Syllabus

• Prelims & Mains – Health & Climate Change

Context: A study of 266 studies worldwide,  revealed that heat waves were associated with a 11.7 per cent increase in mortality. The highest specific risk was for stroke and coronary heart disease.

Background:-

• Even as we must try energetically to mitigate the drivers of climate change and global warming, we must prepare adaptation plans.

Heat Waves and Health

• The consequences of climate change, mostly mediated through global warming, adversely affect human, animal and plant health in several ways: Direct effects of heat exposure on the body; extreme weather events; water scarcity; vector-borne and water-borne infections; non-communicable diseases (strokes; heart attacks; diabetes; respiratory disease; cancers); mental health disorders; food and nutrition insecurity due to reduced yield and nutrient quality of crops.
• Health systems will face increased demand due to these and the movement of displaced climate refugees. They will also be affected by the adverse impact of extreme weather events on healthcare infrastructure, supply chains and personnel.
• Of these myriad threats, heat waves are of immediate concern as summer advances across the Indian Subcontinent.A heat wave represents a combination of heat and humidity. At any level of heat, its impact on human body is amplified if humidity is high in the ambient air.
• The India Meteorological Department (IMD) says that such “moist heat” stress has increased by 30 per cent between 1980 and 2020.
• Heat acts through dehydration, inability of the skin to cool the body through perspiration, dilatation of blood vessels and thickening of blood with increased risk of clot formation (thrombosis).
• Infants and young children are more vulnerable than adults, since their bodies have higher fluid content than grownups. Among adults, vulnerability is high among the elderly, persons with disabilities and in those with serious comorbidities. Women are more vulnerable than men.
• Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) contribute to 65 per cent of deaths in India. The heat effects of climate change will only exacerbate the problem.
• As our population ages and cardiovascular risk factors rise in our population, every 1 degree centigrade rise in ambient temperature will compound the risk of serious cardiovascular events.
• Wildfires triggered by excessive heat release particulate matter (PM 2.5) and toxic chemicals (ozone, carbon monoxide, polycyclic aromatic compounds and nitrogen dioxide) can cause extensive inflammation, increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease (heart attacks, strokes, heart rhythm abnormalities, pulmonary embolism, heart failure), respiratory disease, diabetes and pre-diabetes.
• Chemicals like benzene and formaldehyde (also present in wildfire emissions) increase the risk of cancer.
• Less immediate, but with a long lasting impact on health, is the impact on food systems which threatens nutrition security. Countries in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa currently grow staples (like rice and wheat) at the highest levels of heat tolerance. A further increase of 1 degree centigrade will lower their yield by 10 per cent. The crops will also be more deficient in zinc, protein and iron.
• Rising ocean temperatures will flood coastal agriculture while reducing fish yields. Loss of biodiversity will reduce access to nutritious “wild foods”. Heat will kill us not only through its effect on our skin but also our stomachs.
• There is a need to prepare for adaptation plans. These will include heat action climate-smart and climate resilient food and healthcare systems, and education of public and healthcare providers.

Source: Indian Express

Syllabus

• Mains – GS 2

Context: Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s address to the United States Congress earlier this month, and the developments from his summit meeting with President Joe Biden, announced the arrival of a new, assertive Japan to the world.

Background:

• Japan has given up its post-War pacifism and is working to become a major military power. The turn is historic, and promises to transform the geopolitics of Asia and the world.
• A politically resolute and militarily strong Japan contributes to India’s objective of building a multipolar Asia in a multipolar world.

Key Takeaways:

• After World War II, a defeated and chastened Japan adopted a policy of pacifism — it avoided building significant armed capability, limited its defence expenditure, and refused to participate in military conflicts anywhere.This pacifism was rooted in Japan’s determination to expiate its militarism and imperialism in the pre-War decades.
• Japan’s pacifism was compensated by its bilateral military alliance with the United States. Being a protectorate of the US in Asia, Japan was free to focus its energies on rebuilding its economy.
• Today, Japan is set to become a major military power, transform its famed civilian industrial capability into a military industrial complex, and turn from being a US protectorate into an American partner and a significant contributor to Asian and Indo-Pacific security.
• This is the second Japanese transition over the last decade. In the mid-2000s, Japan began to articulate ideas for a new security architecture in Asia. Take for instance the concept of the Indo-Pacific. The late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe first spoke about the strategic unity of the two oceans (Indian and Pacific) during his visit to India in 2007. Since then, Japan has invested enormous diplomatic, political, and financial resources to popularise this geopolitical construct that was eventually adopted by Australia, Indonesia, India, and the United States.
• In the second transition unfolding today, Japan is matching its strategic ideas with military resources and the political will to actively reshape the regional security order.

