Black Thrips Infestation Threatens Red Chilli Crops

• The After a year’s gap, the dreaded black thrips infestation has surfaced in the chilli crop once again around Ballari, a key growing region for the spices crop in Karnataka, and parts of Rayalaseema in Andhra Pradesh.

What is Black thrips?

What is Chilli?

• Chilli is the dried ripe fruit of the genus Capsicum. Capsicum annuum is an annual sub –shrub, the flowers of which are borne singly and fruits usually pendent, which provide red peppers, cayenne, paprika and chillies and sweet pepper (bell pepper) a mild form with large inflated fruits.
• Capsicum frutescence is a perennial chilly with small sized pods which are highly pungent. It is commonly known as ‘bird chilly’ and ‘Tabasco’.

Types of Chilli crops:

Soil and vegetation:

• Chilli is grown in many types of soils-sandy to heavy clay. A well-drained, fairly light fertile loam with a fair moisture holding capacity is ideal. The light soils produce better quality fruits than heavy soils. Chilli crop prefers a soil reaction ranging from pH 6–7.

List of Diseases:

Cancel tungsten mining in Madurai district CM Stalin tells PM Modi

• Tamil Nadu State Government has requested the Centre to cancel the tungsten mining rights awarded to a private company in Madurai district, considering the biodiversity heritage site in the proposed area. 

Details of the region

• The Nayakkarpatti tungsten block comprises six villages, including Arittapatti in Madurai, which is a notified biodiversity heritage site.
• Hillocks in Arittapatti village have rich biological significance with the presence of around 250 bird species, including 3 flagship Raptor species – Laggar Falcon (Falco jugger), Shaheen Falcon (Falco peregrines), and Bonelli''s Eagle (Aquila fasciata).
• It is also famous for archaeological monuments, including cave temples, sculptures, Jain symbols, Tamil Brahmi scripts, and Pancha Pandavar stone beds.
• Any mining activity will cause irreparable damage to these sites.

Earth''s axis has tilted by 31.5 inches. Rising water demand is the reason

•  The Earth’s axis has tilted by 31.5 inches (about 80 centimetres), new research has found. The research blames human activity (pumping groundwater on a large scale) for impacting the planet’s rotation.

What has the study found?

• Researchers studied data from 1993 to 2010 to discover that pumping 2,150 gigatonnes of groundwater has led to a change in Earth’s tilt of nearly 31.5 inches. This is equivalent to .24 inches of sea level rise.
• The pumping is mainly for irrigation and human consumption, with the groundwater subsequently moving to the oceans.
• Redistributing water from the midlatitudes had the biggest impact on the Earth’s rotation, as per the study. Researchers identified water movement from western North America and northwestern India as playing a key role in the Earth’s tilt.

How Does Earth''s Tilt Change?

• The axis of rotation of the Earth is tilted at an angle of 5 degrees away from vertical, perpendicular to the plane of our planet''s orbit around the sun. The tilt of the Earth''s axis is important, in that it governs the warming strength of the sun''s energy.
• Due to this axial tilt, the sun shines on different latitudes at different angles throughout the year. This causes the seasons.
• Earth''s tilt, or axial precession, is influenced by the distribution of mass (in this case water) across the planet.
• The melting of glaciers and polar ice sheets from Greenland and Antarctica contributes significantly to this redistribution.
• As ice melts, the water flows toward the equator, altering Earth''s balance and causing its axis to shift - a process akin to how a figure skater''s spin slows when their arms extend outward.

Global Peatland Hotspot Atlas (GPHA), 2024

•  Global Peatland Hotspot Atlas (GPHA), 2024 has been published by the UNEP. 

 Global Peatland Hotspot Atlas 

• Published by the United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) Global Peatlands Initiative.
• Purpose: To provide data and insights into the global state of peatlands, highlighting threats and opportunities for conservation and sustainable management.
• Objective: Bridge the gap between science and policy for informed decision-making on peatland conservation

Key Findings of the 2024

• Map Updation: The Atlas expands on the Global Peatlands Assessment (2022) and the Global Peatland Map 2.0, key products of the UNEP Global Peatlands Initiative.
• It updated hotspot maps intersecting data on climate change, land use and Biodiversity.
• Peatland Distribution and Degradation: The Atlas identifies 488 million hectares of peatlands globally, with a concerning 12% classified as highly degraded.
• Peatland Emissions: Human activity is causing significant emissions from degraded peatlands, Peatlands
• Definition: Peatlands are unique wetland ecosystems where waterlogged conditions slow down plant decomposition, leading to the formation of peat soils.
• Distribution: Found in nearly all countries, covering about 3 to 4 percent of the Earth’s land surface.
• Regions: Eastern Himalayas, Western Ghats, and the North-East Indian region.
• Peatlands cover a relatively small percentage of India’s landmass, estimated to be around 0.2% generally found in Eastern Himalayas, Western Ghats, and the North-East Indian region.
• The Congo Basin holds the largest known tropical peatland.

