UPSC Key: Wildfires, Geopolitical Significance of Greenland and Polar Vortex

Thousands flee as wildfires rage out of control in Los Angeles, destroying homes

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Main Examination: General Studies III: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.

What’s the ongoing story: At least five people were killed as several fast-growing wildfires raged out of control on Wednesday near Los Angeles, destroying hundreds of buildings, scorching hillsides and prompting officials to order some 70,000 people to evacuate their homes.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What is meant by forest fire?

• What are the geographical and climatic factors contributing to the frequency and intensity of wildfires?

• Analyse the environmental impacts of wildfires.

• What is the role of international frameworks, such as the Sendai Framework, in addressing the risks associated with wildfires?

• Discuss the policy measures and governance mechanisms needed to manage and mitigate wildfires in wildfire-prone regions like California or Australia?

• What are the ‘Santa Ana’ winds?

• How do such winds impact the region’s ecology and climate patterns?

Key Takeaways:

• Fierce winds were hindering firefighting efforts and fuelling the fires, which have expanded unimpeded since they began on Tuesday.

• The biggest blaze has consumed more than 5,000 acres in Pacific Palisades, a picturesque neighborhood in west Los Angeles County between the beach towns of Santa Monica and Malibu that is home to many film, television and music stars.

• More than 1,000 structures have been destroyed, Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said at a press conference on Wednesday.

• The winds have made it impossible to offer aerial support for firefighting operations, officials said, putting municipal water systems under immense strain. Residents were urged to conserve water use.

• The Los Angeles region had been ripe for fire going into the fall, when seasonal winds arrive in the region, after consecutive wet winters created an abundance of grass and vegetation that turned to fuel during an intensely hot summer, climate scientists said.

• There are currently three big wildfires torching Southern California. They are burning on opposite sides of the Los Angeles area.

Do You Know:

• The cause of these wildfires is yet to be determined — nearly 85% of all forest fires across the US are started by humans, either deliberately or accidentally, according to the US Forest Service.

• However, experts have suggested that the three wildfires in Southern California have moved so quickly and caused large-scale destruction because of two reasons, the “Santa Ana” winds and climate change.

• Santa Ana winds blow when high pressure builds over the Great Basin — the area between the Rocky Mountains and Sierra Nevada (a mountain range in the Western United States) — and the pressure is low over California’s coast. The difference in pressure triggers the movement of powerful winds from the Basin’s inland deserts, east and north of Southern California, over the mountains toward the Pacific Ocean.

• As the wind comes down the mountains, it compresses and heats up. The wind’s humidity also drops, sometimes to less than 20% or even less than 10%. The extremely low moisture turns vegetation dry, making it ready to burn. This process helped fuel the three wildfires in Southern California.

• Santa Ana-driven wildfires are a natural part of California’s landscape. However, experts say the wildfire season in California has lengthened in recent years. For instance, a 2021 study, published in the journal Nature Scientific Reports, found that the state’s annual burn season has lengthened in the past two decades and that the yearly peak has shifted from August to July.

• The wildfires have also become more intense in the past few years. A 2023 study, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), revealed that 10 of the largest California wildfires have occurred in the last 20 years — five of which occurred in 2020 alone.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍‘Santa Ana’ winds and climate change: What is behind wildfires blazing in Southern California?

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
1. Consider the following: (UPSC CSE, 2019)
2. Carbon monoxide
3. Methane
4. Ozone
5. Sulphur dioxide
Which of the above are released into atmosphere due to the burning of crop/biomass residue?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2, 3 and 4 only
(c) 1 and 4 only
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

Denmark hits back at Trump: Greenland may get freedom, but won’t be a US state

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: General Studies II: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests.

What’s the ongoing story: Greenland may become independent if its residents want, but is unlikely to become a U.S. state, Denmark’s foreign minister said on Wednesday after U.S. President-elect Donald Trump refused to rule out force to take control of the Arctic island.

Key Points to Ponder:

• Map Work-Greenland

• Greenland and Denmark-Connect the dots

• Why does Greenland matter to the US?

• What is the geopolitical significance of Greenland in the context of Arctic politics?

• “Greenland’s rich natural resources are often cited as a reason for its increasing global relevance”-What is your opinion?

• The Arctic region is often described as a “global commons.”-Why?

• What are the challenges and opportunities associated with treating Arctic territories, including Greenland, as a shared resource among nations?.

• Examine the role of international law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), in resolving disputes over Arctic sovereignty and resources.

• How does Greenland fit into the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) framework?

Key Takeaways:

• Greenland’s leader met with the Danish king in Copenhagen on Wednesday, a day after Trump’s remarks thrust the fate of the mineral-rich and strategically important island, which is under Danish rule, to the top of world headlines.

• Trump, who takes office on Jan. 20, said on Tuesday he would not rule out using military or economic action to make Greenland part of the United States. The same day, Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., made a private visit to Greenland.

