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  • CYCLONES in India

    Context

    Recently Cyclone Tauktae and Cyclone Yaas wreaked havoc in several states of India with  the credit for the cyclogenesis can be given to exceptionally warmer Indian seas this year, making atmospheric and ocean conditions favourable for frequent formation of cyclones and their rapid intensification.

    Cyclones in India: Why cyclones are becoming severe - Times of India

    Introduction

    • Cyclones are rapid inward air circulation around a low-pressure area. The air circulates in an anticlockwise direction in the Northern hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern hemisphere.
    • Cyclones are usually accompanied by violent storms and bad weather.
    • The word Cyclone is derived from the Greek word Cyclos meaning the coils of a snake. It was coined by Henry Peddington because the tropical storms in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea appear like coiled serpents of the sea.

    What are tropical Cyclones?

    https://d18x2uyjeekruj.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/cu.jpg

    • A Tropical cyclone is an intense circular storm that originates over warm tropical oceans and is characterized by low atmospheric pressure, high winds, and heavy rain.
    • Cyclones are formed over slightly warm ocean waters. The temperature of the top layer of the sea, up to a depth of about 60 meters, need to be at least 28°C to support the formation of a cyclone.
    • This explains why the April-May and October-December periods are conducive for cyclones.
    • Then, the low level of air above the waters needs to have an ‘anticlockwise’ rotation (in the northern hemisphere; clockwise in the southern hemisphere).
    • During these periods, there is an ITCZ in the Bay of Bengal whose southern boundary experiences winds from west to east, while the northern boundary has winds flowing east to west.
    • Once formed, cyclones in this area usually move northwest. As it travels over the sea, the cyclone gathers more moist air from the warm sea which adds to its heft.

    Formation of a Cyclone

    https://sites.google.com/site/disasterportal/_/rsrc/1467134717099/stroms_cyclones/cyclone-formation/cy1.jpg

    (The above figure shows how cyclones form. The green arrows show where warm air is rising. The red arrows indicate where cool air is sinking)

    Requirements for a Cyclone to form

    There are six main requirements for tropical cyclogenesis:

    • Sufficiently warm sea surface temperatures.
    • Atmospheric instability.
    • High humidity in the lower to middle levels of the troposphere.
    • Enough Coriolis force to develop a low-pressure center.
    • A preexisting low-level focus or disturbance.
    • Low vertical wind shear.

    Origin

    Tropical Cyclones: Favorable Conditions for Formation, Stages of Formation & Structure | PMF IAS

    • The formation and initial development of a cyclonic storm depends upon the transfer of water vapour and heat from the warm ocean to the overlying air, primarily by evaporation from the sea surface.
    • It encourages formation of massive vertical cumulus clouds due to convection with condensation of rising air above the ocean surface.
    • Under favorable conditions, multiple thunderstorms originate over the oceans. These thunderstorms merge and create an intense low pressure system (wind is warm and lighter).

    Early Stage 

    Tropical Cyclone - hurricane -typhoon formation

    • In the thunderstorm, air is uplifted as it is warm and light. At certain height, due to lapse rate and adiabatic lapse rate, the temperature of air falls and moisture in the air undergoes condensation.
    • Condensation releases latent heat of condensation making the air more warmer. It becomes much lighter and is further uplifted.
    • The space is filled by fresh moisture laden air. Condensation occurs in this air and the cycle is repeated as long as the moisture is supplied.
    • Due to excess moisture over oceans, the thunderstorm intensifies and sucks in air at much faster rate. The air from surroundings rushes in and undergoes deflection due to Coriolis force creating a cyclonic vortex (spiraling air column. Similar to tornado).
    • Due to centripetal acceleration (centripetal force pulling towards the center is countered by an opposing force called centrifugal force), the air in the vortex is forced to form a region of calmness called an eye at the center of the cyclone. The inner surface of the vortex forms the eye wall, the most violent region of the cyclone.
    • All the wind that is carried upwards loses its moisture and becomes cold and dense. It descends to the surface through the cylindrical eye region and at the edges of the cyclone.
    • Continuous supply of moisture from the sea is the major driving force behind every cyclone. On reaching the land the moisture supply is cut off and the storm dissipates.
    • If ocean can supply more moisture, the storm will reach a mature stage.

    Mature Stage

    The classic diagram of a mature tropical cyclone (after Palmén and... | Download Scientific Diagram

    • At this stage, the spiraling winds create multiple convective cells with successive calm and violent regions.
    • The regions with cumulonimbus cloud (rising limbs of convective cell) formation are called rain bands below which intense rainfall occurs.
    • The ascending air will lose moisture at some point and descends (subsides) back to surface through the calm regions (descending limbs of convection cell – subsiding air) that exist between two rain bands.
    • Cloud formation is dense at the center. The cloud size decreases from center to periphery.
    • Rain bands are mostly made up of cumulonimbus clouds. The ones at the periphery are made up of nimbostratus and cumulus clouds.
    • The dense overcast at the upper levels of troposphere is due to cirrus clouds which are mostly made up of hexagonal ice crystals.
    • The dry air flowing along the central dense overcast descends at the periphery and the eye region.

    Destruction Caused by Cyclones

    Photos of destruction after Cyclone Kenneth ravages Mozambique | Mozambique | Al Jazeera

    Cyclones are disastrous in many ways. They do more harm than any good to the coastal areas.

    1) Strong Winds

    • Cyclones are known to cause severe damage to infrastructure through high-speed winds.
    • Very strong winds which accompany a cyclonic storm damages installations, dwellings, communications systems, trees etc., resulting in loss of life and property.

