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Cyclone Mandous crossed the north Tamil Nadu coast close to Mamallapuram, triggering heavy to very heavy rains in Chennai and neighbouring districts and gusty surface winds . Howling winds through the night had disrupted power supply in many areas till Saturday morning and brought down trees.
It emerged as a strong cyclone as it maintained wind speed of 65-75 kmph gusting to 85kmph. It moved at a speed of 12 kmph and made a landfall.
Over 470 personnel of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and SDRF were deputed to Chengalpattu, Chennai, Cuddalore, Kancheepuram, Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam, Thanjavur, Tiruvallur, Tiruvarur and Villupuram districts, with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin personally taking stock of the preparedness by the administration to meet any eventuality.
A few hours before the expected landfall, Mr. Stalin visited the State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC) at Ezhilagam complex in Chennai and reviewed the precautionary measures.
Over 15 flights to several cities including Kozhikode, Tiruchi, Hubli, Mysore, Madurai, Vijayawada, Thoothukudi, Cuddapah, Bengaluru, Abu Dhabhi and Colombo were cancelled at Chennai airport owing to the cyclone impact.
States
Three Himalayan medicinal plants enter IUCN Red List (Page no. 5)
(GS Paper 3, Environment)
Three medicinal plant species found in the Himalayas have made it to IUCN Red List of Threatened Species following a recent assessment. Meizotropispellita has been assessed as ‘critically endangered’, Fritilloriacirrhosa as ‘vulnerable’, and Dactylorhizahatagirea as ‘endangered’.
Meizotropispellita, commonly known as Patwa, is a perennial shrub with restricted distribution that is endemic to Uttarakhand. “The species is listed as ‘critically endangered’ based on its limited area of occupancy (less than 10 sq. km),” the study stated. The species is threatened by deforestation, habitat fragmentation and forest fires.
The essential oil extracted from the leaves of the species possesses strong antioxidants and can be a promising natural substitute for synthetic antioxidants in pharmaceutical industries.
Fritillaria cirrhosa (Himalayan fritillary) is a perennial bulbous herb. “It is reasonable to conclude a decline of at least 30% of its population over the assessment period (22 to 26 years).
Considering the rate of decline, long generation length, poor germination potential, high trade value, extensive harvesting pressure and illegal trade, the species is listed as ‘vulnerable.
In China, the species is used for the treatment of bronchial disorders and pneumonia. The plant is also a strong cough suppressant and source of expectorant drugs in traditional Chinese medicine.
The third listed species, Dactylorhizahatagirea (Salampanja), is threatened by habitat loss, livestock grazing, deforestation, and climate change.
It is extensively used in Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and other alternative systems of medicine to cure dysentery, gastritis, chronic fever, cough and stomach aches.
It is a perennial tuberous species endemic to the Hindu Kush and Himalayan ranges of Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, India, Nepal, and Pakistan.
Hot test of scramjet engine conducted successfully (Page no. 5)
(GS Paper 3, Science and Technology)
The Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) quest to fabricate credible next generation air-breathing scramjet engines, in order to launch satellites in a predetermined orbit at a low cost, crossed a key milestone.
The engine’s 11 second-long hot test was conducted successfully at ISRO’s Propulsion Research Complex at Mahendragiri in Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu in the presence of ISRO chairman S. Somanath, according to sources.
The scramjet, a more advanced version of the ramjet engine, can operate efficiently at hypersonic speeds. It allows supersonic combustion by breathing oxygen from the atmosphere during flight.
It then allows the oxygen to mix with hydrogen already stored in the vehicle to trigger combustion, and produce the desired thrust to lift the satellite to its designated orbit.
If the engine in the launch vehicle can breathe oxygen from the atmosphere, that will reduce nearly 70% of the propellant that has to be carried in the vehicle.
Editorial
Expand the food safety net without any more delay (Page no. 6)
(GS Paper 3, Food Security)
The National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013, through the Public Distribution System (PDS), provides a crucial safety net for roughly 800 million people. Even critics of the PDS appreciated its services during the COVID-19 lockdown.
The humanitarian crisis resulting from the COVID-19 lockdown, made it apparent that too many were still excluded from the PDS. In response to the humanitarian crisis, the Government made one sensible policy decision swiftly.
It doubled the entitlements of the 800 million who were already covered by the PDS (from five kilograms per person per month, to 10kg). But that does nothing for those without ration cards.
Another obvious solution, also suggested at the time, i.e., to increase population coverage based on population projections, fell on deaf ears.
The exclusion problem could be because the NFSA coverage ratios were too low to start with, or due to the ‘freeze’ in coverage in absolute terms (around 800 million).
PDS coverage is determined by Section 3(2) of the NFSA 2013. It states that the entitlements of eligible households “shall extend up to seventy-five per cent of the rural population and up to fifty per cent. of the urban population.”
Section 9 of NFSA required that the total number of persons to be covered “shall be calculated on the basis of the population estimates as per the census of which the relevant figures have been published.”