• Greenland, part of NATO through the membership of Denmark, has strategic significance for the U.S. military and for its ballistic missile early-warning system since the shortest route from Europe to North America runs via the Arctic island.

• Greenland’s relations with Denmark have lately been strained by allegations of mistreatment of Greenlanders. Egede has said the island is not for sale, while in his New Year speech he stepped up his push for independence. Denmark says the territory’s fate can be decided only by Greenlanders.

Do You Know:

• Greenland, the world’s biggest island, has been part of Denmark for 600 years although its 57,000 people now govern their own domestic affairs. The island’s government led by Prime Minister Mute Egede aims for eventual independence.

• Greenland, the largest island on Earth, is situated in the Arctic and is the most sparsely populated territory in the world. It is home to approximately 56,000 residents, primarily indigenous Inuit people.

• Around 80% of Greenland is covered by ice, with most of its population concentrated along the south-western coast near the capital, Nuuk.

• As an autonomous territory of Denmark, Greenland hosts both Danish and U.S. military bases. Its economy relies heavily on fishing, while substantial subsidies from the Danish government contribute about 20% of its GDP.

• Greenland, though geographically part of North America, has been under Denmark’s control—located nearly 3,000 km (1,860 miles) away—for around 300 years. Initially governed as a colony, Greenland remained isolated and economically underdeveloped for much of its early history.

• In 1953, it was integrated into the Kingdom of Denmark, granting Greenlanders Danish citizenship.
A significant shift occurred in 1979, when a referendum on home rule allowed Greenland to take control of most internal policies, while Denmark retained authority over foreign affairs and defense.

• With his second term due to begin shortly, Trump’s renewed interest in Greenland is attributed to multiple factors:
—Security: On December 23, Trump posted on his Truth Social platform, “For purposes of National Security and Freedom throughout the World, the United States of America feels that the ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity.” Strategically, Greenland would bring the United States closer to Europe, where it could monitor the activity of its political rivals like Russia and China.
—Trade route: Greenland also falls on a shorter and more efficient shipping route through the Arctic Sea. Russia and China have reportedly eyed developing Arctic shipping routes. A former National Security Adviser to Trump, Robert O’Brien, told Fox News that as the “climate gets warmer”, the Arctic trade route could cut US dependence on the Panama Canal. “Greenland is a highway from the Arctic all the way to North America, to the United States,” he said.
—Mineral resources: Greenland is also a gold mine for mineral deposits such as copper, lithium, and cobalt, which are essential for the development of batteries and electric vehicles.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍What would it take for Donald Trump to buy Greenland?

UPSC Prelims Practice Question Covering similar theme:
2. Which of the following countries have territorial claims or significant interests in the Arctic region?
1. Russia
2. United States
3. Canada
4. Denmark
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
(a) 1, 2, and 3 only
(b) 1, 2, and 4 only
(c) 2, 3, and 4 only
(d) 1, 2, 3, and 4
Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:
📍What are the economic significances of discovery of oil in Arctic Sea and its possible environmental consequences? (2015)

FRONT PAGE

Security concerns to trade via Chabahar: India and Taliban hold first top-level talks

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: General Studies II: India and its neighbourhood- relations

What’s the ongoing story: In the first high-level bilateral engagement with the Taliban regime, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met Afghanistan acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in Dubai Wednesday.

Key Points to Ponder:

• Afghanistan’s location in South Asia is particularly relevant to India as a geographical neighbor,Why?

• Map Work-Afghanistan

• What is the current situation in Afghanistan?

• Who are the Taliban?

• In what context have you heard or know about “Good Taliban, Bad Taliban”?

• India’s bilateral relations with Afghanistan before and after august 2021-Compare and Contrast

• “India’s engagement with the Taliban is driven by pragmatism rather than ideology.” Discuss this statement in the context of India’s security and trade concerns.

• Discuss the implications of Taliban rule in Afghanistan on India’s trade and security interests, particularly concerning Chabahar Port.

Key Takeaways:

• So far, an Indian official, at the level of Joint Secretary, had been meeting Taliban ministers, including Muttaqi, and Defence Minister Mohammad Yaqoob. But Misri’s meeting is an upgrade, signalling high-level official engagement from the Indian government.

• A statement from the Ministry of External Affairs said the two sides discussed various issues pertaining to bilateral relations as well as regional developments.

• But it was not just a meet-and-greet sort of a meeting as it covered a range of issues — India’s “security concerns” in Afghanistan, the need for India to “consider engaging in development projects in the near future”, Delhi’s humanitarian assistance including support for rehabilitation of Afghan refugees from Pakistan, use of Iran’s Chabahar port for accessing the conflict-ridden country, and cricketing ties between the two countries.

