DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 16th August 2024

 Syllabus

• Mains – ENVIRONMENT

Context: The recent World Air Quality Report stated that India is home to 83 of the 100 most polluted cities in the world. Another report from the British Medical Journal estimated that air pollution led to the deaths of 2.1 million people in India, the second largest numbers after China.

Background:-

• Air pollution, considered the most significant environmental peril to human well-being, is the reason behind one out of every nine global fatalities, approximately.

Severity of Air Pollution

• CO2 Emissions from Road Transport: 12% of India’s CO2 emissions come from road transport.
• 5 Emissions: Heavy vehicles are the primary contributors to PM2.5 emissions, which can penetrate deep into the lungs, enter the bloodstream, and cause respiratory and cardiovascular issues.
• Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) Emissions: Heavy vehicles significantly contribute to NOx emissions, leading to ground-level ozone formation and worsening air quality.

Measures Taken to Combat Air Pollution from vehicles:

• Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) Norms:
  • The Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) is developing CAFE III and IV norms to reduce CO2 emissions from cars by lowering fuel consumption (or improving fuel efficiency) of vehicles.
  • The timelines proposed to implement CAFE III from 2027-2032 and CAFE IV from 2032-2037 are practical.
  • The proposed emissions target for CAFE III based on the WLTP at 91.7g CO2/km and for CAFE IV at 70g CO2/km is achievable.
  • The commitment to shift from the Modified India Driving Cycle (MIDC) to the World Light Duty Vehicle Testing Procedure (WLTP) from March 31, 2027, is excellent because the WLTP offers a more accurate and globally harmonised measure of a vehicle’s actual fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.
  • The CAFE norms however exclude emissions by heavy vehicles such as trucks, lorries, and other freight vehicles.
• Vehicle Scrappage Policy (2022):
  • The government introduced a vehicle scrappage policy to phase out old and polluting vehicles, including heavy vehicles in 2022.
  • It mandates that passenger vehicles older than 20 years and commercial vehicles older than 15 years must pass a fitness and emissions test.
  • If vehicles fail the mandatory tests, they are categorised as end-of-life vehicles, and will lose their registration certificate, and are recommended to be scrapped.
• Additional Recommendations
  • Expand Vehicle Scrappage Policy: Address implementation challenges, such as the limited number of scrapyards and the voluntary nature of the policy.
  • Stringent Implementation of Existing Policies: Ensure strict enforcement of vehicle emissions testing, bans on open garbage burning, and regulation of industrial emissions.
  • Promote Mass Transit: Mass transit should be prioritized as a sustainable solution to reduce air pollution in India.

Source: Hindu

 Syllabus

• Mains – GS 1 & GS 2

Context: The Indian Himalayan Range (IHR), comprising 11 States and two Union Territories, had a decadal urban growth rate of more than 40% from 2011 to 2021. Towns have expanded, and more urban settlements are developing. Disasters are following.

Background:

• Himalaya’s towns urgently need carrying capacity-based development plans.

Challenges in IHR Towns

• Civic Issues: Most Himalayan towns, including state capitals like Srinagar, Guwahati, Shillong, and Shimla, struggle with managing sanitation, solid and liquid waste, and water.
• Inadequate Planning: Planning institutions often use models copied from the plains, which are ineffective in the Himalayan context. Additionally, city governments face a 75% shortage of human resources.
• Urban Expansion: Cities like Srinagar and Guwahati are expanding into peripheries, leading to encroachment on open spaces, forests, and watersheds. For example, in Srinagar, land use changes between 2000 and 2020 showed a 75.58% increase, with a significant loss of water bodies.
• Environmental Impact: Nearly 90% of liquid waste enters water bodies untreated, exacerbating pollution and environmental degradation.

