Hindu Notes from General Studies-01

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River Dolphins go missing in Sunderbans as water salinity rises

News

• Rise in salinity in the water system that makes the Indian Sunderbans has resulted in a decrease in population of the Ganges River Dolphins in the region.

Findings

• A recent study covering 100 km of rivers and channels around the Sunderbans has revealed that the national aquatic animal is no longer sighted in the central and eastern parts of the archipelago. Only in the western part of Sunderbans, where the salinity is lower, could researchers find some evidence of the species.
• Researcher said that because of its unique body shape, it becomes difficult for the dolphin to remain submerged in waters with high salinity.
• Freshwater flow to the Sunderbans is crucial for the subsistence of these species. Hyper-saline zone in the central part of the Sunderbans, which includes areas such as Raidighi and Patharpratima, has lost connectivity with the upstream freshwater flow. Though there is some fresh water connectivity and flow in the eastern part, salinity levels were still high and there was therefore no evidence of the Ganges River Dolphin in this region.
• The rise in sea level, triggered by climate change, is one of the reasons for the increase in salinity of waters of rivers and channels.
• Hydrological modifications like water diversion and commission of large barrages upstream have had a great impact on the salinity profile of the rivers downstream in the Sunderbans,” the publication stated.
• Researchers noted a higher rate of encounter with the species in rivers and stretches that had limited use of motorised boats, less river traffic and more country boats. The encounter rate was higher by almost 55 % in such stretches.
• Classified as endangered by the IUCN Red List, the species was once found in tributaries of the Ganga in West Bengal. Researchers and experts said the sighting of the dolphin has dipped over the years in the 534-km stretch from Farakka Barrage to Sunderbans.

Hindu Notes from General Studies-02

Govt approves amendments to POCSO Act

News

• The government approved amendments to the POCSO Act 2012, to bring punishments for sexual assaults against boys on par with those against girls, including the provision of death penalty when a child is under 12-years-old.

Beyond News

• Following the outrage over gangrapes in Unnao and Kathuaearlier this year, the government had brought an Ordinance in April and followed it by passing a Bill in Parliament during Monsoon Session.
• The Bill was introduced to amend the Indian Penal Code to provide death penalty for gangrape of a girl under 12 years, and 20 years in jail to death penalty for rape of a girl under 12 years, among others.
• Provisions were also added to provide imprisonment for the rest of one’s natural life for gangrape of a girl under 16 years, while rape of a girl in the same age bracket would be punishable with jail of 20 years up to life imprisonment.
• The absence of changes to Prevention of Child Sexual Offences Act (POCSO), 2012, which deals with sexual crimes against both girls and boys, meant that similar crimes committed against boys carried lighter punishment as those committed against girls. The latest set of changes approved by the Union Cabinet address these anomalies.
• The Union Cabinet approved changes to Section 6 of the POCSO Act, which deals with punishments for aggravated penetrative sexual assault, enhancing the punishment of 10 years to life imprisonment to 20 years to imprisonment for remainder of a person’s natural life or with death.
• This category of offence includes assault on a child under the age of 12 years, gangrape, assault on a mentally or physically challenged child or one that is committed by a relative.
• The government has also amended the definition of aggravated penetrative sexual assault to include an offence that causes the death of a child.

Cabinet nod for ₹10,000-crore Gaganyaan human space mission

News

• The Union Cabinet approved the Gaganyaan project, under which a three-member crew would be in space for at least seven days.
• The project will cost ₹10,000 crore, he said at a press conference in New Delhi.
• India has already inked agreements with Russia and France for assistance in this project.

Centre gives nod to draft Bill on Indian medicine

News

• The Union Cabinet has approved the draft National Commission for Indian System of Medicine Bill, 2018.
• The NCIM will promote “availability of affordable healthcare services in all parts of the country”.

Beyond News

• The draft Bill will enable the constitution of a National Commission with four autonomous boards for the purpose of conducting overall education in Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha and Sowarigpa.
• There are two common boards, namely the board of assessment and rating to assess and grant permission to educational institutions of Indian systems of medicine, and board of ethics and registration of practitioners of Indian systems of medicine to maintain a National Register and ethical issues relating to practice under the National Commission for Indian Medicine.
• To assess the standard of teachers before appointment and promotions, the Bill proposes a common entrance and an exit exam.