    2) Torrential rains and inland flooding

    • Torrential rainfall (more than 30 cm/hour) associated with cyclones is another major cause of damages. Unabated rain gives rise to unprecedented floods.
    • Heavy rainfall from a cyclone is usually spread over a wide area and cause large scale soil erosion and weakening of embankments.

    3) Storm Surge

    • A Storm surge can be defined as an abnormal rise of sea level near the coast caused by a severe tropical cyclone.
    • As a result of which seawater inundates low lying areas of coastal regions drowning human beings and life stock.
    • It causes eroding beaches and embankments, destroys vegetation and leads to the reduction of soil fertility.

    Recent Cyclones

    Cyclone Tauktae

    Cyclone Tauktae Strikes India

    • Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm Tauktae was a powerful tropical cyclone in the Arabian Sea that became the strongest tropical cyclone to make landfall in the Indian state of Gujarat since the 1998 Gujarat cyclone and one of the strongest tropical cyclones to ever affect the west coast of India.
    • Tauktae brought heavy rainfall and flash floods to areas along the coast of Kerala and on Lakshadweep. There were reports of heavy rain in the states of Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra as well.
    • Tauktae resulted in at least 169 deaths in India, and left another 81 people missing.
    • 66 people died, at least 20 people are still missing after Barge P305 sank near Heera oil field, off the coast of Mumbai, although the Indian Navy said it had rescued 186 survivors of the 270 people aboard by May 19.
    • Losses from Tauktae are estimated at ₹15,000 crore or US$2.1 billion.

    Cyclone Yaas

    Cyclone Yaas Swamps India and Bangladesh

    • Very Severe Cyclonic Storm Yaas was a relatively strong and highly damaging tropical cyclone that made landfall in Odisha and brought significant impacts to West Bengal during late May 2021.
    • Yaas formed from a tropical disturbance that the Indian Meteorological Department first monitored on May 23.
    •  Evacuations were also ordered, starting on May 24 on low-lying areas in East Midnapore and West Midnapore and Jhargram. 
    • As of May 28, 20 people have been reported dead due to Yaas.
    • The total damages in West Bengal, the most heavily impacted state from Yaas, were estimated to be around ₹20 thousand crore (US$2.76 billion).

    Management of Cyclones in India

    31 Odisha firemen, 12 NDRF staff test Covid-19 positive on return from cyclone-hit Bengal | Hindustan Times

    • In 2005, the country introduced new laws to set up what’s called the National Disaster Management Authority, a central agency charged with one thing: responding to and minimizing the impact of disasters.

    A year later, in 2006, India established a National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), a specialized corps of highly trained men and women focused on disasters such as cyclones and earthquakes. It’s now comprised of almost 25,000 personnel.

    Apart from institutional measures, there are many structural and non-structural measures that have been taken for effective disaster management of cyclones:

    • The structural measures include construction of cyclone shelters, construction of cyclone-resistant buildings, road links, culverts, bridges, canals, drains, saline embankments, surface water tanks, communication and power transmission networks etc.
    • Non-structural measures like early warning dissemination systems, management of coastal zones, awareness generation and disaster risk management and capacity building of all the stakeholders involved.
    • These measures are being adopted and tackled on State to State basis under National Cyclone Risk Mitigation Project (NCRMP) being implemented through World Bank Assistance.

    Issues in Cyclone Mitigation

    • Post than pre focus: Disaster management in India is largely confined to post-disaster relief works. It is more about management than loss prevention.
    • Population: One-third of the population in India lives in the coastal area. Most of them are marginalized people who are ill-prepared and unable to cope up with a disaster.
    • Poor response: The warning of a cyclone is not properly communicated between the concerned agencies. In many cases, the warning is not taken seriously by the agencies which cause delayed effort for the prevention of a disaster. This was evident in the recent Ockhi cyclone disaster.
    • Lack of awareness: among people about the impact and magnitude of the disaster. Also what to act during and post disasters.
    • Coordination Issues: There is also a lack of coordination between the local communities for search and rescue missions. Also poor coordination state and center coordination and its agencies.

    Measures need to be taken for effective mitigation

    on Twitter: "Prepare for tropical cyclones and heavy rains. Monitor weather news and updates. Follow evacuation orders. #ResiliencePH Please share.… https://t.co/tGaBJ0Od47"

    Pre Disaster

    • Provide cyclone forecasting, tracking and warning systems
    • Construction of cyclone shelters, cyclone-resistant buildings, road links, bridges, canals, drains etc.
    • Establishing Early Warning Dissemination System (EWDS) and Capacity building for coastal communities.

    During disaster

    • Cautionary advice should be put out on social platforms urging people to stay safe
    • The perception of people decides the intensity of the disaster. If people take necessary proactive steps to deal with disaster then even the severe disaster can be dealt with minimum damage.
    • Delivery of food and health care via mobile hospitals, with priorities to women child & elders.
    • Protection of the community and their evacuation and quicker response.

    Post-disaster

    • It is vital that the learning from each event is shared nationally, and the capacity of officials and communities to manage disasters built continuously.
    • Among the securities available to individuals in many countries is insurance against property losses. Viable policies should be made available in India too.
    • Providing alternative means of communication, energy and transport just after the disaster.

    Way Forward

    • Infrastructure of the regions that are vulnerable to cyclonic activities must be made/ designed so that evacuation process gets easy and damage gets minimized.
    • Forecast techniques must be improved so as to get more time for preparing before a cyclonic storm.
    • School and social awareness campaigns must be organized in the vulnerable areas for better individual preparedness.
    • NDRF and other emergency forces must be made more equipped with emergency kits and modern machinery for them to play a better role in keeping them and others safe.
    • Now the imperative for India is not only to have infrastructure that is resilient, functional and that can bounce back after a disaster, but also to have infrastructure withstand and be operational during a crisis.
    • For this India need to employ more technology, strict following of command structure, and most importantly the participation and cooperation of local communities in the affected area.
    • There must be test facilities made for the emergency forces to prepare themselves better for the actual situations.

