30-Oct-2023-Daily-Current-Affairs

BLASTS KILL TWO, INJURE 41 AT PRAYER MEET NEAR KOCHI

GS 3 (INTERNAL SECURITY): SOURCE – THE HINDU

Tragic Incident that took place at a Jehovah’s Witnesses prayer convention near Kochi in Kerala, resulting in two deaths and 41 injuries. The explosions, which occurred during the crowded gathering of nearly 2,000 people, led to chaos and severe injuries among attendees, causing shock and distress across the region.

• The police have detained a man named Dominic Martin, described as a “disenchanted” member of the religious group, as a suspect in the case.
• Martin reportedly confessed to the crime upon arriving at the police station, leading to a potential investigation under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, with the possibility of involvement from the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

• The kerala Chief minister, Pinarayi Vijayan, has indicated that the death toll might rise due to the severe injuries sustained by some attendees, with several in intensive care. There’s a strong concern and attention directed toward the victims and their families.
• The investigation into this tragic incident is ongoing, led by a team under the Thrikkakara Assistant Commissioner of Police.
• This unfortunate event has left the community in shock, prompting discussions at higher levels and investigations to understand the circumstances and bring justice to the victims and their families.

Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA)

• The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) was enacted in 1967 to effectively prevent unlawful activities and associations in India.
• It primarily targets actions aimed at undermining India’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. The central government can declare an activity as unlawful, granting it significant authority.
• UAPA includes severe penalties, such as the death penalty and life imprisonment. It applies to both Indian and foreign nationals, even for crimes committed abroad.
• The investigating agency must file a charge sheet within 180 days of arrest, with the possibility of extensions.
• Amendments in 2004 added “terrorist acts” to the list of banned offenses. Recent changes allow individuals to be designated as terrorists under certain conditions.
• The Act also empowers the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for property seizure and investigation of terrorism cases by officers of higher ranks.

THE INDIAN RAILWAYS’ REVENUE PROBLEM

GS 3 (ECONOMY): SOURCE – THE HINDU)

Railways’ Capital Expenditure (Capex) vs. Operating Ratio: Indian Railways has extensively increased capital expenditure but hasn’t seen an improvement in its operating ratio, a key indicator of profitability. The increase in debt, operating costs, and the disparity between the freight and passenger segments pose significant challenges.

The Trap of Rising Debt:

Capital Sourcing and Debt: Indian Railways has raised funds through Gross Budgetary Support (GBS) and Extra Budgetary Resources (EBS). However, the rising debt is a concern, as repayment of principal and interest is increasingly consuming a significant portion of revenue receipts.

Capex and Financial Performance: Despite increased capital expenditure, financial performance hasn’t shown substantial improvement, leading to concerns regarding the sustainability and productivity of investments.

Identifying Challenges:

Freight vs. Passenger Segment: While the freight segment is profitable, the passenger segment faces significant losses, leading to the cross-subsidization of passenger services using freight profits. The decreasing modal share in India’s freight business indicates a need for significant improvement.

Freight Business Improvement: Strategies need to focus on enhancing freight volumes and subsequently increasing revenue, aligning cargo movement, and shedding artificial divisions in handling and tariffs.

Lessening Share and Fluctuations:

• Share of Key Commodities: Key commodities like coal, iron ore, and cement contribute significantly to tonnage and revenue, but the railways’ share in their transport has decreased over the years, reflecting a challenge in maintaining market share.
• Net Tonne Kilometres (NTKM) Fluctuations: The NTKM, a critical index, has shown fluctuations over the years, impacting railway transport growth and facing challenges in competing with road transport.

Conclusion:

Indian Railways faces significant challenges despite increased capital expenditure, including rising debt, declining market share in freight transport, and challenges in balancing passenger and freight segments. Strategies need to focus on enhancing freight volumes, shedding artificial cargo divisions, and addressing the fluctuating indices to sustainably improve revenue and market share in the transportation sector. This analysis lays the groundwork for further discussions on Indian Railways’ freight business and associated challenges.

STUDY TRACES TURKEY QUAKE TO INTERRUPTED ‘CHAT’ BETWEEN FAULT LINES

GS 3 (DISASTER MANAGEMENT): SOURCE – THE HINDU

Turkey-Syria Earthquakes: On February 6, 2023, Turkey and Syria were struck by two powerful earthquakes, resulting in significant devastation, with a death toll of 50,000 and over a lakh people injured across 11 provinces. The earthquakes took a heavy toll on infrastructure and buildings, impacting 1.5 crore people and 40 lakh buildings, raising concerns due to their unprecedented scale.

