23 December 2024

• Environment: The Forest Survey of India released the India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2023. Total forest and tree cover is 8,27,356.95 sq km (25.17 per cent of geographical area).
• Polity: Justice Madan B. Lokur was appointed Chairperson of the United Nations Internal Justice Council (2024-2028), a first for India.
• Technology: India announced plans for its first quantum satellite launch within two to three years under the National Quantum Mission.
• Infrastructure: India's first bio-bitumen national highway stretch was laid on NH-44 near Nagpur.

GS area: Environment

The Forest Survey of India (FSI) released the India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2023.

• Total forest and tree cover: 8,27,356.95 sq km, which is 25.17 per cent of India's geographical area.
• Forest cover alone: 7,15,342.61 sq km (21.76 per cent of geographical area).
• Tree cover: 1,12,014.34 sq km (3.41 per cent).
• Mangrove cover: 4,991.68 sq km.
• Bamboo-bearing area: 1,54,670 sq km, an increase of 5,227 sq km over ISFR 2021.
• Carbon stock (2023): 7,285.5 million tonnes. An increase of 5 million tonnes over ISFR 2021.
• Growing stock of wood: 6,429.64 million cubic metres.
• Northeast India: Forests cover about 67 per cent of the geographical area of the region.
• FSI background: The Forest Survey of India is under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. It conducts surveys every two years using satellite imagery and ground truthing.
• India's forest target: National Forest Policy 1988 targets 33 per cent forest and tree cover. India is currently at 25.17 per cent.

Static linkage: Environment (forests, FSI, ISFR, carbon stock).

GS area: Science and Technology

India's Department of Science and Technology announced plans for a quantum satellite under the National Quantum Mission within two to three years.

• National Quantum Mission (NQM): Approved in April 2023 with a budget of 6,003.65 crore rupees over eight years (2023-2031).
• Quantum satellite applications: Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) for completely secure, eavesdrop-proof communications. Works by encoding information in quantum states of photons. Any interception disturbs the quantum state, revealing the breach.
• Quantum entanglement advantage: Entangled photon pairs in space can enable instant detection of tampering even across intercontinental distances.
• Target sectors: Defence communications, banking, government inter-ministry communications and national security.
• India's position: China launched the world's first quantum satellite (Micius/Mozi) in 2016 and demonstrated intercontinental quantum encryption with Europe in 2017. India is playing catch-up.

Static linkage: Science and technology (quantum computing, quantum communication, DST).

GS area: International Relations, Polity

Retired Supreme Court Justice Madan B. Lokur was appointed Chairperson of the United Nations Internal Justice Council (IJC) for 2024-2028.

• IJC functions: Recommends candidates for the UN Dispute Tribunal and the UN Appeals Tribunal. Monitors the independence and accountability of UN's internal justice system.
• IJC composition: Five members. One representing staff, one representing management, two external jurists and one chairperson.
• Significance: This is the first time an Indian jurist has chaired the IJC. It follows India's growing role in multilateral institutions.
• Justice Lokur's profile: Served as a Supreme Court judge (2012-2018). Known for judgements on prison conditions, bonded labour, forest rights and tribal rights.

Static linkage: International relations (UN governance), polity (judiciary).

GS area: Science and Technology, Environment

India's National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) laid the country's first bio-bitumen stretch on the Nagpur-Mansar bypass section of National Highway 44.

• Bio-bitumen definition: Road surfacing material derived from agricultural waste (primarily lignin from sugarcane bagasse or wheat straw) blended with conventional bitumen.
• Environmental advantage: Reduces greenhouse gas emissions from bitumen production by about 70 per cent compared to conventional petroleum-derived bitumen.
• Structural advantage: About 40 per cent stronger than conventional asphalt, with better resistance to rutting and cracking in high temperatures.
• Source material: Lignin, a natural polymer found in plant cell walls, is extracted as a by-product from paper and sugar industries.
• National context: India consumes about 6 million tonnes of bitumen annually. Replacing even 10 per cent with bio-bitumen would save significant carbon emissions.

Static linkage: Science and technology (sustainable materials), environment (green infrastructure).

GS area: Polity, Governance

The Election Commission of India amended the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961 to restrict public access to CCTV footage from polling stations.

• New provision: General public access to CCTV footage and other electronic surveillance records from polling is restricted.
• Retained access: Candidates, their election agents and authorised representatives retain access to view footage relevant to their constituency.
• Rationale: Protecting voter privacy. Detailed booth-level footage could reveal individual voting patterns in small polling areas.
• Criticism: Opposition parties argued the change reduces transparency and makes it harder to detect election irregularities.
• EC powers: The Election Commission derives its authority under Article 324 to superintend, direct and control all elections. The Conduct of Election Rules, 1961 are framed under the Representation of the People Act, 1951.

Static linkage: Polity (elections, Election Commission, Conduct of Election Rules).

GS area: Governance, Internal Security

Uttar Pradesh Police launched the "Digital Warriors" initiative in December 2024.

• Objective: Train school and college students and social media influencers to identify and counter fake news, misinformation and hate speech online.
• Mechanism: Cyber clubs set up in schools and colleges. Trained Digital Warriors receive certificates from the police.
• Scope: Particularly targets WhatsApp-spread misinformation in rural areas and communally sensitive content.
• Legal context: Spreading fake news that causes panic or communal unrest is punishable under the Information Technology Act, 2000 (Section 66D), the Indian Penal Code and now the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
• National parallel: The MHA's Cyber Crime Portal (cybercrime.gov.in) and the I4C (Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre) handle reported cyber offences.

Static linkage: Governance (cybercrime, information security, IT Act).

• Starlink status in India: SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet service operates in low Earth orbit at approximately 550 km altitude, providing speeds over 100 Mbps. It had not received authorisation to operate in India as of December 2024. TRAI and the Department of Telecommunications were evaluating applications.
• Panama Canal anniversary: 31 December 1999 marked the formal transfer of the Panama Canal from the US to Panama. The canal is 82 km long, connects the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, uses a lock system to lift ships 26 metres through Lake Gatun, and sees over 14,000 vessels annually.