1

Kavaratti Island

|

The Prime Minister received a warm welcome in Kavaratti, Lakshadweep, recently as he arrived to inaugurate and lay the foundation for numerous development projects.

About Kavaratti Island:

  • Kavaratti is the capital of Lakshadweep (smallest Union Territory of India) and its most developed island.
  • It lies 360 km of the coast of the State of Kerala.
  • It is located in the centre of the Lakshadweep archipelago. It is located between Agatti Island on the west and Andrott Island on the east.
  • It has an area of 4.22 sq km. The maximum length of the island is 5.8 km, and width is 1.6 km. 
  • The island is 2 to 5 m above the mean sea level on the western side and 2 to 3 m on the eastern side.
  • There is a shallow lagoon on the western side of the island, and coconut palms grow on the northern side. 
  • The island is home to 12 atolls, five submerged banks, and three coral reefs. 
  • Strangely, Kavaratti has a small inland lake at its northern end.
  • Kavaratti town is noted for the carved wooden pillars and roofs of its mosques and the carved stones of its graveyards. 
  • It has the maximum percentage of non–islanders as residents.
  • Languages Spoken: Malayalam and Mahl
  • Karavatti has been selected as one of the hundred Indian cities to be developed as a smart city under the flagship Smart Cities Mission.


Karman Line

|

The Kármán line lacks a specific national demarcation, resembling the concept of international waters.

About Karman Line:

  • Located at 100 km (62 miles) above sea level, it is an imaginary line that demarcates the earth’s atmosphere from space.
  • It was established in the 1960s by a record-keeping body called the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI).
  • It was named after aerospace pioneer Theodore von Kármán.
  • Though not all scientists and spacefarers accept it (for example, the Federal Aviation Administration, NASA, and the U.S. military place the line between outer space and the atmosphere at 80 km (50 miles) above the Earth’s surface) , a majority of countries and space organisations recognise this boundary between earthsky and space. 
  • It is based on physical reality in the sense that it roughly marks the altitude where traditional aircraft can no longer effectively fly.
  • Anything traveling above the Kármán line needs a propulsion system that doesn’t rely on lift generated by Earth’s atmosphere—the air is simply too thin that high up.
  • In other words, the Kármán line is where the physical laws governing a craft’s ability to fly shift.
  • Anyone who crosses this line qualifies as an astronaut.
  • Why do we need a Kármán line?
    • The 1967 Outer Space Treaty says that space should be accessible to all countries and can be freely and scientifically investigated.
    • Defining a legal boundary of what and where space can help avoid disputes and keep track of space activities and human space travel.


Heatwave Deaths: Why a Heat Stroke Kills, and How to Stay Safe

|

Why in News?

  • Amid heatwave deaths being reported in parts of the country, Union Health minister Mansukh Mandaviya held a meeting with senior officials of the India Meteorological Department, National Disaster Management Authority, and the Health ministry.

What’s in Today’s Article?

  • About Heat wave (Meaning, Criteria, Impact on Human body, Tips, etc.)

What is Heat wave?

  • Qualitatively, heat wave is a condition of air temperature which becomes fatal to human body when exposed.
  • Quantitatively, it is defined based on the temperature thresholds over a region in terms of actual temperature or its departure from normal.
  • In certain countries it is defined in term of the heat index based on temperature and humidity or based on extreme percentile of the temperatures.

What is Criterion for Declaring Heat wave?

  • Heat wave is considered if maximum temperature of a station reaches at least 400C or more for Plains and at least 300C or more for Hilly regions.
  • For coastal regions –
    • When maximum temperature departure is 4.50C or more from normal, Heat Wave may be described provided actual maximum temperature is 370C or more.
  • Period of Heat wave over India –
    • It is occurring mainly during March to June and in some rare cases even in July. The peak month of the heat wave over India is May.
  • Heat wave prone areas of India –
    • Heat wave generally occurs over plains of northwest India, Central, East & north Peninsular India during March to June.

How India Meteorological Department (IMD) Monitors the Heat wave?

  • IMD has a big network of surface observatories covering entire country to measure various metrological parameters like Temperature, Relative humidity, pressure, wind speed & direction etc.
  • Based on daily maximum temperature station data, climatology of maximum temperature is prepared for the period 1981-2010 to find out normal maximum temperature of the day for particular station.
  • Thereafter, IMD declared heat wave over the region as per its definition.

