2-March-2024-Daily-Current-Affairs

NINE INJURED IN SUSPECTED IED BLAST AT CAFÉ IN BENGALURU’S TECH HUB

TOPIC: (GS3) SECURITY – SOURCE: ECONOMIC TIMES

An unfortunate incident unfolded at Rameshwaram Cafe in Bengaluru’s Whitefield area, where an explosion occurred, leaving nine people injured, mostly customers enjoying their lunch.

The CCTV footage revealed a man, with his face partially concealed, placing a bag in the cafe, raising suspicions about the incident.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah suggested that the blast was likely caused by an improvised explosive device (IED).

The state police, under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and Explosives Substances Act, initiated an investigation, with the National Investigation Agency (NIA) providing assistance. Seven specialized teams have been formed to identify and apprehend the suspect.

Understanding Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs):

Definition:

• IED stands for Improvised Explosive Device, essentially a homemade bomb with various forms and capabilities.
• Gained prominence during the United States’ invasion of Iraq in 2003.

Components and Composition:

• Initiator or triggering mechanism, switch to arm the explosive, main charge, power source, and a container.
• May include enhancements like nails, glass, or metal fragments for increased damage.

Range and Capabilities:

• Can vary from small pipe bombs to sophisticated explosives causing significant damage.

Materials and Construction of IEDs:

Common Materials:

• Fertilizers (ammonium nitrate, urea nitrate), gunpowder, and hydrogen peroxide.
• Security challenges arise due to the accessibility of these materials, leading to restrictions.

Security Concerns:

• Restrictions on carrying large quantities of liquids aboard aircraft due to the materials’ potential misuse.

Purpose and Impact of IEDs:

• Varied Purposes: Beyond causing casualties, IEDs are often used as distractions in active war zones.
• Factors Affecting Impact: Size, construction, placement, and type of explosive determine the extent of damage. Smaller bombs are easier to conceal but generally less powerful than larger ones.

Notable Instances of IED Attacks in India:

• Historical Attacks: 1993 Mumbai serial blasts, 2008 Jaipur blasts, and 2013 Bodh Gaya bombings.
• Perpetrators: Maoist insurgents and militants in Kashmir frequently employ IEDs, highlighting persistent security challenges.

UNRESTRAINED POACHING PLAYS A ROLE IN DISAPPEARANCE OF ODISHA’S LEOPARDS

TOPIC: (GS3) ENVIRONMENT – SOURCE: THE HINDU

Odisha experiences a significant 25% decline in leopard numbers between 2018 and 2022, mainly due to poaching.

‘Status of Leopards India’ report reveals a decrease from 760 to 568 leopards nationwide.

Distribution in Protected Areas:

• Leopard densities rise in tiger reserves, signaling recovery efforts concentrated in protected zones.
• Exclusive occupancy reported in areas like Similipal and Satkosia tiger reserves, Hirakud, and Kotagarh wildlife sanctuaries.

Threats Identified:

• Major threats include poaching for bush meat, tiger and leopard skins, habitat loss, and road accidents.
• Authorities seize 116 leopard skins between 2018 and 2024, emphasizing the severity of poaching.

Poaching of Big Cats in India:

Issues Contributing to Poaching:

• Demand in Traditional Medicine: Belief in medicinal properties of tiger parts fuels illegal wildlife trade.
• Human-Wildlife Conflict: Population expansion into big cat habitats leads to conflicts and retaliatory killings.
• Habitat Loss: Degradation and shrinking natural habitats bring big cats closer to settlements, raising risks.
• Limited Resources: Underfunded anti-poaching efforts lack personnel and technology.

Ways Forward to Address Poaching:

• Habitat Protection: Identify and safeguard critical habitats, create movement corridors, and mitigate fragmentation.
• Anti-Poaching Measures: Invest in technology, intelligence networks, and frontline staff training.
• Human-Wildlife Coexistence: Compensate for losses, raise awareness, and minimize interactions.
• Community Engagement: Collaborate with local communities, reduce dependency on forests, and change attitudes.
• International Cooperation: Strengthen cross-border collaboration to crack down on illegal wildlife trade networks.

PM MODI HAILS CABINET DECISION ON ESTABLISHMENT OF INTERNATIONAL BIG CAT ALLIANCE

TOPIC: (GS3) ENVIRONMENT – SOURCE: INDIAN EXPRESS

The Union Cabinet has given its approval for the formation of the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) in India, allocating a one-time budgetary support of Rs.150 crore over five years (2023-24 to 2027-28).

This visionary initiative arises from India’s commitment to big cat conservation, emphasized by the Prime Minister on Global Tiger Day 2019 and the 50th anniversary of India’s Project Tiger in 2023.

Objectives and Scope of IBCA:

Collaboration and Inclusivity:

• IBCA aims to unite 96 big cat range countries, non-range countries, conservation partners, scientific organizations, and business groups.
• Emphasis on collaborative efforts to strengthen conservation and reverse the decline in big cat populations.

Multipronged Approach:

• Knowledge sharing, capacity building, networking, advocacy, financial and resource support, research, technical assistance, education, and awareness.
• Framework integrates biodiversity policies with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Governance Structure:

• Assembly of Members, Standing Committee, and a Secretariat headquartered in India.
• Initial budget of Rs. 150 crore from the Indian government with contributions from bilateral and multilateral agencies.

Alignment with SDGs:

• IBCA aligns with SDGs, promoting sustainable land-use practices, habitat restoration, and ecosystem-based approaches for biodiversity conservation.
• A focus on integrating conservation goals with broader developmental objectives.

