15 July 2023

• Space: The day after Chandrayaan-3's launch, attention turned to why the lunar south pole is scientifically compelling and what the Moon means for Earth.
• Environment: Sand and dust storms affect 41 per cent of the Earth's land surface and are linked to 11 of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
• Health: Bedaquiline, the key drug for drug-resistant tuberculosis, became more affordable after a licensing deal opened the Indian generics market.
• Finance: NARCL, India's bad bank for resolving legacy NPAs, had its government guarantee renewed.
• Culture: The Namda felted carpet craft of Kashmir saw a revival through Skill India training.

GS area: Science and Technology, Geography (Physical)

The day after Chandrayaan-3's launch prompted a review of why the Moon matters for life on Earth.

• Formation: About 4.5 billion years ago, a Mars-sized body called Theia collided with the young Earth. The debris from this impact coalesced into the Moon.
• Axial stability: The Moon's gravitational influence stabilises Earth's axial tilt within a narrow range (approximately 22.1 to 24.5 degrees). Without this stabilisation, Earth's tilt could vary dramatically, causing extreme seasonal changes incompatible with complex life.
• Tides: The Moon drives tidal cycles. These exposed tidal zones are believed to have been critical incubators where early life adapted to land conditions.
• Climate regulation: Tidal mixing carries heat from equatorial oceans toward the poles, moderating climate extremes.
• Marine biology: Lunar cycles influence the reproductive behaviour of a wide range of marine organisms.

Static linkage: Earth sciences, physical geography, space science.

GS area: Environment, Disaster Management

A joint publication by the UN Environment Programme and the World Meteorological Organization examined the growing threat of sand and dust storms.

• Scale: Approximately 2 billion tonnes of sand and dust enter the atmosphere annually.
• Dryland coverage: Drylands cover about 41 per cent of the Earth's land surface. These are the primary source regions for sand and dust events.
• SDG linkage: Dust storms are directly linked to at least 11 of the 17 SDGs, including those on health, food security, water, clean air, and climate action.
• Health impact: Particles smaller than 10 microns (PM10) penetrate deep into the lungs. Mineral dust carries bacteria and fungi across ocean and continental distances.
• Affected regions: Sahara Desert, Arabian Peninsula, Taklamakan Desert (Central Asia), Gobi Desert, and parts of Central Australia are the main dust emission zones.

Static linkage: Environment, dust and air quality, disaster management, SDGs.

GS area: Health, International Relations

Johnson and Johnson reached an agreement with the Global Drug Facility (managed by the Stop TB Partnership) to allow generic manufacturers in India to supply bedaquiline at approximately 80 per cent lower cost to low- and middle-income countries.

• Bedaquiline: A first-in-class antibiotic that kills drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis by inhibiting the bacterial ATP synthase enzyme. It is a critical component of WHO-recommended regimens for multidrug-resistant TB.
• India's TB burden: India accounts for the largest share of global TB cases. Drug-resistant TB is a growing subset of this burden.
• Stop TB Partnership: A UN-backed body founded in 2001, hosted by UNOPS in Geneva. It coordinates global efforts to eliminate TB by 2030.
• Generic production: Indian pharmaceutical manufacturers (Natco, Macleods) are positioned to supply the generic version at dramatically reduced cost once J&J releases the voluntary licence.

Static linkage: Public health, TB elimination, pharmaceutical policy.

GS area: Polity (Fundamental Rights, Criminal law)

The Supreme Court reaffirmed that an accused person cannot be compelled to speak during police interrogation.

• Article 20(3): No person accused of any offence shall be compelled to be a witness against himself. This is the constitutional right against self-incrimination.
• Scope: The protection applies during formal interrogation. It covers statements that could incriminate the speaker.
• Limits: Providing biological samples (DNA, blood) for forensic analysis is generally not covered by this right, as the Court has distinguished compelled oral testimony from passive production of evidence.

Static linkage: Fundamental rights, criminal procedure, police powers.

GS area: Environment, Geography

A new analysis using the Western Ghats Spatial Decision Support System (WGSDSS) developed by the Indian Institute of Science revealed worrying fragmentation data.

• Interior forests: Only 25 per cent of the Western Ghats' forested area consists of interior forests (forests at least some distance from an edge). The rest is edge forest, which is more exposed to human pressure.
• Evergreen forest loss: A 5 per cent loss of evergreen forest cover has been documented.
• UNESCO status: The Western Ghats is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is among the 36 global biodiversity hotspots.
• Governance tool: WGSDSS provides spatial data on forest cover, species richness, and land-use change to support state forest departments in decision-making.

Static linkage: Biodiversity hotspots, Western Ghats, forest conservation.

GS area: Geography, Defence

The Geological Survey of India conducted surveys of the Siachen Glacier, using the occasion to consolidate the geography for UPSC purposes.

• Location: Eastern Karakoram range, northeast of the NJ9842 point that marks the northernmost point of the Line of Control.
• Size: The world's highest battlefield. The second-longest non-polar glacier globally.
• Water contribution: Siachen feeds the Nubra River, which flows into the Shyok, which joins the Indus.
• Operation Meghdoot (1984): India pre-empted a Pakistani attempt to claim the glacier by airlifting troops to occupy the heights on April 13, 1984.

Static linkage: Geography of J&K and Ladakh, Indian defence.

• Namda craft revival: Namda is a traditional Kashmiri felted carpet craft using compressed sheep wool. Nearly 2,200 craftspeople from six J&K districts were trained through PMKVY. The craft originated in the 16th century via the Sufi saint Shah-e-Hamdan.
• NARCL guarantee renewal: The government renewed the sovereign guarantee backing NARCL's security receipts, enabling it to continue acquiring large NPAs from commercial banks.
• Child trafficking report: A joint IOM-Harvard study found that over half of child trafficking victims are trafficked within their own countries. Forced labour primarily affects boys; sexual exploitation disproportionately affects girls. Articles 23 and 24 of the Constitution prohibit trafficking and child labour in hazardous work.
• Chandrayaan-3 trajectory: After launch, LVM3 placed Chandrayaan-3 in an elliptical orbit around Earth. The spacecraft would perform orbit-raising manoeuvres over the following weeks before the translunar injection burn.