How Does Heatwave Affect Human Body?

  • We all feel drained and tired after stepping out on an extremely hot day.
  • This is referred to as heat exhaustion, which happens when the body sweats excessively to keep the core temperature low.
  • A heat stroke happens when the ambient temperature is so high that the body is unable to sweat to regulate the core temperature, which shoots up to 400
  • In these cases, there is a severe imbalance of salts such as sodium and potassium in the body.
  • The high core temperature coupled with salt imbalances disrupts organs, leading to a host of symptoms.
  • It can affect the brain, making a person foggy, drowsy, and in severe cases may also lead to a person going into a coma.
  • It can lead to kidney and liver damage as well. A cascade of such symptoms leads to death due to heat stroke.

How to Avoid Heat Stroke?

  • The primary aim should be to bring down the core temperature of the body fast.
  • This can be done by pouring cold water over the person, making them drink cold drinks, and giving them electrolytes to balance salt levels.
  • To prevent heat stroke, it is better to avoid stepping out in direct sunlight, especially between noon and 3 pm. You should avoid strenuous activity during this time


Lake Victoria

|

Recently, a new scientific report published in the journal Nature shows that significant precipitation changes and increasing extreme climate events affecting the large human populations as well as endemic biodiversity of Lake Victoria Basin

Key findings of the report:

  • Heavy rains, wind storms, and floods threaten the survival and water access of the communities living in the Lake Victoria Basin (LVB), East Africa.
  • Nearly 40 million inhabitants are strongly affected by extreme weather events such as regular flooding.
  • The resultant massive flooding in lake-adjacent areas displaced over 200,000 people in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.
  • Lake Victoria and its surrounding wetlands and forests have faced extreme pressure and degradation due to rapid population growth, agricultural expansion, urbanisation and industrialisation.

About Lake Victoria:

  • It is the world’s second-largest freshwater lake.
  • Location: It is located in East Africa, bordered by Tanzania, Uganda, and Kenya.
  • It is also called Victoria Nyanza in Kenya, Nalubaale in Uganda, and Ukerewe in Tanzania.
  • It is a source of the White Nile River which flows northward and eventually joins the Blue Nile in Sudan to form the Nile River.
  • The lake supports the largest freshwater fishery in the world, producing 1 million tons of fish per year and employing 200,000 people in supporting the livelihoods of 4 million people.


Heat waves in India

|

At least 68 people admitted to a district hospital in Uttar Pradesh’s Ballia are suspected to have died between June 15 and 18 due to scorching heatwave conditions, with temperatures soaring up to 43.5 degree Celsius in the region.

What is a Heat Wave?

  • A Heat Wave is a period of abnormally high temperatures, more than the normal maximum temperature that occurs during the summer season in the North-Western parts of India.
  • Heat Waves typically occur between March and June, and in some rare cases even extend till July.
  • The extreme temperatures and resultant atmospheric conditions adversely affect people living in these regions as they cause physiological stress, sometimes resulting in death.
  • The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has given the following criteria for Heat Waves :
    • Heat Wave need not be considered till maximum temperature of a station reaches atleast 40°C for Plains and atleast 30°C for Hilly regions
    • When actual maximum temperature remains 45°C or more irrespective of normal maximum temperature, heat waves should be declared.

 

Occurrence of Heat waves:

  • Heat waves are forms for one of two reasons:
    • warmer air is flowing in from elsewhere or
    • it is being produced locally.
  • It is a local phenomenon when the air is warmed by higher land surface temperature or because the air sinking down from above is compressed along the way, producing hot air near the surface.
  • Air mass and heat waves
    • The north-northwestern heatwaves are typically formed with air masses that come from 800-1,600 km away and are around two days old.
    • Heat waves over peninsular India on the other hand arrive from the oceans, which are closer (around 200-400 km) and are barely a day old and are on average less intense.

Why do heatwaves cause deaths?

  • High temperatures alone aren’t fatal in nature.
  • It’s when high temperatures are combined with high humidity, known as the wet bulb temperature, heatwaves become lethal.

Impact on humans:

  • Humans lose heat generated within their bodies by producing sweat that evaporates on the skin.
  • The cooling effect of this evaporation is essential in maintaining a stable body temperature.
  • As humidity rises, sweat does not evaporate and makes it difficult to regulate body temperature.
  • And this could cause a heat stroke.
    •  Heat stroke takes place only when the body temperature goes above 40 degrees Celsius.

