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Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs): How to tackle a glacial burst? Why in the news? • The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) had issued detailed guidelines on how to reduce and deal with disasters caused by what is scientifically called Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) in October 2020.
National Disaster Management Policy and Guidelines • The guidelines' main objective is to generate awareness of various aspects of dam failure hazards in India and implement suitable actions to reduce both the risk and costs associated with these hazards. • The Guidelines envision improving administrative response, bringing together the nation's relevant scientific capabilities to eliminate the losses from glacial and landslide hazards. • These Guidelines' main aim and objectives are to develop a strategy that encourages the use of scientific information, maps, methodology, guidance for the early warning system, response management, development, and implementation of initiatives to reduce losses from glacial hazards. How can the risk be reduced? • The NDMA guidelines say that risk reduction has to begin with identifying and mapping such lakes, taking structural measures to prevent their sudden breach, and establishing a mechanism to save lives and property in times of a breach. • According to NDMA, glacial retreat due to climate change occurring in most parts of the Hindu Kush Himalaya has given rise to the formation of numerous new glacial lakes. • Potentially dangerous lakes can be identified based on field observations, records of past events, geomorphologic and geotechnical characteristics of the lake/dam and surroundings, and other physical conditions. • NDMA has recommended the use of Synthetic-Aperture Radar imagery to automatically detect changes in water bodies, including new lake formations, during the monsoon months. About the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) • It is the apex statutory body for disaster management in India. • It is headed by the Prime Minister of India. • The NDMA was formally constituted on 27th September 2006, in accordance with the Disaster Management Act, 2005 with Prime Minister as its Chairperson and nine other members, and one such member to be designated as Vice-Chairperson.
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• It has five major divisions viz. Policy & Plans, Mitigation, Operations & Communications & Information & Technology, Administration and Finance. Mandate • Its primary purpose is to coordinate natural or man-made disasters and capacity- building in disaster resiliency and crisis response. • It is also the apex body to lay down policies, plans, and Disaster Management guidelines to ensure a timely and effective response to disasters. State-level Institutions State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) • It is headed by Chief Minister of the respective state which lays down the policies and plans for disaster management in the state. • It is responsible for coordinating the implementation of the State Plan, recommend the provision of funds for mitigation and preparedness measures and review the developmental plans of the different departments of the state to ensure integration of prevention, preparedness and mitigation measures. District level Institutions District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) • Section 25 of the Disaster Management Act provides for constitution of DDMA for every district of a state. • The District Magistrate/ District Collector/Deputy Commissioner heads the Authority as Chairperson besides an elected representative of the local authority as Co-Chairperson except in the tribal areas where the Chief Executive Member of the District Council of Autonomous District is designated as Co-Chairperson. • Further, in the district, where Zila Parishad exists, its Chairperson shall be the Co- Chairperson of DDMA. • The District Authority is responsible for planning, coordinating, and implementing disaster management and taking such measures for disaster management as provided in the guidelines. • The District Authority also can examine the construction in any area in the district to enforce the safety standards and arrange for relief measures and respond to the disaster at the district level. For further reading: • https://ndma.gov.in/sites/default/files/PDF/Guidelines/Guidelines-on- Management-of-GLOFs.pdf Topic- GS Paper III – Disaster Management Source- Indian Express
The cost of Internet shutdowns Why in the news? • Recently, a principal concern among these has been the recurrent shutdowns, ordered by the Ministry of Home Affairs, of Internet services around many NCR border areas since the unruly incidents on January 26. Background • India shuts down Internet services more than any other democracy in the world. • The past four years have seen over 400 such shutdowns.
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• Many parts of Jammu and Kashmir witnessed a partial restoration of digital services after a long period of 223 days since the abrogation of Article 370 in the erstwhile State.
