SECL’s Dipka Megaproject Boosts Coal Dispatch with New Silos.

 The operationalisation of the new silo and rapid loading system at SECL’s coal plant marks a significant milestone in eco-friendly and efficient coal evacuation under the First Mile Connectivity (FMC) initiative. 

·         SECL’s Dipka Megaproject has successfully commenced operations with the first coal rake loaded from its newly built Rapid Loading System and Silos 3 & 4 marking a significant step towards eco-friendly and efficient coal transportation, according to the Ministry of Coal.

·         South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL) is a Chhattisgarh-based subsidiary of Coal India under Ministry of Coal.

·         This development aligns with the broader goals of the Ministry of Coal and Coal India Limited to modernise coal transportation infrastructure, reduce environmental impact, and enhance operational efficiency.

·          Under the guidance of the Ministry of Coal, SECL has prioritised the development of FMC infra under the PM Gatishakti Plan. SECL has undertaken 17 First Mile Connectivity (FMC) projects with a cumulative capacity of 233 MTPA.

·         Out of these, 9 projects with a total capacity of 151 MTPA have already been commissioned demonstrating the company''s commitment to modernizing coal transportation. Rest 8 FMC projects of 82 MTPA capacity are under various phases of development with a target to commission them in the next 2-3 years. 

·         FMC is widely recognized as an efficient and eco-friendly coal transportation mode

The implementation of FMC infrastructure at Dipka brings multiple benefits:

·        Improved efficiency and accurate loading, minimizing both underloading and overloading of coal in rakes.

·        Faster loading times leading to shorter turnaround time and improving rake availability.

·        Enhanced coal quality, minimizing contamination and losses.

·        Reduced dependence on road transport, leading to savings on diesel expenses and a cleaner environment.

·         The commissioning of these new silos represents a win-win situation for SECL, Indian Railways, and coal consumers by streamlining logistics, optimizing coal movement, and reducing environmental impacts.

Highlights of the Dipka Megaproject:

1) Commissioning of Silos 3 & 4:

·          The newly commissioned Dipka CHP-Silo FMC project has an annual coal evacuation capacity of 25 million tonnes (MTPA).

·          With the addition of Silos 3 & 4, the total coal dispatch capacity of Dipka has surged to 40 MTPA, up from the previous 15 MTPA capacity through the Merry-Go-Round (MGR) system.

·         This upgrade ensures that transportation infrastructure is now aligned with production levels, enabling seamless coal evacuation.

2) Rapid Loading System:

·         The Rapid Loading System ensures faster and more accurate loading of coal into rakes, minimizing underloading and overloading.

·         This system reduces loading times, leading to shorter turnaround times and improved rake availability for Indian Railways.

3) Eco-Friendly and Efficient Coal Evacuation:

·          The FMC project at Dipka is a part of SECL’s efforts to promote sustainable coal transportation.

·         By reducing dependence on road transport, the project saves on diesel expenses and contributes to a cleaner environment.

·         It also enhances coal quality by minimising contamination and losses during transportation.

4) First Mile Connectivity (FMC) Projects:

·         Under the PM GatiShakti Plan, SECL has prioritised the development of FMC infrastructure to modernise coal transportation.

·          SECL has undertaken 17 FMC projects with a cumulative capacity of 233 MTPA.

·         Out of these, nine projects with a total capacity of 151 MTPA have already been commissioned, while the remaining eight projects (82 MTPA capacity) are under development and targeted for commissioning in the next 2-3 years.

5) Benefits of FMC Infrastructure:

·          Improved efficiency and accurate loading, minimising both underloading and overloading of coal in rakes.

·          Faster loading times leading to shorter turnaround time and improving rake availability.

·          Enhanced coal quality, minimising contamination and losses.

·          Reduced dependence on road transport, leading to savings on diesel expenses and a cleaner environment.

·         The commissioning of the new silos and rapid loading system at Dipka represents a win-win situation for all stakeholders, including SECL, Indian Railways, and coal consumers. It underscores the importance of infrastructure modernisation in achieving operational efficiency and environmental sustainability in the coal sector.

