GS Paper 3

ATR panel assesses progress of tiger rewilding project

Context: Tasked by the Chief Wildlife Warden, a committee visited the enclosure in the core of the Anamalai Tiger reserve (ATR) to assess the progress of the Forest Department’s first ever attempt at rewilding a tiger that was rescued as an abandoned cub.

Rewilding

  • Rewilding is a conservation strategy used to promote biodiversity in ecosystems by reintroducing plant and animal species that have been driven out, largely due to humans. 
  • Bringing these species back into a certain environment can help struggling ecosystems self-regulate and return to their natural processes.

Chief Wildlife Warden

  • The Chief Wildlife Warden (CWLW) is the statutory authority, under the Wildlife Protection Act,1972 who heads the Wildlife Wing of the department and exercises complete administrative control over Protected Areas (PAs) within a state.
  • The Act entrusts the Chief Wildlife Warden to control, manage and maintain all sanctuaries in a state.
  • The Chief Wildlife Warden is appointed by the state.
  • Chief Wildlife Warden shall be the authority to ensure destruction, damage or diversion of wildlife does not take place in protected areas.
  • The State Government shall constitute a conservation reserve management committee to advise the Chief Wildlife Warden to conserve, manage and maintain the conservation reserve.

Anamalai Tiger Reserve

image 17
  • Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR) is located on the southern side of the Southwestern Ghat Landscape in Tamil Nadu.
  • It is surrounded by Parambikulum Tiger Reserve on the East, Chinnar Wildlife

Sanctuary and Eravikulum National Park on the Southwestern side.

  • Anamalai Tiger Reserve was declared as a Tiger reserve in the year 2007.
  • Flora Around 2500 species of angiosperms are found in the Anamalai Tiger Reserve, with several species of Balsam, Crotalaria, Orchids and Kurinchi.
    • The reserve is rich in wild relatives of cultivated species like mango, jackfruit, wild plantain, ginger, turmeric, pepper, cardamom, solaipuli, nutmeg, cinnamom, amla, jasmine, drumstick, yams, rice, strawberries, and wild guava.
  • Fauna: The reserve supports several species of endangered wild animals. There are 70 species of fishes, more than 70 species of amphibians, 120 species of reptiles, 300 species of birds and 80 species of mammals.
    • In general, the wild animals of the reserve include Jackal, Wild dog, Indian fox, Tiger, Leopard, Jungle cat, Leopard cat, Smooth coated otter, Small clawed otter, Nilgiri marten, Small Indian civet, common Palm civet, Brown palm civet, Greymangoose, Ruddy mangoose, Indian Brown mangoose, Stripe-necked mangoose, Indian pangolin, Black naped hare several species of rodents and bats.
  • Best Practices: Best Practices Innovative alert system for addressing human-wildlife conflict, fire protection, antipoaching strategy, immunization of nearby livestock, control over illegal ganja cultivation and smart patrolling using M-STrIPES protocol.

What is the White Phosphorus?

Context: Human Rights Watch recently accused Israel of using white phosphorus munitions in Gaza, and said that such weapons put civilians at risk of serious and long-term injury. 

White Phosphorus

  • White (sometimes called yellow) phosphorus is a white to yellow waxy solid with a garlic like odour.
  • It ignites spontaneously in air at temperatures above 30°C and continues to burn until it is fully oxidized or until deprived of oxygen.
  • Burning phosphorus produces dense, white, irritating smoke containing mixed phosphorus oxides and intense heat, reaching up to 815°C, making it one of the most lethal weapons in military operations.

Applications:

  • Industrial: Production of phosphoric acid, phosphates and other compounds. It has been used as a rodenticide and in fireworks.
    • Phosphates are used to manufacture a range of products including fertilizers and detergents. 
  • Military: 
    • Its primary military use is as a smokescreen used to hide troop movement on the ground.
    • It is also known to mess with infrared optics and weapons tracking systems, thus protecting forces from guided missiles.
    • White phosphorus can also be used as an incendiary weapon such as grenades and artillery shells, which can result in persistent and intense fires, effective against people, equipment, and structures.