Causes of the Challenges

• Urbanization and Tourism Pressure: The IHR faces growing pressure from urbanization, high-intensity tourism, unsustainable infrastructure development, and resource overuse, compounded by climate change.
• Environmental Degradation: These pressures lead to water scarcity, deforestation, land degradation, biodiversity loss, and increased pollution.
• Tourism Growth: Tourism in the IHR has expanded with an anticipated average annual growth rate of 7.9% from 2013 to 2023, often replacing eco-friendly infrastructure with inappropriate and unsustainable developments.

Recommendations for Improvement

• Localized Planning: Towns need to be mapped for geological and hydrological vulnerabilities, with urban planning guided by climate resilience and local input.
• Bottom-up Approach: Planning should involve locals and move away from consultant-driven processes to ensure relevance and sustainability.
• Financial Support: None of the cities in the IHR can generate capital for their infrastructure needs. The Finance Commission must include a separate chapter on urban financing for the IHR. Current intergovernmental transfers from the centre to urban local bodies constitute a mere 0.5% of GDP; this should be increased to at least 1%.
• Focus on Sustainability: Engage in broader discussions on sustainability, emphasizing eco-centric planning and public participation for urban development in the IHR.

Source: Hindu

 Syllabus

• Mains – GS 2

Context: Turkiye and Iraq agreed on a military cooperation pact recently that will see joint training and command centres against Kurdish separatists.

Background:

• Kurds are one of the Middle East’s largest ethnic groups of between 25 and 35 million people but without a state. Although Kurdish nationalism is a century-old phenomenon, compared to world attention on Palestine, the conflict-prone zone in the Middle East disallowed it to become a global concern.

Brief History of the Kurdish Question

• Term “Kurdistan”: First used in the 12th century by the Saljuqs as a geographical term.
• Kurds are mainly followers of Sunni Islam but they have a strong ethnic identity and therefore certain cultural identity supersedes the political project of religious nationalism.
• Population Distribution: Turkey has the largest Kurdish population (43%), followed by Iran (31%), Iraq (18%), Syria (6%), and former Soviet states which includes Armenia and Azerbaijan (2%).
• The particularity of Kurdish nationalism or Kurdish nationalist movement, which was a direct consequence of the collapse of the Ottoman Empire in the early 20th century, is that it is not the product of an independence war against the occupation, nor the issue of resistance to colonialism, but an immediate and direct challenge to the newly founded or constructed nation-states. Resultantly, in the absence of a nation-state, Kurds remain scattered across different locations.

Country-Specific Context

• Turkey
  • Constitutional Restrictions: The 1982 Turkish constitution prohibits any activity contrary to Turkish national interests, including Kurdish autonomy.
  • Demographics: Unofficial estimates suggest Kurds make up 20% of Turkey’s population, with the largest concentration in Diyarbakır, a conflict hotspot.
  • EU Membership Pressure: The Kurdish question became a key issue in Turkey’s bid for EU membership.
• Iran
  • Population: Kurds make up 8% of Iran’s population, mostly living in the northwest.
  • Historical Struggles: Discrimination persisted during both the Shah period and after the 1979 revolution, despite initial Kurdish support for Ayatollah Khomeini. Post-revolution, Khomeini opposed ethnic-based autonomy, leading to a call for jihad against Kurds.
• Syria
  • Kurds constitute 10% of Syria’s population, primarily in the northeast.
• Iraq
  • The demand for separation by Iraqi Kurds has received international attention compared to their counterparts in Turkey, Syria and Iran.Iraqi Kurds constitute a greater proportion of population than any other state they inhabit.
  • On March 11, 1970, a Peace Accord was signed between Iraqi Kurds and the rest of Iraq that allowed the Kurdish language to function as the official language in areas with a Kurdish majority; and many other frameworks of peace including their political participation.
  • The 2017 Iraqi Kurdish Referendum: An independence referendum for theKurdistan Region of Iraq was held on 2017. Despite reporting that the independence referendum would be non-binding, the autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) characterised it as binding, although they claimed that an affirmative result would trigger the start of state building and negotiations with Iraq rather than an immediate declaration of independence of Kurdistan. The referendum’s legality was rejected by the federal government of
  • The referendum raised alarms in neighboring countries (Turkey, Iran, Syria) and among international organizations.
  • The Kurdish question remains unresolved, with aspirations for statehood continuing to face significant regional and international challenges.

