12.04.25

Olive Ridleys of India

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  • Ancient Lineage: Study reveals Indian Ocean Olive Ridley turtles are among the oldest globally, predating divergence of Atlantic and Pacific populations by 300,000-400,000 years. Challenges the previous theory that Central American turtles are the oldest.
  • Genetically Distinct Nesting: 16-year study confirms nesting population in Odisha is genetically distinct from other global populations, including South American coast.
  • Mass Nesting (Arribada): Exhibit arribada, mass nesting where thousands of females nest together. Migrate 9,000 km from
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    Pacific to Indian seas.
  • Record Nesting in Odisha: Gahirmatha and Rushikulya in Odisha saw over 1.3 million turtles nesting in 2024, surpassing the 2023 record of 1.15 million.
  • Conservation Status: Protected under India’s Wildlife Protection Act (Schedule I), IUCN Red List (Vulnerable), and CITES (Appendix I).
  • Key Nesting Sites: Apart from Gahirmatha and Rushikulya, Devi River mouth in Odisha and Andaman Islands are also important nesting sites.
  • Threats: Face threats from bycatch, poaching, habitat loss, plastic pollution, and climate change (rising temperatures and sea levels).

RTI Act

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  • DPDP Act Concerns: Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi and other opposition leaders criticize the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, fearing it will dilute the Right to Information (RTI) framework. They are urging the repeal of Section 44(3) of the DPDP Act.

  • RTI Act Amendment: The DPDP Act proposes to amend Section 8(1)(j) of the RTI Act, potentially restricting the disclosure of personal information even if it serves a larger public interest. The two key grounds on which information could be disclosed provided it serves larger public interests, have been done away with.

  • Government’s Stance: Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw asserts the DPDP Act protects personal information (citing the Puttaswamy judgment on privacy as a fundamental right) and is in harmony with transparency.

  • RTI Act’s Purpose:

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The RTI Act aims to empower citizens, promote transparency, accountability, and contain corruption in government.

  • RTI Act’s Structure: The RTI Act established Central and State Information Commissions to handle appeals and complaints.

  • Challenges to Information Commissions: Vacancies, mounting pendency, delayed hearings, opacity, and casual handling of RTI queries are challenges for the Central Information Commission. State Information Commissions also face issues like being defunct, headless, and delays.

  • Right to privacy is integral part of right to life as stated in Puttaswamy Judgement.

    • Senior Citizen Welfare Act

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    • Supreme Court Ruling: Dismissed a senior couple’s plea to evict their son under the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007 (MWPSC Act).

    • Purpose of MWPSC Act: Empowers senior citizens (60+) unable to maintain themselves to seek maintenance from children/legal heirs. Aims to ensure a dignified life for elderly parents.

    • Obligations: Children/relatives are legally obligated to provide for elderly parents. Dedicated tribunals and appellate bodies exist to handle maintenance cases.

    • Section 23(1): Allows senior citizens to void property transfers (gifts) if the transferee fails to provide basic care as agreed upon. Transfer is deemed fraudulent if condition is not met.

    • Section 23(2): Secures maintenance rights even after property transfer, provided the new owner is aware

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      of the obligation.

    • Eviction Power (SC Clarification): Tribunals can order eviction of children/relatives if necessary

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      to ensure the senior citizen’s maintenance and protection, especially in cases of breached maintenance obligations. The power to order eviction is “implicit” under Section 23(2).

    • Competing Claims: Tribunals must carefully consider “competing claims” before ordering eviction.

    • Why Eviction Was Denied: In this specific case, the Supreme Court found no evidence of the son’s mistreatment or harassment after a previous tribunal order. Eviction is not mandatory in every case.

    • DV Act Considerations: While the Senior Citizens Act allows eviction, protections under the Domestic Violence Act (DV Act) remain valid. Women’s residence rights must be carefully balanced against senior citizens’ rights.

    • Maintenance Definition: The act allows parents to file a suit for maintenance against their children or relatives to meet the parents’ needs “so that such parent may lead a normal life”.