Geological Anatomy of Earthquakes:

• Tectonic Plates and Fault Lines: Earth’s crust consists of tectonic plates that interact, forming fault lines where collisions, separations, or sliding occurs, releasing pent-up pressure and causing earthquakes.
• Interacting Fault Lines: The earthquakes occurred along the East and North Anatolian Fault Lines, indicating a unique interaction where these geological giants were in constant ‘conversation’ through stress interactions.
• Cascade of Ruptures: This dialogue was disrupted during the earthquakes, leading to a cascade of ruptures, exceeding expectations in both scale and destructive potential, evident from observed craters in certain areas, even where no buildings existed.

Comparative Analysis:

• Post-Earthquake Analysis: Scientists rapidly gathered and analyzed data after the earthquakes to comprehend their evolution and associated hazards. Techniques like kinematic slip inversion and fault-property modeling helped understand fault movements and predict earthquake spread.
• Data and Insights: Such analyses provided insights into surface and subsurface fault characteristics, crucial in understanding seismic events and informing disaster management.

Science, Policy, and Lessons:

• Implications of Research: Findings from earthquake research influence policies and disaster management. The unpredictability of seismic events, despite awareness and building codes in place, underscores the need for strict enforcement of regulations to mitigate disasters.
• Impact on Policy and Disaster Management: While Turkey had laws and building codes in place, inadequate enforcement contributed to the magnitude of the disaster, leading to significant casualties and structural collapses.

Conclusion:

The study of the Turkey-Syria earthquakes sheds light on the complex interactions of fault lines and the necessity for strict policy enforcement to mitigate such disasters. The scientific community’s rapid post-earthquake analysis provided valuable insights, emphasizing the unpredictable nature of seismic events and the need for robust disaster management policies and their stringent implementation to safeguard lives and infrastructure.

MOMENT OF RECKONING FOR INDIA’S ELECTRIC TWO-WHEELER INDUSTRY

GS 3 (ECONOMY): SOURCE – ORFONLINE

India’s electric vehicle (EV) industry, particularly the electric two-wheeler segment, has shown remarkable growth and potential. With a global surge in demand for affordable electric two-wheelers, India stands poised to challenge China’s dominance in this sector. However, there are challenges related to policy uncertainties and subsidy disbursement that necessitate a strategic reset to sustain this growth and achieve global leadership.

Present Scenario and Global Potential

• Current Status: Indian two-wheeler EVs constitute around 50% of all registered EVs in the country, driven by strong government support and a robust manufacturing ecosystem.
• Global Uptick: Increasing demand for affordable electric two-wheelers is evident in regions like Latin America, South Asia, and Africa, offering an opportunity for India to tap into a burgeoning global market.
• Competition with China: India has the potential to challenge China’s dominance in this sector due to the presence of numerous manufacturers and anticipated increased annual production capacity.

Need for Policy Reset and Subsidy Disbursement Issues

• Policy Uncertainty: Reduction of FAME subsidy for two-wheelers and ongoing investigations into subsidy violations have created uncertainty and fluctuations in the industry.
• Importance of Policy Clarity: Emphasizing the necessity of a clear policy roadmap to address issues related to local content, norms, and certification procedures.

Collaborative Approach and Consultation Mechanism

• Collaboration with Private Sector: Advocating for a formalized mechanism for consultations with the private sector to develop effective policies and address industry concerns.
• Japanese Model: Drawing lessons from Japan’s successful automotive industry growth through MITI’s consultative approach in crafting long-term plans and resolving industry challenges.

Recommendations and Future Outlook

• Dispute Resolution: Urgent resolution of disputes related to the FAME scheme.
• Innovation and R&D Incentives: Encouraging innovation through targeted R&D incentives, emphasizing the importance of ‘Creating in India for the World.’
• Opportunity for Global Leadership: Emphasizing the potential for India to lead in the EV industry with collaborative and resolute actions from policymakers and the industry.

Conclusion

India’s electric two-wheeler industry holds promise for not only domestic growth but also global leadership. A strategic reset, clear policies, collaborative action, and emphasis on innovation are critical for India to seize this moment and drive its electric vehicle sector to new heights.

IITM PUNE DEMONSTRATES CLOUD SEEDING CAN PRODUCE RAINFALL

GS 3 (ENVIRONMENT): SOURCE – THE INDIAN EXPRESS

Cloud seeding, an experimental technique for inducing rainfall, has been demonstrated in a study conducted by IITM Pune, revealing its effectiveness in increasing rainfall in the Solapur region. The study presents crucial insights into enhancing water availability through cloud seeding, particularly in regions facing low rainfall.

