ULIP Workshop Brings States Together to Enhance India’s Logistics

1. Unified Logistics Interface Platform (ULIP) continues to lead the charge in transforming India’s logistics sector. Today, a groundbreaking workshop was held under the chairmanship of Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh, Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT).
2. The event, hosted at Vanijya Bhavan, saw enthusiastic participation from representatives of various states including Telangana, Kerala, Haryana, Punjab, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Nagaland, and Rajasthan. Additionally, many industry associations, enterprises and start-ups joined the workshop.
3. Speaking on the occasion, Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh emphasized the critical role of ULIP in fostering collaboration and integration among states to create a unified logistics ecosystem. “ULIP offers an unprecedented opportunity for states to enhance their logistics frameworks. I encourage all states to actively leverage ULIP and drive forward a seamless, efficient, and inclusive logistics sector across India,” he stated.

During the workshop, Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh also launched a ULIP booklet that illustrates how different private sector companies and Startups are utilizing ULIP APIs and highlighted the platform’s transformative impact on the logistics sector. This booklet serves as a comprehensive guide showcasing the innovative applications developed through ULIP and their significant contributions to enhancing logistics efficiency.

Shri Rajat Kumar Saini, CEO & MD of the National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation (NICDC) and Chairman of the National Logistics Data Services Limited (NLDSL), highlighted the importance of ULIP and urged Start-ups to continue their innovative efforts and explore new ideas to leverage the platform. He stated, “The applications showcased today highlight the potential of ULIP to transform the logistics landscape. We must continue to push the boundaries and explore new possibilities for efficiency and growth.”

• The event provided a platform for industry leaders and stakeholders to share their experiences and insights. The workshop featured demonstrations from startups like Super Procure, Cargo Shakti, Shiprocket, and Enmovil showcasing their cutting-edge applications developed using the ULIP databases. Super Procure demonstrated their platform aimed at reducing empty miles using ULIP, while Enmovil showcased a logistics bot developed for route optimization. Shiprocket, with its cross-border logistics platform, highlighted how they are able to onboard sellers seamlessly through effective authentication facilitated by ULIP APIs.
• Additionally, how various Ministries and Departments use PM GatiShakti NMP tools for developing various assets were also discussed.

ULIP:

• ULIP is a digital gateway that allows industry players to access logistics-related datasets from various Government systems through API-based integration.
• Currently, the platform integrates with 37 systems from 10 ministries via 118 APIs, covering over 1800 data fields. Private sector participation in ULIP has been instrumental in amplifying its impact, with over 900 companies registered on the ULIP portal (www.goulip.in). Additionally, these companies have developed over 90 applications, leading to more than 35 crore API transactions.

China inaugurates next-generation synchrotron, boasting world’s brightest X-rays

China has inaugurated the High Energy Photon Source (HEPS), which will be the first fourth-generation synchrotron light source in Asia.

China Inaugurates Next-Generation Synchrotron 

1. Existing Synchrotrons: Presently there are around 70 synchrotrons across the world that are either in operation or under construction.
2. The fourth-generation club: Fourth-generation facilities rely on an array of magnets called a multi-bend achromat lattice to generate X-ray beams that are narrower and therefore brighter. Existing facilities include,
3. Sweden’s MAX IV Laboratory, 
4. Sirius in Campinas, Brazil,
5. The European Synchrotron Radiation Facility’s Extremely Brilliant Source in Grenoble, France.
6. The Advanced Photon Source in Lemont, Illinois.

High Energy Photon Source (HEPS)

1. Location: It is situated 50 kilometres from Beijing in Huairou.
2. Budget: It is a 4.8-billion-yuan (US$665-million) project.
3. Objective: To produce a light source that will penetrate deep into samples to reveal their molecular and atomic structure in real time.
4. Scope: Users can select from the existing 14 beamlines for experiments in subjects including biomedicine, energy, advanced materials and condensed-matter physics.
5. Also, HEPS is expected to accommodate up to 90 beamlines which will impact every scientific field, except maths going forward.

Feature: 

1. Produce Hard X Rays: HEPS will accelerate electrons up to energies of 6 gigaelectron volts inside its storage ring, with a circumference of 1.36 kilometres, to produce high-energy, or hard X-rays to measure samples at nanometre scales.
2. Enabling Nano measurements: Its time resolution will be 10,000 times better than that achieved by third-generation synchrotrons allowing researchers to make measurements in hundreds of nanoseconds instead of milliseconds
3. High Resolution Imaging:  HEPS’s electron beam will be the narrowest in the world, allowing it to create particularly intense X-rays enabling researchers to obtain more information from their samples with the same dose of radiation.
4. It will further drive scientists’ understanding of the properties of matter and help in the development of new materials.
5. Speedy experimentation: HEPS will also allow researchers to rapidly execute experiments that would have taken days to complete at older facilities.
6. Example: To determine the atomic structure of proteins, researchers need to purify and coax these molecules into orderly crystal structures that can be visualized with X-rays. Older synchrotrons require large samples that are difficult to produce, making it nearly impossible to study smaller protein crystals

synchrotron light

1. A synchrotron: It is a type of circular particle accelerator which works by accelerating charged particles (electrons) through sequences of magnets until they reach almost the speed of light.
2. Formation of Synchrotron Light: These fast-moving high energy electrons produce very bright light, by the ‘synchronised’ application of strong magnetic fields called synchrotron light.
3. This very intense light, predominantly in the X-ray region, is millions of times brighter than light produced from conventional sources and 10 billion times brighter than the sun.
4. Significance: The intense light which is produced by the electrons is then filtered and adjusted to travel into experimental workstations, where it is used to study minute matter such as atoms and molecules and reveals the innermost secrets of materials, from human tissue to plants to metals and more.

