UPSC Current Affairs – February 17, 2020

Here is the February 17, 2020 IASPOINT Essential Daily Current Affairs News Digest for Civil Services Aspirants as well as competitors in various examinations, ensuring you stay informed and exam ready.

Indian Scientific Expedition to Southern Ocean (ISESO)

The 11th Indian Scientific Expedition to the Southern Ocean (ISESO) was recently initiated by the Ministry of Earth Sciences to study the impact of climate change on the Southern Ocean. Led by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, this is the largest Indian oceanic research expedition comprising over 60 stations.

Key objectives include quantifying changes in the Southern Ocean and their effects on large-scale weather phenomena like monsoons, understanding carbon dioxide cycles, studying ocean dynamics and biogeochemistry, investigating atmospheric aerosols, and examining ancient marine organisms called coccolithophores. As the Southern Ocean drives global climate patterns, the observations and data collected through ISESO will provide insights into anthropogenic climate change across the world’s interconnected oceans.

National Green Tribunal order on fly ash disposal

The National Green Tribunal has directed thermal power plants to ensure scientific disposal of fly ash as per Environment Ministry notifications. Power plants were mandated to utilize 100% fly ash by December 2017 under the Environment Protection Act.

However, violating plants will now be penalized with environmental compensation, as the NGT observed failure in compliance. Fly ash can be utilized in construction activities or reclaiming abandoned mines. But trace elements like arsenic and lead present in fly ash make scientific disposal important to minimize environmental contamination. The CPCB will compute penalties based on its fly ash utilization guidelines. Proper disposal is key to balancing development needs with ecological sustainability.

Netherlands court ruling on digital identification scheme

A Dutch law allowed government agencies to share welfare beneficiaries’ data with private firms under the System Risk Indicator (SyRI) digital ID mechanism to identify eligible recipients. However, this was recently ruled illegal by a Netherlands district court citing privacy and human rights concerns, despite social objectives.

The ruling sets an example for using data protection regulations against surveillance, much like India’s SC Aadhaar judgment. While the Personal Data Protection Bill seeks to regulate use of private data, it gives the government power to exempt its agencies, highlighting the need for balancing privacy, ethics and welfare.

Supreme Court refuses to extend BS-IV vehicle sales deadline

The Supreme Court has refused to extend the deadline for sale of BS-IV emission norm compliant vehicles beyond 1st April 2020. Earlier it had ruled that no BS-IV vehicles could be registered after that date. SC expanded Article 21 to include the right to clean environment while hearing a dealers’ association plea citing industry slowdown.

The Bharat Stage emission standards instituted by India are based on European norms. BS-IV norms were first implemented in 2017 before progression to BS-VI in 2020, which will significantly reduce air pollutants like NOx, PM and greenhouse gases from automobiles. This will help control vehicular pollution which is a major concern.

President of Portugal visit to India

The President of Portugal visited India recently to advance bilateral ties across areas like maritime cooperation, transport, S&T, culture and diplomacy. The two countries share growing economic and strategic convergences. Thirteen pacts were exchanged spanning aerospace, Nano tech, audiovisual production, yoga etc aimed at diversified collaboration.

As a key Indian partner in the EU, Portugal’s association is vital for trade, investment and technology transfers. The installation of a symbolic sculpture called Cha-Chai signifying the India-Portugal tea/chai connection also took place. Alongside strengthening historical bonds, new frontiers were explored for mutual development.

Indian Pangolin Conservation

The first radio-tagging of an Indian Pangolin in Madhya Pradesh was recently announced by the state government. Indian Pangolins are endangered, nocturnal mammals that feed on ants and termites using their sticky tongues and lack teeth.

They are poached for meat and scales used in traditional medicine. Habitat loss also threatens these shy, burrowing creatures. Although hunting is banned under Wildlife Protection Act, their numbers have declined drastically. This tracking effort will help study behavior and design conservation plans amid growing threats. It also highlights the need to preserve native wildlife and spread awareness to give species like Indian pangolins a fighting chance against extinction.

Discovery of Large Cave Fish in Meghalaya

A new blind cave fish species measuring over 40 cm, related to the endangered Golden Mahseer, was discovered in Meghalaya’s Jaintia Hills caves. It is the world’s largest known cave fish, lives in complete darkness and lacks pigmentation. Cave ecosystems with unique biodiversity remain relatively unexplored.

This finding reveals Meghalaya’s subterranean biodiversity richness. Cave fauna like this fish have adapted through evolutionary time to suit the nutrient-limited, perpetual dark cave milieu by changing form and function. Documentation efforts for such lesser known species must be aided to understand ecology and inform conservation policies regarding habitats like caves harboring them.