  • GI Tags in News

    01st June 2021

    Geographical Indications in India

    • A Geographical Indication is used on products that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin.
    • Such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness which is essentially attributable to its origin in that defined geographical locality.
    • This tag is valid for a period of 10 years following which it can be renewed.
    • Recently the Union Minister of Commerce and Industry has launched the logo and tagline for the Geographical Indications (GI) of India.
    • The first product to get a GI tag in India was the Darjeeling tea in 2004.
    • The Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999 (GI Act) is a sui generis Act for the protection of GI in India.
    • India, as a member of the WTO, enacted the Act to comply with the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights.
    • Geographical Indications protection is granted through the TRIPS Agreement.

    Two well-known products from Tamil Nadu — Dindigul lock and Kandangi Saree — have been given the Geographical Indication (GI) tag by The Geographical Indications Registry in Chennai.

    Dindigul lock

    • The Dindigul locks are known throughout the world for their superior quality and durability, so much so that even the city is called Lock City.
    • Government institutions such as prisons, godowns, hospitals, and even temples use these locks instead of other machine-made ones.
    • The application for the lock was made by the Dindigul Lock, Hardware and Steel Furniture Workers Industrial Co-operative Society Limited.
    • More than 3,125 lock manufacturing units are limited to an area of 5 km in and around Dindigul.
    • The abundance of iron in this region is the reason for the growth of the industry.
    • There are over 50 varieties of locks made by the artisans using raw materials such as MS flat plates and brass plates procured from the nearby towns, including Madurai and Salem.

    The Kandangi sarees

    • The Kandangi sarees are manufactured in the entire Karaikudi taluk in Sivaganga district.
    • They are characterised by large contrast borders and some are known to have borders covering as far as two-thirds of the saree which is usually around 5.10 m-5.60 m in length.
    • Worn in summer, these cotton sarees are usually bought by customers in bulk.
    • The Amarar Rajeev Gandhi Handloom Weavers Co-operative Production and Sales Society Limited filed the application for the Kandangi saree.

    Palani Panchamirtham

    • PalaniPanchamirtham, an abishegaPrasadam, from Palani Town is one of the main offerings in the Abisegam of Lord Dhandayuthapani Swamy, the presiding deity of the Temple.
    • It is a combination of five natural substances, namely, banana, jaggery sugar, cow ghee, honey and cardamom in a definite proportion.
    • It is prepared in a natural method without addition of any preservatives or artificial ingredients and is well known for its religious fervour and gaiety.
    • This is the first time a temple ‘prasadam’ from Tamil Nadu has been bestowed with the GI tag.

    Tawlhlohpuan

    • Tawlhlohpuan, a medium to heavy, compactly woven, good quality fabric from Mizoram is known for warp yarns, warping, weaving & intricate designs that are made by hand.
    • Tawlhloh, in Mizo language, means ‘to stand firm or not to move backward’. Tawlhlohpuan, which holds high significance in the Mizo society, is produced throughout the state of Mizoram, Aizawl and Thenzawl town being the main centre of production.

    Mizo Puanchei

    • Mizo Puanchei, a colourful Mizo shawl/textile, from Mizoram, is considered as the most colourful among the Mizo textiles.
    • It is an essential possession for every Mizo lady and an important marriage outfit in the state.
    • It is also the most commonly used costume in Mizo festive dances and official ceremonies.
    • The weavers insert the designs and motifs by using supplementary yarns while weaving to create this beautiful and alluring textile.

    Tirur betel vine

    • Tirur betel vine from Kerala is mainly cultivated in Tirur, Tanur, Tirurangadi, Kuttippuram, Malappuram and Vengara block panchayaths of Malappuram District.
    • It is valued both for its mild stimulant action and medicinal properties.
    • Even though it is commonly used for making pan masala for chewing, it has many medicinal, industrial and cultural usages and is considered as a remedy for bad breath and digestive disorders.

    Panchamirtham’ of Palani temple gets GI tag

    • The famous Palani panchamirtham, given as ‘prasadam’ at the Murugan temple at Palani has been granted the Geographical Indication (GI) tag.
    • This is the first time a temple ‘prasadam’ from Tamil Nadu has been given the GI tag.

    About the Panchamirtham

    • It is sweet in taste and one of the main offerings for Lord Dhandayuthapani Swamy, the presiding deity of Arulmigu Dhandayuthapani Swamy Temple, situated on Palani Hills.
    • The panchamirtham is a combination of five natural substances — banana, jaggery, cow ghee, honey and cardamom.
    • Dates and diamond sugar candies are added for flavour.
    • The panchamirtham is an ‘abhishega prasadam’ (food that is a religious offering), which is served in a semi-solid state.
    • Not even a single drop of water is added during the preparation of the panchamirtham.
    • This gives it its classic semi-solid consistency and taste. No preservatives or artificial ingredients are used.

    Pashmina

    • Pashmina is a fine type of cashmere wool. The textiles made from it were first woven in Kashmir.
    • The wool comes from a number of different breeds of the cashmere goat; such as the changthangi or Kashmir pashmina goat from the Changthang Plateau in Tibet and part of the Ladakh region and few parts of Himachal Pradesh.
    • Often shawls called shahmina are made from this material in Kashmir and Nepal; these shawls are hand spun and woven from the very fine cashmere fibre.
    • Traditional producers of pashmina wool are people known as the Changpa.