Effects of exposure:

  • Upon exposure, white phosphorus can cause severe burns, often down to the bone. The burns are excruciatingly painful, difficult to heal, and susceptible to infections. Particles of white phosphorus that remain lodged the body can reignite if in contact with air. 
  • Inhaling white phosphorus particles or smoke can cause respiratory damage and harm to internal organs. Death may occur from shock, hepatic or renal failure, central nervous system or myocardial damage.
  • Those who survive initial injuries often experience a lifetime of suffering with impaired mobility.
Effects of White Phosphorus on Human Health
Harmful impact of white phosphorus remains in Water & Soil

Hence, the ethical concerns surrounding its use in populated areas are significant due to its potential to cause severe burns and suffering. 

Incendiary weapons:

  • The Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) imposes restrictions on the use of incendiary weapons, with the aim of safeguarding civilians. Protocol III under the CCW specifically deals with incendiary weapons.
    • Article 1 of this protocol defines an “incendiary weapon” as a weapon or munition primarily designed to set fire to objects or to cause burn injury to persons through the action of flame, heat, or combination thereof, produced by a chemical reaction of a substance delivered on the target.
    • Article 1(b)(i) includes an exemption in this classification for munitions that may cause unintended incendiary effects, such as illuminants, tracers, smoke, or signalling systems.
  • White phosphorus munitions are primarily intended to produce illuminating and smokescreen effects, with the incendiary aspects being secondary or unintentional. Consequently, incendiary munitions clearly fall within the exceptions outlined in Protocol III’s definition of an “incendiary weapon.” Hence, White phosphorus, although a chemical agent and toxic, is not covered by the CWC. 

Chemical Weapons Convention:

  • The Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) is an international treaty that establishes a comprehensive ban on the use of chemical weapons.
  • The treaty entered into force in 1997. It is administered by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), based in The Hague, Netherlands.

Key provisions of the CWC:

  • Prohibition: The CWC categorically prohibits the development, production, acquisition, stockpiling, retention, transfer, and use of chemical weapons and their precursors.
  • Destruction of Existing Stockpiles: States parties that possessed chemical weapons at the time of the treaty's entry into force are obligated to destroy their stockpiles upon strict verification by the OPCW.
  • Monitoring: Monitoring the chemical industry to prevent new weapons from re-emerging. OPCW conducts inspections and verification procedures to ensure compliance with the convention. 
  • Assistance and Protection: The CWC also includes provisions for the protection and assistance of individuals and states affected by the use or threat of chemical weapons.
  • Universality: Fostering international cooperation to strengthen implementation of the Convention and promote the peaceful use of chemistry.

Way Forward

Protocol III does not effectively regulate multi-purpose munitions such as those containing white phosphorus, which can cause harm in the same way as the incendiary weapons it defines. The need of the hour is to strengthen Protocol III to remove its existing ambiguity and loopholes. This will facilitate effective enforcement with clearer rules as violations will become more easily identifiable.

What is Bond Yield?

Context: The yield on 10-year government bonds in the US, the benchmark for asset prices across the globe, rose to hit 5.02 per cent, its highest level since July 2007. The yield of the Indian 10-year benchmark Government Security (G-Sec) also hardened to  7.50%, tracking the rise in US Treasury yields, which are reacting to expectations of heavy bond supply due to a jump in the fiscal deficit, continuing price pressures. 

Bond is debt instrument issued by governments and corporates to raise capital. The value at which the bond is issued is regarded as its face value and the value at which the bond is traded in the secondary market is referred to as its market value.

Bond Yield

The return received by the investor on the capital invested on a particular bond. The yield of the bond depends on the market value of the bond. 

