Nascent Arabian Sea cyclone may delay monsoon arrival
Paper: I
Mains: General Studies-I: Indian Heritage and Culture, History and Geography of the World and Society.
Why in news:
The uncertainty is primarily due to a prominent weather model that hints at the development of a cyclone in the Arabian Sea after May 31; the strength and trajectory of this weather system could, in the worst-case scenario, delay the monsoon’s progress.
Key Details:
- Storms that develop in the sea begin as ‘Low Pressures’ and graduate to Depressions, Deep Depressions and then onto three categories of cyclones.
- Depressions are normal during the advent of monsoon and usually aid the monsoon’s advent and progress in India. However, a particularly strong storm can hinder the monsoon.
- In 2019, cyclone Vayu that formed in the Arabian Sea stalled the monsoon after it entered Kerala.
Monsoon onset in 2020:
- The official date for the onset of monsoon in 2020 has been set as June 5, by the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
- There is now uncertainty over monsoon’s arrival over Kerala on the previously estimated date.
- The uncertainty is primarily due to a prominent weather model that hints at the development of a cyclone in the Arabian Sea after May 31, 2020.
- The model of the European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting is showing a cyclone developing in the Arabian Sea.
- The strength and trajectory of this weather system could delay the monsoon’s progress.
IMD’s estimates:
- The IMD’s models are predicting that the depression observed in the Arabian Sea would likely be a Deep Depression, at most and would not develop into a cyclone.
- The depression is likely to form in the Arabian Sea and turn towards Oman and not significantly influence the monsoon.
- “One model — of the European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting — is showing a cyclone as developing in the Arabian Sea.
- However, IMD’s own models are showing that it wouldn’t be that intense and would likely become a Deep Depression, at most.
- It could mean a few days delay if it’s too strong. Once the monsoon season sets in, there’s a certain uncertainty too in all-weather models.
HC asks A.P. govt. to reinstate Ramesh Kumar
Paper: II
Mains: General Studies- II: Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International relations.
Why in news:
The A.P High Court struck down AP Panchayat Raj (Second Amendment) Ordinance (No.5 of 2020) and the consequential G.Os 617, 618 and 619 through which it cut short the term of the State Election Commissioner (SEC) from five to three years resulting in the expulsion of Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar from that post
Key Details:
- The Andhra Pradesh government through its government Orders had cut short the term of the State Election Commissioner (SEC) from five to three years, resulting in the expulsion of the standing EC from the post.
- The Andhra Pradesh High Court has struck down the Andhra Pradesh Panchayat Raj Ordinance and the consequential Government orders.
- The two-judge Bench has directed the government to reinstate Mr. Ramesh Kumar with immediate effect.
- It is learnt that the State government has decided to challenge the judgment in the Supreme Court.
Arguments in favor of former SEC:
- Ramesh Kumar’s argument was based on the fact that the power conferred under Article 213 of the Constitution to promulgate ordinances was not an absolute entrustment, but was conditional on the satisfaction that the circumstances existed for such an action.
The court also agreed with Mr. Ramesh Kumar’s view that the impugned ordinance was in violation of Article 243-K, which states that a SEC could not be removed, except in the same manner as provided for a High Court judge.
U.K. moots ‘5G club’ to keep out Huawei
Paper: II
Mains: General Studies- II: Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International relations.
Why in News:
- Britain said on Friday that it was pushing the U.S. to form a club of 10 nations that could develop its own 5G technology and reduce dependence on Huawei.
- Britain has allowed the Chinese global leader in 5G technology to build up to 35% of the infrastructure necessary to roll out its new speedy data network.
Key Details:
- Britain has allowed Huawei, the Chinese global leader in 5G technology, to build up to 35% of the infrastructure necessary to roll out Britain’s new high-speed data network.
- However, in the light of the souring relations with China there have been calls to draw up plans to cut Huawei out of the UK network by 2023.
- Britain has been insisting on the U.S. to form a club of 10 nations that could develop its own 5G technology and reduce dependence on Huawei.
- Britain is proposing a “D10” club of democratic partners that groups the G7 nations with Australia and the Asian technology leaders South Korea and India.
- One of the options being discussed involves channeling investments into existing telecommunication companies within the 10 member states.
GDP growth slows to a 11-year low of 4.2%, Q4 slumps to 3.1%
Paper: III
Mains: General Studies-III: Technology, Economic Development, Bio diversity, Environment, Security and Disaster Management
Why in news:
- In 2019-20, the Indian economy grew by 4.2% against 6.1% expansion in 2018-19.