The India-EU Trade and Technology Council first Workshop on Electric Vehicles (EV) Charging Technology paves the way for new advancements in standardisation and sustainable mobility

·         The EU and India are deepening their partnership as part of a new strategic agenda to enhance prosperity, stability, security and people-to-people connections, to which the cooperation in the area of research brings a dynamic contribution.

·         The first India-EU Workshop on Electric Vehicles Charging Technology was held in Pune, India, on 24^th Feb 2025 under the auspices of the India-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC) Working Group 2 on Green and Clean Energy Technologies, successfully bringing together policy-makers, representatives from electro-mobility industry, standardisation associations and technical testing facilities, to foster harmonised solutions for sustainable transport.

·          The workshop was attended by Dr. Monoranjan Mohanty (Adviser) and Dr Hafsa Ahmad (Scientist) from Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to Government of India, Dr. Reji Mathai (Director) and Mr. Abhihit Mulay (Deputy Director) from the Automotive Research Association of India and Mr. Nitish Kumar Jain, Deputy Director, Bureau of Indian Standards. Participants from European Commission included Dr. Liliana Pasecinic, Dr. Harald Scholz, Mr. Dirk Groβmann and Dr. Saki Gerassis, who joined online. Stakeholders from the Indian and European industry also actively participated in the workshop.

·         It brought together policymakers, representatives from the electro-mobility industry, standardisation associations and technical testing facilities to foster harmonised solutions for sustainable transport. 

·         The workshop was organised by the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) and the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC), with the support of the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, and addressed key policy and technical aspects of EV charging.

·         The workshop provided the opportunity to deepen bilateral cooperation on harmonising standards for EV charging infrastructure, including cooperative, pre-normative research for harmonised testing solutions and knowledge exchange in the field of electro-mobility. 

India-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC)

·         The India-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC) was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen during the latter’s visit to India in April 2022.

It led to the creation of three Working Groups: 

·         i) Working Group on Strategic Technologies, Digital Governance and Digital Connectivity

·         ii) Working Group on Green and Clean Energy Technologies

·         iii) Working Group on Trade, Investment and Resilient Value Chains.

·         The India-EU Trade and Technology Council is the second such bilateral forum for the EU and the first one established with any partner for India. The EU and the US launched a TTC in June 2021. 

·         The TTC is a key forum to deepen the strategic partnership on trade and technology between the two partners. 

·         The TTC will help increase India-EU bilateral trade, which is at historical highs.

Scope of TTC

·         Rapid changes in the world’s geopolitical environment highlight the need for an even deeper strategic partnership between India and the European Union.

·         As vibrant democracies, open market economies and pluralistic societies India and the European Union share fundamental values and have a common interest in ensuring security, prosperity and sustainable development in a multi-polar world. Both partners also face a challenging and volatile global political, economic and security landscape.

·         The TTC was set up as a key coordination platform to address key trade, trusted technology and security challenges, to promote a human-centric approach to the digital transformation, and to deepen their bilateral relationship in these fields. 

·         The TTC will allow both partners to tackle challenges at the nexus of trade, trusted technology and security, and thus deepen cooperation in these fields.

·         The choice of this format reflects the strategic nature both sides attach to their bilateral relationship, the desire to guide their cooperation towards tangible results and the geo-political significance of their trade and technology links in the context of a more contested and rapidly evolving international environment. 

·         They reaffirm that international rules-based approaches to trade, technology, and innovation that are founded on solid democratic principles and values can improve the lives of their citizens and generate greater prosperity for people around the world.

·         Cooperation within the TTC will also feed into coordination in multilateral bodies and wider efforts with like-minded partners, with the aim of promoting a democratic model of digital governance.

·         It will provide the political steer and the necessary structure to operationalise political decisions, coordinate technical work, and report to the political level to ensure implementation and follow-up in areas that are important for the sustainable progress of European and Indian economies.

·         Ministerial meetings of the TTC take place at least once a year, with the venue alternating between the EU and India.

