18 April 2024 : Daily Current Affairs

This topic is relevant for both Prelims and Mains in the context of understanding the causes of maternal mortality and efforts to address them.

• In rural India, maternal mortality due to heart diseases remains a significant concern, often overlooked due to the focus on other common risk factors.
• The recent case of Dhaanu, a 23-year-old woman who succumbed to heart failure during childbirth, highlights the need for early detection and intervention to prevent such fatalities.

• As per World Health Organization, Maternal death is the death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, irrespective of the duration and site of the pregnancy, from any cause related to or aggravated by the pregnancy or its management but not from accidental or incidental causes.
• Gaps in maternal Healthcare in India
• Maternal mortality rate: A United Nations report highlighted that India was among the top 10 countries responsible for 60% of global maternal deaths, stillbirths, and new-born deaths. In 2020, India accounted for over 17% of such deaths, making it the second-highest contributor after Nigeria.
• Antenatal care (ANC):1% of mothers in India did not attend any ANC visit during their recent pregnancy. Furthermore, only 34.1% of mothers attended one, two, or three visits, falling short of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommendation of four visits.
• Postnatal care: 16% of women in India did not receive any postnatal health check-ups, while 22.8% experienced delayed check-ups occurring two days after childbirth. In the poorest 20% of the households, 26.3% women never had a postnatal health check-up, whereas among the richest, only 7.9% did not.
• Lack of skilled health providers: 8% of Indian women did not receive tetanus shots, which are crucial for preventing infections during and after surgery. In about 11% of cases, no skilled health providers were present at the time of delivery, posing risks in detecting and managing complications.
• Decline in MMR: The Sample Registration System (SRS) 2016-2018 estimated India’s MMR at 113 per 100,000 live births. This represents a decline from previous years and indicates progress in reducing maternal deaths.

This topic is relevant for both Prelims and Mains in the context of understanding the factors contributing to natural disasters and the subsequent response mechanisms.

• The Sikkim government, in response to an inquiry by the National Green Tribunal (NGT), has attributed last year’s devastating flooding to “more than usual heavy rainfall” preceding a glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) event in the South Lhonak lake region.
• This revelation was based on a report by the North East Space Application Centre (NESAC), which analyzed satellite data to ascertain rainfall patterns before and after the GLOF incident.
• However, the report noted a critical absence of satellite data during the precise time of the disaster, creating limitations in the analysis.

• Loss of Life and Property: GLOFs can kill people, destroy houses, bridges, roads, forests, and farmland, as well as livestock and crops.For example, a GLOF in Sikkim, India, in October 2023 killed at least 18 people and left more than 150 missing. Another GLOF in Uttarakhand, India, in June 2013 killed more than 5,000 people and damaged several hydropower projects.
• Disruption of Livelihoods: GLOFs can affect the livelihoods of the local communities for long periods, by reducing their access to resources, markets, services, and opportunities. GLOFs can also damage the tourism industry, which is a major source of income for many mountain regions.
• Damage to Infrastructure and Environment: GLOFs can damage or destroy hydropower plants, which are important for providing electricity and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. GLOFs can also alter the landscape, erode the soil, increase the sediment load in the rivers, and affect the water quality and availability.
• Trans-boundary Impact: GLOFs can also affect the downstream areas far from the glaciated headwaters where the threats originate. For example, trans-national GLOFs originating in the upper Satluj River Basin (China) are a threat to downstream areas of eastern Himachal Pradesh.
• How Vulnerable is India to GLOFs?
• ISRO’s Glacial Lake Atlas: The ISRO’s National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) released a glacial lake atlas for the Himalayan River Basins. This atlas was prepared using images acquired by the RESOURCESAT-2 satellite during 2016-17 and identified over 28,000 glacial lakes larger than 0.25 hectares.
• Sikkim: The Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority has identified more than 300 glacial lakes in the state. Out of these, 10 have been classified as vulnerable to outburst floods. However, NRSC’s assessment has identified a larger number, 733 glacial lakes in Sikkim.
• Uttarakhand: The Geological Survey of India has found that 13 out of the 486 glacial lakes in Uttarakhand are vulnerable to GLOFs.
• Jammu and Kashmir: A 2021 study led by Delhi University scientist reported that Jammu and Kashmir has the highest number of vulnerable glacial lakes, followed by Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim. This indicates that the threat of GLOFs is not limited to a single region but is widespread in the Himalayan region.

GS3 – Disaster Management

This topic is relevant for both Prelims and Mains in the context of knowing facts about this event which provides insight into the climate patterns and geographical features of the Arabian Peninsula.