    ENSO

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    • La Niña Officially Ends: NOAA confirms the end of the recent La Niña event in the tropical Pacific Ocean.
    • Transition to ENSO-Neutral: The climate system is now in ENSO-neutral conditions, expected to persist through summer and with a high chance into autumn.
    • ENSO Explained: ENSO involves changes in sea-surface temperatures (SST) in the central and eastern tropical Pacific, influencing global weather.
    • ENSO Phases:
      • El Niño: Warmer-than-usual SSTs.
      • La Niña: Cooler-than-usual SSTs.
      • ENSO-Neutral: Neither El Niño nor La Niña dominates.
    • March 2025 Observations: SST anomalies in the Niño-3.4 region reached -0.01°C, above the La Niña threshold.
    • Why This
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      Matters:       ENSO significantly affects global agriculture and weather patterns. El Niño weakens monsoon rains, while La Niña enhances them.
    • Climate Change Impact: Studies suggest increased frequency of extreme El Niño events due to warmer Pacific waters.
    • Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD): A positive IOD
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      can offset El Niño’s impact on the monsoon.
    • Trade Winds: Persisting trade winds initially indicate a transition in process.

    Mount Spurr

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    • Increased Seismic Activity: Dozens of mini-earthquakes, including “swarms,” have been recorded at Mount Spurr, indicating rising magma and increased pressure.
    • Eruption Threat: Scientists fear a major eruption is imminent due to the increased seismic activity and elevated gas emissions.
    • Potential Ash Cloud: An eruption could be explosive, with ash plumes reaching up to 50,000 feet. Each explosive event may last 3-4 hours.
    • Anchorage on Alert: Anchorage, with over 300,000 residents, is on emergency alert (Level 2) and is located 81 miles from the volcano.
    • Community Preparedness: Residents are stocking up on essentials like food, water, pet supplies, N95 masks, and protective gear.
    • Rising Unrest: Concerns began in April 2024, with a significant increase in weekly quakes and gas emissions by October 2024.
    • Gas Emissions: Elevated carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide emissions signal magma heating water and gas below the surface.
    • Volcanic Tremor
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      as Indicator:       Sustained volcanic tremor would be the next sign of an imminent eruption.
    • Last Eruption Impact: The 1992 eruption from Crater Peak (a side vent) blanketed Anchorage in ash and shut down the airport.
    • Most Likely Eruption Site: Experts expect the next eruption to likely occur from Crater Peak again.
    • Pet Preparedness: Pet stores are experiencing high demand for protective goggles and respirators for pets.
    • Monitoring: The National Transportation Safety Board and US Geological Survey are closely monitoring the volcano.

    KATRIN and Neutrino Mass

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    • Neutrinos are fundamental, lightweight particles: Electrically neutral, produced in processes like radioactive decay and nuclear reactions (e.g., in the sun). Their mass is unknown but tiny, less than a millionth of an electron’s mass.
    • KATRIN’s Goal: The Karlsruhe Tritium Neutrino experiment in Germany aims to precisely measure the mass of the electron antineutrino.
    • How KATRIN Works: Studies tritium decay, focusing on the emitted electron’s energy, which is affected by the neutrino’s mass. Measuring electron energies helps estimate the neutrino’s mass upper limit.
    • Latest KATRIN Finding: Reduced the upper limit of the neutrino mass to less than 0.45 electron volts (eV). This is a significant improvement (nearly 50% reduction) based on precise measurements of 36 million electrons from tritium decay.
    • Significance of Neutrino Mass Measurement:
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      Crucial for understanding cosmology (dark matter/dark energy) and developing theories beyond the Standard Model of particle physics.
    • India’s Contribution: The proposed India-based Neutrino Observatory (INO) in Tamil Nadu will focus on studying atmospheric neutrinos.

    Jyotiba Phule: Reformer

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    • Why in News: Jyotiba Phule’s birth anniversary was observed on April 11th.

    • Birth and Background: Born April 11, 1827, in the Mali caste. An incident at a Brahmin wedding motivated him to fight caste oppression.

    • Educational Reforms:

      • Cofounded India’s first school for girls with his wife Savitribai in 1848.
      • Established 18
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        more schools in the following three years.
      • Started night schools for workers, farmers, and women in Pune by 1855.

    • Social Reforms & Opposition to Orthodoxy:

      • Opposed caste system and criticized figures like Chiplunkar and Tilak.
      • Favored working with the British government for the upliftment of oppressed castes and women.

    • Satyashodhak Samaj:

      • Founded in 1873 as an alternative to upper-caste dominated reform movements like Brahmo Samaj.

    • Critique of 1857 Revolt: Viewed it as an upper-caste effort to restore Brahmin rule.

    • Views on Slavery: Compared caste oppression in India to American slavery in Gulamgiri.