Important Judgment • The Supreme Court had declared in January 2020 that the right to access the Internet is one of our fundamental rights, alongside the freedom to carry on any trade, business, or occupation over the medium of Internet, under Article 19 of the Constitution. About Internet shutdown • Shutdowns and website blocking, both are controlled by the same agency, the Department of Telecommunications. • Section 69A of IT Act, along with the Information Technology (Procedure and Safeguards for Blocking for Access of Information by Public) Rules, 2009 provide for a mechanism to block information from public access through any computer resource by a direction from the Central Government or any officer specially authorized in this behalf. • The rules for suspending telecommunication services, including voice, mobile Internet, SMS, landline, fixed broadband, etc., are the Temporary Suspension of Telecom Services (Public Emergency or Public Safety) Rules, 2017. • These Rules derive their powers from the Indian Telegraph Act of 1885, Section 5(2), which talks about the interception of messages in the "interests of India's sovereignty and integrity". • Under the 2017 Rules, directions to "suspend the telecom services shall not be issued except by an order made by the Secretary to the Government of India in the Ministry of Home Affairs in the case of Government of India or by the Secretary to the State Government in-charge of the Home Department in the case of a State Government (hereinafter referred to as the competent authority). Impact of Internet Shut down Digital inequality • Blanket bans on digital connectivity during the COVID-19 crisis may breed deep-rooted societal difficulties. Health service • The most vulnerable people may be cut off from health and welfare alerts. Disrupt medical services
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• There could be breaks in vital digital services, including those currently being used by hospitals to monitor their patients' well-being at risk of infection, including the elderly, and pregnant women. E-learning • Students may lose access to avenues of learning as classes shift online. Journalists may find it impossible to do ground-reporting from already volatile areas. International criticism • UN rights groups termed these shutdowns a form of collective punishment for people and an overreach of governments on citizens' rights and liberties. Massive Economic losses • Today, almost all white-collar employment sectors, including IT, financial and consulting services, encourage their employees to work from home. • Internet shutdowns will freeze economic activity in affected areas and cause large-scale disruptions in economic output. • India is estimated to have lost over ₹20,000 crores in 2020 because of Internet shutdowns. Topic- GS Paper II– Polity Source- The Hindu
Economic Impact of Judicial Decisions Why in the news? • Recently, Government think-tank NITI Aayog has asked Jaipur- headquartered research organisation Consumer Unity and Trust Society (CUTS) International to conduct a study on the “economic impact” of various judgments delivered by Supreme Court, the high courts, and quasi-judicial bodies such as the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and the “judicial activism” of such courts and tribunals.
Objectives of the Study • The study aims at a narrative building for sensitising the judiciary on the economic impact of their decisions. • The findings will be used as a training input for judges of commercial courts, NGT, HCs, SC, etc.
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• The study is to do an objective cost-benefit analysis of the economic impact of the decisions. What to study? • As a part of the new study, CUTS International has been asked to study the economic impact of five different decisions by the SC and the NGT which have either stalled or completely stopped projects in various parts of the country. • The first study is on the economic impact of the ban imposed by the apex court in March 2019 on the construction of a greenfield airport at Mopa in Goa. • The top court had suspended an economic clearance granted for the airport and had then asked the Expert Appraisal Committee to revisit its decision. • The ban on construction was lifted by order of the top court in January 2020 but had several revised conditions. 1. The four other judgments, for which the economic impact assessment study will be carried out by CUTS International, include the SC’s February 2018 ban on iron ore mining in Goa. 2. A 2013 NGT ban on sand mining in the Yamuna river in Gautam Buddha Nagar 3. the recurring SC ban on construction of buildings in Delhi and National Capital Region. 4. The apex court’s decision rejecting the opening of Vedanta’s Sterlite copper plant, which has been closed since April 2018 Need for Study on Economic Impact of Judgements • The absence of ex-ante analysis of the economic costs associated with a decision is further exacerbated when judicial activism by courts and tribunals is also in play. • The study is a part of the larger umbrella project undertaken by NITI Aayog under which it wants to establish a judicial performance index. • The judicial performance index would measure the performance of judges at district courts and subordinate levels. Topic- GS Paper II – Polity Source- The Hindu
U.S. moves to rejoin U.N. rights council Why in the news? • The Biden administration is set to announce that it will reengage with the much-maligned U.N. Human Rights Council that former President Donald Trump withdrew from almost three years ago. Reason behind USA's withdrawal • Trump pulled out of the world body's main human rights agency in 2018 due to its disproportionate focus on Israel, which has received by far the largest number of critical council resolutions against any country because it failed to meet an extensive list of reforms.
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• The Trump administration took issue with the body's membership, which currently includes China, Cuba, Eritrea, Russia and Venezuela, all of which have been accused of human rights abuses.