 

  • Excessive heat increases metabolic activity in the body, leading to a drop in blood pressure and oxygen levels with increased sweating.
    • This is a condition called hypoxia.
  • Metabolism goes haywire (in such conditions), creating a toxin overload which affects multiple organs
  • Prolonged exposure to even moderate heat, with poor nutrition and hydration levels in these circumstances, can lead to hypoxia.
  • Those with pre-existing metabolic disorders like diabetes, the obese or the elderly, are more vulnerable.

Conclusion:

  • Heat waves have a sophisticated anatomy with important implications for how well we can predict them.
  • Early-warning systems can improve the quality of warnings and also increase how soon they can be issued.
  • Sizeable investments in human and computational resources have already increased India’s forecast skills in the last decade.
  • Mortality over India due to heat waves are substantially lower than those in other mid-latitude regions.
  • India should further improve forecast warnings, issue them as soon as possible, and couple them with city-wide graded heat action plans to protect the vulnerable


Mediterranean Sea

|

Russia’s Defence Ministry recently said that a Russian warship and cargo ship rescued 68 people overnight from a boat in the Mediterranean Sea.

About Mediterranean Sea:

  • Location:
    • It is an intercontinental sea that is bordered by the continent of Europe in the north, by Asia in the east, and by Africa in the south.
    • In the west, the Mediterranean Sea is connected to the Atlantic Oceanvia the narrow Strait of Gibraltar.
    • In the extreme northeast, it is connected to the Black Sea via the Dardanelles Strait, the Sea of Marmara, and the Bosporus Strait. 
    • The Mediterranean Sea is also connected to the Red Sea via the Suez Canal in the southeast.
  • History:
    • It has been regarded as the birthplace of Western civilization.
    • Many ancient civilizations, such as the Phoenicians, Ancient Greece, and the Roman Empire, were located along the shores of the Mediterranean Sea.
  • Bordering Countries:
    • 22 countries and one territory (Gibraltar – a British Overseas Territory) have coasts on the Mediterranean Sea.
    • The European Countries are Spain, France, Italy, Malta, Monaco, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania, and Greece.
    • The West Asian (Middle Eastern) countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea are Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, the Palestine Gaza Stripand the divided island of Cyprus.
    • Five North African nations have coasts on the Mediterranean Sea: Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Egypt.
  • The Mediterranean Sea offers a staggering 46,000 km (28,600 mi) long coastline and includes 15 marginal seas, such as the Balearic Sea, the Adriatic Sea, the Levantine Sea and the Ionian Sea.
  • Depth: The sea has an average depth of about 1,500 m and a maximum depth of 5,267 m at its deepest point, the Calypso Deep in the Ionian Sea.
  • Rivers: A large number of rivers drain into the Mediterranean Sea, including the Ebro, Rhone, Po, Nile, Tiber, etc.
  • Islands: Some of the large Mediterranean Islands include Corsica, Crete, Cyprus, Chios, Euboea, Lesbos, Mallorca, Rhodes, Sicily, and Sardinia. The island of Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. 
  • Climate: The region is characterized by the prevailing subtropical climate known as the Mediterranean climate, with usually mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers.
  • Mediterranean Sea waters are more saline compared to the waters of the Atlantic. There is a continuous movement of water from the Atlantic into the Mediterranean and vice versa through the Strait of Gibraltar.


Gira Waterfall

|

Around 19 people, including 10 women, were recently injured after being stung by honeybees near Gira Waterfall.

About Gira Waterfall:

  • It is a seasonal waterfall in the Western Ghats of India.
  • Location: It is located near the Waghai village in the Dang district of Gujarat. 
  • It is a 75 ft fall that emerges from the Kapri Tributary and drops into the Ambika River.

Key facts about Ambika River:

  • It is a major westward flowing river that has a huge catchment area in two states, namely Gujarat and Maharashtra.
  • Origin: The river has its origins in the Saputara Hills, near Kotambi Village in the Nasik district of Maharashtra.
  • After flowing for a length of 136 km it drains in to the Arabian Sea.
  • It has a drainage area of 2715 Sq.km. The Valsad, Dangs and Surat Districts of Gujarat and a small portion of the Nasik district of Maharashtra falls in the basin.
  • Rainfall: It receives most of the rainfall from the South West monsoon from June to September.
  • Tributaries: Khapri, Valam, Kaveri and Kharear are main tributaries of Ambika river.


