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GS Paper: GS1

  • International Nitrogen Initiative (INI)

    The United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are the main focus of the eighth triennial conference of the International Nitrogen Initiative (INI) being held virtually this week.

    International Nitrogen Initiative

    • INI is an international program, set up in 2003 under the sponsorship of the Scientific Committee on Problems of the Environment (SCOPE) and from the International Geosphere-Biosphere Program (IGBP).
    • The key aims of the INI are to:
    1. optimize nitrogen’s beneficial role in sustainable food production, and
    2. minimize nitrogen’s negative effects on human health and the environment resulting from food and energy production.

    Answer this PYQ in the comment box:

    Q.Which of the following adds/add nitrogen to the soil?

    1. Excretion of Urea by animals
    2. Burning of coal by man
    3. Death of vegetation

    Select the correct answer using the code given below:

    (a) 1 only

    (b) 2 and 3 only

    (c) 1 and 3 only

    (d) 1, 2, and 3

    Why nitrogen?

    • Reactive nitrogen compounds like NOx, ammonia and the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide impact air, water and soil quality, health, biodiversity and climate change, among others.
    • These compounds are lost from fertilizers, manures, and sewage as well as from fuel burning in transport and industry.
    • Assessing and managing them sustainably will be crucial to achieving the 17 UN SDGs targeted for 2030.

    Also read:

    [Burning Issue] Nitrogen Pollution in India

    Back2Basics: Nitrogen Pollution

    • While nitrogen is the dominant gas in the atmosphere, it is inert and doesn’t react.
    • However, when it is released as part of compounds from agriculture, sewage and biological waste, nitrogen is considered reactive.
    • It may be polluting and even exert a potent greenhouse gas effect.
    • Nitrous oxide (N2O) is 300 times more potent than carbon dioxide but isn’t as prevalent in the atmosphere.
    • Other than air pollution, nitrogen is also linked to the loss of biodiversity, the pollution of rivers and seas, ozone depletion, health, economy, and livelihoods.
    • Nitrogen pollution is caused, for example, by emissions from chemical fertilizers, livestock manure and burning fossil fuels.
    • Gases such as ammonia (NH3) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) contribute to poor air quality and can aggravate respiratory and heart conditions, leading to millions of premature deaths across the world.
    • Nitrate from chemical fertilizers, manure, and industry pollute the rivers and seas, posing a health risk for humans, fish, coral, and plant life.

  • 2nd June 2021| Daily Answer Writing Enhancement(AWE)

    Topics for Today’s questions:

    GS-1  Salient aspects of Art Forms, Literature and Architecture.

    GS-2  India’s Foreign Policy and Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests

    GS-3 Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nano-technology, bio-technology, the role of media and social networking sites in internal security challenges, basics of cybersecurity;

    GS-4 Ethics and Human Interface: Essence, determinants and consequences of Ethics in-human actions; dimensions of ethics; ethics – in private and public relationships.

    Following are the questions:

    Question 1)

    Q. 1) “Historically Indian subcontinent has witnessed various foreign invasion resulting into political turmoil but these invasions led to enrichment of Indian Art and Culture” Comment (15 marks)

    Question 2)

    Q. 2) Assess the impact and influence of the two Covid-19 waves on India’s foreign policy. (10 Marks)

    Question 3)

    Q. 3) Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 put an obligation to ensure traceability. What are the implications of the traceability of the originator of information on social media platforms for the user and the intermediaries providing messaging functions? (10 Marks)

    Question 4)  

    Q. 4) Ethics and norms of society are generally passed to the individual through the process of enculturation. However, there can be many situations which can lead to a conflict between an individual’s morals and societal ethics. How an individual can resolve such conflict? Illustrate with suitable examples (10 Marks)

    HOW TO ATTEMPT ANSWERS IN DAILY ANSWER WRITING ENHANCEMENT(AWE)?

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  • China to allow couples for third child

    China will for the first time allow couples to have a third child in a further relaxation of family planning rules five years after a “two-child policy” largely failed to boost birth rates.

    Do you think that the One-Child Policy would be effective for population control in India?

    What was the One-Child Policy?