Source: Indian Express

 Syllabus

• Prelims – CURRENT EVENT

Context: Recently, World Health Organization (WHO) declared mpox a global public health emergency for second time in two years.

Background:

• The declaration followed an outbreak of the viral infection in the Democratic Republic of Congo that has spread to neighbouring countries.

Key takeaways:

• Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox is caused by the monkeypox virus, which belongs to the same family as the virus that causes smallpox.
• It is endemic, or found regularly, in parts of Central and West Africa. The virus that causes mpox has been found insmall rodents, monkeys, and other mammals that live in these areas.

Key Points:

• There are two types ofMonkeypox virus: clade I and clade II.
  • Clade Icauses more severe illness and deaths. Some outbreaks have killed up to 10% of the people who get sick, although more recent outbreaks have had lower death rates. Clade I is endemic to Central Africa.
  • Clade IIis the type that caused the global outbreak that began in 2022. Infections from clade II mpox are less severe. More than 99.9% of people survive. Clade II is endemic to West Africa.
• Symptoms: Common symptoms include a rash that goes through several stages before healing, fever, swollen lymph nodes, muscle aches, and fatigue.
• Transmission: The virus spreads through direct contact with infectious lesions, contaminated objects, and respiratory droplets from close contact. It can also spread from animals to humans.
• Severity: While most people recover fully, severe cases can occur, especially in children, people with weakened immune systems, and those with a history of eczema.
• Prevention: Preventive measures include avoiding close contact with infected individuals or animals, practicing good hygiene, and getting vaccinated if recommended.
• Global Impact: Mpox was declared a global health emergency by the World Health Organization in 2022 due to its widespread outbreak.

Global Public Health Emergency

• A global public health emergency is a formal declaration by the World Health Organization (WHO) that signals a serious, sudden, unusual, or unexpected health event that requires immediate international action.
• This declaration is intended to mobilize resources, coordinate international response efforts, and raise awareness about the health threat.

Source: Reuters

 Syllabus

• Prelims & Mains – CURRENT EVENT

Context: On the eve of Independence Day 2024, President Droupadi Murmu approved 103 gallantry awards, including four Kirti Chakras and 18 Shaurya Chakras.

Background:

• Post-independence, first three gallantry awards namely Param Vir Chakra, Maha Vir Chakra and Vir Chakra were instituted by the Government of India on 26th January, 1950 which were deemed to have effect from the 15th August, 1947.

Gallantry awards

• Gallantry awards are prestigious honours bestowed upon individuals, particularly members of the armed forces, police, and other security personnel, for acts of exceptional bravery, courage, and valour displayed in the face of danger or during active combat.
• Gallantry Awards are a recognition of the extraordinary bravery and selflessness exhibited by the awardees.
• These awards recognize and celebrate the extraordinary acts of heroism and selflessness that contribute to the safety and security of the nation.
• Gallantry awards are announced twice a year, on Republic Day (January 26) and Independence Day (August 15).
• Gallantry Awards are not limited to military personnel; they are also given to civilians who exhibit extraordinary bravery and selflessness.
• In India, these awards recognize acts of valour in both wartime and peacetime scenarios.

Types of Gallantry Awards:

• Param Vir Chakra: The highest military decoration in India, awarded for the most conspicuous bravery or some daring or pre-eminent act of valour or self-sacrifice, in the presence of the enemy.
• Maha Vir Chakra: The second-highest military decoration, awarded for acts of conspicuous gallantry in the presence of the enemy.
• Vir Chakra: The third-highest military decoration, awarded for acts of gallantry in the presence of the enemy.
• Ashoka Chakra: Awarded for valour, courageous action, or self-sacrifice away from the battlefield. It is the highest peacetime gallantry award in India.
• Kirti Chakra: The second-highest peacetime gallantry award.
• Shaurya Chakra: The third-highest peacetime gallantry award.