  • If the market value increases above the face value of bond (the price at which it is purchased in the primary market when it was issued), then the rate of returns on the purchase of the bond in secondary market decreases. This phenomenon  is often known as softening of bond yields. 
  • On the other hand if the market value decreases below the face value of the bond, then the rate of returns on the purchase of bond in secondary market increases. This phenomenon is known as hardening of bond yields. 

Demand for the bonds

DecreasesIncreases
Market price of the bond decreasesMarket price of the bond decreases
Bond Yield increases (Yield hardening)Bond yield increases (Yield softening)
Reasons: Increased InflationSale of G-secs by the central bank under open market operationsIncreased borrowings by the government (Increased fiscal deficit)Reasons: Deflationary trends in the economyPurchase of G-secs by the Central bank under open market operationsReduced borrowings by the government 
Loss to the bond holderNo loss to the bond holder

Impact of hardening of bond yield

  • Loss to the banks: Since commercial banks in India hold significant size of g-secs owing to their  SLR requirements and LAF purposes, increasing bond yield as a rise in yields leads to a fall in bond prices and therefore these losses have to be booked by the banks.
  • Loss to the mutual funds: Mutual funds holding significant size of g-secs also face similar losses.
  • Increased cost of borrowings:
    • Higher yield on G-secs would mean that the government will have to offer higher interest rates on fresh borrowings.
    • Corporates also need to increase interest rates on their bonds as result of increasing bond yields in the market. Since Indian banks follow interest rates of long term G-secs to fix their lending rates, hardening yields of g-secs may increase their lending rates as well. 
  • Impact on equity market: As bond yields rises,  the opportunity cost of investing in equities goes up and therefore equities become less attractive.

eSIM card and its working

Context: Over the years, the size of the SIM card has shrunk from SIM to mini SIM to micro SIM to nano SIM. The latest is the eSIM with specifications defined by the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) Association. 

What is a SIM?

‘SIM’ stands for ‘subscriber identification module’. It is an integrated circuit, or a microchip, that identifies the subscriber on a given network. 

E-Sim vs SIM card

What is an eSIM?

  • An eSIM is an embedded SIM, where the SIM software is loaded on to a Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC), that is permanently embedded as part of the motherboard of a smartphone/watch. Being attached to the motherboard, eSIMs allow re-programming, letting users switch operators without having to replace any physical SIM cards. 
  • An eSIM has two immediate advantages.
    • It is environmentally friendlier than a physical SIM, as it is reprogrammable i.e., there is no need for more plastic and metal for a new SIM.
    • If a malicious person gains access to the phone, they will not be able to separately access the SIM application nor be able to duplicate it.
  • The disadvantage is that an eSIM can, in theory, allow network operators to track subscribers’ data, including inside Apps on the device, especially in the absence of data privacy laws. 

Effectiveness of suppressants to control dust

Context: In response to deteriorating air quality in Delhi, the Government has boosted public transport and used suppressants to control dust.

About Dust Suppressants

  • Dust suppressants are substances that are used to control dust emissions from various sources such as construction sites and roads.
  •  They can be salts of calcium or magnesium that can absorb moisture, or other chemical mixtures.

Types of Dust Control measures

  • Water: Water is one of the most common and effective dust suppressants. It can be applied as a fine mist, spray, or through irrigation systems to dampen surfaces and keep dust particles from becoming airborne. Water is environmentally friendly and readily available.
  • Chemical Dust Suppressants: Chemical dust suppressants are substances that are applied to surfaces to control dust. Common chemical suppressants include:
  • Calcium Chloride: It is often used on roads and construction sites to control dust. It attracts moisture from the air, keeping the road or area damp and dust-free.
  • Magnesium Chloride: Like calcium chloride, magnesium chloride is used for dust control on roads and surfaces. It is less corrosive to metals than calcium chloride.
  • Lignin Sulfonate: Lignin sulfonate is a natural biopolymer that can be used as a dust suppressant, particularly in areas where ecological concerns are a priority.
  • Synthetic Polymers: Synthetic polymers, like polyvinyl acetate or polyvinyl alcohol, can be applied to the surface to create a dust-retaining film.
  • Soil Stabilizers: They are used to bind the soil particles together and prevent them from becoming airborne.
  • Dust Control Equipment: Dust control equipment, such as dust collectors, electrostatic precipitators, and baghouses, are used in industrial settings to capture and collect dust particles before they can escape into the air.
  • Vegetation: Planting vegetation in and around dusty areas can help reduce dust by stabilizing the soil and acting as a natural dust suppressant.
  • Windbreaks: Installing windbreaks, such as walls or fences, can help reduce the movement of windborne dust by blocking the wind's force.

