02 May 2025 Current Affairs

Monsoon Instability Puts Bay of Bengal Marine Life at Risk

A recent study examining long-term climatic trends over the Bay of Bengal highlights a troubling decline in marine food availability-nearly 50%-due to intensified monsoon fluctuations over centuries to millennia. This shift, attributed to climate change, poses a significant threat to the region’s marine ecosystem.

How Climate Change is Impacting Marine Ecosystems

• Disruption in Plankton Production: Variations in monsoon patterns hinder the upwelling of nutrient-rich water from ocean depths, limiting the growth of plankton-tiny organisms that are crucial to the marine food chain and vital for oxygen production.
• Declining Biodiversity: Warmer ocean conditions and altered water chemistry are causing a decrease in marine species diversity, including fish populations, which affects food security.
• Weakened Nutrient Circulation: Reduced wind strength due to changing climate disrupts the vertical mixing of ocean layers, impacting nutrient distribution.
• Increased Ocean Acidification: As oceans absorb more carbon dioxide, their acidity rises, lowering pH levels. This hampers the availability of calcium carbonate-a key component for coral and shell-forming species to maintain structural integrity.

Conservation Measures for Marine Protection

1. International Efforts

• UNCLOS (UN Convention on the Law of the Sea): Establishes legal norms for the responsible use and conservation of ocean resources.
• MARPOL (Marine Pollution Convention): Aims to curb marine pollution from shipping and maritime activity.

2. India’s Initiatives

• Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Extends legal safeguards to marine species.
• National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems: A strategic framework for restoring and sustainably managing aquatic biodiversity and ecosystems.

Supreme Court Affirms Digital Access as a Fundamental Right

In a landmark verdict in Amar Jain vs Union of India and Others, the Supreme Court ruled that meaningful and inclusive digital access is an essential part of the fundamental right to life and personal liberty under Article 21 of the Indian Constitution.

Key Takeaways from the Judgment

• Inclusive e-KYC Norms: The Court instructed authorities to modify digital Know-Your-Customer procedures to ensure that individuals with visual impairments or disfigurement from acid attacks can access banking and e-governance platforms.
• Accessibility Mandate: Citing the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, the Court issued 20 directives to make the digital verification process user-friendly for people with disabilities.
• Substantive Equality Principle: The ruling emphasized that digital initiatives must be designed to be both inclusive and equitable, ensuring no one is left behind in the digital transformation.
• Article 21 Interpretation: The right to access digital services was recognized as inherently linked to the right to live with dignity and liberty.
• Government's Constitutional Duty: Under Articles 14, 15, 21, and 38, the State is required to create inclusive digital infrastructure, particularly for vulnerable and marginalized communities.

Why Inclusive Digital Access Matters

• Enables equitable access to welfare schemes and government services.
• Narrows the rural-urban digital divide.
• Enhances participation in online education and digital financial services.
• Promotes inclusive development by integrating marginalized groups.

Previous Key Rulings on Internet and Digital Rights

• Sabu Mathew George vs Union of India (2017): The Court ordered internet search engines to block advertisements promoting pre-natal sex determination. However, it made clear that this does not infringe on the broader right to access information and free expression.
• Anuradha Bhasin vs Union of India (2020): Recognized that access to the Internet is integral to the freedom of speech and expression (Article 19(1)(a)) and the freedom to carry out trade and business (Article 19(1)(g)).

India Aids Major Progress in Global Fusion Energy Project

The International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) has reached a major construction milestone with the successful assembly of its central magnet system—a vital component for operating its core fusion reactor. India has played a pivotal role by contributing to essential systems like the advanced cryostat and high-powered heating technologies.

What is the Tokamak Reactor?

• The Tokamak is an advanced experimental device developed to replicate the process of nuclear fusion, where light atomic nuclei fuse to form a heavier nucleus, emitting substantial energy in the process.
• It relies on a system of superconducting magnets arranged in pulses to confine the plasma.
• Originally conceptualized by Soviet scientists in the 1960s, it remains the most widely adopted design for magnetic confinement fusion experiments.
• ITER’s Tokamak will be the largest ever built-twice as big as Japan’s JT-60SA and holding six times more plasma by volume.

About ITER

• Location: Southern France
• Participants: Over 30 countries, including India, China, the EU (via Euratom), Japan, South Korea, Russia, and the USA.
• Purpose: To establish fusion as a practical, safe, and environmentally clean energy source, mirroring the energy-producing processes of stars like the sun.
• Funding Structure: The EU, as host, covers 45% of the costs, with other members contributing 9% each.

BCI Breakthrough Enables Mobility for Paralysed Individuals

In a significant scientific advancement, researchers have created a Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) system that empowers individuals with paralysis to control robotic limbs. The system translates thought-driven brain signals into movement-enabling a user to simply imagine a motion, which is then carried out by a robotic arm through AI-driven interpretation.

What is a Brain-Computer Interface (BCI)?

A Brain-Computer Interface is a technology that captures and processes brain activity from the Central Nervous System (CNS), converting these signals into instructions for external devices. It does not function using voice or muscle inputs, nor does it decode personal thoughts.

Core Components of a BCI System

• Signal Acquisition: Brain signals are detected and digitized for further analysis.
• Feature Extraction: Relevant patterns indicating the user's intent are separated from irrelevant data.
• Feature Translation Algorithm: Converts the extracted features into actionable digital commands.
• Device Output: Executes tasks like moving a robotic arm, selecting letters, or navigating a screen.

