UPSC Daily Current Affairs - 8th November 2023 | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly PDF Download

GS-I

Lower Subansiri Hydroelectric Project: How Ignored Landslide Alert Led to Subansiri Running Dry

Subject: Geography

Why in News?

A landslide has caused harm to a section of the Lower Subansiri Hydroelectric project, which is currently under construction in the regions of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam. This incident has led to disruptions in the downstream flow of the Subansiri river.

About the Subansiri River:

• Subansiri River, known as Chayul Chu in Tibet, is a trans-Himalayan river that serves as a right bank tributary to the Brahmaputra River.
• Its course spans through Tibet's Lhuntse County within the Shannan Prefecture, as well as the Indian states of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam.
• The Subansiri River has an approximate length of 518 km (322 mi) and covers a drainage basin spanning 32,640 square km (12,600 sq mi).
• It holds the distinction of being the largest tributary of the Brahmaputra, contributing 7.92% of the Brahmaputra's total flow.

About the Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project (SLHEP):

• The Subansiri Lower Dam, officially named SLHEP, is a gravity dam currently under construction on the Subansiri River in northeastern India, situated at the borders of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam.
• A gravity dam is so termed because it relies on its own weight to withstand the force of water.
• As described by the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) Limited, this project is categorized as a run-of-the-river project and is anticipated to deliver a power capacity of 2,000 MW through eight 250 MW units upon its completion.
• Run-of-river hydro projects utilize the natural flow of rivers and small turbine generators to capture the kinetic energy of the flowing water.
• Construction work for the SLHEP began in 2005 after obtaining the necessary forest clearance. However, the project has encountered various challenges, including landslides, the need for redesign, and local opposition.
• Owing to protests and agitations from local stakeholders, construction work on the project, initially scheduled for completion in 2018, was suspended from 2011 to 2019.
• Work on the project resumed in 2019, following approval from the National Green Tribunal (NGT), and it is currently slated to commence operations in March 2024.
• It is worth noting that, if executed as planned, the SLHEP will become the largest hydroelectric project in India.

What Happened at Subansiri?

• In a hydroelectric project, a system of tunnels is constructed to convey water from the reservoir to the power station. The water drives turbines and is then discharged back into the river.
• Once the power station is in operation, these tunnels serve as the primary water route, while spillways (gates) are employed occasionally.
• On October 27, the long-delayed SLHEP experienced its latest setback when a substantial part of the hill on the left side of the dam collapsed into its reservoir. This event marked the sixth landslide to impact the dam site since April 2022.
• The debris obstructed the sole functional diversion tunnel (DT) and halted the flow of water downstream of the dam into the Subansiri river.
• The Central Electricity Authority (CEA), a statutory body advising the government on electricity system policies, had recommended an examination of the DTs' impact on the project site's slope stability. Nevertheless, NHPC Ltd, responsible for executing the Subansiri Lower Project, chose to disregard this suggestion.
• According to NHPC Ltd, there was no requirement for further assessments of landslide hazards and their consequences, as they believed that the necessary stabilization measures had already been implemented.

Source: Indian Express

Krishi 24/7

Subject: Geography

Why in News?

Recently, the Union Agriculture Ministry, in collaboration with the Wadhwani Institute for Artificial Intelligence (Wadhwani AI), developed Krishi 24/7.

About Krishi 24/7:

• The introduction of an AI-powered solution marks a significant development in the field of automated agricultural news monitoring and analysis, and it has received support from Google.org.

Key Features:

• This innovative tool performs automated scanning of news articles in various languages and translates them into English.
• It extracts crucial information from news articles, encompassing elements like the headline, crop name, event type, date, location, severity, summary, and source link. This ensures that the ministry is promptly informed about pertinent events published on the web.

