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Landslides, flooding in Kerala as monsoon intensifies; IMD red alert for 3 districts
UPSC Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Indian and World Geography – Physical, Social, and Economic Geography of India and the World
Mains Examination: GS-I, III: Important Geophysical phenomena, Environment
What’s the ongoing story- With Southwest monsoon intensifying in Kerala two days after its onset, heavy downpours lashed several parts of the state, especially in southern and central districts — triggering landslides and waterlogging, and uprooting trees.
Prerequisites:
— What is landslides?
— What is the southwest monsoon?
— What causes a flood?
Key takeaways:
— A red alert indicates heavy to extremely heavy rain of over 20 cm in 24 hours, while an orange alert means very heavy rain of 11 cm to 20 cm, and a yellow alert means heavy rainfall between 6 cm and 11 cm.
For Your Information:
— About 0.42 million square km of India’s landmass, or about 13% of its area, spread over 15 states and four Union Territories, is prone to landslides, according to the Geological Survey of India (GSI).
— This covers almost all the hilly regions in the country. About 0.18 million square km, or 42% of this vulnerable area is in the Northeastern region, where the terrain is mostly hilly.
— Excessive or continuous rainfall over a period of days, or during particular seasons, can lead to stagnation of water and cause flooding. Flash floods refer to such a situation, but occurring in a much shorter span of time, and are highly localised.
Points to Ponder:
— How does the Indian monsoon develop?
— What is India’s disaster preparedness for flooding and landslides?
— What are the effects of landslides and flooding?
— What are the mitigation measures need to be in place?
Post Read Question:
How far do you think climate change is responsible for the increase in the frequency of landslides and flooding in the country? Please suggest measures to overcome it.
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
Explained: The danger from landslides
What are flash floods
Goa: NGT dismisses appeal challenging demolition of popular beach shack curlies
UPSC Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Environment
Mains Examination: GS-III: Environment
What’s the ongoing story- The National Green Tribunal (NGT) dismissed an appeal filed by the owner of Curlies restaurant, a popular beachfront shack in Goa, challenging a 2016 order of the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) to demolish its illegal structures for alleged violation of Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) norms.
Prerequisites:
— What is a Coastal Regulation Zone?
— What is the function of the National Green Tribunal (NGT)?
— What is the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986?
Key takeaways:
— Curlies, a popular tourist spot in Anjuna, garnered controversy following the death of Haryana BJP leader and actor Sonali Phogat in 2022.
— In its order in July 2016, the GCZMA had ordered the demolition of “illegal structures” belonging to the beach shack under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. It had said the structures were constructed illegally in a “no development zone” that fell under CRZ-III.
For Your Information:
— In India, the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Rules govern human and industrial activity close to the coastline, in order to protect the fragile ecosystems near the sea. They restrict certain kinds of activities — like large constructions, setting up of new industries, storage or disposal of hazardous material, mining, reclamation and bunding — within a certain distance from the coastline.
— After the passing of the Environment Protection Act in 1986, CRZ Rules were first framed in 1991. After these were found to be restrictive, the Centre notified new Rules in 2011.
Points to Ponder:
—What are the classifications of Coastal Zones under CRZ Notification 2011?
— What was the objective of the coastal regulation zone?
— What is the procedure for clearance under CRZ?
— What is the role of the National Coastal Zone Management Authority?
Post Read Question:
Shailesh Nayak Committee is related with
(a) Minimum support price to farmers
(b) Coastal Regulation zone
(c) Privatisation of Banks
(d) Air pollution control
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
Explained: What are CRZ rules?
Odisha: 54 suspected to have died from heatstroke in 48 hrs
UPSC Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: General issues on Environmental Ecology, and Climate Change – that do not require subject specialisation.
Mains Examination: GS-I, GS-II, GS-III: Important Geophysical Phenomena, Climate Change Environmental Pollution & Degradation, Government Policies & Interventions.
What’s the ongoing story- Odisha reported at least 54 suspected heat stroke deaths over the past 48 hours as intense heatwave conditions gripped the state. The state government has confirmed nine deaths so far.
Prerequisites:
— What is heatstroke?
— What causes heatstroke?
— What are heatwaves?
Key takeaways:
— Official sources in the Special Relief Commissioner’s (SRC) office said most of these deaths were reported from the western Odisha districts.
— A high-level meeting was held at the level of Chief Secretary and instructions were issued to the District Collectors to ensure implementation of heatwave advisories and precautionary measures.
