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GS Paper: GS3

  • Kawasaki Disease

    Children in the world over have shown to be affected by either Kawasaki Disease (KD) since the reopening of schools.

    Try this PYQ:

    Q.H1N1 virus is sometimes mentioned in the news with reference to which one of the following diseases?

    (a) AIDS

    (b) Bird flu

    (c) Dengue

    (d) Swine flu

    What is Kawasaki Disease?

    • Kawasaki disease is an illness that causes blood vessels to become inflamed, almost always in young children.
    • Its cause is yet unknown. It is one of the leading causes of heart disease in kids.
    • But doctors can treat it if they find it early. Most children recover without any problems.

    Symptoms

    Kawasaki disease comes on fast, and symptoms show up in phases. Signs of the first phase of Kawasaki disease include:

    • High fever that lasts more than 5 days
    • Swelling and redness in hands and bottoms of feet
    • Red eyes
    • Swollen glands, especially in the neck
    • Irritated throat, mouth, and lips

    In the second phase, symptoms include:

    • Joint pain
    • Stomach trouble, such as diarrhoea and vomiting
    • Peeling skin on hands and feet

  • What are Bulk Drugs Parks?

    Himachal Pradesh is one of the states vying for the allotment of a bulk drug park under a central government scheme announced earlier this year for setting up three such parks across the country.

    Try this question:

    Q.The drug pricing system in India is an indirect outcome of the growing dependence on China for APIs. Discuss.

    What are Bulk Drugs or APIs?

    • A bulk drug also called an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API), is the key ingredient of a drug or medicine, which lends it the desired therapeutic effect or produces the intended pharmacological activity.
    • For example, paracetamol is a bulk drug, which acts against pain.
    • It is mixed with binding agents or solvents to prepare the finished pharmaceutical product, ie a paracetamol tablet, capsule or syrup, which is consumed by the patient.
    • APIs are prepared from multiple reactions involving chemicals and solvents.
    • The primary chemical or the basic raw material which undergoes reactions to form an API is called the key starting material, or KSM.
    • Chemical compounds formed during the intermediate stages during these reactions are called drug intermediates or DIs.

    Why is India promoting bulk drug parks?

    • India has one of the largest pharmaceutical industries in the world (third largest by volume) but this industry largely depends on other countries, particularly China, for importing APIs, DIs and KSMs.
    • This year, drug manufacturers in India suffered repeated setbacks due to disruption in imports.
    • Factories in China shut down when the country went into a lockdown, and later, international supply chains were affected as the Covid pandemic gripped the entire world.
    • The border conflict between India and China exacerbated the situation.

    What is the Centre’s scheme?

    • The Centre’s scheme will support three selected parks in the country by providing a one-time grant-in-aid for the creation of common infrastructure facilities.
    • The grant-in-aid will be 70 per cent of the cost of the common facilities but in the case of Himachal Pradesh and other hill states, it will be 90 per cent.
    • The Centre will provide a maximum of Rs 1,000 crore per park.
    • A state can only propose one site, which is not less than a thousand acres in area, or not less than 700 acres in the case of hill states.

    What does a bulk park offer?

    • A bulk drug park will have a designated contiguous area of land with common infrastructure facilities for the exclusive manufacture of APIs, DIs or KSMs, and also a common waste management system.
    • These parks are expected to bring down manufacturing costs of bulk drugs in the country and increase competitiveness in the domestic bulk drug industry.

    Why Himachal?

    • Himachal already has Asia’s largest pharma manufacturing hub, that is the Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh industrial belt, and the state produces around half of India’s total drug formulations.
    • Himachal offers power and water at the lowest tariffs in the country, and the state also has an industrial gas pipeline.
    • It jumped nine places in this year’s ease-of-doing-business rankings declared by the Centre last month, securing the seventh position in the country.

  • What is the D614G mutation in coronavirus?

    While novel coronavirus is undergoing many mutations, one particular mutation called D614G, according to a study, has become the dominant variant in the global COVID-19 pandemic.

    Try this PYQ:

    Q.Which one of the following statements is not correct?

    (a) Hepatitis B virus is transmitted much like HIV.

    (b) Hepatitis B, unlike Hepatitis C, does not have a vaccine.

    (c) Globally, the number of people infected with Hepatitis B and C viruses is several times more than those infected with HIV.

    (d) Some of those infected with Hepatitis B and C viruses do not show the symptoms for many years.