Hindu Kush Himalayas

|

According to a new report from International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), the Hindu Kush Himalayas (HKH) have seen a 65 per cent faster loss of glacier mass

About Hindu Kush Himalayas:

  • The Hindu-Kush-Himalayan (HKH) region encompasses Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.
  • It is considered the Third Pole (after the North and South Poles) and has significant implications for climate.
  • It contains the largest volume of ice and snow outside of the Arctic and Antarctica.
  • The ice and snow from this region are an important source of water for 12 rivers that flow through 16 countries in Asia.

Key facts about International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD)

  • It is an intergovernmental knowledge and learning centre working on behalf of the people of the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH).
  • It is based in Kathmandu, Nepal.
  • It works for eight regional member countries – Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan.
  • Functions
    • It serves the region through information and knowledge generation and sharing to find innovative solutions to critical mountain problems.
    • It bridges science with policies and on-the-ground practices.
    • It provides a regional platform where experts, planners, policymakers, and practitioners can exchange ideas and perspectives towards the achievement of sustainable mountain development.


Gulf of California

|

An earthquake of magnitude 6.4 struck the Gulf of California recently.

About Gulf of California:

  • The Gulf of California, also called the Sea of Cortez is a large inlet of the eastern Pacific Ocean along the northwestern coast of Mexico. 
  • It separates the mountainous Lower California Peninsula/Baja California Peninsula in the west from the states of Sonora and Sinaloa on the mainland of Mexico in the east.
  • Geography:
    • It covers an area of 160,000 sq. km and has a long coastline of approximately 4,000km. 
    • It is about 1,126km long and has a maximum width ranging between 48 to 241km. 
    • The Gulf is divided into two portions and is separated by a narrowing that is marked by the islands of Tiburón and Angel de la Guarda.
    • The northern portion is relatively shallow, with a mean depth of 180m, while the southern portion contains many depressions and the deepest of these depressions reaches a maximum depth of over 3,000m. 
    • The head of the gulf is dominated by the large Colorado River Delta through which the Colorado River drains into the Gulf.
    • The long coastline of the gulf is extremely irregular and forms numerous small bays. 
  • Geology: The Gulf of California was created around 5.3 million years ago due to the movement of tectonic plates that separated the Baja California Peninsula from the North American Plate. 
  • Islands:
    • There are about 37 major islands in the Gulf of California that is mostly located on its western side.
    • It is believed that these islands were created due to volcanic eruptions and several of these islands are home to volcanoes.
    • Some of the major islands include the Isla Ángel de la Guarda, Isla Tiburón, Islas Marías, Isla Partida, Islas San Francisco, Isla Coronados, etc.
  • Climate: Due to the presence of an uninterrupted chain of mountains on the Baja California Peninsula, the Gulf of California experiences a ‘continental’ climate rather than an ‘oceanic’ climate.


Miyazaki Mango

|

Tripura grows the Miyazaki mangoes. In the international market, the Miyazaki mango is priced at around ₹2.70 lakh per kg. 

Key details:

  • The Miyazaki mango was originally grown in Miyazaki city in Japan.
  • It is usually over 350g in weight and has 15% or higher sugar content.
  • The cultivation of this variety requires long hours of bright sunshine and warm abundant rainfall. 
  • This ruby red-coloured fruit is also known as “Egg of the Sun” or Taiyo-no-Tamago in Japan. 
  • Miyazaki is a type of “irwin” mango which is different from the yellow “pelican mango” widely grown in Southeast Asia.
  • It contains beta-carotene and folic acid and is considered to be rich in antioxidants. 

Miyazaki mangoes in other parts of India 

  • Recently, this variety of mango from Japan was also found growing in West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh.


India’s Biggest Natural Arch

|

A team of the Geological Survey of India recently discovered India’s biggest natural arch during their survey of coal in Kenduadihi block in Odisha’s Sundargarh district.

Why in News:

  • The state unit of the Geological Survey of India (GSI) has proposed to declare the ‘Natural Arch’ in the Kanika range of Sundargarh forest division, a Geo Heritage Site.
  • If it is done, it will be the biggest natural arch of the country to have the Geo Heritage tag.
  • Apart from the arch at Sundargarh, India has two others- one at Tirumala hills in Tirupati and another at Andaman and Nicobar. However, both of them are smaller compared to the one in Sundargarh.