Effectiveness of Dust Suppressants

  • According to the Central Pollution control board, the use of dust suppressants along with water is relatively more effective in controlling pollution than conventional methods of dust control i.e., water spraying. 
  • With the use of dust suppressants, there is about a 30% reduction in dust concentration (PM 10, PM 2.5, and PM 1) within the first six hours on both construction sites and roads.
  • Dust suppressants with bio-additives help to reduce dust for 5-6 hours as compared to plain water which lasts for 15-30 minutes.
  • According to the Centre for Science and Environment, the duration of effectiveness of mixed dust suppressants is uncertain, and it is still unknown whether they have long-term effects.

IMF Bailout - Bangladesh

Context: Bangladesh has sealed a bailout agreement with IMF to boost its cash strapped economy.

Reasons for seeking Bailout from IMF

  • Balance of Payment crisis: A nation may seek a bailout when it faces a deficit in its balance of payments, which includes trade imbalances, a shortage of foreign exchange reserves, and difficulties in meeting external debt obligations. It can be a result of political instability, populist measures such freebies etc.
  • Unsustainable Debt: When a country accumulates unsustainable levels of debt, it may become unable to service its debt obligations, potentially leading to default. E.g., Sri Lanka and Pakistan.
  • External shocks: Natural disasters, global economic crises, or other external shocks like pandemic (COVID-19) can severely affect a country's economic stability. E.g., Bangladesh  following the Russia Ukraine war its dollar reserves have shrunk by more than 1/3rd due to costly oil imports. 
  • Currency depreciation due to inappropriate monetary & fiscal policies. E.g., overly expansionary monetary policies, such as printing excessive money or keeping interest rates too low for too long, can lead to high inflation and exchange rate instability.

IMF helps countries in following ways

  • It basically lends money, often in the form of special drawing rights (SDRs), to troubled economies that seek the lender’s assistance. 
  • SDRs simply represent a basket of five currencies, namely the U.S. dollar, the euro, the Chinese yuan, the Japanese yen, and the British pound. 
  • Currently, Bangladesh is in urgent need for U.S. dollars to import essential items such as fuel and also to pay their foreign debt. 

Conditionalities of IMF Bailout

  1. Reducing government borrowing – Higher taxes and lower spending
  2. Higher interest rates to stabilise the currency.
  3. Structural adjustment such Privatisation, deregulation of certain sectors.

Issue with IMF conditions

  • The policies of structural adjustment and macroeconomic intervention can make difficult economic situations worse.
  • For instance, in the Asian crisis of 1997, countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand were required by the IMF to pursue tight monetary policy (higher interest rates) and tight fiscal policy to reduce the budget deficit and strengthen exchange rates. However, these policies caused a minor slowdown to turn into a serious recession with very high levels of unemployment.

Does the IMF charge for its loans?

All IMF members have access to financial support through the General Resources Account (GRA), which is subject to various charges. These charges are designed to cover the operational costs of the IMF and support its activities, including those related to providing policy advice and capacity development to member countries. 

About IMF

  • The IMF is an independent international organization. 
  • It is a cooperative of 190 member countries, whose objective is to promote world economic stability and growth.
  • It was originally created in 1945 as part of the Bretton Woods agreement, which attempted to encourage international financial cooperation by introducing a system of convertible currencies at fixed exchange rates.
  • The member countries are the shareholders of the cooperative, providing the capital of the IMF through quota.
  • It is one of several autonomous organizations designated by the United Nations (UN) as “Specialized Agencies,” with which the UN has established working relationships.
  • It is a permanent observer at the UN.
  • Its headquarters is in Washington DC.
  • The IMF began its operations in 1947, and France became the first country to draw funds from the IMF in 1947.
  • Membership of the IMF is compulsory to be part of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD or World Bank). 

