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Burkina Faso
 Aditya L-1

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GS -2, Sci. & Tech | Page -8
Aditya-L1 Mission

Context :-

• The Indian Space Research

Organisation (ISRO) has
accomplished the launch of Aditya-L1,
its inaugural Solar Mission.

• The launch was conducted using

the PSLV-C57 rocket. The
PSLV's fourth stage was fired twice, a
first in ISRO's history, to precisely
insert the spacecraft into its elliptical
orbit.
Aditya-L1 Mission
About:

• Aditya-L1 is the first space based observatory class

Indian solar mission to study the Sun from a
substantial distance of 1.5 million kilometers. It will
take approximately 125 days to reach the L1 point.

• Aditya-L1 is also ISRO’s second astronomy

observatory-class mission after AstroSat (2015).
• The mission's journey is notably shorter than
India's previous Mars orbiter mission, Mangalyaan.

• The spacecraft is planned to be placed in a halo

orbit around the Lagrangian point 1 (L1) of the Sun-
Earth system.
Objective:

• The mission aims to

provide valuable insights
into the solar corona,
photosphere,
chromosphere, and solar
wind.

• The primary objective of

Aditya-L1 is to gain a
deeper understanding of
the Sun's behavior,
including its radiation, heat,
particle flow, and magnetic
fields, and how they impact
Earth.
Lagrange Points
About:

• Lagrange points are special positions in space

where the gravitational forces of two large
orbiting bodies, such as the Sun and the
Earth, balance each other out.

• This means that a small object, such as

a spacecraft, can stay at these points without
using much fuel to maintain its orbit.

• There are five Lagrange Points, each with

distinct characteristics. These points enable a
small mass to orbit in a stable pattern amid two
larger masses.
• Lagrange Points in the Sun-Earth System:L1: L1 is considered the most significant of the
Lagrange points for solar observations. A satellite placed in the halo orbit around the L1
has the major advantage of continuously viewing the Sun without any occultation/
eclipses.
• It is currently home to the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory Satellite (SOHO).

• L2: Positioned directly 'behind' Earth as viewed from the Sun, L2 is excellent for observing
the larger Universe without Earth's shadow interference.
• The James Webb Space Telescope orbits the Sun near L2.

• L3: Positioned behind the Sun, opposite Earth, and just beyond Earth's orbit, it
offers potential observations of the far side of the Sun.

• L4 and L5: Objects at L4 and L5 maintain stable positions, forming an equilateral triangle
with the two larger bodies.
• They are often used for space observatories, such as those studying asteroids.
Significance of Exploring the Sun

Understanding Our Solar System:

• The Sun is the center of our solar system, and its
characteristics greatly influence the behavior of all other
celestial bodies. Studying the Sun enhances our
understanding of the dynamics of our solar neighborhood.

Space Weather Prediction:

• Solar activities, such as solar flares and coronal mass
ejections, can impact Earth's space environment.

• Understanding these phenomena is crucial

for predicting and mitigating potential disruptions to
communication systems, navigation, and power grids.
• Advancing Solar Physics: Exploring the Sun's
complex behavior, including its magnetic
fields, heating mechanisms, and plasma dynamics,
contributes to advances in fundamental physics and
astrophysics.

• Enhancing Energy Research: The Sun is a natural

fusion reactor. Insights gained from studying its
core and nuclear reactions can inform our pursuit of
clean and sustainable fusion energy on Earth.

• Improving Satellite Operations: Solar radiation and

solar wind affect the functioning of satellites and
spacecraft. Understanding these solar
interactions allows for better spacecraft design and
operation.
Class eNotes

One Stop Solution For Current Affairs

 GS -1, Art &
Culture | Page -1
 Durga Puja

Durga Puja is a five-day festival which

begins on the fifth night of the nine-
day Navratri festival and ends on the
tenth day, which is Dashami.

During this time, people collectively

worship and invoke Goddess Durga,
who is regarded as the feminine energy
of the cosmos, also known as ‘Shakti’.

It is one of the largest cultural

carnivals and street art festivals of the
country.

One Stop Solution For Current Affairs

• During this time, intricately-
designed clay models of the
Goddess are worshiped in
‘pandals’ and pavilions where
people get together.

• Folk music, culinary, craft,

and performing arts traditions
are a part of the celebration.

• Though originating in West

Bengal, which has the largest
Bengali community in the
country, the festival is celebrated
in many other parts of India, and
also the world.

One Stop Solution For Current Affairs

 Significance:

• It acknowledges the festival’s

contribution in sustaining and
safeguarding a multitude of traditional
arts and crafts, well-being and
economic empowerment of
communities, and energizing creativity.

