DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 23rd April 2024

Syllabus

• Prelims – Current Event

Context: With the first phase of voting for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections beginning on April 19, the classic symbol of Indian polls is visible everywhere – a left hand with only its index finger extended, marked by a purple-black indelible ink.

Background:-

• Devised as a method to prevent a person from casting more than one vote, the indelible ink has been used for decades in India. It has also travelled to other parts of the world to help in conducting elections.

About the Indelible ink used in elections

• The Section 61 of Representation of the People Act (RoPA) of 1951 mentions the ink. It states that rules may be made under the Act “for the marking with indelible ink of the thumb or any other finger of every elector who applies for a ballot paper or ballot papers for the purpose of voting at a polling station before delivery of such paper or papers to him.” Why papers? Because before EVMs, ballot papers existed at polling stations. They contained the list of contesting candidates alongside their party symbols and names. Voters had to mark their preference on the paper and then drop it in ballot boxes to vote.
• Indelible ink contains silver nitrate. It is a colourless compound which becomes visible when exposed to ultraviolet light, including sunlight. The water-based ink also contains a solvent like alcohol to allow its faster drying.
• Silver nitrate is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula AgNO3.The higher silver nitrate’s concentration, say around 20 percent, the higher will be the ink’s quality, according to a report from the United Nations Development Programme. For up to 72 hours after application it can remain resistant to soap, liquids, home-cleansing, detergents, etc.
• The indelible ink was first manufactured at the ECI’s request by the government’s Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR). It was later patented by the National Research Development Corporation (NRDC), New Delhi.
• Mysore Paints & Varnish Ltd. has been licensed to manufacture the ink and has been in the business since 1962. Earlier called Mysore Lac & Paint Works Ltd, it was established in 1937 by Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar, then the Maharaja of Mysore. This Karnataka Government Undertaking is the sole manufacturer of the ink in India.
• Today, once a voter has her credentials checked at the polling booth, and before she casts her vote by pressing a button on the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM), the indelible ink is applied on her finger. This has been the case for decades, although the mode of voting has changed.
• Currently, the indelible ink is exported to more than 25 countries that include Canada, Ghana, Nigeria, Mongolia, Malaysia, Nepal, South Africa and the Maldives.

Source: Hindu

Syllabus

• Prelims & Mains – Environment

Context: The fourth global mass coral bleaching event has been triggered by extraordinary ocean temperatures, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said on Monday (April 15). This could have serious consequences for ocean life and millions of people who rely on reefs for food, jobs, and coastal defence.

Background:

• Since mid-March 2023, the average sea surface temperature (SST) has been abnormally high.

What are corals and coral reefs?

• Corals are essentially animals, which are sessile, meaning they permanently attach themselves to the ocean floor. They use their tiny tentacle-like hands to catch food from the water and sweep into their mouth. Each individual coral animal is known as a polyp and it lives in groups of hundreds to thousands of genetically identical polyps that form a ‘colony’.
• Corals are largely classified as either hard coral or soft coral. It is the hard corals that are the architects of coral reefs — complex three-dimensional structures built up over thousands of years.
• “Unlike soft corals, hard corals have stony skeletons made out of limestone that are produced by coral polyps. When polyps die, their skeletons are left behind and used as foundations for new polyps,” according to NOAA.
• Coral reefs, also referred to as “rainforests of the sea”, have existed on the Earth for nearly 450 million years. Australia’s Great Barrier Reef is the largest in the world, stretching across 2,028 kilometres.

What is the significance of corals?

• Coral reefs have a crucial role in marine ecosystems. Thousands of marine species can be found living on one reef. For instance, the Great Barrier Reef contains over 400 coral species, 1,500 fish species, 4,000 mollusc species and six of the world’s seven sea turtle species.
• Research has shown that there could be millions of undiscovered species of organisms living in and around reefs.
• These massive structures also provide economic goods and services worth about $375 billion each year.
• More than 500 million people across the world depend on coral reefs for food, income and coastal protection from storms and floods.
• Coral reefs can absorb up to 97% of the energy from waves, storms, and floods, which prevents loss of life, property damage, and soil erosion. Therefore, the absence of coral reefs would not only result in severe ramifications for marine life but also for humans.

What is coral bleaching?

