Daily Current Affairs for 8th December 2022

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Cyclone ‘Mandous’

GS Paper: 1- Physical Geography

Important for

Prelims exam: Cyclone ‘Mandous’

Mains exam: Cyclone ‘Mandous’, types of cyclones

Why in News?

According to recent reports, a cyclone may impact the Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coasts from 8th December 2022 onwards.

About Cyclone ‘Mandous’ 

  • Mandous is a cyclone that moves slowly, often absorbs a lot of moisture, carries a humongous amount of rainfall and gains strength in the form of wind speeds.
  • The United Arab Emirates have proposed the name.

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  • The storm system may proceed in a westward and northwesterly trajectory and intensify into a depression by the evening of December 6, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
  • By the morning of December 8, it might intensify further into a cyclone over the southwest Bay of Bengal and move towards the coasts of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.

What is Cyclone?

  • A cyclone is a large air mass that rotates around a strong center of low atmospheric pressure, counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere as viewed from above (opposite to an anticyclone).
  • Storms and bad weather are usually present during cyclones. The name “cyclone” comes from the Greek word “cyclos,” which means a snake’s coils. Henry Peddington came up with the term because tropical storms in the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal resemble coiled sea serpents.

Cyclones are classified as:

  1. Extra tropical cyclones (also called temperate cyclones): Extra tropical cyclones occur in temperate zones and high latitude regions, though they are known to originate in the Polar Regions.
  2. Tropical cyclones: The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO, 1976) uses the term ‘Tropical Cyclone’ to cover weather systems in which winds exceed ‘Gale Force’ (minimum of 34 knots or 63 kph). Tropical cyclones are the progeny of ocean and atmosphere, powered by the heat from the sea; and driven by easterly trades and temperate westerlies, high planetary winds and their own fierce energy.

How are cyclone names chosen?

  • Tropical Cyclone Warning Centers (TCWC) and regional specialist meteorological centres (RSMCs) give names to cyclones that occur in all ocean basins worldwide. There are five TCWCs and six RSMCs worldwide, including the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
  • The decision to begin naming cyclones in the region was made in 2000 by a group of countries known as WMO/ESCAP (World Meteorological Organization/United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific), which included Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. The list was finalised by the WMO/ESCAP Panel on Tropical Cyclones (PTC) after each nation submitted suggestions.
  • In 2018, Iran, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen were added to the WMO/ESCAP.

Conjugal visits for prisoners

GS Paper: 2- Government policies and interventions

Important for

Prelims exam: Conjugal rights

Mains exam: Conjugal rights, Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Why in News?

The State of Punjab has furthered the cause of right to life and personal liberty of prisoners by allowing conjugal visits for inmates. It is expected that this initiative will lead to strengthening of matrimonial bonds and also ensure good conduct of prisoners.

What are conjugal rights?

  • Broadly speaking, conjugal rights are rights created by marriage, that is, the right of the husband or the wife to the company of their spouse. In the context of prisons, however, conjugal visits refer to the concept of allowing a prisoner to spend some time in privacy with his spouse within the precincts of a jail.
  • It is often argued that conjugal visits can have positive impacts in the form of psychological health benefits for prisoners, preservation of marital ties and, reduction in the rates of homosexuality and sexual aggression within prisons.
  • Prisoner rights are internationally recognised through the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights etc. Through such instruments, prisoners are guaranteed the right to life and inherent dignity.
  • The right to maintain family relations including conjugal visits is included in these treaties. Most prison Acts and Rules across the country accept the importance of maintenance of continuity in family and social relations.

What are the Judicial views?