    About Kodaikanal’s malai poondu Garlic

    • Also known by its scientific name Allium Sativum, this particular garlic is known for its medicinal and preservative properties. It is grown in the Kodaikanal Hills, Dindugul district.
    • It has anti-oxidant and anti-microbial potential, which is attributed to the presence of higher amount of organosulfur compounds, phenols and flavonoids compared to other garlic varieties.
    • Its usually white or pale yellow and each bulb weighs 20-30g on an average.
    • According to the GI application, Kodaikanal Hill Garlic cultivation is done twice in a year, once around May and for second time in November depending upon the suitability of the climate.
    • The hill altitude, the misty condition and the soil prevailing in the Kodaikanal region are responsible for its medicinal property and the long storage shelf life of the garlic.

    Kolhapuri Chappal

    • According to the GI application made by the two states, Kolhapuris can be traced back to the 12th century King Bijjal who ruled Bidar in Karnataka.
    • His prime minister Vishwaguru Basavanna wanted to create a casteless society and remove the stigma associated with the cobbler community.
    • The community embraced Lingayat faith and used its creative skills to start producing footwear known equally for its ruggedness and regal bearing.
    • Brand Kolhapuri came into being only in the beginning of 20th century when the footwear began to be traded in Kolhapur.
    • Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj (1874-1922) of Kolhapur encouraged its production and 29 tanning centres were opened during his rule in Kolhapur.

    Kandhamal Haldi

    • Kandhamal in Odisha’s southern hinterland is famed for its turmeric, a spice that enjoys its pride of place in an array of cuisines.
    • The agricultural product also stands out for its healing properties and arresting aroma.
    • The GI tag was primarily developed with the purpose of recognising the unique identity connecting different products and places.
    • For a product to get GI tag it has to have a unique quality, reputation or characteristic which is attributable to its geographic origin. ‘Kandhamal Haldi’ has been placed under Class-30 type.

    GI Tag for 5 Indian Coffee varieties

    Coorg Arabica coffee 

    • It is grown specifically in the region of Kodagu district in Karnataka.

    Wayanaad Robusta coffee 

    • It is grown specifically in the region of Wayanad district which is situated on the eastern portion of Kerala.

    Chikmagalur Arabica coffee 

    • It is grown specifically in the region of Chikmagalur district and it is situated in the Deccan plateau, belongs to the Malnad region of Karnataka.

    Araku Valley Arabica coffee 

    • It is coffee from the hilly tracks of Visakhapatnam district of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha region at an elevation of 900-1100 Mt MSL.
    • The coffee produce of Araku, by the tribals, follows an organic approach in which they emphasise management practices involving substantial use of organic manures, green manuring and organic pest management practices.

    Bababudangiris Arabica coffee 

    • It is grown specifically in the birthplace of coffee in India and the region is situated in the central portion of Chikmagalur district.
    • Selectively hand-picked and processed by natural fermentation, the cup exhibits full body, acidity, mild flavour and striking aroma with a note of chocolate.
    • This coffee is also called high grown coffee which slowly ripens in the mild climate and thereby the bean acquires a special taste and aroma.

    Sirsi Arecanut

    • It is cultivated in Yellapura, Siddapura and Sirsi taluks.
    • Totgars’ Cooperative Sale Society Ltd., Sirsi, is the registered proprietor of the GI.
    • The arecanut grown in these taluks have unique features like a round and flattened coin shape, particular texture, size, cross-sectional views, taste, etc.
    • These features are not seen in arecanut grown in any other regions.

    Shahi Litchi

    • The lychee crop, which is available from May to June, is mainly cultivated in the districts of Muzaffarpur and surrounding districts.
    • Cultivation of litchi covers approximately an area of about 25,800 hectares producing about 300,000 tonnes every year.
    • India’s share in the world litchi market amounts to less than 1%.
    • The names of the litchi produced in Muzaffarpur are Shahi and China.
    • The fruits are known for excellent aroma and quality.

    King of Mangoes gets GI tag

    • Alphonso from Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Palghar, Thane and Raigad districts of  Maharashtra, is registered as Geographical Indication (GI).
    • The king of mangoes, Alphonso, better known as ‘Hapus’ in Maharashtra, is in demand in domestic and international markets not only for its taste but also for pleasant fragrance and vibrant colour.
    • It has long been one of the world’s most popular fruit and is exported to various countries including Japan, Korea and Europe.
    • New markets such as USA and Australia have recently opened up.

    GI Tag for Telangana

    • The Chennai-based GI Registry gave Geographical Indication certificate for Warangal dhurries
    • The shatranji carpets and jainamaaz prayer mats are made in Warangal

    Specialty of carpets

    • Bright colors, geometrically repetitive patterns and interlocking zigzag motifs in cotton and jute are the signature styles of the carpets
    • One of the newest innovations by the weavers here is an adaptation of tie-dyed ikat techniques and hand-painted or block-printed kalamkari designs for the dhurries to save time and energy.

    Kalamkari Paintings

    • Kalamkari or qalamkari is a type of hand-painted or block-printed cotton textile, produced in Iran and
      India
    • Its name originates in the Persian, which is derived from the words qalam (pen) and kari (craftsmanship),
      meaning drawing with a pen
    • There are two distinctive styles of kalamkari art in India – the Srikalahasti style and the Machilipatnam
      style
    • The Srikalahasti style of kalamkari, wherein the "kalam" or pen is used for freehand drawing of the
      subject and filling in the colors is entirely hand worked
    • The Pedana Kalamkari craft made at Pedana nearby Machilipatnam in Krishna district, Andhra Pradesh,
      evolved with the patronage of the Mughals and the Golconda sultanate

    MP gets GI tag for a chicken breed

    • Madhya Pradesh has received the Geographical Indications (GI) tag for Kadaknath, a chicken breed whose black meat is in demand in some quarters
    • The protein-rich meat of Kadaknath, chicks, and eggs are sold at a much higher rate than other varieties of chicken.