• Earlier this year (2021), the British

Council in India had mapped the
creative economy of Durga Puja to
over Rs. 32,000 crore for the year
2019 and added that the festival
contributes 2.58% of West
Bengal’s Gross Domestic Product
(GDP).

One Stop Solution For Current Affairs

• Recently, Durga Puja in Kolkata has been inscribed on the UNESCO’s Representative List of
the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) of Humanity.
• It is the first festival in Asia to achieve recognition as UNESCO ICH of Humanity.

UNESCO’s List of Intangible Cultural Heritage:

• This coveted list is made up of those intangible heritage elements that help demonstrate
diversity of cultural heritage and raise awareness about its importance.
• According to UNESCO cultural heritage does not end at monuments and collections of
objects.
• It also includes traditions or living expressions inherited from our ancestors and
passed on to our descendants, such as oral traditions, performing arts, social
practices, rituals, festive events, knowledge and practices concerning nature and the
universe or the knowledge and skills to produce traditional crafts.

• The list was established in 2008 when the Convention for Safeguarding of the Intangible
Cultural Heritage came into effect.

One Stop Solution For Current Affairs

 GS -3,
Conservation
| Page -8
Context:
• Tortoise or hard-shell turtles from India are
traded to more places globally and through a
wider trafficking network than soft-shell
turtles, according to a new report. The former
is mostly traded as pets while the latter for
meat, primarily within the country.

Report and its findings:

• The findings were published in Oryx — The
International Journal of Conservation.

• Research title: From pets to plates: Network

analysis of trafficking in tortoises and
freshwater turtles representing different types
of demand
•
Key Findings:
• The structure of the trafficking networks of tortoises and freshwater
turtles varied based on demand.

• The smuggling racket of tortoises / hard-shell turtles were found to be much

wider than the soft-shell turtles.
• The trade network for pet turtles was also observed to be more organised than
that for soft-shell turtles sold for meat.

• There is a lack of training on and awareness of illegal wildlife trade.

• The important trading stops in the case of tortoise / hard-shell turtles were all
located in large, well-connected state capitals like Chennai (most active node),
Kolkata, Mumbai and Bangalore.

• Other nodes of importance included Sri Lanka, West Bengal and Delhi.
• North 24 pargana of West Bengal has emerged a key hub for illegal trade of
both soft-shell turtles and tortoise/Hard-shell turtles.
One Stop Solution For Current Affairs
Soft-shell turtle:
• The Trionychidae are a taxonomic family of
a number of turtle genera, commonly
known as softshell turtles.

• The family was erected by Leopold

Fitzinger in 1826.

• Softshells include some of the world’s

largest freshwater turtles, though many can
adapt to living in highly brackish areas.

• Members of this family occur in Africa,

Asia, and North America, with extinct
species known from Australia.

One Stop Solution For Current Affairs

• Most species have traditionally been included in
the genus Trionyx, but the vast majority have
since been moved to other genera. Among these
are the North American Apalonesoftshells that
were placed in Trionyx until 1987.

• They are called “softshell” because their

carapaces lack horny scutes (scales), though the
spiny softshell, Apalonespinifera, does have
some scale-like projections, hence its name.

• The Indian Softshell turtle

(Nilssoniagangetica), also known as the Ganges
Softshell turtle, is a reptile found in freshwater
habitats and its distribution is restricted to the
Ganges, Indus and Mahanadi rivers in northern
and eastern India.
Tortoise or Hard-shell turtles:
• Tortoises/ hard-shell turtles are reptiles of the
family Testudinidae of the order Testudines (Latin
for “tortoise”). Like other turtles, tortoises have a
shell to protect from predation and other threats.

• The shell in tortoises is generally hard, and like

other members of the suborder Cryptodira, they
retract their necks and heads directly backward
into the shell to protect them.

• Tortoises can vary in size with some species, such

as the Galápagos giant tortoise, growing to more
than 1.2 metres (3.9 ft) in length, whereas others
like the Speckled cape tortoise have shells that
measure only 6.8 centimetres (2.7 in) long.

One Stop Solution For Current Affairs

• Galápagos tortoises are noted to live over 150 years, but an Aldabra giant
tortoise named Adwaita may have lived an estimated 255 years. In general, most
tortoise species can live 80–150 years.

• Tortoises are placid and slow-moving, with an average walking speed of 0.2–0.5
km/h.