Origin: 

1. The first synchrotron:It was built in 1946 and was designed to study collisions between high energy particles. Example: The Large Hadron Collider at CERN
2. The First synchrotron Light experiment: In 1956, the first experiments were carried out using synchrotron light drawn from a particle collider at Cornell in the USA
3. The First Dedicated facility:In 1980 UK built the world’s first synchrotron dedicated to producing synchrotron light for experiments at Daresbury in Cheshire.

Process: 

1. 1st step: The electrons are generated by the electron gun in the centre of the synchrotron and accelerated to 99.9997% of the speed of light by the linear accelerator, or linac.
2. 2nd step: The electrons are then transferred to the booster ring, where in approx. half a second, there is an increase in energy from 100 MeV to 3,000 MeV (or 3 GeV). They are then transferred to the outer storage ring.
3. Final step: The electrons are circulated around the storage ring by a series of magnets separated by straight sections. As the electrons are deflected through the magnetic field, electromagnetic radiation is produced.
4. Final Synchrotron light: At each bending magnet a beam of synchrotron light is produced and the electromagnetic radiation produced by the synchrotron is emitted in a narrow cone in the forward direction, at a tangent to the electron’s orbit.

Properties of Synchrotron light:

1. High brightness: It is extremely intense (hundreds of thousands of times more intense than that from conventional x-ray tubes) and highly collimated.
2. Wide energy spectrum: It can be generated across the range of the electromagnetic spectrum ie.  from infrared to visible light to x-rays.
3. Tunable: It is possible to obtain an intense beam of any selected wavelength.
4. Highly polarised: The synchrotron emits highly polarised radiation, which can be linear, circular or elliptical.
5. Very short pulses: Pulses are emitted in typically less than a nano-second(a billionth of a second), enabling time-resolved studies.

Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary

Red panda was recently captured on camera in the Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary (EWS) located in the Singchung subdivision of the West Kameng district, Arunachal Pradesh.

Red Panda: 

1. It is primarily an herbivore species.
2. They use their long, bushy tails for balance and to cover themselves in winter, presumably for warmth.
3. It is a shy, solitary and arboreal animal and considered an indicator species for ecological change. 
4. Appearance:It is the size of a house cat; the red panda is famous for its cute face and adorable defense stance.
5. Distribution:It lives in the mountainous forests of Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, and Nepal. Almost 50% of their habitat is in the Eastern Himalayas.
6. Threats:Red panda habitat is in decline. The loss of nesting trees and bamboo in the Eastern Himalayas—the location of almost 50% of the red panda’s habitat—is causing a decline in red panda populations across much of their range.

Conservation status

• IUCN Red list: Endangered
• CITES: Appendix I
• The Wildlife Protection Act 1972: Schedule I

Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary

1. It is a protected area of India in the Himalayan foothills of West Kameng District, Arunachal Pradesh.
2. It conjoins Sessa Orchid Sanctuary to the northeast and Pakhui Tiger Reserve across the Kameng river to the east.
3. It is situated in the biodiversity hotspot of Eastern Himalayas and home to over 500 bird species.
4. Altitude ranges are extreme: from 500 metres (1,640 ft) to 3,250 metres (10,663 ft).

It is also a part of the Kameng Elephant Reserve.

Supreme Court allowed a review of its 2022 judgment on ‘shamlat deh’ land rights

The Supreme Court has allowed for the review of its own 2022 judgment on ‘shamlat deh’ land, essentially land contributed to by multiple landowners to serve the “common purposes” of village’s people. Here is why

Protecting the rights of village landowners in Haryana, the Supreme Court allowed a review of a 2022 judgment which allowed gram panchayats to acquire shamlat deh land.

Shamlat Deh

Shamlat deh is village common land, created by multiple landowners contributing an equal portion of their individual land holdings to serve the “common purposes” of village’s people. 

Article 31A: Second provision of Article 31A prevents the government from acquiring land from a person, if the size of the land is below the “ceiling limit” unless the state pays compensation “not be less than the market value” for the land. Supreme Court allows a review of its 2022 Judgment on Shamlat Deh Land Rights

1. Background: The apex court in 2022 upheld a 1992 amendment to the Punjab Village Common Lands (Regulation) Act, 1961 (henceforth, the Punjab Act) which allows gram panchayats to manage and control shamlat deh land as “lands reserved for the common purposes of a village”.
2. Challenge to 1992 Amendment: The 1992 amendment was recently challenged after observing that the 2022 decision disregarded an important and relevant Constitution Bench decision in the case of Bhagat Ram vs State of Punjab (1967).

Background of the Dispute and Apex Court’s Judgments

1. Bhagat Ram vs State of Punjab (1967): Clarifying the meaning of land acquisition under Article 31A:
2. Validity of Land Consolidation Scheme: In 1967, a five-judge Bench decided the validity of a land consolidation scheme for the village of Dolike Sunderpur, which proposed to reserve lands “for common purposes” and divert the income of these lands to the panchayat.
3. The state of Punjab argued that reserving lands for the income of the panchayat does not qualify as land acquisition as the income would be used to benefit the village community.
4. It also argued that even if the land was being acquired, this was done before Article 31A came into force through the 17th constitutional amendment of 1964, and thus, the second provison would not apply.