Types of Peatlands found around the World

Difference Between Peatlands and Wetlands

 Role of Peatlands in Ecology

• Carbon Storage: Peatlands store a massive amount of carbon, acting as a natural buffer against climate change. They hold more carbon than all the world’s forests combined.
• They contain up to one-third of the world’s soil carbon, which is twice the amount of carbon as found in the world’s forests
• Climate Regulation: By sequestering atmospheric carbon, peatlands help regulate the climate and provide a cooling effect.
• Water Management: These wetland ecosystems play a crucial role in regulating and purifying water supplies, supporting both human consumption and healthy aquatic ecosystems.
• Biodiversity: Peatlands provide vital habitats for a wide variety of rare and endangered plant and animal species.
• Cultural Importance: Peatlands can preserve archaeological and cultural heritage due to their waterlogged conditions.
• Livelihoods: Local communities often depend on the ecosystem services and resources provided by peatlands.

Factors responsible for peatland degradation

• Agriculture: Practices like drainage and conversion of peatlands for agricultural use contribute to their degradation.
• Peat Extraction: The extraction of peat for fuel and other uses directly destroys peatlands.
• Industrial Activities: Industrial activities like mining and oil and gas exploration can disrupt peatland ecosystems.
• Infrastructure Development: Development projects like road construction can disrupt the natural hydrology of peatlands, leading to drying and degradation Legal and Policy Framework for Peatland Protection

Global Initiatives:

• Ramsar Convention: This international treaty recognizes the importance of wetlands, including peatlands, and promotes their conservation and wise use.
• UNFCCC: The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change acknowledges the role of peatlands in carbon sequestration and climate mitigation.
• Global Peat land Initiative: Established at the 2016 UNFCCC COP in Marrakech, Morocco, the UNEP Global Peatlands Initiative works towards the conservation and sustainable management of peatlands worldwide.
• National and Regional Policies:
• Country-Specific Legislation: Many countries have national laws and regulations to protect peatlands.
• The IUCN UK Peatland Programme exists to promote peatland restoration in the UK and advocates the multiple benefits of peatlands.
• Regional Initiatives: Regional organizations like the European Union have implemented policies to conserve peatlands

Way Forward

• Policy and Action: The Global Peatland Hotspot Atlas is a call to action for policymakers and stakeholders to prioritize peatland conservation and sustainable management through informed decisions.
• Global Initiatives: Existing initiatives like the Guidelines for Global Action on Peatlands (2002), UNEA-4 Resolution on Peatland Conservation (2019), and the UNEP Global Peatlands Initiative demonstrate ongoing efforts towards peatland protection.
• Sustainable Practices: Minimizing activities like agriculture, peat extraction, and unsustainable development in peatland areas is crucial to prevent further degradation.
• Restoration Efforts: Investing in peatland restoration projects offers significant benefits for carbon sequestration, improved water management, and biodiversity conservation.

 India, ISA sign agreement for solar projects in four Indo-Pacific countries

• A India and ISA Collaborate on Solar Projects in Indo-Pacific Region
• Context: Recently a Project Implementation Agreement (PIA) was signed between the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and International Solar Alliance (ISA) to execute solar projects in four Indo-Pacific countries.

Highlights of the Agreement

• Investment and Implementation: India has committed USD 2 million to fund solar projects and ISA will serve as the Project Implementing Agency, providing technical and programmatic support to the Countries. 
• Countries Involved: Fiji, Comoros, Madagascar and Seychelles
• Project Objectives: Address energy challenges, such as unreliable electricity and perishability of agricultural products.
• Focus areas include:
• Solar cold storage systems.
• Solarisation of healthcare facilities.
• Solar water pumping systems for irrigation.

Expected Outcomes:

• Improved energy access and reliability.
• Creation of employment opportunities.
• Advancement in the transition to a clean energy economy.

Significance:

• Aligns with the Quads Wilmington Declaration to promote clean energy supply chains.
• Supports global efforts to tackle climate change and ensure sustainable development.
• Contributes to holistic economic development and social justice.
• Strengthens India’s leadership in the global clean energy transition.

 Portuguese conquest of Goa, 500 Years ago.

• November 25 marks the day the Portuguese conquered Goa, 500 years ago, becoming the first Europeans to own territory in India and also the last European colonial power to leave India.

Why did Portuguese come to Goa?

