🚨 This story is part of our special initiative for UPSC and other competitive exams. Look out for UPSC KEY and UPSC Essentials on weekdays, Weekly news express with MCQs, Key Terms of the past week, Quizzes as well as The Indian Express 360° Upsc Debate, Society & Social Justice, UPSC Mains Practice, Art and Culture with Devdutt Pattanaik, UPSC Ethics Simplified, Experts Talk, and more. 🚨 The Indian Express’ UPSC weekly news express covers some of the important and burning topics of current affairs news from this week to help you prepare for UPSC-CSE. Try out the MCQs and check your answers provided towards the end of the article. Why Coromandel Express crashed in Odisha? WHY IN NEWS? — Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw has said that interference with the “configuration” of the track led the Coromandel Express to smash into the stationary goods train from behind at Bahanaga Bazar in Odisha’s Balasore on Friday evening. — The CBI has been asked to investigate the crash, alongside the statutory inquiry by the Commission of Railway Safety (CRS). KEY TAKEAWAYS Avishek G Dastidar Explains: — The electric ‘point machine’ is a vital device in the railway signalling system for quick operation and “locking” of point switches. It plays a key role in the safe running of trains. Failure of these machines will severely affect train movement, and any deficiencies that are created or left unaddressed at the time of installation or maintenance of the system can result in unsafe conditions. What is meant by ‘interlocking’ in railways? — Interlocking in railway signalling systems is a crucial safety mechanism that ensures train movements continue without any conflicts, thus preventing accidents. — There are three main components of the interlocking system: point, track occupancy sensing devices, and signal. The interlocking system coordinates the functions of these three components to control train movements. — The digital interface of this system is a computer screen (or multiple screens) that shows the full view of the station layout, the real-time movement of trains, the signals, and the position of the points. This computer interface is called a data logger. What is the function of each of these three main components? * Signals (which are lights of green, red, and yellow colour) are installed along the tracks to indicate the status of the track ahead. * Track circuits are electrical circuits (also known as track-occupancy sensing devices) that detect the presence of trains. * Points allow trains to change tracks. The Coromandel was supposed to go through Bahanaga Bazar on the ‘Up’ main line, but the point just before the station switched the express on to the loop line that was occupied by the stationary goods train. How do the points work? — The points, also called switch rails, are movable rails that are typically placed at the point of divergence of two tracks going to different directions. Once the direction of a train is determined, the point gets locked at a particular position, and cannot be budged until the train has passed. The driver, or loco pilot, has no say in this matter. How does the system sense whether a track is occupied? — There are various kinds of track-occupancy sensing devices. Generally, sensors are installed on the tracks that detect the passage of wheels on the rails. These are called axle counters. They count how many sets of wheels or axles have passed over them in order to determine whether the entire train has passed through. How is this whole system configured? — A ‘sound logic’ of what is safe train operation is fed into the interlocking system, which is controlled remotely from the station. — Earlier, when technology was more basic, this job would be done manually, wherein a pointsman would physically operate the point to change its direction for an incoming train, and to lock it. Someone would then physically show a green flag or signal to the train after checking that the track was clear of obstacles. The driver would see the flag/ signal and proceed. — Today, out of the 7,000-odd stations in the Indian Railways network, only around 100 small stations still have manual levers to control these points. The rest operate electronically, even though the basic principles of the logic are taken from the old and time-tested standard operating procedure for safety. — In the case of the Coromandel, the logic in the computer would be that if the Up line (on which the Coromandel was) is vacant, and if the point is directed to the Up line and is locked for the Coromandel, then the signal to the train should be green. How safe is this system? — If any of the three components (signals, points, and track occupancy sensors) does not correspond to the overall ‘safe’ logic fed into the computer, the system will work to stop the oncoming train. This means if the point is not locked, or not set to the desired direction, and/ or if the sensing device detects that the track is not clear, the signal will automatically turn red — indicating to the oncoming train that something is wrong and that it should stop. — This is called a “fail safe” system — one that errs on the side of safety. Who operates and monitors the interlocking signalling system? — The interlocking system is usually operated and monitored by trained personnel from the signalling and telecommunications department in Railways, often known as ‘signallers’ or signal operators. They are responsible for setting