Ajit Singh v State of Punjab (1967): In this case, the five-judge Bench carved out the difference between land being acquired by the state, and the modification or extinguishment of land rights under Article 31A. 

When land is acquired, the state is the beneficiary, which is not the case when land rights are modified or extinguished (unless the rights are transferred to the State after the rights of the land-holder are extinguished), the Bench ruled.

• Challenge to Scheme: Landowners challenged the scheme arguing that it violates the second provision of Article 31A.Ruling by SC: The SC applied the logic of  Ajit Singh v State of Punjab (1967) in Bhagat Ram Case and held that the beneficiary of the land consolidation scheme was the panchayat, and thus, also the state.
• The court held that the panchayat was effectively acquiring the land by reserving its income.
• The panchayat’s income can only be used for the village community’s benefit.
• Thus, accepting the state’s argument would “defeat the object” of the second provision of Article 31A.
• Possession and control of the land was not transferred as the scheme had been stayed by the Punjab & Haryana High Court.
• Under Section 24 of the East Punjab Holdings (Consolidation and Prevention of Fragmentation) Act, 1948 (henceforth, the Consolidation Act), the scheme will only be “deemed to have come into force” after the possession is transferred.
• Jai Singh vs State of Haryana (2003): Does shamlat land belong to the landowners or the Panchayat:
• Challenge to Punjab Act: The Punjab & Haryana High Court challenged the 1992 amendment to the Punjab Act which vested control of shamlat deh land in Haryana with the gram panchayat.

1. Distinction Between Reserved Land and Proprietors’ Contributed Land: The court differentiated between land reserved for common purposes under the Consolidation Act, and land contributed by individual “proprietors”.
2. Exclusion of Control Over Contributed Lands:The control over lands contributed but not included in the consolidation scheme referred to as bachat or surplus land could not be vested with the panchayat as part of the consolidation scheme.
3. Relying on the SC’s decision in Bhagat Ram, the HC held that thestate and the gram panchayat could not acquire land that is not reserved under the consolidation scheme without providing compensation.
4. Challenge to Ruling: The state of Haryana challenged this decision at the Supreme Court which overruled the 2003 decision.
5. Ruling by SC:It held that there was no need to pay compensation because the amendment to the Punjab Act was enacted after Article 31 had been removed by the Forty-Fourth Constitutional Amendment.
6. The management and control of the land were vested in the panchayatas soon as it was assigned, serving as the initial step before executing the consolidation scheme, and could be utilized at any time.
7. The requirement in the second provision of Article 31A did not apply,as the panchayat was merely managing the land on behalf of the landholders, not acquiring it.
8. Karnail Singh vs State of Haryana (2024): SC allows review of 2022 judgment:

Constitution Benches: Provision is provided in Article 145(3) of the Constitution. 

Composition: It typically comprises five (minimum), seven, or nine judges, deliberating on a substantial question of law as to the interpretation of the Constitution.

1. Conflict Between 2022 Decision and Constitution Bench’s Ruling in Bhagat Ram: It held that the 2022 decision, which vested control of the land in the panchayat once the land was assigned, was “totally contrary” to the Constitution Bench’s decision in Bhagat Ram.
2. The Bhagat Ram judgment stated that “management and control do not vest in the Panchayat until possession has changed,” and that landholders retain rights over their holdings until that time.
3. Threshold for Review: It held that a smaller bench ignoring a Constitution Bench decision was a “material error manifest on the face of the order”, which is the threshold for permitting a review of a Supreme Court judgment.
4. Consequently, the Bench recalled the 2022 decision and directed the challenge to the 2003 High Court decision to be heard once again.

“Agniveers are not just soldiers but also leaders, innovators and defenders of the nation’s sovereignty”, says CDS Gen Anil Chauhan

Chief of Defence Staff interacts with Agniveer trainees at Maratha Regimental Centre & Airman Training School, Belagavi

1. Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Gen Anil Chauhan has stated that Agniveers are not just soldiers but also leaders, innovators and defenders of the nation’s sovereignty. He was interacting with the Agniveers undergoing training at Maratha Regimental Centre and Airmen Training School (ATS), Belagavi on 20 May 2024.
2. Underscoring the noble purpose of military service and its pivotal role within the Military Framework, the CDS at Maratha Regimental Centre lauded Agniveers for choosing the Armed Forces. He stated that it was a testament to their exceptional duty towards the nation.
3. Acknowledging the personal challenges faced by the soldiers and their families and the hardships they endure while operating in the challenging environments, Gen Anil Chauhan assured that despite the challenges, the Agniveers will find their journey immensely rewarding and each step, will lead to their personal growth and deep sense of pride in serving the nation.
4. Elaborating the evolving nature of the warfare, the CDS highlighted the complexity and unpredictability of future conflicts to include Cyber Warfare, Artificial Intelligence and Asymmetric Threats which are now an integral part of the battlefield. He also spoke about technology integration and continuous learning and mentioned that in addition of staying abreast with the latest advancements, there is also a need to showcase innovative approach towards combat.
5. During his visit to ATS, Belagavi, CDS took a tour of the training institute to gain insight into Agniveervayu training of IAF. He interacted with the third batch of Agniveervayu trainees undergoing training as per the revised induction pattern introduced by the MoD in 2022. He exhorted them to focus on training for becoming technologically proficient soldiers, ready to meet the challenges of future warfare.
6. The CDS further stressed upon the trainees that learning is a lifelong process, especially in an ever evolving and dynamic field of warfare which is tech intensive, entailing a profound sense of responsibility in constant upgradation of skills. He advised the trainees to always nurture the values of integrity, physical fitness, discipline, and esprit-de-corps in their pursuit of professional excellence.
7. Highlighting the importance of training, the CDS lauded the efforts put in by the training faculty of ATS, and the Maratha Regimental Centre and urged them to keep on striving for excellence towards furtherance of operational might of the nation.

