Over one lakh Olive Ridley turtles enter sea in Odisha

GS PAPER - 03 ENVIRONMENT - Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment

Context :

The idyllic Kalam Island off the Odisha coast has become lively with lakhs of baby Olive Ridley turtles crawling towards the Bay of Bengal after emerging from eggshells.

More about the news:

In the Indian Ocean, the majority of Olive Ridleys nest in two or three large groups near Gahirmatha in Orissa.The coast of Odisha in India is the largest mass nesting site for the Olive Ridley,followed by the coasts of Mexico and Costa Rica
Odisha is home to 50 percent of the total world’s population of Olive Ridleys and about 90 percent of Indian population of sea turtles.
The unmanned island, located close to the Wheeler’s Island defence test range centre, a prohibited territory, is one of the largest rookeries in the world.
Except forest department officials, no one has had the chance to witness the spectacular sight.

Olive ridley Turtle :

Gets name from its olive colored carapace, which is heart-shaped and rounded.
The Olive Ridley sea turtle has been listed on Schedule – I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act,1972.The Olive Ridley turtles are the smallest and most abundant of all sea turtles found in the world, inhabiting warm waters of the Pacific,Atlantic and Indian oceans.
It is closely related to the Kemp’s Ridley,with the primary distinction being that olive Ridleys are found only in warmer waters,including the southern Atlantic,Pacific and Indian Oceans.
The Olive Ridley is classified as vulnerable according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) and is listed in Appendix I of CITES.
The Convention on Migratory Species and the Inter-American Convention for the Protection and Conservation of Sea Turtles have also provided Olive Ridleys with protection,leading to increased conservation and management for this marine turtle.

Source :- The Hindu

Arbitrary ban on social media will impede FDI

GS PAPER - 02 GOVERNANCE - Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

Context :

TikTok ban: Arbitrary blocking of social media platforms will impede FDI, says IAMA.

Background :

The Madras High Court asked the Tamil Nadu government on April 3 to ban TikTok, saying it encouraged pornography and warning that sexual predators could target child users.
Chinese video app Tik Tok is no longer available in Google and Apple app stores in India after the Madras High Court prohibited its downloads, a setback for developer Bytedance Technology efforts to tap users in a key market.

Issue :

Any “arbitrary” ban on social media platforms and intermediaries could impede foreign direct investment and affect expansion of the digital India initiative, an industry body of Internet and mobile device companies said.
The Internet and Mobile Association of India (IMAI) said it would be a major roadblock to the growth of digital India and impede FDI in digital if intermediaries were to be banned quite arbitrarily by the courts in the country.
The association was of the view that such bans dilutes the safe harbour provisions currently contained in the IT Act and its Rules and make it impossible for them to operate in the country.
Especially affected would be the so-called social media platforms which allow citizens to express themselves

Tik Tok :

TikTok is an app that allows users to create and share short videos with special effects.
The app was developed by Chinese Internet technology company ByteDance.
It has over 54 million monthly active users in India.

Why it was banned in India?

Despite Tik Tok being very popular in India, it was argued that its content is inappropriate.
Several users have reported endemic cyberbullying on TikTok, including racial abuse.
Jokes, clips and footage related to India’s thriving movie industry dominate the app’s platform, along with memes and videos in which youngsters, some scantily clad, lip- sync and dance to popular music.
Among many reasons for the ban as quoted by the Madras High Court are concerns of availability of pornographic content, exposure of children to sexual predators, people being made subject to mockery and pranks, violation of privacy and its addictive tendency among teenagers.
According to an IT ministry official, the government sent a letter requesting Apple and Google to abide by the state court’s order.
Google blocked access to TikTok in its Play store in India to comply with the court’s directive. The app is currently not available in mobile app stores.
ByteDance challenged the TN court’s ban order in Supreme Court saying it went against freedom of speech rights in India. The Supreme Court is yet to hear the case.
The legal action against ByteDance could set a precedent of Indian courts intervening to regulate content on social media and other digital platforms.

Source :- The Hindu

20 states join pan-India single emergency helpline number 112

GS PAPER - 02 GOVERNANCE - mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections.

Context :

Twenty states and Union Territories have so far joined a pan-India network of single emergency helpline number '112' on which immediate assistance can be sought by anyone in distress.