the signals, monitoring track circuits, and ensuring the safe movement of trains. Are interlocking signalling systems used worldwide? — Yes, interlocking systems are used in railway networks worldwide. Countries may have variations in their signalling practices and technologies, but the underlying principle of preventing conflicting train movements remains the same. How are these systems secured against interference? — The relay room — which is the place from where the entire interlocking/ signalling apparatus can be controlled or manipulated — is locked with double locks. One key is with the station master; the other is in the custody of the signalling staff. — To open the relay room for any maintenance the station master’s approval is required, and every entry and exit is logged in a register. — As technology improved over the years, the Indian Railways put in place a system in which the opening and closing of the relay rooms were connected electronically to the data loggers. Every such event is not only registered on the servers, but it also triggers an SMS that goes to the officials concerned. — This is done to prevent unauthorised access. Since relay rooms (or huts or cabins) are places from where signals can be manipulated, their access protocol is strictly codified and guarded. Can this system be tampered with? — The system is designed to be fail-safe. However, as Railway Board Member (Operations and Business Development) Jaya Varma Sinha said on Sunday, any machine is “prone to failure even if it runs smoothly 99.9% of the time”. — She said things like digging work may snap cables, wear and tear and short circuit etc can cause failures. “Generally these things don’t happen. But that 0.1% possibility of failure due to any reason is always there in any kind of system,” Sinha said. — However, railway operations and maintenance is replete with instances wherein signal maintainers at stations have been found trying to bypass the system locally to rectify what they believe would be minor jobs that could be done without accessing the relay room. — As it now appears in the case of this accident, a signal maintainer or technician of the signalling department at the Bahanaga Bazar station did open one of the location boxes at the station to “loop” the circuit and achieve a “clear path” (or a green signal) for the Coromandel Express. — Location boxes are the junctions of cables from various hardware meeting circuits to work in the pre-set safety logic. — This safety override is usually unauthorised. This is because in normal circumstances, signal maintainers would have to furnish a disconnection memo to the station master in order to do anything to the interlocking system. — Once anything to do with the interlocking is disconnected, every aspect of signalling would have to be done manually following laid-down procedures of safety — flagging the signal after ensuring the line is without obstacles, manually setting the point, and so on. For longer durations, if the maintenance job is major, a temporary “traffic block” — when no train operation on the line would be allowed for some time — is to be effected. Are the Railways doing anything to prevent such unauthorised maintenance work? — Yes, checking such unauthorised “off the book” maintenance activity is a continuous activity. Regular safety drives are conducted to make sure everything is as per laid-down protocols. On Monday, the Railway Ministry ordered a week long drive to check whether all signalling equipment across India are in perfect order. This includes checking the security protocol around access to relay rooms and other signalling infrastructure. (Source: Why Coromandel Express crashed in Odisha by Avishek G Dastidar) Point to ponder: What should be done to assure passengers of safety after Balasore accident? 1. MCQ: CRS (Commission of Railway Safety), the body investigating the Odisha rail accident, is under administrative control of: (a) Ministry of Railways (b) Ministry of Home Affairs (c) Ministry of Aviation (d) Prime Minister Office Morgan Stanley's global economic outlook WHY IN NEWS? — Morgan Stanley's latest forecast suggests that some of the wealthiest countries will struggle to grow in the coming months while China is expected to regain its growth momentum. KEY TAKEAWAYS Udit Misra Explains: 5 takeaways from these forecasts: 1. Both global growth as well as global inflation is likely to moderate through 2023 and 2024. 2. Some of the wealthiest countries in the world are in for a tough time. The G10 countries are likely to witness rather anaemic growth rates. The G10 grouping refers to, oddly enough, 11 industrialised countries. The member countries are Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. As the names suggest, the G10 refers to some of the wealthiest countries (in per capita income terms) in the world. 3. The United Kingdom, the economy India overtook last year in terms of overall GDP, will continue to struggle and is unlikely to manage even a GDP growth rate of 1% in the next year and a half. 4. China, on the other hand, is expected to progressively recover its growth momentum. Even so, it is unlikely to challenge India in terms of GDP growth rates. Readers should, however, remember that the Chinese economy is almost five-times India’s size (in terms of GDP). So when China grows at 5% in a year, it adds $1 trillion to its GDP, which is already around $20 trillion. To match the same level of additional GDP, India will have to grow at more than 25% because India’s existing GDP base is less than $4 trillion. 