CIVIL SNIPPETS

At OIC meet, India flays terror funding #GS2 #IR

In a major diplomatic move, India hit out at Pakistan during a meeting of Foreign Ministers at the
Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

In a speech at the inaugural plenary of the 46th session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers, External
Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj stressed that the anti-terror fight was not a clash among civilisations.

If we want to save humanity, we must tell the states who provide shelter and funding to the terrorists to
dismantle the infrastructure of the terrorist camps and stop providing funding and shelter to the terror
organisations based in their country. India is not a member of the OIC, but was invited to the Abu Dhabi
meeting as the guest of honour.

Key Points-

1. OIC

https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/at-oic-meet-india-flays-terror-funding/article26414225.ece

Fires are a crucial component of some forest systems, says group of scientists-
Aathira Perinchery #GS3 #Environment
Fires are sprouting in forest tracts, especially across southern India. As harried Forest Departments and
Fire Services personnel douse flames, and photographs of wildlife and trees burnt to cinder make the
rounds, a group of scientists is asking a question that would seem almost unbelievable under the current
circumstances: are some forest fires necessarily as bad as we make them out to be?

The reasons for this — based on history, ecology, science and indigenous knowledge — are many.
According to the scientists, forest fires have been occurring in India from at least 60,000 years ago, ever
since modern humans appeared here. They added that “forests that we think are natural and ‘pristine’
have often been created by anthropogenic burning for thousands of years.”

In fact, several native trees and plants in these landscapes have “co-evolved” with fire: fire helps revive
dormant seeds of many species. Fires, along with seasonal droughts, which are again painted as
problematic, are important drivers of dry deciduous tracts across Andhra Pradesh-Telangana, Tamil
Nadu and Karnataka.

Yet, the concept of fires being entirely detrimental to these ecosystems, argue the signatory scientists,
has been derived from a colonial concept that looked at forests only for their timber potential. As a
result, fire exclusion and suppression is the norm.
According to Soligas’ accounts, hairy mistletoe — a parasitic shrub that affects mature trees — has also
thrived due to fire suppression. Studies corroborate this too: mistletoe-induced tree deaths are high and
have resulted in the decline of wild gooseberry trees, which the Soligas rely upon for forest produce.

But what about large fires, such as the recent one in Karnataka’s Bandipur National Park?

High-intensity fires would have negative effects, agree the scientists, but they happen only because dry
biomass has been allowed to build up and low-intensity controlled burning has been stopped.

Controlled fires in areas that have huge fuel loads (dry litter and biomass on the forest floor) around
December can help prevent as well as reduce the impact of large fires later in the season. If an area is
continuously protected from fire, it could catch fire once in four years or so because of the high
accumulation of grass, wood and twigs.

They also suggest that NGOs and activists engage with these complexities and nuances about forest fires
rather than advocating “blanket ‘stop forest fire’ campaigns.”

https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-andhrapradesh/fires-are-a-crucial-component-
of-some-forest-systems-says-group-of-scientists/article26414174.ece

Order on surveillance meant to protect privacy, govt. tells SC- Krishnadas

Rajagopal #GS3 #Security
The Centre told the Supreme Court that its December 20, 2018 notification allowing 10 central agencies
to snoop on people is in fact a measure to protect citizens’ privacy.

The government was responding to a PIL filed by advocate M.L. Sharma, challenging the December 20
notification as a violation of the fundamental right to privacy.

The order allows central agencies, from the Intelligence Bureau to the Central Board of Direct Taxes to
the Cabinet Secretariat (RAW) to the Commissioner of Delhi Police, to intercept, monitor and de-crypt
“any information” generated, transmitted, received or stored in “any computer resource”.

The order is based on Section 69 (1) of the Information Technology Act of 2000 and Rule 4 of the
Information Technology 2009 Rules (Procedure and Safeguards for Interception, Monitoring and
Decryption of Information) Rules, 2009.

Turning the argument on its head, the Centre said the order, in fact, limits the power of surveillance to
these 10 central agencies and none other.

What has been done under the December 20 order is in fact restricting the exercise of powers, removing
a possible vagueness and specifying the agencies/organisations who only would have the powers to
utilise the powers of section 69 of the Act.
It said the very purpose of the December 20 order is to ensure that surveillance is done as per due
process of law; that any interception, monitoring, decryption of computer resource is done only by
authorised agencies and with approval of competent authority; to prevent unauthorised use of these
powers by any agency, individual or intermediary so that the right to privacy of citizen is not violated.

The government said surveillance is necessary “in the modern world where modern tools of information
communication, including encryption, is used”. Surveillance is done only in the defence of India, to
maintain public order, etc.