    D614G mutation

    • When the virus enters an individual’s body, it aims at creating copies of itself. When it makes an error in this copying process, we get a mutation.
    • In this case, the virus replaced the aspartic acid (D) in the 614th position of the amino acid with glycine (G). Hence the mutation is called the D614G.
    • This mutated form of the virus was first identified in China and then in Europe. Later it spread to other countries like the U.S. and Canada and was eventually reported in India.

    Threats posed

    • This particular mutation aids the virus in attaching more efficiently with the ACE2 receptor in the human host, thereby making it more successful in entering a human body than its predecessors.
    • D614G show increased infectivity but it also displayed greater ability at attaching itself to the cell walls inside an individual’s nose and throat, increasing the viral load.

    How prevalent is it in India?

    • A study (reveals that the D614G was one of the most prevalent spike mutations even during the initial phase of the pandemic.
    • Since then, D614G mutation’s ‘relative abundance’ has increased over time to 70% and above, in most states except Delhi.

  • Asteroid 16 Psyche

    A recent study has found that asteroid 16 Psyche, which orbits between Mars and Jupiter, could be made entirely of metal and is worth an estimated $10,000 quadrillion.

    A NASA mission has recently landed on and collected samples from an asteroid. Do you remember that? Yes. Its the Asteroid Bennu

    16 Psyche

    • Located around 370 million km away from Earth, asteroid 16 Psyche is one of the most massive objects in the asteroid belt in our solar system.
    • The somewhat potato-shaped asteroid has a diameter of around 140 miles.
    • It was first discovered on March 17, 1853, by the Italian astronomer Annibale de Gasparis and was named after the ancient Greek goddess of the soul, Psyche.
    • Unlike most asteroids that are made up of rocks or ice, scientists believe that Psyche is a dense and largely metallic object thought to be the core of an earlier planet that failed in formation.
    • Its surface may mostly comprise iron and nickel, similar to the Earth’s core, according to a study.

  • [pib] Mansar Lake

    Mansar Lake Development Plan is getting fulfilled after a long wait of 70 years.

    Try this PYQ:

    Q.With reference to a conservation organization called Wetlands International, which of the following statements is/are correct?

    1. It is an intergovernmental organization formed by the countries which are signatories to Ramsar Convention.
    2. It works at the field level to develop and mobilize knowledge, and use the practical experience to advocate for better policies.

    Select the correct answer using the code given below:

    (a) 1 only

    (b) 2 only

    (c) Both 1 and 2

    (d) Neither 1 nor 2

    About Mansar Lake

    • Situated at about 37 km from Jammu, Mansar is a lake fringed by forest-covered hills, over a mile in length by half-a-mile in width.
    • Surinsar-Mansar Lakes are designated as Ramsar Convention in November 2005.
    • With all religions belief and heritage behind the Mansar Lake is also picking up its fame among the tourists with all its flora & fauna.
    • The lake has cemented path all around with required illumination, with projected view decks to enjoy flickering of seasonal birds, tortoise and fishes of different species.
    • There is a wildlife Sanctuary housing jungle life like Spotted Deer, Nilgai etc. besides other water birds such as Cranes, Ducks etc.

    Back2Basics: Ramsar Convention

    • The Convention on Wetlands of International Importance (better known as the Ramsar Convention) is an international agreement promoting the conservation and wise use of wetlands.
    • It is the only global treaty to focus on a single ecosystem.
    • The convention was adopted in the Iranian city of Ramsar in 1971 and came into force in 1975.
    • Traditionally viewed as a wasteland or breeding ground of disease, wetlands actually provide freshwater and food and serve as nature’s shock absorber.
    • Wetlands, critical for biodiversity, are disappearing rapidly, with recent estimates showing that 64% or more of the world’s wetlands have vanished since 1900.
    • Major changes in land use for agriculture and grazing, water diversion for dams and canals and infrastructure development are considered to be some of the main causes of loss and degradation of wetlands.

  • Need for Sponge cities Mission in India

    Issue of flood in the cities

    • Over 50 peple died in the wake of torrential rains in the third week of October in Hyderabad.
    • This experience is not unique to the city of Hyderabad, five years ago Chennai saw a massive flood costing much damage and lives.
    • Gurugram over the past few years comes to a complete standstill during the monsoon months.
    • And for Mumbai, the monsoon has become synonymous with flooding and enormous damages.

    Causes of frequent urban floods:

    Natural:

    • Meteorological Factors: Heavy rainfall, cyclonic storms and thunderstorms causes water to flow quickly through paved urban areas and impound in low lying areas.
    • Hydrological Factors: Overbank flow channel networks, occurrence of high tides impeding the drainage in coastal cities.
    • Climate Change: Climate change due to various anthropogenic events has led to extreme weather events.

