06 January 2025 : Daily Current Affairs

1. Implications of China’s mega-dam project

(Source – The Hindu, International Edition – Page No. – 10)

Topic: GS2 – International Relations

Context

The Medog dam, a 60 GW hydropower project, is proposed to be built at the Great Bend region in Medog county, Tibet, China. This dam will have significant downstream consequences for India, Bhutan, and Bangladesh.

Impact of the Dam

• Mega-dams are seen as tools for asserting sovereignty, with upstream countries like China using them to control natural resources.
• The proposed Medog dam could disrupt the natural flow of the Brahmaputra, which is crucial for agriculture and ecosystems downstream.
• The blocking of water for hydropower generation may impact surface water levels, monsoon patterns, groundwater systems, and agriculture in India, Bhutan, and Bangladesh.

Brahmaputra River

The Brahmaputra is a transboundary river flowing through China, India, Bhutan, and Bangladesh.China, the upstream riparian country, controls the river’s source in Tibet, where it is known as the Yarlung Zangbo. India and Bhutan are middle riparian nations, and Bangladesh is the lowermost riparian country where the river drains into the Bay of Bengal. All riparian nations have major water infrastructure projects in the basin, including dams, embankments, and irrigation systems.

Hydropower Competition

• China and India are competing with major hydropower projects, such as the Great Bend Dam in China and the Upper Siang Dam in India.
• Bhutan also has smaller dams, raising concerns about downstream impacts.
• The lack of a comprehensive treaty on shared rivers, coupled with unresolved territorial disputes, heightens the geopolitical tensions in the region.

Community Risks

• Local communities along the Brahmaputra river, both upstream and downstream, rely on traditional knowledge of the river’s cycles.
• Mega-dams threaten this knowledge and exacerbate disaster risks, impacting agriculture, biodiversity, and the sensitive Himalayan ecology.

Climate Change and Natural Disasters

• The Himalayas play a key role in global climate systems, regulating monsoons and glacier dynamics.
• Climate change is increasing Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs), as seen with the 2023 Chungthang Dam collapse in Sikkim.
• Dams disrupt natural cycles, affecting ecosystems, communities, and the water system.

Historical Context

• The 1950 Medog Earthquake had severe downstream effects, causing floods in Assam and Bangladesh, highlighting the region’s vulnerability.

Conclusion

• The Medog dam could exacerbate geopolitical tensions and environmental risks, urging a cooperative, sustainable approach to managing the Brahmaputra’s resources. 

Practice Question:  Discuss the geopolitical and environmental implications of China’s proposed 60 GW hydropower project at the Great Bend on the Brahmaputra River. How can India, Bhutan, and Bangladesh collaborate to mitigate the downstream risks? (250 Words /15 marks)

2. Arunachal Pradesh Revives 1978 Anti-Conversion Law Amid Cultural Preservation and Religious Freedom Debate

(Source – Indian Express, Section – Explained – Page No. – 14)

Topic: GS2 – Polity

Context

The Arunachal Pradesh government is reviving a 1978 anti-conversion law to address rising concerns over cultural preservation and religious conversions.

Analysis of the news:

What is the Arunachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act?

• The Arunachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act, enacted in 1978, prohibits religious conversion through force, inducement, or fraudulent means. 
• Violators face up to two years of imprisonment or a fine of ₹10,000. 
• The Act mandates reporting all conversions to the Deputy Commissioner of the district. 
• Despite its enactment, the Act remained dormant for 46 years due to the lack of implementation rules.

Why Was the Act Introduced?

• The Act aimed to protect the diverse indigenous faiths and cultures of Arunachal Pradesh’s ethnic communities, such as the Monpas, Sherdukpens, and Tani tribes, from perceived threats posed by religious conversions. 
• The steady growth of Christianity, from 0.79% of the population in 1971 to 4.32% in 1981, sparked debates on proselytization and its impact on indigenous practices, leading to demands for legal safeguards.

Why Has the Act Remained Dormant?

• Opposition from Christian groups like the Arunachal Christian Forum, which view the Act as discriminatory and prone to misuse, has hindered its implementation. 
• Christianity, now the state’s largest religion, comprising 30.26% of the population in 2011, has grown significantly, creating vocal resistance to the Act. 
• Political reluctance to alienate these groups further stalled the framing of rules.

Why Is the Act Being Revived Now?