About India’s Biggest Natural Arch:

  • The Sundargarh natural arch, present in the ferruginous sandstone of the Upper Kamthi formation, dates back to about 184 to 160 million years in the lower to middle Jurassic age. 
  • It is an oval-shaped arch and has a length of 30 metres at the base and is 12 metres high.
  • The alcove of the natural arch has a maximum height and width of 7 metres and 15 metres, respectively. 
  • The natural arch and its surrounding area are a storehouse of different primary sedimentary structures like planner and cross-bedding along with occasional current ripples signifying high energy fluvial environment during sedimentation.
  • Formation: Formation of the natural arch could be due to fault activities and the nature of lithotype, which have enhanced the process of sub-aerial weathering over a long period.

What are Geo Heritage Sites (GHSs)?

  • Geoheritage sites are sites of rare and unique geological, geo-morphological, mineralogical, petrological, and paleontological significance, including caves and natural rock sculptures of national and international interest.
  • GSI declares geo-heritage sites/ national geological monuments for protection and maintenance.
  • GSI or the respective State governments take necessary measures to protect these sites


Cyclone Biparjoy

|

Why in News?

  • Developed in the Arabian Sea, cyclone Biparjoy is heading towards the northern Gujarat coast, with landfall expected on June 15.

What’s in Today’s Article?

  • About Tropical Cyclone (Meaning, Characteristics, Classification, etc.)
  • About Extratropical Cyclone (Meaning, Formation, etc.)

About Tropical Cyclone:

  • Tropical Cyclone is a weather phenomenon.
  • A tropical cyclone is formed only over warm ocean waters near the equator.
  • Warm, moist air rises up and away from the ocean surface, creating an area of low pressure.
  • It causes the air from surrounding areas with higher pressure to move towards the low-pressure area.
  • This leads to warming up of air and causes it to rise above.
  • As the air rises & cools, the water in the air forms clouds.
  • This complete system of clouds and wind spins & grows, along with the ocean’s heat.
  • As the wind rotation speed increases, an eye gets formed in the middle.

What is an Extratropical Cyclone?

  • Extratropical cyclones are low-pressure areas which are generally formed outside the tropics with a latitude range between 30 degrees and 60 degrees.
  • They are also known as temperate cyclones.
  • These low-pressure systems are associated with cold fronts, warm fronts, and occluded fronts.

How an Extratropical Cyclone is Formed?

  • In the Northern hemisphere, cold air blows from the north of the front and warm air blows from the south.
  • When the pressure descents along the front, the cold air move towards the south, and the warm air moves northwards setting in motion an anticlockwise cyclonic circulation.
  • The cyclonic circulation results in a well-built extratropical cyclone, with a cold front and a warm front.
  • There are pockets of warm air compressed between the forward and the rear cold air.
  • The warm air climbs over the cold air and a series of clouds appear over the sky ahead of the warm front and cause rainfall.
  • The cold front approaches the warm air from behind and pushes the warm air up.
  • As an outcome, cumulus clouds develop along the cold front.
  • The cold front moves faster than the warm front eventually surpassing the warm front.
  • The warm air is entirely lifted and the front is occluded and the cyclone dissipates.
  • They can originate over the land and sea and cover a larger area.


Anak Krakatau volcano

|
Recently, Indonesia’s Anak Krakatau volcano has erupted, spewing ash as high as 3 kilometres into the air.

 

About Anak Krakatau volcano:

  • This volcano island is located in Indonesia’s Sunda Strait between the main Java and Sumatra islands.
  • Anak Krakatau, which means “child of Krakatau,” is the offspring of the famous Krakatau, whose monumental eruption in 1883 triggered a period of global cooling.
  • It was the longest eruption since the explosive collapse of the mountain caused a deadly tsunami in 2018

Key facts about the Sunda Strait

  • The Sunda Strait is the strait between the Indonesian islands of Java and Sumatra.
  • It connects the Java Sea to the Indian Ocean.
  • Numerous volcanic islands lie in the strait.


Ishad Mango

|
Recently, the delicious Ishad mango from Uttara Kannada (Karnataka) has earned its much-awaited geological indicator (GI) tag.