    • China embarked upon its one-child policy in 1980 when the Communist Party was concerned that the country’s growing population, which at the time was approaching one billion, would impede economic progress.
    • The policy was implemented more effectively in urban areas.
    • It was enforced through several means, including incentivizing families financially to have one child, making contraceptives widely available, and imposing sanctions against those who violated the policy.

    How well did the policy fare?

    • Chinese authorities have long hailed the policy as a success, claiming that it helped the country avert severe food and water shortages by preventing up to 40 crore people from being born.
    • However, the policy was also a source of discontent, as the state used brutal tactics such as forced abortions and sterilizations.
    • It also met criticism and remained controversial for violating human rights, and for being unfair to poorer Chinese since the richer ones could afford to pay economic sanctions if they violated the policy.
    • Additionally, China’s rulers have been accused of enforcing reproductive limits as a tool for social control.
    • The Uighur Muslim ethnic minority, for example, has been forced to have fewer children to restrict the growth of their population.

    Demographic changes due to the policy

    • Due to the policy, while the birth rate fell, the sex ratio became skewed towards males.
    • This happened because of a traditional preference for male children in the country, due to which abortion of female fetuses rose and so did the number of girls who were placed in orphanages or abandoned.
    • Experts have also blamed the policy for making China’s population age faster than other countries, impacting the country’s growth potential.
    • It is also suggested that because of the long-lingering impact of the policy, China would be unable to reap the full benefits of its economic growth and will need other ways to support it.

    Skeptics of the new move

    • Experts say relaxing limits on reproductive rights alone cannot go a long way in averting an unwanted demographic shift.
    • The main factors behind fewer children being born, they say, are rising costs of living, education, and supporting aging parents.
    • The problem is made worse by the country’s pervasive culture of long working hours.
    • There has also been a cultural shift during the decades in which the one-child policy remained in force, with many couples believing that one child is enough, and some expressing no interest in having children.

  • 1st June 2021| Daily Answer Writing Enhancement(AWE)

    Topics for Today’s questions:

    GS-1  Salient aspects of Art Forms, Literature and Architecture.

    GS-2 India and Its neighbouthood-relations

    GS-3 Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nano-technology, bio-technology

    GS-4 Ethics and Human Interface: Essence, determinants and consequences of Ethics in-human actions; dimensions of ethics; ethics – in private and public relationships.

    Following are the questions:

    Question 1)

     

    Q. 1) Paintings in India has been an ever evolving art form depicting not just political scenario of India but also reflecting socio-cultural life of the period. Comment. (10 Marks)

     

    Question 2)

    Q.2) ‘As Nepal passes through another political turmoil, India needs to engage Nepal without intervening.’ In light of this, examine the factors that India should consider in dealing with Nepal. (10 Marks)

    Question 3)

    Q.3) India was a late adopter in all the previous phases of the digital revolution be it the semiconductors, the internet or smartphones. Do you think the same is happening again in India’s adoption of cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology? Suggest the way forward. (10 Marks)

    Question 4)  

    Q. 4) Action based on ethics essential for the establishment of peaceful society. Justify your views with suitable examples (10 Marks)

     

    HOW TO ATTEMPT ANSWERS IN DAILY ANSWER WRITING ENHANCEMENT(AWE)?

    1. Daily 4 questions from General studies 1, 2, 3, and 4 will be provided to you.

    2. A Mentor’s Comment will be available for all answers. This can be used as a guidance tool but we encourage you to write original answers.

    3. You can write your answer on an A4 sheet and scan/click pictures of the same.

    4.  Upload the scanned answer in the comment section of the same question.

    5. Along with the scanned answer, please share your Razor payment ID, so that paid members are given priority.

    6. If you upload the answer on the same day like the answer of 1st June is uploaded on 1st June then your answer will be checked within 72 hours. Also, reviews will be in the order of submission- First come first serve basis

    7. If you are writing answers late, for example, 1st June is uploaded on 3rd June, then these answers will be evaluated as per the mentor’s schedule.

    8. Also, if you are uploading an answer late then tag the mentor like @Swatantra so that the mentor is notified about your answer

    *In case your answer is not reviewed, reply to your answer saying *NOT CHECKED*. Swatantra Sir’s tag is available, tag him.