Going glacier gone: How Venezuela lost its last glacier, why this matters

Venezuela has likely become the first country — it certainly won’t be the last — in modern history to lose all its glaciers. Scientists expected the Humboldt glacier to last another decade. However, it melted at a faster rate than expected.

Recently, International Cryosphere Climate Initiative (ICCI), a scientific advocacy organization, said that South American nation’s only remaining glacier, the ‘Humboldt, or La Corona’, in the Andes had become “too small to be classed as a glacier”.

Humboldt Glacier

• Venezuela’s Humboldt glacier, the country’s last glacier, reclassified as an ice field. 
• Formerly the country had been home to 6 glaciers in the Sierra Nevada de Mérida Mountain range, all located in the Andes at around 5,000 meters above sea level.
• The Five of the glaciers had disappeared by 2011Five glaciers already vanished by 2011
• Global trend: Glaciers shrinking and disappearing faster than anticipated.
• 2023 study projects two-thirds of the world’s glaciers could vanish by 2100 at current climate change rates.

Glaciers

Glaciers are essentially large and thick masses of ice that are formed on land due to the accumulation of snow over centuries.

1. Conditions for Glacial Existence:According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS),
2. Form in areas with mean annual temperatures near freezing.
3. Require significant winter snow accumulations.
4. Summer temperatures must not completely melt winter snow.
5. Glaciers flow slowly due to mass and gravity.
6. No universal size definition, but typically need around 10 hectares of ice. 

Glaciers Disappearing

1. Due to the Impact of Global Warming: Due to Increased global temperatures since the Industrial Revolution.
2. Glaciers melt due to rising temperatures from greenhouse gas emissions.
3. Human activities, like burning fossil fuels, release carbon dioxide and methane.
4. These gases trap heat in the atmosphere, preventing it from escaping.

The Andes: 

1. It is located in South America, the longest mountain range in the world.
2. The Andes act as a barrier, preventing the movement of moisture from the east and influencing the precipitation patterns in the region.
3. It acts as a rain shadow zone for Atacama deserts.
4. The Andes have an impact on the temperature and rainfall patterns in neighboring countries such as Argentina, Chile, and Peru.

Venezuela’s Case: 

1. The Andes Mountain range running through parts of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela has witnessed a temperature increase of a high rate of 0.10 degree Celsius in the past seven decades.
2. Therefore, it is the major reason why Venezuela has lost all of its glaciers.
3. In the case of the Humboldt glacier, the melting was accelerated by El Niño, which developed in July 2023.
4. El Nino refers to an abnormal warming of surface waters in the equatorial Pacific Ocean and leads to warmer temperatures.
5. In the Andean area of Venezuela, there have been some months with monthly anomalies of +3C/+4C above the 1991-2020 average, which is exceptional at those tropical latitudes.
6. India Scenario: India is also at the risk of losing its glaciers.
7. They are melting at unprecedented rates across the Hindu Kush Himalayan Mountain ranges and could lose up to 80% of their volume this century if GHG emissions are not drastically reduced.

Impacts of Glacier Loss

Environmental Effect: 

1. They are a crucial source of freshwater, especially during hot, dry periods, for local communities, plants, and animals.
2. Their disappearance would mean that one would have to be entirely dependent on spot rainfall for freshwater.
3. The cold water that runs off glaciers keeps downstream water temperatures cooler.
4. This is crucial for many aquatic species in the region as they need cold water temperatures to survive.
5. Glacier loss directly impacts such species, which are an essential part of the food web.
6. Melting glaciers can also contribute to the rise in sea level.
7. Economic, and Cultural Effect: Glaciers were a part of the region’s cultural identity, and for mountaineering and touristic activities.

Bacterial Pathogens Priority List

Recently, the World Health Organization (WHO) released its updated Bacterial Priority Pathogens List (BPPL) 2024.

Bacterial Pathogens Priority List:

It is an important tool in the global fight against antimicrobial resistance.

Background

1. In 2017 WHO developed the first BPPLto guide investment into the R&D of new antibacterials and it listed 13 bacterial pathogens (phenotypes).
2. It was developed with the multi-criteria decision analysis(MCDA) method (15).
3. MCDA is a decision-making scientific method that mounts and evaluates alternatives based on multiple criteria, facilitating systematic and transparent decision-making in complex options

• The 2024 WHO BPPL covers 24 pathogens, spanning 15 familiesof antibiotic-resistant bacterial pathogens.
• The 2024 list categorizes these pathogens into critical, high, and medium priority groupsto inform research and development (R&D) and public health interventions.