“There is no blanket permission to any agency,” the government explained. Permission for surveillance
needs to be got from the Union Home Secretary. Besides, the law mandates the Centre and States to
constitute a review committee with the Cabinet Secretary.

The affidavit explained how there are “grave threats to the country from terrorism, radicalisation, cross
border terrorism, cyber crime, drug cartels”, and these cannot be ignored or under-stated. There is a
need for “speedy collection of actionable intelligence” to counter threat to national interests.

“It is therefore imperative that requests for lawful interception or monitoring must be dealt with by the
executive authority to maintain speed in taking decisions. A well laid down procedure for oversight by a
panel headed by the Cabinet secretary doubtlessly ensures that provisions of law, rules and SOP are
adhered to,” the Centre said in its counter-affidavit.

https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/order-on-surveillance-meant-to-protect-privacy-
govt-tells-sc/article26414124.ece
Assam to be oil exporting hub for Southeast Asia #GS3 #Economy #GS2 #IR
Assam is slated to soon become one of India’s major oil exporting hubs catering to the eastern
neighbours of the country and Southeast Asia .The Minister based his prediction on a slew of projects
for augmenting oil exploration, refining and transportation capacity in various stages of completion in
the region.

Eight of these projects under Hydrocarbon Vision 2030, worth more than Rs. 1,500 crore, were
inaugurated in Guwahati. “Assam will soon send petrol and diesel to Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, and
Southeast Asian countries.

Key Points-

1. Hydrocarbon Vision 2030

https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/assam-to-be-oil-exporting-hub-for-southeast-
asia/article26414119.ece

Palghar records magnitude 4.3 quake- Priyanka Pulla #GS1 #Geography

Palghar district in Maharashtra, which has seen thousands of small earthquakes since November 2018,
experienced a quake measuring 4.3 on the moment magnitude (Mw) scale. This is the first time the
magnitude has crossed 4 here, with tremors felt even in Mumbai.

Scientists, however, are divided on the primary cause of this phenomenon. Some believe it is related
to groundwater levels, and others attribute it to tectonic activity. If high groundwater is the cause, the
quakes may remain small. This phenomenon, called hydro-seismicity, is common across the Deccan
plateau.

However, another hypothesis is that intra-plate tectonic forces could be generating stresses along faults
in Palghar. Such a mechanism is believed to be behind the 1993 Latur earthquake. If intra-plate activity
is the cause, Palghar could see larger, more destructive quakes.

Till a while ago, seismologists believed the driver behind the Palghar activity was hydroseismicity. In this
phenomenon, rainwater enters the existing faults in the earth’s crust. This increases pressure, which is
released through small earthquakes

In contrast, the Palghar quakes have continued into February, indicating that tectonic activity is at play,
says Dr. Srinagesh. Also, a few of the temblors originated from 15 km underground, deeper than most
hydroseismic quakes.

https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/palghar-records-magnitude-43-
quake/article26414126.ece
Indian exporters need to tap African countries more, says Exim Bank MD #GS3
#Economy

Indian exporters need to increasingly tap African countries that have an almost “unlimited market.
Pointing out that expanding geographical range and product diversification were critical for Indian
exporters, he said in 2018-19, exports were expected to surpass the $304-billion figure of 2017-18.

Referring to Africa, he said that India’s exports to this continent had increased from 7.5% in 2009-10 to
8% in 2017-18. Of the 54 African countries, there was significant trade with 47. Many of these countries
ranked high in terms of ease of business.

On the issue of the competition being faced by Indian textile exporters from Bangladesh and Vietnam,
he highlighted the need to scale up business to combat cost pressures.

On the changing role of finance, he said that the banking sector’s health was now improving through
various measures, especially through the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code. He shared his concern on
LIBOR as a benchmark rate, noting that its trustworthiness had now come under the scanner.

While a new benchmark dollar interest rate had been created (Secured Overnight Financing Rate), the
change from LIBOR is not easy as it is tied to all kinds of financial instruments

https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-business/indian-exporters-need-to-tap-african-countries-
more-says-exim-bank-md/article26414077.ece

Crop residue burning main contributor to Delhi’s bad air #GS3 #Environment

Delhi’s air, especially in the winters, has a larger concentration of black carbon (BC) from incomplete
combustion as compared to megacities across the world, a study on biomass burning and its effects on
Delhi says.

It also says that BC entering Delhi from neighbouring states is around 42% in winter and 36% in
autumn. Burning of crop residue or wood and vehicular emissions, both contribute around 40% each
to pollution in Delhi, the study says, adding that in Chinese megacities, the pollution load from fossil
fuel combustion is much higher, at around 70% to 80%.