    • Economic Upliftment: Advocated compulsory education and economic empowerment for lower castes.

    • Religious Freedom: Defended Pandita Ramabai’s right to convert to Christianity in Satsar.

    • Farming Reforms: Critiqued the exploitation of peasantry in Shetkaryanche Asud, advocating for constructive governmental approaches and farmers education.

    • Rationalism: Sarvajanik Satya Dharma Pustak promoted a just society with a rational view of God, rejecting sectarianism. He stated that the caste is a human invention.

    • Influence: Inspired by Thomas Paine’s The Rights of Man and Age of Reason.

    • Recognition: Bestowed with the title “Mahatma” in 1888.

    MCQ Drills

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    • Daily Practice MCQs: The post promotes daily multiple-choice questions (MCQs) for practice, focusing on current affairs and general knowledge.

    • Vitamin D Deficiency (Q1): This MCQ assesses understanding of Vitamin D deficiency in India, exploring prevalence in urban vs. rural areas, the role of skin tone and dietary intake limitations.

    • “Bluewashing” (Q2): The question probes the understanding of a term often found in news, focusing on ethical and social responsibility misrepresentation by organizations.

    • Long-Range Glide Bomb ‘Gaurav’ (Q3): This MCQ tests knowledge about a specific defense technology, covering its development, capabilities, and guidance system.

    • Focus on Current Affairs: The MCQs are designed

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      to test the audience’s knowledge of current events and general awareness.

    • Answers

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      Provided (Indirectly): The answers to the MCQs will be revealed the next day, alongside the Daily Current Affairs. This encourages consistent engagement and learning.

    ABSS Scheme

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    • 104 Stations Complete: Railway Minister announces completion of 104 stations out of 1,300 being redeveloped under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme. This signifies tangible progress in the large-scale modernization project.

    • Amrit Bharat Station Scheme (ABSS): Launched in February 2023, it aims to modernize and enhance railway stations across India. The goal is to improve passenger facilities and integrate stations with surrounding city areas.

    • Extensive Redevelopment: The scheme involves upgrading 1,300 stations with amenities such as improved access, waiting halls, toilets, lifts/escalators, cleanliness, Wi-Fi, and better

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      passenger information systems. This is intended to transform stations into vibrant city centers.

    • Localized Approach: The scheme tailors development to each station’s unique requirements, drawing inspiration from local culture and heritage. This ensures stations reflect their regional identity.

    • Maharashtra Progress: 132 stations in Maharashtra are included in the scheme, with significant progress reported. This indicates a focused effort on upgrading railway infrastructure in the state.

    • Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT): Mumbai’s CSMT is being redeveloped as a world-class facility with an estimated cost of Rs 1,800 crore.

    • Modern Amenities: The scheme equips stations with amenities such as waiting lounges, food courts, clean restrooms, lifts, escalators, and digital facilities. These are aimed at enhancing passenger experience.

    • Gondia-Ballarshah Line Doubling: The Centre has approved the doubling of the Gondia-Ballarshah railway line with an investment of Rs 4,819 crore. This will strengthen Maharashtra’s rail links.

    M-CADWM Modernization

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    • Scheme Approval: The Union Cabinet approved the Modernization of Command Area Development and Water Management (M-CADWM) as a sub-scheme under Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY).
    • Financial Outlay & Timeline: The scheme has an initial outlay of ₹1,600 crore and will run from 2025-2026.
    • Key Goal: To modernize the irrigation water supply network to improve water access for farming clusters.
    • Focus on Small Landholders: Aims to help farmers with small land holdings by improving water-use efficiency.
    • Technology Integration: Employs advanced technologies like SCADA and IoT for better water accounting and management, increasing Water Use Efficiency (WUE).
    • Underground Piped Irrigation: Implements underground pressurized, piped irrigation systems up to 1 hectare per farm to enhance micro-irrigation.
    • Sustainable Practices: Promotes Irrigation Management Transfer (IMT) to Water User Societies (WUS) for independent management of irrigation assets.
    • Community Support: Provides support to WUS for five years, connecting them with Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) or Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies (PACS) for sustainable water management.
    • Youth Engagement: Seeks to attract youth to agriculture by promoting modern irrigation techniques.
    • CADWM Program Start: The Command Area Development &
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      Water Management (CADWM) Program was started as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme in the year 1974-75.
    • Command Area Definition: The command area is the geographical area that receives water from an irrigation system.