Pulwama: India to seek U.S. virtual SIM details

GS PAPER - 03 SECURITY - Security challenges and their management in border areas; linkages of organized crime with terrorism Various Security forces and agencies and their mandate

Context :

★Indian government has decided to send a request to the United States to seek details from a service provider of virtual SIMs.

More about the news:

★The virtual SIMs were used by the Jaish-e-Mohammed suicide bomber behind the Pulwama attack to communicate with his Pakistan based handlers.

★A request would be sent to the U.S. to seek details from a service provider of “virtual SIMs”, which were used by the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) suicide.

★The request to the US will include details of phone numbers that got in touch with the “Virtual SIM” and who had activated it, they said, adding that Internet Protocol addresses would also be sought.

★While the security agencies would attempt to find who had paid for the virtual SIM, they were also aware that the terror groups used forged identities, as was done during the Mumbai 26/11 terror strikes.

                                                                                                                                                  Source :- The Hindu

 Army’s carbine procurement held up

GS PAPER - 03 SECURITY - Security challenges and their management in border areas; linkages of organized crime with terrorism Various Security forces and agencies and their mandate

Issue :

★According to Defence ministry source, The fast-track procurement of 93,895 Close Quarter Carbine (CQB) rifles for the Army has been delayed even after the completion of cost negotiations as the case is pending with the Defence Ministry.

More about the news:

★Cost negotiations have been completed, and the file has gone to a three-member oversight committee where it has been held up without a decision.

★The oversight committee consists of members of the Army, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Defence Ministry.

★The status of the case was on the agenda of the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) meeting.

★In January 2018, the DAC approved the purchase of 72,400 assault rifles and 93,895 carbines through the fast-track procurement (FTP) mode.

                                                                                                                                                                                                        Source :- The Hindu

Rising sea levels to affect water table in T.N.

GS PAPER - 01 GEOGRAPHY - geographical features and their location- changes in critical geographical features (including water-bodies and ice-caps) and in flora and fauna and the effects of such changes.

Context :

★A study published in the Journal of Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, says that - the fragile water table in Chennai’s coastal areas, particularly along East Coast Road, is under threat of severe seawater intrusion due to anticipated rise in sea levels in the next few decades.

★The study has forecast the impact of sea level rise on the coastal aquifer in the coming years, till 2100. Fresh water will be replaced with saline water over time, says the study.

Key Findings:

★There is a rise in sea level by 2mm every year based on a report by the Indian Network for Climate Change Assessment under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

★The increasing sea level would also force the water table along the coastline to move upwards. But it would slowly replace the freshwater at the bottom of the aquifer.

★Given the rate of increase in sea level, the water table would witness an incursion of sea water to the extent of 2-3mm every year.

★The volume of fresh water would gradually reduce in the coastal areas due to climate change-induced sea level rise.

★Rapid urbanisation and indiscriminate drawal have already led to salt water intrusion in areas from the Adyar river to Palavakkam. Residents are heavily dependent on other resources, including private water tankers.

Way forward :

★It is imperative to change the land-use pattern along the shoreline to tackle the impact of climate change.

★Areas closer to the coast must adopt water conservation measures to sustain groundwater.

★Only minimal groundwater extraction through open wells must be allowed and water pumped in localities along the shoreline must be replenished through rainwater harvesting.

★Large residential complexes must adopt other measures like permeable pavements.

★An integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) plan is the most appropriate and necessary tool for long-term sustainable development, which could tackle current and future vulnerabilities of the coastal area.

                                                                                                                                          Source :- The Hindu

Bar use of ‘mental’ & ‘mad’ jibe: Psychiatry body to poll panel

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

Context :

★The Indian Psychiatry Society (IPS) has requested the Election Commission of India to put a ban on the use of words like mental instability and mad.These words are used by politicians while describing their opponents during the election campaign.

Bar use of ‘mental’ & ‘mad’ :

★The Indian Psychiatry Society has said that the words used by politicians are discriminatory, inhuman and degrading over the rights of persons suffering from mental disorders.

★It has urged the ECI to bring the issue under the Model code of conduct(MCC) so that politicians don’t use these sensitive words during election campaigns.

                                                                                                                                                Source :- Times of India

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