    Gholvad Sapota

    • GI certification of Ghovad Sapota is held by Maharashtra Rajya Chikoo Utpadak Sangh and the fruit is known for its sweet and unique taste.
    • It is believed that the unique taste is derived from the calcium-rich soil of Gholvad village.
    • Currently, in the Palgahr district, around 5000 hectares of land is under sapota or plantation.
    • Sapota is grown in many states- Karnataka, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh.
    • Karnataka is known to be the highest grower of the fruit, followed by Maharashtra.

    Shahi Litchi

    • India is the second-largest producer of litchi (Litchi chin) in the world, after China.
    • The translucent, flavored aril or edible flesh of the litchi is popular as a table fruit in India, while in China and Japan it is preferred in dried or canned form.
    • Shahi litchi was the fourth agricultural product to get GI certification from Bihar in 2018, after Jardalu mango, Katarni rice, and Magahi paan.
    • GI registration for Shahi Litchi is held with the Muzaffarpur-based Litchi Growers Association of Bihar.
    • Muzzafarpur, Vaishali, Samastipur, Champaran, Begusarai districts and adjoining areas of Bihar have favorable climate for growing Shahi Litchi.

    Channapatna Toys

    • Channapatna toys are a particular form of wooden toys (and dolls) that are manufactured in the town of Channapatna in the Ramanagara district of Karnataka.
    • This traditional craft is protected as a geographical indication (GI) under the World Trade Organization, administered by the state govt.
    • As a result of the popularity of these toys, Channapatna is known as Gombegala Ooru (toy-town) of Karnataka.
    • Traditionally, the work involved lacquering the wood of the Wrightia tinctoria tree, colloquially called Aale mara (ivory-wood).
    • Their manufacture goes back at least 200 years according to most accounts and it has been traced to the era of Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan in the 18th century.
    • The toys are laced with vegetable dyes and colours devoid of chemicals and hence they are safe for children.

    Sohrai Khovar painting

    • The Sohrai Khovar painting is a traditional and ritualistic mural art being practised by local tribal women in the area of Hazaribagh district of Jharkhand.
    • The painting is primarily being practised only in the district of Hazaribagh. However, in recent years, for promotional purposes, it has been seen in other parts of Jharkhand.
    • It is prepared during local harvest and marriage seasons using local, naturally available soils of different colours in the area.
    • Traditionally painted on the walls of mud houses, they are now seen on other surfaces, too.
    • The style features a profusion of lines, dots, animal figures and plants, often representing religious iconography.
    • In recent years, the walls of important public places in Jharkhand, such as the Birsa Munda Airport in Ranchi, and the Hazaribagh and Tatanagar Railway Stations, among others, have been decorated with these paintings.

    Telia Rumal

    • Telia Rumal cloth involves intricate handmade work with cotton loom displaying a variety of designs and motifs in three particular colours — red, black and white.
    • The Rumal can only be created using the traditional handloom process and not by any other mechanical means as otherwise, the very quality of the Rumal would be lost.
    • During the Nizam’s dynasty, Puttapaka, a small, backward village of the Telangana region of Andhra Pradesh had about 20 families engaged in handloom weaving, who were patronized by rich families and the Nizam rulers.
    • The officers working in the court of the Nizam would wear the Chituki Telia Rumal as a symbolic representation of status.
    • Telia Rumals were worn as a veil by princesses at the erstwhile court of the Nizam of Hyderabad, and as a turban cloth by Arabs in the Middle East.

    Chak-Hao

    • Chak-Hao, the scented glutinous rice which has been in cultivation in Manipur over centuries.
    • It is characterized by its special aroma. It is normally eaten during community feasts and is served as Chak-Hao kheer.
    • The application for Chak-Hao was filed by the Consortium of Producers of Chak-Hao (Black Rice), Manipur and was facilitated by the Department of Agriculture.
    • Chak-Hao has also been used by traditional medical practitioners as part of traditional medicine.
    • According to the GI application filed, this rice takes the longest cooking time of 40-45 minutes due to the presence of a fibrous bran layer and higher crude fibre content.
    • At present, the traditional system of Chak-Hao cultivation is practised in some pockets of Manipur.
    • Direct sowing of pre-soaked seeds and also transplantation of rice seedlings raised in nurseries in puddled fields are widely practised in the State’s wetlands.

    Gorakhpur terracotta

    • The terracotta work of Gorakhpur is a centuries-old traditional art form, where the potters make various animal figures like, horses, elephants, camel, goat, ox, etc. with hand-applied ornamentation.
    • The application was filed by Laxmi Terracotta Murtikala Kendra in Uttar Pradesh.
    • Some of the major products of craftsmanship include the Hauda elephants, Mahawatdar horse, deer, camel, five-faced Ganesha, singled-faced Ganesha, elephant table, chandeliers, hanging bells etc.
    • The entire work is done with bare hands and artisans use natural colour, which stays fast for a long time.
    • There are more than 1,000 varieties of terracotta work designed by the local craftsmen.
    • The craftsmen are mainly spread over the villages of Aurangabad, Bharwalia, Langadi Gularia, Budhadih, Amawa, Ekla etc. in Bhathat and Padri Bazar, Belwa Raipur, Jungle Ekla No-1, Jungle Ekla No-2 in Chargawan block of Gorakhpur.