Significance:

• This solution effectively addresses the need for a streamlined method to identify and handle agricultural news articles of relevance, facilitating timely decision-making.
• It will be an invaluable asset for the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (DA&FW) by enabling the identification of pertinent news, the generation of timely alerts, and the swift initiation of actions to safeguard farmers' interests. It will further enhance sustainable agricultural growth by improving the decision-making process.

What is artificial intelligence?

• Artificial Intelligence (AI) is an extensive field within the realm of computer science, focused on developing intelligent machines with the capacity to execute tasks that traditionally necessitate human intelligence.
• The primary objectives of AI encompass augmented computer-based learning, logical thinking, and sensory capabilities.
• AI has found application in a wide array of industries, spanning from finance to healthcare, and is actively utilized today.

Source: The Hindu

Earth’s Mantle Heterogeneity

Subject: Geography

Why in News?

As per the research published in journal Nature, the interior of earth may be a remnant of the collision about 4.5 billion years ago that formed the moon.

• The study relied on computational fluid dynamics methods in the Shanghai Astronomical Observatory (SHAO) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Highlights of the study:

• It provides valuable new insights into the internal structure of Earth, as well as its long-term development and the creation of the inner solar system.
• Numerical simulations have suggested that the moon most likely acquired its material primarily from Theia, while Gaia, due to its significantly greater mass, was only minimally influenced by Theian material.
• Given that Gaia and Theia formed somewhat independently and were constructed from different substances, the theory proposed that the moon, dominated by Theian material, and Earth, dominated by Gaian material, should exhibit distinct compositions.
• However, subsequent, highly precise isotope measurements unveiled that the compositions of Earth and the moon are surprisingly similar, challenging the established theory regarding the moon's origin.

Heterogeneity in the deep mantle:

• The Earth's mantle is characterized by its heterogeneous nature, signifying that it exhibits diverse compositions and structures.
• This heterogeneity is believed to result from various processes, which include the recycling of older crust material at subduction zones, where one tectonic plate descends beneath another.
• Seismic imagery of the Earth's internal structure has unveiled the existence of two anomalies of continent-scale (one situated beneath the African tectonic plate and the other under the Pacific tectonic plate) with low seismic velocities, recognized as the Large Low Velocity Provinces (LLVPs) in the deepest part of the mantle.
• As seismic waves traverse these regions, they experience a significant reduction in wave velocity.
• This revelation regarding the heterogeneity within the deep mantle and its potential connection to the formation of the Moon offers a captivating glimpse into the intricate and dynamic characteristics of the Earth's interior.

Significance of the study:

• The Large Low Velocity Provinces (LLVPs) have significant implications for the evolution of the mantle, the processes involved in the separation and assembly of supercontinents, and the structures of Earth's tectonic plates.
• Minor quantities of deep-seated diversity can be transported to the Earth's surface by mantle plumes, which are cylindrical upward thermal currents triggered by mantle convection.
• Some geologists contend that this heterogeneity arises from fluids containing 'incompatible elements'—elements more inclined to exist in a liquid rather than a solid state—permeating upward and sporadically modifying sections of the upper mantle.
• These discoveries underscore the extent to which the composition of the Earth's mantle varies and contribute to an enhanced comprehension of observed mantle diversities and their link to the thermo-chemical state of the Earth's mantle.
• This knowledge ultimately represents the key to unlocking the enigmas surrounding the evolution of our planet.

Source: The Hindu

GS-II

Key facts about Tanzania

Subject: International Relations

Why in News?

Recently, the Zanzibar (Tanzania) campus of the Indian Institute of Technology Madras was formally launched.

• This is an African nation located just south of the Equator.
• Dar es Salaam serves as both the largest city and a major port city within this country.

Geographical Information:

• The mainland shares borders with Uganda, Lake Victoria, and Kenya to the north.
• To the east, it is bordered by the Indian Ocean.
• To the south and southwest, it is bounded by Mozambique, Lake Nyasa, Malawi, and Zambia.
• The western borders extend to Lake Tanganyika, Burundi, and Rwanda.
• The highest mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro, is located in the northeastern part of Tanzania.
• Major rivers, including the Ruvuma, Rufiji, Wami, and Pangani, ultimately flow into the Indian Ocean.