    Anthropological:

    • Unplanned Urbanization: Unplanned Urbanization is the key cause of urban flooding. A major concern is blocking of natural drainage pathways through construction activity and encroachment on catchment areas, riverbeds and lakebeds.
    • Destruction of lakes: A major issue in India cities. Lakes can store the excess water and regulate the flow of water. However, pollution of natural urban water bodies and converting them for development purposes has increased risk of floods.
    • Unauthorised colonies and excess construction: Reduced infiltration due paving of surfaces which decreases ground absorption and increases the speed and amount of surface flow
    • Poor Solid Waste Management System: Improper waste management system and clogging of storm-water drains because of silting, accumulation of non-biodegradable wastes and construction debris.
    • Drainage System: Old and ill maintained drainage system is another factor making cities in India vulnerable to flooding.
    • Irresponsible steps: Lack of attention to natural hydrological system and lack of flood control measures.

    Impact of the devastation due to floods:

    • On economy: Damage to infrastructure, roads and settlements, industrial production, basic supplies, post disaster rehabilitation difficulties etc.
    • On human population and wildlife: Trauma, loss of life, injuries and disease outbreak, contamination of water etc.
    • On environment: Loss of habitat, tree and forest cover, biodiversity loss and large scale greenery recovery failure.
    • On transport and communication: Increased traffic congestion, disruption in rail services, disruption in communication- on telephone, internet cables causing massive public inconvenience.

    What is to be done

    1) Management of wetlands

    • We neglect the issues of incremental land use change, particularly of those commons which provide us with necessary ecological support — wetlands.
    •  We need to start paying attention to the management of our wetlands by involving local communities.
    • The risk is going to increase year after year with changing rainfall patterns and a problem of urban terrain which is incapable of absorbing, holding and discharging water.

    2) Implementing the idea of sponge cities

    • The idea of a sponge city is to make cities more permeable so as to hold and use the water which falls upon it.
    • Sponge cities absorb the rain water, which is then naturally filtered by the soil and allowed to reach urban aquifers.
    • This allows for the extraction of water from the ground through urban or peri-urban wells.
    • This water can be treated easily and used for city water supply.
    • In built form, this implies contiguous open green spaces, interconnected waterways, and channels and ponds across neighbourhoods that can naturally detain and filter water.
    • It implies support for urban ecosystems, bio-diversity and newer cultural and recreational opportunities,
    • These can all be delivered effectively through an urban mission along the lines of the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), National Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY) and Smart Cities Mission.

    On a top priority, such a mission should address the following.

    • 1) Wetland policy: In most of our lakes, the shallow ends, which often lie beyond the full tank level, have disappeared.
    • These shallow ends are best characterised as wetlands.
    • Regardless of ownership, land use on even this small scale needs to be regulated by development control.
    • 2) Watershed management and emergency drainage plan is next.
    • This should be clearly enunciated in policy and law.
    • 3) Ban against terrain alteration is third.
    • Lasting irreversible damage has been done to the city by builders, property owners, and public agencies by flattening terrain and altering drainage routes.
    • 4) Use of porus material: Our cities are becoming increasingly impervious to water, not just because of increasing built up but also because of the nature of materials used.
    • To improve the city’s capacity to absorb water, new porous materials and technologies must be encouraged or mandated across scales.
    • Examples of these technologies are bioswales and retention systems, permeable material for roads and pavement, drainage systems which allow storm water to trickle into the ground, green roofs and harvesting systems in buildings.

    Conclusion

    We can learn to live with nature, we can regulate human conduct through the state and we can strategically design where we build. We need to urgently rebuild our cities such that they have the sponginess to absorb and release water without causing so much misery and so much damage to the most vulnerable of our citizens, as we have seen.

  • Index of Eight Core Sector Industries

    The Office of Economic Advisor within the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has released the Index of Eight Core Industries (ICI) for September 2020.

    Try this PYQ:

    Q.In the ‘Index of Eight Core Industries’, which one of the following is given the highest weight?

    (a) Coal production

    (b) Electricity generation

    (c) Fertilizer production

    (d) Steel production

    What is the Index of Core Industries?

    • As the title suggests, this is an index of the eight most fundamental industrial sectors of the Indian economy and it maps the volume of production in these industries.
    • It gives the details of these eight sectors — namely Coal, Natural Gas, Crude Oil, Refinery Products (such as Petrol and Diesel), Fertilizers, Steel, Cement and Electricity.
    • Since these eight industries are the essential “basic” and/or “intermediate” ingredient in the functioning of the broader economy, mapping their health provides a fundamental understanding of the state of the economy.
    • In other words, if these eight industries are not growing fast enough, the rest of the economy is unlikely to either.