• “The Afghan side underlined its sensitivities to India’s security concerns,” the MEA statement said. One of Delhi’s core concerns has been that anti-India terror groups should not be allowed to operate from Afghan soil.

• During the meeting, Foreign Secretary Misri “underlined India’s historic friendship with the Afghan people and the strong people-to-people contacts between the two countries. In this context, he conveyed India’s readiness to respond to the urgent developmental needs of the Afghan people,” the MEA said.

• The two sides also discussed “strengthening of sports (cricket) cooperation, which is highly valued by the young generation of Afghanistan.” This is a sunrise area for stronger cooperation, as India has helped Afghan cricketers to practice in India including in Noida.

Do You Know:

• India made its first move on August 31, 2021, itself, when its ambassador in Qatar, Deepak Mittal, met Taliban’s Doha office representatives, led by Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai (an Indian Military Academy cadet who later became the Taliban’s Deputy Foreign Minister).

• According to Shubhajit Roy, five key factors were behind India’s move to engage at a higher level: Taliban’s benefactor and ally Pakistan has become an adversary; Iran has been weakened considerably; Russia is fighting its own war; and the US, and the world, are preparing for the return of Donald Trump to the White House. Most importantly, China is making inroads in Afghanistan by exchanging ambassadors with the Taliban.

• From 2002 to 2021, India spent $4 bn in development assistance in Afghanistan, building high-visibility projects such as highways, hospitals, the parliament building, rural schools, and electricity transmission lines. These projects have created a vast and deep pool of goodwill for India of the kind that no other country can claim. One of the projects that was left incomplete was the Shahtoot Dam, to provide drinking water to 2 mn residents of Kabul.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍India-Taliban talks: Region in flux and 5 reasons behind Delhi’s decision to engage Kabul

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
3. Consider the following countries: (UPSC CSE, 2022)
1. Azerbaijan
2. Kyrgyzstan
3. Tajikistan
4. Turkmenistan
5. Uzbekistan
Which of the above have borders with Afghanistan?
(a) 1, 2 and 5 only
(b) 1, 2, 3 and 4 only
(c) 3, 4 and 5 only
(d) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5
Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:
📍The proposed withdrawal of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) from Afghanistan in 2014 is fraught with major security implications for the countries of the region. Examine in light of the fact that India is faced with a plethora of challenges and needs to safeguard its own strategic interests. (UPSC CSE, 2013)

Six killed, dozens injured in stampede over Tirupati tokens

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: General Studies III: Disaster and disaster management.

What’s the ongoing story: Ninety counters have been set up at eight centres in Tirupati to distribute free tokens for darshan at the Sri Venkateswara Swami Temple on the occasion of the Vaikunta Ekadasi festival, and arrangements have been to manage the large crowds, the trust that manages the temple said after six people were killed Wednesday night in a stampede when thousands gathered to collect tokens.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What is a stampede?

• Stampedes in India-know in detail

• What was the reasons given by the authorities?

• Discuss the role of temple management trusts and local authorities in ensuring safety and crowd management during large religious gatherings.

• What role did the ‘rumour’ play in these events?

• “A rumour can kill thousands than a bullet can”-Decode the quote with respect to stampede and rumour

• “The safety of devotees should take precedence over revenue generation at religious sites.” Critically analyze this statement in the context of governance and ethical responsibility.

Key Takeaways:

• On Wednesday night, at least six people were killed and dozens injured when tokens for the darshan of Lord Venkateswara were being distributed at the MGM High School at Bairagipatteda in Tirupati, located close to the Vishnu Nivasam temple.

• Thousands of devotees seeking the tokens started gathering at the counters on Wednesday morning, and by evening, there was already pushing and jostling.

• CM N Chandrababu Naidu said the stampede was triggered when the gate was opened to let out a woman who was feeling uneasy, but the gathered devotees pushed in all at once.

• The Vaikunta Ekadasi festival is a 10-day special event attended by lakhs of devotees. The incident occurred as Chief Minister Naidu was seeing off Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Visakhapatnam after his brief visit to launch projects worth over Rs 2 lakh crore.

Do You Know:

• Wenguo Weng and others define a stampede as “an impulsive mass movement of a crowd that often results in injuries and deaths” (“Review of analyses on crowd-gathering risk and its evaluation methods”, 2023).

• According to Illiyas and others, a stampede can be described as the “disruption of the orderly movement of crowds… leading to injuries and fatalities”, often “in response to a perceived danger, loss of physical space”, or “a will to attain something seen as gratifying”.

• Most stampede casualties are caused by traumatic asphyxia — there is partial or complete cessation of respiration due to external compression of the thorax and/or upper abdomen. Notably, significant compression forces, enough to hurt and kill humans, have been reported in even moderate crowds of six to seven people pushing in one direction.

• Other possible reasons for stampede-related deaths include myocardial infarction (heart attack, caused by decreased or complete cessation of blood flow to a portion of the heart), direct crushing injury to internal organs, head injuries, and neck compression.