Emergency Response Support System (ERSS):

The Emergency Response Support System (ERSS) envisages a single pan-India emergency number ‘112’, which is an internationally recognised number to target all types of emergencies.
The '112' helpline is an integration of police (100), fire (101) and women (1090) helpline numbers.
The project is being implemented under the central government's Nirbhaya Fund.
The single number for emergency services is similar to '911' in the United States.
Further,on pressing the number,the system would identify the location of the person in distress connecting through voice or data and immediate assistance would be provided.
In addition to ensure the safety of women a SHOUT feature has been introduced in 112 India mobile app to seek immediate assistance from registered volunteers in the vicinity apart from the immediate assistance from Emergency Response Centre (ERCs).The SHOUT feature is exclusively available to women.

Source :- Economic Times

Indian bullfrogs take to invasive behaviour early in Andamans

GS PAPER - 03 ENVIRONMENT - Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment

Context :

According to a recent study published in Biological Invasions,Indian bullfrogs introduced in the Andaman islands are invasive, and eat native wildlife including fish and lizards.

Indian Bullfrog :

The Indian bullfrog Hoplobatrachus tigerinus (native to the Indian subcontinent) has rapidly invaded the Andaman islands after it was introduced there in the early 2000s.By 2009,these frogs were found on several islands and were considered invasive.
The Indian bullfrog is mainly aquatic,inhabiting mostly freshwater wetlands,both natural and artificial (especially paddy fields).However,it is absent or uncommon in forested areas and coastal regions.
The bullfrog is found widely in mainland India and protected under Schedule IV of the Indian Wildlife Act 1972.
It is steadily occupying the islands’ ecosystem and threatening the local economy.

Invasive Nature :

The increasing population of bullfrogs in Andaman has threatened biodiversity and livelihoods of locals by preying on their fish and chicken.Hence,this is leading to unusual man-frog conflict.
A species is considered invasive when it reproduces and spreads successfully in a non-native area,where it may have harmful effects on native plants and animals.

Source :- The Hindu

Indoor emissions affect air-quality standards

GS PAPER - 03 ENVIRONMENT - Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment

Context :

A recent study has found out that indoor pollution such as use of firewood,kerosene and coal in the households contributed to about 40% of the PM 2.5 pollution in the Gangetic basin districts.

Key Findings :

The study has said that villages still use firewood for room heating and water heating.Further,people still prefer cheap wood fuel despite LPG being provided to many households.
The results showed that by eliminating household emissions the average outdoor air pollution levels could be reduced and brought within the national ambient air quality standards and about 13% of premature mortality in India could be averted.
At the national scale, mitigating household emissions is also expected to bring large health benefits.

Delhi Needs Special Attention :

The study also highlighted the need for special attention in Delhi.
In Delhi NCR, stubble burning, industrial and power plant emission, brick kilns and vehicular emissions are the major contributors.
Even after mitigating household emissions, Delhi NCR would remain out of attainment.
Delhi needs more serious and stringent measures.

Way forward :

The study has demonstrated that mitigating at a household level is the easiest and more practical way out for the government to reduce not only the household pollution but also outdoor air pollution at the national scale.

Particulate matter

Particulate matter, also known as particle pollution or PM, is a term that describes extremely small solid particles and liquid droplets suspended in air.
Particulate matter can be made up of a variety of components including nitrates, sulphates, organic chemicals, metals, soil or dust particles, and allergens (such as fragments of pollen or mould spores).
Particle pollution mainly comes from motor vehicles, wood burning heaters and industry. During bushfires or dust storms, particle pollution can reach extremely high concentrations

The size of particles affects their potential to cause health problems:

PM10 (particles with a diameter of 10 micrometres or less): these particles are small enough to pass through the throat and nose and enter the lungs. Once inhaled, these particles can affect the heart and lungs and cause serious health effects.
PM2.5 (particles with a diameter of 2.5 micrometres or less): these particles are so small they can get deep into the lungs and into the bloodstream. There is sufficient evidence that exposure to PM2.5 over long periods (years) can cause adverse health effects. Note that PM10 includes PM2.5.

For more information :- https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/what-is-particulate-matter-and-how-does-it-affect-you/article20907840.ece

Source :- The Hindu

Biomarkers found for lymph node metastasis in oral cancer

GS PAPER - 02 GOVERNANCE - Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.