Reasons behind the radical change in Japan’s reorientation in defence:

• A mix of external and internal factors have contributed to its Japan’s reorientation in the 21st century. On the external front, four elements have come together: the rise of China and its military assertion, especially on the territorial disputes with Japan; the deepening military bonds between Beijing and Moscow and the coordination of their policies in North East Asia; the growing military capabilities of North Korea; and the fears triggered by the Trump Administration that the US could withdraw its security protection to Japan and other Asian allies.
• Internally, this situation strengthened conservatives in Tokyo, who wanted to see Japan becoming a ‘normal power’. They argued that Japan has done enough to prove its credentials as a responsible citizen of world affairs, and the time has come for it to take responsibility for its own security, and to contribute to the regional order.

What Japan is doing to become a geopolitical power?

• First, Japan has done away with the historical cap on defence expenditure. According to data from the World Bank, in 2020, Japan’s military expenditure touched 1% of GDP for the first time in six decades. In 2022, it touched 1.1%. Kishida’s government has pledged to double annual defence spending to around 10 trillion yen ($68 billion) by 2027.
• Second, Japan has acquired, and is in the process of further acquiring, its own counter-strike capability in the form of cruise missiles.
• Third, late last year, Japan’s cabinet eased its self-imposed ban on exports of lethal weapons to friendly countries. This has paved the way for the leveraging of Japan’s immense manufacturing and technological base to aid its allies at a time when their own production capacities cannot keep up with the likes of China and Russia.
• Fourth, Japan and the US are in the process of revising the command-and-control framework governing their defence forces, with plans to eventually significantly integrate the command structure. Currently, the US operates military bases in mainland Japan and Okinawa island, but its command structure is in Hawai’i, the headquarters of the US Indo-Pacific Command. A joint operations command will be set up in Japan going forward.

Source: Indian Express

Syllabus

• Prelims – Current Event

Context: In response to the recent ban on certain Indian spice brands in Singapore and Hong Kong due to quality concerns, the Spices Board of India has taken proactive measures.

Background:

• The Spices Board will now conduct mandatory testing for ethylene oxide in spice consignments destined for Singapore and Hong Kong. This decision comes after the ban on products from Indian brands MDH and Everest in these countries.

About SPICES BOARD OF INDIA

• The Spices Board of India is a statutory body established under the Spices Board Act of 1986.
• It resulted from the merger of two entities: the erstwhile Cardamom Board and the Spices Export Promotion Council.
• The Spices Board operates under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India.
• Its primary purpose is to facilitate spice trade, promote exports, and safeguard the interests of Indian spice growers and exporters.
• The Board serves as an international link between Indian spice exporters and importers abroad.

Spices Production and Export:

• India is the largest producer, consumer, and exporter of spices globally.
• India produces about 75 out of 109 varieties listed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).

The country’s diverse climatic conditions allow for the cultivation of a variety of spices, including:

• Black Pepper: Often referred to as the “King of Spices,” native to the Western Ghats of India.
• Cardamom: Known as the “Queen of Spices,” produced in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka.
• Turmeric: Key ingredient in Indian cooking, known for its vibrant colour and anti-inflammatory properties.
• Major spices-producing states in India include Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Assam, and others.

Source: Times of India

Syllabus

• Prelims & Mains – Polity

Context: The Supreme Court judgment on the Chandigarh mayoral election resurfaces the issues associated with the electoral processes of local urban bodies.

Background:

• Bench of DY Chandrachud, CJI, JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, JJ. set aside the Mayor election results and declared the appellant Kuldeep Kumar to be the winner for Mayor post since the 8 wrongly invalidated votes were cast in his favour, giving him the majority over BJP candidate.

Status of Municipal Elections in India:

• According to the Annual Survey of India’s City-Systems 2023 by Janaagraha (a non-profit institution), over 1,400 municipalities in India did not have elected councils in place as of September 2021 which indicates a significant and widespread issue across the country.
• The Comptroller and Auditor-General of India (CAG)’s audit revealed that, between 2015 and 2021, over 1,500 municipalities didn’t have elected councils. Even major cities like Chennai, Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru faced delays ranging from months to years in holding elections.

