UPSC Current Affairs Pointers of the past week | March 3 to March 9, 2025

Environment

• Population estimation of dolphins 

—  PM Modi recently released the results of the first-ever comprehensive population estimation of riverine dolphins – Gangetic and Indus dolphins – done in India.

— The survey was conducted across the Ganga and Brahmaputra river basins between 2021 and 2023. It estimated an average of 6,324 Gangetic dolphins, ranging from 5,977 to 6,688.

— The survey only found three Indus River dolphins in the Indus basin, all in the Beas River in Punjab.

— The highest number of Gangetic dolphins, 2,397, was found in Uttar Pradesh.

— About Gangetic dolphins: They are frequently found alone or in small groups and are known to be extremely shy around boats, making it hard for scientists to observe them. Their local names include susu, soons, soans, or soos in Hindi, shushuk in Bengali, hiho or hihu in Assamese, and bhagirath, shus or suongsu in Nepali.

— In the UPSC Prelims 2015 exam, a question was asked about the national aquatic animal of India. Do you know the answer?

— Indus and Ganges dolphins have been listed as ‘Endangered’ in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List since the 1990s.

— Have you heard about dolphin clicks? Dolphins are functionally blind. They navigate by making clicking sounds that travel through water and bounce back after hitting objects. This process is called echolocation. This is also known as ‘dolphin clicks’. This survey used multiple underwater microphones or hydrophones to capture ‘dolphin clicks.’

A Miyawaki forest at Kotturpuram in Chennai. (Express photo by Rishika Singh)

• Miyawaki technique

— The Uttar Pradesh government employed the Miyawaki technique during the beautification and cleanliness initiatives during the Mahakumbh festival.

— Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki devised the Miyawaki technique in the 1970s, aimed at restoring the native forests in Japan that deteriorated due to urban development over time.

— He drew inspiration from Japan’s age-old sacred shrine forests (“Chinju no Mori”), which were traditionally developed around Shinto shrines.

— The Miyawaki technique involves planting a large number of native plants and saplings in a small area to create an ecosystem that mimics a forest. The soil structure and quality must match the conditions of the natural environment of those plants and be amenable to the local climate.

— The saplings or seeds are planted at a high density, usually 3-5 plants per square meter, for achieving rapid growth. The seeds of multiple varieties are planted randomly and not in neat rows to mimic a forest.

— Because the plants are so close together, they shoot up quickly, competing for sunlight. Thus, they grow to their full length within three years, compared to the much longer periods natural forests take.

 

Report

(FYI: The data provided in these reports can be used to substantiate your Mains answer and create a broad understanding of the topic.)

• Lancet Study on Obesity

— A recent Lancet study examined the historical trends of the global, regional, and national prevalence of adult overweight and obesity from 1990 to 2021 and forecast the future trajectories to 2050.

— According to the study, India had the second largest population of adults with overweight and obesity after China.

— According to the report, compared with 1990, the global prevalence of obesity had increased by 155·1% in males and 104·9% in females.

— Globally, more than half of all adults and a third of children and adolescents will become overweight or obese by 2050.

— The report predicted that 21.8 crore men and 23.1 crore women in India will be overweight or obese — totalling up to 44.9 crores or nearly a third of the country’s projected population — by 2050.

Bonus data to enrich your understanding

According to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-5 (2019-21), overall, 24% of Indian women and 23% of Indian men are overweight or obese. Story continues below this ad There has been an increase in the percentage of children under 5 years who are overweight (weight-for-height) from 2.1 percent in NFHS-4 (2015-16) to 3.4 percent in NFHS-5 (2019-21) at the All-India level.

 

Polity

• Pashu Aushadhi Kendras

—The government is planning to open “Pashu Aushadhi” stores across the country to provide affordable generic veterinary medicines to people engaged in animal husbandry and dairying.

—The Pashu Aushadhi initiative has been conceptualised on the lines of the existing Pradhan Mantri Bharatiya Janaushadhi Kendras (PMBJK).

—The Pashu Aushadhi initiative is part of the revised Livestock Health and Disease Control Programme (LHDCP), which was approved by the Union Cabinet on March 5.

—The Pashu Aushadhi stores will be run by cooperative societies and Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samriddhi Kendras (PMKSK). The Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying will soon release guidelines for the functioning of these stores.

 

Economy

• Ongole cattle

— Recently, Ongole purebred cow, Viatina-19, was sold for a whopping 4.38 million USD (25.7 million Brazilian Real or INR 40 crore) in Brazil’s Minas Gerais. It’s a breed that thrives in Brazil – about 80 per cent of the country’s 226 million cattle are Ongoles.

— The original home of Ongoles is India where it is facing the threat of extinction, its numbers halving from 15 lakh in 1944 to 6.34 lakh in the 2019 Livestock Census.