5. On the inflation front, it looks like US inflation is likely to come fairly close to the US central bank target of 2% by the end of 2023. This would be good news because the US central bank actions tend to have an oversized impact on economies across the world including India. If inflation is under control in the US, India can look forward to a more stable interest rate scenario, which, in turn, will help business plan and invest. (Source: Morgan Stanley’s global economic outlook- Five takeaways by Udit Misra) Point to ponder: Global economic slowdown will make it tougher for India to achieve its growth ambitions. Do you agree? 2. MCQ: "Rapid Financing Instrument" and "Rapid Credit Facility" are related to the provisions of lending by which one of the following? (2022) (a) Asian Development Bank (b) International Monetary Fund (c) United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (d) World Bank Law Commission's recommendation of a stronger sedition law WHY IN NEWS? — Nearly a year after the Supreme Court stayed the operation of the sedition law, the Law Commission of India has recommended that the provision be retained with procedural safeguards and enhanced jail term. KEY TAKEAWAYS Apurva Vishwanath Explains: What exactly has the Commission said? — The 88-page report by the present or the 22nd Law Commission of India, headed by former Karnataka High Court Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, stated that the Commission had received a reference from the Ministry of Home Affairs in March 2016, for a study of the usage of the sedition law and suggest amendments, if any. — The Commission, however, took up this reference in November 2022, a few months after the Supreme Court bench, headed by then Chief Justice of India N V Ramana, stayed the penal provision in May 2022. By ruling that “it will be appropriate not to continue” with the offence of sedition till the government reviewed the provision, the Supreme Court while testing the constitutionality of Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code had raised the bar for the government to invoke the provision. — Although the court did not explicitly stay the provision — no criminal law in force has ever been stayed by the court — it virtually stalled the operation of the provision. — In its order, the Court, referring to the government’s affidavit, recorded that “in view of the above, it is clear that the Union of India agrees with the prima facie opinion expressed by this Court that the rigours of Section 124A of IPC is not in tune with the current social milieu, and was intended for a time when this country was under the colonial regime.” What is the sedition law? — Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code penalises a crime against the state. It defines the crime as bringing “into hatred or contempt, or excites or attempts to excite disaffection towards the government established by law in India.” — In 1962, the Supreme Court in ‘Kedarnath Singh v State of Bihar’ upheld the constitutional validity of IPC Section 124A. However, the court attempted to restrict its scope for misuse. The court held that unless accompanied by an incitement or call for violence, criticism of the government cannot be labelled sedition. What has the Law Commission recommended now? — The Commission recommended three changes to the law on sedition. The first is to include the ratio of the Kedar Nath ruling into the provision by adding the words “with a tendency to incite violence or cause public disorder.” The report also defines tendency to incite violence as a “mere inclination to incite violence or cause public disorder rather than proof of actual violence or imminent threat to violence.” — Second, the report suggests enhancing the imprisonment for sedition to “remove an oddity.” One of the criticisms against the provision is that it leaves judges with wide discretion on sentencing. Section 124A has a jail term of up to three years or life imprisonment. The 42nd Law Commission report, in 1971, had noted this to be very “odd” since it would mean either imprisonment for life or imprisonment up to three years only, but nothing in between, with the minimum punishment being only fine. The Law Commission has now proposed enhancing the jail term up to seven years or life imprisonment. — Third, to prevent misuse of the law, the report suggested including a procedural safeguard that no FIR shall be registered for sedition “unless a police officer, not below the rank of Inspector, conducts a preliminary inquiry and on the basis of the report made by the said police officer the Central Government or the State Government, as the case may be, grants permission for registering a First Information Report”. What are the reasons given to retain the law? — The Law Commission, in its report, dealt with some of the criticism of the sedition law and also discussed a few reasons to retain the law: *To safeguard the unity and integrity of lndia: The report cited threats to India’s internal security, including Maoist extremism, militancy and ethnic conflict in the north-east, terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir and secessionist activities in other parts of the country, like Punjab. These, the Commission said, necessitate retaining the law on sedition. The Commission also justified criminalising