Hindu Notes from General Studies-01

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Indonesia tsunami raises fears for endangered Javan rhino

News

• Indonesia’s tsunami has raised fears that another deadly wave could wipe out the few dozen Javan rhinos still living in the wild.

Beyond News

• There are believed to be fewer than 70 of the critically endangered species in a national park not far from a rumbling volcano that triggered Saturday’s killer wave.
• None of the animals are believed to have been killed in the disaster which left more than 400 people dead but officials are warning that another deadly wave could slam into the stricken region.
• That is putting pressure on conservationists at Ujung Kulon National Park, on the western tip of Indonesia’s main island of Java, to ramp up a longstanding plan to find a suitable secondary habitat for the rhinos.
• Plans to find a second home for the species have been in the works for about eight years, with conservationists surveying areas all over Java and neighbouring Sumatra but so far without success.
• The size of the habitat, climate, food and water sources and safety from poachers are among the key criteria.
• The rhinos’ current sanctuary in the park comprises some 5,100 hectares (12,600 acres) of lush rainforest and freshwater streams.
• Several years ago, three calves were filmed in the national park, raising hopes for the future of the world’s rarest rhino after years of population decline. The shy creature, whose folds of loose skin give it the appearance of wearing armour plating, once numbered in the thousands and roamed across Southeast Asia.
• But, like other rhino species across the world, poaching and human encroachment on its habitat has led to a dramatic population decline. Poaching in particular represents a severe threat, with rhino horns used in traditional Asian medicine fetching ever higher prices on the black market despite a lack of scientific evidence showing the horn has any medicinal value.

Anak Krakatau volcano now a quarter of its pre-eruption size

News

• Scientists say Indonesia’s Anak Krakatau volcano island, which erupted and collapsed a week ago triggering a deadly tsunami, is now only about a quarter of its pre-eruption size.

Beyond News

• Indonesia’s Center for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation says Anak Krakatau now has a volume of 40-70 million cubic meters and lost 150-180 million cubic meters of volume since the eruption and tsunami.
• The analysis shows the scale of the island’s collapse, shedding light on the power of the tsunami that affected more than 300 km of coastline in Sumatra and Java. More than 420 people died.
• The center says the crater peak was 110 meters (360 feet) high compared with 338 meters (1,108 feet) in September.

Hindu Notes from General Studies-02

Cabinet nod for easing CRZ norms

News

• The Union Cabinet approved relaxation in various norms including the clearance of projects or activities falling in the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ), allowing for greater use of coastal areas for tourism and industrial growth.
• This will enable redevelopment of these areas to meet the emerging needs.

Bill for panel on homoeo gets nod

News

• The Union Cabinet has approved the draft National Commission for Homoeopathy Bill, 2018.
• The draft Bill provides for the constitution of a National Commission with three autonomous boards entrusted with the conduct of education of Homoeopathy by Homoeopathy Education Board.
• Bill aims to bring “reforms in the medical education of Homoeopathy”.

Odisha seeks Rs. 1,534 cr. for drought-hit farmers

News

• The Odisha government has sought assistance of Rs. 1,534.82 crore from the Centre to help out drought-affected farmers in the State.
• In its memorandum to the Union Ministry of Agriculture, the State said that crop loss had been recorded in pockets of nine districts.

Beyond News

• The State government has declared 3,24,590.8 hectares of land in 6,389 villages as drought affected, having recorded total crop loss of over 33% during the kharif season this year.
• The government has authorised Collectors to undertake relief measures in the notified areas.
• The District Collectors were earlier directed to conduct joint field inquiries, with the help of field functionaries of the Agriculture and Revenue Department, and submit a report.
• The officials were asked to conduct the inquiries taking into account representations received from farmers’ organisations regarding the drought situation.

Hindu Notes from General Studies-03

Centre okays ₹172 cr. in cyclone relief

News

• The Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare has sanctioned ₹172.5 crore towards cyclone relief in Tamil Nadu.

Beyond News

• The sum included ₹92 crore for clearing damaged and fallen coconut trees and ₹80 crore in relief for affected horticulture crops.
• The Tamil Nadu government had sought ₹100 crore for clearing damaged and fallen coconut trees in cyclone-affected areas.

Tighter ALM norms for NBFCs in offing

News

• The liquidity crisis at the Infrastructure Finance and Leasing Services (IL&FS) has prompted the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to tighten the asset-liability management (ALM) framework for non-banking finance companies (NBFCs) and bring them on par with the commercial banks.

Beyond News

• Without naming IL&FS, the RBI said the recent experience of debt default of a systemically-important NBFC highlighted the vulnerability and need for strengthening regulatory vigil on the sector in general and on ALM framework in particular.
• At the same time, the RBI assured that the inherent strength of the sector, coupled with the RBI’s ‘continuing vigil on the regulatory and supervisory front, would ensure that the growth of the sector is sustained and liquidity fears are allayed.’
• The RBI has admitted that the ALM instructions for registered core investment companies like IL&FS are minimal.
• The RBI noted that the NBFC sector, with a size of 15% of commercial banks’ balance sheets, had been growing robustly in the recent years, and provided an alternative source of funding in the face of slowing bank credit.
• RBI noted that for non-deposit taking and systemically important NBFCs, the major sources of resource mobilisation have been debentures and bank borrowings with the latter being preferred during 2017-8 and in 2018-19.
• The share of commercial papers, which declined during 2017-18, turned around in the first half of 2018-19 partly replacing the reduction in share of debentures.

India will see two eclipses in 2019

News

• Astronomy enthusiasts and sky gazers will be able to experience five eclipses in 2019, two of which will be visible in India.

Beyond News:

• The year will start with a partial solar eclipse on January 6, though it will not be visible in India.
• A total lunar eclipse on January 21 will not be visible in the country as it is to happen during the day.
• A total solar eclipse on July 2-3 will also not be seen as it will occur at night in the country.
• A partial lunar eclipse set to take place on July 16-17 will be visible in India and so will an annular (ring-shaped) solar eclipse on December 26.

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