— The Ongoles, he adds, are also known for their heat tolerance and ability to survive on low fodder.

• Navratna status

—The center has approved the upgradation of the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) and Indian Railway Finance Corporation (IRFC) as the country’s 25th and 26th Navratna companies respectively.

— Navratnas are the second category of the central government-owned ‘Ratna’ companies, placed between the Maharatnas and the Miniratnas, based on criteria including profitability, net worth, earning, inter-sectoral performance, etc.

—Benefits of Navratna status: IRCTC and IRFC can invest up to Rs 1,000 crore or 15% of their net worth in a single project without government approval. It makes them more financially autonomous.

→ The companies can form joint ventures and subsidiaries, and enter into mergers or acquisitions without direct government intervention.

→ They can form strategic alliances and expand globally without strict bureaucratic hurdles.

Science and Technology

• Blue Ghost Mission

(In 2015, the UPSC Prelims had questions on spacecraft like Cassini-Huygens and Voyager, along with their missions. So, any such mission that is in the news becomes important for your Prelims—you never know when UPSC might ask about it.)

— An American private space company called Firefly Aerospace has successfully landed its Blue Ghost lander Mission on the moon. It landed on the slopes of an ancient volcanic dome in Mare Crisium, located on the northeastern edge of the moon’s near side.

— It does not have a rover to walk over the Moon’s surface. The payloads will be deployed from the lander and remain static.

— The lander carries a vacuum to collect lunar soil samples and a drill capable of measuring temperatures up to 10 feet (3 meters) below the surface. It also includes a device designed to eliminate lunar dust.

— Blue Ghost is part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative, which aims to stimulate lunar commerce through private-sector competition.

Hot test successfully carried out on the semi-cryo Power Head Test Article (PHTA) along with LOX flow trials. (Source : ISRO)

• Power Head Test Article (PHTA)

— The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) recently successfully conducted the PHTA and the first hardware test for the development of semi-cryo engines.

— PHTA is a significant precursor test done to validate the integrated performance of some of the engine’s critical subsystems, such as the gas generator, turbo pumps, pre-burner and control components. The test involves performing a hot-firing for an extremely brief duration of not more than 4.5 seconds.

— The cryogenic engine uses liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen. Handling liquid hydrogen is challenging, given that it needs to be stored at minus 253 degrees Celius and it is highly inflammable.

— Whereas a semi-cryogenic engine uses a liquid oxygen – kerosene combination, where kerosene is readily storable; this combination offers advantages like high-density impulse (with respect to cryogenic), less toxic (with respect to storage) and cost-effectiveness.

• NITI Frontier Tech Hub (NITI-FTH)

— NITI Aayog has established NITI-FTH with the objective to accelerate India’s transition into a Frontier Tech Nation.

— NITI-FTH in collaboration with the Data Security Council of India has released a paper on Quantum Computing, its implications on National Security.

— The paper points out five ways that quantum technologies reshape national security priorities across multiple domains.

— These are Cryptography and Cybersecurity, Intelligence Gathering, Military Applications, Economic Warfare, and Geopolitical Power. 

— But, first, you should know what is quantum technology. Do you know, that UPSC has asked a question related to quantum in Prelims 2022? So, don’t miss these important terms and concepts.

— Quantum Technology is often used as an umbrella term for the technological advancements that are specifically governed by the principles of quantum mechanics at its core.

— This technology exploits the principles of quantum mechanics, which include superposition, quantum entanglement, and interference to achieve greater efficiency in large-scale computations.

— Superposition refers to the ability of these particles to exist in multiple locations simultaneously. This phenomenon persists only until the particle is observed. Once observed, the particle appears at one location and ceases to exist in the others.

— In Entanglement particles that have previously interacted can instantaneously influence each other’s behavior, regardless of the distance separating them.

— Interference is a wavelike superposition of subatomic particles’ states that affect the probabilities of states of these particles when measured.

— Know about the National Quantum Mission here.

• Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere (PUNCH)

—NASA is set to launch its latest solar mission, known as Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere (PUNCH). It will study the solar corona — the outermost layer of the Sun’s atmosphere.

— It will be the third major solar mission to be launched in the past 18 months. The reason behind this has to do with the solar cycle. The other two major solar missions are the Aditya L1 mission of ISRO and Proba-3, European Space Agency.

—The solar cycle affects activity on the surface of the Sun. For instance, the Sun is at its most active when the magnetic field flips. This phase is called the solar maximum.

—In 2022, a UPSC Prelims question was asked on the possible effect of a major solar storm (solar flare) on Earth.

— During this period, the star can send out more frequent and intense bursts of radiation and particles into space. After the flip, the star calms down until it reaches the solar minimum, and a new cycle begins.

