The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has commissioned quality checks on the spice mixes of 2 leading spice brands in India.

• FSSAI Investigates Ethylene Oxide in Spice Mixes Amid International Recalls
• FSSAI actions  follows complaints of traces of ethylene oxide more than the permissible levels in several popular spice mixes of the two leading brands.

Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI):

• Established: It is an independent statutory Authority that has been established under the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006.
• Administrative Ministry: Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India
• Objective: FSSAI has been created for laying down science based standards for articles of food and to regulate their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import to ensure availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumption.
• Hong Kong and Singapore have also recalled some variants as their respective Food Regulators  found the presence of  a pesticide named ethylene oxide in their spice mix.
• Centre for Food Safety (CFS) Hong Kong has recalled 4 variants namely,  MDH Madras Curry Powder, Curry Powder Mixed Masala Powder, Sambhar Masala Mixed Masala Powder and Everest Fish Curry Masala.
• FSSAI, in its quality checks, will also assess whether the products sold by the concerned brands match the Indian standards of chemical residue as prescribed by the law.
• In 2023, US Food & Drug Administration recalled Everest Sambhar Masala and Garam Masala as samples tested positive for Salmonella.

Ethylene Oxide:

• It is a flammable colorless gas with a sweet odor.
• It is primarily used to produce other chemicals like antifreeze, detergents and pesticides.
• As a sterilizing agent: It is used to sterilize medical equipment and cosmetics by destroying the DNA of bacteria and viruses.
• Pesticide:  It can be used to fumigate agricultural products to prevent microbial contamination.
• Source of Exposure: Humans can be exposed to Ethylene oxide via  inhalation and ingestion, which may occur through occupational (uncontrolled industrial emissions), consumer (consumption of  products that have been sterilized with ethylene oxide) and environmental (generated from water-logged soil, manure, and sewage sludge) exposure.

Carcinogenic Agent:

• WHO’s The International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified ethylene oxide as a Group 1 carcinogen.
• Short-term exposure: It can affect the human central nervous system, and cause depression and irritation of the eyes and mucous membranes
• Long term exposure: It can irritate the eyes, skin, nose, throat, and lungs, and damage the brain and nervous system.

GAIA Asia Pacific, in collaboration with other environmental organisations, ASEAN to take decisive action in response to plastic pollution.

Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA):

• GAIA is a worldwide alliance of more than 1,000 grassroots groups, non-governmental organizations, and individuals in over 90 countries.               
• GAIA seeks to drive a global movement toward environmental justice by empowering grassroots initiatives that tackle waste and pollution.
• It aims to transition from a linear, extractive economy to a circular system that upholds people''s right to a safe and healthy environment.
• It envision a just, zero waste world built on respect for ecological limits and community rights, where people are free from the burden of toxic pollution, and resources are sustainably conserved, not burned or dumped.
• This means fighting pollution and promoting regenerative solutions in cities through local campaigns, policy changes, research, and community building efforts.
• It focuses on four main areas of action: incineration, zero waste, plastic pollution, and climate change.

GAIA Asia Pacific:

• GAIA’s work in Asia Pacific is focused on spotlighting and providing support for the many innovative and on-the-ground zero waste solutions.
• Their work also aims to address the systemic injustices of global waste trade, which exploits cheap labor and lower environmental standards in developing countries.
• They advocate for an end to waste trade and the cessation of burn technologies, such as incinerators, exported from countries in the Global North, China, and Japan.

Incinerator:

• Incineration is a process used to treat waste by burning the substances it contains.
• This process takes place in a special furnace called an “incinerator”. 
• Various types of hazardous materials, such as soil, sludge, liquids, and gases, can be treated through incineration.

Process:

• During incineration, waste materials are converted into ash, flue gas, and heat through combustion.
• The ash primarily consists of the inorganic components of the waste and may appear as solid lumps or particles carried by the flue gas.
• Before releasing into the atmosphere, the flue gases must undergo cleaning to remove gaseous and particulate pollutants.
• In some cases, the heat produced during incineration can generate electricity.

Challenges in Tackling Plastic Pollution:

• Global Plastic Production and Consumption:The vast amount of plastic produced and used worldwide has worsened the problem.
• Plastic is deeply integrated into daily life, from packaging to single-use items, making reducing consumption difficult.
• According to the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), if the world doesn’t cut plastic production by 12-17% per year, achieving the Paris Climate goals would not be possible.
• Inadequate Waste Management Infrastructure:Many regions lack efficient waste management systems.
• Improper disposal causes plastic waste to accumulate in landfills, waterways, and oceans.
• Therefore, There is a need to develop a robust infrastructure for waste collection, recycling, and disposal is crucial.
• Marine Pollution and Ecological Impact:Plastic debris harms marine ecosystems, endangering marine life.
• It also causes animals to ingest or become entangled in plastic, leading to injury, suffocation, and death.
• Microplastics and nanoplastics:Tiny plastic particles are known as microplastics and nanoplastics. 
• These particles are difficult to detect and remove from permeate water bodies which it poses significant risks to the environment.

