Current Affairs Exam

• Ancient Roman Aqueduct Discovery: Archaeologists unearthed a Roman aqueduct near Rusovce Manor in Bratislava, Slovakia. This highlights the sophisticated engineering of the Roman era.
• Aqueduct Definition: Aqueducts are structures designed to transport water over long distances using pipes, canals, tunnels, and other systems. The word origin is Latin.
• Historical Significance: Aqueducts were crucial for the development of areas lacking easy access to fresh water. Ancient civilizations in India, Persia, Assyria, and Egypt used them, but the Romans are renowned for their advanced aqueduct systems.
• Roman Aqueduct System: Between 312 BCE and 230 CE, the Romans built an extensive network of aqueducts to supply water to Rome.
• Modern Aqueducts: The term “aqueduct” now includes various water transportation systems, not just bridges. The longest modern aqueduct is the Central Arizona Project in the United States.

• New Observations: Jupiter’s atmosphere around the Great Red Spot is surprisingly active and interesting.

• What it is: The Great Red Spot is a long-lasting anticyclone (high-pressure area) on Jupiter, creating a persistent storm.

• Location: Southern Hemisphere of Jupiter.

• Appearance: A giant red spot. The cause of the red color is unknown.

• Size: Diameter of 15,400 miles, almost twice the size of Earth and one-sixth the diameter of Jupiter.

• Wind Speed: Winds inside the storm reach speeds of about 270 mph.

• Lifespan: It has existed for at least 150 years, possibly longer.

• Why it lasts: Jupiter’s lack of a solid surface allows the storm to persist. A solid surface would dissipate the storm’s energy.

• Changes: The Great Red Spot changes in shape, size, and color.

• Largest Storm: It is the largest known storm in the Solar System.

• Rajya Sabha Debate: Congress MP Jairam Ramesh questioned the progress of India’s three-stage nuclear program, specifically Phase 2 (Fast Breeder Reactors) and Phase 3 (Thorium Reactors).
• Historical Context: India’s nuclear program began soon after independence, with Asia’s first research reactor, Apsara, in 1956, followed by a nuclear power plant in Tarapur in 1969.
• Visionaries: Dr. Homi J. Bhabha and Dr. Vikram Sarabhai envisioned the three-stage program to ensure India’s energy security.
• Stage I (PHWRs): Uses natural uranium as fuel and heavy water as moderator/coolant. Produces plutonium-239 as a byproduct, essential for Stage II.
• Stage II (FBRs): Uses plutonium from Stage I and natural uranium. “Breeds” more fissile material than it consumes, converting uranium-238 into more plutonium. The Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) at Kalpakkam is a key component, though facing delays.
• Stage III (Thorium Reactors): Aims to utilize India’s large thorium reserves. Thorium-232 is converted into uranium-233 through neutron irradiation. Envisions Advanced Heavy Water Reactors (AHWRs) and molten salt reactors.
• Long-Term Goal: To achieve sustained nuclear power generation primarily using thorium, reducing reliance on imported uranium and paving the way for a self-reliant nuclear energy program.

• Myanmar Earthquake Cause: Recent earthquakes in Myanmar are attributed to strike-slip faulting along the Sagaing Fault.
• Tectonic Boundary: The Sagaing Fault is a major, active tectonic boundary separating the Indian and Eurasian Plates.
• Location and Extent: It runs north-south through Myanmar, stretching 1,500 km from the Andaman Sea to the Eastern Himalayas.
• Type of Fault: It’s a right-lateral strike-slip fault, characterized by horizontal movement of fault blocks.
• Plate Movement: The northward movement of the Indian Plate causes stress buildup along the fault.
• Earthquake Mechanism: Accumulated stress releases energy as seismic waves, leading to earthquakes.
• Seismic Activity: The fault is one of the most seismically active regions in Southeast Asia.
• Strike-Slip Faults: Characterized by horizontal movement with minimal vertical displacement, common at transform boundaries.
• Importance: Understanding the Sagaing Fault is crucial for assessing earthquake risk in Myanmar and surrounding regions.

• Problem: Excessive fluoride contamination in groundwater affecting nearly 2 lakh people in 120 hamlets of Uttar Pradesh, particularly in Sonbhadra district.

• Cause: Natural leaching of fluoride from granite, an igneous rock, into groundwater.

• Definition: Fluoride contamination occurs when fluoride levels in water exceed safe limits (0.5 – 1.5 mg/L as per WHO).

• Geographical Scope: This is a widespread issue, also present in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, and Madhya Pradesh.

• Sources of Contamination:

  • Natural: Weathering of fluoride-rich rocks and volcanic activity.
  • Industrial: Emissions from industries like aluminum, steel, and fertilizer production.
  • Agricultural: Use of phosphate fertilizers and pesticides.
  • Coal combustion: Burning coal releases fluoride.

• Health Impacts:

  • Dental fluorosis: Tooth enamel damage and discoloration in children.
  • Skeletal fluorosis: Crippling bone and joint damage.