 

About Ishad mango:

  • It is grown predominantly around Ankola, is tasty and contains a lot of pulp.
  • It is said that the mango variety has been cultivated for the last 400 years. 
  • It has two variants — Kari Ishad, which has thin skin, more pulp and is sweeter, and Bili Ishad, which has thick skin and less pulp and sweetness.  
  • The Kari Ishad is accepted as one of the finest quality mangoes due to its unique aroma, luscious taste, high amount of pulp, shape, and size. 

What is a Geographical Indication Tag?

  • It is a sign used on products that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin.
  • This is typically used for agricultural products, foodstuffs, wine and spirit drinks, handicrafts and industrial products.
  • The Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999 seeks to provide for the registration and better protection of geographical indications relating to goods in India.
  • This GI tag is valid for 10 years following which it can be renewed.


Mayon Volcano

|

Recently, around 13,000 people have been evacuated from the northeast Philippines as the country’s most famous volcano, Mayon, continued to ooze lava.

About Mayon Volcano:

  • It is an active volcano in southeastern Luzon, Philippines.
  • Its name is derived from the local word for beautiful lady, daragang Mayon.
  • It is called the world’s most perfect volcanic cone because of the symmetry of its shape.
  • It lies in the Pacific Ring of Fire region, a major area in the basin of the Pacific Ocean where a large number of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur.

Key facts about the Pacific Ring of Fire:

  • It also known as the Circum-Pacific Beltis a path along the Pacific Ocean characterized by active volcanoes and frequent earthquakes.
  • Its length is approximately 40,000 kilometres.
  • It traces boundaries between several tectonic plates—including the Pacific, Juan de Fuca, Cocos, Indian-Australian, Nazca, North American, and Philippine Plates.

What is a volcano?

  • It is an opening on the surface of a planet that allows material warmer than its surroundings to escape from its interior.
  • When this material escapes, it causes an eruption which can be explosive in nature


Lower Subansiri Hydroelectric Power Project

|

State-run hydropower company NHPC Ltd. Will soon start trial runs for the Subansiri Lower project.

About Lower Subansiri Hydroelectric Power Project:

  • It is the biggest hydroelectric project undertaken in India so far.
  • It is a run-of-river scheme on river Subansiri.
  • Location: The Project is located near North Lakhimpur on the border of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam.
  • Capacity:2000MW
  • It is a concrete gravity dam 116 m high from river bed level.
  • It is being developed by the state-run National Hydro Power Corporation (NHPC).

Key facts about the Subansiri River:

  • It originates in the Tibet Plateau and is the largest tributary of the Brahmaputra River.
  • The high topographic variation makes this river a potential zone for harnessing it for the hydropower.

What is a Gravity dam?

  • Gravity dams are massive structure dams which are constructed of concrete or stone masonry.
  • Concrete gravity dams usually run in a straight line across a broad valley and resist the horizontal thrust of the retained water entirely by their own weight.
  • This type of structure is durable and requires very little maintenance


Cauvery Water Management Authority meet at Delhi

|

The Cauvery Water Management Authority’s meeting is going to be held in New Delhi on June 16, 2023.

About the meet:

  • The agenda for the meeting will be;
    • Advent of the southwest monsoon,
    • the expected pattern of rainfall and
    • The likely flows in the Cauvery.
  • Tamil Nadu officials has clarified that there is no discussion on Mekedatu dam Project.

Mekedatu Reservoir Project:

  • It aims to store and supply water for drinking purposes for the Bengaluru city.Around 400 megawatts (MW) of power is also proposed to be generated through the project.
  • In 2018, Tamil Nadu approached the SC against the project even if Karnataka had held that it would not affect the flow of water to Tamil Nadu.
    • TN is opposed to any project being proposed in the upper riparian unless it was approved by the SC.
According to the case filed by Tamil Nadu in court, the planning of the Mekedatu dam project, with a capacity of 67.16 thousand million cubic feet (TMC), generation of 400 MW, “is in gross violation” of the decision of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal of February 5, 2007, which was affirmed by the Supreme Court on February 16, 2018.