• Stampedes almost always take place during mass gatherings — either spontaneous gatherings, like in a metro station during the rush hour, or planned ones, like the Hathras satsang.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍UPSC Issue at a Glance | How to prevent stampedes at mass gatherings — 4 Key Questions You Must Know for Prelims and Mains

📍HOW, WHY DO CROWD SURGES TURN DEADLY?

UPSC Prelims Practice Question Covering similar theme:
4. Which of the following factors commonly lead to stampedes at large religious gatherings?
1. Poor crowd control mechanisms
2. Overcrowding beyond capacity
3. Lack of adequate emergency response systems
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2, and 3
Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:
📍Discuss the recent measures initiated in disaster management by the Government of India departing from the earlier reactive approach. (UPSC CSE 2020)

GOVT & POLITICS

SC to hear in Feb pleas against law on election panel appointments

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance-Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc.

Main Examination: General Studies II: Appointment to various Constitutional posts, powers, functions and responsibilities of various Constitutional Bodies.

What’s the ongoing story: The Supreme Court Wednesday said it will consider hearing in February petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the 2023 law which deals with the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and Election Commissioners (ECs).

Key Points to Ponder:

• The Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Bill, 2023-Know key provisions of the bill

• Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Bill, 2023-what are the issues and challenges?

• Why was the Bill criticised?

• “There is allegation that the proposed bill seeks to downgrade the service conditions of the three election commissioners and, consequently, threatens to erode their authority”-how far you agree?

• “Over the past few years, the EC’s credibility is increasingly being called into question, with allegations of bias in the scheduling of elections and arbitrary deletion of names of registered voters, ignoring blatant violations of the model code”-Comment

• Who appoints Chief Election Commissioner of India?

• How Chief Election Commissioner of India and other Election Commissioners are appointed?

• Election Commission of India and Article 324 of the Constitution-Know in detail

Key Takeaways:

• Presiding over the three-judge bench, Justice Surya Kant told the petitioners – who urged the court to take it up urgently – that the matter in connection with the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners Act, 2023 would “require a good amount of time for hearing” and ultimately “it will be a case of legislative powers versus the Court’s opinion.”

• Hearing petitions which said no such law had been made and sought a collegium-style system for appointment of the CEC and ECs, a five-judge Constitution Bench of the court had in March 2023 ruled that they shall be appointed on the advice of a committee comprising the Prime Minister, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, and the Chief Justice of India (CJI).

• Subsequently, however, Parliament brought The Chief Election Commission and Other Election Commissions (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023, leaving out the CJI from the panel. Under the new law, the selection committee would consist of the Prime Minister, a Union Cabinet Minister, and the Leader of the Opposition or the leader of the largest Opposition party in the Lok Sabha.

• This was challenged before the apex court by the NGO Association for Democratic Reforms and Madhya Pradesh Congress leader Jaya Thakur but the court has so far refused to stay the new law.

• During one such hearing in 2023, a Supreme Court bench pointed out that the March 2023 ruling was only meant to be a stop-gap arrangement till Parliament came out with a new law. It added that the Constitution Bench judgment also does not say who should be the members of the selection committee.

Do You Know:

• On March 2, 2023, a five-judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court had ruled that the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and Election Commissioners (ECs) should be appointed by a committee comprising the Prime Minister, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, and the Chief Justice of India (CJI).

• The Constitution lays down no specific legislative process for the appointment of the CEC and ECs. As a result, the central government has a free hand in appointing these officials. The President makes the appointments on the advice of the Union Council of Ministers headed by the Prime Minister.

• The Supreme Court, however, made it clear that its order would be “subject to any law to be made by Parliament”.

• Consequently, the government brought The Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Bill, 2023, which proposed a committee comprising the PM, Leader of Opposition and, instead of the CJI, a Cabinet Minister nominated by the PM.
—This Bill also proposed giving the CEC and ECs the same salary, perks, and allowances as that of the Cabinet Secretary.
—The Bill would replace The Election Commission (Conditions of Service of Election Commissioners and Transaction of Business) Act, 1991, under which the CEC and ECs have the same salary as that of a Supreme Court judge.

• As of now, the CEC and ECs are appointed by the government as per Article 324(2) of the Constitution which states: “The Election Commission shall consist of the Chief Election Commissioner and such number of other Election Commissioners, if any, as the President may from time to time fix and the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners shall, subject to the provisions of any law made in that behalf by Parliament, be made by the President”.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍ECI members to have same status as SC judges: Why Govt has chosen to make U-turn on proposed Bill

📍Centre’s new Bill on Election Commission members’ appointments: How it plans to amend the process

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
5. Consider the following statements (UPSC CSE, 2017)
1. The Election Commission of India is a five-member body.
2. The Union Ministry of Home Affairs decides the election schedule for the conduct of both general elections and bye-elections.
3. Election Commission resolves the disputes relating to splits/mergers of recognised political parties.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 3 only
Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:
📍In the light of recent controversy regarding the use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVM), what are the challenges before the Election Commission of India to ensure the trustworthiness of elections in India? (UPSC GS2, 2018)

EXPRESS NETWORK

Meet new ISRO chief, key person behind cryogenic tech

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: General Studies III: Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nanotechnology, bio-technology and issues relating to intellectual property rights.