Flamingo Population Decline Hearing in Supreme Court

While hearing a PIL against expanding Mumbai’s Kanjurmarg dumping ground located near the Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary, the Supreme Court has expressed concern over declining flamingo numbers. Flamingos are iconic coastal birds that act as indicators of wetland health and filter-feed on brine shrimp. Destruction and pollution of intertidal areas and saltpans used for nesting due to urbanization has impacted flamingo breeding habitats. With only 20,000 Greater Flamingos left in India, preserving critical sites protected under Coastal Regulation Zone norms is vital. As flagship species, safeguarding flamingos will also secure associated biodiversity and promote ecosystem restoration.

NASA Selects Four Potential Solar System Exploration Missions

NASA has selected four discovery class mission proposals as future candidates for solar system exploration – DAVINCI+ and VERITAS to Venus, TRIDENT to Neptune’s moon Triton and IVO to Jupiter’s volcano-riddled moon Io. Final selected missions will get launch opportunities between 2025-2030.

The missions seek to address questions about planetary evolution and habitability, atmospheric loss, surface geology and moon-planet interactions in our solar system through detailed calibrated measurements. They will build on past missions like MAVEN around Mars and advance planetary science. The four candidates highlight NASA’s continued quest to reveal solar system’s secrets.

Installation of Cha-Chai Sculpture in Delhi

A large iron teapot sculpture named ‘Cha-Chai’ was installed in Delhi’s National Museum lawns. Created by Portuguese artist Joana Vasconcelos, it symbolizes the shared cultural heritage between India and Portugal and their enduring ties strengthened by commerce starting in 15th century for spices like pepper as well as tea.

The iconic monumental piece crafted from stainless steel with acrylic paint finish measuring 13x8x6 feet represents Portugal introducing ‘chai’ to India based on its own tea tradition. It conveys a message of friendship binding the two nations through trade, travel and exchange of customs.

Launch of Kashi Mahakal Express Train

The Kashi Mahakal Express is the latest private train connecting religious tourism hubs from Varanasi to Indore and Ujjain, launched by Indian Railways. It links three Jyotirlinga shrines – Omkareshwar, Mahakaleshwar and Kashi Vishwanath, and major educational and industrial centers like Indore and Bhopal. With state-of-art amenities, it caters to pilgrim traffic and showcases private partnership in rail operations.

As the third corporate run train by IR after Tejas Express models, it provides new standards of comfort and travel experience. Such initiatives augment infrastructure, revenue and facilities while preserving heritage across Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.

Search for Mughal Prince Dara Shikoh’s Grave

Mughal prince Dara Shikoh promoted reconciliation between Islamic and Hindu traditions being a liberal Muslim. He translated the Upanishads and Bhagavad Gita into Persian, bringing India’s ancient wisdom to Islamic literature. After losing the war of succession to his brother Aurangzeb, he was killed and allegedly buried near Humayun’s Tomb in an unmarked grave.

The ASI has now set up a panel to locate his exact burial site to honor his legacy, although the task is challenging with no records or names for most graves. If successful, it will resurrect interest in Dara Shikoh’s seminal cultural contributions that stand testament to India’s syncretism.

Efforts to Preserve Asur Tribal Language

The Asur language spoken by a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group in Jharkhand is endangered as per UNESCO. With only about 8000 Asur tribals conversant in it, urgent conservation is needed. An Asur organization using mobile radio has been spreading linguistic awareness to revive fluency and pride within youth of the marginalized community.

State support, capacity building, documentation and teaching Asur in schools are also vital intervention strategies. Language loss severely erodes indigenous identity. Hence targeted action must secure fragile languages like Asur that survived predominately through oral traditions thus far against extinction under modernization pressures.

Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) in India

PVTGs are 75 tribal groups identified based on declining population, primitive technology, remoteness and disadvantaged socioeconomic conditions. Classified originally in 1975 for affirmative action, they comprise around 0.25 million citizens threatened by mainstream integration.

The Ministry of Tribal Affairs formulates exclusive conservation-cum-development plans for PVTGs using need-based annual budgeting. Under the Forest Rights Act, habitat rights are also ensured for PVTGs like the Chenchus in Amrabad tiger reserve. More sensitization is needed regarding PVTG privileges and vulnerabilities. Empowering PVTGs through model residential schools, healthcare and skill training can prevent displacement and gradual assimilation too.

RBI Changing its Accounting Year

The RBI has decided to change its accounting year from July-June to April-March after over 8 decades. The next financial year will be a 9 month period ending March 2021. Thereafter RBI accounts will align with India’s national fiscal year used for central budgets. This move will enable seamless projections for surplus transfers to government based on latest closing figures instead of interim dividends as followed thus far.

The Bimal Jalan committee had suggested this transition for transparent reporting. Financial year synchronization will allow better coordination with the Finance Ministry andprunedata discrepancies through uniform timelines. The standardization is in public interest and global best practices.