IMF’s lending provisions

  • Extended Fund Facility: It provides financial assistance to countries facing serious medium-term balance of payments problems because of structural weaknesses that require time to address.
  • Extended credit Facility: It provides medium-term financial assistance to low-income countries (LICs) with protracted balance of payments problems.
  • Rapid Financing Instrument: It provides prompt financial assistance to any IMF member country facing an urgent balance of payments need. It is one of the facilities under the General Resources Account (GRA) that provide financial support to countries, including in times of crisis.
  • Rapid Credit Facility: It provides fast concessional financial assistance to low-income countries (LICs) facing an urgent balance of payments need. 
  • Flexible Credit Line: It is designed to meet the demand for crisis-prevention and crisis-mitigation lending for countries with very strong policy frameworks and track records in economic performance.
  • Resilience and Sustainability Facility: It provides affordable long-term financing to countries undertaking reforms to reduce risks to prospective balance of payments stability, including those related to climate change and pandemic preparedness.

Factory fishing in Antarctica for krill targets the cornerstone of a fragile ecosystem

Context: Antarctic krill (Euphausia suberba) fishing is banned in U.S. waters due to concerns that exploitation of Antarctic Krill could impact whales, seals and other animals that feed on the shrimp-like creatures. Krill fishing has been taking place for decades in Antarctica, where krill are most abundant. 

About Antarctic Krill

image 15
  • Antarctic Krill are shrimp like crustaceans living the Southern Ocean.
  • It’s estimated that there are over 700 trillion adult individuals of Antarctic Krill.
  • Adult krill can live anywhere in the Southern Ocean – from the very surface layer to the seafloor, and from inshore areas to the deep open ocean.
  • Antarctic krill grow up to 6cm in length and can weigh 1 gram.
  • Antarctic krill (and other krill species) are bioluminescent, meaning they produce light. They are frequently found in such abundance that they colour the sea a reddish-brown. They may be small individually, but there is an estimated 400 million tonnes of Antarctic krill in the Southern Ocean.
  • Antarctic krill aggregate in schools or swarms, where the density of the animal can be as high as 30,000 individuals per cubic metre.
  • Antarctic krill are a key species, supporting populations of penguins, seals, whales and other marine life.
  • Antarctic krill feed on phytoplankton (single celled marine plants), which absorb carbon dioxide. Krill then egests this carbon through their faecal pellets and by shedding their exoskeletons, which then both sink to the sea floor where some of the carbon gets stored away.
  • It is one of the most common species in its range and it is not at risk of endangerment or extinction.
  • IUCN Status: Least Concern

Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and Vapour Recovery system

Context: As much as 80% of the environment protection charge and environmental compensation collected by the Central Pollution Control board remains unspent, a report the board submitted before the National Green Tribunal.

Central Pollution Control Board

  • The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) is a statutory organization which was constituted in 1974 under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974.
  • Further, CPCB was entrusted with the powers and functions under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.

Functions

  • Advise the Central Government on any matter concerning prevention and control of water and air pollution and improvement of the quality of air.
  • Plan and cause to be executed a nation-wide programme for the prevention, control or abatement of water and air pollution.
  • Co-ordinate the activities of the State Board and resolve disputes among them.
  • Provide technical assistance and guidance to the State Boards, carry out and sponsor investigation and research relating to problems of water and air pollution, and for their prevention, control, or abatement.
  • Plan and organise training of persons engaged in programme on the prevention, control or abatement of water and air pollution.
  • Organise through mass media, a comprehensive mass awareness programme on the prevention, control or abatement of water and air pollution.
  • Collect, compile, and publish technical and statistical data relating to water and air pollution and the measures devised for their effective prevention, control or abatement.
  • Prepare manuals, codes and guidelines relating to treatment and disposal of sewage and trade effluents as well as for stack gas cleaning devices, stacks and ducts.
  • Disseminate information in respect of matters relating to water and air pollution and their prevention and control.
  • Lay down, modify, or annul, in consultation with the State Governments concerned, the standards for stream or well, and lay down standards for the quality of air; and Perform such other function as may be prescribed by the Government of India.

