Hindu Notes from General Studies-01

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Plants might start absorbing lesser CO2

News

• Today, plants and soil around the world absorb roughly a quarter of the greenhouse gases that humans release into the atmosphere, helping the Earth avoid some of the worst effects of climate change.
• In an ideal situation, as levels of carbon dioxide increased, plants would soak up more of these emissions, helping to fuel their growth.

Findings

• But in a study, researchers found that under a warming climate, rather than absorbing more greenhouse gas emissions, plants and soil may start absorbing less, accelerating the rate of change.
• When the soil is dry, plants are stressed and cannot absorb as much CO2 to perform photosynthesis.
• At the same time, because dry conditions are often accompanied by warm temperatures, microorganisms in the soil, which are more productive when it’s warm, release more CO2.
• As the climate changes, scientists know that there will be more years of extreme weather. That means extreme droughts, followed by years of heavier than normal rainfall, will become more likely.

Hindu Notes from General Studies-02

Pakistan eases visa rules to boost tourism

News

• Pakistan has announced plans to ease visa restrictions for tourists from 90 countries, including the U.S. and Europe, in a bid to revive its tourism sector, decimated by years of negligence and problems with militants.

Beyond News

• Cabinet Minister pledged authorities would do everything possible to ensure the safety of visiting tourists.
• Cabinet Minister said citizens of 175 countries will be able to obtain visas electronically. Visitors from 50 countries will be able to get their visas on arrival.
• Pakistan has K-2, the world’s second-highest mountain, scenic valleys and beautiful deserts but its tourism has suffered because of violence.

Maldives sees no reason for military ties beyond India

News

• India has always been there to help the Maldives and so the nation’s government doesn’t see any reason for military cooperation with any other country, Defence Minister Mariya Ahmed Didi said.

Beyond News

• Talking of defence cooperation, Maldives Defence Minister welcomed the presence of Indian helicopters that were there for humanitarian assistance especially as the Maldives had a lot of islands and extreme weather in which helicopters were often the only mode of viable transport.
• The Maldives has started using the helicopters gifted by India that had been grounded during the previous government’s reign in the island nation.
• Maldives Defence Minister also confirmed that the two countries were holding discussions for a Dornier aircraft which would be used for search and rescue and surveillance.
• India had gifted two Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) in 2013, one operated by the Indian Coast Guard and the other by the Indian Navy. Last year, the Maldives government had refused to extend the visas of Indian military personnel after their validity had expired and asked India to take back the helicopters.
• The bilateral relationship had turned frosty after the Maldives started moving closer to China during President Abdulla Yameen’s tenure and worsened when an emergency was declared by Mr. Yameen. However, relations have been normalised since the new government headed by President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih took over in November following the country’s elections.
• Maldives Defence Minister held bilateral discussions with her counterpart Nirmala Sitharaman during which India reiterated its commitment to contribute towards capacity building and the training requirements of the Maldives National Defence Forces.

SC upholds bankruptcy code, cites improved financial flows

News

• In a whoop of victory for credits markets and entrepreneurship, the Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC), saying the law sends a clear message that India is no longer “the defaulter’s paradise”.

Beyond News

• The Code consolidates disparate bankruptcy and insolvency laws of the past under one umbrella. The judgment authored by Justice Nariman termed these past laws as “trials which led to repeated errors”.
• The IBC, on the other hand, adopts a two-pronged approach. It provides a time-bound resolution mechanism, aimed at protecting the maximum value of the assets of the corporate debtor. It also, while doing so, promotes entrepreneurship and credit markets.
• The court noted that the working of the Code is being monitored by the Centre through expert committees. The Code is constantly evolving, bettering itself.
• It said the liquidation value of 63 of the 80 cases resolved through the acceptance of resolution plans was Rs. 29,788.07 crore. But the amount realised from the resolution process was Rs. 60,000 crore, that is, 202% higher than the liquidation value.
• The court noted that IBC has witnessed an improvement in the total flow of resources to the commercial sector, both bank and non-bank, and domestic and foreign (relatable to the non-food sector), has gone up from a total of Rs. 14,530.47 crore in 2016-2017 to Rs. 18,469.25 crore in 2017- 2018 to Rs. 18,798.20 crore in the first six months of 2018-2019.

Hindu Notes from General Studies-03

61 mn people affected by extreme weather events in 2018: UN Report

News

• Earthquakes and tsunamis accounted for most of the 10,373 lives lost in disasters last year, while extreme weather events accounted for most of 61.7 million people affected by natural hazards, the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) said at a press conference.

Beyond News

• No part of the globe was spared from the impact of extreme weather events last year.
• Floods, droughts, and wildfires affected 57.3 mn people.
• The country most affected by disasters was India, where there were 23.9 mn people hit, followed by the Philippines with almost 6.5 mn people impacted, and then China with 6.4 mn affected.

Troublesome tusker sent back to forest

News

• Rogue tusker Chinnathambi, named thus by local residents, has been wreaking havoc in the Thadagam Valley near Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu , with several raids on agricultural fields.
• Tusker was tranquillised and moved out, bringing relief to farmers.

Beyond News

• The five-hour operation was code-named ‘Chinnathambi Gaja Yatra’, referring to the plan to get him back to the forest, just as his companion, christened Vinayagan, was moved to Mudumalai 40 days ago.
• The job was accomplished with the help of four ‘kumkis’ (trained elephants).
• The two tuskers had raided crops and houses in the area, which is frequented by elephant herds in search of food, for months.
• As agitated farmers’ insisted on action, Forest Department personnel got orders to tranquillise both and move them.
• Chinnathambi was spotted at a place close to where Vinayagan was tranquillised, and the ‘kumkis’ moved in to corner him close to the Anuvavi Subramaniya Swamy temple.
• The kumkis were made familiar with the terrain and anti-depredation squad watchers kept monitoring Chinnathambi and were waiting for the target animal to reach a terrain far from human habitations and slopes to capture it.
• The captured elephant was likely to be released near Top Slip, near Pollachi.

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