sedition, saying it is a reasonable restriction under Article 19(2) of the Constitution (which deals with restrictions on the right to freedom of speech, assembly, etc. under Article 19(1)). *Realities differ in every jurisdiction: Another argument made in favour of repealing the law of sedition in India is that while we continue to have the colonial law on our books, it was abolished through the Coroners and Justice Act, of 2009 in Britain. However, the Law panel said that “it is evident that even in some of the most advanced democracies around the world, mere cosmetic changes have been affected in the law of sedition, without taking away the core substance of the offence.” The report also said that courts of competitive jurisdictions, like the US, the UK, etc. had their own history, geography, population, diversity, laws, etc. which are not compatible with Indian circumstances. Despite this, what some of these countries have actually done is that they have merged their sedition law with counter-terror legislation, it said. *Existence of counter-terror legislations: One of the arguments made in favour of repealing the law on sedition is that there are several counter-terror legislations that could adequately take care of threats against the state. Where anti-terror legislations can be invoked for acts that threaten national security, sedition is frequently invoked to punish political speech or actions. However, the Law Commission simply states that the existence of anti-terror legislations does not by “implication cover all elements of the offence and envisaged under Section 124A of IPC.” “Further, in the absence of a provision like capital Section 124A of IPC, any expression that incites violence against the government, would invariably be tried under the special laws and counter terror legislation, which contain much more stringent provisions to deal with the accused,” the report said. *Sedition being a colonial legacy: The Commission also refuted the argument that the sedition law must be repealed since it is an arcane law that has an imprint of colonial legacy and is a law which was used by the British against Indian freedom fighters. Last year, the Supreme Court had also made the observation that the provision may be outdated for a democratic republic. “It is often said that the offence of sedition is a colonial legacy based on the era in which it was enacted, especially given its history of usage against India’s freedom fighters. However, going by that virtue, the entire framework of the Indian legal system is a colonial legacy. The police force and the idea of an all India civil service are also temporal remnants of the British era. Merely ascribing the term ‘colonial’ to a law or institution does not by itself, ascribe it to an idea of anachronism. The colonial origins of the Lord by themselves normatively neutral,” the report stated. (Source: The reasons Law Commission gave while recommending a stronger sedition law by Apurva Vishwanath) Point to ponder: With a view to preventing any “alleged misuse” of the provision, the Law Commission of India has proposed retaining the law of sedition with key amendments. Discuss. 3. MCQ: Which of the following statements is not true? (a) The Supreme Court in ‘Kedarnath Singh v State of Bihar’ upheld the constitutional validity of IPC Section 124A. (b) Currently, Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code, which deals with sedition, has a punishment of a life sentence along with a fine or imprisonment which may extend up to three years along with a fine. (c) The Law Commission is currently headed by former Chief Justice of India N V Ramana. (d) None of the above 50th Anniversary of World Environment Day 2023 WHY IN NEWS? — The World Environment Day, led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), has been held annually on June 5, since 1973. The date was chosen by the UN General Assembly during the historic 1972 Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment – considered to be the first world conference to make the environment a major issue. — Over the years, it has grown to become the largest global platform for environmental outreach, with millions of people from across the world engaging to protect the planet. — Since the early 20th century, plastics have become a ubiquitous part of human life, despite their many adverse impacts on the environment. — This year’s World Environment Day (June 5) has the theme of #BeatPlasticPollution, calling for global solutions to combat the pandemic of plastic pollution. KEY TAKEAWAYS History — In 1972, a conference held by the United Nations in Stockholm was the first UN conference which had the environment as its major agenda. It also recognised the right to live in a healthy environment as the basic right of any human being. — The conference became a historic global effort to protect and conserve the environment, leading to the creation of the United Nations Environment Programme. Moreover, this event also marked the formal declaration of a universal day for the environment – June 5. The UNEP, since then, has undertaken several global efforts in their endeavour to protect our naturalworld. — The first World Environment Day was celebrated in 1973 with the theme “Only One Earth”. Since then, several pressing environmental themes have been undertaken. Some of these themes are’Only One Future for Our Children’ (1979), ‘A Tree for Peace’ (1986), ‘For Life on Earth – Save Our