Today’s Current Affairs: 10th April 2024 for UPSC IAS exams, State PSC exams, SSC CGL, State SSC, RRB, Railways, Banking Exam & IBPS, etc
Table of Contents
Peace Clause At WTO:
India has invoked the peace clause at the World Trade Organization (WTO) for the fifth consecutive time due to breaching the prescribed subsidy limit for rice offered to its farmers.
- Under the Peace Clause, WTO members refrain from challenging any breach in the prescribed subsidy ceiling given by a developing nation at the dispute settlement forum of the WTO.
- Subsidies over and above the prescribed ceiling are seen as trade-distorting.
- Under the global trade norms, a WTO member country’s food subsidy bill should not breach the limit of 10 percent of the value of production based on the reference price of 1986-88.
- India has been seeking amendments to the formula for calculating this food subsidy cap.
- As an interim measure, the WTO members at the Bali ministerial meeting in December 2013 agreed to put in place a mechanism popularly called the Peace Clause and committed to negotiating an agreement for a permanent solution.
- This clause will be there till a permanent solution is found to the food stockpiling issue.
- While the ‘peace clause’ allows developing countries to breach the 10% ceiling without invoking legal action by members, it is subject to onerous notification requirements and numerous conditions such as not distorting global trade and not affecting food security of other members.
Right Against Adverse Effects Of Climate Change : Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of India recognized the right against adverse effects of climate change as a fundamental right within the ambit of Articles 14 (right to equality) and 21 (right to life) of the Indian Constitution.
- The Supreme Court’s observation came while delivering a judgment in a case related to the protection of endangered bird species, the Great Indian Bustard and the Lesser Florican, in Gujarat and Rajasthan.
- The case dealt with the impact of overhead power transmission lines on the habitats and flight paths of these birds.
- The Supreme Court stated that the right against the adverse effects of climate change, although not explicitly articulated, is inherently linked to the right to a clean environment, which is recognized as a fundamental right under Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution.
- The court emphasized that as the impact of climate change intensifies year by year, it becomes necessary to recognize this right distinctly.
- The judgment noted that violations of the right to a healthy environment due to climate change can have ramifications across numerous rights domains, such as the right to life, personal integrity, health, water, housing, and procedural rights like information, expression, association, and participation.
Spotted Deer : Population Explosion
The introduction of chital, or spotted deer, to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the early 1900s for game hunting by the British has resulted in a population explosion that now poses a significant problem for authorities.
- But now the chital population exceeding the carrying capacity of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Island.
- Spotted deer, also known as chital or axis deer, are a species of deer native to the Indian subcontinent.
- They are characterized by their reddish-brown coat with white spots, which gives them their name.
- Spotted deer are medium-sized herbivores, typically weighing between 50 to 100 kilograms.
- They inhabit a variety of forested habitats, including deciduous forests, grasslands, and scrublands.
- The chital, also known as the spotted deer or axis deer, is a graceful and elegant herbivore native to the grasslands and forests of India and Sri Lanka.
- They prefer open grasslands, savannas, and lightly forested areas.
- IUCN Red list: Least Concern
- WLPA 1972: Schedule II.
Landscape Ecology In Elephant Corridors:
Landscape ecology has become crucial for identifying and restoring elephant corridors effectively, rather than relying solely on expert field knowledge.
- Landscape ecology is the study of the interactions between the temporal (time-related) and spatial (space-related) aspects of a landscape and the organisms within it.
- Landscape ecology became more accurate with the advancements in detecting core areas and corridors are now based on three factors: intensive use of field data; improvement in GIS (Geographic Information Systems) and availability of geospatial data and adapted algorithm.
- Elephant Corridors are strips of land that enable elephant movement between two or more friendly habitats.
- The key findings of the Elephant Corridors of India, 2023 Report are as follows:
- The report highlighted a surge of 62 new corridors, marking a 40% increase since 2010, now totalling 150 corridors across the nation.