Source: Economic Times

 Syllabus

• Prelims & Mains – CURRENT EVENT

Context: The Central Water Commission has launched an updated version of the ‘FloodWatch India’ app.

Background:

• CWC is responsible for the control, conservation, and utilization of water resources across India.

About Central Water Commission (CWC)

• The Central Water Commission (CWC) is a premier technical organization in India, specializing in water resources.
• It presently functions as an attached office of the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Government of India.
• Formation: Established in 1945 as the Central Waterways, Irrigation, and Navigation Commission (CWINC) on the advice of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar.
• Evolution: It was later merged with the Central Electricity Commission to form the Central Water and Power Commission (CW&PC). In 1974, the water wing became the Central Water Commission (CWC) and the power wing became the Central Electricity Authority (CEA).

Key Functions and Responsibilities

• Water Resource Planning:
  • Assists states in water resources planning and development.
  • Prepares national water policies and guidelines for water management.
  • Supports the formulation of water resource projects, including irrigation, hydropower, flood control, and drinking water supply.
• Design and Consultancy Services:
  • Provides technical designs for major water resources structures like dams, canals, and barrages.
  • Offers consultancy services to state governments and other agencies on complex water resources projects.
• Project Monitoring and Appraisal:
  • Evaluates and monitors water resources projects to ensure compliance with technical standards, environmental guidelines, and financial viability.
  • Appraises projects submitted by states for central funding.
• Flood Forecasting and Management:
  • Operates the national flood forecasting network, providing real-time flood forecasts for major river basins.
  • Supports states in preparing and implementing flood management strategies, including the construction of flood control structures.
• Hydrological Observations and Data Management:
  • Manages a network of hydrological observation stations across the country to collect data on river flows, sediment transport, and water quality.
  • Provides data and information for planning, research, and decision-making.
• Inter-State Water Disputes:
  • Provides technical assistance and data to various tribunals and committees involved in resolving inter-state water disputes.
  • Facilitates negotiations and agreements between states on sharing river waters.
• Research and Development:
  • Conducts research on various aspects of water resources management, including hydrology, dam safety, and river engineering.
  • Collaborates with national and international institutions on water-related research projects.
• River Basin Management:
  • Promotes integrated river basin management approaches, considering the holistic development and management of water resources within river basins.
  • Prepares basin-wide plans for sustainable water resources management.

Organizational Structure:

• Chairman: The CWC is headed by a Chairman, who holds the status of Ex-Officio Secretary to the Government of India.
• Wings: The work is divided into three main wings:
  • Designs and Research (D&R) Wing
  • River Management (RM) Wing
  • Water Planning and Projects (WP&P) Wing

Source: PIB

Q1.) Consider the following statements

1. Central Water Commission (CWC) is as an attached office of the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation.
2. Central Water Commission (CWC) has developed FloodWatch India mobile application to disseminate information related to flood situation in the country and provide flood forecasts up to 7 days on a real-time basis to the public.

Which of the statements given above is/are  correct?

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

Q2.) Consider the following statements about the Mpox?

1. Mpox is a viral illness caused by the monkeypox virus.
2. World Health Organization has declared mpox as a global public health emergency.

Which of the statements given above is/are not correct?

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

Q3.) Which among the following is the highest peacetime gallantry award in India?

1. Param Vir Chakra
2. Vir Chakra
3. Ashoka Chakra
4. Kirti Chakra

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

ANSWERS FOR ’  16th August 2024 – Daily Practice MCQs’ will be updated along with tomorrow’s Daily Current Affairs

Q.1) –  c

Q.2) – d

Q.3) – c