Significance

1. The WHO BPPL acts as a guide for prioritizing R&D and investments in AMR, emphasizing the need for regionally tailored strategies to effectively combat resistance.
2. It targets developers of antibacterial medicines, academic and public research institutions, research funders, and public–private partnerships investing in AMR R&D, as well as policy-makers responsible for developing and implementing AMR policies and programs.

Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)

1. It occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites no longer respond to medicines, making people sicker and increasing the risk of disease spread, illness and deaths.
2. It is driven in large part by the misuse and overuse of antimicrobials.

Muria tribes’ own eco-friendly, foolproof seed preservation method

The internally displaced tribal families in Godavari Valley continue to practice the ‘deda’ method to preserve seeds of pulses and food crops which were handed over to them by their ancestors in Chhattisgarh

Internally displaced tribal families in the Godavari Valley persist in employing the ancestral ‘deda’ method to conserve seeds of pulses and food crops, inherited from their ancestors in Chhattisgarh.

Deda Method

• Storage of seeds:The seeds are stored within leaves and tightly packed to resemble boulders when viewed from a distance.
• These packaged seeds are then encased in Siali leaf (Bauhinia vahlii), locally referred to as ‘addakulu’, to create the deda.
• Three-Layer Seed Preservation: Each deda consists of three layers. Initially, wood ash is scattered within the Siali leaves.
• Then, lemon leaves are used to encase the ash, forming a protective layer. Finally, the seeds are stored inside this casing and sealed.
• Each deda is designed to accommodate a minimum of 5kg of seeds.
• Advantages of Deda Method: The Deda method ensures that seeds are shielded from pests and worms, allowing them to be viable for cultivation for up to five years.
• This technique is particularly effective for preserving pulses such as green gram, red gram, black gram, and beans.

Muria Tribes

1. Geographical Location: Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Odisha.
2. They communicate in Koya, a Dravidian language.
3. Settlements:Muria settlements are recognized as homes to Internally Displaced People (IDPs), numbering approximately 6,600 in Andhra Pradesh.
4. They are commonly referred to as‘Gutti Koyas’ by the indigenous tribes.
5. Gutti Koyas were granted Scheduled Tribes Status in Chhattisgarh, But Not in Telangana.
6. Muria Farming Practices: The Muria tribes engage in subsistence farming.
7. Small-Scale Mixed Crop Farming:The Murias typically cultivate mixed crops on small-scale plots measuring below half an acre.
8. Maize and pulses are their primary crops, with minimal reliance on paddy. Paddy cultivation employs the direct-sowing method.

Internally Displaced People (IDP):

• About: Internally Displaced People (IDP), as defined by the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement, refer to individuals or groups compelled to flee their homes or habitual residences due to factors such as armed conflict, widespread violence, human rights abuses, natural disasters, or human-made calamities.
• These individuals have not crossed an internationally recognized border.

Synuclein alpha (SNCA) proteins

Many Parkinson’s disease researchers are focused on reducing the prevalence of Synuclein alpha (SNCA) proteins in neurons as a therapeutic measure.

Synuclein alpha (SNCA) proteins:

• It is a mysterious protein which is present in healthy cells.
• It is notorious for its involvement in age-related neuro degenerative diseases.

Features of SNCA

1. It is abundant in neurons,especially in dopaminergic neurons. It is found near the nuclei of these cells and at the junctions between two neurons.
2. It’s capable of misfolding as well as forming filamentous structures.
3. So unlike most other proteins, which take up predictable three-dimensional structures, SNCA can fold in multiple ways. Misfolded proteins don’t function correctly.
4. SNCA is present in 2 ways as aggregates in cells: one that interferes with the structural integrity of cells nuclei and another that allows the cell to degrade misfolded proteins.
5. In these two the former are related to diseased states while the latter is important for healthy cells.
6. Over time, these two SNCA populations in the cells: one was around the nuclei, shapes like filaments tens of micrometres long, much like Lewy bodies.
7. The other population was also around the nuclei but as much smaller clumps called aggresomes. Such aggresomes are formed when cells localise misfolded proteins into a small bunch (like collecting the trash in a corner) for further processing.

IMD’s heatwave ‘red alert’ for Delhi, Punjab and other parts of North India means

A red alert refers to an extreme heat warning. It means that a severe heatwave has persisted for more than two days. What are the criteria for heatwaves, and what precautions should you observe?

IMD Issues Severe Heatwave Red Alert for Punjab Haryana and Chandigarh

• The Chandigarh administration is reportedly considering shutting down schools by noon, given these conditions.
• A US-based group of climate scientists called ‘Climate Central’ said human-caused climate change has made this intense heat much more likely.

Heatwave Red Alert

• Refers: A red alert refers to an extreme heat warning.
• Time Persistence: It means that a severe heatwave has persisted for more than two days or the total number of heat/severe heatwave days has been more than six days.
• Concerns:
• According to IMD, there is a very high likelihood of developing heat illness and heat stroke in all ages.
• Extreme care needs to be exercised for vulnerable people, such as the elderly, infants and those with chronic diseases.
• According to the World Health Organization, more than 1,66,000 people died as a result of heatwaves between 1998 and 2017.