Context :

A team of researchers from the National Institute of Biomedical Genomics,West Bengal has found the Biomarkers for lymph node metastasis in oral cancer.
The researchers have said that by looking out for five biomarkers,it is now possible to tell in advance if a person with oral cancer of the gum and cheek has lymph node metastasis even before surgery is undertaken.

Biomarkers :

A biomarker or biological marker is a measurable indicator of some biological state or condition.
Biomarkers are often measured and evaluated to examine normal biological processes,pathogenic processes or pharmacologic responses to a therapeutic intervention.
Biomarkers are used in many scientific fields.

Bio markers to check Oral cancer :

The ability to correctly predict absence/presence of lymph node metastasis in oral cancer patients is 80-90% based on the five biomarkers.
As a result, an oral cancer patient can be spared of a neck dissection to investigate if the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes in case the five biomarkers are absent.
Lymph node dissection increases morbidity. However, if the patient tests positive for even one biomarker then an aggressive treatment would be required.
An oral cancer patient with cancer spread to the lymph node has a 50% lower chance of survival for five years or more compared with patients in whom it has not spread to the lymph node.
Lymph nodes are tiny round or oval organs found all over your body, and they are connected through a complex system of lymphatic channels. They function to help the body fight infection via white blood cells.
They act as filters for anything that should not be in the body,including cancer cells.Metastatic lymph nodes are those that have cancer cells within them which is spread from a primary tumor of somewhere else.

Source :- The Hindu

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21st APRIL 2019 DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS

Over one lakh Olive Ridley turtles enter sea in Odisha

Arbitrary ban on social media will impede FDI

20 states join pan-India single emergency helpline number 112

Indian bullfrogs take to invasive behaviour early in Andamans

Indoor emissions affect air-quality standards

Biomarkers found for lymph node metastasis in oral cancer

Over one lakh Olive Ridley turtles enter sea in Odisha

GS PAPER - 03 ENVIRONMENT - Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment

Context :

The idyllic Kalam Island off the Odisha coast has become lively with lakhs of baby Olive Ridley turtles crawling towards the Bay of Bengal after emerging from eggshells.

More about the news:

In the Indian Ocean, the majority of Olive Ridleys nest in two or three large groups near Gahirmatha in Orissa.The coast of Odisha in India is the largest mass nesting site for the Olive Ridley,followed by the coasts of Mexico and Costa Rica

Odisha is home to 50 percent of the total world’s population of Olive Ridleys and about 90 percent of Indian population of sea turtles.

The unmanned island, located close to the Wheeler’s Island defence test range centre, a prohibited territory, is one of the largest rookeries in the world.

Except forest department officials, no one has had the chance to witness the spectacular sight.

Olive ridley Turtle :

Gets name from its olive colored carapace, which is heart-shaped and rounded.

The Olive Ridley sea turtle has been listed on Schedule – I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act,1972.The Olive Ridley turtles are the smallest and most abundant of all sea turtles found in the world, inhabiting warm waters of the Pacific,Atlantic and Indian oceans.

It is closely related to the Kemp’s Ridley,with the primary distinction being that olive Ridleys are found only in warmer waters,including the southern Atlantic,Pacific and Indian Oceans.

The Olive Ridley is classified as vulnerable according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) and is listed in Appendix I of CITES.

The Convention on Migratory Species and the Inter-American Convention for the Protection and Conservation of Sea Turtles have also provided Olive Ridleys with protection,leading to increased conservation and management for this marine turtle.

Source :- The Hindu

Arbitrary ban on social media will impede FDI

GS PAPER - 02 GOVERNANCE - Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

Context :

TikTok ban: Arbitrary blocking of social media platforms will impede FDI, says IAMA.

Background :

The Madras High Court asked the Tamil Nadu government on April 3 to ban TikTok, saying it encouraged pornography and warning that sexual predators could target child users.

Chinese video app Tik Tok is no longer available in Google and Apple app stores in India after the Madras High Court prohibited its downloads, a setback for developer Bytedance Technology efforts to tap users in a key market.

Issue :

Any “arbitrary” ban on social media platforms and intermediaries could impede foreign direct investment and affect expansion of the digital India initiative, an industry body of Internet and mobile device companies said.