    Kovilpatti kadalai mittai

    • It is a candy made of peanuts held together with glistening syrup, and topped with wisps of grated coconut dyed pink, green and yellow.
    • It is made using all natural ingredients such as the traditional and special ‘vellam’ (jaggery) and groundnuts and water from the river Thamirabarani is used in the production, which enhances the taste naturally.
    • It is manufactured in Kovilpatti and adjacent towns and villages in Thoothukudi district.
    • It is produced by using both groundnuts and jaggery (organic jaggery), in carefully selected quantities from selected specific locations in Tamil Nadu.

     

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  • Explained: India’s GDP fall, in perspective

    India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) contracted by 7.3% in 2020-21.

    Tap to read more about:

    National Income Determination, GDP, GNP, NDP, NNP, Personal Income

    GDP contraction

    There are two ways to view this contraction:

    1. One is to look at this as an outlier — after all, India, like most other countries, is facing a once-in-a-century pandemic — and wish it away.
    2. The other way would be to look at this contraction in the context of what has been happening to the Indian economy since the regime change.

    Impact of the new regime

    Let’s look at the most important ones.

    (1) Gross Domestic Product

    • Contrary to perception advanced by the Union government, the GDP growth rate has been a point of growing weakness for the last 5 of these 7 years.
    • The GDP growth rate steadily fell from over 8% in FY17 to about 4% in FY20, just before Covid-19 hit the country.
    • The economy was already struggling with massive bad loans which were further deteriorated by demonetization and the GST regime.

    (2) GDP per capita

    • Often, it helps to look at GDP per capita, which is total GDP divided by the total population, to better understand how well-placed an average person is in an economy.
    • At a level of Rs 99,700, India’s GDP per capita is now what it used to be in 2016-17 — the year when the slide started.
    • As a result, India has been losing out to other countries. A case in point is how even Bangladesh has overtaken India in per-capita-GDP terms.

    (3) Unemployment rate

    • This is the metric on which India has possibly performed the worst.
    • First came the news that India’s unemployment rate, even according to the government’s own surveys, was at a 45-year high in 2017-18 — the year after demonetization and GST.
    • Then in 2019 came the news that between 2012 and 2018, the total number of employed people fell by 9 million — the first such instance of total employment declining in independent India’s history.
    • As against the norm of an unemployment rate of 2%-3%, India started routinely witnessing unemployment rates close to 6%-7% in the years leading up to Covid-19.
    • The pandemic, of course, made matters considerably worse.
    • What makes India’s unemployment even more worrisome is the fact that this is happening even when the labor force participation rate — which maps the proportion of people who even look for a job — has been falling.

    (4) Inflation rate

    • After staying close to the $110-a-barrel mark throughout 2011 to 2014, oil prices (India basket) fell rapidly to just $85 in 2015 and further to below (or around) $50 in 2017 and 2018.
    • On the one hand, the sudden and sharp fall in oil prices allowed the government to completely tame the high retail inflation in the country, while on the other, it allowed the government to collect additional taxes on fuel.
    • But since the last quarter of 2019, India has been facing persistently high retail inflation.
    • Even the demand destruction due to lockdowns induced by Covid-19 in 2020 could not extinguish the inflationary surge.

    (5) Fiscal deficit

    • The fiscal deficit is essentially a marker of the health of government finances and tracks the amount of money that a government has to borrow from the market to meet its expenses.
    • Typically, there are two downsides of excessive borrowing:
    1. One, government borrowings reduce the investible funds available for the private businesses to borrow (this is called “crowding out the private sector”); this also drives up the price (that is, the interest rate) for such loans.
    2. Two, additional borrowings increase the overall debt that the government has to repay. Higher debt levels imply a higher proportion of government taxes going to pay back past loans. For the same reason, higher levels of debt also imply a higher level of taxes.

    On paper, India’s fiscal deficit levels were just a tad more than the norms set, but, in reality, even before Covid-19, it was an open secret that the fiscal deficit was far more than what the government publicly stated.

    (6) Rupee vs dollar

    • The exchange rate of the domestic currency with the US dollar is a robust metric to capture the relative strength of the economy.
    • A US dollar was worth Rs 59 when the government took charge in 2014.
    • Seven years later, it is closer to Rs 73. The relative weakness of the rupee reflects the reduced purchasing power of the Indian currency.

    What’s the outlook on growth?

    • The biggest engine for growth in India is the expenditure by common people in their private capacity.
    • This “demand” for goods accounts for 55% of all GDP.
    • The private consumption expenditure has fallen to levels last seen in 2016-17.

  • WB Bureaucrat Transfer Issue

    West Bengal CM has announced that the outgoing Chief Secretary would be appointed Chief Advisor to the Chief Minister.

    Story so far

    • A senior IAS officer has been the subject of a tussle between the Centre and the state government over the last few days.
    • He was due to begin an extension of three months after retiring as Chief Secretary, but the Centre instead asked him to report and join the Government of India.
    • He did not do so.

    How officers get an extension?

    • Rule 16(1) of DCRB (Death-cum-Retirement Benefit) Rules says that “a member of the Service may be given an extension of service for a period not exceeding three months in the public interest, with the prior approval of the Central Government”.
    • For an officer posted as Chief Secretary of a state, this extension can be for six months.

    Central Deputation

    • In normal practice, the Centre asks every year for an “offer list” of officers of the All India Services willing to go on central deputation.
    • Rule 6(1) of the IAS Cadre Rules says an officer may with the concurrence of the State Governments concerned and the Central Government, be deputed for service under the Central Government or another State Government…”
    • It says “in case of any disagreement, the matter shall be decided by the Central Government and the State Government or State Governments concerned shall give effect to the decision of the Central Government.”