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  • Monsoon onset over Kerala delayed: IMD

    • The monsoon’s arrival over Kerala has been delayed to June 3, according to an update by the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
    • Private weather forecast agency, Skymet, however, said that the monsoon had arrived.
    • This was because two of the three criteria — as defined by the IMD — had been met.
    • Currently, IMD’s own data indicated that except for the OLR, the other criteria were met. Thus, there is an element of subjectivity in arrival.

    What are those criterias defined by IMD?

    1. Rain-bearing westerlies being at a minimum depth and speed;
    2. At least 60% of the available 14 stations in Kerala and coastal Karnataka, reporting rainfall of 2.5 mm or more for two consecutive days after May 10;
    3. A certain degree of clouding, indicated by a parameter called ‘outgoing long wave radiation’ (OLR), being below 200 W/square meter.

    What is meant by ‘Outgoing Long Wave Radiation’ (OLR)?

    • Outgoing Long-wave Radiation (OLR) is electromagnetic radiation of wavelengths from 3–100 μm emitted from Earth and its atmosphere out to space in the form of thermal radiation.
    • It is also referred to as up-welling long-wave radiation and terrestrial long-wave flux, among others.
    • The flux of energy transported by outgoing long-wave radiation is measured in W/m.
    • In the Earth’s climate system, long-wave radiation involves processes of absorption, scattering, and emissions from atmospheric gases, aerosols, clouds and the surface.
    • Over 99% of outgoing long-wave radiation has wavelengths between 4 μm and 100 μm, in the thermal infrared part of the electromagnetic spectrum.

    Factors responsible for south-west monsoon formation:

    1. Intense heating of Tibetan plateau during summer months.
    2. Permanent high pressure cell in the South Indian Ocean (east to north-east of Madagascar in summer).

    Factors that influence the onset of south-west monsoons:

    1. Above points +
    2. Subtropical Jet Stream (STJ).
    3. Tropical Easterly Jet (African Easterly Jet).
    4. Inter Tropical Convergence Zone.

    Factors that influence the intensity of south-west monsoons:

    1. Strengths of Low pressure over Tibet and high pressure over southern Indian Ocean.
    2. Somali Jet (Findlater Jet).
    3. Somali Current (Findlater Current).
    4. Indian Ocean branch of Walker Cell.
    5. Indian Ocean Dipole.

    Factors responsible for north-east monsoon formation:

    1. Formation and strengthening of high pressure cells over Tibetan plateau and Siberian Plateau in winter.
    2. Westward migration and subsequent weakening of high pressure cell in the Southern Indian Ocean.
    3. Migration of ITCZ to the south of India.

  • ‘Bell of Faith’ launched by Kerala for senior citizens

    The ‘Bell of Faith’ scheme will now be implemented for senior citizens staying alone in villages. Scheme to cover 250 houses in city in the first phase.

    What is the ‘Bell of Faith’ scheme all about?

    • It is a safety project conceived under Kerala’s Community Policing Scheme.
    • It will help elderly citizens attract the attention of their neighbours using a loud, remote-controlled alarm in emergencies.
    • It has been under implementation in Kerala since 2018.
    • A welfare fund of ₹3.5 crore sanctioned by the State government would be used for the initiative that gives preference to those staying alone in their houses.
    • In the first phase, around 250 houses selected by the local Janamaithri scheme coordinators will be covered under the scheme

    Significance of the Project:

    • It sets an example for community participation to ensure the well-being and safety of the elderly.
    • It can be of great support for the aged during the COVID-19 pandemic as many live in fear for their health.
    • The electronic bells, installed free of cost with wireless control mechanism, will help senior citizens in quickly seeking the support of neighbours during emergencies.

  • Statehood Day of Goa

    On 18 December 1961, the Indian government took military action against the Portuguese rule in Goa culminating in the liberation of Goa and its merger with the Indian Union.

    About Goa

    • Goa is located on the southwestern coast of India within the region known as the Konkan, and geographically separated from the Deccan highlands by the Western Ghats.
    • Capital: Panji.
    • Official Language: Konkani which is one of the 22 languages from the Eight Schedule.
    • Borders: It is surrounded by Maharashtra to the north and Karnataka to the east and south, with the Arabian Sea forming its western coast.