• The United Arab Emirates (UAE) recently experienced a severe thunderstorm that resulted in what has been described as the heaviest rainfall ever recorded in the country.
• This exceptional weather event stands out in a region known for its arid climate, with the rain exceeding anything documented since data collection began in 1949.
• The rarity of heavy rain in the UAE, where aridity is the norm, underscores the significance of this weather anomaly.
• While occasional rainfall occurs during the cooler winter months, the intensity and duration of this recent thunderstorm far surpassed typical weather patterns in the region.

• It is the process of artificially generating rain by implanting clouds with particles such as silver iodide crystals.
• Cloud seeding uses planes to spray clouds with chemicals to condense smaller particles into larger rain droplets.
• Cloud Seeding Methods:
• Static Cloud Seeding:
• This method involves introducing ice nuclei, such as silver iodide or dry ice, into cold clouds that have supercooled liquid water droplets.
• ·      The ice nuclei can trigger the formation of ice crystals or snowflakes, which can grow at the expense of the liquid droplets and fall as precipitation.
• Dynamic Cloud Seeding:
• Dynamic cloud seeding is a method of inducing rain by boosting vertical air currents.
• The process is considered more complex than static cloud seeding because it depends on a sequence of events working properly.
• Hygroscopic Cloud Seeding:
• This method involves spraying fine particles of hygroscopic materials, such as salts through flares or explosives into the base of warm clouds.
• The particles can act as cloud condensation nuclei and increase the number and size of the cloud droplets, which can enhance the reflectivity and stability of the clouds.
• Applications:
• Cloud seeding is done to enhance winter snowfall and increase mountain snowpack, which can supplement the natural water supply for communities in the surrounding area.
• Cloud seeding can also be done to prevent hailstorms, dissipate fog, induce rainfall in drought-prone regions, or reduce air pollution.
• Challenges:
• Cloud seeding requires the presence of moisture-filled clouds, which are not always available or predictable.
• Cloud seeding does not occur during times when additional precipitation would be problematic, such as times of high flood risk or busy holiday travel periods.
• Cloud seeding may have negative effects on the environment and health, such as altering the natural water cycle, contaminating the soil and water with chemicals, or affecting the local climate.

The Green Credit Programme’s ecosystem restoration approach and its implications on forestry, environment, and corporate responsibility are crucial for UPSC.

●    The Environment Ministry emphasises ecosystem restoration over mere tree planting to combat environmental degradation and promote corporate responsibility.

●  Encourages investment in afforestation projects on degraded forest lands.

●Provides financial incentives for individuals and companies to participate in ecosystem restoration.

●  Helps combat environmental degradation and biodiversity loss.

● Facilitates compliance with forest laws by offering ‘green credits’ as compensation for land diversion.

●Supports environmental, social, and governance (ESG) reporting and corporate social responsibility (CSR) requirements.

●  Enhances carbon sequestration and mitigates climate change effects.

●Strengthens partnerships between government, private sector, and civil society in environmental conservation efforts.

Cons:

●  Risk of prioritising financial gains over genuine ecosystem restoration.

● Potential for greenwashing, where organisations engage in token afforestation projects for compliance without genuine environmental impact.

●  Concerns about the quality and sustainability of afforestation efforts.

●  Challenges in accurately assessing and valuing the ecological benefits of planted trees.

●   Possible displacement or marginalisation of local communities dependent on forest resources.

●Need for robust monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to ensure transparency and effectiveness.

● Risk of unintended consequences, such as monoculture plantations or loss of native biodiversity.

● Complex administrative processes and regulatory compliance requirements may hinder participation, particularly for smaller organisations or rural communities.

Agroforestry is significant for UPSC as it intersects with agriculture, environment, and rural development, reflecting holistic approaches crucial for India’s sustainable development goals.

● Agroforestry is a land-use system that integrates trees and shrubs with crops and/or livestock.

● It encompasses diverse practices like alley cropping, silvopasture, and agro-silvopastoral systems.

● Agroforestry aims to maximise land productivity, conserve natural resources, and enhance environmental sustainability.

● It offers numerous benefits, including improved soil fertility, increased biodiversity, and climate change mitigation.

●  Agroforestry systems contribute to food security, income generation, and resilience to climate variability, benefiting both rural communities and ecosystems.

Advantages:

● Biodiversity Enhancement: Agroforestry systems promote biodiversity by integrating trees, crops, and livestock, creating diverse habitats for flora and fauna.

● Soil Conservation: Tree roots stabilise soil, prevent erosion, and enhance soil fertility through nutrient cycling, improving soil health and productivity.

