DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 19th December 2024

Syllabus:

• Prelims & Mains – CURRENT EVENT

Context: Nearly 15 years after it was launched, all 17,130 police stations in the country have been linked through the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS).

Background: –

• Launched in 2009, the CCTNS has also become key to the implementation of the three new criminal laws that were rolled out on July 1.

About CCTNS

• The Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS) is a flagship project under the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) aimed at creating a comprehensive and integrated system for enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of policing through technology.

Objective:

• To provide a nationwide integrated platform for investigation, detection, and prevention of crimes.
• To enhance citizen services like online registration of complaints and tracking case status.

Scope:

• Link all police stations across India through a unified network.
• Enable seamless sharing of information on crimes and criminals among law enforcement agencies.

Components:

• Core Application Software (CAS): Provides a standardized platform for data entry, retrieval, and sharing.
• National Database: Centralized repository of criminal records, FIRs, and investigation reports.
• Integration with Other Systems: Links with databases such as Fingerprint Identification Systems, Vehicle Registration, and Passport Verification.

Some of the Citizen-Centric Services:

• Filing complaints online.
• Viewing the status of registered complaints and FIRs.
• Searching for missing persons or stolen vehicles.

Integrated Criminal Justice System (ICJS) : 

• The scope of the CCTNS has been enhanced over the years to integrate the police data with other pillars of the criminal justice system namely courts, prisons, prosecution, forensics and finger prints, and accordingly a new system called the Integrated Criminal Justice System (ICJS) has been developed.

Source: The Hindu

Syllabus:

• Mains – ENVIRONMENT

Context: The State of the Cryosphere 2024 report, presented at the UN Climate Change Conference in Baku, warns that rising carbon emissions could increase global temperatures by over 3°C by century’s end, causing unprecedented glacier melting, including in the Indian Himalayan Region.

Background: –

• The glaciers of the HKH region, also known as the “Third Pole” or the “Water Tower of the Earth”, are the source of some of the world’s major river systems like the Indus, Ganga, and Brahmaputra.

Key takeaways

• Cryosphere refers to the frozen water part of the Earth’s surface. Its components include snow, glaciers, ice caps, ice sheets, sea ice and permafrost. These elements are primarily found in polar regions, high latitudes and high-altitude areas of the Earth’s surface.
• Rising temperatures are affecting every part of the Cryosphere. This year’s summer is the third in a row when sea ice in Antarctica was reduced to less than 2 million square kilometers.
• If the current warming trend continues to grow, there is a possibility of complete sea ice loss around Antarctica during the summer months. This would cause the warming of water and further melting of Antarctica’s ice sheet. 
• Also, it is estimated that exceeding the 1.5°C limit could cause a rise above 10 meters in sea level in the coming centuries.
• Venezuela lost its last glacier, ‘Humboldt,’ this year, while Indonesia’s ‘Eternity Glacier’ will likely melt completely within the next two years. 
• As the temperature increases, there will be less solid precipitation (snow) and more liquid precipitation, even at higher altitudes, resulting in less seasonal snow occurrence overall. 
• Additionally, thawing permafrost will lead to increased concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere.

Hindu Kush Himalayan region

• The HKH region witnessed record-low snowfall during the winter of 2023-2024. This decline in seasonal snow availability will also have an impact on food, energy and water security for both the country and the region. 
• The Indian Himalayan Region, which spans 13 states and Union Territories, will be directly affected by these changes. It is projected that even a 2°C rise in global temperatures could result in a 50 per cent loss of ice from High Mountain Asian glaciers.
• This will intensify catastrophic hazards, such as the Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs), already occurring in High Mountain Asia, particularly in India. Recent GLOF at South Lhonak Lake in Sikkim (October 2023), led to the loss of human lives and extensive damage to infrastructure. 

Source: Indian Express

Syllabus:

• Prelims & Mains – GEOGRAPHY

Context: Arctic tundra, which has stored carbon for thousands of years, has now become a source of greenhouse gases (GHGs), according to a new analysis report by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA).

Background:

• The analysis, ‘Arctic Report Card’, is a yearly report on the polar region and was published last week.

How does the Arctic tundra store carbon?

• In a typical ecosystem, plants absorb carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere through photosynthesis. These plants grow, die, or are eaten by animals which also grow and die. When they die, the carbon in their corpse feeds microorganisms such as bacteria or fungi which break down larger molecules and return CO2 to the atmosphere, thereby completing the carbon cycle.
• However, in the case of Arctic tundra, the decomposition of organic matter is dramatically slowed down due to the cold climate. Plant and animal remains can stay trapped for thousands of years in permafrost thwarting CO2 from getting released back into the atmosphere. 
• Scientists estimate that Arctic soils store more than 1.6 trillion metric tonnes of carbon across the region. That is about double the amount of carbon in the atmosphere.