Cauvery River and its Tributaries:

  • The Cauvery River (Kaveri) is designated as the ‘Dakshi Bharat ki Ganga’ or ‘the Ganga of the South’.
  • Origin: The Cauvery River rises at an elevation of 1,341 m at Talakaveri on the Brahmagiri range near Cherangala village of Kodagu (Coorg) district of Karnataka.
  • The total length of the river from origin to an outfall is 800 km.
  • It flows in a south-easterly direction for 705 km through the states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu and descends the Eastern Ghats in a series of great falls.
  • Before emptying into the Bay of Bengal south of Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu the river breaks into a large number of distributaries forming a wide delta called the “garden of southern India”
  • The Cauvery basin extends over states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, and Union Territory of Puducherry draining an area of 81 thousand Sq.km.
  • Its Tributaries:
    • Left Bank: the Harangi, the Hemavati, the Shimsha, and the Arkavati.
    • Right Bank: Lakshmantirtha, the Kabbani, the Suvarnavati, the Bhavani, the Noyil, and the Amaravati join from the right.
    • The river descends from the South Karnataka Plateau to the Tamil Nadu Plains through the Sivasamudram waterfalls (101 m high).

Cauvery River Water Dispute:

  • The dispute involves 3 states and one Union Territory (Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka and Puducherry).
  • The genesis of the dispute is 150 years old and dates back to the two agreements of arbitration in 1892 and 1924 between the then Madras presidency and Mysore.
  • It entailed the principle that the upper riparian state must obtain consent of lower riparian state for any construction activity viz. reservoir on the river Cauvery.
  • To resolve the matter, the CWDT (Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal) was established in 1990 which took 17 years to arrive at the final order (2007) on how Cauvery water should be shared between the 4 riparian states in normal rainfall conditions.
  • CWDT was constituted by the Central Government, in exercise of the powers conferred by section 4 of the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956.

Role of Cauvery Water Management Authority (CMA):

  • It has been created as per the Cauvery Management Scheme earlier framed by Centre and approved by Supreme Court.
  • The CMA will be to secure implementation and compliance of the Supreme Court’s order in relation to “storage, apportionment, regulation and control of Cauvery waters”.
  • CMA will also advise the states to take suitable measures to improve water use efficiency.
  • It will do so by promoting use of micro-irrigation, change in cropping patterns, improved farm practices and development of command areas.
  • The CMA will also prepare an annual report covering its activities during the preceding year


Cyclone Biparjoy

|

After Mocha in the Bay of Bengal, the second storm of the 2023 North Indian Ocean named Biparjoy has developed in the Arabian Sea.

Tropical Cyclone

  • Tropical cyclones are intense circular storm that originates over warm tropical oceans.
  • It is characterized by low atmospheric pressure, high winds, and heavy rain.
  • It draws its energy from the sea surface and maintaining its strength as long as it remains over warm water.
  • It can elevate of the sea surface by 6 metres (20 feet) above normal levels.
  • It can occur over the late summer months (July–September in the Northern Hemisphere and January–March in the Southern Hemisphere).
  • Biparjoy – A very severe cyclonic storm along the coastline of Karnataka, Goa and Maharashtra in the Arabian Sea
  • The cyclone is expected to keep the monsoon a little subdued.
  • The name “Biparjoy” was suggested by Bangladesh and the word means ‘disaster’ or ‘calamity’ in Bengali.
  • Naming of tropical cyclones – Worldwide, there are 6 Regional Specialised Meteorological Centres (RSMCs) and 5 regional Tropical Cyclone Warning Centres (TCWCs) mandated for issuing advisories and naming of tropical cyclones.
  • Indian Metrological Department (IMD) is one of the six RSMCs to provide tropical cyclone and storm surge advisories to 13 member countries under the WMO/Economic and Social Commission for Asia-Pacific (ESCAP) Panel.
  • Countries include Bangladesh, India, Iran, Maldives, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, United Arab Emirates and Yemen.


Exploration of Coal and Lignite scheme

|

Recently, the union government of India approved the continuation of the central sector plan ‘Exploration of Coal and Lignite scheme’ with an estimated expenditure of ₹2,980 crore.

About Exploration of Coal and Lignite Scheme:

  • The period for the extension is from 2021-22 to 2025-26.
  • Under this scheme, exploration for coal and lignite is conducted in two broad stages: (i) Promotional (Regional) Exploration and (ii) Detailed Exploration in non-Coal India Limited blocks.
  • Benefits of the scheme
    • This scheme is required to prove and estimate coal resources available in the country, which helps in preparing detailed project reports to start coal mining. 
    • The geological reports prepared through these explorations are used for auctioning new coal blocks, and the cost is thereafter recovered from successful allocatee.

What are the types of Coal?