TIME USE SURVEY (TUS) (JANUARY – DECEMBER, 2024)

·         Time Use Survey (TUS) provides a framework for measuring time dispositions by the population on different activities. It is an important source of information about the activities that are performed by the population and the time duration for which such activities are performed.

·         One distinguishing feature of the Time Use Survey from other household surveys is that it can capture time disposition on different aspects of human activities, be it paid, unpaid or other activities with such details which is not possible in other surveys.

·         India is among the few countries, including Australia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, USA and China that conduct the National Time Use Survey to analyze how people allocate their time to various daily activities.

·         The primary objective of the Survey is to measure the participation of men and women in paid and unpaid activities. TUS is an important source of information on the time spent in unpaid caregiving activities, volunteer work, and unpaid domestic service-producing activities of the household members.

·          It also provides information on time spent on learning, socializing, leisure activities, self-care activities, etc., by the household members.

·         The National Statistics Office (NSO), MoSPI conducted the first all-India Time Use Survey during January – December 2019. The present TUS conducted during January – December 2024 is the second such All-India Survey.

Key Highlights of the Results of Time Use Survey, 2024 (TUS, 2024):

·         During 2024, 75 percent of the males and 25 per cent of the females in the age group 15-59 years, participated in employment and related activities during the reference period of 24 hours.

·         Such participation was 70.9 percent for males and 21.8 percent for females in the age group 15-59 years during 2019.

·         Female participants aged 15-59 years in unpaid domestic services spent about 315 minutes during 2019 in those activities, which has come down to 305 minutes during 2024 signifying the shift from unpaid to paid activities.

·         41 per cent of females aged 15-59 years participated in caregiving for their household members, male participation in this age group in such caregiving was 21.4 per cent. Also, female participants in caregiving activities spent about 140 minutes in a day, compared to 74 minutes spent by male participants aged 15-59 years.

·          This corroborates the Indian social fabric wherein most of the caregiving responsibilities for household members are borne by the females of the household.

·         24.6 per cent of the rural population aged 15-59 years participated in producing goods for own final use and they spent 121 minutes a day doing such activities.

·         89.3 per cent of children aged 6-14 years participated in learning activities and they spent around 413 minutes in a day for such activities.

·         People aged 6 years and above spent 11 per cent of their days’ time in culture, leisure, mass media and sports practices during 2024, compared to 9.9 per cent of the days’ time spent during 2019.

·         708 minutes in a day was spent on self-care and maintenance activities by persons aged 6 years and above. Females of this age group spent 706 minutes while males spent 710 minutes in such activities.

Features of the Survey

·         In TUS, 2024, respondents were asked about their activities performed in the designated time slots of 30 minutes and the same was recorded against the corresponding slot.

·          In case of multiple activities in a time slot, a maximum of three activities which were performed for 10 minutes or more, were recorded. Information on time use was collected for persons aged 6 years and above with a reference period of 24 hours.

·        Coverage: This survey covered 1,39,487 households (rural: 83,247 and urban: 56,240). Information on time use was collected from each member of age 6 years and above of the selected households. This survey enumerated 4,54,192 persons aged 6 years and above (rural: 2,85,389 and urban: 1,68,803).

·        Data Collection:  In this survey data on time use was collected through CAPI (Computer-Assisted Personal Interviews). Information on time use was collected with a reference period of 24 hours starting from 4:00 AM on the day before the date of the interview to 4:00 AM on the day of the interview

·        Presentation of the estimates: All-India level estimates for persons of age 6 years and above, obtained from the Time Use Survey, 2024, have been presented in the Fact Sheet.

Major Indicators: The major indicators generated from TUS, 2024 are described here.

·        PARTICIPATION RATE: Participation rate in a day in any activity is calculated as the percentage of persons performing that activity during the day.

·        AVERAGE TIME SPENT IN A DAY PER PARTICIPANT: The average time spent in a day per participant for any activity is calculated by considering those who participated in the activity. Estimates of average time in a day in different activities derived by considering only the participants in the activities are referred to as average time spent in a day per participant.