• Most corals contain algae called zooxanthellae — they are plant-like organisms — in their tissues.
• Corals and zooxanthellae have a symbiotic relationship. While corals provide zooxanthellae a safe place to live, zooxanthellae provide oxygen and organic products of photosynthesis that help corals to grow and thrive. Zooxanthellae also give bright and unique colours to corals.
• Corals are very sensitive to light and temperature and even a small change in their living conditions can stress them. When stressed, they expel zooxanthellae and turn entirely white. This is called coral bleaching.
• Coral bleaching doesn’t immediately lead to the death of corals. They rather go under more stress and are subject to mortality. Coral bleaching reduces the reproductivity of corals and makes them more vulnerable to fatal diseases. If the bleaching is not too severe, corals have been known to recover.
• Global mass bleaching of coral reefs is when significant coral bleaching is confirmed in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans, according to a report published by The Conversation.
• Such events are a relatively new phenomenon. The first one took place in 1998 in which 20% of the world’s reef areas suffered bleaching-level heat stress. The next two global bleaching events occurred in 2010 (35% of reefs affected) and between 2014 and 2017 (56% of reefs affected).

What is happening right now?

• NOAA has confirmed that the fourth global bleaching event is currently underway. Nearly 54 countries, territories and local economies — from Florida, the US, Saudi Arabia to Fiji — have confirmed bleaching, according to a report by The New York Times.
• The Great Barrier Reef is witnessing its most severe bleaching event. “About a third of the reefs surveyed by air showed prevalence of very high or extreme bleaching, and at least three quarters showed some bleaching,” the NYT report said.
• On Monday (April 15), bleaching was also confirmed in the Western Indian Ocean, including Tanzania, Kenya, Mauritius, Seychelles, and off the western coast of Indonesia.
• The key driver behind the current event is higher ocean temperatures. However, the situation has been exacerbated by El Niño, a weather pattern which is associated with warmer oceans. Given that El Niño is weakening and a cooler La Niña may set in by the end of the year, the event may not last for very long.

Source: Indian Express

Previous Year Question

1. Q) Consider the following statements:
2. Most of the world’s coral reefs are in tropical waters.
3. More than one-third of the world’s coral reefs are located in territories of Australia, Indonesia and Philippines.
4. Coral reefs host far more number of animal phyla than those hosted by tropical rainforests.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 and 2 only
2. 3 only
3. 1 and 3 only
4. 1,2 and 3

Syllabus

• Prelims – Current Event

Context: As per the recent directive by the Union Health Ministry, all cases of organ transplants will now be assigned a unique National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO)-ID for both the donor and the recipient.

Background:

• This initiative aims to streamline and enhance the process of organ allocation and transplantation across the country.

About NATIONAL ORGAN AND TISSUE TRANSPLANT ORGANISATION (NOTTO):

• The National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO) is the apex body in India for the coordination and networking of organ and tissue procurement and transplantation.
• It operates under the Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India.
• NOTTO also oversees the National Human Organ and Tissue Removal and Storage Network and the National Biomaterial Centre (National Tissue Bank), which are crucial for maintaining the supply and quality of transplantable tissues.

Primary Functions:

• Coordination and Networking: Facilitating the procurement and distribution of organs and tissues across the country.
• Registry Maintenance: Keeping a registry of organ and tissue donations and transplants.
• Policy and Protocol Development: Establishing guidelines, protocols, and standard operating procedures for tissue procurement, distribution, and transplantation.
• Training and Assistance: Providing training and assisting in the registration of other tissue banks.
• Quality Assurance: Ensuring the quality of tissues available for transplantation.
• Public Awareness: Promoting organ and tissue donation awareness.

Source: Hindu

Syllabus

• Prelims – Geography

Context: Iran recently launched a series of air strikes on Israel, employing 200-300 drones and ballistic missiles.

Background:

• The attacks, executed by Iran’s para-military force, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, were in response to Israeli war jets targeting an Iranian consulate in Syria. Iran dubbed the attack “Operation True Promise”.

About Iran :

• Iran, officially known as the Islamic Republic of Iran, is situated in Western Asia.
• The vast majority of Iranians adhere to Islam. Specifically, they follow the Ithnā ʿAsharī (Twelver) branch of Shi’a Islam, which is the official state religion.
• Iran has one of the longest land borders of any country in the region, covering approximately 3,662 miles.

Iran shares this extensive land border with seven countries:

• Iraq: To the west.
• Turkmenistan: To the north.
• Afghanistan: To the east.
• Pakistan: To the southeast.
• Turkey: To the northwest.
• Armenia: To the north.
• Azerbaijan: To the north.
• Additionally, Iran has maritime borders with several countries, including Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.

