07.04.25

• Second Human Fatality in India: A girl in Andhra Pradesh died from the H5N1 bird flu virus, marking India’s second confirmed human death from this strain since 2021.

• Exposure and Symptoms: The girl reportedly consumed raw chicken and developed high fever and diarrhea before passing away on March 16.

• H5N1 Overview: H5N1 is a type of avian influenza virus, deadly to birds and occasionally transmissible to humans.

• Transmission & Fatality: Primarily spreads through direct contact with infected birds/contaminated environments. Human-to-human transmission is rare. H5N1 has a high mortality rate (~60%).

• Global Context: First human cases emerged in 1997 (Hong Kong). Most cases have been in Asia, linked to close contact with infected birds. WHO recorded 972 confirmed human cases (2003-Feb 2025).

• Symptoms & Treatment: Common symptoms: fever, cough, sore throat, muscle aches. Antiviral drugs (e.g., oseltamivir) are effective if administered early.

• Prevention Measures: Medical officers are screening hospital visitors for fever, though government officials have ruled out an outbreak. Affected areas declared red zones.

• Poultry Culling: Dozens of chickens died in Andhra Pradesh, resulting in the culling of hundreds of chickens in affected and nearby farms.

• Pandemic Potential: While H5N1 poses a threat, one case isn’t indicative of a pandemic. The virus requires further study to determine if it is easily transmissible among humans. Avian influenza is not currently on the WHO priority list of pathogens of pandemic potential.

• Chicken Consumption: Properly cooked chicken is safe to eat, as high temperatures kill the virus.

• Vegetation Decline: Dense vegetation in Balukhand-Konark Wildlife Sanctuary decreased from 41.8% in 1993 to 37.1% in 2023. This impacts the ecosystem that supports various species.

• Dominance of Sparse Vegetation: Sparse vegetation now covers over 50% of the sanctuary area.

• Cyclone Impact: Intense cyclones like Fani significantly degrade vegetation and alter the ecosystem permanently. Increased frequency of storms due to climate change worsens the decline.

• Shoreline Changes: Northern shores are eroding rapidly, while southern parts are experiencing sediment deposition.

• Future Erosion Concerns: Projections indicate potential erosion of over 51 meters in northern areas and deposition of up to 179 meters in southern sections by 2043.

• Ecological Consequences: Loss of vegetation threatens migratory birds, deer, reptiles, and Olive Ridley turtles nesting grounds.

• Location and Significance: The sanctuary is located in Puri district, Odisha, and is important for Olive Ridley turtle nesting.

• Study Details: A study by Fakir Mohan University and Federal University of Paraiba (Brazil) used satellite data and machine learning to analyze land use and shoreline changes from 1993-2023, predicting trends through 2043.

• River System: Traversed by the rivulets such as Nuanai River, Kusabhadra River, Kadua River, and Prachi River.

• Establishment: It was declared a sanctuary on 23 April 1984, it has an area of 87 sq.km.

• Pipalapanka Dam Revival: Odisha government’s renewed dam project at Pipalapanka, Ganjam district, sparks protests.

• Rushikulya River Threat: Locals and environmentalists fear the dam endangers the Rushikulya River.

• Priority to Industries: Allegations that the dam prioritizes water supply to industries, including Adani Group’s Gopalpur port, over ecological needs and local agriculture.

• Ecological Damage Concerns: Prafulla Samantara, along with other activists, highlight potential ecological damage and demand project withdrawal.

• Rushikulya River Importance: The river flows through Kandhamal, Ganjam, and Boudh districts, originating in Daringbadi. Tributaries weakened by prior damming.

• Olive Ridley Turtle Nesting: Rushikulya River mouth is crucial for Olive Ridley Turtle nesting (Arribada). Dam could increase salinity intrusion and reduce fish yield.

• Climate Change Impact: Rising temperatures are skewing turtle sex ratios, further endangering the species.

• Activist Opposition: Environmentalists argue the dam’s real purpose is industrial water supply, not irrigation, and cite threats to the river’s health from sand mining and industrial projects.