Applications of BCI Technology

• Assistive Communication: Offers alternative ways for people with disabilities to interact with technology and the world.
• Healthcare: Used for prevention, diagnosis, and rehabilitation-such as in stroke recovery or sleep disorder analysis.
• Cybersecurity: Employs unique brainwave patterns for secure identity verification, reducing reliance on traditional passwords or biometrics.
• Education & Cognitive Training: Helps evaluate comprehension levels and customize learning experiences in real time.

Supreme Court Clarifies Limits on Modification of Arbitral Awards

In the case of Gayatri Balasamy vs ISG Novasoft Technologies Ltd., the Supreme Court ruled that courts possess only limited authority to alter arbitral awards under the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996. The Court affirmed that while the Act primarily restricts courts from modifying awards, certain exceptions apply.

When Can Arbitral Awards Be Modified?

• If the disputed award contains both valid and invalid parts that can be clearly separated.
• The Court invoked the Latin maxim omne majus continet in se minus (the greater includes the lesser), indicating that the power to annul an award entirely includes the lesser power to annul it in part.
• Correction of minor mistakes such as typographical, computational, or clerical errors.
• In specific cases, courts may alter post-award interest terms.
• Courts may exercise their powers under Article 142 of the Constitution to ensure complete justice, but this must align with the core principles of the Arbitration Act.

Understanding Arbitration in India

• Definition: Arbitration is a voluntary dispute resolution method, where parties settle disagreements outside of traditional courts through private adjudication. Other mechanisms include mediation and conciliation.
• Benefits: It is typically quicker, less confrontational, and more adaptable than formal litigation.
• Legal Framework:

- Governed by the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996, which draws from the UNCITRAL Model Law (1985) on international commercial arbitration.

- Section 34(1): Allows parties to challenge an arbitral award in court only through a formal application to set it aside.

- Section 37: Specifies the grounds on which appeals against certain arbitration-related orders may be filed.

Caste Data to Be Included in Upcoming Census: Cabinet Nod

The Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs has recently approved the inclusion of caste-based data in the forthcoming national Census. This move marks a significant development in addressing the complexities of social justice and policy planning in India.

Legal and Constitutional Context

• The Census is conducted under the Census Act of 1948, which outlines the procedures and responsibilities for data collection.
• Constitutionally, Census falls under the Union List (Entry 69 of Schedule VII), making it a subject under the exclusive jurisdiction of the central government as per Article 246.

Why Caste Enumeration Matters

• Judicial Mandate: In the Indra Sawhney vs Union of India (1992) case, the Supreme Court emphasized that determining the "backwardness" of communities requires objective evaluation and must be periodically reviewed by a permanent expert body.
• Promoting Social Equity: Recording caste data will assist in identifying socially and educationally disadvantaged groups, enabling more accurate and just inclusion in welfare schemes.
• Refining Reservation Systems: By collecting detailed caste information, policymakers can design sub-categorized quotas within broader reservation categories, allowing for a more targeted and equitable distribution of benefits.
• Evidence-Based Governance: A caste census provides robust data for formulating inclusive policies tailored to the needs of marginalized communities, helping bridge socio-economic disparities.

India Resists Global Ban on Chlorpyrifos under POPs Treaty

India has raised objections to the inclusion of Chlorpyrifos, a toxic insecticide, in the global phase-out list of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). Though the chemical was added to the list in 2021 due to its hazardous nature, India has not supported its elimination.

About the Stockholm Convention

• Established: The agreement was adopted in 2001 and came into force in 2004.
• Purpose: It seeks to safeguard human health and ecosystems by reducing or eliminating the release of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)-long-lasting, bioaccumulative, and highly toxic chemical substances.
• Chemical Listing: The Convention categorizes substances in:

- Annex A: For total elimination

- Annex B: For restricted use

- Annex C: For unintentional production

India is a signatory and ratifying member of the Convention, which commits nations to take action against the most dangerous chemicals.

SeaCURE: Innovative Approach to Ocean-Based Carbon Removal

A pioneering initiative known as SeaCURE has been launched along the southern coast of England, aiming to combat climate change by extracting carbon dioxide (CO₂) directly from seawater.

About the SeaCURE Project

• Backed by the UK Government, SeaCURE is a pilot-scale initiative that explores the potential of using the ocean as a medium for carbon removal.
• The project investigates whether oceanic CO₂ extraction can serve as a more efficient and scalable alternative to conventional carbon capture techniques.
• Unlike existing technologies that capture emissions at their origin or extract CO₂ from the air, SeaCURE targets seawater, where carbon concentrations are significantly higher—up to 150 times greater than in the atmosphere.
• The method could offer a promising pathway for large-scale climate mitigation if proven viable and cost-effective.

Government Approves FRP for Sugarcane for 2024-25 Season

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), led by the Prime Minister, has given the green light to the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) for sugarcane applicable to the 2024–25 sugar season.

Understanding Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP)

• Definition: FRP is the minimum price that sugar mills are legally required to pay to farmers for their sugarcane produce, as fixed by the central government.
• Legal Basis: The power to set FRP is vested in the government under the Sugarcane (Control) Order, 1966.
• Price Determination: The rate is finalized based on suggestions made by the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP), taking into account factors like production cost, demand-supply, and profit margins.
• State-Level Variations: Certain states-such as Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, and Uttarakhand-also announce a State Advised Price (SAP), which is often higher than the centrally fixed FRP, to offer additional support to farmers.