UPSC Current Affairs: Diverse Debites – Anthropocene, India TB, and More

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GS Paper 1

Anthropocene Epoch: Meaning and Debates

  • News: Scientists recently proposed to formalise an ‘Anthropocene Epoch’ on the geologic time scale, triggering several debates.
  • Background:
  • The Geologic Time Scale is the “calendar” for events in Earth history.

Anthropocene Epoch- Meaning and Debates

  • All 4.6 billion years of Earth’s history are split into—in descending order of duration—Eons, Eras, Periods, Epochs and Ages – as designated by the International Commission on Stratigraphy. 
  • The enumeration of these geologic time units is based on stratigraphy, which is the correlation and classification of rock strata (horizontal layers of sedimentary rock). 
  • As the earth’s surface evolves, new layers of rock, soil, and other materials are deposited on old ones. Each layer, or stratum, is thus a marker of a previous era.
  • The fossil forms that occur in the rocks, however, provide the chief means of establishing a geologic time scale, with the timing of the emergence and disappearance of widespread species from the fossil record being used to delineate the beginnings and endings of ages, Epochs, periods, and other intervals.
  • At present we are in Phanerozoic Eon, Cenozoic Era, Quaternary Period, Holocene Epoch and Meghalayan Age (past 4,200 years).
  • The Earth’s current Epoch, the Holocene, started at the end of the last ice age, around 12,000 years ago. 
  • Holocene to Anthropocene Epoch
  • The Earth is 4.5 billion years old, and modern humans have been here for around a mere 200,000 years. 
  • Yet in that time we have fundamentally altered the physical, chemical and biological systems of the planet on which we and all other organisms depend.
  • In the past 60 years in particular, these human impacts have unfolded at an unprecedented rate and scale. This period is sometimes known as the Great Acceleration. 
    • Radioisotopes like plutonium from hydrogen bomb tests conducted around this time left clear traces in soils, sediments, trees, corals and other potential geological records across the planet.
    • Carbon dioxide emissions, global warming, ocean acidification, habitat destruction, extinction and widescale natural resource extraction are all signs that we have significantly modified our planet.
    • However, geologists disagree over whether humans will have a lasting and meaningful impact on the chemical composition of the rocks and fossils beneath our feet. This is what will need to be proven to declare a new Epoch. 
  • Humans have been around for such a short period relative to Earth’s history that it may be too soon to tell whether our impact will be visible in the fossil record millions of years from now.
  • This marker will have to be so significant that it would be detectable in rock layers thousands and even millions of years into the future.
  • Golden Spike
  • Geologists are still debating the proof for the Anthropocene and are looking for what’s known as a ‘golden spike’ – a global marker in the environment that indicates the start of the new age. 
  • This marker should be visible years – even millions of years – into the future for scientists to see. This would allow them to identify the start of the Anthropocene.
  • For example, the end of the Cretaceous Epoch is defined by the presence of iridium in sediment around the world. This was spread from the meteorite that signalled the end of the dinosaurs.
  • The scientists, however, are split on what they believe the best spike will be for the Athropocene.
  • Fallout from nuclear bomb tests in the 1950 is seen a likely candidate. This could be found in ice layers, marine or lake sediment or potentially stalagmites and stalactites.
  • Other candidates include plastics, concrete particles, or soot and pollution from power stations. Scientists have also suggested that fossils from domestic chickens could be a defining marker that could define the Anthropocene.
  • The word Anthropocene comes from the Greek terms for human (‘anthropo’) and new (‘cene’).
  • It was popularised in 2000 by Paul J Crutzen and Eugene F Stoermer. 
  • To become part of the “official” timeline, it must first receive approval from both the International Commission on Stratigraphy and the executive committee of the International Union of Geological Sciences.
  • Conclusion
  • The proposal to add an Anthropocene Epoch to the geological time scale was rejected for a variety of reasons, none of them related to the fact that human societies are changing this planet. 
  • If there is one main reason why geologists rejected this proposal, it is because its recent date and shallow depth are too narrow to encompass the deeper evidence of human-caused planetary change.
  • So, despite the “no” vote on the Anthropocene Epoch, the Anthropocene will continue to be as useful as it has been for more than 20 years in stimulating discussions and research into the nature of human transformation of this planet. 

India Explained: IOD, MNI, NDRF & More

India TB Report 2024

  • News: The India TB report for 2024 was recently released by the Union Health Ministry.
  • What is Tuberculosis (TB)?
      • Tuberculosis (TB) is a communicable disease that is a major cause of ill health and one of the leading causes of death worldwide.
      •  TB is caused by the bacillus Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which is spread when people who are sick with TB expel bacteria into the air. 
  • Findings of the Report:
      • Source of TB Cases: Government vs. Private Sector:
      • Government health centers remain primary sources, but private sector notifications rising.
      • 8.4 lakh cases (33% of total) reported from the private sector in 2023. 
  • Incidence and Mortality Rates:
      • Estimated TB incidence slightly increased to 27.8 lakh in 2023.
      • Mortality remains steady at 3.2 lakh deaths due to TB.
      • Treatment Initiations and Drug Resistance Testing:
      • Achievement of 2023 target: 95% treatment initiation rate.
      • 58% of diagnosed patients offered drug resistance testing, which is up from 25% in 2015.
      • Advocacy for drug susceptibility testing to ensure effective therapy for drug-resistant TB. 
      • Reduction in Missing Cases:
      • Decrease in missing cases: 2.3 lakh reported in 2023 compared to 3.2 lakh in previous year.  Role of Ni-kshay portal has played a crucial role in tracking TB patients and reducing gaps. 
  • India’s Initiatives for TB:
    • Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan: The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) is implementing this campaign.
      Objectives:

        • Provide additional patient support to improve treatment outcomes of TB patients.
        •  Augment community involvement in meeting India’s commitment to end TB by 2025.
        •  Leverage Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities. 

                 Components:

        • Ni-kshay Mitra Initiative: It is to ensure additional diagnostic, nutritional, and vocational support to those on TB treatment.
        • Ni-kshay Digital Portal: It will provide a platform for community support for persons with TB.
  • Nikshya  Poshak Yozana: It is centrally sponsored scheme under National Health Mission (NHM), financial incentive of Rs.500/- per month is provided for nutritional support to each notified TB patient for duration for which the patient is on anti-TB treatment. 
    • Incentives are delivered through Direct benefit transfer (DBT) scheme to bank accounts of beneficiary.
  • National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP):  It aims to strategically reduce TB burden in India by 2025, five years ahead of the Sustainable Development Goals.
  • National Strategic Plans for TB (2017–2025): It was launched to achieve the target of ending TB by 2025 in a mission mode.  
  • The requirements for moving towards TB elimination in India have been arranged in four strategic areas of Detect, Treat, Prevent & Build.
  • It is a multi-pronged approach which aims to detect all TB patients with an emphasis on reaching TB patients seeking care from private providers and undiagnosed TB in high-risk populations.
  • TB Harega Desh Jeetega Campaign: It has three strong pillars which include clinical approach, public health component and active community participation.
  • It includes engagement with the private sector health care providers, inter-ministerial partnerships, corporate sector engagement, latent TB infection management, and community engagement. 

900-year-old Chalukyan Inscription

  • News: A 900-year-old Kannada inscription from the Kalyana Chalukya dynasty has been found in  Gangapuram, a temple town in Telangana.
  • Chalukya Dynasty:
    • The Chalukya dynasty exerted control over significant portions of southern and central India from the 6th to the 12th centuries, comprising three distinct but interconnected branches:
    •  Badami Chalukyas: This initial branch of the Chalukya dynasty held sway from their capital at Badami (also known as Vatapi) in Karnataka. Their prominence surged under the rule of Pulakeshin II, seizing independence following the decline of the Kadamba kingdom of Banavasi.
    • Eastern Chalukyas: Emerging in the eastern Deccan subsequent to the demise of Pulakeshin II, this branch established its capital at Vengi. Their dominion persisted until approximately the 11th century.
    • Western Chalukyas: Descendants of the Badami Chalukyas, this branch emerged in the late 10th century, governing from Kalyani, which is modern-day Basavakalyan.
    • About Kalyani Chalukyas:
    • Dynasty and Capital:
      • The Chalukyas of Kalyani were predominantly a Kannadiga dynasty, also known as the Western Chalukyas. They derived their name from their capital city, Kalyani, situated in the modern-day Bidar district of Karnataka.
    • Establishment and Expansion:
      • The empire was founded by Tailapa II. 
      • Over their 300-year reign in the western Deccan and southern regions of the Indian peninsula, the Chalukyas of Kalyani expanded significantly, reaching the pinnacle of their power.
      • The most prosperous period of the later Chalukya rulers in Karnataka’s history is often referred to as the ‘Chalukya Vikrama era’.
      • Vikramaditya VI (1076-1126 CE) played a pivotal role during this era, exerting control over feudatories in the northern region, including Kadamba Jayakesi II of Goa, Silhara Bhoja, and the Yadava King.
  • Decline:
      • Following Vikramaditya VI’s demise, persistent conflicts with the Chola dynasty contributed to the decline of the Western Chalukya empire.
  • Art and Architecture:
    • The Chalukyas made significant contributions to the development of Kannada and Telugu literature.
    •  Their architectural style, known as the ‘Gadag style’, served as a link between the Badami Chalukya architecture of the 8th century and the Hoysala architecture of the 13th century.
    • The Western Chalukyas minted punch-marked gold coins called pagodas, featuring Kannada legends.
    • Temples constructed during their reign boast intricate carvings and elaborate sculptures, depicting themes such as kirtimukha makaras and mithuna (erotic) figures.