Seas’ (1998), ‘Connect with the World Wide Web of Life’ (2001), among many others. #BeatPlasticPollution — Hosted by Côte d’Ivoire and supported by the Netherlands, this year’s World Environment Day campaign is aimed towards discussing and implementing solutions to the problem of plastic pollution – one of the most prescient issues of our time. The 45th World Environment Day with the same theme was also held under the leadership of India. — According to UN data, more than 400 million tonnes of plastic is produced every year worldwide, half of which is designed to be used only once. Of that, less than 10 per cent is recycled. Consequently, an estimated 19-23 million tonnes end up in lakes, rivers and seas annually. — Studies have found that discarded or burnt single-use plastic harms human health and biodiversity, while polluting every ecosystem from mountain tops to the ocean floor. — This year’s world environment day is a reminder that people’s actions on plastic pollution matters – steps taken by governments and businesses to tackle plastic pollution are the consequence of this action. A glossary of terms to do with plastic pollution — The word plastic is derived from the Greek word plastikos, meaning “capable of being shaped or moulded.” It refers to a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic materials that use polymers as a main ingredient with their defining quality being their plasticity – the ability of a solid material to undergo permanent deformation in response to applied forces. This makes them extremely adaptable, capable of being shaped as per requirement. — Most modern plastics are derived from fossil fuel-based chemicals like natural gas or petroleum. However, recently, variants made from renewable materials, such as corn or cotton derivatives have also emerged. — Around 70 per cent of global plastic production is concentrated in six major polymer types – referred collectively as commodity plastics. These include: Polyethylene terephthalate or PET, High-density polyethylene or HDPE, Polyvinyl chloride or PVC, Low-density polyethylene or LDPE, Polypropylene or PP, and Polystyrene or PS. Each of these have different properties and can be identified by their resin identification code (RIC) denoted by symbols found on plastic products. — While plastics have revolutionised human civilisation – today, they are everywhere, from automobiles to toys, health devices to packaging – their adverse environmental impact has been alarming. This is primarily due to their slow decomposition rate in natural ecosystems. Decomposition rate refers to the rate at which a material breaks down into its constituent parts through chemical processes – plastics are remarkably durable in this sense. While they do crumble into smaller particles, these particles themselves do not break down into more simpler substances. — Instead, what we get are microplastics – officially defined as plastics less than five millimetres in diameter. There are two categories of microplastics. Primary microplastics are tiny particles designed for commercial use, such as in cosmetics or textiles. On the other hand, secondary microplastics are particles that are a product of the breakdown of larger plastic items due to exposure to environmental factors such as sun’s radiation or ocean’s waves. — The problem with microplastics, like all plastics, is that they do not break down easily into more harmless particles. Instead, they find their way across the planet, from the depths of the Pacific Ocean to the heights of the Himalayas. According to the most recent global estimates, an average human consumes at least 50,000 microplastic particles annually due to contamination of the food chain, potable water, and air. — Notably, microplastics contain a number of toxic chemicals which pose severe risks to human health. The biggest health risk associated is with the chemical BPA or Bisphenol A , which is used to harden the plastic. BPA contaminates food and drinks, causing alterations in liver function, insulin resistance, foetal development in pregnant women, the reproductive system and brain function. — The largest collection of plastics and microplastics in the ocean is in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch – a collection of marine debris in the North Pacific Ocean. Also known as the trash vortex, it is located between California and Japan, and formed due to converging ocean currents. — Every year, as plastics enter water bodies and find their way into the ocean, they show remarkable resiliency, floating around where the current takes them until they get stuck in a gyre or large circular ocean currents. The largest such gyre is in the Pacific and hence results in the collection of plastics in the region. As per estimates, the GPGP covers a surface area of 1.6 million sq km– roughly half the size of India! There are other, smaller such garbage patches in other oceans. — The GPGP comprises majorly of single-use plastics. Broadly speaking, single-use is a term which can refer to any plastic items which are either designed to be used for one time by the consumer before they are thrown away or recycled, or likely to be used in this way. Many countries, including India, have passed legislation to either ban or severely restrict their use. (Source: World Environment Day 2023) Point to ponder: Why most plastic can’t be recycled? 