Cloud Seeding Experiment Overview

• Experiment Details: The Cloud Aerosol Interaction and Precipitation Enhancement Experiment (CAIPEEX phase-4) focused on hygroscopic seeding in deep convective clouds in Solapur during the summer monsoon periods of 2018 and 2019.
• Results: The seeding produced an 18% relative enhancement in rainfall, resulting in approximately 8.67mm extra rainfall over two hours post-seeding, contributing to a total of 867 million liters of enhanced water availability.
• Objective: The study aimed to identify the efficacy of cloud seeding in specific convective clouds and develop protocols for cloud seeding.

Effectiveness and Key Findings

• Effectiveness of Seeding: The experiment showed that the seeded clouds produced more rainfall compared to unseeded clouds, leading to enhanced rainfall.
• Selection Criteria for Seeding: Only convective clouds with specific characteristics such as liquid water content and vertical motion were chosen for seeding, targeting clouds likely to produce rainfall.

Seeding Process and Operational Details

• Seeding Technique: The study utilized calcium chloride flare for seeding, deploying it at the base of warm convective clouds during their growing stage.
• Cloud Seeding Impact: The process resulted in more rainfall, but it was emphasized that cloud seeding alone couldn’t mitigate droughts entirely, although it could contribute to addressing water needs.

Cost and Water Availability

• Cost-Benefit Analysis: The cost of producing water through cloud seeding was estimated at 18 paisa per liter, indicating a potential reduction by over 50% if indigenous seeding aircraft were employed.
• Societal Impact: The findings highlight the significant benefits of cloud seeding in regions like Solapur, where water scarcity is a prevailing issue.

Conclusion

The study’s outcomes present the potential of cloud seeding as a supplementary tool to augment water resources, particularly in areas with water scarcity. The research provides insights into the complexities and success rates of cloud seeding, indicating its partial but beneficial role in addressing water requirements. Additionally, the cost-efficiency and technical guidance derived from the study emphasize the viability of cloud seeding as a part of broader water management strategies.

BETELGEUSE STAR DIMMING EXPLAINED BY DUST BURST

GS 3 (SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY): SOURCE- THE INDIAN EXPRESS

Scientists have investigated the dimming phenomenon of Betelgeuse star using the MATISSE (Multi Aperture mid-Infrared Spectroscopic Experiment) instrument. Their findings reveal that the star’s dimming was caused by a burst of dust in the form of silicon monoxide originating from the star itself.

Betelgeuse Star

• Brightness: Betelgeuse, also known as Alpha Orionis, is the second brightest star in the Orion constellation and one of the most luminous stars in the night sky. It shines between 7,500 to 14,000 times brighter than the Sun.
• Indian Astronomy Names: In Indian astronomy, it goes by the names ‘Thiruvathirai’ and ‘Ardra’.
• Supergiant Star: Betelgeuse is classified as a supergiant star and is characterized by its distinctive red color.
• Distance: It is located at a distance of approximately 643 light-years from Earth.

The discovery of the dust burst from Betelgeuse provides valuable insights into the mechanisms behind the dimming episodes observed in this prominent star.

COLLABORATION BETWEEN MINISTRY OF COAL AND MINISTRY OF NEW & RENEWABLE ENERGY FOR GREEN ENERGY EXPANSION

GS 3 (ENVIRONMENT): SOURCE – TIMES OF INDIA

Collaborative Initiative: The Ministry of Coal (MoC) and the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) have joined forces to mutually promote the expansion of Green Energy.

Roles Defined:

• MoC Involvement: MoC will contribute by providing land, capital, and will spearhead the implementation of renewable energy projects.
• Utilization of De-Coaled Land: Land areas that have been mined out and are now surplus from Coal companies will be repurposed for establishing green hydrogen projects. Private investors will be welcomed to initiate such projects on these lands.

Support and Capacity Building:

• MNRE’s Contribution: MNRE will extend its support to MoC and its CPSEs (Central Public Sector Enterprises) by offering capacity building initiatives. This will include training programs for engineers, technicians, and other functionaries.
• National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE): Capacity building will be carried out through the National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE), aiding in skill development and knowledge enhancement in the renewable energy sector.

This collaboration aims to harness the strengths of both sectors, utilizing coal-mined land for eco-friendly energy projects and investing in skill development to empower individuals involved in the renewable energy landscape.