50 Years of India’s Chipko (Hug the Trees) Movement.

Chipko Movement:

• The Chipko movement, also known as Chipko Andolan, is a non-violent social and ecological movement in India that began in the 1970s to protect trees from commercial logging and government-backed policies on deforestation.
• It is one of the earliest examples of a collective effort aimed at forest conservation, revolving around the practice of hugging trees to prevent them from being cut down.
• It is also renowned for mobilizing women for forest preservation and is recognized as an eco-feminist movement.
• This movement led to a shift in attitudes regarding women''s status in society.

Origins:

• The Chipko Movement originated in the Himalayan regions of Uttarakhand (then part of Uttar Pradesh), in 1973.
• The name of the movement ‘chipko’ comes from the word ’embrace’, as the villagers hugged the trees and encirled them to prevent being hacked.
• The movement, led by Sunderlal Bahuguna in the Garhwal forests, ended in 1974.
• Leaders like Gaura Devi, Amrita Devi Bishnoi, Medha Patkar, A. K. Banerjee, and others strengthened it.
• The movement drew inspiration from the original Chipko Andolan initiated by Rajasthan''s Bishnoi community in the 18th century.

Women’s role in the movement:

• The Chipko movement can be described as a women''s movement.
• Women formed the nucleus of the movement, as the group most directly affected by the lack of firewood and drinking water caused by deforestation.
• The movement saw poor, rural women embracing trees to halt deforestation.
• They became the backbone of the movement and took on significant roles in afforestation efforts.

Challenging societal norms:

• Women''s involvement in the movement challenged traditional gender roles and empowered them to assert their rights and interests.
• The movement evolved into a dual purpose of conservation and challenging societal norms.
• Women aimed to protect the environment while also challenging the status quo, which favored men, demanding a voice in decisions that impacted them.

Eco-feminism:

• Ecofeminism is a social and political movement that blends elements of feminism and environmentalism.
• It explores the relationships between women and nature.
• It explores the intersections of gender oppression and environmental degradation, arguing that both are rooted in similar systems of domination, exploitation, and hierarchy.
• Ecofeminists believe that patriarchy and capitalism are the causes of both women''s oppression and the degradation of the environment, and that any strategy to address one must also consider the impact on the other.

Factors that led to emergence of Eco-feminism:

• Interconnectedness of exploitation: Ecofeminism links women''s rights and environmental concerns, promoting both simultaneously.
• Women, disproportionately affected by poverty, bear the brunt of agricultural challenges due to climate change, like food shortages.
• Women''s lived experiences: Women, being solely in charge of cultivation, livestock and children, suffered the most due to floods and landslides, caused due to rise in deforestation in the face of urbanisation.
• Importance of traditional knowledge: Eco-feminism recognizes the significance of traditional knowledge, often held and transmitted by women, in promoting sustainable practices.
• Globalization and industrialization: It disproportionately affected women, prompting scrutiny of capitalist systems.

Relevance of Ecofeminism in present time:

• Ecofeminism is relevant in present time because it helps to analyze the profit-driven, sexist system of capitalist patriarchy that harms the ecosystem by exploiting natural resources and the people who live there.
• For example, research shows that climate change is not gender-neutral, and women are increasingly vulnerable to its impacts than men.
• Women are often the majority of the world''s poor and more dependent on local natural resources.
• Ecofeminism also explores the sustainable relationship between women and the environment.

Other Important eco-feminist movement in India:

• Narmada Bachao Andolan: It started in 1985 to oppose the construction of large dams on the Narmada River.
• Led by native tribes, farmers, environmentalists, and human rights activists, including Medha Patkar.
• The Appiko Movement (1980s): It was inspired by the Chipko movement, with women in Karnataka''s Western Ghats hugging trees to halt deforestation.
• The Silent Valley Movement (1973): It aimed to protect a rainforest in Kerala from being flooded for a hydroelectric project.

Indian Navy recently conducted Exercise Poorvi Lehar on the East Coast.