·        AVERAGE TIME SPENT IN A DAY PER PERSON: The average time spent in a day per person for any activity is calculated by considering all the persons irrespective of whether they participated in the activity or not. By this approach, the distribution of the total time of 1440 minutes of a day per person in different activities is derived.

Prakriti 2025 - International Conference on Carbon Markets

·         PRAKRITI 2025 (Promoting Resilience, Awareness, Knowledge, and Resources for Integrating Transformational Initiatives), the International Conference on Carbon Markets, successfully concluded on its second day, bringing together national and international experts, policymakers, industry leaders, researchers, and practitioners.

·          The conference was inaugurated on February 24, 2025, by Shri Manohar Lal, Hon’ble Minister of Power and Housing & Urban Affairs.

·         As a flagship initiative of the Government of India, organized by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency under the patronage of the Ministry of Power and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, PRAKRITI 2025 served as a premier platform for in-depth discussions on global carbon market trends, challenges, and future pathways

·           Ms. Dia Mirza, Actor, Producer, National Goodwill Ambassador for United Nations graced the event with her presence. She participated in an impactful fireside chat moderated by Mr. Saurabh Diddi, Director, Bureau of Energy Efficiency. 

·          She commended the Government of India for its initiatives under LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment), highlighting its role in promoting mindful consumption and leading a global movement. Additionally, she emphasized the importance of engaging children and youth to drive meaningful change in climate conversations.

·         The second day of the conference featured thematic addresses and a series of plenary sessions led by senior government officials and industry experts.

·         Key discussions focused on: Incentivizing Renewable Energy developers through Carbon Markets, Development in Article 6 and Opportunities for India, Bringing Price Transparency in Global Carbon Marketplace, Role of Ecosystem-Based Interventions in Achieving Net-Zero Goals, Climate Tech Startups for Sustainable Development, and Leveraging finance for the deployment of clean technologies.

·           The two-day event witnessed robust participation from key Indian ministries, including the Ministry of Power, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and the Ministry of Agriculture, Financial Institutions, Corporates, International NGOs, PSUs, etc.

·         Approximately 80+ experts and 600+ delegates engaged in the conference''s discussion in the last two days, focusing on carbon market mechanisms, policy framework, climate finance and technologies.

·         This demonstrates a coordinated, intergovernmental strategy, fostering synergistic collaboration and broad stakeholder participation, affirming India''s dedication to meet climate goals.

·          More than just a conference, Prakriti 2025 has distinguished itself as one of the most comprehensive and significant carbon market events for learning, sharing knowledge, and exploring opportunities for collaboration in the global effort to combat climate change.

·         Prakriti 2025 will build on this momentum, marking a significant milestone in both India''s national climate agenda and the broader international climate discourse

About BEE

·         The Government of India set up the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) on March 1, 2002 under the provisions of the Energy Conservation Act, 2001.

·         The mission of the Bureau of Energy Efficiency is to assist in developing policies and strategies with a thrust on self-regulation and market principles, within the overall framework of the Energy Conservation Act, 2001 with the primary objective of reducing the energy intensity of the Indian economy.

·          BEE coordinates with designated consumers, designated agencies and other organizations and recognises, identifies and utilises the existing resources and infrastructure, in performing the functions assigned to it under the Energy Conservation Act.

·          The Energy Conservation Act provides for regulatory and promotional functions.

Operative Kisan Credit Card (KCC) amount crosses ₹10 Lakh Crore benefiting 7.72 Crore Farmers

·         Kisan Credit Card (KCC) is a banking product that provides farmers with timely and affordable credit for purchasing agricultural inputs such as seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides, as well as for meeting cash requirements related to crop production and allied activities.

·         In 2019, the KCC scheme was extended to cover the working capital requirements of allied activities, viz. Animal Husbandry, Dairy and Fisheries.

·         Government of India, under Modified Interest Subvention Scheme (MISS), provides interest subvention of 1.5% to banks for providing short-term agri loans through KCC up to Rs 3 lakh at a concessional interest rate of 7% per annum.