  • In the case of Sunil Batra vs Delhi Administration (1979), Supreme Court observed that “visit to prisoners by family and friends are solace in isolation: and only a dehumanised system can derive vicarious delight in depriving prison inmates of this humane amenity.”
  • In the case of Jasvir Singh vs State of Punjab, a couple convicted of murder and on death row made a petition to the court to enforce their right to procreate.
  • The primary question before the law was whether the right to conjugality and procreation is a part of the right to life. The High Court held that this right to conjugality is available to prisoners under Article 21, subject to restrictions.
  • However, in the case of Meharaj vs State (2022), the Madras HC while considering the question of whether conjugal rights form part of the right to life and personal liberty guaranteed by Article 21, observed that there have to be differential standards in enforcement of Article 21 for law abiders and law violators.
  • The Court observed that even though conjugal visits could not be held as a fundamental right, the prisoner would still be eligible to avail leave for conjugal visits if there are ‘extraordinary reasons’ such as ‘infertility treatments.’

What is going to be the Punjab model?

  • The State guidelines clarify that conjugal visits are a matter of privilege rather than a right. It has been notified that the average time for conjugal visits shall be two hours, allowed once every two months.
  • The visiting spouse will have to furnish a proof of marriage and medical certificates declaring that he or she is free from HIV or any other sexually transmitted disease, COVID-19 or any other infectious disease.
  • Moreover, such a facility will not be extended to high risk prisoners, terrorists, child abuse and sexual offenders, death row convicts, prisoners who suffer from HIV etc.

The impasse over appointment of judges

GS Paper: 2- Organizations, structure, and the functioning of the Executive and the judiciary

Important for

Prelims exam: National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC)

Mains exam: National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC), appointment of judges

Why in News?

The Vice-President has asked how the judiciary could have run down a unanimously-passed constitutional provision which reflected “the will of people”. He was referring to the 2015 verdict of the SC which struck down the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) and the 99th Amendment.

What was the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC)?

  • In August 2014, Parliament passed the Constitution (99th Amendment) Act, along with the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) Act, which together provided for the creation of an independent commission to appoint judges to the Supreme Court (SC) and High Courts (HC).
  • Articles 124 and 217 of the Constitution deal with the appointment of judges to the SC and HCs of the country.
  • This commission was to replace the collegium system. The two Bills were ratified by the required number of State Legislatures and got the President’s assent on December 31, 2014.
  • Article 124(2) states “every Judge of the Supreme Court shall be appointed by the President” after “consultation” with the judges of the SC and the HCs. So, while the collegium system itself does not figure in the Constitution, its legal basis is found in three SC judgments — usually referred to as the ‘Judges Cases’.
  • In order to replace this system which received criticism over the years for its lack of transparency, among other provisions, the Constitution (99th Amendment) Act, introduced three primary Articles. Article 124A which created the NJAC, a constitutional body to replace the collegium system, Article 124B which conferred the NJAC with the power to make appointments to Courts and Article 124C which accorded express authority to Parliament to make laws regulating the manner of the NJAC’s functioning.
  • Under the NJAC Act, the Chief Justice of India and Chief Justices of the HCs were to be recommended by the NJAC on seniority while SC and HC judges were to be recommended on the basis of ability, merit, and “other criteria specified in the regulations”. Notably, the Act empowered any two members of the NJAC to veto a recommendation if they did not agree with it. In the collegium system, senior-most judges make appointments to the higher judiciary.

Why was the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) challenged?

  • In early 2015, the Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association (SCAORA) filed a plea challenging the provisions which had by then become laws. The SCAORA contended in its petition that both the Acts were “unconstitutional” and “invalid”.
  • It argued that the 99th Amendment which provided for the creation of the NJAC took away the “primacy of the collective opinion of the Chief Justice of India and the two senior-most Judges of the Supreme Court of India” as their collective recommendation could be vetoed or “suspended by majority of three non-Judge members”.
  • It invoked the Second Judges Case to say that CJI primacy had to be protected. It also stated that the amendment “severely” damaged the basic structure of the Constitution, of which the independence of the judiciary in appointing judges was an integral part.
  • The Second Judges Case of 1993 emphasised the role of the CJI in appointing judges to SC and HCs. “The role of the CJI is primal in nature because this being a topic within the judicial family, the Executive cannot have an equal say in the matter,” the verdict reasoned.
  • The “basic structure” doctrine meanwhile refers to the idea that the Constitution could not be amended or read in a manner that destroyed the document’s basic structure.