For Your Information:
Exhaustion vs stroke vs cramps
— According to Srivastav, heat exhaustion happens when the body overheats due to prolonged sun exposure, with the body temperature rising above 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Symptoms include cramps, dehydration, stomach issues, and electrolyte imbalance, disrupting the body’s functioning primarily through fluid loss.
— Compared to exhaustion, heat stroke is more severe and warrants immediate medical attention. “The patient’s body temperature rises above 140 degree Fahrenheit, leading to unconsciousness, dizziness, sluggish speech, dehydration, and concentrated urine. In some cases, they may even slip into a coma,” said Srivastav
— Heat strokes often mimic a typical stroke, causing arrhythmia where the heart rate fluctuates as it tries to stabilise fluid loss within the body, he added.
— Heat cramps are a complication arising from heat exhaustion and stroke, characterised by painful muscle spasms in the biceps and calf muscles, commonly referred to as “labor muscles.” They are prevalent among laborers exposed to direct sunlight, schoolchildren, athletes, and the elderly.
Points to Ponder:
— What causes heatwaves?
— What are some heat-related illnesses (HRIs)?
— What are heat action plans (HAP)?
Post Read Question:
Consider the following:
1. Heat stroke
2. Heat cramps
3. Heat fatigue
What are the health effects of heatwaves?
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All three
(d) None
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
Heatwave deaths: Why a heat stroke kills, and how to stay safe
UPSC Issue at a Glance | Heatwaves: 5 Key Questions You Must Know for Prelims and Mains
Economy
India’s Russian oil imports at 10-month high in May, supplies from Saudi Arabia dwindle
UPSC Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Indian Economy
Mains Examination: GS-II, III: Economic and Social Development, International Relations
What’s the ongoing story- India’s Russian oil imports climbed to a 10-month high in May as low Russian refinery capacity use due to Ukrainian drone strikes made more of Moscow’s oil available for the export market, as per oil tanker tracking data and industry experts. The rise in India’s import of discounted Russian oil over the past few months has hit flows from Saudi Arabia the most, the data shows.
Prerequisites:
— What is the status of India’s oil imports?
— What are light sweet grades?
Key takeaways:
— Oil imports from Saudi Arabia—India’s third-biggest source market for crude—declined almost 13 percent sequentially to 0.55 million bpd, the lowest since September of last year. The primary reason for the decline is seen as the ample availability of Russian crude, which continues to maintain a price advantage over Riyadh’s oil.
— Supply of the medium-sour Urals crude—Russia’s flagship crude grade and the mainstay of India’s Russian oil purchases—to Indian refiners touched a record high in May at 1.53 million bpd, accounting for over 78 percent of India’s Russian oil imports.
— May also marked a 10-month high in India’s oil imports from the United States (US)—New Delhi’s fifth-largest source of crude oil. Indian refiners imported a total of 0.21 million bpd of crude from the US in May, 4.5 percent higher than the imports in April, and the highest since July of last year.
— In terms of market share, Russia accounted for almost 41 percent of the total 4.79 million bpd of crude oil imported into India in May.
— India’s second-largest source of crude—Iraq—accounted for a fifth of New Delhi’s oil imports in May, while Saudi Arabia’s share was 11.4 percent.
— As the world’s third-largest consumer of crude oil with a high import dependency level of over 85 percent, India is extremely sensitive to oil prices.
— Although trade sources have indicated that discounts on Russian crude have shrunk considerably over the past months, Indian refiners have evidently remained keen on buying Russian oil as given the high import volumes, even lower discount levels lead to significant savings.
For Your Information:
— Prior to the war in Ukraine, Iraq and Saudi Arabia were the top two suppliers of crude oil to India. But as the West started weaning itself off Russian energy supplies following Moscow’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Russia started offering discounts on its crude and Indian refiners started snapping up the discounted barrels
Points to Ponder:
— Which country is the biggest supplier of crude oil to India?
— What is the status of India’s oil exports?
— What are the initiatives taken by India to reduce oil imports?
— How is India planning to tackle the increased energy demand?