·         An additional Prompt Repayment Incentive of 3% is provided to farmers on timely repayment of loans, which effectively reduces the rate of interest to 4% for farmers. Loans up to ₹2 lakh are extended on a collateral-free basis, ensuring hassle- free access to credit for small and marginal farmers.

·         The Finance Minister in Budget Speech 2025-26 has announced to increase the loan limit under the Modified Interest Subvention Scheme from ₹3 lakh to ₹5 lakh which would further benefit the farmers.

·         The amount under operative Kisan Credit Card (KCC) accounts has more than doubled from ₹4.26 lakh crore in March 2014 to ₹10.05 lakh crore in December 2024.

·         This indicates significant increase in quantum of affordable working capital loans provided to the farmers for agriculture and allied activities. This is reflection of credit deepening in agriculture and reduced dependency on non-institutional credit.

Kisan Credit Card

·         The government of India introduced the Kisan Credit Card (KCC) to enable farmers to meet their short-term working capital requirements promptly and hasslefree. This has helped enhance the working capital flow to agriculture and allied sectors. 

·         The KCC scheme was launched in 1998 for issuing Kisan Credit Cards to farmers on the basis of their land holdings for uniform adoption by the banks so that farmers may use them to readily purchase agriculture inputs such as seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, etc and draw cash for their production needs.

·          In 2019, the KCC scheme was extended to cover the working capital requirements of allied activities like animal husbandry, dairy and fisheries.

·         Loans up to Rs 2 lakh are extended on a collateral-free basis, ensuring hassle-free access to credit for small and marginal farmers.

·          The government, under the Modified Interest Subvention Scheme (MISS), provides interest subvention of 1.5 per cent to banks for providing short-term agri loans through KCC up to Rs 3 lakh at a concessional interest rate of 7 per cent per annum.

·         An additional Prompt Repayment Incentive of 3 per cent is provided to farmers on timely repayment of loans, which effectively reduces the interest rate to 4 per cent for farmers.

·          Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in Budget Speech 2025-26, announced an increase in the loan limit under the Modified Interest Subvention Scheme from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 5 lakh, which would further benefit the farmers.

 Russia-Ukraine war: How the US position has changed on UN resolutions

The United States joined Russia to vote against a UN General Assembly resolution condemning Russia’s war against Ukraine Monday in a stunning shift from years of US policy.

·         The vote against the Ukrainian and European-backed resolution saw the US at odds with its longtime European allies and instead aligned with the aggressor in the war on the three-year anniversary of Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

·         The US again voted the same way as Russia later Monday on a US-proposed UN Security Council resolution that did not call the Kremlin the aggressor or acknowledge Ukraine’s territorial integrity. The resolution passed without the support of five European members of the Security Council.

·         The US’ shocking alignment with Russia at the United Nations came as the Trump administration has pursued discussions with Moscow about ending the war. President Donald Trump has ratcheted up his rhetoric towards Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. 

·         Three years to the day since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the UN General Assembly adopted two resolutions on resolving the conflict, one initiated by the United States and the other by Ukraine — a sign of strategic differences within the transatlantic alliance over the way forward for peace.

·         Since the Russian forces stormed across the border on February 24, 2022, the General Assembly has approved half a dozen resolutions that have condemned the invasion and demanded the immediate pullout of Russian troops.

·         In a dramatic policy shift under President Donald Trump, the United States split with its European allies by refusing to blame Russia for its invasion of Ukraine in votes on UN resolutions seeking an end to the three-year war.

Here are six previous UNGA resolutions that passed:

·        March 3, 2022 – 141 countries, including the US, voted in favour of a resolution condemning Russia’s declaration on February 24, 2022, of a “special military operation” and reaffirming that territorial acquisition by force is illegal. The resolution demanded that Russia cease its use of force against Ukraine and withdraw its troops from the territory. Five countries voted against it.

·        March 24, 2022 – the US joined 139 countries and voted in favour of a resolution which reaffirmed its “commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Ukraine”, calling on Russia to withdraw its troops.