Heatwave

1. Refers: For every region, a heatwave is determined based on the degree of difference from its usual temperatures.
2. Heat wave is considered if the maximum temperature of a station reaches at least 40°C or more for Plains and at least 30°C or more for Hilly regions.
3. For coastal areas, it is when the maximum temperature departure is 37°C or more than normal.
4. Such temperatures must be recorded at least in two stations in a meteorological sub-division for at least two consecutive days. The heatwave is declared on the second day.
5. Affected Regions of India: Heatwaves cover Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, parts of Maharashtra and Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
6. Sometimes they occur in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, too.
7. Maximum temperatures above 45°C are observed mainly in Rajasthan and the Vidarbha region in May.

Severe Heatwave

• If the prevalent temperature is 4.5°C to 6.4°C more than normal, it is classified as a heatwave. A rise ofmore than 6.4°C is considered a severe heatwave. May is the peak month for heatwaves in India.

Heatwave Alert

Classification: 

1. On the Qualitative Basis:According to the IMD’s website, Qualitatively, heat wave is a condition of air temperature which becomes fatal to the human body when exposed.
2. On the Quantitative Basis:Quantitatively, it is defined based on the temperature thresholds over a region in terms of actual temperature or its departure from normal.

India Meteorological Department:

• Established: 1875
• Headquarters: New Delhi
• Nodal agency: Ministry of Earth Sciences
• Mandate: To provide current and forecast meteorological information for optimum operation of weather-sensitive activities like agriculture, irrigation, shipping, aviation, offshore oil explorations, etc.

Generalized System of Preferences (GSP)

It is accepted wisdom that GSP renewal would offer an avenue for wide-ranging U.S.-India trade negotiations that can help in vaulting the bilateral trade relationship.

Generalized System of Preferences (GSP):

• It was instituted in 1971 under the aegis of the UNCTAD.
• It is a voluntary trade measure implemented by developed countries that provides an advantageous, or “preferential”, tariff treatment to imports from developing countries.
• The preferences are in the form of either elimination or reduction in customs duty when the list of eligible products from the beneficiary developing country (BDC) is exported to the developed country.
• However, an exporter under the GSP is required to fulfil the rules of origin under the GSP scheme. The rules of origin are the criteria required to ensure that the product exported originates from the country of export and is not being diverted from another country.
• The GSP is a unilateral customs duty preference scheme. there is no need for India or other BDCs to provide reciprocal customs duty preferences for the developed country.
• The major countries who grant GSP preferences to developing countries are Armenia, Australia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Canada, European Union (EU), Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, New Zealand, Norway, Russian Federation, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Turkey, United Kingdom (UK), United States (US), and Uzbekistan.

Each of these developed countries has its own regulatory frame work under which it provides the GSP tariff preferences.

1. The GSP provided also varies in terms of the products on which preferences are provided and the developing countries exports to which the tariff preferences are granted.
2. In terms of trade volumes, the GSPs granted by the EU and the US are the most comprehensive and, hence, the most important for developing countries.
3. Some of the GSP schemes also provide additional tariff preferences to a specified class of developing countries, with most providing the largest coverage of GSP customs duty preferences to exports from Least Developed Countries (LDCs).

India is one of the primary beneficiaries in terms of export volume realized under the GSP. Around 40% of India’s exports to the EU are under the EU GSP, while prior to the USGSP withdrawal, around 10% of India’s total exports to the US were under the GSP.
DAHD and UNDP signs MoU on Digitalization of Vaccine Cold Chain Management, Capacity Building, and Communication Planning

1. The Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying (DAHD), Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) today with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) India on Digitalization of Vaccine Cold Chain Management, Capacity Building, and Communication Planning.
2. The MOU was signed today at “We the People Hall”, UNDP Country office, Lodhi Estate, New Delhi between Smt. Alka Upadhyay, Secretary, Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying and Ms. Caitlin Wiesen. UNDP Resident Representative in India. This strategic partnership aims to enhance the digitalization of vaccine cold chain management, capacity building, and communication planning in India.
3. Addressing the Meeting Smt. Alka Upadhyay highlighted Strong and efficient supply chains equipped with reliable cold chain equipment are vital to increase immunization coverage and outreach.  She added, Considering the large human population and livestock population in India with 142.86 Crore people, 53.57 Crore farm animals and 85.18 Crore poultry population, catering all the veterinary services to the doorstep of farmers and to ensure the nutritional security of the large population is a challenge.

• “With digitalization of the entire vaccine stock management system and providing real-time information on vaccine stocks and flows, and storage temperatures, the inequities in vaccine supply will be addressed by managing constraints of infrastructure, management information systems, and human resources.
• The vaccine cold chain management process, she added will be monitored with the help of new age technology and artificial intelligence through the Animal vaccine Intelligence Network (AVIN) developed by UNDP.
• UNDP Resident Representative Ms. Caitlin Wiesen, while signing the MoU, said that “Amid confluence of frequent zoonotic disease outbreak and climate change, animals and the communities engaged in rearing them are increasingly vulnerable.
• She added that through this partnership with the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, UNDP will support and strengthen India’s first animal vaccine supply chain management system ensuring communities and animals are protected and further mitigating the risks at the human-animal-environment interface.”
• Smt Sarita Chauhan, Joint Secretary (LH), DAHD while explaining  the objectives of collaboration mentioned that, the essential but arduous work of real time monitoring of the vast cold chain infrastructure available across the country will be possible with the help of new age technology and artificial intelligence through the cold chain monitoring system developed by UNDP, which will support the Department to manage and deliver vaccines across the country in the right quantity, right quality, at the right time and right temperature with supportive supervision.