Issues/Challenges associated with Local Bodies’ Elections:

• Due to the ambiguous constitutional safeguards, government officials like SECs currently possess discretionary powers when it comes to scheduling elections. This flexibility can sometimes lead to inconsistent or delayed election timelines, which may undermine the democratic process’s transparency and fairness.
• There is a concern about the potential undue influence exerted by state governments to delay elections for political or strategic reasons. Such interference can compromise the integrity of the electoral process and erode public trust in democratic institutions.
• The continued reliance on manual ballot paper-based processes introduces vulnerabilities, such as errors in counting, the potential for tampering, and delays in declaring election results. This traditional approach may not be as efficient or secure as modern Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT), which could enhance the transparency and credibility of electoral outcomes.
• Even after elections, municipal councils in urban local governments were not promptly constituted. For example: In Karnataka, a delay of 12-24 months was observed post-elections.

Way Forward:

• To deal with the challenges effectively, the State Election Commissions (SECs) need to play a more significant role in overseeing the electoral process using the powers mentioned in Articles 243K and 243ZA of the Constitution.
• Only 11 out of 35 states and union territories have empowered SECs to conduct ward delimitation. Ward delimitation is crucial for ensuring fair and equitable representation in municipal elections. SECs should be granted greater authority, including the power to conduct ward delimitation.
• Holding election officials and authorities accountable for any delays or irregularities in the conduct of municipal elections. This can be done through transparent investigation processes and appropriate disciplinary action.
• Addressing the challenges highlighted, from scheduling elections to ensuring fair processes, requires comprehensive policy reforms. The idea of ‘One Nation, One Election’ can be explored with a major focus on the efficient and timely election of the local bodies.

Source: SCC Online

Syllabus

• Prelims – Geography

Context: According to experts, Mount Erebus, one of the most active volcanoes on Earth, emits approximately 80 grams of gold every day, valued at about £5,000 (or $6,000, approximately).

Background:

• Mt Erebus gets its name from Captain Sir James Clark Ross who first discovered it in 1841.

About MOUNT EREBUS :

• Mount Erebus is located on Ross Island in Antarctica.
• Mount Erebus is the second-highest volcano in Antarctica, following Mount Sidley.
• Mount Erebus holds the distinction of being the world’s southernmost active volcano.
• It stands at 3,794 meters (12,448 feet) above sea level.
• Among all the islands on Earth, it ranks as the sixth-highest point.
• After Mount Vinson, it is the second most prominent mountain in Antarctica.

Geological Significance:

• Mount Erebus is classified as a polygenetic stratovolcano.
• Its lower half is a shield, while the upper half forms a stratocone.
• The volcano has been active for around 1.3 million years.
• Within its inner summit crater, there exists a persistent convecting phonolitic lava lake—one of only five such long-lasting lava lakes on Earth.

Source: Times of India

Syllabus

• Prelims – Current Event

Context: Recently, the Indian Navy conducted extensive exercise Poorvi Lehar.

Background:

• Exercise Poorvi Lehar plays a crucial role in ensuring the Indian Navy’s capability to safeguard our coastal waters and maintain security in the East Coast region.

About EXERCISE POORVI LEHAR (XPOL):

• Exercise Poorvi Lehar (XPOL) is a significant maritime exercise conducted by the Indian Navy along the East Coast.
• Under the operational direction of the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command, this exercise aims to validate procedures and assess the Indian Navy’s preparedness to meet Maritime Security challenges in the region.

Key Points :

• Objective: The exercise focuses on enhancing the Indian Navy’s readiness to address security threats in the maritime domain.
• Participating Assets: It involves Ships, Submarines, Aircrafts, and Special Forces.
• Phases: XPOL is conducted in multiple phases, including combat training during the Tactical Phase and successful firings during the Weapon Phase.
• Interoperability: The exercise demonstrates a high degree of interoperability among different services, with participation from assets of the Indian Air Force (IAF), Andaman & Nicobar Command, and Coast Guard.
• Maritime Domain Awareness: Continuous awareness of the maritime area of operations is maintained through the operation of aircraft from diverse locations.

Source: PIB

Q1.) With reference to Exercise Poorvi Lehar (XPOL), consider the following statements:

1. It is a maritime exercise conducted by the Indian Navy along the East Coast.
2. The exercise focuses on enhancing the Indian Navy’s readiness to address security threats in the maritime domain.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

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

Q2.) With reference to the Spices Board of India, consider the following statements:

1. The Spices Board of India is a statutory body.
2. The Spices Board operates under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry.
3. The Board serves as an international link between Indian spice exporters and importers abroad.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. All three
4. None

Q3.) Mount Erebus, an active volcano is located in

1. Indonesia
2. Italy
3. Australia
4. Antarctica