Source: Hindu

Syllabus

• Prelims – Geography

Context: Indonesia witnessed a series of eruptions from Mount Ruang.

Background:

• At least 16 eruptions have been recorded from Mount Ruang, with the first one occurring in 1808.

About MOUNT RUANG VOLCANO:

• Mount Ruang is situated in Indonesia’s North Sulawesi province.
• It is a stratovolcano, characterized by a tall, steep, cone-shaped structure.
• Stratovolcanoes are known for their explosive eruptions due to the build-up of gas pressures in their more viscous lavas.
• The volcano is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, which is prone to frequent seismic and volcanic activity due to its position on subduction zones.

Source: Times of India

Syllabus

• Prelims & Mains – Environment

Context: The International Energy Agency’s Global Methane Tracker 2024 indicates that methane emissions from fuel usage in 2023 were nearly at their highest level on record, representing a slight increase compared to 2022.

Background:

• Methane is responsible for around 30 per cent of the rise in global temperatures since the preindustrial era. The energy sector— including oil, natural gas, coal and bioenergy — accounts for over a third of methane emissions from human activity.

Key highlights of the Global Methane Tracker 2024:

• In 2023, methane emissions from fossil fuels totalled close to 120 million tonnes (Mt).
• Bioenergy (largely from biomass use) contributed a further 10 Mt methane emissions. This level has stayed constant since 2019.
• Major methane emissions events increased by over 50% in 2023 compared to 2022. These events included more than 5 million metric tons of methane emissions from significant fossil fuel leaks globally. One prominent incident was a major well blowout in Kazakhstan that lasted over 200 days.
• Nearly 70% of methane emissions from fossil fuels come from the top 10 emitting countries. The United States is the largest emitter of methane from oil and gas operations, closely followed by Russia. China is the highest emitter of methane in the coal sector.
• Cutting methane emissions from fossil fuels by 75% by 2030 is crucial for limiting global warming to 1.5 °C. The IEA estimated that this goal would require about USD 170 billion in spending. This is less than 5% of the income generated by the fossil fuel industry in 2023. Around 40% of emissions from fossil fuels in 2023 could have been avoided at no net cost.

Methane:

• It is the simplest hydrocarbon, consisting of one carbon atom and four hydrogen atoms (CH4).
• It is the primary component of natural gas.
• It is odourless, colourless, and tasteless gas.
• It is lighter than air and burns with a blue flame in complete combustion, yielding carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O) in the presence of oxygen.
• Methane ranks as the second most important greenhouse gas (GHG) after carbon dioxide (CO2). Its 20-year global warming potential (GWP) is 84, indicating that it traps 84 times more heat per mass unit than CO2 over a 20-year period, making it a potent GHG.
• It is a significant contributor to global warming, accounting for about 30% of the rise in global temperatures since the preindustrial era.
• It contributes to the formation of ground-level ozone.

Major sources of Methane Emission:

• Wetlands, both natural and human-made, are significant sources of methane emissions due to anaerobic decomposition of organic matter.
• Growing paddy fields release methane due to anaerobic conditions in flooded rice paddies.
• Excreta from cattle and other livestock undergo enteric fermentation, producing methane as a byproduct.
• Burning of fossil fuels, including oil and natural gas, releases methane emissions.
• Biomass burning, such as wood and agricultural residues, also contributes to methane levels.
• Industrial activities like landfills and wastewater treatment plants generate methane during organic waste decomposition in anaerobic environments.
• Fertilizer factories and other industrial processes can also release methane during production and transportation.

Source: Down To Earth

Q.1) With reference to the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO), consider the following statement:

1. NOTTO is the apex body in India for the coordination and networking of organ and tissue procurement and transplantation.
2. It operates under the Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Which of the statements given above are not correct?

1. 1 Only
2. 2 Only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

Q2.) Consider the following countries:

1. Iraq
2. Israel
3. Jordan
4. Pakistan
5. Turkey
6. Armenia

How many of the above-mentioned countries share a land border with Iran?

1. Only two
2. Only three
3. Only four
4. Only five

Q3.)  With reference to the Mount Ruang, consider the following statements:

1. It is a stratovolcano situated in Italy.
2. It is a part of the Pacific Ring of Fire.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor

Comment the answers to the above questions in the comment section below!!

ANSWERS FOR ’  23rd April  2024 – Daily Practice MCQs’ will be updated along with tomorrow’s Daily Current Affairs.st

Q.1) – d

Q.2) – c

Q.3) – a