    Issues with such deputation

    • Because of the Rule, states have to bear the brunt of arbitrary actions taken by the Centre, while the Rule makes it difficult for the Centre to enforce its will on a state that refuses to back down.

    What next

    • The Centre cannot take action against civil service officials who are posted under the state government unless the latter agrees.
    • Rule 7 of the All India Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1969, states that the authority to institute proceedings and to impose penalty will be the state government.
    • For any action to be taken against an officer of the All India Services, the state and the Centre both need to agree.

  • 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.

  • [pib] “AmbiTAG”- India’s first indigenous temperature data logger

    IIT Ropar in (Punjab) has developed a first-of-its-kind IoT device – AmbiTag that records real-time ambient temperature during the transportation of perishable products, vaccines, and even body organs and blood.

    AmbiTag

    • Shaped like a USB device, AmbiTag continuously records the temperature of its immediate surroundings “from -40 to +80 degrees in any time zone for a full 90 days on a single charge.
    • Most of the similar devices available in the international market record data only for a duration of 30- 60 days.
    • It generates an alert when the temperature goes beyond a pre-set limit. The recorded data can be retrieved by connecting the USB with any computer.
    • So far, such devices are being imported by India in a massive quantity from other countries such as Singapore, Hong Kong, Ireland, and China.
    • The device has been developed under Technology Innovation Hub – AWaDH (Agriculture and Water Technology Development Hub) and its Startup ScratchNest.

    Its applications

    • The device helps know whether that particular item transported from anywhere in the world is still usable or perished because of temperature variation.
    • This information is particularly critical for vaccines including the Covid-19 vaccine, organs, and blood transportation.
    • Besides perishable items including vegetables, meat, and dairy products it can also monitor the temperature of animal semen during transit.

  • Israel and Palestine could take a leaf out of India’s book

    The article suggest the Indian model for peaceful coexistence as a possible solution to Israel-Palestine conflict.

    Brief history of the conflict

    • Britain renounced its Mandate over Palestine in 1948.
    • This paved the way for the United Nations to divide Palestine between the Jews and Arabs, giving them about 55% and 45% of the land, respectively.
    • The Jews, meanwhile, had declared the establishment of the state of Israel for which they had been working for long.
    • The Palestinians, who lacked the resources to conceive of a state, failed to form a state of their own in the land allotted to them.
    • Instead, a coalition of Arab countries invaded the nascent state of Israel to nip it in the bud.
    • Israel defeated the Arab armies.
    • Israel also destroyed about 600 Palestinian villages and expelled about 80% of Arabs from its territory.
    • In 1967, in the Six-Day War, Israel captured not just more Palestinian land but also Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula and Syria’s Golan Heights.
    • During the Yom Kippur War of 1973, the Arabs came to realise that Israel is here to stay.

    Need for realisation on both the sides

    • The Arab states failed to impress the realisation of permanency of Israel upon their Palestinian brethren, a sizeable number of whom remain committed to seeking a solution through counter-violence. 
    • Vicious cycle of violence is not going to end unless there is realism on both sides.
    • The Hamas should know that Israel will not give up on holding on to land it has held for years.
    • Israel should understand that total subjugation, expulsion or even decimation of Palestinians will not make it any safer.
    • A solution based on the common humanity of all stakeholders, one that is not riven by racial and religious schisms, needs to be explored.

    Viability of Indian model

    • The Indian model of democracy and secularism, which accommodates religious, ethnic, linguistic and other diversities, could be a viable model for the peaceful coexistence of formerly antagonistic groups.
    •  India evolved a unique model of accommodating the victors and the vanquished, without ever resorting to the latter’s decimation.
    • A modus vivendi has to evolve on the basis of hard realities, the first of which is that neither the Jews nor the Palestinians are going to vanish.
    • If the two-state solution is nowhere in the offing, a single state after the Indian model, i.e., a secular, democratic and pluralistic state, may be the only feasible option.
    • The Palestinian refugees have a right to return.
    • That the altered demographics would impinge on the religio-racial character of Israel is not an argument which behoves a modern democratic state.
    • It is true that a nation state belongs to the group which constituted itself into a nation.
    • A nation is an imagined community.
    • As imagination expands, the foundations of the nation become deeper.

    Consider the question “In the absence of two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict, what lessons India could offer to the two parties for peaceful coexistence?”

    Conclusion

    Israel might not offer the right model of conflict resolution for India, but India presents a model of peaceful coexistence for Israel.

  • 1st June 2021 | Prelims Daily with Previous Year Questions

    [WpProQuiz 659]

    [WpProQuiz_toplist 659]

  • How Pakistan Plays the world

    The article explains evolution of Pakistan’s approach towards forming alliances and maintaining strategic autonomy against the backdrop of U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.

    New dynamic Pakistan has to face

    • As the US withdraws its troops from Afghanistan, Pakistan is eager to build a relationship with Washington that is not tied to US stakes in Afghanistan.
    • Pakistan does not want to be totally alienated from U.S. in the new geopolitical jousting between the US and China.
    • How Pakistan copes with the new dynamic between the US and China as well as manages the deepening crisis in Afghanistan would be of great interest to India.

    Striking the balance between autonomy and alliance

    • Autonomy is about the basic impulse for enhancing the degree of one’s freedom.
    • Alliances are about coping with real or perceived threats to one’s security.
    • Both are natural trends in international politics.
    • Joining an alliance does not mean ceding one’s sovereignty.
    • Within every alliance, there is a perennial tension between seeking more commitments from the partner in return for limiting one’s own.