Pointing to the phenomenon of crop residue burning in states such as Punjab, Haryana and Uttar
Pradesh, which other research works have said contributes to Delhi’s winter pollution, the study says
that while summer months see pollution majorly owing to local sources, winter and autumn particulate
matter (PM) has a large footprint of biomass burning.

The wind direction in winter (northwesterly), as opposed to southwesterly in summer and monsoon,
helps bring the biomass burning load to Delhi. The weather conditions ensure that the atmospheric
boundary layer height in winters is lower, which means that atmospheric transport occurs closer to
the surface in winter and autumn, the study says.

Black carbon is a pronounced problem not only in Delhi but in other cities that fall in the Indo-Gangetic
Plains (IGP).

The study, carried out by scientists at the Stockholm University, Sweden and Indian Institute of Tropical
Meteorology (regional centre, New Delhi), says that the BC load in PM 2.5 (particulate matter finer than
2.5 micrometres) is almost twice the load in Beijing aerosols.

Black carbon not only affects health adversely but also contributes significantly to global warming.
The study also looks at the seasonal trend of variation of organic carbon and BC in particulate matter.

“Heavy rains occur in Delhi during the summer months with maximum rainfall (~150 mm) recorded in
September during 2011. Coincidentally, the yearly minima in PM 2.5, BC and OC concentrations are
observed during summer.

https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/crop-residue-burning-main-contributor-to-delhis-bad-air-
5607548/

The World Is Losing Fish to Eat as Oceans Warm, Study Finds #GS3
#Environment
Fish populations are declining as oceans warm, putting a key source of food and income at risk for
millions of people around the world. The study found that the amount of seafood that humans could
sustainably harvest from a wide range of species shrank by 4.1 percent from 1930 to 2010, a casualty of
human-caused climate change.

That 4 percent decline sounds small, but it’s 1.4 million metric tons of fish from 1930 to 2010. Scientists
have warned that global warming will put pressure on the world’s food supplies in coming decades. But
the new findings — which separate the effects of warming waters from other factors, like overfishing —
suggest that climate change is already having a serious impact on seafood.

Fish make up 17 percent of the global population’s intake of animal protein, and as much as 70 percent
for people living in some coastal and island countries, according to the Food and Agriculture
Organization of the United Nations.

As the oceans have warmed, some regions have been particularly hard-hit. In the northeast Atlantic
Ocean and the Sea of Japan, fish populations declined by as much as 35 percent over the period of the
study.

“The ecosystems in East Asia have seen some of the largest decline in fisheries productivity,” Dr. Free
said. “And that region is home to some of the largest growing human populations and populations that
are highly dependent on seafood.”
Amid these changing conditions, fish are shifting where they live, in search of their preferred
temperatures. High ocean temperatures can kill off both the fish themselves and the sources of food
they depend on.

In about a quarter of the regions studied, fish had expanded their range. Off the Atlantic coast of the
United States, sustainable catches of black sea bass increased by 6 percent over the study period.

Another quarter of the regions saw no significant changes in fish populations, like the northwest Atlantic
Ocean, where Atlantic herring are abundant.

But half the regions did not fare as well. The northeast Atlantic Ocean — home to Atlantic cod, the
mainstay of fish and chips — saw a 34 percent decline in sustainable catches.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/28/climate/fish-climate-change.html

Brazil, Aus lodge complaint in WTO over India's sugar subsidies #GS3 #Economy
Brazil has joined Australia to lodge a formal complaint against India, the world's second-largest sugar
producer, with the World Trade Organisation (WTO), alleging that India's continued sugar subsidies to
farmers have led to a "glut" and "depressed" global prices.

India’s sugar subsidy regime was inconsistent with WTO rules and had helped create a glut in the global
sugar market. The Liberal-National Government continues to stand side-by-side with our sugar industry
on this matter.

Australia respects the rights of WTO members to support their farmers and agricultural industries, this
support must be consistent with WTO rules and provide a level playing field.

Australia maintains a very good relationship with India, both economically and strategically, and it is
perfectly normal for even close friends and partners to avail themselves of WTO mechanisms from time-
to-time to resolve trade issues.

This action being taken by the Government demonstrates our commitment to protecting the interests of
our hard-working cane growers and sugar millers, and to the rules-based international trading system
that underpins the viability of our vital export industries

https://www.businesstoday.in/pti-feed/brazil-aus-lodge-complaint-in-wto-over-indias-sugar-
subsidies/story/323558.html
January 2019 Hindu & IE Editorial Compilation & Imp. Article for quoting as example

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February 2018 Hindu & IE Editorial Compilation & Imp. Article for quoting as example

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