— Solar flares and coronal mass ejections also increase during the solar cycle. Solar flares release huge bursts of radiation and energetic particles by sudden release of magnetic energy stored in the complex solar magnetic field.

The Solar Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (SUIT) on board the Aditya L1 mission. (Credit: suit.iucaa.in)

 

Persons in News

(Just FYI: Noting historical personalities’ anniversaries aids UPSC prep. UPSC often includes such personalities in questions, so revisiting their lives refreshes your static syllabus.)

Tuhin Kanta Pandey. (File Photo/Amit Chakravarty)

• Tuhin Kanta Pandey

— Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) Chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey said the market regulator will come out with a plan to disclose any conflict of interest of its board members to the public as a step to improve trust and transparency.

— The appointment of the SEBI Chairman is made by the Central Government on the recommendation of the Financial Sector Regulatory Appointments Search Committee (FSRASC).

— Do you know who was the first woman chief of SEBI?

— The chairman will hold office for a period not exceeding five years or till the age of 65 years of age, whichever is earlier, and will be eligible for re-appointment.

Places in News

(Just FYI: The location of the place is important, considering that UPSC has asked several questions about places that were in the news, such as Aleppo and Kirkuk, in the 2018 UPSC Prelims. The best way to remember them is to plot them on a world map.)

• Vanuatu

— Fugitive former IPL chief Lalit Modi has applied to surrender his passport to the Indian High Commission in London and acquired the citizenship of Vanuatu.

— Vanuatu provides citizenship by investment (CBI) or “golden passport” program, which allows wealthy individuals to effectively purchase their passports.

— Vanuatu, comprising 83 fairly small volcanic islands, of which only 65 are inhabited, lies to the east of Australia and the north of New Zealand in the South Pacific.

— The country’s capital Port Vila lies on the island of Efate, the third largest in Vanuatu with an area of nearly 900 sq km. Port Vila is also the largest city in Vanuatu.

Map showing Chagos Islands.

• Chagos Islands

— Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Mauritius, India said it supports the island nation in its efforts to reach a mutually beneficial deal with the UK over the Chagos Islands in the Indian Ocean.

—The Chagos archipelago comprises 58 islands. It is located roughly 500 km to the south of the Maldives archipelago in the Indian Ocean.

—In 1814, under the Treaty of Paris, France ceded Mauritius—including the Chagos Archipelago—to the British. Britain detached the Chagos Islands in 1965 from Mauritius to create the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT). The UK government gave Mauritius a grant of 3 million pounds over the “detachment” of the Chagos archipelago.

—In October last year, Britain reached an agreement to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius while retaining control of the military base on Diego Garcia under a 99-year lease.

 

Terms making buzz

—Coalition of the willing: The term “coalition of the willing” refers to a pragmatic ad hoc grouping of countries allied for a common cause, typically a joint military effort.

—Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS): Hantavirus is a family of rodent-borne viruses that can cause serious illness and death in humans. Infected rodents spread the viruses through their urine, faeces, and saliva. HPS is endemic to the Western Hemisphere. The most common HPS-causing hantavirus is carried by the deer mouse. There is no known cure or treatment for HPS.

 

Test Your Knowledge

(Note: The best way to remember facts for UPSC and other competitive exams is to recall them through MCQs. Try to solve the following questions on your own.)

A. Consider the following statements:

1. Cryogenic engines use a liquid oxygen–kerosene combination to get the high-density impulse.

2. Liquid hydrogen is not used in cryogenic engines because liquid hydrogen needs to be stored at minus 253 degrees Celius and it is highly inflammable.

How many of the above sentences is/are NOT correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

B. If a major solar storm (solar-flare) reaches the Earth, which of the following are the possible effects on the Earth? (UPSC CSE 2022)

1. GPS and navigation systems could fail.

2. Tsunamis could occur at equatorial regions.

3. Power grids could be damaged.

4. Intense auroras could occur over much of the Earth.

5. Forest fires could take place over much of the planet.

6. Orbits of the satellites could be disturbed.

7. Shortwave radio communication of the aircraft flying over polar regions could be interrupted.

(a) 1, 2, 4 and 5 only

(b) 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7 only

(c) 1, 3, 4, 6 and 7 only

(d) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7

C. Other than poaching, what are the possible reasons for the decline in the population of Ganges River Dolphins? (UPSC CSE 2014)

1. Construction of dams and barrages on rivers.

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1, 3 and 4 only

(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

Previous Articles

UPSC Current Affairs Pointers of the past week | February 24 to March 2, 2025

UPSC Current Affairs Pointers of the past week | February 17 To February 23, 2025

UPSC Current Affairs Pointers of the past week | February 10 to February 16, 2025

UPSC Current Affairs Pointers of the past week | February 3 to February 9, 2025

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