- West Bengal has the highest number of elephant corridors, totalling 26, constituting 17% of the total corridors.
- The East central region contributes 35% (52 corridors), and the North East region follows as the second-largest with 32% (48 corridors).
- Southern India registered 32 elephant corridors, representing 21% of the total, while northern India has the lowest count of 18 corridors, amounting to 12%.
- Elephants have expanded their ranges in the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra and southern Maharashtra bordering Karnataka.
Parivartan Chintan: A Tri-Service Conference
Parivartan Chintan, an upcoming Tri-Service Conference aimed at generating new and fresh ideas, initiatives, and reforms to propel Jointness and Integration efforts, is being held in New Delhi on 8th April 2024.
- It was chaired by Chief of Defence Staff, General Anil Chauhan.
- It is the first-ever conference of the Heads of all Tri-Services Institutions.
- Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) was created in 2019 on the recommendations of a committee of defence experts headed by Lt General DB Shekatkar.
- General Bipin Rawat was the first CDS in the country.
- His core function is to foster operational synergy among Indian military branches.
Neptis philyra : Rare Butterfly
A rare butterfly species named Neptis philyra has been recently discovered for the first time in India in Tale Valley Wildlife Sanctuary.
- Neptis philyra is a rare species of butterfly, commonly known as the long-streak sailor.
- Till date, the butterfly species was known to be found across various regions of east Asia, including eastern Siberia, Korea, Japan, central and southwest China.
- The butterfly has serrated wings with rich brownish-black on the upper side and yellow-brown on the underside.
- The butterfly’s distinct markings include a white cell streak forming a “hockey stick” pattern on the forewing.
- The species, which is part of the Nymphalidae family, is known to prefer habitats such as evergreen forests, riverine vegetation, and rocky streams.
- Tale Valley Wildlife Sanctuary is located near the Apatani cultural landscape in the Lower Subansiri District of Arunachal Pradesh.
TSAT-1A:
Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) recently announced the successful deployment in space of its sub-metre resolution optical satellite, TSAT-1A, by SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket.
- TSAT-1A is an optical sub-metre-resolution Earth observation satellite.
- It was built by Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) in collaboration with Latin American company Satellogic Inc, following a collaboration agreement between the two companies in late 2023.
- TSAT-1A was assembled in TASL’s Assembly, Integration, and Testing (AIT) plant at its Vemagal facility in Karnataka.
- It was launched by SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, in the US.
- TSAT-1A’s core strength lies in its ability to capture military grade imagery of Earth’s surface with sub-meter resolution.
- It is equipped with both multispectral and hyperspectral imaging capabilities.
- This technology allows TSAT-1A to collect data across a wide range of wavelengths within the electromagnetic spectrum, providing a deeper and more nuanced understanding of land, water, and various natural resources.
- TSAT-1A boasts greater collection capacity, a wider dynamic range (the ability to capture detail in both very bright and very dark areas), and low-latency delivery of data.
- This satellite will be used by Indian defense forces to gather discreet information, and this information will be shared with friendly nations.
- It can enable defence forces to enhance their preparedness, response capabilities, and strategic decision-making.
Mid-Day Meal Scheme And Digital Inclusion : Indonesian Delegation Visits India
An Indonesian delegation led by Mochammad Firman Hidayat, Deputy Coordinating Minister of Maritime Resources, Coordinating Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Investment, visited India last week to explore collaboration in various sectors and learn from India’s best practices in the mid-day meal scheme and digital inclusion.
- Indonesia’s President Prabowo has proposed implementing a mid-day meal scheme in schools, similar to India’s program, as part of his election manifesto.
- The Indonesian delegation’s visit to India aimed to gather insights and knowledge to make their domestic mid-day meal plan a success.
- They also sought to learn from India’s experiences in digital inclusion and connectivity, which are among the top domestic priorities of the Indonesian government.
- The delegation interacted with officials from the Ministry of Education, gaining insights into the scheme’s implementation, logistics, nutritional value, challenges, and the roles of central and state governments.