Any sensible policy should have an in-built mechanism for updating coverage annually to account for population increase. Between the last Census in 2011 and today, population increase has not been accounted for in determining the number of ration cards.
No one could have anticipated that the 2021 Census would be postponed indefinitely. This means that even a decadal update has not happened.
Government inaction led to the matter being taken to the Supreme Court of India in the Problems and Miseries of Migrant Labourers case (Writ petition no. 6 of 2020).
The G-20 can be the UN Security Council alternative (Page no. 6)
(GS Paper 2, International Relations)
As India begins its presidency of the G-20 (Group of Twenty), there is a certain reluctance on its part to take the bull by the horns and try to end the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
India has gone out of its way to say that Ukraine will not be the centrepiece of the G-20 this year. This position is because of the fear of failure, especially because of the position India has taken not to condemn Russia; it is not because the Russian invasion is not the most urgent issue for the world to resolve.
But after the G-20 summit in Bali, Indonesia, in November, there is greater understanding of the Indian position — as articulated by U.S. President Joe Biden himself.
Considering that the Bali declaration was virtually drafted by India, New Delhi has been recognised as a potential honest broker who may be able to end the devastating war.
The alphabetical rotation of the G-20 presidency has brought India to the right place at the right time, especially when the world is looking for an alternative to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), which has been paralysed by the veto.
Most recently, during the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the UNSC’s credibility hit rock bottom.
Any reform of the UNSC, particularly the expansion of its permanent membership, will be strongly resisted by the permanent members and a large majority of the General Assembly because it does not benefit anyone except those who aspire to be permanent members.
Every candidate has a strong opponent waiting to pounce the moment there is any serious proposal to make the candidate country a permanent member.
Among the proposals made in the last three decades, there is none that can command the votes of the five permanent members as well as two-thirds of the members of the General Assembly.
News
UGC to announce new framework for UG courses (Page no. 10)
(GS Paper 2, Education)
The University Grants Commission (UGC) is expected to announce a new credit and curriculum framework for under-graduate programmes which prescribes courses on “understanding India”, modern Indian languages and yoga.
Through the Curriculum and Credit Framework for the Undergraduate Programme (CCFUGP), the UGC aims to implement the recommendations in the National Education Policy (NEP), 2020 for making higher education multi-disciplinary.
It will replace the Choice Based Credit System that pre-dates the NEP. The framework is recommendatory and not compulsory in nature.
The curriculum prescribed by the UGC consists of major stream courses, minor stream courses along with courses from other disciplines, modern Indian language and English language, skill enhancement courses and value added courses.
For learning a modern Indian language along with English language, it has proposed eight credits out of a total of 160 credits at the end of the four-year degree.
Special emphasis of the course has to be on communication skills, and students will also be expected to “acquaint themselves with the cultural and intellectual heritage of the chosen MIL and English language.”
The value added courses common to all students could carry 6 to 8 credits and will include subjects like understanding India, environmental science, digital and technological solutions, health and wellness, yoga education, sports, and fitness.
There will be separate skill enhancement courses aimed at imparting practical skills, hands-on training and soft skills in order to enhance the employability of students. Vocational education training will also get 12 credits. Students will also receive credits for summer internships.
It will allow students multiple entries and and exits — completing the first year will fetch a student a certificate, two years will get them a diploma, after three years they will get a bachelor’s degree, and after four years a bachelor’s degree with honours.
ILO declaration urges countries to ensure labour protection (Page no. 10)
(GS Paper 3, Economy)
The 17th Asia and the Pacific Regional Meeting of the International Labour Organisation (APRM of ILO) set ten-point priorities of national action for the member countries to deal with the issue of dwindling wages of workers, inflation and unemployment.
The “Singapore Declaration”, which was adopted in Singapore on Friday by the delegates representing governments, employers and workers’ governments, employers and workers in the regions, agreed that social dialogue is essential to address labour market challenges and finding solutions in crisis situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic, natural disasters, and economic uncertainty.
The declaration said social dialogue is key to building trust, and resilient labour market institutions are essential to sustained recovery and inclusive and sustainable growth, and need to be strengthened in the regions.
Recognising that strong and representative organisations of workers and employers play an important role in building and sustaining inclusive societies and are fundamental to achieving social justice and decent work and that the social partners in some countries do not have the capacity, mechanisms or freedom to contribute effectively to policy development and discussion, the capacities and skills of employer and worker representatives, and of governments must be strengthened.
It urged the governments to ensure labour protection for all through the promotion of freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining throughout the regions, including for workers in vulnerable situations and workers in the informal economy, as enabling rights for decent work.
Governments and social partners should urgently take effective measures to address allegations of serious violations of these rights.
It called for closing gender gaps in the world of work through measures that increase women’s labour force participation, promote equal pay for work of equal value, balance work and responsibilities, and promoting women’s leadership.