India to contribute ₹4,500 cr. for Bhutan’s five-year plan

News

• India will support Bhutan’s developmental needs by providing ₹4,500 crore, Indian Prime Minister announced, while visiting Prime Minister of the Himalayan country Lotay Tshering indicated his government’s commitment to maintain warm ties with India,

Beyond News

• India will provide ₹4,500 crore for Bhutan’s 12th five-year plan. This contribution will be processed according to Bhutan’s preferences and necessities.
• Bhutan remains one of the key recipients of developmental assistance from India. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, India provided ₹4,500 crore for the 11th five year plan that lasted between 2013-18. 
• To share the benefit of the South Asian Satellite, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is moving ahead with plans to set up a ground station in Bhutan that will help in telemedicine, disaster relief and climate trends.
• The statement is significant as it comes in the backdrop of reports of differences in the tariffs preferred by Delhi and Thimphu for the 720 megawatt Mangdechhu project, being set up with Indian collaboration.
• Bhutan reportedly wants a tariff of ₹4.40 per unit, while India expects ₹3.90 per unit. However, the Bhutanese leader indicated that the project is likely to begin in the next few months.
• Bhutan will soon adopt the RuPay cards introduced by the Indian government earlier.

Hindu Notes from General Studies-03

Tiny tracker to help fight rhino poaching

News

• French tech company has developed a bite-size tracker that can be inserted into the horns of rhinos to help conservationists monitor and protect the endangered species.

Beyond News

• Cameras, infrared and motion sensors, electronic bracelets and drones have been used over the years to protect endangered species, but have at times been limited by vast distances and limited resources in the countries concerned.
• Sensors able to give the exact location of rhinos using the firm’s network over a longer period of time.
• The sensors can alert park rangers when rhinos approach an area identified as particularly dangerous due to previous instances of poaching.
• The sensors can be used to get rescue teams to the location in real time.
• The Sigfox network uses a specific radio signal which offers more security guarantee than other tracking devices.
• The sensor only wakes up when it has to transmit data, which makes it immune to interception by poachers.

Another KTPS unit begins commercial operations

News

• The Kothagudem Thermal Power Station (KTPS) in Telangana State has achieved another significant milestone in with the declaration of commercial operation of its 800-MW super-critical unit-12 of stage-VII.

Beyond News

• The super-critical unit was declared commercially operational by the Telangana State Power Generation Corporation Ltd. (TS-Genco) on heralding a new chapter in bolstering the power generation capacity of the KTPS.
• With the beginning of commercial generation of power from the new unit, the power generation capacity of the KTPS has increased from 1660 MW to 2460 MW.
• The TS-Genco has drawn up a plan to retire and dismantle a few old units, which outlived their utility, as per the norms of the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF).
• One old unit (1X60 MW) of the KTPS (O&M) complex has already been phased out.
• As the KTPS’s 12th unit attained Commercial Operation Declaration (COD), the focus has now turned on the expeditious implementation of various provisions incorporated in the original plan of the KTPS expansion project (unit 12) such as development of block plantation on 600 hectares inside the Kinnerasani Wildlife Sanctuary situated about little over 10 kms away from the KTPS.
• The action plan mooted extensive plantation outside the sanctuary and development of biodiversity parks as part of environmental protection measures.
• KTPS sources said that foolproof arrangements are in place at the super-critical unit to reduce the carbon footprint and pollution levels.

Indians suffer pay gap in U.K., shows report

News

• Indians, along with black and Asian minorities in the U.K., face an unfair pay gap in comparison to their white counterparts, said a new report released.

Findings

• The Resolution Foundation report stated that, overall, Britain’s 1.9-million ethnic minority workers have lost out on £3.2 billion a year due to the “pay penalty” suffered as a result of their background.
• They find that between 2007 and 2017 the total annual cost of pay penalties experienced by black, Indian and Pakistani/Bangladeshi men and women would amount to £3.2 billion per year.
• All things held equal, Indian non-graduate women earned 44 pence an hour and black non-graduate women 61 pence an hour less than their white counterparts.
• Black, Asian and minority ethnic workers have made important gains in the labour market in recent years. Despite this welcome progress, many of them face significant disadvantages in the workplace.
• Pay gaps refer to the average difference in pay that exists between groups and pay penalties cover the average difference in pay that persists after personal and work-related characteristics are accounted for.
• The report found the biggest impact was on black male graduates, who were paid 17% or £3.90 an hour less when compared to their white peers.
• Pakistani and Bangladeshi male graduates earned an average of 12% less an hour.

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