Daily Current Affairs

Why is the Biological Diversity Bill facing opposition? (GS Paper 3, Environment)

Why in news?

• Recently, the Rajya Sabha passed the Biological Diversity (Amendment) Bill, 2021, after it was cleared by the Lok Sabha.
• The Act aims to conserve biodiversity, promote its sustainable use and equitable sharing of benefits that arise therein. Amendments proposed in the Bill however are at odds with this aim.

 

Why the Bill is considered problematic?

• The Bill exempts "codified traditional knowledge" and the AYUSH industry (Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy) from benefit sharing, denying local communities benefits from accessing biological resources.
• The term ‘codified traditional knowledge’ lacks a clear definition, leading to potential exploitation.
• Experts regard this exemption as regressive because a reason why the legislation was enacted in the first place was to ensure “fair and equitable sharing of benefits”.
• It decriminalises offences and proposes monetary penalties instead, raising concerns over resource exploitation.

 

To what extent has the Act been implemented?

• The proposed relaxations come at a time when the Act hasn’t even been implemented in full.
• A 2022 investigation by the Centre for Science and Environment showed that in many States, there was no data available on money received from companies and traders for access and benefit sharing and in cases where money was collected, the same wasn’t shared with local communities.
• A 2016 study by legal researchers also showed that many difficulties have cropped up in many States when it comes to implementing provisions of the Act, especially those related to access and benefit sharing.
• Some of these issues were also challenged in High Courts and the National Green Tribunal.

 

Precedence to “ease of doing business”:

• In the ‘Statement of Objects and Reasons’ section, the Bill clearly states that “concerns were raised by the stakeholders representing Indian system of medicine sector, seed sector, industry sector and research sector urging to simplify, streamline and reduce compliance burden in order to encourage a conducive environment for collaborative research and investments, simplify patent application process…”.
• Earlier, the Rajya Sabha also cleared the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill which limits the conservation scope of the Act. The two Bills are part of a trend of dilution of environmental regulations that are underway.
• The fact that the Environment Ministry has given precedence to “ease of doing business” rather than its mandate to protect the environment is a cause for concern.

 

Study in India (SII) Portal launched

(GS Paper 2, Education)

Why in news?

• Recently, the Ministry of Education launched Study in India Portal in New Delhi.

What is Study in India Portal?

• Study in India Portal is a dedicated website that will provide comprehensive information about the Indian Higher Education Institutions (HEIs).
• It will illustrate academic programs covering but not limited to undergraduate (UG), postgraduate (PG), Doctoral level programs as well as courses in Indian Knowledge System like Yoga, Ayurveda, classical arts etc.
• It will present information about the academic facilities, research support, and related information.
• It will now have the provision for students to apply in more than one institute/course of their choice.
• The new portal will provide an integrated one-stop solution for student registration and visa application process.

 

Key Features:

• Partnership with Premier Education Institutes: The Study in India programme involves partnership with educational institutes fulfilling one of the following criteria:

1. National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF)ranking (<=100)
2. National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) accreditation score (>=3.01)
3. Institutes of National Importance (INI)

• This ensures premier institutions being the partner to enrolling international students coming to study in India.

 

What is Study in India programme?

• Study in India is a flagship program of the Government of India, under the aegis of the Ministry of Education (MoE).

 

Objectives:

• The Study in India programme aims to increase the number of international students in India.
• The program also envisions promoting India as the preferred study destination, providing affordable and quality education comparable with global standards thereby contributing to improving the overall quality improvement in higher education.

 

Details:

• The Study in India programme offers a streamlined and well-organized application process for international students seeking higher education opportunities in Indian Higher Education Institutes.
• From registration to visa approval, the online platform simplifies the entire journey, enabling students to choose their desired courses, receive institute offer letters, and successfully pursue their academic dreams in India.
• By providing a seamless experience, the SII programme continues to attract talented and ambitious students from around the world to study in India's vibrant and culturally diverse academic environment.

 

After Chandrayaan-3, these three mini rovers will explore moon, map it in 3D

(GS Paper 3, Science and Technology)

Why in news?

• As India prepares for the landing of the Chandrayaan-3 mission on the surface of the Moon with a lander and rover, NASA is set to launch a trio of miniature rovers to the Moon in 2024 as part of its robotic exploration project.

 

Key Highlights:

• The mission aims to demonstrate how robots can operate autonomously and cooperate with each other without direct human intervention, potentially enhancing the efficiency of future space missions.
• The three rovers, each about the size of a carry-on suitcase, will be deployed onto the Reiner Gamma region of the Moon.
• They will spend approximately 14 Earth days conducting experiments designed to test their capabilities.
• The mission’s goal is to demonstrate that a network of mobile robots can work together to accomplish a task autonomously.

 

How rovers will work?

• The rovers will receive broad directives from mission controllers on Earth via a base station aboard the lander.
• They will then elect a "leader" who will distribute work assignments to achieve the collective goal. Each rover will determine the safest and most efficient way to complete its assigned task.
• The rovers will undergo several tests, including driving in formation while maintaining their relative positions and avoiding obstacles.

 

Experiments to be conducted:

• They will also independently explore a designated area, creating a topographic 3D map with stereo cameras.
• The project will assess how well the team adapts if a rover stops working, indicating the viability of multirobot missions for exploring hazardous but scientifically rewarding terrain.
• In addition to testing autonomy and teamwork capabilities, the rovers will carry multistatic ground-penetrating radars. By driving in formation and receiving the reflection of radio signals sent by the others, they will create a 3D image of the subsurface structure up to 33 feet below, gathering more comprehensive data than current state-of-the-art ground-penetrating radars.

 

Challenges:

• The rovers face the challenge of surviving the harsh thermal environment near the Moon's equator.
• With midday temperatures reaching up to 237 degrees Fahrenheit, the rovers, made from a combination of commercial off-the-shelf parts and custom-built components, must be robust enough to withstand the heat while being compact and lightweight.
• To prevent overheating, the team has devised a solution involving 30-minute wake-sleep cycles, allowing the rovers to cool off and recharge their batteries before resuming their lunar exploration.