• In May 1498 the Portuguese explorer Vasco Da Gama reached Calicut, today''s Kozhikode in Kerala, and took back with him a rich cargo selling the merchandise in Europe at a huge profit.
• This discovery of flourishing trade fuelled the Portuguese determination to capture the Indian market.
• The desire for riches, as well as rivalry with the Muslims, who were in power along this route, were the reasons for this.
• A mere six years after da Gama, in 1505,  the Portuguese State of India had been established. 

How did Alfonso de Albuquerque conquer Goa?
          Albuquerque (succeeding Almeida) had been asked to conquer the ports            of Hormuz, Aden, and Malacca by his King. 

• However, he realised that a permanent base in Goa, then under the Sultan of Bijapur, would be very helpful to the Portuguese ambition of controlling maritime trade routes of the East.
• Albuquerque''s decision to conquer Goa also came on the advice of one Timoji or Timmayya.
• Albuquerque''s first conquest of Goa in February-March of 1510 was almost a walkover. 
• The Sultan''s rule was unpopular among the Hindus of Goa, who were happy to back the Portuguese against him.
• However, the Sultan''s forces soon drove Albuquerque and his men out. 
• After enduring a tough monsoon stranded in the river Mandovi, the Portuguese forces, replenished by more men and ships from the homeland, launched a fresh assault and retook the city.

Who was Timmaya?

• Various descriptions in various sources:
• In many accounts described as a Malabari pirate.
• Others say he was of aristocratic descent.
• According to an article by BS Shastri, the Portuguese regarded him a corsair and man of low sort. In reality, however, he was a man of high status and birth. He was the admiral of the Vijayanagara fleet. 
• He appeared a pirate to the Portuguese because he used to attack and loot those merchantmen who insisted on sailing to Goa and other enemy ports.

Why did Timmayya want Goa attacked?

• Emperors of Vijayanagara had an eye on the territory ever since they had lost it to the Bahmanis in 1472
• As a matter of fact, Timmayya had imperial instructions to weaken Goa by depriving it of its commerce.
• It is also believed that Hindus from Goa had written to Timmayya to liberate Goa from the Muslims, and realising he would be unable to do so alone, he decided to take the help of the Portuguese.

Auction for offshore mineral blocks.

• The Government of India launched the first round of auction for offshore mineral blocks.

Highlights of the Auction

• The inaugural auction of 13 mines including 3 lime mud blocks, 3 construction sand blocks and 7 polymetallic nodules and crusts.
• This development marks India’s entry into the exploration and development of undersea mineral resources within its offshore territories, advancing the nation’s mineral exploration and resource utilization capabilities.

 Offshore Mining

• Definition: Offshore mining, also referred to as deep-sea mining, involves retrieving mineral deposits from the seabed at depths exceeding 200 meters.

Significance:

• Addresses the growing demand for critical metals amidst depleting terrestrial deposits.
• Reduces India’s dependence on mineral imports, promoting self-reliance in critical resources.

Offshore Areas Mineral (Development & Regulation) Act, 2002 (OAMDR Act)

• The OAMDR Act, 2002 is administered by the Ministry of Mines.
• It governs the development and regulation of offshore mineral resources in India’s territorial waters, continental shelf, exclusive economic zone (EEZ), and other maritime zones.

Key Amendments in 2023

• Introduction of Transparent Auction Process: Eliminated discretionary renewals and established fair bidding for operational rights.
• Creation of Mining-Affected Persons Trust: Provides relief and rehabilitation for those affected by mining activities.
• Standard Lease Period: Set a uniform lease period of 50 years for all mining blocks.
• Composite License:
• Combines exploration and extraction rights.
• Allows holders to determine mineral resource presence, extent, and quality, followed by extraction if economically viable.
• Area Limits: Established limits for operating rights to ensure sustainable mining practices.

What are Critical Minerals?

• Critical minerals are metallic or non-metallic elements essential for modern technologies, economies, and national security, but whose supply chains are vulnerable to disruption.
• Essential for Modern Applications: Used in advanced and low-emission technologies.
• Supply Chain Risk: Limited production sources and geopolitical factors pose supply chain risks.

Applications of Critical Minerals

• Advanced Technologies: Mobile phones, computers, fiber-optic cables, semiconductors, banknotes.
• Plays significant role in defense, aerospace, and medical applications.
• Low-Emission Technologies: Electric vehicles, wind turbines, solar panels, and rechargeable batteries.

Standoff in Busan: The Path to a Global Treaty on Plastic Pollution

The ongoing global negotiations in Busan, South Korea, for a treaty to combat plastic pollution are being led by the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5). The chair released a draft document with a key focus to create the world’s first set of global rules to reduce plastic pollution.

