Current Affairs UPSC/IAS Exams – 17th June 2019

Eco-friendly flats for MPs

Topic: Environment and Ecology

In News: New flat for MPs were constructed using fly ash bricks for the construction of the structure, while C&D waste bricks were used for the external walls. There are also five rainwater harvesting pits on the premises.

More on the Topic: 

• Fly ash, the end product of combustion during the process of power generation in the coal based thermal power plants, is a proven resource material for many applications of construction industries and currently is being utilized in manufacturing of Portland Cement, bricks/blocks/tiles manufacturing, road embankment construction and low lying area development, etc.
• At present, 63% of the fly ash is being utilised and target is for 100% utilisation of the fly ash. There is need for education and awareness generation.
• Road contractors and construction engineers need to know the benefits of using fly ash in construction.
• Measures need to be taken to reduce the cost of construction of roads using fly ash by way of tax structure, subsidies and transportation services.
• Besides, there is a need to prevent the ash from coming to the power plant by washing the coal at its place of origin. The government should also come out with a policy to encourage fly ash use in cement plant.

Significance:

• Fly ash is a major source of PM 2.5 (fine, respirable pollution particles) in summer. It becomes air borne, and gets transported to a radius of 10 to 20 kms.
• It can settle on water and other surfaces. Fly ash contains heavy metals from coal, a large amount of PM 2.5 and black carbon (BC). Proper disposal of fly ash is still not happening in many places.

Source: The Hindu

G20 agrees to tackle ocean plastic waste

Topic: International Relations

In News: A Group of 20 environment ministers agreed to adopt a new implementation framework for actions to tackle the issue of marine plastic waste on a global scale.

More on the Topic:

• Environment and energy ministers of the Group of 20 major economies met in Karuizawa, northwest of Tokyo, ahead of the G20 summit in Osaka, western Japan, on June 28-29.
• One of the top issues was ocean plastic waste as images of plastic debris-strewn beaches and dead animals with stomachs full of plastic have sparked outrage, with many countries banning plastic bags outright.
• Under the new framework, G20 members will promote a comprehensive life-cycle approach to prevent and reduce plastic litter discharge to the oceans through various measures and international cooperation.
• They will also share best practices, promote innovation and boost scientific monitoring and analytical methodologies.

Source: The Hindu

Black softshell turtle

Topic: Environment and Ecology

In News: For the first time since it was established 294 years ago, a temple in Guwahati has let its presiding deity play second fiddle to the offspring of its resident reptiles — the rare black softshell turtle (Nilssonia nigricans).

More on the topic:

• The Ugratara Temple, one of the city’s landmarks, organised a special darshan of 34 hatchlings of the freshwater turtle on Sunday. Members of the temple committee and devotees turned up for what was essentially a ceremony to welcome and bid goodbye to these hatchlings.
• The welcome was because the eggs of black softshell were collected from temple ponds for incubation at the Assam State Zoo. And the goodbye was because these hatchlings will be reintroduced in the wild, never to return.
• The black softshell turtle is extinct in the wild. The few that remain are in the ponds of some temples in Assam.
• A similar homecoming of 11 hatchlings of the equally endangered Indian roofed turtle ( Pangshura tecta ) and the Indian tent turtle ( Pangshura tentoria ) was organised at the Hayagriv Madhab Temple in Hajo.
• The eggs of the freshwater turtles have a soft shell. Unlike rivers or natural water bodies where they lay eggs a foot under silt, the clayey bottom of the ponds forces the turtles to lay eggs on the surface.
• Only about 20% of the eggs laid in these ponds hatch because of other factors such as shallowness and resultant water temperature.

Model Mains Question: Discuss the importance of community participation in the environmental conservation.

Source: The Hindu

SAARC grouping

Topic: International Relations

In News: Bhutan prime minister said that it is too early to call off SAARC and say it isn’t relevant or viable.

More on the Topic:

• The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) is a regional inter-governmental organization and geopolitical union of nations in South Asia.
• Its member states include, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Maldives and Sri Lanka.
• SAARC comprises 3 % of the world’s area, 21% of the world’s population and 3.8% (USD 2.9 trillion) of the global economy.
• It was founded in Dhaka on 8 December 1985. Its secretariat is based in Kathmandu(Nepal).
• The organization promotes the development of economic and regional integration. SAARC maintains permanent diplomatic relations at the United Nations as an observer and has developed links with multilateral entities, including the European Union.
• Despite its strength, SAARC stills remain an institution with no political power. On the surface, the lack of political power almost makes the SAARC look like shark without teeth.
• For several years, SAARC has not fostered good interaction and growth among its members, never dream of creating strong unions like EU or ASEAN. But SAARC gets media attention when it is used as political to manipulate other countries.
• Rivalry between India and Pakistan, the two largest members of SAARC, has cast a huge shadow over the SAARC.
• Despite the fact that relations between the two states have been defined by the violent partition of British India in 1947, which was followed by the Kashmir conflict and the numerous military conflicts including 1965 and 1971 wars. The regional rivalry continues to restrain SAARC from functioning as a strong organisation.
• Along with the trouble political willpower, lack of business cooperation rendered SAARC an ineffective.
• Several regional corporations like ASEAN, EU, Union of South American Nation (USAN) or African Union has significantly contributed to the economic growth with their regional business agreement. But, SAARC falls behind them.