·        April 2022 – 93 countries, including the US, voted in favour of an UNGA resolution suspending Russia’s membership in the Human Rights Council.

·        October 2022, Washington supported an UNGA resolution that won with 143 condemning the Russian annexation of Ukrainian territory.

·        November 2022 – the US voted in favour of an UNGA resolution that won 94-14 calling on Russia to pay reparations to Ukraine, while also calling on Russia to cease use of force and withdraw troops.

·        February 23, 2023 – A resolution calling territorial acquisition by force illegal and asking Russia to withdraw its troops from Ukraine passed by 141-7. Washington voted in favour of this resolution.

What could be the impact of change in US policy?

·         The US-drafted resolution avoids taking a clear stance against Russia, unlike the Biden administration''s strong pro-Ukraine approach.

·         Trump’s less confrontational stance on Russia suggests a possible attempt at resetting US-Russia relations.

·         France and Britain’s insistence on a “just and lasting peace” signals that Europe will continue advocating for Ukraine’s position even if the US steps back.

·         The fear among NATO allies is that the US could push for a peace deal favoring Russia, rather than ensuring Ukraine’s sovereignty and security.

·         With Trump reducing direct US commitment to Ukraine, NATO allies may feel pressured to fill the gap in military aid and diplomatic support.

How will Trump’s move affect Ukraine?

·          If Trump weakens NATO’s support for Ukraine, it could embolden Russia to push further militarily or diplomatically in Eastern Europe.

·         Russia may intensify its attacks in Ukraine before entering negotiations, hoping to secure a better position in peace talks.

·         If the US pushes for a ceasefire without clear security guarantees, Ukraine could face long-term instability, with Russia retaining control over occupied territories.

·         If European allies do not compensate for declining US military aid, Ukraine may struggle to sustain its defence against Russian forces.

·         Ukraine will likely push back against a US-brokered deal if it does not guarantee full sovereignty and territorial restoration.

·         European allies may step up diplomatic and military support to compensate for the US withdrawal.

·          

Flashpoint Gulf of Tonkin: China conducts live-fire drills after Vietnam marks new maritime boundary

·         China began live-fire exercises in the Gulf of Tonkin , merely days after Vietnam announced a new line marking what it considers its territory in the body of water between the countries.

·         According to China''s Maritime Safety Administration, the exercises would be focused on the Beibu Gulf area, closer to the Chinese side of the Gulf of Tonkin, and will continue till Thursday evening.

·         The drills follow an announcement made by Vietnam establishing a baseline used to calculate the width of its territorial waters in the Gulf of Tonkin.

·         State-run Vietnam News reported that the baseline was in compliance with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and would provide "a robust legal basis for safeguarding and exercising Vietnam''s sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction."

·         China and Vietnam have long had a maritime agreement governing the Gulf of Tonkin, but have been locked in competing claims in the nearby South China Sea over the Spratly and Paracel Islands and maritime areas.

·         China has been growing aggressive in pursuing those claims, and in October assaulted 10 Vietnamese fishermen near the Paracel Islands, three of whom suffered broken limbs.

·         A China claims almost the entire South China Sea as its own, though it has not publicly released the exact coordinates of its claim other than a map with 10 dashed lines broadly demarcating what it calls its territory.

·         In addition to Vietnam, China''s claims overlap with those of the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan, while Indonesia has also figured in violent confrontations with the Chinese coast guard and fishing fleets in the waters around the Natuna Islands.

·         Tensions have been particularly high with the Philippines, with regular confrontations between the two countries. In the most recent incident, a Chinese navy helicopter flew within 10 feet of a Philippine patrol plane last week over the South China Sea, near the hotly disputed Scarborough Shoal off the northwestern Philippines.

Key points:

·         Baselines are used to determine limits to territorial waters and exclusive economic zones, and are a sensitive subject in the South China Sea, where China, Vietnam and other countries in the region have some conflicting claims.

·         The ministry marked the line on a map with 14 points running from offshore Quang Ninh province to Quang Tri province.