    History:

    • Portugal conquered Goa in 1510 and made it a colony.
    • In 1950, the Indian government, in a bid to start diplomatic measures to free Goa, asked the Portuguese government to start negotiations for the independence of Goa. However, Portugal refused.
    • The Goan movement was supported by Indian independence leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru, Subhas Chandra Bose, Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia and Dr. Rajendra Prasad.
    • Dadra and Nagar Haveli was annexed by India in 1954 with the support of the United Front of Goans, the Azad Gomantak Dal and the National Movement Liberation Organisation.
    • The commander of the Indian forces was Major-General K.P. Candeth. The operation for Goa liberation was codenamed “Operation Vijay”.
    • After the fall of Goa, Portugal terminated all diplomatic relations with India and only in 1974 Portugal recognise Goa as a part of India and resume diplomatic relations.
    • The USSR had steadfastly supported India in this matter and also vetoed a resolution condemning the Indian invasion in the UN Security Council.

    Geography:

    • The highest point of Goa is Sonsogor.
    • Goa’s seven major rivers are the Zuari, Mandovi, Terekhol, Chapora, Galgibag, Kumbarjua canal, Talpona and the Sal.
    • Most of Goa’s soil cover is made up of laterites.

  • Cost and complications of transplanting a tree

    The Central Public Works Department (CPWD) wants to transplant over 1,800 trees which are inside what used to be the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) complex, as part of the Central Vista redevelopment project.

    Transplantation of trees

    • The transplantation of trees is a complex and delicate process whose outcome cannot be predicted.
    • A tree cannot be transplanted by simply uprooting it and placing it in a pit dug elsewhere. The process involves multiple steps and requires significant expertise.

    How it is done?

    • First, the soil around the tree is dug up to isolate the roots. The big branches are lopped off, leaving only small shoots for regeneration. This is done to make transportation of the tree to the new location easier.
    • The root system is covered with wet gunny bags to protect the roots and to keep the tree hydrated.
    • The tree has to be first sent to a nursery to acclimatize to a new kind of soil, and to regenerate.
    • Once new shoots start sprouting, the tree is lowered into a pit created in its new spot.

    What factors determine the success of a transplant?

    • Even after all steps are meticulously followed, a lot depends on luck. The survival rate of a transplanted tree is about 50%.
    • Not all trees can be transplanted. While peepal, ficus, semal and sheesham are tolerant to transplantation, trees such as dak, palash, arjun, shahtoot and jhilmil are not.

    (1) Roots

    • Any tree that has a tap root system cannot be transplanted, as the root goes deep into the soil, and it is not possible to isolate it without damage.

    (2) Size

    • Transplanting any tree with a trunk girth of more than 80-90 cm is not advisable as the tree cannot bear the shock, and will eventually die.

    (3) Age

    • That effectively means that big, old trees cannot, in most cases, be removed to another location.

    (4) Soil

    • It is important to consider soil type before transplantation.
    • A tree growing on, say, the Delhi Ridge will not easily acclimatize to the soil in the Yamuna floodplain, as the two ecosystems are entirely different.

    How expensive is transplantation?

    • The cost of transplanting an average-sized tree might come to around Rs 1 lakh, which included post-transplantation care.
    • For larger trees, the cost could go up to Rs 3 lakh.
    • Private and voluntary organizations, however, claim that the cost is between Rs 5,000 and Rs 10,000 per tree.

  • New regulations for Lakshadweep

    A series of regulations proposed by the Lakshadweep administrator has caused widespread resentment and fear among its residents.

    What are the new regulations?

    [1] Cow slaughter & beef

    • An order from the Administration seeks to ban the slaughter of cow, calf, bull, and buffalo without a certificate from a competent authority.
    • It prohibits the sale, transport, and storage of beef and beef products. Penalties include a jail term of up to one year and a fine of Rs 10,000.
    • The Administration has not provided an explanation on why the rule was brought in.
    • Residents view the rule as a direct infringement on their culture and eating habits. They allege the rule was decided without consultation with local bodies.

    [2] Two-child policy

    • Under the Draft Panchayat Regulation 2021, the Administration aims to bar people with more than two children from becoming a member of the gram panchayat.
    • For those who already have more than two children, the regulation does not disqualify them provided they do not have further children after the date on which the rule comes into effect.