What should be India’s approach towards SAARC:

• For any country its emergence in the international arena greatly depends on its strong influence in its own region.
• Its dominance should be seen its regional stability and economic prosperity. In this case, India should not afford to lose its influence in South Asia.
• So SAARC is really an important platform for India’s success. Besides, it will act as deterrence for other nations to intervene in south Asian region.
• As the member countries are spread around India, the country needs to maintain healthy relationship with its neighbors.
• The SAARC can create an agenda which can make sure that things in the region are in some way controllable.
• Such a deterrence will provide strong upper hand to India in maintaining its superiority in the region provided by its bigger landmass, strong economic growth and it’s status of nuclear power.

Source: The Hindu

Protests in Hong Kong

Topic: International Affairs

In News: An extradition bill Hong Kong authorities had proposed triggered one of the largest protests in the city’s history, escalating tensions between its pro-Beijing ruling elite and a defiant civil society.

More on the Topic:

• Hong Kong has seen several protests since it was handed over to China by the British colonialists in 1997.
• In 2003, then Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa’s attempt to pass stringent security legislation, which Beijing had pushed for, was successfully resisted by tens of thousands of protesters.
• In 2014, the city saw weeks-long protests against proposed changes in the electoral system, which came to be known as the Umbrella Movement.
• In the latest protest, the trigger has been the extradition bill which, if passed, would have allowed the city government to extradite any suspect to places with which Hong Kong does not have extradition accords.
• When Hong Kong’s extradition agreements were finalised, mainland China and Taiwan were left out because those regions had fundamentally different criminal justice systems from that of the city.
• This “loophole”, according to the Hong Kong government, allows suspected criminals to avoid trial elsewhere by taking refuge in the city.

Why is there opposition to the bill?

• Civil society groups and Hong Kong’s pro-democracy activists say the bill will allow mainland China to deepen its influence in Hong Kong.
• The relationship between China and Hong Kong is anything but smooth. When Hong Kong was handed over to China in 1997 by Britain, both sides agreed that the city would remain a semi autonomous region under the Basic Law, its mini-Constitution, for 50 years.
• The Basic Law provides people in Hong Kong more political freedoms than their counterparts in mainland China. There is a relatively free press, an unregulated Internet and a less-controlled judiciary in Hong Kong.
• Also, mainland authorities are not allowed to operate directly in Hong Kong. But Beijing has increasingly tried to exert its influence on the city in recent years, raising concerns of the city’s pro-democracy groups which are largely Beijing-sceptics.
• There have been instances of China critics being abducted from Hong Kong with the city government doing nothing to resist such actions.
• Furthermore, the Hong Kong government itself has shown growing authoritarian tendencies in recent years. There have been instances of lawmakers being disqualified, activists banned from running for office, a political party prohibited and a foreign journalist expelled.
• So civil society groups are fighting two odds — growing instances of Beijing’s meddling in Hong Kong’s affairs and rising authoritarian traits of the city’s rulers.
• They say the bill is another blow against the rights those in Hong Kong currently enjoy, noting that it would empower the city government to send critics of Beijing to the mainland where the criminal justice system is tightly controlled by the establishment.

What is next?

• While the government’s U-turn at present could calm tensions for now, the crisis has exposed, once again, the growing distrust between the city’s pro-Beijing authorities and its civil society.

Source: The Hindu

NITI Aayog governing council

Topic: Economy

In News: Speaking at the fifth meeting of the NITI Aayog governing council, Mr. Modi pitched for foundational reforms in the agri-economy, leading to a complete transformation of the agriculture sector in India. While a few chief ministers will be part of the committee, more details are to be announced later.

More on the Topic:

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the setting up of a high-level task force for undertaking structural reforms in agriculture, including strengthening logistics, produce marketing, food processing as well as changes to the Essential Commodities Act.
• Stating that India is targeting a $5 trillion economy by 2024, the Prime Minister asked the States improve their respective economies by two to two-and-a-half times. This would result in an increase in the common man’s purchasing power.
• The goal to make India a $5 trillion dollar economy is challenging but can be achieved with concerted efforts of States.
• The meeting was attended by the Chief Ministers of all States barring those from West Bengal, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh.
• At the meeting there was broad consensus on reducing water wastage, promoting efficient water conservation practices with rain-water harvesting to be undertaken at the household and community level with proactive policy and investment support.
• Talking about the Aspirational Districts scheme, Mr. Modi said many of them are affected by Naxal violence. However, he added, that the battle against Naxal violence is now in a decisive phase and will be dealt with firmly.

Source: The Hindu

International Pulsar Timing Array (IPTA)

Topic: Science and Technology

In News: National Centre for Radio Astrophysics (NCRA) will be hosting the five-day annual International Pulsar Timing Array (IPTA) meet from June 17 to 21.

More on the Topic:

• Radio astronomy is a subfield of astronomy that studies celestial objects at radio frequencies.
• The meet is a collaboration of radio astronomers from a dozen countries across the globe.
• It uses more than 12 radio telescopes all over the world with an aim to detect ultra-low frequency gravitational waves.
• Ultra-low frequency Gravitational Waves are wrinkles in space-time produced by two massive black holes, each revolving around the other.
• Such black holes, which weigh billion times more than Sun, are found in the centres of colliding galaxies.
• These waves affect radio pulses from 10km size stars called radio pulsars by changing ever so slightly the period of radio pulsation of these stars.

Source:Live Mint