The Draft Document:

• The chair released a draft document outlining two key options for plastic production cuts, a highly contentious issue in the negotiations. These options are:
• Option 1: No target to reduce plastic production. This option does not include any provisions or targets aimed at cutting the production of plastic.
• Option 2: Setting global targets to reduce plastic production. This option includes provisions to curb plastic production, which was proposed by Panama.
• The debate over production cuts has been a major point of contention among countries, with several nations opposing it.
• India has not supported the proposal to cut plastic production. Countries like Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Russia have strongly opposed production cuts, with Saudi Arabia calling it a "red-line issue".

TAKEAWAYS OF COP29

The disappointing deal on climate finance at COP29 could be the beginning of the unravelling of climate talks.

• Developed nations have pledged to mobilize $300 billion annually for developing countries by 2035, falling significantly short of the $1 trillion required annually for effective climate action.
• This commitment, a threefold increase from the current $100 billion, is insufficient and delayed, despite urgent financial needs for combating climate change.
• Over the past 15 years, annual climate conferences have consistently underperformed, failing to align outcomes with the 2015 Paris Agreement''s temperature targets.
• Current global efforts are far from adequate, with projected emissions reductions by 2030 estimated at only 2%, instead of the necessary 43% cut from 2019 levels.

 Key takeaways of COP29

India’s Initiatives at COP29:

The right to work deleted

• Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) guarantees 100 days of work per year for rural households. Each household has a job card that lists its registered adults, and no one can work without a job card. To add new members to a job card, proof of adulthood is required. However, under certain circumstances, people can be removed from these job cards, a process outlined in the Act.

Guidelines for Deletions:

• Job cards can be deleted if:
• The household permanently migrates.
• The job card is found to be a duplicate.
• It was issued based on forged documents.
• If a Gram Panchayat is reclassified as a municipal corporation, all job cards in that Panchayat are deleted.
• If a person is to be removed from the list, they must be given a chance to explain, in the presence of two independent witnesses. These rules are mentioned in the Master Circular, a guideline document issued by the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) to ensure that deletions are fair and transparent.

The Rise in Deletions:

• In 2021-22, around 1.49 crore workers were deleted from MGNREGA job cards. However, this number surged to 53 crore in 2022-23 — an increase of 247%. Over the past four years, 10.43 crore workers have been removed from job cards across the country.
• This sudden surge coincided with the government''s push to make Aadhaar-based payments (ABPS) mandatory for MGNREGA workers. For ABPS to work, every worker''s Aadhaar number must be linked with their job card.
• In the process of increasing Aadhaar linkage, officials were pressured to delete workers to make the compliance percentage look better. This led to deletions without proper verification, with some workers being removed based on incorrect reasons, even though they were still entitled to work.

Reasons for Deletions:

• A large number of deletions (about 83% in 2023) were attributed to workers being labeled as "Not willing to work." However, many of these workers had either worked or asked for work during the same year they were deleted. The most troubling part is that many deletions were done without informing the workers or following the required process, like involving the Gram Sabha (local village council).

Other Issues:

• Some deletions were justified as "village becomes urban," even though, according to the Act, all job cards in an urbanized village should be deleted, not just a few workers.
• A staggering 71% of deletions were attributed to workers being "Not willing to work," despite the high unemployment in rural areas. This number raises serious concerns about the accuracy and fairness of these deletions.

Problems with the Process:

• Many workers were deleted without any verification or due process, which is required by the Act.
• The government, despite listing the reasons for deletions in the MGNREGA Management Information System (MIS), hasn''t conducted any analysis of these deletions, leading to potential misuse of the system.

Recommendations for Improvement:

• Verification and Audits: Independent audits and checks should be implemented to ensure that deletions are legitimate.
• Involving Gram Sabhas: Deletions should be conducted transparently, with Gram Sabhas (village councils) involved in the decision-making process.
• Accountability and Transparency: There should be clear records, public consultations, and grievance redress systems to ensure that no worker is wrongfully removed from the job card.
• Training Local Authorities: Gram Panchayats (local councils) should be trained to follow proper protocols when making decisions about deletions.

 This crane has charted it longest course yet; Flies nearly 3,676 km from North Pole to Rajasthan

• A Siberian crane named Sukpak flew a record 3,676 km to Rajasthan. The crane''s journey, tracked via a leg ring, began in Tyva.
• Sukpak took an unusual route through multiple countries. It arrived at Khichan, India''s first Demoiselle crane reserve. Around 20,000 cranes are currently at Khichan. This record highlights the importance of crane conservation.

• Note- Rajasthan has five recognized national parks, namely Mukundra Hills National Park, Desert National Park, Keoladeo Ghana Bird Sanctuary, Ranthambore National Park, and Sariska National Park.