    ICI this year

    • This data is to focus on the trend of ICI growth over the past 6 months — that is, since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic and associated lockdowns.
    • A crucial factor in this regard would be the next wave of Covid-19 infections.
    • If there is a surge in the winter months — as is being witnessed in most Europe and the US — then India’s recovery will be dented yet again.

  • What is NAFED?

    The central cooperative NAFED will soon begin importing onions in a bid to tame soaring prices before the festive season.

    UPSC can frame statements based MCQ over the functions of NAFED.

    NAFED

    • National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd (NAFED) is an apex organization of marketing cooperatives for agricultural produce in India.
    • It was founded on 2 October 1958 to promote the trade of agricultural produce and forest resources across the nation.
    • It is registered under the Multi-State Co-operative Societies Act.
    • NAFED is now one of the largest procurement as well as marketing agencies for agricultural products in India.
    • With its headquarters in New Delhi, NAFED has four regional offices at Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata, apart from 28 zonal offices in capitals of states and important cities.

    Functions of the NAFED

    • To facilitate, coordinate and promote the marketing and trading activities of the cooperative institutions, partners and associates in agricultural, other commodities, articles and goods
    • To undertake purchase, sale and supply of agricultural, marketing and processing requisites, such as manure, seeds, fertilizer, agricultural implements and machinery etc.
    • To act as a warehouseman under the Warehousing Act and own and construct its own godowns and cold storages
    • To act as agent of any Government agency or cooperative institution, for the purchase, sale, storage and distribution of agricultural, horticultural, forest and animal husbandry produce, wool, agricultural requisites and other consumer goods
    • To act as an insurance agent and to undertake all such work which is incidental to the same
    • To collaborate with any international agency or a foreign body for the development of cooperative marketing, processing and other activities for mutual advantage in India or abroad

    Now try this PYQ:

    Q.In, India, markets in agricultural products are regulated under the:

    (a) Essential Commodities Act, 1955

    (b) Agricultural Produce Market Committee Act enacted by States.

    (c) Agricultural Produce (Grading and Marking) Act, 1937

    (d) Food Products Order, 1956 and Meat and Food Products Order, 1973

  • Anomaly over Normal Body Temperature

    For several years now, doctors and researchers have known that 98.6°F is not really the gold-standard “normal” body temperature it was once considered to be.

    The “normal” body temperature

    • In 1851, Carl Reinhold August Wunderlich pioneered the use of the clinical thermometer.
    • It was a rod a foot long, which he would stick under the armpits of patients at the hospital attached with Leipzig University, and then wait for 15 minutes for the temperature to register.
    • He took over a million measurements of 25,000 patients, and published his findings in a book in 1868, in which he concluded that the average human body temperature is 98.6°F.
    • Most modern scientists feel Wunderlich’s experiments were flawed, and his equipment inaccurate.
    • Another study concluded that the average human body temperature is closer to 98.2°F, and suggested that the 98.6°F benchmark be discarded.

    The anomaly

    • Studies in the US and Europe have found average body temperatures declining over time.
    • In recent years, however, different studies have found the human body temperature averaging out differently, including at 97.7°, 97.9° and 98.2°F.
    • One of the largest such studies, published last year, found that body temperatures among Americans have been declining over the last two centuries.

    Now try this PYQ based on health sciences

    Q.Which of the following diseases can be transmitted from one person to another through tattooing?

    1. Chikungunya
    2. Hepatitis B
    3. HIV-AIDS

    Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

    (a) Only 1

    (b) 2 and 3 only

    (c) 1 and 3 only

    (d) 1, 2 and 3

  • [pib] Sardar Sarovar Dam

    The PM has inaugurated dynamic lighting for the Sardar Sarovar Dam.

    Try this PYQ:

    What is common to the places known as Aliyar, Isapur and Kangsabati?

    (a) Recently discovered uranium deposits

    (b) Tropical rain forests

    (c) Underground cave systems

    (d) Water reservoirs

    Sardar Sarovar Dam

    • It is a concrete gravity dam on the Narmada River in Kevadiya near Navagam, Gujarat.
    • Four Indian states, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Rajasthan, receive water and electricity supplied from the dam.
    • The foundation stone of the project was laid out by then PM Jawaharlal Nehru on 5 April 1961.
    • The project took form in 1979 as part of a development scheme funded by the World Bank to increase irrigation and produce hydroelectricity, using a loan of US$200 million.