What’s the ongoing story: The new chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Dr V Narayanan, is one of the key people behind India’s self-reliance in cryogenic technology, which powers all the modern-day heavy-lift rockets being used for high-profile space missions.

Key Points to Ponder:

• Personality in News- Dr V Narayanan

• What is cryogenic engine?

• What about indigenous cryogenic technology?

• Does ISRO have a cryogenic engine technology?

• Who appoints the Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)?

• Under which administrative ministry does the Department of Space, led by the ISRO Chairman, function?

• Discuss the process and significance of appointing the ISRO Chairman.

• “The ISRO Chairman plays a pivotal role in steering India’s space research and applications.” Discuss the qualities and expertise
required for this role.

Key Takeaways:

• The Central Government has appointed Dr V Narayanan, currently the director of Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC), Thiruvananthapuram, as the new chairperson of the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro), and also as the secretary of the Department of Space.

• According to an order from the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet on Tuesday, Dr Narayanan will succeed Dr S Somanath, the current Isro chief, on January 14.

• Dr Narayanan initially worked on solid propellant-based engines for the Augmented Satellite Launch Vehicle (ASLV) — a vehicle that was never operationalised after failed development flights. He then went on to do his MTech in cryogenic engineering from IIT-Kharagpur.

• India was initially meant to acquire the technology from Russia, but when this could not happen because of geo-political problems, India decided to build its own.

Do You Know:

• Dr V Narayanan, joined ISRO in 1984. He has been one of the main people involved in the indigenous development of cryogenic engines, which has been an outstanding story of ISRO overcoming the technology-denial regime India used to face with till recent years to build systems that are critical for a modern space programme.

• He is also the person who diagnosed the problems that led to the failure of Chandrayaan-2, and recommended the corrections to be made for successful landing of Chandrayaan-3.

• Cryogenic is the science relating to behaviour of materials at very low temperatures, and cryogenic engines enable the use of hydrogen, one of the most efficient rocket fuels, to be used in its liquid form which is attained only at very low temperatures.

• Narayanan rose to become the project director of the cryogenic programme and also designed the CE 20 cryogenic engine which powers the LVM-3 rocket (initially known as GSLV-MkIII) that was used for Chandrayaan-2 and Chandrayaan-3 missions. The indigenously developed cryogenic engine became a reality in 2015 and is now an integral part of all heavy-lift launch vehicles. Narayanan is also credited with the development of the cryogenic engine mathematical modelling and simulation software.

• Narayanan has been the director of LPSC since 2018. Under his leadership, LPSC is currently developing the Next Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV), an even more powerful rocket that would give shape to India’s ambition of setting up its own space station and sending humans to moon.

• He was also the chairman of the committee constituted to study the reasons for hard landing of Chandrayaan-2 mission in 2019. Based on the recommendations of his committee, corrective measures were taken for the Chandrayaan-3 missions.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Tech denied, ISRO built cryo engine on its own

UPSC Prelims Practice Question Covering similar theme:
6. The ISRO Chairman also serves as the:
(a) Secretary of the Department of Space
(b) Chief of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)
(c) Chairman of the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Center (IN-SPACe)
(d) Head of the National Aeronautics and Space Council

ISRO postpones docking again due to more than expected drift

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: General Studies III: Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nano-technology, biotechnology and issues relating to intellectual property rights.

What’s the ongoing story: The ISRO has once again postponed its ambitious Space Docking Experiment (SpaDex) Mission — which was scheduled for Thursday morning — after the satellites drifted more than expected during a manoeuvre to bring them at a distance of 225m from each other, the space agency said in a statement.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What is Docking?

• Discuss the technical challenges associated with spacecraft docking

• Analyse the significance of mastering docking technologies for India’s space ambitions,

• Explain the phenomenon of orbital drift and its implications for precision space operations like docking and satellite positioning.

• “The Spadex Mission is a critical step towards India’s goal of self-reliance in advanced space technologies.”-Comment

• Examine the role of ISRO in fostering cutting-edge innovations in space technology.

Key Takeaways:

• “While making a manoeuvre to reach 225 m between satellites the drift was found to be more than expected, post non-visibility period (the period when the satellites cannot be tracked by the ground stations),” the ISRO said in a statement, adding that the two satellites remain safe.