- Economic growth slowed to an 11-year low of 4.2% in 2019-20, according to data released by the National Statistical Office on Friday.
- In the final quarter of the year, that is, January-March, the growth rate of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) fell to 3.1%, reflecting the impact of the first week of the COVID-19 lockdown which began on March 25.
- Although this is the lowest growth rate in the last 44 quarters, it is still higher than the 2.2% growth predicted by most economists and ratings analysts.
Key Details:
- According to the provisional estimates India’s economic growth has slowed to an 11-year low of 4.2% in 2019-20.
- The fourth quarter of the 2019-20 fiscal year, the January-March period, saw the growth in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) slump to 3.1%.
- The fourth-quarter growth of 2019-20, while being slowest in 44 quarters, however, was still faster than the 2.2% pace predicted by most economists and ratings analysts.
Agriculture and government expenditure have helped lift growth from the earlier projections. Agricultural output and the mining sector picked up steam in the fourth quarter, growing at rates of 5.9% and 5.2% respectively.
Public administration, defence and other services grew at 10.1%.
Issues:
- The manufacturing sector has contracted with output shrinking by 1.4%.
- Most worrying is the fact that the three components of demand have fallen — consumption demand has slowed, while investments and exports are both in the negative territory.
- The data from the Controller General of Accounts (CGA) shows that the Centre’s fiscal position has worsened.
Fiscal deficit has increased to 4.6% of GDP mainly on account of poor revenue realization.
CGA’s data indicates that the Centre’s gross tax revenues have contracted by 3.4% in 2019-20. Revenue receipts during the year worked out to be only 90% of the revised estimate.
The deficit, which signifies the gap between government revenue and expenditure, is higher than the revised estimate of 3.8% for the fiscal.
According to the Controller General of Accounts (CGA) data, the revenue deficit was 3.27%. The effective revenue deficit was 2.36%.
Present Day crisis:
- The slowdown has all happened in the year prior to the spread of COVID. The GDP numbers do not yet capture the impact of the four stages of lockdown that started on March 25, 2020.
- Unlike during the financial crisis of 2008 when India maintained an 8% GDP growth when the capacity to endure and recover was strong, in the current situation India is faced with a weaker economy and much weaker public finances and fiscal capacity.
- The private expenditure growth has been dwindling due to shut down and labour migration.
- Investment has been contracting due to weak consumption demand and stretched corporate balance sheets.
Initial estimates project that the Indian economy would contract in 2020-21 for the first time since 1980.
GMR told to stop dredging in Kakinada
Paper: III
Mains: General Studies-III: Technology, Economic Development, Bio diversity, Environment, Security and Disaster Management
Why in News:
The Andhra Pradesh Forest Department has directed GMR Energy Limited to stop dredging activity in the Kumbabhishekham mudflat.
Key Details:
- Dredging is the removal of silt, sediments and debris from the bottom of lakes, rivers, harbors and other water bodies.
- Dredging is a routine necessity in waterways because sedimentation—the natural process of sand and silt washing downstream—gradually fills channels and harbors.
- Dredging often is focused on maintaining or increasing the depth of navigation channels, anchorages, or berthing areas to ensure the safe passage of boats and ships.
- Dredging is also performed to reduce the exposure of fish, wildlife, and people to contaminants and to prevent the spread of contaminants to other areas of the water body.
- This environmental dredging is often necessary because sediments in and around cities and industrial areas are frequently contaminated with a variety of pollutants.
Mudflats:
- Mudflats or mud flats, also known as tidal flats, are coastal wetlands that form in inter-tidal areas where sediments have been deposited by tides or rivers.
- Most of the sediment within a mudflat is within the inter-tidal zone, and thus the flat is submerged and exposed approximately twice daily. This helps maintain the ecosystem balance.
- Tidal flats, along with inter-tidal salt marshes and mangrove forests, are important ecosystems.
- They usually support a large population of wildlife, and are a key habitat for migratory shorebirds.
- The maintenance of mudflats is important in preventing coastal erosion.
Issues:
- Mudflats worldwide are under threat from predicted sea level rises, land claims for development, dredging due to shipping purposes, and chemical pollution.
- The forest department has ordered the removal of the bund around the mangrove cover adjacent to the company’s 220 MW barge-mounted power plant on the Kakinada coast.
- The dredging was being carried out by GMR Energy Limited to shift existing installations.
- The action comes in response to the threat to the mudflat and the mangrove cover and destruction of the prime habitat of birds — endangered Great knots (Calidris tenuirostris), and Indian skimmers (Rynchops albiocollis), which are listed as a vulnerable species.