Post Read Question:
The term ‘West Texas Intermediate’, sometimes found in the news, refers to a grade of (UPSC CSE 2020)
(a) Crude oil
(b) Bullion
(c) Rare earth elements
(d) Uranium
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
Sanctions notwithstanding, India’s Russian oil imports surge as Moscow pushes more oil overseas
Gross GST collections up 10% to Rs 1.73 lakh crore in May, growth rate moderates
UPSC Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Indian economy
Mains Examination: Indian economy
What’s the ongoing story- Gross Goods and Services tax (GST) collections rose 10 per cent year-on-year to Rs 1.73 lakh crore in May (for sales in April), data released by the Finance Ministry on Saturday showed.
Prerequisites:
— What is GST and How does it work?
— 101st Amendment Act, 2016-Know in detail
— What are the different types of GST?
(Thought Process: Know the differences between Central GST (CGST), State GST (SGST), Union territory GST (UTGST) and Integrated GST (IGST))
Key takeaways:
— The growth rate of GST collections moderated from over 11 per cent year-on-year rate seen during the last three months and is the lowest since June 2021. GST collections had hit a record-high level of Rs 2.10 lakh crore in April (for year-end sales in March).
— The rise in GST collections was mainly driven by a “strong increase in domestic transactions”, which increased by 15.3 per cent as against 13.4 per cent growth rate in April. However, the contribution from imports slowed as it contracted 4.3 per cent as against growth of 8.3 per cent seen a month ago.
— After accounting for refunds, the net GST revenue for May stood at Rs 1.44 lakh crore, up 6.9 per cent year-on-year but lower than Rs 1.92 lakh crore seen in April when it recorded an increase of 15.5 per cent.
— Cumulatively, the gross GST collections in FY25 till May stood at Rs 3.83 lakh crore, an increase of 11.3 per cent year-on-year growth, “driven by a strong increase in domestic transactions (up 14.2 per cent) and marginal increase in imports (up 1.4 per cent)”, the Ministry said. After accounting for refunds, the net GST revenue in FY25 till May stood at Rs 3.36 lakh crore, a growth of 11.6 per cent compared to the same period last year.
— Tax experts said though the growth in tax collections has moderated, there is still firm growth from domestic supplies.
Points to Ponder:
— What are the benefits of GST?
— What are the issues and challenges related to GST?
Post Read Question:
Prelims
What is/are the most likely advantages of implementing ‘Goods and Services Tax (GST)’? (UPSC CSE 2017)
1. It will replace multiple taxes collected by multiple authorities and will thus create a single market in India.
2. It will drastically reduce the ‘Current Account Deficit’ of India and will enable it to increase its foreign exchange reserves.
3. It will enormously increase the growth and size of economy of India and will enable it to overtake China in the near future.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Mains
Explain the rationale behind the Goods and Services Tax (Compensation to States) Act of 2017. How has COVID-19 impacted the GST compensation fund and created new federal tensions? (UPSC CSE 2020)
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
GST collection hits record high of Rs 2.10 lakh crore in April
The World
Zelensky attends Shangri-La dialogue to gather support for Switzerland summit
UPSC Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance
Mains Examination: GS-II: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests, Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests.
What’s the ongoing story- Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelenskiy arrived in Singapore for the Shangri-La Dialogue conference on Saturday, where he planned to meet U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and discuss support for his embattled country in an address to delegates.
Prerequisites:
— What is the Shangri La Dialogue?
— What is discussed at Shangri-La Dialogue?
— Know in brief about the Russia-Ukraine War.
Key takeaways:
— After arriving at the conference venue, Zelenskiy said in a statement on the social media platform X that he had come to gather support from the Asia-Pacific region for a peace summit planned for June 15-16 in Switzerland.
— “Global security is impossible when the world’s largest country disregards recognised borders, international law, and the U.N. Charter, resorts to hunger, darkness, and nuclear blackmail,” the statement said, referring to Russia, which invaded Ukraine in 2022.
— The International Institute of Strategic Studies (IISS), which organises the security conference, said Zelenskiy would participate in a discussion session on Sunday entitled “Re-Imagining Solutions for Global Peace and Regional Stability”.
For Your Information:
— The government of Switzerland announced on April 10, 2024 that it will host a major summit on June 15-16 as a “first step” for lasting peace in Ukraine following Russia’s invasion in February 2022.
Points to Ponder:
— What is the backdrop of the peace summit planned in Switzerland., and what conditions have the two countries put forth?
— What is the significance of Shangri La Dialogue?
— What is India’s stance on the Russia-Ukraine war?