Arguments between the Centre and the Supreme Court

  • Former Attorney-General Mukul Rohatgi, for the Union government, had argued in court that the Second Judges case, invoked by the petitioners was not valid in the case of the NJAC as the “very basis” of the ruling was now gone.
  • The Centre also argued that the Act in no way took away the primacy of the judiciary but in fact, diluted the power of the executive.
  • It also said that the amendment was “perfectly consonant” with the basic structure as it strengthened the “independence of the judiciary, checks and balances and democracy”. Solicitor-General Ranjit Kumar further argued that the collegium was a “failure” and worked on a system of “intra-dependence”, where there was “no transparency”.
  • In October 2015, the five-judge bench of the top court hearing SCAORA’s plea gave its ruling, with a 4:1 majority, that the NJAC was “unconstitutional” and violated the “basic structure of the constitution”. Significantly, the Bench admitted that all was not well even with the collegium system of “judges appointing judges”, and that the time was ripe to improve the system of judicial appointments.

Global Status of Black Soils

GS Paper: 3- Environment Pollution and degradation

Important for

Prelims exam: Black soils, World Soil Day, Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO)

Mains exam: Black soils, Importance of black soil,

Why in News?

The launch of the Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) first Global Status on Black Soils, which are more vulnerable than ever because of the climate crisis, biodiversity loss, and land use change, coincided with World Soil Day 2022 (5th December).

Key findings

  • Carbon sequestration, a significant strategy to reduce human-caused climate change, is the ability of soils to absorb carbon from the atmosphere and store it in soil organic matter.
  • Because of their natural fertility, soils are the source of food for many nations and are crucial to the world’s food supply.

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  • If given the proper attention, black soils might contribute 10% of the world’s total Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) sequestration.
  • The highest potential is in Europe and Eurasia, at over 65%, followed by Latin America and the Caribbean at over 10%.
  • Black soils were home to 2.86 per cent of the global population and had 17.36 per cent of cropland, 8.05 per cent of global SOC stock and 30.06 per cent SOC stock of global cropland, according to the report.
  • Black soils were crucial for food security and the world economy while making up a small portion of all soils in the globe.
  • In 2010, black soils were used to harvest 66% of the world’s sunflower seeds, 51% of small millet, 42% of sugar beet, 30% of wheat, and 26% of potatoes.

Status of the Black Soils

Black soils are rapidly losing their SOC stocks. They have lost between 20 and 50 percent of their initial SOC stock, with the carbon discharged primarily as carbon dioxide, exacerbating global warming.

Causes of Loss

  • The culprits are land use change, unsustainable management techniques, and excessive pesticide use.
  • In addition to nutrient imbalances, acidity, and biodiversity loss, the majority of black soils had moderate to severe erosion processes.

Food and Fertilizer Crisis:

  • Smallholder farmers, especially those from vulnerable nations in Africa, Latin America, and Asia, lack access to organic and inorganic fertilisers and are currently dealing with a 300% spike in fertiliser prices.
  • Food prices and food insecurity are currently on the rise due to decreased availability and skyrocketing fertiliser costs.

Recommendations:

  • It is important to preserve the natural vegetation on black soils, such as grasslands, forests, and wetlands, and to use sustainable soil management techniques on black soils that are used for cropping.
  • Working collaboratively is necessary to produce food that is secure, nourishing, and rich in micronutrients in a sustainable manner that prevents soil deterioration, lowers greenhouse gas emissions, and lessens pollution in agrifood systems.