• Global Maternal Mortality: Approximately 260,000 maternal deaths occurred worldwide in 2023, equating to 712 deaths daily.
• Significant Reduction: A 40% decrease in maternal mortality has been achieved globally since 2000, indicating progress in healthcare access.
• Regional Disparities: Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for 70% of global maternal deaths, while Central and Southern Asia contribute nearly 17%.
• Conflict Zones: Countries in conflict or experiencing fragility accounted for 64% of global maternal deaths in 2023.
• Leading Countries: Nigeria had the highest number of maternal deaths (approximately 75,000), comprising 28.7% of the global total.
• India’s Situation: India, along with the Democratic Republic of Congo, recorded the second-highest number of maternal deaths in 2023 (19,000 each). India’s maternal mortality rate (MMR) declined by 78% from 2000 to 2023 (362 to 80).
• COVID-19 Impact: The COVID-19 pandemic worsened maternal mortality, with an estimated 40,000 additional deaths in 2021 compared to 2020.
• Primary Cause: Haemorrhage remains the leading direct obstetric cause of maternal deaths globally.
• UN Report: The “Trends in Maternal Mortality 2000-2023” report was published by the United Nations Maternal Mortality Estimation Inter-Agency Group (MMEIG).

• Delays in India’s FBR Program: India’s 3-stage nuclear program, particularly the deployment of Fast Breeder Reactors (FBRs) in Stage 2, is facing delays.
• HALEU-Thorium as an Alternative: Former BARC chief suggests using High Assay Low Enriched Uranium (HALEU) and thorium in existing Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) as an alternative.
• HALEU Benefits: HALEU, enriched between 5% and 20% U-235, isn’t yet widely commercially available.
• Thorium Utilization: This approach allows for earlier use of India’s abundant thorium reserves, enhancing long-term sustainability.
• Fuel Recycling: Spent fuel from HALEU-thorium PHWRs can be reprocessed to extract fissile material.
• Molten Salt Reactors (MSRs): The reprocessed material can be used in advanced reactors like Molten Salt Reactors (MSRs), part of India’s 3rd stage, maximizing fuel efficiency and minimizing waste.
• Addressing Baseload Capacity: Kakodkar’s suggestion comes at a time when India needs to increase baseload nuclear capacity due to the rapid expansion of renewables and grid instability.
• Increasing Nuclear Output: Recycling uranium and incorporating thorium are crucial for exponentially increasing nuclear power output given uranium supply constraints.
• Private Sector Role: Private sector has a secondary role to mobilize the program and scale it up due to government’s acknowledgement of nuclear energy to achieve the ‘Viksit Bharat’ goals.

• 7th Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG) in Bihar: Scheduled for May 4-15, 2025, across five cities: Patna, Rajgir, Gaya, Bhagalpur, and Begusarai. Shooting, gymnastics & track cycling events will be in New Delhi.

• Large Scale Event: Expected to feature over 10,000 athletes competing in more than 25 sports.

• Diverse Khelo India Games: Union Sports Minister highlights plans for 14 types of Khelo India Games, including tribal, beach, martial arts, and water games.

• Permanent Venues & Calendar: Potential for permanent venues and a structured calendar to aid athlete preparation and logistics.

• Digitization & Training Pool: Data digitization to create a large athlete pool for training in world-class facilities to meet international standards.

• Domestic Sports Science: Focus on providing sports science support to athletes within India instead of sending them abroad. Expansion of training centers across the country.

• Corporate Sector Involvement: Encouraging corporate sector to support individual games, aiming for professional sports management, transparency, accountability, and efficient governance.

• Channeling Resources for Medals: Emphasis on creating a robust system to channel resources effectively, leading to improved international medal output.

• Grassroots Initiative: The Khelo India Programme promotes a strong sports culture at the grassroots level.

Coastal Shipping Bill, 2024

• Objective: Promote cost-effective, sustainable coastal trade and reduce reliance on roadways/railways.
• Key Provisions:
  • Dedicated legal framework replacing outdated vessel-centric laws.
  • Simplified licensing for foreign vessels, regulated by the Director General of Shipping.
  • National Coastal and Inland Shipping Strategic Plan, revised biennially.
  • National Database for Coastal Shipping for data-driven policy and transparency.
  • Expanded eligibility for chartering to NRIs, OCIs, and LLPs.
  • Active state/UT participation via a multi-stakeholder committee.
• Why: To increase coastal shipping’s freight share, reduce logistics costs and emissions, and align with national policies like Atma Nirbhar Bharat. It will help to improve maritime sector while providing economical, reliable and sustainable mode of transportation.