·         The baseline creates additional legal basis to protect and enforce Vietnam’s sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction, serving economic development, marine management, and promoting international cooperation.

·         The baseline is the basis for determining the boundaries and scope of Vietnam’s maritime zones according to the provisions of United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the Agreement on the Delimitation of the Gulf of Tonkin signed between Vietnam and China in 2000.

·          In March 2024, China announced its baseline in the Gulf of Tonkin, and in response Vietnam said international law and the rights and interests of other countries must be respected.

What is ACADA system that Indian Army is set to procure to enhance its CBRN defence capability

·         The Indian Army is set to procure 223 Automatic Chemical Agent Detection and Alarm (ACADA) systems at a cost of ₹80.43 crore.

·         The contract for the procurement was signed on Tuesday with L&T Ltd under the Buy Indian (IDDM) category.

·          The ACADA system is used to detect chemical warfare agents and programmed toxic industrial chemicals by sampling the air from the surrounding environment.

·         The system works on the principle of Ion Mobility Spectrometry (IMS) and contains two highly sensitive IMS cells for continuous detection and simultaneous monitoring of harmful or toxic substances.

·          The induction of ACADA systems in the field units will significantly boost the Indian Army’s CBRN (Chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear) defense capability for operations. These will also be helpful in peacetime, especially when responding to disaster relief situations related to industrial accidents.

·         According to a defence ministry release, the contract is expected to give a significant boost to the government of India''s Atamnirbharta drive as more than 80 per cent of the components and sub-systems of the equipment will be sourced locally.

·         ACADA has been designed and developed by DRDO’s Defence Research and Development Establishment, Gwalior.

·         The ministry said the development of the system marks a significant milestone in the nation’s indigenisation initiative in the niche CBRN domain.

 CBRN weapons

·         The prospect of non-State actors, including terrorists and their supporters, gaining access to and using Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)/Chemical Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) materials is a serious threat to international peace and security. 

·         Over the years, terrorist groups have tested new ways and means to acquire and use more dangerous weapons to maximise damage and incite terror, including weapons incorporating CBRN materials. 

·         With advancements being made in technology and the expansion of legal and illegal commercial channels, including on the dark web, some of these weapons have become increasingly accessible.

·         This encompasses a wide range of agents and materials including corrosive substances, poisons, toxins, biological organisms and radioactive sources. These materials can be harmful to humans in a variety of ways when inhaled, ingested or absorbed.

·         CBRN weapons have been used since antiquity. Examples of their recent use include war fighting (World War I and the Iran-Iraq War), ethnic conflict (chemical weapon use against the Iraqi Kurds and in Syria), terrorism (release of sarin in the Tokyo underground, US anthrax letters) and assassination (ricin, polonium-210). 

·          In addition, CBRN incidents have also included accidental releases during peacetime operations, and many of the principles for CBRN incident response can be applied to other hazardous material (HAZMAT) incidents. 

·         The impact of such weapons may have a range of implications for medical personnel both military and civilians. 

·         Chemical: Poisoning or injury caused by chemical substances, including household chemicals or harmful industrial chemicals, as well as agents used during armed conflict.

·         Biological: Exposure to harmful bacteria, viruses or toxins and the illness or disease they cause.

·          Radiological: Exposure to harmful radioactive materials.

·         Nuclear: Exposure to thermal or blast effects arising from a nuclear detonation (including secondary effects from radioactive fallout). Release of the energy resulting from a nuclear chain reaction. For example, nuclear power plant accidents, such as Chernobyl and Fukushima.

Countering CBRN weapons

·         The risk of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) weapons or related materials being used by non-State actors for terrorist or other criminal purposes is one of the gravest concerns of our time. In response, the international community is pursuing a common legislative framework to counter this threat.

·         Seven of the 19 international legal instruments against terrorism deal, to varying degrees, with CBRN terrorism:

·         i) 1980 Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material.

·         ii) 1997 International Convention for the Suppression of Terrorist Bombings.

·         iii) 2005 International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism.