Post Read Question:
Consider the following countries: (UPSC CSE 2023)
1. Bulgaria
2. Czech Republic
3. Hungary
4. Latvia
5. Lithuania
6. Romania
How many of the above-mentioned countries share a land border with Ukraine?
(a) Only two
(b) Only three
(c) Only four
(d) Only five
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
Russia-Ukraine war: Why Switzerland is veering from its traditional neutrality policy
Explained: The planned summit for ‘lasting peace’ in Ukraine
SUNDAY EYE
Your health
Now, Semaglutide can lower risk of kidney disease by 24 %
UPSC Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Science and technology
Mains Examination: GS-II, III: Health Government Policies & Interventions, Science and technology
What’s the ongoing story- The popular diabetes and weight-loss drug semaglutide-sold under the brand names Ozempic and Wegovy has now been proven to reduce the risk of kidney disease and its complications among people with diabetes.
Prerequisites:
— What is chronic kidney disease (CKD)?
— What is Diabetes?
— What are the causes of diabetes?
Key takeaways:
— A recent study has found that it could reduce the risk of major kidney events, onset of dialysis and transplantation by 24 per cent and all-cause mortality by 20 per cent.
— CKD is a chronic condition that leads to a gradual loss of kidney function and its ability to filter waste. It usually leads to a build-up of fluids and waste in the body. Eventually, it leads to kidney failure, requiring either reg- ular dialysis or a kidney transplantation.
— The drug works by reducing the known risk factors for complicating CKD like uncon- trolled diabetes and obesity. There are also multiple tissue-based mechanisms that the drug works on, including decreasing inflam- mation, oxidative stress and fibrosis (harden- ing of the tissue).
For Your Information:
— In India, only the privileged can access Ozempic through the grey market. But now Indian authorities have approved injectable semaglutide. Till now we have had oral semaglutide, which is weaker in its cascading effects. Cost will be a factor though.
— According to WHO, more than 50 per cent of people are unaware of their diabetic status, which leads to health complications if not detected and treated early. Adults with diabetes have a two to three-fold increased risk of heart attacks.
Points to Ponder:
— Burden of Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and their risk factors in India
— What are the initiatives taken by the government to tackle diabetes?
Post Read Question:
Why is India Known as the ‘Diabetes Capital of the World’? What Measures Can Policymakers Take to Prevent Diabetes in India?
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
Ozempic may slow down kidney disease: Why Novo Nordisk’s new trial may treat other health conditions
The City (Delhi edition)
52.9 degree Celsius reading at Mungeshpur an error: IMD
UPSC Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: General issues on Environmental Ecology, and Climate Change – that do not require subject specialisation.
Mains Examination: GS-I, GS-II, GS-III: Important Geophysical Phenomena, Climate Change Environmental Pollution & Degradation, Government Policies & Interventions.
What’s the ongoing story- When Delhi’s Mungeshpur weather station recorded a maximum temperature of 52.9 degrees Celsius on May 29, it was on account of “malfunctioning of the sensor,” IMD has said.
Prerequisites:
— What are IMD criteria for declaring heatwaves?
— Organisation to look for: Indian Meteorological Department (IMD)
Key takeaways:
— Experts from the IMD have found that the automatic weather station (AWS) sensor at Mungeshpur was reporting temperatures “about 3 degrees Celsius higher than the maximum temperature reported by the standard instrument.”
— The maximum temperature of 52.9 degrees at Mungeshpur was an all-time high for any location in India and this had prompted the IMD to verify the recording at the station.
— At an automatic weather station, weather parameters are recorded and transmitted automatically, without manual intervention.
For Your Information:
— According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD)- A heatwave is a period of abnormally high temperatures, more than the normal maximum temperature that occurs during the summer season in the North-Western parts of India. Heatwaves typically occur between March and June, and in some rare cases even extend till July. The extreme temperatures and resultant atmospheric conditions adversely affect people living in these regions as they cause physiological stress, sometimes resulting in death.
— A heatwave is declared when the maximum temperature of a station reaches at least 40°C or more for plains, 37°C or more for coastal stations, and at least 30°C or more for hilly regions.
Points to Ponder:
— What causes heatwaves?
— What are the heatwave-prone areas in India?
— What measures should be taken to mitigate the impacts of heatwaves?
Post Read Question:
Bring out the causes for the formation of heat islands in the urban habitat of the world. (UPSC CSE 2013)
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
Delhi HC takes judicial notice of 52.3°C temperature: ‘It is not far to see the day when this city may be only a barren desert’
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