Climate Zones:

• Mainland Tanzania can be categorized into four primary climatic and topographic regions:
• Hot and humid coastal lowlands along the Indian Ocean shoreline.
• The hot and arid zone of the broad central plateau.
• The high inland mountain and lake region situated in the northern border.
• The highlands of the northeast and southwest, featuring tropical to temperate climates.

Demographics:

• The majority of Tanzanians have Bantu ancestry.

Official Languages:

• Tanzania recognizes two official languages, namely Swahili (kiSwahili) and English.

Source: The Hindu

What is Section 27 of the Indian Evidence Act?

Subject: Polity

Why in News?

The Supreme Court recently held that for admissibility under Section 27 of the Evidence Act, the fact discovered must be a direct consequence of information received from a person in custody.

About Section 27 of the Indian Evidence Act:

• Section 27 of the Evidence Act highlights an interesting and complex feature related to the admission of confessions within its legal framework.
• Sections 25 and 26 establish protection against self-incrimination and abuse of power by the police authority, deeming confessions made in police custody without the presence of a magistrate as inadmissible before a court of law.
• Section 27adds an exception by enabling the admission of confessions that result in the discovery of facts. 
• Section 27 states: "Provided that, when any fact is deposed to as discovered in consequence of information received from a person accused of any offence, in the custody of a police officer, so much of such information, whether it amounts to a confession or not, as relates distinctly to the fact thereby discovered, may be proved."
• In simpler terms, any confession made by a person while in police custody that leads to the revelation of a fact is considered admissible in court.
• The basic idea embedded in Section 27 of the Evidence Act is the doctrine of confirmation by subsequent events. This doctrine is founded on the principle that every part of the statement made at the instance of the accused, in a police custody should necessarily be confirmed by the subsequent events of discovery, to make it admissible in court. 
• In the case of Asar Mohd. v. State of U.P, the Supreme Court held that the concept of "fact" mentioned in Section 27 is not limited to physical objects alone but also includes essential psychological or mental facts that may be directly relevant to the case.

Source: The Hindu

GS-III

New Guidelines on Information Technology (IT) Governance for Regulated Entities (REs)

Subject: Economy

Why in News?

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) recently released final guidelines on information technology (IT) governance for regulated entities (REs) like banks, non-bank financial companies, credit information companies, and other financial entities.

What are the new guidelines on Information Technology (IT) Governance for Regulated Entities (REs)?

• The REs have been mandated to put in place a robust IT governance framework to cover focus areas like strategic alignment, risk and resource management performance, and Business Continuity/Disaster Recovery Management.
• This framework should specify the governance structure and processes necessary to meet the RE’s business/strategic
• The framework will specify the roles (including authority) and responsibilities of the Board of Directors, board-level Committee, and Senior Management.
• It will also address the issue of adequate oversight mechanisms to ensure accountability and mitigation of IT and cyber/information security risks.
• The enterprise-wide risk management policy or operational risk management policy will incorporate periodic assessments of IT-related risks (both inherent and potential risks).
• The board of RE would approve the strategies and policies related to IT, Information Assets, Business Continuity, Information Security, and Cyber Security (including Incident Response and Recovery Management/Cyber Crisis Management). They should review such strategies and policies at least annually.
• IT strategy committee (ITSC):
• The RE will establish a Board-level IT Strategy Committee (ITSC), which will comprise a minimum of three directors.
• Its chairman would be an independent director and carry substantial expertise in managing/guiding information technology initiatives.
• The ITSC should meet at least on a quarterly basis.
• The committee will ensure that the RE has put an effective IT strategic planning process in place and will guide in preparation of IT strategy and ensure that the IT strategy aligns with the overall strategy of the RE towards accomplishment of its business objectives.
• The guidelines mandate REs to establish an IT steering committee with representation at senior management level from IT and business functions.
• This committee will assist the ITSC in strategic IT planning, oversight of IT performance and aligning IT activities with business needs, and will oversee the processes put in place for business continuity and disaster recovery.
• It will also ensure implementation of a robust IT architecture meeting statutory and regulatory
• Every IT application, which can access or affect critical or sensitive information, shall have necessary audit and system logging capability and should provide audit trails. 
• The audit trails shall satisfy a RE’s business requirements apart from regulatory and legal requirements.
• The audit trails must be detailed enough to facilitate the conduct of audit, serve as forensic evidence when required and assist in dispute resolution, including for non-repudiation purposes.