·         iv) 2005 Amendment to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material.

·         v) 2005 Protocol to the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Maritime Navigation.

·         vi) 2005 Protocol to the Protocol for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Fixed Platforms located on the Continental Shelf.

·         vii) 2010 Convention on the Suppression of Unlawful Acts relating to International Civil Aviation.

·         The promotion of the universal adoption and effective implementation of these legal instruments is among United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime’s (UNODC) highest priorities.

·          By incorporating the seven international legal instruments related to CBRN terrorism into national legislation, the UN Member States are better able to fufil their obligations set forth by United Nations Security Council resolution (2004) on the risk of proliferation of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons by non-State actors.

 NASA launches satellite on mission to detect water on the moon

·         A dishwasher-sized NASA satellite was launched into space from Florida to identify where water – a precious resource for lunar missions – resides on the moon’s surface in places such as the permanently shadowed craters at its poles.

·         A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral carrying NASA’s Lunar Trailblazer orbiter. The Lunar Trailblazer spacecraft was built by Lockheed Martin’s space division.

·         The satellite was a secondary payload onboard the rocket, with the primary payload being a lunar lander mission led by Intuitive Machines.

·         The lunar surface is often thought of as arid but previous measurements have found the presence of some water, even in warmer sun-lit locations.

·         In cold and permanently shadowed places at the lunar poles, it has long been hypothesized that there could be significant amounts of water ice.

·         Lunar Trailblazer, which weighs about 440 pounds (200 kg) and measures about 11.5 feet (3.5 meters) wide when its solar panels are fully deployed, is being sent to find and map this water on the moon’s surface.

·         For future moon exploration, including potential long-term lunar bases staffed by astronauts, lunar water would be of vital importance because it could be processed not only as a drinking supply but also into breathable oxygen and hydrogen fuel for rockets.

·         The bottoms of hundreds of craters at the moon’s South Pole, for instance, are permanently shadowed and may hold ice patches. Some water also may be locked inside broken rock and dust on the lunar surface.

·         Lunar Trailblazer is scheduled to perform a series of moon flybys and looping orbits over a span of several months to position itself to map the surface in detail. It eventually will orbit at an altitude of roughly 60 miles (100 km) and collect high-resolution images of targeted areas to determine the form, distribution and abundance of water and to better understand the lunar water cycle.

·         “We see tiny amounts of water on sunlit portions of the moon, which is mysterious,” said planetary scientist Bethany Ehlmann, the mission’s principal investigator and director of Caltech’s Keck Institute for Space Studies.

·          “The most interesting (aspect) for many is the potentially large amounts of ice in the permanently shadowed regions of the lunar poles. Lunar Trailblazer will peer inside to see how much is at the surface.”

·         Such locations could serve as a resource for lunar explorers in the future.

·         “Understanding where a rover would drive or an astronaut would walk to examine deposits for science and future resource use will benefit all future landed missions,” Ehlmann said.

·         Two Lunar Trailblazer instruments will take measurements from orbit together. The Lunar Thermal Mapper, or LTM, will map and measure the lunar surface temperature. The High-resolution Volatiles and Minerals Moon Mapper, or HVM3, will look at the moon’s surface for a telltale pattern of light given off by water.

·         “We believe that the movement of water on the moon is likely driven by the surface temperature. So by measuring the presence and amount of water via the HVM3 instrument and the surface temperature via the LTM instrument we can better understand this relationship,” said planetary scientist Tristram Warren, who worked on developing the LTM instrument.

·         Lunar water is thought to come from several potential sources. One possibility is that solar wind – charged particles from the sun – could react with lunar minerals to create water.

·         Another source might be comets or meteorites, which may have delivered water to the moon over billions of years. The exact amount of lunar water remains uncertain, but it is potentially hundreds of millions of tons.

·         “Other than for human exploration, lunar water is also scientifically very exciting. The moon has been orbiting near the Earth almost since the formation of Earth itself. So understanding the origin of the lunar water might help us to understand the origin of water on Earth,” .