1. Notably, UNDP and DAHD will jointly work on Strengthening Animal Health with One Health approach at centre. This step will contribute to creation of a digital future via digitalization and remote temperature monitoring of cold chain by UNDP India. This will ensure that vaccines are stored in an adequate temperature of prescribed limit of 2-8 degree Celsius which is important to increase immunization coverage and outreach. Currently, DAHD is supplying FMD (Foot and Mouth diseases) vaccine worth approximately Rs. 900 Crore this year and aims to cover 50 Crore large animals and 20 Crore small animals in FMD vaccination programme. 
2. Through this MoU, technical assistance will be extended to CEAH to enhance its capabilities in animal husbandry practices.
3. Other aspects of MoU cover support in planning and development of effective and inclusive livestock insurance programme and crafting and implementation of an effective communication plan for the department which will help in ensuring better propagation and outreach of the department’s activities.
4. The partnership will also work on extension services and skill development initiatives to improve the technical know-how and capacities of stakeholders in the animal husbandry sector.
5. This collaboration marks a significant step towards enhancing animal health and husbandry practices in India, leveraging UNDP’s global expertise and DAHD’s mandate. Together, DAHD and UNDP aim to create a robust, efficient, and inclusive framework for managing animal health and welfare in the country.

Summer solstice

The summer solstice heralds the start of astronomical summer in the Northern Hemisphere and marks the day with the most daylight for the year.

Summer solstice:

1. In Latin, “Solstice” means “sun stands still”.
2. It is an annual astronomical phenomenon that brings the longest day of the year.
3. On the summer solstice, the Northern Hemisphere is tilted toward the sun, receiving the full glare of the sun’s rays.
4. During the solstice, the Earth’s axis— around which the planet spins, is tilted in a way that the North Pole is tipped towards the Sun and the South Pole is away from it.
5. Typically, this imaginary axis passes right through the middle of the Earth from top to bottom and is always tilted at 23.5 degrees with respect to the Sun.

During the solstice

1. This day sees the Earth receiving a greater amount of energy from the Sun.
2. Each year, the summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere falls on one of two days: June 20 or June 21. In the Southern Hemisphere, the summer solstice happens on Dec. 21 or Dec. 22.
3. The date varies because the Gregorian calendar has 365 days, with an extra leap day added in February every four years.
4. The amount of light received by a specific area in the Northern Hemisphere during the summer solstice depends on the latitudinal location of the place.

The further north one moves from the equator, the lighter one receives during the summer solstice. At the Arctic Circle, the sun does not set during the solstice.

Attorney General for India Shri R. Venkataramani delivers Keynote address at 15^th Annual Day commemoration of Competition Commission of India

Shri Venkataramani highlighted the need for coining new ideas of coexistence between the engine of free market and the umbrella of social benefit

To ensure that digital markets remain competitive and fair, we must confront traditional competition law frameworks challenges head-on, with a commitment to adapt our policies, enforcement strategies, and legal frameworks to realities of digital age: CCI Chairperson

The Attorney General for India, Shri R. Venkataramani, delivered the special address at the 15^th Annual Day commemoration of the Competition Commission of India (CCI) as Chief Guest, in New Delhi, today.

• The need for regulation of competition has travelled domains of prevention of unfairness in competition, to price determination and consumer welfare, and entering the age of common good as the determining factor.
• Need is for coining new ideas of coexistence between the engine of free market and the umbrella of social benefit, Shri Venkataramani highlighted.
• The task of navigation between incentives and free riding of market ideas, will be a distinct legal innovation, distinct from other regulatory thoughts, he added.
• Shri Venkataramani touched upon a few broad aspects such as the international convergence of competition laws and the take offs there from; the challenges to regulatory laws in general; the task of redistribution of economic power between consumers and suppliers and suppliers interse; the newly-emerging sustainability considerations and competition policy, as the business of sustainability will govern the sustainability of business, and new challenges in the light of digitalisation.

ongoing debate is one of ex-post action (investigation and sanctions) and the possibility of false negatives on the one hand versus an ex-ante action (bans and prohibitive rules) and the possibility of false positives on the other.

The debate is also of casting a wide regulatory net, agnostic of the activity involved versus having more market specific regulations. To aid this, tools such as behavioural economics, that provide insight into human preferences, are useful, Shri Venkataramani added.

• the existing framework of our competition law and the lessons learnt and to be learnt will need placing our debates a little beyond our domestic frontiers and at the same time to pursue our specific national matrices. Just as human innovations are dynamic so also market manoeuvres, the challenge is to have a basket of relevant empowering and synthesising principles.
• Referring to the growing importance of privacy and data in the competition discourse, Shri Venkataramani said that establishing the contours of privacy from a competition perspective is important and suggested that it is imperative that a regulator always be keeping up with the times. Shri Venkataramani added that having detailed guidelines based on studies of the Indian market, will give the market players useful signposts as to the likely proscribed conduct. This would foster greater certainty, would empower smaller players, and caution larger ones on practices which are harmful to competition, he said.
• In her welcome address, Smt. Ravneet Kaur, Chairperson, CCI, reflected upon the journey of the Competition Commission of India over the last 15 years of its enforcement activities and highlighted the efforts to protect consumer interests and spur innovation and efficiency among businesses, thereby contributing to the overall economic welfare of our nation.