4. MCQ: In the context of solving pollution problems, which is/are the advantage/advantages of bioremediation techniques? (2017) 1. It is a technique of cleaning up pollution by enhancing the same biodegradation process that occurs in nature. 2. Any contaminant with heavy metals such as cadmium and lead can be readily and completely treated by bioremediation using microorganisms. 3. Genetic engineering can be used to create microorganisms specifically designed for bioremediation. Select the correct answer using the codes given below: (a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 only (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2, and 3 El Niño in the Pacific ocean is of concern to India WHY IN NEWS? — Seven years after 2016, El Niño is back in the Pacific Ocean, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) of the United States federal administration, announced on Thursday (June 8). Though expected, this confirmation by NOAA is of significant concern to India. KEY TAKEAWAYS Anjali Marar Explains: What is El Niño? — El Niño, which in Spanish means “little boy”, is a climate pattern that develops along the equatorial Pacific Ocean after intervals of a few years ranging between 2 and 7 years. — Essentially, water on the surface of the ocean sees an unusual warming in a band straddling the equator in the central and east-central pacific — broadly extending from the International Date line and 120°W longitude, i.e., off the Pacific coast of South America, west of the Galapagos islands. How and why does El Niño happen? — When the so-called El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is in its neutral phase, the trade winds blow west along the equator and take the warm water from South America towards Asia. However, during an event of El Niño, these trade winds weaken (or may even reverse) — and instead of blowing from the east (South America) to the west (Indonesia), they could turn into westerlies. — In this situation, as the winds blow from the west to east, they cause masses of warm water to move into the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean, and reach the coast of western America. During such years, there prevails warmer-than-average sea surface temperatures along the equatorial Pacific Ocean. What is the impact of El Niño conditions? — Globally, El Niño has been associated with severe heatwaves, floods, and droughts in the past. — “Depending on its strength, El Niño can cause a range of impacts such as increasing the risk of heavy rainfall and droughts in certain locations around the world,” Michelle L’Heureux, climate scientist at the Climate Prediction Center, NOAA, said in a press statement. How severe are this year’s El Niño conditions? — The 2023 event is the fifth since 2000 — which means they develop every 4-5 years on average. At the start of this year, an El Niño was predicted to emerge by August, which would have meant it would coincide with the second half of the June-September southwest monsoon season in India. — This, however, did not happen as predicted. Sea surface temperatures along the equatorial Pacific Ocean, especially along the various Niño regions, have been showing signs of much more rapid warming than had been predicted by the weather models. — The Niño 3.4 index value — the vital indicator confirming an event of El Niño — jumped from minus 0.2 degrees Celsius to 0.8 degrees Celsius between March and June this year. Whereas, the threshold value of this index is 0.5 degrees Celsius. — Meteorologists have noted that such accelerated rates of warming, following three years of La Niña (the opposite phase of ENSO) that ended in February this year, was unusual. How worried should India be about this development? — In the Indian context, over the last hundred years, there have been 18 drought years. Of these, 13 years were associated with El Niño. Thus, there seems to be a correlation between an El Niño event and a year of poor rainfall in India. — Also, between 1900 and 1950, there were 7 El Niño years but during the 1951-2021 period, there were 15 El Niño years ( 2015, 2009, 2004, 2002, 1997, 1991, 1987, 1982, 1972, 1969, 1965, 1963, 1957, 1953 and 1951). This suggests that the frequency of El Niño events has been increasing over time. — Of the 15 El Niño years in the 1951-2021 period, nine summer monsoon seasons over the country recorded deficient rain by more than 90 per cent of the Long Period Average (LPA). — “Climate change can exacerbate or mitigate certain impacts related to El Niño. It could lead to new records for temperatures, particularly in areas that already experience above-average temperatures,” the NOAA scientist said. (Source: El Niño is here: NOAA flags dramatic warming in Pacific Ocean after 7 years, what does this mean? by Anjali Marar) Point to ponder: How and why El Nino happens? 5. MCQ: With reference to ‘Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD)’ sometimes mentioned in the news while forecasting Indian monsoon, which of the following statements is/are correct? (2017) 1. IOD phenomenon is characterised by a difference in sea surface temperature between the tropical Western Indian Ocean and the tropical Eastern Pacific Ocean. 2. An IOD phenomenon can influence an El Nino’s impact on the monsoon. Select the correct answer using the code given below: (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 ANSWERS TO MCQs: 1 (c), 2 (b), 3 (c), 4 (c), 5 (b) Share your views, answers and suggestions in the comment box or at manas.srivastava@indianexpress.com
