UPSC Daily Current Affairs- 15th October 2023 | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly PDF Download

GS-I

Palk Strait

Subject: Geography

Why in News?

India and Sri Lanka recently launched a ferry service across the Palk Strait under a new roadmap for greater connectivity.

About Palk Strait:

• It is a strait that lies between the Tamil Nadu state of India and the island nation of Sri Lanka.
• The strait is named after Robert Palk, who was a governor of Madras Presidency (1755-1763) during the British Raj period.
• It is bounded on the south by Pamban Island (India), Adam’s (Rama’s) Bridge (a chain of shoals), the Gulf of Mannar, and Mannar Island (Sri Lanka). 
• It connects the Bay of Bengal in the northeast with the Gulf of Mannar in the southwest.
• The southwestern portion of the strait is also called Palk Bay.
• The strait is 40 to 85 miles (64 to 137 km) wide, 85 miles long, and less than 330 feet (100 metres) deep.
• Several rivers flow into it, including the Vaigai River of Tamil Nadu.        
• The port of Jaffna, the commercial centre for northern Sri Lanka, lies on the strait.

Key Facts about Adam’s Bridge:

• Adam's Bridge, also known as Rama's Bridge or Rama Setu, is a chain of limestone shoals, between Pamban Island, also known as Rameswaram Island, off the south-eastern coast of Tamil Nadu, India, and Mannar Island, off the north-western coast of Sri Lanka. 
• Geological evidence suggests that this bridge is a former land connection between India and Sri Lanka. 
• The bridge is 50 km long and separates the Gulf of Mannar (south-west) from the Palk Strait (northeast).
• Some of the sandbanks are dry, and the sea in the area is very shallow, being only 1 to 10 metres deep in places, which hinders navigation. 
• Scientists believe Ram Setu is a natural structure formed due to tectonic movements and sand getting trapped in corals.
• The structure has significance in both Hindu and Muslim mythology. While the Hindus believe this is the bridge built by Lord Ram and his army to cross to Lanka and fight Ravan, as per Islamic legend, Adam used this bridge to reach Adam’s Peak in Sri Lanka, where he stood on one foot for 1,000 years in repentance.

Source: Hindustan Times

GS-II

National Human Rights Commission

Subject: Polity

Why in News?

The National Human Rights Commission celebrated its 30th Foundation Day recently.

About the National Human Rights Commission:-

• Established: 1993.
• HQ: New Delhi.
• NHRC is a statutory body established under the Protection of Human Rights Act (PHRA), 1993.
• The Act also provides for the creation of the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) as well.

Historical Background:-

• NHRC was established in conformity with the Paris Principles.
• Paris Principles: adopted for the promotion and protection of human rights in Paris in 1991. It was endorsed by the General Assembly of the United Nations in 1993.

Composition of NHRC:-

• It is a multi-member body. 
• It consists of a chairperson, five full-time Members, and seven deemed Members.
• Chairperson: a retired chief justice of India or a judge of the Supreme Court.
• Appointments:-
• The chairman and members are appointed by the President on the recommendations of a six-member committee consisting of:-
  • Prime Minister (head)
  • Speaker of the Lok Sabha
  • Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha
  • Leaders of the Opposition in both Houses of Parliament
  • Union Home Minister.
• Term: three years or until they attain the age of 70 years, whichever is earlier.
• Removal: The president can remove them from office under specific circumstances.
• They can be removed only on the charges of proven misbehaviour or incapacity if proved by an inquiry conducted by a Supreme Court Judge.

Functions of NHRC:-

• To investigate the violation of human rights.
• To prevent a human rights violation.
• To conduct research about human rights.
• To create awareness campaigns through various mediums, and encourage the work of non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
• NGO: a group that functions independently of any government.
• It is the watchdog of human rights in the country.

Source: AIR

Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU)

Subject: Polity

Why in News?

Vice President of India recently interacted with the President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union on the sidelines of the G20 Parliamentary Speakers' Summit (P20).

About Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU):

• IPU is the international organization of Parliaments.
• I was established in 1889 in Paris to promote representative democracy and world peace.
• The IPU facilitates parliamentary diplomacy and empowers parliaments and parliamentarians to promote peace, democracy, and sustainable development around the world. 
• It was the first multilateral political organization in the world, encouraging cooperation and dialogue between all nations. 
• Slogan: “For democracy. For everyone”
• Today, the IPU comprises 179 member parliaments and 13 associate members. 
• It promotes democracy and helps parliaments become stronger, younger, gender-balanced, and more diverse.
• It also defends the human rights of parliamentarians through a dedicated committee made up of MPs from around the world.
• The IPU moved its headquarters to Geneva in 1921.
• Funding: The IPU is financed primarily by its members out of public funds.
• Structure:
  • IPU Assembly:
    • It is the principal statutory body that expresses the views of the IPU on political issues.
    • It brings together parliamentarians to study international problems and make recommendations for action.
  • Governing Council:
    • It is the plenary policymaking body of the IPU.
    • It is composed of three representatives from each member parliament.
    • The President of the IPU is ex-officio President of the Governing Council.
    • The Council establishes the annual programme and budget of the IPU.
    • Occasionally, the Council considers substantive issues and adopts thematic resolutions and policy statements.
    • A number of committees and working groups are subordinated to it and report to the Council on their work.
  • Executive Committees:
    • In accordance with the IPU statutes, this 17-member body oversees the administration of the IPU and provides advice to the Governing Council.
    • The 15 members of the Executive Committee are elected by the Council for a four-year term.
    • The President of the IPU is an ex officio member and President of the Committee.
  • Standing Committees: There are three Standing Committees set up by the IPU Governing Council to assist the Assembly in its work.
  • Meeting of Women Parliamentarians:
    • It is a separate organ of the IPU, which meets on the occasion of the first round of Statutory Meetings of the IPU and reports on its work to the Governing Council.
    • The meeting can be attended by the parliamentarians of both sexes.
    • The agenda of the meeting includes one but not more than two substantive items for debate, which may relate to the competence of the Assembly.

Source: Times of India

GS-III

Methane emission

Subject: Environment 

Why in News?

 A recent study states that cutting down on Methane emission by Targeted methane mitigation can avoid 0.1°C warming in 2050.

Key Highlights of the report:-

• The report was released jointly by the International Energy Agency, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the UNEP-convened Climate and Clean Air Coalition.
• Around 580 million tonnes (Mt) of methane is emitted every year globally, 60 per cent of which comes from human activities, according to the latest assessment.
• Under current trajectories, total anthropogenic methane emissions could rise by up to 13 per cent between 2020 and 2030.
• The report called for rapid cuts in methane emissions from fossil fuels as it will prevent global warming to an extent greater than the emissions impact of immediately taking all cars and trucks in the world off the road.
• It urged that methane abatement measures should be above and beyond the decarbonization efforts for the energy sector.
• Without targeted action on methane, even with deep reductions in fossil fuel use, the increase in the global average surface temperature will likely exceed 1.6°C by 2050.
• The fossil fuel sector likely holds the largest potential for rapid and low-cost reductions in methane emissions.
• More than 80 Mt of annual methane emissions from fossil fuels can be avoided by 2030 using existing technologies, often at low – or even negative – costs.
• Around $75 billion is required by 2030 for all methane abatement measures in the oil and gas sector in the Net Zero scenario, according to the findings. “This is equivalent to less than 2 per cent of the income generated by the oil and gas industry in 2022,”.
• Controlling methane emissions will also provide health benefits and enhance food security.

About Methane Emission:-

• Methane (CH4) is the simplest hydrocarbon, consisting of one carbon atom and four hydrogen atoms.
• It is a colorless, odorless, and highly flammable gas, and the main component in natural gas.
• It is such a potent heat absorber.
• It is the primary component of natural gas.
• It is a powerful greenhouse gas.
• It warms the planet more than 80 times as quickly as a comparable volume of atmospheric CO2 over a comparable amount of time.
• It is estimated to have been responsible for 30 per cent of global warming since the Industrial Revolution.
• Methane pollution, which is a primary component of ground-level ozone.
• It has been linked to heart disease, birth defects, asthma and other adverse health impacts.

Sources of Methane:-

• Biological Sources: it is made from some organic compounds by methane-generating microbes known as
• Agriculture: Livestock emissions from manure and gastroenteric releases account for roughly 32% of human-caused methane emissions.
  • Cows also belch out methane.
• Emissions from Fuel and Industries.

Initiatives to reduce methane emission:-

• COP 26 Pledges: At COP26 in Glasgow, over 100 countries signed an agreement to cut methane emissions by 30% by 2030 as methane might be easier to deal with than carbon dioxide.
• MethaneSAT: a planned American-New Zealand space mission scheduled for launch later in 2022.
  • It will be an Earth observation satellite that will monitor and study global methane emissions in order to combat climate change.
• UN Initiatives: The UN Food Systems Summit in September 2021 was also aimed at helping make farming and food production more environmentally friendly.
• India’s Initiative: Central Salt & Marine Chemical Research Institute (CSMCRI) in collaboration with the country’s three leading institutes developed a seaweed-based animal feed additive formulation that aims to reduce methane emissions from cattle.

Source: The Hindu