About Black Soils

  • Black soils are mineral soils which have a black surface horizon, enriched with organic carbon that is at least 25 cm deep.
  • They can be found all throughout the world, including in Argentina, Mongolia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan (108 M ha), China (50 M ha), and Russia (327 M ha).
  • Due to their superior ability to retain moisture, black soils are incredibly fertile and can yield large agricultural yields.
  • Black soils are poor in nitrogen and phosphorus but rich in iron, lime, calcium, potassium, aluminium, and magnesium.
  • Black soils constitute 5.6% of the world’s soils and they contain 8.2% of the SOC stocks, or about 56 billion tonnes of carbon.
  • A measurable component of soil organic matter, soil organic carbon contributes significantly to the physical, chemical, and biological functions of agricultural soils although making up just 2-10% of the mass of most soils.
  • Only the carbon component of organic compounds is referred to as SOC.
  • This highlights their significance for mitigating and adapting to climate change.
  • They are the food basket for many nations and are crucial to the world’s food supply because of their inherent fertility.

Initiative taken by Government to Improve Soil Health

  1. Soil Health Card Scheme
  2. Organic Farming
  3. Digital Agriculture
  4. Carbon Farming
  5. Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana
  6. The Nutrient Based Subsidy Scheme

About World Soil Day

  • In 2002, the International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS) recommended it.
  • The FAO has supported the formal establishment of WSD as a platform for raising worldwide awareness within the framework of the Global Soil Partnership under the leadership of the Kingdom of Thailand.
  • The UN General Assembly (UNGA) declared December 5, 2014 to be the first World Sustainable Development Day (WSD).
  • The date was chosen since it corresponds with the official birthday of H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the Thai monarch who gave the event official approval.
  • People are urged to think about managing soil resources responsibly on World Soil Day. The primary objective of the day is to raise public awareness of the serious environmental problems that soil degradation can cause, including erosion, the loss of organic matter, and a decline in soil fertility.
  • “Soils, where food begins” will be the theme of World Soil Day, 2022.

ISRO inks MoU with Social Alpha to establish SpaceTech Innovation Network

GS Paper: 3- Science and technology

Important for

Prelims exam: SpaceTech Innovation Network (SpIN)

Mains exam: SpaceTech Innovation Network (SpIN), Space activities in India

Why in News?

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has signed an MoU with Social Alpha, a multistage innovation curation and venture development platform for science and technology start-ups, to launch SpaceTech Innovation Network (SpIN).

What is SpaceTech Innovation Network (SpIN)?

  • SpIN is India’s first dedicated platform for innovation, curation, and venture development for the burgeoning space entrepreneurial ecosystem.
  • SpIN will primarily focus on facilitating space tech entrepreneurs in three distinct innovation categories: Geospatial Technologies and Downstream Applications; Enabling Technologies for Space & Mobility; and Aerospace Materials, Sensors, and Avionics.

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About Social Alpha

Social Alpha is a multistage innovation curation and venture development platform for science and technology start-ups that address the most critical social, economic, and environmental challenges through the power of entrepreneurship and market-creating innovations. Since its inception in 2016, Social Alpha has supported more 200 start-ups including 60+ seed investments.

Pact with Social Alpha

  • The tie-up is a one-of-a-kind public-private collaboration for start-ups and SMEs in the space industry.
  • This novel partnership is a significant step forward in providing further stimulus to India’s recent space reform policies and will work towards identifying and unleashing the market potential of the most promising space tech innovators and entrepreneurs in India.

Important Initiative

  • In line with the partnership announcement, SpIN has launched its first innovation challenge. Early-stage start-ups for developing solutions in areas of maritime and land transportation, urbanisation, mapping, and surveying, disaster management, food security, sustainable agriculture, environmental monitoring, and natural resources management, among others are encouraged to apply.
  • The selected start-ups and innovators will be able to access both Social Alpha’s and ISRO’s infrastructure and resources as per the prevailing guidelines.
  • They will be provided active hand-holding in critical areas, including access to product design, testing and validation infrastructure, intellectual property management, go-to-market strategy, and access to long-term patient capital, among other technical and business inputs.

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