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Type: Prelims Only

  • Water Management – Institutional Reforms, Conservation Efforts, etc.

    Radioactive Pollution in Water

    Prelims Only | Enviro & Biodiversity | Mains Paper 3: Conservation, Environmental Pollution & Degradation, Eia

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Raidioactivity

    Mains level: Water Pollution

    Radioactive pollution of water is newly emerging but is of grave concern for water pollution and human health.

    Quick recap: Radioactivity

    • Radioactivity is the phenomenon of spontaneous emission of particles or waves from the unstable nuclei of some elements.
    • There are three types of radioactive emissions: Alpha, Beta and Gamma.
    • Alpha particles are positively charged He atoms, beta particles are negatively charged electrons and gamma rays are neutral electromagnetic radiations.
    • Radioactive elements are naturally found in the earth’s crust.

    Radioactive contamination of Water

    • Natural: Percolation of naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) from the soil sediments to the aquifer causes groundwater contamination.
    • Man-made: Anthropogenic sources of such pollution include- nuclear weapon investigation, nuclear calamities, nuclear powerhouses and dumping of radioactive waste.

    Various contaminant elements

    • Uranium, thorium and actinium are three NORM series that contaminate water resources.
    • A number of radionuclides are found in surface and subsurface waters, among which 3H, 14C, 40K, 210Pb, 210Po, 222Rn, 226Ra, 228Ra, 232Th and 234,235,238U are common.
    • Strontium-90, Caesium-137, etc are also formed by nuclear reactors, along with numerous unnecessary radioisotopes wastes.
    • 40K and 7Be are the most commonly found radioactive elements in the sludge generated in sewage treatment plants.
    • Nuclear reactors produce radioisotopes (Cobalt-60, Iridium-192, etc) that hand out as sources of gamma radiation in radiotherapy and numerous industrial appliances.

    Oceanic sources

    • Oceans and seas are the natural repositories of naturally occurring uranium. It is found in the form of uranyl carbonate ion.
    • A significant concentration of uranium is supposed to be found in the greater salinity of the marine water.
    • 40K (Radioactive Potassium) is also found in considerable concentration in the marine environment.

    Measuring radioactive pollution

    • Radioactivity is measured in Becquerel (SI unit) or in Curie.
    • Energy absorbed per unit mass is measured by Gray, while the unit Sievert measures the quantity of radiation absorbed by human tissues.
    • A small amount of radiation is found in all types of water but the extended amount of radiation is harmful to human health.
    • Radioactivity in drinking water can be determined by a gross alpha test.

    Hazards of such pollution

    • Radioactive elements have an effect on the environment and can cause a risk to human healthiness if inhaled, injected or exposed.
    • Human tissues absorb radiation through polluted water and foodstuff, which can cause serious health risks.
    • High doses of radiation can cause acute radiation syndrome or cutaneous radiation injury.
    • Exposure to radiation causes various disorders in human physiology, including cancer, leukaemia, genetic mutations, osteonecrosis, cataracts and chromosomal disruption.

     

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  • International Space Agencies – Missions and Discoveries

    NASA’s Imaging X-Ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) Mission

    Prelims Only | Science Tech | Mains Paper 3: Awareness in various sc and tech fields

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: IXPE

    Mains level: Not Much

    NASA has launched a new mission named Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer or IXPE.

    About IXPE

    • IXPE observatory is a joint effort of NASA and the Italian Space Agency.
    • The mission will study “the most extreme and mysterious objects in the universe – supernova remnants, supermassive black holes, and dozens of other high-energy objects.”
    • The mission’s primary length is two years and the observatory will be at 600 kilometers altitude, orbiting around Earth’s equator.
    • IXPE is expected to study about 40 celestial objects in its first year in space.

    What are the instruments onboard?

    • IXPE carries three state-of-the-art space telescopes.
    • Each of the three identical telescopes hosts one light-weight X-ray mirror and one detector unit.
    • These will help observe polarized X-rays from neutron stars and supermassive black holes.
    • By measuring the polarization of these X-rays, we can study where the light came from and understand the geometry and inner workings of the light source.
    • This new mission will complement other X-ray telescopes such as the Chandra X-ray Observatory and the European Space Agency’s X-ray observatory, XMM-Newton.

    Why is it important?

    The mission will help scientists answer questions such as:

    • How do black holes spin?
    • Was the black hole at the center of the Milky Way actively feeding on surrounding material in the past?
    • How do pulsars shine so brightly in X-rays?
    • What powers the jets of energetic particles that are ejected from the region around the supermassive black holes at the centers of galaxies?