• Tortoises are found from southern North America to southern South

America, around the Mediterranean basin, across Eurasia to Southeast Asia, in sub-
Saharan Africa, Madagascar, and some Pacific islands. They are absent from
Australasia.

• Tortoises are generally considered to be strict herbivores, feeding on grasses,

weeds, leafy greens, flowers, and some fruits. However, hunting and eating of
birds has been observed on occasion.
GS -2, Health | Page -8
Cholera
About:

• It is a life-threatening
infectious disease and a public
health hazard.

• Cholera is an acute, diarrheal illness

caused by infection of the intestine
with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae.

• The infection is often mild or

without symptoms, but sometimes
can be severe.
Symptoms:
• Profuse watery diarrhoea, Vomiting, Leg cramps

Transmission:
• A person may get cholera by drinking water or
eating food contaminated with the cholera
bacterium.
• The disease can spread rapidly in areas with
inadequate treatment of sewage and drinking water.

Vaccine:
• Currently there are three WHO pre-qualified Oral
Cholera Vaccines (OCV), Dukoral, Shanchol, and
Euvichol-Plus.
• All three vaccines require two doses for full
protection.
 GS -2,
Health
| Page -
10
Diabetes Mellitus and Tuberculosis

Context :-

• For a very long time, India has been

experiencing the burden of two
severe Epidemics, Diabetes Mellitus
(DM) and Tuberculosis (TB), however
few know how deeply these diseases
are interlinked.

• Currently, India has around 74.2 million

people living with diabetes while TB
affects 2.6 million Indians every year.
DM and TB Interlinkaged
• Risk of Developing Respiratory Infections:
• The DM increases the risk of developing
respiratory infections. DM is a major risk factor
that increases the incidence and severity of TB.
• Among people with TB, the prevalence of DM was
found to be 25.3% while 24.5% were pre-diabetic, in
a 2012 study in tuberculosis units in Chennai.

• DM Hampers the Recovery of TB:

• DM not only increases the risk of TB but also
hampers the recovery process and prolongs the
time for TB bacteria to be eliminated from the
body.
• The impaired cell-mediated immunity in DM affects
the body's ability to fight infections, including TB.
Alters the Defense Mechanism:
• Uncontrolled DM alters the defense mechanisms in the lungs, making
individuals more susceptible to TB infection.
• Additionally, the altered functions of small blood vessels in the lungs and poor
nutritional status, common in DM, create an environment that facilitates
the invasion and establishment of TB bacteria.

• Likelihood of Unfavorable TB Treatment Outcomes:

• DM increases the likelihood of unfavorable TB treatment outcomes, such as
treatment failure, relapse/reinfection, and even death.

• The coexistence of TB and DM in patients may also modify TB symptoms,

radiological findings, treatment, final outcomes, and prognosis.
• The dual burden of DM and TB not only impacts the health and survival of
individuals but also places a significant burden on the healthcare system,
families, and communities.
What can be done to Tackle Both DM and
TB?

• Provide individualized care for TB and

DM patients, integrating treatments
and addressing comorbidities.

• Improve patient education, support,

and nutrition to enhance TB treatment
outcomes.

• Strengthen healthcare programs for TB

and DM, build resilient and integrated
health systems, and use research to
inform evidence-based decision-
making.
Diabetes Mellitus (DM)

• DM is a disorder in which the body does

not produce enough or respond
normally to insulin, causing blood sugar
(glucose) levels to be abnormally high.

• The name Diabetes Mellitus is often

used rather than diabetes alone, to
distinguish this disorder from Diabetes
Insipidus.

• Diabetes insipidus is a relatively rare

disorder that does not affect blood
glucose levels but, just like diabetes
mellitus, causes increased urination.
Types:

• Type 1 Diabetes:
• The body's immune system attacks
the insulin-producing cells of the
pancreas, and more than 90% of them
are permanently destroyed.

• The pancreas, therefore, produces

little or no insulin.

• Only about 5 to 10% of all people with

diabetes have type 1 disease. Most
people who have type 1 diabetes
develop the disease before age 30,
although it can develop later in life.
Type 2 Diabetes:
• The pancreas often continues to produce insulin,
sometimes even at higher-than-normal levels,
especially early in the disease.

• However, the body develops resistance to the effects of

insulin, so there is not enough insulin to meet the
body’s needs. As type 2 diabetes progresses,
the insulin-producing ability of the pancreas decreases.

• Type 2 diabetes was once rare in children and

adolescents but has become more common.
However, it usually begins in people older than 30
and becomes progressively more common with age.