Powers of Central Pollution Control Board

The following are the powers of the Central Pollution Control Board:

  • Section 18 of the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act gives the CPCB the authority to order the SPCB.
  • If one of its directives is not followed, the Central Pollution Control Board does have the authority to carry out all the duties of a State Pollution Control Board.
  • According to section 33A of the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, the CPCB has the authority to issue directives that may restrict, close, or regulate any activity, business, or procedure or that may regulate the provision of power, fresh water, or other services.

Environmental Compensation

  • Environmental compensation is a policy instrument for the protection of the environment which works on the Polluter Pay Principal. 
  • The Hon’ble National Green Tribunal through its various judgments has empowered the Central Pollution Control Board to lay down the methodology to assess and recover compensation for damage to the environment and utilize such amount in terms of an action plan for protection of the environment.

Vapor recovery system

  • Vapor recovery is the process of removing harmful vapor and fluid contaminants from crude products to improve the purity and prevent the release of toxic pollutants into the environment. 
  • Vapor removal is also done in chemical processing industries to recover unwanted vapors from storage units to keep the chemicals pure and safe for use and transport.

The typical VRU (Vapor recovery unit) consists of four principal components:

  • Gas Compressor
  • Scrubber
  • Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs)
  • Switching device

Working of VRU

The primary function of a VRU system is to remove the vapors that collect inside sealed hydrocarbon tanks. The machine does this by gas compression and suction.

  • The vapor recovery procedure involves the following steps:
    • The rotary screw gas compressor sucks liquid molecules into the scrubber.
    • The scrubber removes the water vapor, debris, and unwanted fluids from the tank.
    • The recovered vapor is pumped into gas lines while the trapped liquids are channelled to the pipelines.
image 16

Bat genomes can provide insights into immunity and cancer

Context: Bats can host a wide variety of pathogens, including ones deadly to other mammals, but they themselves do not get infected. Scientists have been curious about the source of this protection.

Facts about Bats

image 65
  • Bats are the only mammals on the earth that can maintain sustained flight. 
  • They have relatively long life spans and are relatively more protected from a variety of diseases, including cancer. 
  • They have a unique ability in echolocation, whereby they use sound to navigate and locate objects. This frees them from being constrained by the availability of light, unlike humans.
  • By population, bats make up 20% of all mammals. There are more than 1400 species of bats around the world.
    • The bumblebee bat weighs only 2 grams.
    • Flying foxes (bats) have a wingspan of 1.5 metres and weigh up to 1.6 kg.
  • Bats play crucial roles in maintaining the ecological balance and are essential for pollination, insect control, etc.

Bats as reservoirs of pathogens

  • Bats can act as a reservoir/host for many viruses including coronaviruses, Nipah, Ebola, Marburg virus, and Hendra virus etc.
  • Despite hosting a wide variety of pathogens, even multiple viruses at the same time, which are deadly to other mammals, bats do not get infected. 

Bat genomes

  • Genome sequencing has become the mainstay of investigations of the viruses that bats carry, also known as the bat virome.
    • Bat1K global genome consortium which aims to sequence all the 1400 or so bat species’ genomes is currently underway.
  • Over the years, researchers have unearthed significant insights by sequencing the genomes of many bat species. (Bats have a relatively small genome with around 2 billion bases).
    • On comparing the genomes of a fruit-eating and an insect-eating species, scientists found that genes involved in metabolism and immune response have been positively selected. This means that these bats have evolved by improving these two biological domains.
    • Natural selection of a protein called prestin is involved in echolocation (dolphins have the same protein).
    • The subsets of genes involved in mounting an immune response – which encode proteins called interferons (IFN) – had contracted significantly in bats. This allowed bats to diminish the pro-inflammatory response against a number of viruses, thus protecting themselves from clinical disease.
    • A number of genes involved in suppressing tumours and in repairing DNA contained signs of positive selection. This could contribute to the bats’ longer life span and a significantly lower risk of developing cancer.