• In 2022, a PIL filed in the Gauhati High Court highlighted the state government’s failure to frame rules for the Act. 
• The court’s recent directive to finalize draft rules within six months has reignited discussions. 
• Proponents, like the Indigenous Faiths and Cultural Society of Arunachal Pradesh (IFCSAP), argue that the Act is vital to preserve indigenous traditions and counter the rising conversion rates.

Concerns and Diverging Views

• Critics, particularly Christian organizations, see the Act as a tool for curbing religious freedom and fostering discrimination. 
• In contrast, advocates view it as essential for cultural preservation. The involvement of the RSS and its affiliates in institutionalizing indigenous faiths adds complexity, as their activities are seen as supportive of traditional practices without direct conversion efforts.

Conclusion

• The revival of the Arunachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act underscores tensions between safeguarding cultural identity and ensuring religious freedom. 
• Its implementation will require careful balancing to address diverse perspectives and uphold constitutional rights.

Practice Question:  Discuss the challenges and implications of implementing anti-conversion laws like the Arunachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act, 1978, in the context of preserving indigenous cultures and ensuring constitutional rights to religious freedom. (150 Words /10 marks)

3. Draft Digital Personal Data Protection Rules

(Source – https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=2090271&reg=3&lang=1 )

Topic: GS2 – Governance

Context

The draft Digital Personal Data Protection Rules aim to safeguard citizens’ data rights while balancing regulation and innovation in India’s digital economy.

Introduction

• The draft Digital Personal Data Protection Rules aim to safeguard citizens’ rights regarding the protection of personal data.
• These rules operationalize the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (DPDP Act) and aim to strike a balance between regulation and innovation to support India’s growing digital economy.
• They also address challenges such as unauthorized data use, digital harms, and personal data breaches.

Key Features

• Citizens are placed at the core of the framework, ensuring data fiduciaries provide clear information about data processing to obtain informed consent.
• Empowered with the right to demand data erasure, appoint digital nominees, and access user-friendly data management mechanisms.
• The rules also aim to enhance trust in digital platforms by ensuring rights like informed consent, grievance redressal, and parental control over children’s online safety.

Balance Between Innovation and Regulation

• The rules foster innovation while prioritizing citizen welfare, creating a new global model for data governance.
• Lesser compliance burdens are placed on small businesses and startups, with adequate time for compliance transition.

Digital-First Approach

• The rules embrace a “digital by design” philosophy, ensuring ease of living and business through digital consent mechanisms and grievance redressal.
• The Data Protection Board will function digitally, enabling citizens to lodge complaints without physical presence.

Addressing Stakeholder Concerns

• A pragmatic framework ensures lower compliance for startups and MSMEs, while Significant Data Fiduciaries face stricter obligations.
• The Data Protection Board ensures quick, transparent resolution of complaints, balancing citizen protection and fair adjudication.

• The draft rules reflect global best practices and gather inputs from diverse stakeholders.
• Public feedback is invited until February 18, 2025.

Awareness Initiatives

• The government plans a comprehensive awareness campaign to educate citizens about their rights and responsibilities under the new framework.
• India demonstrates leadership in creating an equitable digital future, ensuring data protection while promoting innovation-driven growth. 

PYQ: What are the different elements of cyber security? Keeping in view the challenges in cyber security, examine the extent to which India has successfully developed a comprehensive National Cyber Security Strategy. (UPSC CSE (M) GS-3 2022)

Practice Question:  Discuss the key features of the draft Digital Personal Data Protection Rules, 2023, and evaluate their potential impact on India’s digital economy. (250 Words /15 marks)

Prelims Facts

1. Tribal festival

(Source – The Hindu, International Edition – Page No. – 4)

Context

Toda tribe in Nilgiris celebrates Modwerth festival, fostering cultural unity and planning for the community’s progress in Udhagamandalam.

Toda Tribe:

• Location: Reside in the Nilgiri Hills of Tamil Nadu, primarily around Ooty (Udhagamandalam).
• Population: Small tribal community, with numbers declining over the years.
• Language: Speak the Toda language, part of the Dravidian family.
• Livelihood: Traditionally pastoral, known for rearing buffaloes and producing dairy products.
• Distinctive Culture:
  • Famous for intricately embroidered shawls (Toda embroidery).
  • Practice unique rituals associated with dairy, temples, and buffaloes.
• Housing: Live in semi-barrel-shaped huts called “munds.”
• Religion: Animistic beliefs; worship nature, buffaloes, and sacred groves.
• Festivals: Celebrate the Modwerth festival to discuss community plans and strengthen cultural bonds.
• Recognition: Toda embroidery and lifestyle are recognized as Geographical Indications (GI).