     

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  • River Interlinking

    [pib] Saryu Nahar National Project

    Prelims Only | Economics | Mains Paper 3: Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways Etc.

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Sarayu River

    Mains level: River interlinking and associated issues

     

    PM will inaugurate the Saryu Nahar National Project.

    Saryu Nahar National Project

    • The Project involves the interlinking of five rivers – Ghaghara, Saryu, Rapti, Banganga and Rohini to ensure optimum usage of water resources of the region.
    • It will benefit nine districts of Eastern Uttar Pradesh namely – Bahraich, Shravasti, Balrampur, Gonda, Siddharthnagar, Basti, Sant Kabir Nagar, Gorakhpur and Maharajganj.
    • The sub canals with a length of 6,600km have been linked to the 318km main canal.
    • The work on the project started in 1978 but due to lack of continuity, it got delayed and was not completed even after nearly four decades.

    Benefits offered

    • The project will provide assured water for irrigation of over 14 lakh hectares of land and benefit about 29 lakh farmers of over 6200 villages.
    • The farmers of the region, who were the worst sufferers of the inordinate delay in the project, will now immensely benefit from the upgraded irrigation potential.
    • They will now be able to grow crops on a larger scale and maximize the agri-potential of the region.

    Back2Basics: Sarayu River

    • The Sarayu is a river that originates at a ridge south of Nanda Kot mountain in Bageshwar district in Uttarakhand.
    • It flows through Kapkot, Bageshwar, and Seraghat towns before discharging into the Sharda River at Pancheshwar at the India—Nepal border.
    • Lower Ghaghara is also popularly known as Sarayu in India.
    • Especially while it flows through the city of Ayodhya, the birthplace of legendary Rama.

     

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  • Capital Markets: Challenges and Developments

    What are Non-convertible Debentures?

    Prelims Only | Economics | Mains Paper 3: Investment Models

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Non-convertible Debentures

    Mains level: Not Much

    Several companies have announced public issues to raise funds through non-convertible debentures.

    What are Debentures?

    • Debentures are long-term financial instruments issued by a company for specified tenure with a promise to pay fixed interest to the investor.
    • They can be held by individuals, banking companies, primary dealers other corporate bodies registered or incorporated in India and unincorporated bodies.
    • Their types include:
    1. Convertible debentures (CDs): They are a type of debentures that can be converted into equity shares of the company.
    2. Non-convertible debentures (NCDs): They are defined as the type of debentures that cannot be converted into equity shares of the company.

    What are NCDs?

    • Some debentures have a feature of convertibility into shares after a certain point of time at the discretion of the owner.
    • The debentures which can’t be converted into shares or equities are called non-convertible debentures (or NCDs).
    • They are debt financial instruments that companies use to raise medium- to long-term capital.

    Benefits offered by NCDs

    • At a time when fixed deposit rates are in low single digits, these NCD offerings look lucrative.
    • NCDs offer interest rates between 8.25–9.7%.

    Risks posed

    • Although NCDs are generally considered safe fixed-income instruments, some recent defaults have made investors cautious.
    • NCDs can be either secured by the issuer company’s assets, or unsecured.
    • Certain issuers, with credit rating below investment grade, had in the past issued both a secured NCD and another unsecured one through the same offer document, with different credit ratings.
    • The risk is high in the case of unsecured NCDs, even though they offer high-interest rates.
    • Credit rating of the issuer is a key factor to consider before investing in any NCD.

     

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  • Wildlife Conservation Efforts

    Ambergris: The Floating Gold

    Prelims Only | Enviro & Biodiversity | Mains Paper 3: Conservation, Environmental Pollution & Degradation, Eia

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Ambergris

    Mains level: Not Much

    The Crime Branch in Pune and seized 550 grams of ambergris, also known as ‘floating gold’.

    What is Ambergris?

    • Ambergris, which means gray amber in French, is a waxy substance that originates from the digestive system of the protected sperm whales.
    • It is incorrectly referred to as ‘whale vomit’.
    • It is produced in the gastrointestinal tract of some of the sperm whales for the passage of hard, sharp objects that are ingested when the whale eats large quantities of marine animals.

    Why is it so expensive?

    • Investigating agencies from across India who have seized ambergris in the recent past estimate its value to be somewhere between Rs 1 to 2 crores per kilogram, depending on the purity and quality.
    • Being extremely rare contributes to its high demand and high price in the international market.