Natural Selection

  • Natural selection is defined as a process in nature through which living organisms adapt and change in response to an environmental condition (climate, temperature, availability of resources, etc.)
  • There are two types of natural selection in biological evolution: Positive (Darwinian) selection promotes the spread of beneficial alleles, and negative (or purifying) selection hinders the spread of harmful alleles. 
image 66

Significance

With rapid deforestation, ecological degradation, and increased human-animal interactions, the risk of outbreaks of zoonotic diseases has heightened. (E.g., Nipah outbreaks in Kerala, Marburg disease and Ebola virus in some African countries). Hence, genome sequencing can help humans in understanding the nature of the outbreaks, and deal with them effectively. 

What are Fast Radio Bursts?

Context: Researchers discovered a remote blast of cosmic radio waves that lasted less than a millisecond in June 2022. This “fast radio burst” is the most distant ever detected and its source is in a galaxy that took eight billion years to reach Earth. It is also one of the most energetic ones ever observed. In a fraction of a second, it released the equivalent of 30 years of emissions from our Sun.

Fast Radio Bursts

  • Fast radio bursts are sudden releases of powerful radio waves that last just milliseconds.
  • In that time, they discharge as much energy as 500 million Suns. Most of them flare just once, making them unpredictable and difficult to study.
  • Origin: The origin of FRBs is still mysterious. However, one leading theory is that they are caused by magnetars. 

Neutron Stars

  • Neutron stars are the incredibly dense remnants of supermassive stars (with masses around 1025 times the mass of the Sun) that have exploded as supernovae.
  • Neutron stars are about 12 miles (20 km) in diameter and have breathtakingly high rotation speeds – they have rotational periods that can be just 0.3 to 12.0 seconds.

Types of Neutron Stars

  • Pulsars: Pulsars are a type of neutron star that emits an electromagnetic beam from their poles The difference between pulsars and neutron stars is that other neutron stars do not shoot a pulse (beam) as strong as pulsars.
    • Pulsars rotate so fast (many times per second) that they generate an electric field that accelerates protons and electrons through their axis. These shoot out like a beam of electromagnetic radiation out of their poles.
    • Pulsars rotate so fast because even after the supernova, the momentum of the star remains, but since the resulting neutron star is many times smaller than the original massive star, it spins at a much faster rate. (In accordance with the principle of conservation of angular momentum)
different neutron star types- fast radio burst
  • Magnetars are types of neutron stars that have much more powerful magnetic fields than normal neutron stars. They are the most powerful known magnetic objects in the Universe.
    • Magnetars have magnetic fields in the range of 1015 gauss and they emit energy in the range given by luminosities of 1037 – 1040 joules per second.
    • The luminosity of the sun is in the order of 1026 joules per second.  

Recent findings

  • In 2020, for the first time, a fast radio burst was detected from inside the Milky Way – which enabled scientists to trace the very star that emitted it (that star was a magnetar). 
  • A possible explanation for these colossal eruptions could be that:
    • The magnetic field of magnetars is so powerful that it distorts the magnetar's shape, exerting an outward pull. 
    • Meanwhile, the density of the collapsed stellar core results in a powerful inward gravitational pull.
    • The tension between these two opposite forces causes the magnetar to rupture and quake, releasing powerful flares and large amounts of electromagnetic energy in the form of radio waves – fast radio bursts.
  • Plots that compare the energy and time distributions of fast radio bursts and quakes produce similar graphs. The results show notable similarities between FRBs and earthquakes and meanwhile, there was no notable similarity with solar flares.
stellar fireworks

Significance

  • Starquakes in neutron stars have opened up the possibility of gaining new insights into very high-density matter and the fundamental laws of nuclear physics.