2. Moving away from coal a must: South African court upholds ‘Cancel Coal’ case

(Source – The Hindu, International Edition – Page No. – 7)

Context

On December 4, 2024, the High Court in Pretoria ruled against South Africa’s government plan to add more coal-fired power stations to the grid. The court stated that the plan was “inconsistent with the Constitution” and thus unlawful.

The ‘Cancel Coal’ Case

• Civil organizations, including the African Climate Alliance and Vukani Environmental Justice Movement, challenged the government’s 2019 Integrated Resource Plan.
• The government planned to add 1,500 MW of coal power by 2027, but the organizations argued it would harm the environment and public health, especially children.

South Africa’s Energy Mix and Climate Commitments

• Coal accounted for 71% of South Africa’s energy supply in 2022.
• The country is the 16th largest emitter of greenhouse gases and has committed to cutting emissions and achieving net-zero by 2050, in line with the Paris Agreement.

Details of the Judgement

• The court found that the government did not adequately consider the harmful effects of coal power on health and the environment, particularly for children.
• The ruling emphasized the government’s failure to fulfill its constitutional obligation to protect the environment for future generations.

Environmental Justice and Global Transition

• The case underscores the growing need to transition from coal to cleaner energy sources globally, a vital step in combating climate change and protecting public health.

3. Dinosaur highway: where dinos walked

(Source – The Hindu, International Edition – Page No. – 7)

Context

A limestone quarry in Oxfordshire, UK, reveals numerous dinosaur footprints, providing insights into Jurassic-era dinosaur movements and species.

A Dinosaur highway:

• A limestone quarry in Oxfordshire, UK, is known as a “dinosaur highway” due to numerous dinosaur footprints found there.
• In 1997, more than 20 dinosaur footprints, some extending 180 meters, were discovered at Dewars Farm Quarry.
• The footprints date back to the Jurassic period.
• On January 4, 2024, over 200 new footprints were uncovered by a team from the University of Birmingham and the University of Oxford.
• The footprints, from the Middle Jurassic period, were made by sauropods (cetiosaurus) and a carnivore (megalosaurus).
• The discovery includes five trackways, with evidence that the dinosaurs were walking, not running.

4. Grampians Park Bushfire Alert

(Source – The Hindu, International Edition – Page No. – 7)

Context

Grampians National Park, located in Victoria, Australia, has been affected by bushfires amid extreme heat conditions.

Places in news:

• Grampians National Park is located in the state of Victoria, Australia.
• The park has been affected by bushfires in late December 2024.
• The bushfires were exacerbated by extreme heat conditions in the region.
• Australia’s southeast, including Victoria, experienced a severe heatwave, raising the risk of fires.
• Temperatures in some areas were reported to be up to 14°C above average, intensifying fire hazards.
• Authorities and emergency services are actively working to control the fires and ensure public safety.

5. Empower the guardians of the earth, do not rob them

(Source – The Hindu, International Edition – Page No. – 11)

Context

The ₹72,000-crore infrastructure project on Great Nicobar includes an international cruise terminal and shipbreaking yard. The project has raised concerns about its impact on indigenous tribes of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, specifically the Shompens and the Nicobarese.

Shompens

• The Shompens are an indigenous, semi-nomadic tribe residing in the interior forests of Great Nicobar Island.
• They are one of the most isolated tribes in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and are protected under the provisions of the Indian Constitution.
• Shompens are known for their subsistence hunting and gathering lifestyle, relying heavily on the forest for food, medicine, and materials for shelter.
• They live in small groups in temporary huts and are non-agricultural.
• The tribe has limited contact with the outside world and maintains traditional customs.
• They are protected under India’s Tribal Rights Acts due to their vulnerability and isolation.

Nicobarese

• The Nicobarese are the largest indigenous group in the Nicobar Islands, predominantly living on Great Nicobar and several smaller islands.
• They have a distinct language, Nicobarese, and follow a mix of animistic beliefs and Hinduism due to external influences.
• Traditionally, they are agriculturalists, cultivating crops like coconuts, rice, and vegetables.
• The Nicobarese also engage in fishing, hunting, and gathering, with a strong maritime culture.
• They have a more developed socio-political system compared to other tribes, with a system of councils for governance.
• The tribe is affected by modernization and the ongoing infrastructure development on the islands.