  • Anthracite: It contains the highest amount of carbon out of all coal ranks (86%-97%) and it is used mostly in industrial settings and the metals industry due to its high heat value.
  • Lignite: it is lighter in colour than the higher ranks of coal. It has the lowest carbon content out of all the coal ranks (25%-35%) and it has a high moisture content and crumbly texture. 
  • Bituminous: It has slightly lower carbon content than anthracite (45%-86%)1. The wide range of carbon content in bituminous coal warrants uses for both electricity and steel production. 
  • Peat: It is the starting stage of a coal formation which has low calorific value and low carbon content.


How Indian city can follow low carbon generation?

|

By 2050, seven billion people will be living in cities which can increase the carbon dioxide release, along with other greenhouse gases and can poses a serious health hazard.

About

  • In 2020 itself, cities already dumped a whopping 29 trillion tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
  • Transitioning to low-carbon or even net-zero cities requires us to integrate mitigation and adaptation options in multiple sectors, including energy, buildings, transportation, industry, and urban land-use.
  • This is called the ‘sector-coupling approach’, and it is necessary to decarbonise urban systems.

India and urban planning:

  • India is witnessing one of the largest urban growth spurts in history. However, three-quarters of the infrastructure that will exist in cities by 2050 is yet to be built.
  • This presents Indian cities with an unprecedented opportunity to look at urban planning and development through a long-term strategic lens to enable economic, environment and social impact.
  • We cannot afford development that is not sustainable in our climate crisis-risked times.
  • The IPCC’s latest report suggests that smart urban planning can mitigate the effects of climate change.

Carbon emission of Cities:

  • Cities in 2020 were responsible for up to 72% of global greenhouse gas emissions (up from 62% in 2015).
  • For the world to have a chance of limiting global warming to within 1.5? of pre-industrial levels, cities need to act fast and financing would need to be boosted significantly
  • Aggressive climate action could bring city emissions to net-zero by 2050 but failing to act could instead see urban emissions double in that time.

What are the Issues Regarding Urban Infrastructure?

  • Climate Non-Friendly:Urban infrastructure development results in high economic value-add but often lead to unequal and inequitable growth.
    • Negative externalities such as air and water pollution, climate change, flooding, and extreme heat events impinge on the economic value of urban infrastructure.
    • The houses are built without ventilation, using building materials that do not provide insulation and with architectural design that does not work with nature – the climate crisis will exacerbate these risks.
  • Age-Old Planning Techniques:Town and country planning acts in India have largely remained unchanged over the past 50 years, relying on techniques set up by the British.
    • Cities still create land use and regulatory control-based master plans which, on their own, are ineffective in planning and managing cities.
    • Several city-centric issues such as air pollution, urban flooding, and droughts exist as obstacles in holistic development of urban India all of which point to infrastructural shortcomings and inadequate planning.
  • Procedural Delays and Lax Implementation:Master plans face prolonged delays in preparation, sanctioning and implementation. They lack the mandate for integration with other sectoral infrastructure plans and largely remain as wish lists.
    • Often a static, ‘broad-brush’ approach is taken towards cities that have dynamic fine-grained structures and local specificities. In most cases, the rate of implementation is quite low.
    • Even with provisions of rainwater harvesting, sustainable urban drainage systems, etc., in regulatory mechanisms like the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), adoption at user end as well as enforcement agencies remains weak.

Laws related to Pollution in India:

  • Article 21: Environment is directly related with article 21 of Constitution of India which deals with right to life of individual.
  • The two main laws that regulate air pollution in India: 
    • The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 (Air Act) and
    • Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 (EPA).

Government interventions:

  • System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) Portal
  • Air Quality Index: AQI has been developed for eight pollutants viz. PM2.5, PM10, Ammonia, Lead, nitrogen oxides, sulphur dioxide, ozone, and carbon monoxide.
  • Graded Response Action Plan (for Delhi)
  • For Reducing Vehicular Pollution:
    • BS-VI Vehicles,
    • Push for Electric Vehicles (EVs),
    • Odd-Even Policy as an emergency measure (for Delhi)
    • New Commission for Air Quality Management
  • Subsidy to farmers for buying Turbo Happy Seeder (THS) Machine for reducing stubble burning.
  • National Air Quality Monitoring Programme (NAMP):
  • Under NAMP, four air pollutants viz. SO2, NO2, PM10, and PM2.5 have been identified for regular monitoring at all locations.