1. The Chairperson highlighted that the CCI has taken several initiatives to enhance transparency, improve regulatory processes, and make its operations more accessible to the stakeholders. In the year gone by, CCI was engaged in preparing the regulatory framework under the new Competition Amendment Act, 2023. The introduction of Settlements & Commitments, Deal Value Threshold for notifying mergers and acquisitions, explicit introduction of Hub & Spoke Cartels in the statute book and the innovative concept of Leniency Plus, are all designed to address the complexities of modern markets and business practices, she added.
2. Kaur noted that the digital economy offers immense opportunities for innovation, growth, and consumer benefit but has challenged traditional competition law frameworks worldwide. Addressing these challenges requires regulatory agility, development of new analytical tools, and possibly, novel regulatory frameworks specifically tailored to the digital context. To ensure that digital markets remain competitive and fair, we must confront these challenges head-on, with a commitment to adapt our policies, enforcement strategies, and legal frameworks to the realities of the digital age.
3. In this context, the Chairperson mentioned that CCI is in the process of launching a market study on artificial intelligence (AI) as a knowledge building exercise to develop an in-depth understanding of the emerging competition dynamics in the development ecosystems of AI systems and implications of AI applications for competition, efficiency and innovation in key user industries.

CCI will endeavor to be at the forefront to nurture competitive culture, focus on emerging areas of the digital economy, and ensure that competition law enforcement evolves in tandem with these innovations, safeguarding the interests of consumers and ensuring fair play.

The event was attended by a large number of dignitaries from the government, regulatory bodies, PSUs, industry, academia, chambers of commerce, and the legal fraternity.

Research Testbed Facility to Study Norwesters

A research testbed facility has been proposed to help meteorologists to deploy drones, mobile vans and high-end instruments to track the Nor’westers, or Kalbaisakhi, that affect the east and northeast regions of India every summer.

Norwesters Impact: Though the Norwesters were less active this summer, there were occasional instances in April and early May. 

Strong winds and thunderstorms swept through the northern districts of West Bengal, Assam and Tripura, killing at least five people last month.

Research Testbed Facility to Study Norwesters

• About: The proposed facility will cover a large area adjoining West Bengal, Odisha, and Jharkhand.
• The control centre will be at Chandbali in the Bhadrak district of Odisha,about 130 km east of Bhubaneswar.
• Development:India Meteorological Department (IMD), Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, and National Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF), Delhi, will jointly develop and use this facility.
• Minister of Earth Sciences, stated that the facility will be completed by 2026.
• Aim:It aims to study thunderstorms from the formation stage, growth, and propagation over eastern parts of the country.
• This will be done using meteorological instruments, drones, and other equipment that will aid in systematically tracking thunderstorms.
• IMD, Pune, will collate all the data generated from the test bed facility for further research and analysis.
• Complementing Existing Mechanisms: It will house several high-end instruments complementing the existing observational mechanisms.
• The eastern India region is currently covered by meteorological radars supported by a network of instruments to record upper air and surface observations.
• Significance: The large volumes of data generated from the facility are expected to help forecasters make timely thunderstorm predictions, issue now cast warnings (an event in less than three hours), and ultimately save lives.
• This can help make better predictions and generate early warning mechanisms to save lives and property.
• Improved Lead Times for Extreme Weather Events:The IMD currently issues now cast warnings for extreme weather events with a lead time of three hours. 
• With the establishment of the first dedicated test bed for thunderstorms, the goal is to provide warnings with improved lead times and to map the areas likely to be most affected.
• This will give the administration and local communities more time to prepare and respond effectively.

Norwesters

1. About: Originating over east and northeast India, south Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh, the norwesters are extremely severe thunderstorms accompanied by squally winds.
2. These storms usually travel from northwest to southeast direction locally known as“Kalbaisakhi” and  “Barodoli Cheerha” in Assam.
3. A squall is a sudden, sharp increase in wind speed lasting minutes, as opposed to a wind gust, which lasts for only seconds.
4. Impact:  It brings destruction in terms of lightning, thunderstorms, hailstorms and rainfall. It is beneficial for pre-Kharif crops such as paddy, jute, and many other fruits and vegetables.
5. Need for In-depth Study of Norwesters’ Genesis and Processes: Norwesters are severe thunderstorms that need further investigation with respect to its genesis at the micro level and other processes involved.

Other Local Storms of Hot Weather Season:

1. Loo: Hot and dry winds blowing in the Northern plains.
2. Mango Shower: Pre-monsoon showers towards the end of summer in Kerala and coastal areas of Karnataka that help in the early ripening of mangoes.
3. Blossom Shower: It helps coffee flowers to blossom in Kerala and nearby areas.

Mechanism:

1. Heating Induced Convection:  In the early summer months (March and April), the daytime landmass heating over these regions triggers convection over some areas of Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and sub-Himalayan West Bengal.
2. Interaction with Warm, Moist Air Masses Over the Bay of Bengal:As these convective clouds move towards West Bengal and Bangladesh, the norwesters mix with the warm, moist air mass persistent over the Bay of Bengal, causing significant wind discontinuity.
3. Ideal Conditions for Thunderstorm Development:The local hills, thick forest cover, and the sea breeze make it ideal for developing thunderstorm cloud cells.
4. These thunderstorm events usually prevail between two to four hours during late afternoon hours.