Source: Financial Express

UN Climate Summit: Loss and Damage Fund Pact 

Subject: Economy

Why in News?

An international panel on loss and damage due to the climate crisis has recently agreed on operationalising a global fund.

•  The US has formally objected to the outcome.

• About the Loss and damage fund pact:
  • The agreement was concluded in Abu Dhabi 
  • The text will be forwarded for further discussion at the 28th Conference of Parties (COP28) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
    • The parties denote countries that are signatories to the convention.
• Significance of the fund:
  • The fund will provide support for responding to loss and damage, which may include:
    • Funding complementary to humanitarian action taken immediately after an extreme weather event; 
    • Intermediate or long-term recovery, reconstruction, or rehabilitation actions; and 
    • Action to address slow onset events like extreme heat, drought and sea level rise. 
  • This clear and strong recommendation to operationalise the loss and damage fund and funding arrangements paves the way for an agreement at COP28.
• The fund contributions:
  • The fund is able to receive contributions from a wide variety of sources of funding, including grants and concessional loans from public, private and innovative sources, as appropriate. 
  • It only urged developed countries to continue to provide support, and encouraged other nations to provide voluntary support for activities to address loss and damage due to the climate emergency.

• USA’s Objection to the fund:
  • The US wanted to withdraw support to the text because it insisted that it should be made clear that contributions to the fund were voluntary. 
• Taking away the historical responsibility:
  • According to developing countries, the funding arrangements are weak and take away from the historical responsibility of rich nations in contributing to global warming.

• Loss and damage refer to the negative consequences that arise from the unavoidable risks of climate change, like rising sea levels, prolonged heat waves, desertification, the acidification of the sea and extreme events, such as bushfires, species extinction and crop failures. 
• As the climate crisis unfolds, these events will happen more and more frequently, and the consequences will become more severe.
• How does it work?
  • The African continent for example, contributes the least to climate change yet is the most vulnerable to its impacts.
    • African countries that contribute so little will have to spend up to five times more on adapting to the climate crisis than on healthcare. 
  • Pakistan has seen US$30 billion in damages from severe flooding but emits less than 1 per cent of global emissions. 
  • G20 countries, meanwhile, represent around 75 per cent of global greenhouse emissions. 

• Shortfall:
  • United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) research shows that finance for adaptation falls short. 
  • The 2022 Adaptation Gap Report indicates that international adaptation finance flows to developing countries are five to ten times below estimated needs, and will need over US$300 billion per year by 2030. 
• Suggestions:
  • Loss and damage finance needs are closely connected to our ability to mitigate and adapt to climate change.
  • Some traditional financing instruments could be used to deal with loss and damage.
    • Social protection, contingency finance, catastrophe risk insurance and catastrophe bonds can provide a certain buffer and rapid pay-outs after disasters. 
  • However, a broadened donor base and innovative finance tools would be needed to respond to the magnitude of loss and damage.

• For the fund to be effective, the root cause of climate change must be tackled – and that involves reducing emissions. 
• Unless emissions are drastically reduced, more and more countries will face the devastating effects of climate change. 
• The world urgently needs to find more resources for mitigation, adaptation and loss and damage so that climate change will not erode humanity’s chances to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals.

Source: The Hindu