Exercise Poorvi Lehar (XPOL):

• It is a maritime exercise conducted by the Indian Navy along the East Coast, under the operational direction of the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command.
• The exercise aimed at validation of procedures towards assessment of Indian Navy’s preparedness to meet Maritime Security challenges in the region.
• The exercise witnessed participation of Ships, Submarines, Aircrafts and Special Forces.
• XPOL was conducted in multiple phases including combat training in a realistic scenario during the Tactical Phase and successful conduct of various firings during the Weapon Phase towards reaffirming Indian Navy’s capability to deliver ordnance on target.
• With operation of aircraft from diverse locations, a near continuous Maritime Domain Awareness was maintained throughout the Area of operations.
• In addition to the participation of assets from Eastern Naval Command, the exercise also witnessed participation of assets from IAF, Andaman & Nicobar Command and Coast Guard indicating a very high degree of interoperability amongst the Services.
• The Exercise offered valuable lessons to participating forces operating under realistic conditions, thereby enhancing their readiness to respond effectively to maritime challenges in the region.

Indian nationals can now apply for multiple-entry Schengen visa with longer validity.

Schengen Visa:

• It is an official document mandatory for some non-Europeans to travel to all the 27 countries which are part of the Schengen area.
• Once granted, this visa allows the traveller to cross the borders of the other member-states without going through identity checks at the border.
• The Schengen visas allow visitors to travel freely in the Schengen area for short stays of a maximum of 90 days in any 180-day period.
• The visas do not give the right to work.

What is the Schengen Area?

• It is a group of 27 European nations that have abolished their internal borders, for the free and unrestricted movement of people.
• Members of this area include 23 of the 27 EU member states (except for Bulgaria, Cyprus, Ireland and Romania) and all members of the European Free Trade Association (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland).
• Switzerland, Iceland, and Norway are not in the EU but are inside of the Schengen Area.
• Being part of this area means that countries:
• Do not carry out checks at their internal borders, except in cases of specific threats;
• Carry out harmonized controls at their external borders, based on clearly defined criteria.

International Monetary Fund (IMF) has raised concerns about the rapidly expanding private credit market in its recent report on global financial stability.

Private Credit (PC):

• Private credit or private debt investments are debt-like, non-publicly traded instruments provided by non-bank entities, such as private credit funds or business development companies (BDCs), to fund private businesses.
• It typically involves the bilateral negotiation of terms and conditions to meet the specific needs and objectives of the individual borrower and lender, without the need to comply with traditional regulatory requirements.
• It excludes bank loans and funding from publicly traded assets like corporate bonds.
• It is tailored to the borrower's specific needs and is often illiquid.

Significance of Private credit:

• Private credit offers significant benefits by providing long-term financing to firms too large or risky for banks and too small for public bond markets.
• Tailored lending terms offer flexibility during challenging times.

Overview of Private Credit:

• Market Size and Role: Private credit has expanded to a substantial $1.7 trillion sector that plays a critical role in the debt markets.
• Primary Beneficiaries: The sector primarily serves small to mid-size borrowers with high leverage, indicating heightened risk.
• Performance in Economic Slumps: Historically, private credit has not been tested in severe economic downturns, raising concerns about its resilience in such scenarios.

Risks Identified by the IMF:

• Liquidity Demands: There are concerns about the ability of funds to maintain liquidity, especially during financial stress.
• Lack of information and transparency: This makes it difficult to ascertain risks fully.
• Quality of Borrowers: The underlying borrowers often have higher leverage, which may increase the risk of default, especially in stagflation scenarios.
• Regulatory Gaps: Current regulations for insurers and pension funds do not adequately consider the credit performance of underlying loans.
• Increased Use of Risky Structures: The use of payment-in-kind structures, which allow borrowers to defer interest payments, is on the rise, potentially increasing long-term financial strains.
• Interconnectedness: The PC value chain involves leveraged players, from borrowers to funds to end investors, increasing the risk of spillovers.

Concerns Over Market Stability:

• Competitive Pressures: Increased competition among lenders could lead to the issuance of loans with weaker protections.
• Potential Market Deterioration: The competitive landscape may lead to deteriorated credit quality and increased financial vulnerabilities.
• Liquidity Risks for Retail-Oriented Funds: Popularity in retail-oriented funds could heighten liquidity risks, especially under market stress conditions similar to those seen in 2020.

Interconnections and Valuation Issues:

• Market Connections: Extensive links exist between private-credit funds, private equity, and institutional investors, which could amplify systemic risks.
• Valuation Challenges: The private and illiquid nature of the market complicates accurate valuations, potentially delaying the recognition of losses and exacerbating defaults in adverse scenarios.

Regulatory Recommendations:

• The IMF urges more robust disclosure requirements for market participants to better analyze risks.
• Strengthening cross-sectoral and international regulatory cooperation to address challenges effectively.
• Enhanced reporting standards are proposed to ensure better transparency and risk assessment.