• Earlier on Wednesday, the space agency said it had initiated a drift on the Chaser satellite to bring it closer in preparation for joining with the Target satellite. The aim was to reduce the distance between the two satellites from 500m to 225m. After this, there are at least two more halts for the satellites at 15m and then 3m from each other before the docking takes place.

• For docking, the extended rings on both satellites will come together, before joining, and rigidization to secure the connection between the two. Then electrical power will be shared, with researchers also experimenting with giving commands to both the satellites as one.

• ISRO had initially planned the docking for January 7 forenoon, but postponed it to January 9 as according to officials there was a need to run more ground simulations to “improve the accuracy”.

• ISRO had launched the two satellites — SDX01 (Chaser) and SDX02 (Target) — as part of the mission on December 30 with the help of PSLV C60 rocket from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.

Do You Know:

• A successful docking experiment will make India the fourth country in the world — after the US, Russia, and China — to have the capability.

• The docking-undocking capability is essential for future missions that require heavy payloads which cannot be carried in a single launch. For example, the Bharatiya Antariksha Station that will be built by bringing together five modules, the first of which is planned to be launched in 2028.

• The planned Chandrayaan-4 mission will require docking capability because the re-entry module, which will be designed to withstand the heat of re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere, will be launched separately. The transfer module, carrying samples from the Moon, will come and dock with the re-entry module in the Earth atmosphere.

• SpaDeX mission is a cost-effective technology demonstrator mission for the demonstration of in-space docking using two small spacecraft launched by PSLV. This technology is essential for India’s space ambitions such as Indian on Moon, sample return from the Moon, the building and operation of Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS), etc. In-space docking technology is essential when multiple rocket launches are required to achieve common mission objectives. Through this mission, India is marching towards becoming the fourth country in the world to have space docking technology.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍India should build its own observation capability to prevent collision with satellites in crowded orbit, says ISRO Chief

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
7. In the context of space technology, what is “Bhuvan”, recently in the news? (2010)
(a) A mini satellite launched by ISRO for promoting the distance education in India
(b) The name given to the next Moon Impact Probe, for Chandrayan-II
(c) A geoportal of ISRO with 3D imaging capabilities of India
(d) A space telescope developed by India

ECONOMY

Double counting error:Official gold import figures for Nov revised down by $5 billion

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: General Studies III: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development and employment.

What’s the ongoing story: The Ministry of Commerce and Industry on Wednesday revised the gold import figures for November lower by $5 billion to $9.9 billion from $14.8 billion narrowing the overall goods trade deficit for the month to $33 billion from $38 billion, revised official data showed.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What percentage of gold is imported into India?

• Double counting in trade data refers to what?

• Which sector in India is most affected by fluctuations in gold import data?

• What is the primary reason for high gold demand in India?

• What are the implications of errors in trade data, such as double counting, on India’s economic policymaking and international
credibility?

• Analyse the institutional and governance challenges involved in ensuring the accuracy of India’s trade data.

• Suggest measures to enhance transparency and accountability in the compilation and reporting of trade data by Indian agencies.

Key Takeaways:

• The government is yet to provide an official explanation for the counting error.

• The Indian Express reported on December 24 that a $3-4 billion revision was likely due to a calculation error stemming from the shift in e-filing services to the Indian Customs Electronic Gateway (ICEGATE) platform from the National Securities Depository Limited (NSDL) on July 1.

• This paper reported that the transition may have resulted in gold entering Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and gold exiting SEZs being mistakenly recorded as total gold imports into the country. The discrepancy was identified only after import volumes surged sharply in November, and redflags were raised subsequently.

• The transition was implemented to promote “ease of doing business” after a 2021 study by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry revealed that certain SEZ units had raised concerns about “transaction charges” on the SEZ online platform that were not applicable to the Domestic Tariff Area (DTA) for similar transactions on ICEGATE.

• This also raises a critical question: if there was a significant error in gold import data, could similar discrepancies exist in other commodity figures or for other time periods? The government must proactively review trade data to ensure this is an isolated case and not indicative of a broader issue with data accuracy, GTRI added.

Do You Know:

• India is the world’s second-largest consumer of gold and relies on imports to meet most of its demand, which typically increases during the festival and wedding season in the December quarter.

• Economists have noted that demand for gold as an asset class is higher compared to recent years, with returns of nearly 30 per cent this year. Central banks worldwide are also engaging in a gold-buying spree.

• India imports gold from countries including African nations, Peru, Switzerland, and the United Arab Emirates. Gold imports rose sharply after India cut import duties on gold from 15 per cent to 6 per cent in July.

• Higher November imports had raised concerns within the bullion industry about potential import duty hikes to curb consumption.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Government to reexamine ‘unusual’ gold import surge amid indications of double-counting

UPSC Prelims Practice Question Covering similar theme:
8. India’s gold imports significantly impact which of the following economic indicators?
1. Current Account Deficit (CAD)
2. Inflation
3. Foreign Exchange Reserves
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 1 and 3 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2, and 3

EXPLAINED

Before HC: soapstone mining & land-subsidence in Bageshwar

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: General issues on Environmental ecology, Bio-diversity and Climate Change – that do not require subject specialization.