6. Post-Pandemic India Sees Decline in Income Inequality, But Wealth Concentration Remains a Challenge

(Source – Indian Express, Section – Economy – Page No. – 13)

Context

The article examines India’s post-pandemic recovery according to a working paper by the People Research on India’s Consumer Economy (PRICE).

Analysis of the news:

Income Inequality Trends: Improvement with Persistent Concerns

• After worsening during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020-21, income inequality in India improved in 2022-23, reflecting effective recovery measures, according to a working paper by the People Research on India’s Consumer Economy (PRICE). 
• Despite this progress, wealth remains highly concentrated among top income earners, while the bottom 10% continue to struggle, highlighting the need for sustained, inclusive economic strategies.

The Gini Index: A Mixed Journey

• The Gini index, a measure of income inequality (0 indicating perfect equality, 100 indicating perfect inequality), shows India’s fluctuating inequality patterns. 
• Post-independence, the index improved to 0.367 by 2015-16 but worsened to 0.506 in 2020-21 due to the pandemic. 
• It has since improved to 0.410 in 2022-23, signaling recovery but underscoring persistent disparities.

Income Share Distribution: Rising Inequality Amid Recovery

• The bottom 50% of earners experienced a modest rise in income share from 15.84% in 2020-21 to 22.82% in 2022-23, though it remains below the 2015-16 level of 24.07%. 
• Similarly, the middle 40% saw their share grow to 46.6%. In contrast, the top 10% peaked at 38.6% during the pandemic, dropping slightly to 30.6% by 2022-23. 
• The top 1% retained a disproportionate share of wealth, highlighting entrenched disparities.

Key Drivers of Inequality: Structural and Sectoral Imbalances

• COVID-19 exacerbated structural inequalities, as job losses and economic instability disproportionately affected the bottom 50%, while sectors like technology and e-commerce boosted incomes for the top 10%. 
• Even with a post-pandemic recovery, the wealth gap remains significant.

Policy Recommendations: Building an Inclusive Framework

• The paper emphasizes investments in education, healthcare, and rural infrastructure as pivotal to addressing inequality. 
• Social safety nets like MGNREGA and financial inclusion initiatives have contributed to slight improvements but require scaling and refinement. 
• Progressive taxation and portability of benefits can further ensure equitable growth distribution.

7. Alcohol: Third Leading Preventable Cause of Cancer, Warns US Surgeon General

(Source – Indian Express, Section – Explained- Page No. – 14)

Context

The US Surgeon General’s report highlights alcohol as a major preventable cause of cancer.

Analysis of the news:

Alcohol as a Leading Cause of Cancer

• According to the US Surgeon General’s latest report, alcohol is the third leading preventable cause of cancer in the United States, following tobacco and obesity. 
• Alcohol use is linked to approximately 100,000 cancer cases and 20,000 related deaths annually. 
• The report emphasizes the necessity of labeling alcoholic beverages with cancer risk warnings, akin to cigarette packaging.

Dispelling Myths about Moderate Drinking

• The advisory challenges the belief that moderate alcohol consumption may have health benefits, such as preventing heart attacks or strokes. 
• Emerging research indicates that even light drinking—one drink per day or less—raises the risk of cancers such as breast, mouth, and throat cancers.

Mechanisms Linking Alcohol to Cancer

• DNA Damage
  Alcohol metabolism produces acetaldehyde, a compound that damages DNA and impairs cellular repair mechanisms, increasing the likelihood of mutations and tumor formation.
• Oxidation and Inflammation
  During alcohol metabolism, oxidation generates unstable molecules, leading to cellular damage and inflammation, which are known contributors to cancer.
• Synergy with Tobacco
  Alcohol dissolves tobacco carcinogens, facilitating their absorption and amplifying cancer risks in alcohol-tobacco users.
• Hormonal Effects
  Alcohol raises levels of hormones like estrogen, heightening the risk of hormone-sensitive cancers such as breast and ovarian cancers.

Types of Cancers Linked to Alcohol Use

The report identifies several cancers linked to alcohol consumption:

• High-Risk Cancers: Breast, mouth, throat, esophagus, and liver cancers.
• Moderate Risk Cancers: Colon, rectum, and larynx cancers.
  Even minimal alcohol intake (one drink daily) significantly increases the risk of these cancers.

Alcohol’s Impact on Protective Mechanisms

• Alcohol irritates and damages the mucosal lining, a crucial protective barrier in the mouth, nose, lungs, and stomach. 
• This damage allows carcinogens to interact more directly with vulnerable cells, escalating cancer risk.