    Explaining Pakistan’s approach to alliances

    • Pakistan’s insecurities in relation to India meant it was eager for alliances.
    •  And as the Anglo-Americans scouted for partners in the crusade against global communism, Pakistan signed a bilateral security treaty with the US and joined the South East Asia Treaty Organisation and Central Treaty Organisation in the mid-1950s.
    • Rather than target Pakistan’s alliance with a West that was intensely hostile to Beijing in the 1950s, Chinese premier Zhou Enlai saw room to exploit Pakistan’s insecurities on India.
    • While Pakistan’s ties with the US went up and down, its relationship with China has seen steady expansion.
    • Pakistan’s relations with the US flourished  after the Soviet Union sent its troops into Afghanistan at the end of 1979.
    • The US and Pakistan reconnected in 2001 as Washington sought physical access and intelligence support to sustain its intervention in Afghanistan following the attacks on September 11.
    • Now the US wants Pakistan to persuade the Taliban to accept a peaceful transition to a new political order in Afghanistan.

    Pakistan’s ability to adapt to shifting geopolitical trends

    • Pakistan worries that its leverage in U.S. will diminish once the US turns its back on Afghanistan and towards the Indo-Pacific.
    • Pakistan does not want to get in the Indo-Pacific crossfire between the US and China.
    • It would also like to dent India’s growing importance in America’s Indo-Pacific strategy.
    • India should not underestimate Pakistan’s agency in adapting to the shifting global currents.
    • Pakistan has been good at using its great power alliances to its own benefit.

    Three problems that complicates Pakistan’s strategic autonomy

    • 1) Relative economic decline: Pakistan’s expected aggregate GDP at around $300 billion in 2021 is 10 times smaller than India’s.
    • 2) Obsession with Kashmir: Pakistan’s enduring obsessions with separating Kashmir from India, and extending its political sway over Afghanistan; both look elusive despite massive political investments by the Pakistan army.
    • Unsurprisingly, there is a recognition that Pakistan needs reorientation — from geopolitics to geoeconomics and permanent war with neighbours to peace of some sorts.
    • 3) Using religion as political instrument: Turning Islam into a political instrument and empowering religious extremism seemed clever a few decades ago.
    • However, today those forces have acquired a life of their own and severely constrain the capacity of the Pakistani state to build internal coherence and widen international options.

    Conclusion

    It will be unwise to rule out Pakistan’s positive reinvention; no country has a bigger stake in it than India. For now, though, Pakistan offers a cautionary tale on the dangers of squandering a nation’s strategic advantages — including a critical geopolitical location that it had inherited and the powerful partnerships that came its way.

  • New IT Rules is not the way forward

    The article deals with the issues involved in the traceability requirement of the originator of information on social media platform as per new IT Rules.

    Traceability clause and issues involved

    • Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 imposes certain obligation on significant social media intermediaries.
    • Rule 4(2) puts an obligations to ensure traceability of the originator of information on their platforms.
    • Consequently, WhatsApp has filed a petition in the Delhi High Court.
    • WhatsApp contends that the mandate for traceability violates the privacy rights of Indian citizens, by rendering WhatsApp unable to provide encrypted services.

    Government’s response

    • The Government primarily relies on the argument that: privacy is not an absolute right, and that the traceability obligation is proportionate, and sufficiently restricted.
    • Notably, the new Rules mandate traceability only in the case of significant social media intermediaries i.e. those that meet a user threshold of 50 lakh users, which WhatsApp does.
    • Traceability is also subject to an order being passed by a court or government agency and only in the absence of any alternatives.
    • While it is indeed true that privacy is not an absolute right, the Supreme Court of India in the two K.S. Puttaswamy decisions of 2017 and 2018 has laid conditions for restricting this right.
    • In Puttaswamy cases, the Supreme Court clarified that any restriction on this right must be necessary, proportionate and include safeguards against abuse.

    Issues with traceability

    • Not proportionate: A general obligation to enable traceability as a systemic feature across certain types of digital services is neither suitable nor proportionate.
    • No safeguard against abuse: The Rules lack effective safeguards in that they fail to provide any system of independent oversight over tracing requests made by the executive.
    • This allows government agencies the ability to seek any messaging user’s identity, virtually at will.
    • Presumption of criminality:  Weakening encryption — which a traceability mandate would do — would compromise the privacy and security of all individuals at all times, despite no illegal activity on their part, and would create a presumption of criminality.

    Way forward

    • Explore the alternatives: The Government already has numerous alternative means of securing relevant information to investigate online offences including by accessing unencrypted data such as metadata, and other digital trails from intermediaries.
    • Already has ability to access encrypted data: The surveillance powers of the Government are in any case vast and overreaching, recognised even by the Justice B.N. Srikrishna Committee report of 2018.
    • Importantly, the Government already has the ability to access encrypted data under the IT Act.
    • Notably, Section 69(3) of the Information Technology Act and Rules 17 and 13 of the Information Technology Rules, 2009 require intermediaries to assist with decryption where they have the technical ability to do so, and where law enforcement has no alternatives.
    • Judicial scrutiny of Section 79 of IT Act: The ability of the government to issue obligations under the guise of “due diligence” requirements under Section 79 of the IT Act must be subject to judicial scrutiny.
    • Legislative changes needed: The long-term solution would be for legislative change along multiple avenues, including in the form of revising and reforming the now antiquated IT Act, 2000.

    Consider the question “What are the issues involved in the traceability of the originator of the information on social media platforms as mandated by the new IT Rules 2021? Suggest the way forward.”

    Conclusion

    While, undoubtedly, there are numerous problems in the digital ecosystem that are often exacerbated or indeed created by the way intermediaries function, ill-considered regulation of the sort represented by the new intermediary rules is not the way forward.

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