Main Examination: General Studies III: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.

What’s the ongoing story: The Uttarakhand High Court on Monday pulled up the authorities for unregulated soapstone mining in Bageshwar, a district with more than 160 mines at present.

Key Points to Ponder:

• Why Uttarakhand High Court suspended all mining operations in Bageshwar?

• Role of local administration in regulating mining activities-Discuss

• Map Work– Bageshwar

• Discuss the geographical and environmental factors that make Uttarakhand vulnerable to land subsidence caused by mining activities.

Key Takeaways:

• A news article published on November 7, 2024 had stated that due to “rampant unregulated mining of soapstone in certain villages of tehsil Kanda in Bageshwar… poor residents of those villages are living in constant threat of natural calamity”.

• The Uttarakhand HC took suo motu cognizance of the article, and ordered commissioners to visit the sites and submit a report. Following the submission of the report on January 6, a Bench of Chief Justice G Narender and Manoj Kumar Tiwari observed that its findings were “not merely alarming, but also shocking”

• Reflecting the cultural and environmental adaptation of local communities, these structures have demonstrated remarkable resilience over hundreds of years, even in the most seismically active zones, with no recorded evidence of widespread structural failure due to quakes. But not any more. Land subsidence and downward mass movement shifted and damaged the foundation of many a Kumaoni Bakhli, the report found.

• According to a report by the regional office of the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change submitted to the National Green Tribunal last year, the Kanda tehsil is also culturally significant with a strong tradition of folk music, dance, and handicrafts.

• The report submitted to the Uttarakhand HC pointed to the complicity of the administration in the matter.

Do You Know:

• Soapstone is a metamorphic rock made of talc, a naturally occurring mineral, and is used in construction and design for countertops, sinks, hearths, and sculptures. Talc is used in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and other industries. According to the Indian Bureau of Mines, the states of Rajasthan (57%) and Uttarakhand (25%) boast substantial reserves of soapstone in India.

• Land subsidence is a major concern across Uttarakhand. The issue made national news in 2022 after cracks appeared in many roads and hundreds of houses in Joshimath — authorities declared the area as a landslide and subsidence-hit zone. In Bageshwar district, areas such as Kanda-Kanyal, and Kanda are particularly vulnerable.

• According to the United States’ National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), subsidence is the “sinking of the ground because of underground material movement”. This can happen due to a host of reasons, anthropogenic or otherwise. These include mining activities, removal of water/oil, soil erosion, soil compaction, and earthquakes.

• The aforementioned report states that mining operations in the lower parts of the slopes has led to the loss of their structural integrity, and increased the vulnerability to mass movement.

• The report points to a lack of green belts and retaining walls around the mine boundaries, coupled with a dearth of safety protocols such as buffer zones, slope monitoring, and protective structures — all of which continue to accelerate erosion.

• The report also found mining and related activities (such as transportation) to be responsible for water scarcity and pollution, as well as air pollution.

• The adverse consequences of unmitigated soapstone mining is evident in how the region’s traditional houses, the Kumaoni Bakhli, have fared in recent times.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍High Court flags crevasses, landslide risks in Bageshwar, suspends soapstone mining

Security forces vs Maoists

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: General Studies III: Linkages between development and spread of extremism and Role of external state and non-state actors in creating challenges to internal security.

What’s the ongoing story: In one of the biggest blows to security forces since April 2023, suspected Maoists blew up a police vehicle on Monday (January 6) in Bijapur, killing the driver and eight District Reserve Guards (DRG) of the Chhattisgarh police.

Key Points to Ponder:

• Naxalism in India-Know the background

• What is red corridor or red zone?

• Map Work-Red Corridor

• How many states are affected by Naxalism in India?

• Maoism and Naxalism-Compare and Contrast

• What are Naxals fighting for?

• ‘Naxalism is a social, economic and developmental issue manifesting as a violent internal security threat’-discuss

• What steps being taken by the Government of India to eradicate Naxal and LWE forces from the country?

• How the Government of India has taken several specific initiatives in LWE affected States with Special reference to expansion of road network, improving Telecommunication connectivity, skill development and financial inclusion?

• What do you know about the ‘Integrated Action Plan in Naxal-affected Districts’?

Key Takeaways:

• At least eight security personnel and a driver were killed Monday after Maoists attacked their vehicle in the jungle area of Kutru in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district.

• According to sources, the security personnel were returning after conducting an anti-Maoist operation in the Abujhmad region.

• Officials said security personnel were travelling in 12 vehicles on the Kutru-Bedre road, near Ambeli village, at around 2.15 pm Monday when Maoists triggered an IED that severely damaged one of the vehicles.