    Its uses

    • Traditionally, ambergris is used to produce perfumes that have notes of musk.
    • While there are records of it being used to flavor food, alcoholic beverages and tobacco in some cultures in the past, it is rarely used for these purposes presently.

    Legalities and recent cases of seizure in India

    • While there is a ban on possession and trade of ambergris in countries like the USA, Australia and India, in several other countries it is a tradable commodity.
    • In the Indian context, the sperm whales are a protected species under Schedule 2 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and possession or trade of any of its by-products, including Ambergris is illegal.
    • It has been observed that the gangs smuggling the ambergris procure it from coastal areas and ship it to destination countries via some other countries with whom India has comparatively less stringent sea trade.

     

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  • Modern Indian History-Events and Personalities

    Significance of Raigad Fort in Maratha History

    Prelims Only | | Mains Paper 1: Modern Indian History

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Raigad Fort

    Mains level: Not Much

     

    President Ram Nath Kovind is commencing his visit to Maharashtra by visiting the Raigad Fort where he will pay tribute to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

    Where is Raigad fort located?

    • Raigad is a hill fort situated about 25 km from Mahad in the Raigad district and stands 2,851 feet above sea level.
    • The British Gazette states the fort was known to early Europeans as the Gibraltar of the East.
    • Its decisive feature is a mile and a half flat top which has adequate room for buildings.
    • In its prime, the fort had 300 stone houses and a garrison of 2,000 men.

    When was it built?

    • The fort, which was earlier called Rairi, was the seat of the Maratha clan Shirke in the 12th century.
    • The fort changed hands a number of times from the dynasty of Bahaminis to the Nizamshahis and then the Adilshahis.
    • In 1656, Chhatrapati Shivaji captured it from the More’s of Javli who were under the suzerainty of the Adilshahi Sultanate.
    • The fort not only helped Shivaji challenge the supremacy of the Adilshahi dynasty but also opened up the routes towards Konkan for the extension of his power.

    Significance of the fort in Shivaji’s life

    • In 1662, Shivaji formally changed the fort’s name to Raigad and added a number of structures to it.
    • By 1664, the fort had emerged as the seat of Shivaji’s government.
    • As the Marathas under the leadership of Shivaji gained strength in their struggle against the Mughals, the announcement of a sovereign, independent state was made.
    • On June 6, 1674, Shivaji was coronated at Raigad by Gagabhatt where he took on the title of Chhatrapati.
    • Six years later, Shivaji passed away in Raigad in 1680 and has been cremated at the fort.

    Importance of Raigad Fort in Maharashtra’s polity

    • Chhatrapati Shivaji is the tallest and the most revered icon in Maharashtra and there is a constant attempt by political parties of all hues to appropriate his legacy.
    • Due to the significance of Raigad in his life, many political leaders make it a point to visit the fort.
    • Maharashtra has already announced a mid-sea memorial in the Arabian Sea for the Maratha warrior king.

     

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  • International Space Agencies – Missions and Discoveries

    Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD)

    Prelims Only | Science Tech | Mains Paper 3: Awareness in various sc and tech fields

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: LCRD

    Mains level: NA

    NASA has launched its new Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD) — the agency’s first-ever laser communications system.

    What is LCRD?

    • LCRD involves laser communications – also called optical communications which uses infrared light to send information.
    • LCRD is launched in a geosynchronous orbit, over 35,000km above Earth.
    • LCRD has two optical terminals – one to receive data from a user spacecraft, and the other to transmit data to ground stations.
    • The modems will translate the digital data into laser signals. This will then be transmitted via encoded beams of light.

    Benefits offered by LCRD

    • Currently, most NASA spacecraft use radio frequency communications to send data.
    • Optical communications will help increase the bandwidth 10 to 100 times more than radio frequency systems.
    • The LCRD will help the agency test optical communication in space.

    Laser vs Radio

    • Laser communications and radio waves use different wavelengths of light. It uses infrared light and has a shorter wavelength than radio waves.
    • This will help the transmission of more data in a short time.
    • Using infrared lasers, LCRD will send data to Earth at 1.2 gigabits-per-second (Gbps).
    • It would take roughly nine weeks to transmit a completed map of Mars back to Earth with current radio frequency systems. With lasers, we can accelerate that to about nine days, says NASA.

    Other advantages

    Optical communications systems are smaller in size, weight, and require less power compared with radio instruments.

    • A smaller size means more room for science instruments.
    • Less weight means a less expensive launch.
    • Less power means less drain on the spacecraft’s batteries.