• About 26% of people older than 65 have type 2

diabetes.
Tuberculosis (TB)
• Tuberculosis is an infectious disease that
can cause infection in your lungs or other tissues.
• It commonly affects lungs, but it can also affect
other organs like your spine, brain or kidneys.

• TB is caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium

tuberculosis. The bacteria usually attack the
lungs, but TB bacteria can attack any part of the
body such as the kidney, spine, and brain.

• The three stages of TB are:

• Primary infection.
• Latent TB infection.
• Active TB disease.
GS -2, Polity| Page -11
Concerns for Aadhaar In India

News :-
• In the midst of India's extensive digital
infrastructure development, Moody's
report “Decentralized Finance and Digital
Assets” has underscored that the world's largest
digital identification program frequently denies
services to users.

• The report raises concerns about the

dependability of biometric technology

Analysis of Moody's Report :-

• Biometric Authentication Concerns:
• The Rating Agency remarked in its report about
the government's adoption of Aadhaar for
routing Direct Benefit Transfers to beneficiaries
of welfare schemes such as Mahatma Gandhi
National Rural Employment Guarantee Act
(MGNREGA) etc, which is hindering their
effective Implementation.

• Aadhaar biometric faces hurdles, including the

burden of establishing authorization and
concerns about biometric reliability.

• Aadhaar system enables access to public and

private services, with verification via fingerprint
or iris scans and alternatives like One-Time
Passcodes (OTPs).
Concerns Related to Service Denials:

• The Unique Identification Authority of

India (UIDAI) administers Aadhaar,
aiming to integrate marginalized
groups and expand welfare benefits
access.

• The system often results in service

denials, and the reliability of biometric
technologies, especially for manual
labourers in hot, humid climates, is
questionable.

Government's Response to Moody's

report
Recognition by International Agencies:
• Government held that a number of international agencies, including the IMF and
the World Bank, have lauded Aadhaar and several nations have also engaged
with the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) to understand how they
may deploy similar digital ID systems.

Facilitation of Schemes like MGNREGA:

• Government said that authors of the report are unaware that the seeding of
Aadhaar in the MGNREGS database has been done without requiring the worker
to authenticate using their biometrics.

Advantages of Direct Benefit Transfer:

• Government stressed that even payment to workers under the scheme is made
by directly crediting money into their account and does not require the worker
to authenticate using their biometrics.
What is Aadhaar?
• Aadhaar is a 12-digit individual identification number issued by the Unique
Identification Authority of India on behalf of the Government of India. The number
serves as proof of identity and address, anywhere in India.

• The Aadhaar number is unique for each individual and will remain valid for life
time.

• Aadhaar number will help the residents to avail various services provided by
banking, mobile phone connections and other Govt and Non-Govt services in
due course.

• Establishes identity of individuals on the basis of demographic and biometric

information.
• It is a voluntary service that every resident can avail irrespective of present
documentation.
Direct Benefit Transfers

• Aim:
• It has been visioned as an aid for simpler/faster flow of information and funds
to the beneficiaries and to reduce the fraud in the delivery system.

• Implementation:
• It is a mission or an initiative by the government of India started on 1st January
2013 as a way to reform the government delivery system.

• Primary components in the implementation of DBT schemes include the Beneficiary

Account Validation System, a robust payment and reconciliation platform
integrated with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), National Payments Corporation of
India (NPCI), Public & Private Sector Banks, Regional Rural Banks and Cooperative
Banks (core banking solutions of banks, settlement systems of RBI, Aadhaar
Payment Bridge of NPCI) etc.
GS -2, IR
| Page -9
 War in Caucasus: On Azerbaijan’s
recapture of Nagorno-Karabakh

• Azerbaijan’s brisk military recapture of

Nagorno-Karabakh, an Armenian-
populated enclave within its borders,
shows the changing power dynamics
in the Caucasus, where American,
Russian and Turkish interests collide.

• The roots of the conflict go back to the

final days of the Soviet Union when the
enclave’s majority Armenian-Christian
population held a referendum to break
away from the Shia
majority Azerbaijan.
• Nagorno-Karabakh was then run by
Armenian separatists, backed by the
Republic of Armenia, until recently. In 2020,
Azerbaijan, backed by Turkey, fought
Armenia, a Russian treaty ally, and captured
much of Nagorno-Karabakh. The Russians
then did little to help Armenia, but brokered
a ceasefire that left Stepanakert, Nagorno-
Karabakh’s biggest city, in the hands of the
locals

• The peace did not hold. Azerbaijan

blockaded the Lachin Corridor, the main
road connecting Nagorno-Karabakh to
Armenia, leaving the 1,20,000 population of
the enclave to face mounting economic
miseries.
• Facing international criticism for the
blockade, Azerbaijan promised to lift
it, but established a checkpoint,
continuing to control the flow of goods
and medicines. Last week, it attacked
Stepanakert, forcing the separatists to
hand over full control to Baku.

