard study, 2025)
• Regional Hotspots:
  • +4,500 annual smoke-related deaths in California.
  • New York, Texas, Washington: 1,800–2,000 additional annual deaths each.
  • 50% of total deaths expected in the Eastern U.S. due to higher population density.

Impacts of Global Wildfires

• Public Health Crisis: Wildfire smoke (PM2.5) exposure causes over 3 lakh premature deaths annually, leading to spikes in respiratory and cardiac diseases (WHO, 2024).
• Climate Feedback Loop: Fires release billions of tonnes of CO₂, worsening global warming and triggering more frequent and intense fires.
• Biodiversity Loss: Massive habitat destruction in ecosystems like the Amazon and Australian bushlands, threatening endangered species and disrupting food chains.
• Economic Damage: Global wildfire losses crossed $120 billion in 2024, affecting tourism, agriculture, and property, especially in the U.S., Canada, and Europe.

Way Forward

• Regional Fire Cooperation: Establish cross-border wildfire response & data-sharing systems. E.g. ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution
• Climate-Resilient Forestry: Promote fire-resistant tree species and restore degraded lands. E.g. UN-REDD, Bonn Challenge – restore 350M ha by 2030)
• Early Warning Systems: Deploy satellite-based fire alerts and AI smoke models. E.g. Global Wildland Fire Network – FAO initiative)
• Public Health Protection: Strengthen air quality monitoring & issue smoke advisories. E.g. WHO–UNEP Global Alliance on Health & Pollution

Read More> California Fires, Forest Fires

{GS3 – Bio – Diseases} Viridans Streptococci Causing Heart Attacks *

• Context (TH): A study by researchers in Finland found that viridans streptococci, a group of common oral bacteria, can evade the immune system and directly contribute to fatal heart attacks.

Viridans Streptococci

• Viridans streptococci are Gram-positive bacteria that usually live harmlessly in the oral cavity and the digestive, respiratory, & female reproductive tracts of healthy individuals.
• They can cause dental cavities, gum infections, and infective endocarditis (a severe infection of the heart valves) when they enter the bloodstream through gum injuries or dental procedures.
• Survival Mechanism: These bacteria can form sticky layers called biofilms, which enable them to attach to tissue surfaces & evade detection by the immune system; this makes them resistant to antibiotics.
• Treatment: Preventive measures include maintaining good oral hygiene & treating gum disease early.

How Do They Trigger Heart Attacks?

• These bacteria enter and stay hidden in the fatty deposits of the coronary arteries by forming biofilms.
• When these fatty deposits rupture, bacterial fragments come into contact with the bloodstream.
• This activates Toll-Like Receptor-2 (TLR2), triggering inflammation and clot formation that block blood flow and cause a heart attack.

Read More > Diseases Caused By Bacteria

{GS3 – S&T – Tech} Nobel Prize in Physics 2025 *

• Context (IE): John Clarke (UK), Michel Devoret (France), and John Martinis (USA) won the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics for demonstrating Macroscopic Quantum Tunnelling in visible electrical circuits.

• Their discovery confirmed that quantum phenomena, once thought limited to subatomic particles, can also manifest in macroscopic systems, expanding the boundaries of quantum mechanics.

About Macroscopic Quantum Tunnelling (MQT)

• Macroscopic quantum tunnelling occurs when a large-scale system crosses an energy barrier (quantum tunnelling) without having enough classical energy to do so.
  • Energy Barrier: It is a region of higher potential energy that classically prevents particles or systems from moving across.
• Quantum Principle: This tunnelling phenomenon occurs because of wave-particle duality, where matter behaves both as a particle and a wave.
• Significance: Demonstrating MQT in visible circuits bridges the gap between quantum and classical physics, paving the way for quantum technologies.

About Josephson Junction

• A Josephson junction consists of two superconductors separated by an ultrathin insulating layer that allows quantum tunnelling of electron pairs.
• Mechanism: Cooper pairs pass through the insulating barrier via Quantum Tunnelling, producing a supercurrent to flow without any applied voltage.
• Qubits: These junctions form the building blocks of quantum bits (qubits) used in quantum computers.
• Innovation: Clarke and his team improved shielding and cooling techniques to precisely isolate the setup from interference and confirm quantum effects on a macroscopic scale.

Read More > Quantum Physics

{GS3 – S&T – Tech} Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2025 *

• Context (TH): The 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to Susumu Kitagawa (Japan), Richard Robson (Australia), and Omar M. Yaghi (USA) for developing metal-organic frameworks (MOFs).

About Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs)

• Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are crystalline, porous materials made of metal ions as “nodes” connected by organic molecules called “linkers.”
• Functionality: Their lattice structure creates large cavities that can store substances, catalyse reactions, or conduct electricity.
• Porosity: MOFs have large internal surface areas, often exceeding 7,000 square meters per gram, which allows for remarkable molecular adsorption and storage capacity.
• Tunable Design: By modifying metal nodes and linkers, chemists can accurately control pore size, geometry, and reactivity for specialised applications.

Applications of Metal-Organic Frameworks

• Water Harvesting: Extracts water from desert air using temperature-driven vapour release cycles.
• Gas Storage: Captures and stores carbon dioxide & hydrogen for clean energy and climate mitigation.
• Pollution Removal: Filters toxic substances like PFAS from contaminated water sources.
• Drug Degradation: Breaks down residual pharmaceuticals in wastewater, preventing ecological toxicity.
• Metal Recovery: Extracts rare earth elements from industrial wastewater for recycling and reuse.
• Catalysis: Accelerates decomposition of hydrocarbons and antibiotics in polluted environments.

{Prelims} One Liners

• In News – Indian Air Force (IAF) Day (TH): IAF Day is celebrated annually on October 8 to commemorate the establishment of IAF in 1932 as an auxiliary wing of the British Royal Air Force. The 2025 celebration marked the 93^rd anniversary with the theme “Beyond Boundaries: Guardians of the Sky.”