• Police said Maoists were hiding in the jungle, watching the movement of the vehicles, and that just when this vehicle was passing over it, they detonated the IED.

• In April 2023, 10 DRG personnel were killed in Aranpur, Dantewada, while returning from an operation. In the aftermath of that attack, one of the resolutions taken was to avoid moving in big vehicles and to use motorbikes instead in order to avoid large casualties.

Do You Know:

• The influence of Maoists and associated violence has been falling consistently in the country because of multiple factors, including a stronger push by security forces in Maoist strongholds, roads and civic amenities reaching the interiors to a greater extent than earlier, and a general disenchantment with the Maoist ideology among the youth, which has deprived the insurgent movement of new leadership.

• Chhattisgarh is the only state in the country where Maoists continue to have a significant presence and retain the capability to mount big attacks. According to government data provided to Parliament, in the last five years (2018-22), 1,132 “violent incidents [were] perpetrated by Left Wing Extremists”, in which 168 security forces personnel and 335 civilians lost their lives. Chhattisgarh accounted for more than a third of all Maoist-related violence in this period — worryingly, however, it had a share of 70%-90% of deaths.

• It is a widely accepted principle in counter-Maoist strategy that the war against Left Wing Extremism can only be won by the state police and not central forces. This is because the state police have local knowledge, understand the language, and have local networks that are essential for the generation of intelligence.

• It was through the active involvement of local police in the leading role that states such as Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Odisha and Jharkhand were able to end their Maoist problem. All these states formed special units of their police forces with personnel and officers drawn from the state, gave them special training, and won the battle with concerted security and development efforts.
This process, security establishment sources say, started late in Chhattisgarh. By this time, police of neighbouring states had pushed Maoists from their states to Chhattisgarh, making it a concentrated zone of Maoist influence.
The special unit of the Chhattisgarh Police, the DRG, was raised from the local tribal population and trained to fight Maoists only a few years ago, and has become active relatively recently.

• The absence of roads in the interiors of Bastar has stymied the operations of security forces. Minimal presence of the administration in the interiors of South Bastar has ensured that Maoists continue to have influence in the region and enjoy local support through a mix of fear and goodwill.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Why have Maoists killed again — and why do they repeatedly attack in Chhattisgarh?

HOW THE POLAR VORTEX CAUSED A MASSIVE WINTER STORM IN THE US

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: General issues on Environmental ecology, Bio-diversity and Climate Change – that do not require subject specialization.

Mains Examination: General Studies III: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.

What’s the ongoing story: At least five people have died in the United States after a winter storm hit a large swathe of the country over the weekend, leading to mass school closures, dangerous road conditions and power cuts.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What is the polar vortex?

• Discuss the role of the polar vortex in maintaining global temperature balances.

• Analyse the relationship between sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) and disruptions in the polar vortex.

• Highlight the role of anthropogenic activities in altering the behavior of the polar vortex.

• How polar vortex disruptions affect ecosystems and human livelihoods, particularly in mid-latitude regions.

Key Takeaways:

• Some 60 million people are under weather alerts across 30 states. Seven of them have declared emergencies: Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Kansas, Missouri, Kentucky and Arkansas.

• The National Weather Service has warned that severe thunderstorms, with the possibility of tornadoes and hail, would also take place in some regions over the next few days.

• The extreme weather has been caused by the expansion of the polar vortex southwards.

• Scientists are still researching the precise impact of climate change on the polar vortex, and if rising temperatures are making the low-pressure system buckle more frequently.

• Some researchers believe that as the poles are getting warmer at a faster rate than the rest of the Earth, the polar vortex and jet stream are becoming weaker. Warmer temperatures make it easier for the polar vortex and jet stream to get disrupted.

Do You Know:

• The polar vortex is a large area of low-pressure and cold air that swirls like a wheel around both of the Earth’s polar regions. There are two types of polar vortex: tropospheric and stratospheric.

• The tropospheric polar vortex occurs at the lowest layer of the atmosphere — it extends from the surface up to about 10 km to 15 km — where most weather phenomena occur.

• The stratospheric polar vortex occurs at around 15 km to 50 km high. Unlike the tropospheric polar vortex, the stratospheric polar
vortex disappears during the summer and is the strongest during the autumn.

• The US, parts of Europe, and Asia experience chilly winds when the polar vortex at the North Pole weakens travel from its usual position. “As this system weakens, some of the cold, arctic air can break off and migrate south, bringing plenty of cold air with it. Areas as far south as Florida may experience arctic weather as a result,” according to a report in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) SciJinks.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍What is polar vortex and why is it so cold?

PRELIMS ANSWER KEY

1. (d)  2. (d) 3. (c) 4. (d) 5. (d) 6. (a) 7. (c) 8. (d)

 

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