     

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  • New Species of Plants and Animals Discovered

    Species in news: Physella Acuta

    Prelims Only | Enviro & Biodiversity | Mains Paper 3: Conservation, Environmental Pollution & Degradation, Eia

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Snail Physella Acuta

    Mains level: Not Much

    A tiny snail with a striking, pellucid golden-yellow shell found in the Edappally canal in Kochi has been flagged as an invasive species that could play havoc with native ecosystems.

    Snail Physella Acuta

    • First described by J.P.R. Draparnaud in 1805, Physella acuta is considered native to North America but is now found in all continents except Antarctica.
    • The snail was first reported in India in the early 1990s.
    • It is believed to have reached Kerala through the aquarium trade, a major vector for invasive species.
    • In Kerala, the snail had made its home in a highly polluted reach plagued by high sedimentation, untreated sewage, commercial effluents, construction wastes and a thick growth of invasive aquatic weeds.

    Threats posed

    • This snail plays host to worms that can cause food-borne diseases and skin itches in humans.
    • Moreover, its rapid growth rate, air-breathing capability, and tolerance to pollution make it a potential competitor to native fauna.

     

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  • Agmark, Hallmark, ISI, BIS, BEE and Other Ratings

    How is Gold Hallmarking being implemented?

    Prelims Only | Economics | Mains Paper 3: Effects Of Liberalization On The Economy, Changes In Industrial Policy and their effects on Industrial Growth

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Hallmark Gold

    Mains level: Not Much

    The Government has made it mandatory for the introduction of a Hallmark Unique Identification (HUID) number in every piece of jewellery.

    What is HUID?

    • HUID is a six-digit alphanumeric code, or one that consists of numbers and letters. It is given to every piece of jewellery at the time of hallmarking and is unique for each piece.
    • It is being implemented by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) in a phased manner.
    • Hallmarking & HUID are mandatory for 14-, 18- and 22-carat gold jewellery and artefacts.
    • Before buying any piece of gold jewellery, the buyer should check all these three symbols.

    Implementation of HUID

    • Symbols: The hallmark consists of three symbols which give some information about the jewellery piece. The first symbol is the BIS logo; the second indicates purity and fineness; and the third symbol is the HUID.
    • A&H centre: Jewellery is stamped with the unique number manually at the Assaying & Hallmarking centre.

    Why is it being introduced?

    • Authentication: HUID gives a distinct identity to each piece of jewellery enabling traceability.
    • Credibility: It is critical to the credibility of hallmarking and to help address complaints against adulteration.
    • Registration: In HUID-based hallmarking, registration of jewellers is an automatic process with no human interference.
    • Prevents malpractice: It also helps check malpractice by members of the trade.
    • Data privacy: It is a secure system and poses no risk to data privacy and security.
    • Financial tracking: HUID provides traceability and financial tracking of purchases.

    Issues with HUID

    • Time-consuming: It is cumbersome to number each piece of jewellery
    • Intricate jewellery: HUID cannot be engraved in tiny pieces.
    • Unnecessary expense: Also it will increase cost for consumers.
    • Infrastructural issues: there needs to be ample AH Centres.

    What does this mean for the consumer?

    • Consumer protection: Given that gold plays a big role in the lives of Indians, mandating gold hallmarking is aimed at protecting consumer interests.
    • Assurance of quality: It provides ‘third-party assurance’ to consumers on the purity of gold jewellery.

    Conclusion

    • HUID concept is innovative, out-of-the-box thinking and more than makes up for stepping in late with mandatory hallmarking.
    • It is the sort of global leadership India has and needs to show in gold-related reforms.

     

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  • ISRO Missions and Discoveries

    Dhawan-1: India’s first privately developed Cryogenic Rocket

    Prelims Only | Science Tech | Mains Paper 3: Achievements Of Indians In S&T

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Dhawan-1

    Mains level: Space startups in India

    Skyroot Aerospace successfully tested Dhawan-1 last month. It became the country’s first privately developed fully cryogenic rocket engine.

    Dhawan-1

    • The indigenous engine was developed using 3D printing with a superalloy.
    • It runs on two high-performance rocket propellants — liquid natural gas (LNG) and liquid oxygen (LoX).
    • This was after successfully designing and developing the solid propulsion rocket engine, the first private firm in the country to do so.

    Other projects by Skyroot

    • Skyroot is working simultaneously on different stages of both solid propulsion and liquid propulsion engines.
    • It is named after eminent scientists, like Kalam (Abdul Kalam) series for the former and Dhawan (Satish Dhawan).
    • The launch vehicles are named after Vikram Sarabhai.

     

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