Conservation of Big Cat Species:

Importance of Big Cats:

• Ecological Role: Apex predators crucial for maintaining ecosystem balance by regulating prey populations.
• Biodiversity Indicators: Presence indicates overall ecosystem health.
• Economic and Cultural Value: Attract tourism, generate revenue, and hold cultural and symbolic significance.

Challenges:

• Habitat Loss and Fragmentation: Deforestation, agricultural expansion, and infrastructure development.
• Human-Wildlife Conflict: Retaliatory killings, competition for resources.
• Poaching and Illegal Trade: Threats to big cats for traditional medicine, live pet trade, and skins.

Way Forward:

• Protected Areas and Connectivity: Expand protected areas, establish corridors for gene flow, and reduce isolation.
• Human-Wildlife Conflict Mitigation: Community-based initiatives, compensation schemes, and innovative solutions.
• Combating Poaching: Strengthen anti-poaching measures, intelligence networks, and enforce wildlife laws.
• Community Engagement: Involve local communities, provide alternative livelihoods, and promote co-existence.
• International Cooperation: Collaborate for transboundary conservation, combat illegal wildlife trade, and share best practices.

AROUND 5,000 FARMER PRODUCER ORGANIZATIONS (FPOS) REGISTERED ON ONDC PLATFORM

TOPIC: (GS3) ECONOMY – SOURCE: PIB

In a notable achievement, over 8,000 out of the targeted 10,000 Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) have been registered, with 5,000 integrated into the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) portal.

This initiative, launched in 2020 with a budget of Rs 6,865 crore, aligns with the Central government’s objective of enhancing market access for growers, allowing FPOs to sell their produce online across the nation.

Central Sector Scheme for FPOs:

Economic Strengthening:

• Focused on aggregating small farmers to boost economic strength and market linkages.
• Financial assistance of up to Rs 18.00 lakh per FPO for 3 years, matching equity grants, and credit guarantee facilities.

Credit Guarantee Success:

• Credit Guarantee extended to 1,101 FPOs, covering over 10.2 lakh farmers, with a guaranteed coverage of Rs 246.0 crore.

Self-Reliant Farming:

• Aims to transform agriculture into self-reliant farming, fostering production, productivity, and rural economic growth, thereby creating job opportunities.

Role of FPOs in Agriculture Development:

Collective Bargaining Power:

• FPOs empower small farmers to act collectively, obtaining better prices for inputs and collectively selling produce, enhancing their bargaining power in the market.

Access to Resources:

• Facilitate access to vital resources like quality seeds, fertilizers, and credit facilities at competitive rates, which individual farmers may struggle to obtain.

Improved Farming Practices:

• Provide training and extension services on modern farming techniques, leading to increased productivity and sustainability.

Market Access and Diversification:

• Connect farmers to wider markets, reducing reliance on middlemen and increasing profit margins.
• Encourage value addition through processing and marketing of value-added products.

Empowerment and Community Development:

• Foster collective action, building stronger rural communities and promoting economic empowerment and social upliftment for farmers.

 DOOMSDAY GLACIER

TOPIC: (GS3) ENVIRONMENT – SOURCE: DOWN TO EARTH

Thwaites Glacier, dubbed the “Doomsday Glacier,” is located in West Antarctica’s Amundsen Sea.

                      

• It’s vast and fast-moving, roughly the size of Florida or Great Britain, making it a key subject of scientific research due to its sensitivity to climate change.
• This glacier is crucial for global sea-level rise, contributing about 4% to the current rise.
• Satellite data reveals alarming ice loss, estimated at nearly 50 billion tons annually, intensifying global sea-level elevation.
• If Thwaites Glacier were to completely melt, it could raise global sea levels by over 2 feet.
• It serves as a barrier, holding back neighboring glaciers containing around three meters of potential sea-level rise.
• A significant concern is its marine-based configuration, with much of its mass below sea level.
• As its grounding line retreats inland, deeper valleys allow more ice discharge into the sea, potentially triggering “marine ice sheet instability,” hastening the glacier’s melt.

THE VERY SHORT-RANGE AIR DEFENCE SYSTEM (VSHORADS) MISSILE

TOPIC: (GS3) SECURITY – SOURCE: ECONOMIC TIMES

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) recently conducted two successful flight tests of the Very Short-Range Air Defence System (VSHORADS) missile.

• VSHORADS is a fourth-generation Man Portable Air Defence System (MANPAD) designed to counter low-altitude aerial threats over short distances.
• These missiles are short-range, lightweight, and portable, allowing individuals or small groups to operate them.
• Developed by DRDO’s Research Centre Imarat (RCI), Hyderabad, in collaboration with other DRDO laboratories and Indian industry partners.

Key Features include:

• Designed to protect ground forces and critical assets from aerial threats like helicopters and low-flying aircraft.
• Offers a range of up to 6 kilometers.
• Incorporates advanced technologies such as a Dual-band IIR Seeker, miniaturized Reaction Control System, and integrated avionics.
• Propelled by a dual-thrust solid motor.

Both the missile and launcher are portable, enabling quick deployment over challenging terrain.

URBAN FRAMED SURVEY (UFS)

TOPIC: (GS3) ECONOMY – SOURCE: ECONOMIC TIMES

The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with ISRO for the Urban Frame Survey (UFS) utilizing Bhuvan.

• The UFS is conducted by the Field Operations Division (FOD) of the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO).
• UFS blocks, designed as compact areal units, consist of 120-150 households in urban areas.
• Conducted in five-year phases, the UFS serves as a sampling frame for NSSO’s large-scale Socio-Economic Surveys in the urban sector.
• Notably, the UFS in digital form was introduced for the first time during the 2017-22 phase, leveraging the Bhuvan platform for improved efficiency and accuracy.