Why is the Arctic tundra emitting more carbon than absorbing it?

• In recent years, however, the Arctic tundra’s ability to emit less and absorb more carbon has taken a hit. The new analysis confirmed that the ecosystem has now become a source of CO2 and methane (CH4) emissions.
• That has happened for two main reasons. One is rising temperatures. The report said the Arctic is warming four times the global rate.
• As a result, the Arctic’s permafrost is thawing, meaning microbes in the soil are becoming active and breaking the organic matter down, releasing CO2 and CH4 into the atmosphere.
• Another reason is that, in recent years, the Arctic has witnessed an increase in the frequency and intensity of wildfires. Last year was the worst wildfire season in the Arctic on record. Wildfire smoke adds GHG emissions to the atmosphere while also speeding up the thawing of permafrost.
• Wildfires and rising temperatures together, between 2001 and 2020, caused the Arctic tundra to release more carbon than its plants removed from the air, probably for the first time in many millennia, the report said.

Source: Indian Express

Syllabus:

• Prelims – SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Context: A group of 38 scientists working in nine countries has sounded an alarm about the potential creation of mirror bacteria.

Background: –

• While the science and technology necessary to create mirror bacteria in a laboratory is a decade or more away, the scientists argued that the possibly lethal risks posed by this new field of research are “unprecedented” and “overlooked.”

Key takeaways

• Mirror bacteria are a hypothetical form of synthetic life that scientists are exploring. These organisms are constructed from molecules that are mirror images of those found in natural life forms.

What are Mirror Bacteria?

• Chirality: Natural life forms use molecules with specific orientations, known as chirality. For example, DNA and RNA are composed of right-handed molecules, while proteins are made from left-handed amino acids. Mirror bacteria would have reversed chirality, with left-handed DNA and right-handed proteins.
• Synthetic Creation: Scientists are working on creating bacteria with these mirror-image molecules, which could have unique properties and behaviors.

Potential Risks:

• Immune Evasion: Mirror bacteria could potentially evade natural immune defenses, as these defenses rely on recognizing specific molecular shapes. This could make infections caused by mirror bacteria difficult to control.
• Environmental Impact: These bacteria might also evade natural predators like viruses and protists, potentially leading to uncontrolled spread in the environment.
• Health Threats: There is concern that mirror bacteria could cause lethal infections in humans, animals, and plants, posing a significant health risk.

Source: CNN

Syllabus:

• Prelims – ART & CULTURE

Context: A three-day event titled ‘Remembering Ghalib’ organised by Delhi government commemorated the birth anniversary of poet Mirza Ghalib.

Background: –

• The event conceptualised by Kathak exponent Padma Bhushan Uma Sharma aimsed to bring the essence of Ghalib’s life and works to contemporary audiences.

Key takeaways 

• Mirza Ghalib (1797-1869) was a renowned Urdu and Persian poet, often considered the last great poet of the Mughal era.

Early Life:

• Birth: Born as Mirza Asadullah Beg Khan on December 27, 1797, in Agra, India.
• Family: His father, Mirza Abdullah Baig, was killed in battle when Ghalib was just five years old. He was then raised by his uncle who passed away when Ghalib was nine.
• Education: Ghalib did not receive formal education but was self-taught, learning Persian and Arabic literature.

Literary Career:

• Pen Names: Ghalib, meaning “dominant,” and Asad, meaning “lion,” were his pen names.
• Works: He wrote extensively in both Urdu and Persian, with his Urdu poetry being particularly celebrated. His famous works include Diwan-e-Ghalib, a collection of his poetry, containing some of the most profound Urdu ghazals ever written.
• Themes: His poetry often explored themes of love, loss, and existential reflection, reflecting the socio-political landscape of 19th-century India under British colonial rule.
• Financial Struggles: Ghalib faced financial difficulties throughout his life and relied on patrons for support.
• Recognition: Despite his struggles, he was eventually recognized and appointed as the poet laureate in the court of the last Mughal emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar.

Source: PTI

Q1.) Consider the following statements regarding Mirror Bacteria:

1. Mirror bacteria are constructed from molecules with chirality opposite to natural life forms.
2. These bacteria, if created, could evade natural immune defenses and environmental predators.
3. Mirror bacteria are naturally occurring organisms found in deep-sea ecosystems.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2, and 3

Q2.) With reference to Mirza Ghalib, consider the following statements:

1. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest poets of the Mughal era.
2. Ghalib’s Diwan-e-Ghalib is a collection of his Urdu poetry.
3. Ghalib received formal education in Persian and Arabic literature.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2, and 3

Q3.) Consider the following statements about the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS):

1. CCTNS aims to link all police stations in India through an integrated network.
2. It facilitates online complaint registration and case tracking by citizens.
3. CCTNS is entirely independent of the Integrated Criminal Justice System (ICJS).

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 1 and 3 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2, and 3

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

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