    [3] Serving liquor to tourists

    • The Administration has decided to allow liquor to be served at resorts on inhabited islands.
    • Currently, prohibition is in place on all inhabited islands, with liquor served only at resorts on the uninhabited Bangaram Island.
    • The Dist Collector clarified that liquor permits would be given only to resorts for tourists, not for locals.
    • Residents have alleged that the move will lead to a proliferation of liquor sales on the island, which had been observing near-prohibition until now.

    [4] Land acquisition powers

    • The Administration brought in a draft Lakshadweep Development Authority Regulation (LDAR) to oversee the development of towns on the islands, with sweeping changes in the way land can be acquired and utilized.
    • It talks of the declaration of ‘planning areas’ and constitution of ‘planning and development authorities’ for preparing a land-use map and register, ostensibly for large projects.
    • Residents have protested against the way it was prepared and pushed through without consultation.
    • They fear large infrastructure and tourism projects can destabilize the ecology, and that the notification gives powers to the Administration to remove small landholdings of ST residents.

    [5] Anti-social activities regulation

    • The draft Lakshadweep Prevention of Anti-Social Activities Regulation provides for powers to detain a person for up to one year to prevent him from “acting in any manner prejudicial to the maintenance of public order”.
    • It allows for detention for anti-social activities from six months to a year without legal representation.
    • The Collector said while the island remains peaceful, there have been reports of drugs being found along with weapons and live ammunition.
    • He said the regulation is required to keep the “youth from getting misguided by illegal businesses”.
    • Residents are skeptical of the need for such stringent law in a UT with one of the lowest crime rates in the country. They allege it has been brought in to arrest those opposed to the Administration.

    Back2Basics: Lakshadweep Islands

    • There are 36 islands across 12 atolls, closest to Kerala, on which it depends for essential supplies. Only 10 of the islands are inhabited.
    • Once a part of the Malabar district of the Madras Presidency, Lakshadweep was given Union Territory status following Kerala state’s formation in 1956.
    • With a population of 65,000 (2011 Census), Lakshadweep is India’s smallest Union Territory.
    • It has the highest population share of Muslims (96%) and Scheduled Tribes (94.8%) among the UTs.
    • Residents speak Malayalam and Dhivehi.

  • Thomas Hickey’s 19th century painting on smallpox vaccination

    A 19th-century portrait of three women from Mysore has been going viral as “one of the most important scientific pictures in the history of medicine in India”.

    What did the portrait depict?

    • Believed to be painted in 1805 by Irish-born artist Thomas Hickey, the oil on canvas was initially thought to be portraits of “dancing girls or courtesans”.
    • The painting depicted one of the first vaccine drives in India, with bejewelled women from the Wadiyar dynasty posing for Hickey.
    • The canvas was commissioned to promote participation in the smallpox vaccination programme and the women posing with the scars.

    What is smallpox?

    • Smallpox is an acute contagious disease caused by the variola virus, a member of the orthopoxvirus family.
    • It was one of the most devastating diseases known to humanity and caused millions of deaths before it was eradicated.
    • It is believed to have existed for at least 3000 years.

    How and when did the smallpox vaccine reach India?

    • The smallpox vaccine, discovered by Edward Jenner in 1796, was the first successful vaccine to be developed.
    • On June 14, 1802, Anna Dusthall, an Anglo-Indian toddler, was the first person in India to be successfully vaccinated against the virus that relied on the cowpox virus, “a mild cousin of smallpox” to trigger immunity.
    • The “vaccine vesicle” that came on the arm of the receiver was a source of lymphatic fluid or pus that would act as a vaccine, leading to an arm-to-arm immunisation chain.
    • The vaccine subsequently travelled to different parts of India, including Hyderabad, Cochin, Madras and Mysore.

    How was the drive carried out?

    • While the lymph was at times reportedly dried and sealed between glass plates to be transported, it often did not survive long journeys, due to which the British had to primarily rely on a human chain.
    • There was also opposition from the domestic population on the introduction of the cowpox virus and also because some believed the goddess of smallpox would be angered by the vaccination.
    • With Tipu Sultan defeated in Mysore, and the reinstatement of the Wadiyars, the East India Company was trying to strengthen its position in South India.
    • It protected the ex-pat population from an epidemic, making vaccination essential.
    • Queen Lakshmi Ammanni, who had lost her husband to smallpox, supported their cause and wanted to vaccine her population against the deadly virus.
    • The painting was supposed to encourage participation in the vaccination drive.