Protection of Interest in Aircraft Objects Bill, 2025

• Objective: Strengthen legal protection for aircraft financiers/lessors in India.
• Key Provisions:
  • Supremacy to the Cape Town Convention and Aircraft Protocol over domestic laws.
  • International arbitration for dispute resolution.
  • Streamlined repossession procedures for lessors in case of default, without court intervention.
• Why: To enhance India’s compliance with international standards, reduce risk premiums for aircraft leasing, and improve the aviation sector’s investment climate. This also boosts india’s compliance with the Cape Town Convention Index (AWG), making Indian airlines eligible for 8-10% lease cost discounts under the Convention.

• Vertical Lift Malfunction: The new Pamban Rail Bridge’s vertical lift span got stuck midway while being lowered after inauguration.
• Cause of Concern: The incident caused concern among railway officials.
• Minor Issue: Railway officials downplayed the incident as a minor teething problem, which was eventually resolved.
• Trains Operational: Seven trains, including the inaugural run of the Rameswaram-Tambaram train, ran over the bridge.
• Embarrassing Incident: The incident proved embarrassing for officials despite the Railway Ministry touting the bridge as an engineering marvel.
• Uneven Lowering: The Pamban-end of the lift span got stuck causing the other end (Mandapam) lowered unevenly, leaving the span in a slanted position.
• Troubleshooting: Officials took approximately 30 minutes to resolve the issue and lower the lift completely.
• Bridge Overview: The Pamban Rail Bridge connects Rameswaram Island to mainland Tamil Nadu. The new bridge replaces the old bascule bridge with a vertical lift mechanism. The bridge spans 2.07 kilometers and is designed to last 100 years.

• Hadean Protocrust Redefined: A new study challenges the established understanding of when plate tectonics began.

• Early Chemical Signatures: Researchers found chemical signatures previously linked to plate tectonics were present in the Hadean protocrust, Earth’s earliest crust.

• Hadean Eon Setting: The Hadean Eon (4.6 to 4 billion years ago) featured a partially molten surface, intense volcanic activity, and meteorite bombardment.

• Crust Formation: As the magma ocean cooled, a flaky, unstable crust formed, with thicker sections evolving into proto-continents.

• Plate Tectonics Questioned: The study suggests that processes other than plate subduction may have created these signatures in the early Earth.

• Research Methodology: The study combined models and laboratory research.

• Need for Validation: Independent research is needed to validate the study’s findings.

• Study Lead: Macquarie University in Australia led the international research team.

• Importance of Hadean Protocrust: Understanding the Hadean protocrust provides insight into early Earth formation, crustal evolution, and potentially the conditions for early life.

• Evidence Location: Evidence of Hadean protocrust is primarily found in zircon crystals from the Jack Hills, Australia.

• Publication: The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) released the 26th edition of “Women and Men in India 2024: Selected Indicators and Data.”

• Comprehensive Overview: It offers a gender-disaggregated view of India across population, education, health, economic participation, and decision-making using official statistics.

• Gender Parity Index (GPI): High GPI at primary and higher secondary levels indicates strong female enrollment.

• Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR): Improved significantly for women (15+) from 49.8% (2017-18) to 60.1% (2023-24).

• Financial Inclusion: Women own 39.2% of bank accounts, contributing 39.7% of deposits, with higher participation (42.2% of account holders) in rural areas.

• DEMAT Accounts: Increased significantly, showing growing female participation in the stock market. Female accounts rose from 6.67 million in 2021 to 27.71 million in 2024.

• Female-Headed Establishments: Rising percentage in manufacturing, trade, and other services sectors (2021-2024).

• Voter Turnout: Total electors grew significantly. Female voter turnout (65.8% in 2024) surpassed male turnout, even with a slight dip from 2019 (67.2%).

• Female Entrepreneurship: Increased number of startups recognized by DPIIT with at least one woman director, rising from 1,943 in 2017 to 17,405 in 2024.

• Purpose: The report serves as a crucial resource for policymakers and researchers, highlighting progress and disparities in gender equality.