• Prevention & Control:

  • Water treatment methods: Activated alumina filters, Reverse Osmosis (RO) filtration, and the Nalgonda Technique (low-cost).

• Judiciary’s Stance: The Supreme Court (SC) asserts it can intervene when Speakers delay anti-defection decisions, emphasizing that the judiciary isn’t “powerless.”

• Anti-Defection Law (ADL): Introduced to curb political defections, promote party discipline, and ensure stable governments. The law disqualifies legislators for voluntarily leaving their party, voting against party whips, or independent/nominated members joining parties after elections.

• Speaker’s Role & Problem: The Speaker acts as a quasi-judicial authority in deciding disqualification cases but lacks a specified deadline, leading to delays.

• Impact of Delay: Undermines democracy by enabling defectors to continue in office, distorts the popular mandate, erodes political morality, and paralyzes governance. It also stalls re-elections.

• Ruling Party Advantage: Delays often benefit the ruling party, allowing them to consolidate power through defections.

• Needed Reforms:

  • Statutory Time Limit: Implement a time-bound framework (e.g., 90 days) for Speakers to decide disqualification petitions.
  • Independent Adjudication: Shift decision-making to a neutral tribunal or the Election Commission.
  • Limit Whip’s Scope: Restrict whip enforcement to crucial motions.
  • Encourage Political Ethics: Promote internal party dialogue and dissent.

• Excessive Fluoride in Uttar Pradesh: 120 hamlets in Uttar Pradesh, India, are affected by excessive fluoride levels, impacting approximately 2 lakh people. Some villages recorded fluoride levels exceeding the safe limit of 1-1.5 mg/L, reaching 2 mg/L or higher.

• Health Risks: High fluoride consumption can lead to skeletal fluorosis, accelerated dental decay, and other health problems, particularly affecting children.

• Groundwater Contamination: Besides fluoride, India’s groundwater is also contaminated with arsenic (primarily in West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, and Uttar Pradesh), uranium (across 12 states including Punjab), and iron (severe in Rajasthan, Jharkhand, and Assam). Other contaminants like antimony, cadmium, copper, and barium pose risks.

• Worst Affected States: Rajasthan has the highest fluoride contamination levels in India. Other affected states include Telangana, western Andhra Pradesh, and eastern Karnataka.

• Seasonal Variation: Fluoride contamination tends to increase during the dry, summer pre-monsoon months. Arid regions in western India show higher contamination compared to humid areas.

• Safe Limits: The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a safe fluoride limit of 1.5 mg/L in drinking water, while the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) sets the limit at 1.0 mg/L.

• SC Judges to Publicly Declare Assets: Prompted by the discovery of large sums of cash at a Delhi High Court judge’s residence, the Supreme Court has decided its judges will publicly declare their assets. The disclosures will be made to the CJI and then published on the court’s website.

• No Legal Mandate: Currently, there is no law requiring judges to publicly disclose their assets.

• Past SC Resolutions: A 1997 resolution mandated declaration to the CJI only, not the public. A 2009 decision allowed voluntary disclosure on the SC website.

• RTI Applicability: A 2019 ruling stated judges’ assets are not “personal information,” potentially making them accessible under the RTI Act.

• Low HC Compliance: As of March 2025, only 13% of High Court judges (97 out of 770) have publicly declared assets.

• HC Resistance: Several High Courts (Allahabad, Rajasthan, Bombay, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Uttarakhand) have strongly opposed public disclosure and RTI requests.

• Comparison to Other Public Servants: Civil servants (under AIS Conduct Rules) and political candidates must declare assets. MPs/MLAs and Union Ministers also have asset declaration requirements. This difference in treatment has raised questions of equality and accountability.

The public disclosure of judges’ assets aims to increase transparency and accountability within the judiciary, aligning it with standards expected of other public servants.

• Ambitious Approach Needed: EAM Jaishankar urged BIMSTEC to adopt a more ambitious approach, given the evolving global order that is becoming increasingly regional and agenda-specific. This suggests a need for BIMSTEC to be more proactive and impactful in addressing regional challenges and opportunities.

• India’s Central Role & Connectivity: Jaishankar highlighted India’s crucial role, particularly its northeastern region, in establishing transport and connectivity linkages within BIMSTEC. This emphasizes India’s commitment to facilitating regional integration and infrastructure development.

• Meeting Context: The foreign ministers’ meeting in Bangkok served as preparation for the upcoming BIMSTEC Summit.

• BIMSTEC’s Core Purpose: It aims to foster economic and technical cooperation among countries bordering the Bay of Bengal, bridging South and Southeast Asia.

• Membership: BIMSTEC includes Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, and Thailand.

• Origin & Structure: Established in 1997, it operates through a rotational chairmanship and consensus-based decision-making. The permanent secretariat is in Dhaka.

• Charter Adoption: The BIMSTEC Charter was adopted in 2022, providing the organization with a legal framework.

• Key Objectives: Focus on economic growth, social progress, trade and investment, transport and connectivity, regional security, technical collaboration, and sustainable development.