About United Nation Human Rights Council • The UNHRC is the successor to the U.N. Commission on Human Rights and is a subsidiary body of the U.N. General Assembly. • U.N. Human Rights is part of the United Nations Secretariat, and its headquarters in Geneva, as well as an office in New York. • It is responsible for promoting and protecting human rights around the world. • The U.N. General Assembly elects the members by absolute majority. Functions • The work of U.N. Human Rights encompasses three broad areas: human rights standard-setting, monitoring and supporting the implementation of human rights obligations by States. • It collaborates with Governments, parliaments, judicial authorities, police and prison officials, National Human Rights Institutions, NGOs and a broad range of other civil society actors, in addition to United Nations partners, to build awareness of and respect for human rights. • Since Governments have the primary responsibility to protect human rights, the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) provides expertise and technical training to Governments to help implement international human rights standards on the ground. Topic- GS Paper II – International Organization Source- The Hindu
Emirates Mars Mission Why in the news? • Recently, the first Arab interplanetary mission is expected to reach Mars’ orbit. • The unmanned space probe named “Al-Amal” blasted off from Japan last year. About Emirates Mars Mission (EMM) • It is also known as Al-Amal or HOPE is the first Arab mission to Mars. • It was developed at the UAE Space Agency and was built at Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC). • The Emirates Mars Mission will focus on the Martian atmosphere and climate.
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Note: • The UAE has plans to launch an unmanned rover to the moon by 2024 and is also eyeing future mining projects beyond Earth, as well as space tourism. Topic- GS Paper III –Science and Technology Source- The Hindu
Einsteinium: A mysterious element named after Albert Einstein Why in the news? • Recently a team of scientists at the Berkeley Lab has reported some of the properties of element 99 in the periodic table called "Einsteinium", named after Albert Einstein.
About Einsteinium • Einsteinium is a synthetic element with the symbol 'Es' and atomic number 99. • It is a member of the actinide series and seventh of the transuranic element. • It was discovered in 1952 in the debris of the first hydrogen bomb (the detonation of a thermonuclear device called "Ivy Mike" in the Pacific Ocean). • Since its discovery, scientists have not been able to perform a lot of experiments with it because it is difficult to create and is highly radioactive. • Therefore, very little is known about this element.
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What did the researchers find? • Einsteinium-254 is one of the more stable isotopes of the element that has a half-life of 276 days. • The most common isotope of the element, einsteinium 253, has a half-life of 20 days. • Because of its high radioactivity and short half-life of all einsteinium isotopes, even if the element was present on Earth during its formation, it has most certainly decayed. • This is the reason that it cannot be found in nature and needs to be manufactured using very precise and intense processes. About Transuranium elements • These are the chemical elements with atomic numbers greater than 92, which is the atomic number of uranium. • All of these elements are unstable and decay radioactively into other elements. Topic- GS Paper III –Science and Technology Source- The Hindu
A Lingayat sub-sects quota demand Why in the news? • Recently the Lingayat community of Karnataka has demanded their inclusion in sub-sect of OBC quota category that provides 15% reservation in government jobs and education in the state. Who are the Lingayats? • The Lingayats are a dominant community who make up nearly 17% of Karnataka’s six crore population. • The Lingayats, classified as a Hindu sub-caste called Veerashaiva Lingayats, are essentially followers of the 12th-century philosopher Saint Basavanna,
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who started a movement to help sections of society break away from the chains of caste. • The Veerashaiva Lingayats are an amalgamation of the followers of Basavanna’s teachings and Veerashaivas who follow more traditional Hindu practices. • The Lingayat community has many sub-sects identified on the basis of the vocations they followed.
What is the current controversy? • Veerashaiva Lingayats have been provided 5% reservation under a special category called 3B. • A sub-sect called the Panchamasali Lingayats — basically, agriculturists who account for nearly 70% of Lingayats — have now risen in protest seeking reservations under the category 2A, which currently provides 15% reservations to backward castes.
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What is the basis of the demand? • The main stand of the Panchamasali Lingayats is that the community has been denied benefits and that large sections dependent on agriculture are socially, economically, and educationally backward. Topic- GS Paper II – Polity Source- The Hindu
Brookesia nana: World’s smallest reptile Why in the news? • Recently a team of scientist has found the Brookesia nana, (a kind of Chameleon species), from Madagascar, one of the smallest reptiles in the world. • Previously, the chameleon species Brookesia micra was thought to be the smallest.
About Brookesia nana • Brookesia nana, also known as the nano-chameleon, is a chameleon species endemic to the montane rainforest in northern Madagascar. • The average length of adults of this species is 16 mm (29 mm with tail), while the smallest adult male has been recorded at 15.3 mm. Reason for tiny species • Madagascar is home to tiny lizards and also the smallest species of snakes. • One possible reason for such small species is the so-called “island effect” that causes species on small islands to get smaller. • Scientists believe the species might be threatened by extinction because of habitat degradation. Topic- GS Paper III –Science and Technology Source- Indian Express