In Kannauj, hope in a bottle (ATTAR)

Context: India is the world’s largest exporter of attar (perfume or fragrance), but the olfactory art and science inspired by Nur Jahan’s love for the damask rose has changed in its profile from a high-end personal indulgence to an industry additive.

About Attar and fragrance and flavor industry

  • It is distilled extract of flowers and herbs in a base of sandalwood oil.
  • Perfume produced in Kannauj received GI Tag.
  • Kannauj attar is of two types: (1) Pink damask rose -native to the region (2) Earthy petrichor -made for the occasion and presented in embellished glass bottles.
  • About 2000 varieties of rose grown in India out of which only two Rosa Damascena and centifolia are used in attar.
  • Zighrana: First perfumery and the only one so far from Kannauj to position the traditional product as a brand in the global market.
  • The Ministry of Micro, small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) pegs the worth of India’s fragrance and flavor industry at 10,000 crores annually.
  • India holds 10 % of global market in flavor and fragrance Industry, remains largest exporter of attar, sending it to 71 countries.

Historical background of Kannauj and fragrance industry.

  • Local lore’s talks about 7th century Kannauj as Kusumpura, the city of flowers.
  • Gangetic rivers aided the trade the trade since Harshavardhana’s empire.
  • During Mughal period, Jahangir patronized the art of perfume making (Attar). It is believed that Nur Jahan had fired the imagination of perfumers to create rose attar.
  • The Britishers were fascinated with it, hence it flourished during colonial era.

Challenges to Attar industry

  • Central government restricted the availability of sandalwood in the 1990’s which formed the base of perfume (about 95.98% of the product), causing shutting down of distilleries.
  • Attar faces competition from various rival perfume products like liquid paraffin, jojoba oil, low quality sandalwood grown in Australia and Egypt.

Phase-II of Green Energy Corridor (GEC) for transmission line between Ladakh to Kaithal

Context: Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved the Phase II of Green Energy Corridor Project, which is inter-state transmission system (ISTS) for evacuating 13 GW renewable energy project in Ladakh

About Phase-II of Green Energy Corridor

green energy corridor gec for transmission line between ladakh to kaithal 6531287ba73a3
  • Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) has prepared a plan to set up 13 GW Renewable Energy (RE) generation capacity with 12 GWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) in Pang, Ladakh. 
  • For evacuating this huge quantum of power, it is necessary to create an inter-state transmission infrastructure.
  • Implementing agency: Power Grid Corporation of India (PowerGrid). 
  • The project will entail setting of 713 km transmission lines and 5 GW capacity of HVDC terminal each at Pang (Ladakh) and Kaithal (Haryana).
  • Transmission line for evacuating this power will pass through Himachal Pradesh and Punjab up to Kaithal in Haryana, where it will be integrated with National Grid. An interconnection is planned for this project in Leh to Ladakh grid to ensure reliable power supply to Ladakh. It will also be connected to Leh-Alusteng-Srinagar power to J&K.
  • Finance: Total estimated cost of the Rs 20,700 crore and Central Finance Assistance (CFA) @40% of project cost i.e., Rs 8,309 crores will be spent on the project.
  • Timeline for completion: FY 2029-30

Significance of the project

  • Harnessing of large solar power generation capacity in Ladakh region. Ladakh region is endowed with clear skies, bright sunlight, cool temperatures, and dust free environment which enhances the solar power generation capacity in the region. 
  • Contribute to 500 GW of installed electricity capacity from non-fossil fuels by 2030.
  • Developing long term energy security.
  • Promote ecologically sustainable growth by reducing carbon footprint.
  • Help generate large direct and indirect employment opportunities for both skilled and unskilled personnel in power sector in the Ladakh region.