●  Carbon Sequestration: Trees in agroforestry systems capture and store carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, mitigating climate change and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

● Economic Diversification: Agroforestry provides additional sources of income for farmers through tree products such as timber, fruits, nuts, and medicinal plants, diversifying their revenue streams.

● Water Management: Trees in agroforestry systems regulate water flow, reduce runoff, and enhance water infiltration, improving water availability and quality for crops and livestock.

Challenges:

●   Knowledge and Training: Lack of awareness, technical knowledge, and training among farmers and extension workers about agroforestry practices hinder adoption and implementation.

●  Land Tenure Issues: Unclear land tenure rights and conflicts over land ownership can impede the establishment and maintenance of agroforestry systems.

●  Market Access: Limited market access, infrastructure, and value chains for tree products may discourage farmers from investing in agroforestry.

●Policy Support: Inadequate policy support, including unclear regulations, subsidies, and incentives, may not encourage widespread adoption of agroforestry practices.

●   Resource Constraints: Limited access to inputs such as seeds, saplings, and equipment, as well as financial constraints, may pose barriers to implementing agroforestry systems.

Way Forward:

● Awareness and Capacity Building: Promote awareness and provide training and extension services to farmers and stakeholders about the benefits and practices of agroforestry.

●   Policy Reform: Develop supportive policies, regulations, and incentives at national and local levels to encourage adoption of agroforestry and address land tenure issues.

● Market Development: Strengthen market linkages, value chains, and infrastructure for tree products to enhance market access and profitability for agroforestry practitioners.

● Research and Innovation: Invest in research, technology development, and innovation to improve agroforestry practices, develop suitable tree species, and enhance productivity and sustainability.

●Community Engagement: Foster community participation, collaboration, and ownership in agroforestry initiatives through participatory approaches and social mobilisation strategies.

Q. How is permaculture farming different from conventional chemical farming?

(1) Permaculture farming discourages monocultural practices but in conventional chemical farming, monoculture practices are predominant.

(2) Conventional chemical farming can cause an increase in soil salinity but the occurrence of such phenomenon is not observed in permaculture farming.

(3) Conventional chemical farming is easily possible in semi-arid regions but permaculture farming is not so easily possible in such regions.

(4) Practice of mulching is very important in permaculture farming but not necessarily so in conventional chemical farming.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1 and 3

(b) 1, 2 and 4

(c) 4 only

(d) 2 and 3

Ans: Option B

(UPSC civil services prelims 2021)

Understanding heatwaves and government strategies is crucial for UPSC to address climate resilience and disaster management in India.

●   Climate Change: Rising global temperatures due to climate change contribute to the increased frequency, intensity, and duration of heat waves in India.

● Urbanisation: Urban heat island effect exacerbates heat waves in cities, where concrete structures absorb and retain heat, raising local temperatures.

● Deforestation: Loss of green cover and deforestation reduce the cooling effect of trees and vegetation, making areas more susceptible to heat waves.

●  Air Pollution: Air pollution, particularly from vehicular emissions and industrial activities, traps heat and exacerbates the intensity of heat waves.

●   Weather Patterns: Changes in weather patterns, such as delayed or weakened monsoon rains, can lead to prolonged periods of high temperatures and heat waves.

Policy Interventions:

●  Early Warning Systems: Implement early warning systems to alert vulnerable populations about impending heat waves, enabling timely preparedness and response measures.

●  Urban Planning: Incorporate urban green spaces, tree planting, and cool roofs in urban planning and development to mitigate the urban heat island effect and reduce heat-related risks.

● Healthcare Infrastructure: Strengthen healthcare infrastructure, particularly in heat-prone regions, to provide medical care, heat stress management, and emergency services during heat waves.

●   Public Awareness: Conduct public awareness campaigns to educate communities about heat wave risks, heat illness prevention, and adaptive measures to stay safe during extreme heat events.

● Climate Adaptation: Integrate heat wave resilience and adaptation measures into climate change adaptation strategies and policies at national, state, and local levels.

Way Forward:

● Mitigation Measures: Implement measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, mitigate climate change, and limit global temperature rise to prevent further escalation of heat waves.

●Green Initiatives: Promote afforestation, reforestation, and sustainable land management practices to enhance natural cooling, reduce heat stress, and improve resilience to heat waves.

● Capacity Building: Build capacity among government agencies, communities, healthcare professionals, and emergency responders to effectively respond to and manage heat wave emergencies.

● Innovation: Invest in research, technology, and innovation to develop heat-resilient infrastructure, cooling technologies, and adaptive strategies for heat wave mitigation and adaptation.

●  International Cooperation: Collaborate with international partners, organisations, and initiatives to share best practices, knowledge, and resources for addressing heat waves and climate change impacts on a global scale.