• In effect, Azerbaijan achieved in a day

what it had failed to do in three
decades. Two major geopolitical shifts
seem to have helped Baku. First,
Turkey, keen to play a bigger role in
the Caucasus region, the former
periphery of the Ottoman Turks, threw
its weight behind Azerbaijan, with
political and military support.
• Second, Russia’s Ukraine invasion, which
tied Moscow to its western front, has led to
a substantial erosion of Russian power in
the Caucasus. Armenia had often expressed
displeasure with Russia’s lack of action.

• Moscow did nothing besides issuing

statements when Azerbaijan gradually
dismantled the ceasefire agreement.

• Baku realised that the geopolitical situation

favoured it and then moved in to take over
the enclave. It is widely recognised that
Nagorno-Karabakh is a part of Azerbaijan.
But there is a history of mistrust and
violence.
• Armenians in the region, having gone through
a genocide and several conflicts, have a sharp
historical memory and remain wary of any
change in the status quo. Azerbaijan’s
takeover has triggered a massive refugee
outflow to Armenia.

• There are already allegations that Baku is

committing genocidal crimes. For Azerbaijan,
this can be an opportunity to integrate
Nagorno-Karabakh without further bloodshed.

• But for that, Baku should ensure equal rights

for the Armenian population and respect its
autonomy. If not, Azerbaijan could face
prolonged local resistance
GS -3, Sci.
& Tech
| Page -11
OSIRIS REx & OSIRIS-APEC

8534873368
NASA capsule returns with asteroid sample
after 7 years
The US space agency NASA's spacecraft brought
the collected sample from the asteroid Bennu to
Earth after 7 years today, 24 September 2023. The
sample can provide information about how the sun
and planets formed 4.5 billion years ago.

The name of this mission is OSIRIS-REx, which

was launched on 8 September 2016. The most
important thing about the mission was that the
spacecraft has delivered the sample without
landing on Earth. At 4.12 pm, about one lakh km
above the Earth, the spacecraft released the
sample capsule. The capsule landed via parachute
in the Utah desert at 8:23 p.m.
At the same time, the spacecraft fired engines
20 minutes after releasing the sample capsule
above the Earth and set out on a new journey of
'Apophis Asteroid'. This spacecraft will reach
Apophis Asteroid in the year 2029. The OSIRIS-
REx mission is also now named OSIRIS-APEC.

Entered the Earth's atmosphere at a speed of

27,000 km

The sample capsule entered the Earth's

atmosphere at a speed of 27,000 kilometers per
hour. OSIRIS-REx and the military recovery
team were waiting near the landing area with
four helicopters and two backup ground
vehicles to recover the capsule in the Utah
Desert.
The sample will arrive in Houston in a
sealed container on Monday.

The NASA team wrapped the 45-kg

capsule in several sheets of Teflon. Then a
100-foot cable hanging from the helicopter
carried it to the temporary clean room. On
Monday, the sample will be airlifted to
Houston in a sealed container.

According to NASA, the capsule contains

250 grams of sample. At least 75% of the
sample will be preserved at NASA's
Johnson Space Flight Center in Houston
for future research. The rest of the sample
will be analyzed by 2025.
What will this mission
achieve?

The bennu asteroid sample

will help scientists learn
how the early solar system
formed and how life began.

It could also help us better

understand the asteroids
that could potentially
impact Earth in the future.
Asteroids
• These are rocky objects that orbit the Sun, much smaller than planets. They are
also called minor planets.
• According to NASA, 9,94,383 is the count of known asteroids, the remnants from
the formation of the solar system over 4.6 billion years ago.
Asteroids are divided into three classes:

• First, those found in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, which is
estimated to contain somewhere between 1.1-1.9 million asteroids.

• The second group is that of trojans, which are asteroids that share an orbit with
a larger planet.

• The third classification is Near-Earth Asteroids (NEA), which have orbits that
pass close by the Earth. Those that cross the Earth’s orbit are called Earth-
crossers.
• More than 10,000 such
asteroids are known, out of
which over 1,400 are
classified as Potentially
Hazardous Asteroids
(PHAs).

• PHAs are currently defined

based on parameters that
measure the asteroid’s
potential to make
threatening close
approaches to the Earth.
 GS -2, IR
| Page -12