The Internet and Mobile Association of India (IMAI) said it would be a major roadblock to the growth of digital India and impede FDI in digital if intermediaries were to be banned quite arbitrarily by the courts in the country.

The association was of the view that such bans dilutes the safe harbour provisions currently contained in the IT Act and its Rules and make it impossible for them to operate in the country.

Especially affected would be the so-called social media platforms which allow citizens to express themselves

Tik Tok :

TikTok is an app that allows users to create and share short videos with special effects.

The app was developed by Chinese Internet technology company ByteDance.

It has over 54 million monthly active users in India.

Why it was banned in India?

Despite Tik Tok being very popular in India, it was argued that its content is inappropriate.

Several users have reported endemic cyberbullying on TikTok, including racial abuse.

Jokes, clips and footage related to India’s thriving movie industry dominate the app’s platform, along with memes and videos in which youngsters, some scantily clad, lip- sync and dance to popular music.

Among many reasons for the ban as quoted by the Madras High Court are concerns of availability of pornographic content, exposure of children to sexual predators, people being made subject to mockery and pranks, violation of privacy and its addictive tendency among teenagers.

According to an IT ministry official, the government sent a letter requesting Apple and Google to abide by the state court’s order.

Google blocked access to TikTok in its Play store in India to comply with the court’s directive. The app is currently not available in mobile app stores.

ByteDance challenged the TN court’s ban order in Supreme Court saying it went against freedom of speech rights in India. The Supreme Court is yet to hear the case.

The legal action against ByteDance could set a precedent of Indian courts intervening to regulate content on social media and other digital platforms.

Source :- The Hindu

20 states join pan-India single emergency helpline number 112

GS PAPER - 02 GOVERNANCE - mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections.

Context :

Twenty states and Union Territories have so far joined a pan-India network of single emergency helpline number '112' on which immediate assistance can be sought by anyone in distress.

Emergency Response Support System (ERSS):

The Emergency Response Support System (ERSS) envisages a single pan-India emergency number ‘112’, which is an internationally recognised number to target all types of emergencies.

The '112' helpline is an integration of police (100), fire (101) and women (1090) helpline numbers.

The project is being implemented under the central government's Nirbhaya Fund.

The single number for emergency services is similar to '911' in the United States.

Further,on pressing the number,the system would identify the location of the person in distress connecting through voice or data and immediate assistance would be provided.

Source :- Economic Times

Indian bullfrogs take to invasive behaviour early in Andamans

GS PAPER - 03 ENVIRONMENT - Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment

Context :

According to a recent study published in Biological Invasions,Indian bullfrogs introduced in the Andaman islands are invasive, and eat native wildlife including fish and lizards.

Indian Bullfrog :

The Indian bullfrog Hoplobatrachus tigerinus (native to the Indian subcontinent) has rapidly invaded the Andaman islands after it was introduced there in the early 2000s.By 2009,these frogs were found on several islands and were considered invasive.

The Indian bullfrog is mainly aquatic,inhabiting mostly freshwater wetlands,both natural and artificial (especially paddy fields).However,it is absent or uncommon in forested areas and coastal regions.

The bullfrog is found widely in mainland India and protected under Schedule IV of the Indian Wildlife Act 1972.

It is steadily occupying the islands’ ecosystem and threatening the local economy.

Invasive Nature :

The increasing population of bullfrogs in Andaman has threatened biodiversity and livelihoods of locals by preying on their fish and chicken.Hence,this is leading to unusual man-frog conflict.

A species is considered invasive when it reproduces and spreads successfully in a non-native area,where it may have harmful effects on native plants and animals.

Source :- The Hindu

Indoor emissions affect air-quality standards

GS PAPER - 03 ENVIRONMENT - Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment

Context :

A recent study has found out that indoor pollution such as use of firewood,kerosene and coal in the households contributed to about 40% of the PM 2.5 pollution in the Gangetic basin districts.

Key Findings :

The study has said that villages still use firewood for room heating and water heating.Further,people still prefer cheap wood fuel despite LPG being provided to many households.

The results showed that by eliminating household emissions the average outdoor air pollution levels could be reduced and brought within the national ambient air quality standards and about 13% of premature mortality in India could be averted.