Magnetofossils

  • News: In the depths of the Bay of Bengal, scientists have discovered a 50,000-year-old sediment — a giant magnetofossil and one of the youngest to be found yet. 
  • Magnetofossils: These are the fossil remains of magnetic particles produced by magnetotactic bacteria.
  • Magnetotactic Bacteria:
    • Magnetotactic Bacteria are mostly prokaryotic organisms that arrange themselves along the earth’s magnetic field.
    • Magnetotactic Bacteria was believed to follow the magnetic field to reach places that had optimal oxygen concentration.
    • Magnetotactic Bacteria contained “novel structured particles, rich in iron” in small sacs that essentially worked as a compass. 
    • This  bacteria creates tiny crystals made of the iron-rich minerals magnetite or greigite. 
    • The crystals help them navigate the changing oxygen levels in the water body they reside in.
  • Findings in Study: 
    • Researchers from the CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography in Goa made this discovery by extracting a sediment core nearly 3 metres long from the southwestern Bay of Bengal. 
    • Both conventional magnetofossils and larger variants were detected in the sediment samples.
    • The region at depths ranging from approximately 1,000 to 1,500 meters in the Bay of Bengal exhibited notably low oxygen levels.
    • The rivers Godavari, Mahanadi, Ganga-Brahmaputra, Cauvery, and Penner played pivotal roles in the formation of magnetofossils.
    • Nutrient-rich sediments transported by these rivers introduced reactive iron and organic carbon to the Bay of Bengal, fostering conditions suitable for the proliferation of magnetotactic bacteria.
    • The combined influence of freshwater discharge from these rivers and various oceanographic phenomena, such as eddy formation, contributed to maintaining oxygen levels in these waters, distinguishing them from other low-oxygen zones.

GS Paper 2

Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) 

  • News: The Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) was extended in parts of Arunachal, Nagaland for six more months.
  • Analysis 
    • The AFSPA is used to maintain public order in “disturbed areas” with the help of the armed forces. In case an area is declared “disturbed” in the Official Gazette, a Commissioned Officer, Warrant Officer, non-commissioned officer or any other person of equivalent rank in the armed forces get many special powers under the Act.
    • The Act is effective in the whole/parts of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, and Nagaland. 
    • Tripura, Meghalaya and Mizoram are free from this Act. 
    • Currently, the Union Home Ministry issues periodic “disturbed area” notification to extend the AFSPA only for Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh.
    • The notification for Manipur and Assam is issued by the State governments.
    • Jammu and Kashmir has a separate J&K Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1990.
    • The entire Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir (excluding Ladakh) is a “disturbed area.”
    • The power to notify the “disturbed areas rested with the state government. Now with UT replacing the state, these powers automatically get transferred to the Centre”.
  • How did the AFSPA come about?
  • The British colonial government had on August 15, 1942, promulgated the Armed Forces Special Powers Ordinance to suppress the Quit India movement. 
  • It was the foundation for four ordinances, including one for the “Assam disturbed areas” invoked in 1947 to deal with Partition-induced internal security challenges. 
  • The Armed Forces (Assam and Manipur) Special Powers Act, 1958, followed the Assam Disturbed Areas Act of 1955 to deal with the uprising in the Naga Hills and adjoining areas. 
  • The Act was replaced by the AFSPA for wider application. A similar Act specific to Jammu and Kashmir was enacted in 1990.
  • Special Powers to Armed Forces
  • The AFSPA gives power to the Army and the Central Armed Police Forces deployed in “disturbed areas” to:
  • kill anyone acting in contravention of law, 
  • arrest and search any premises without a warrant,
  • prohibit a gathering of five or more persons in an area, 
  • ban the possession of firearms, and 
  • provide cover to forces from prosecution and legal suits without the Centre’s sanction.
  • Arrested persons to be made over to the police 
  • Any person arrested and taken into custody under this Act shall be made over to the officer in charge of the nearest police station with the least possible delay, together with a report of the circumstances occasioning the arrest. 
  • Disturbed Area
  • The government (either the state or centre) considers those areas to be ‘disturbed’ “by reason of differences or disputes between members of different religious, racial, language or regional groups or castes or communities” where the use of armed forces in aid of the civil power is necessary.
  • Who can declare a region to be ‘disturbed’?
  • Governor of that State or 
  • Administrator of that Union Territory or 
  • Central Government (Ministry of Home Affairs). 
    • The whole or a part of a State or Union territory can be declared a disturbed area.
    • Once declared ‘disturbed’, the region has to maintain status quo for a minimum of three months.
  • The Act is imposed for six months at one stretch, following which a decision on extension is reviewed under the supervision of the Home  Secretary “after taking the opinion” of states, forces and agencies. 
  • What about the state government’s role? 
  • The state governments can suggest whether the Act is required to be enforced or not. But their opinion can still be overruled by the governor or the centre.
  • Is the Act uniform in nature?
  • No, the Act may contain different sections as applicable to the situation in each state.
  • Is Tripura the first state to completely do away with AFSPA? 
  • No. Punjab was the first to do so in 1997 followed by Tripura in 2015.

GS Paper 3

Omnibus Framework

  • News: The Reserve Bank of India has finalised Omnibus Framework for recognising Self-Regulatory Organisations for its Regulated Entities.
  • Self-Regulatory Organisations:
      •  An SRO is a non-governmental organisation that sets and enforces rules and standards relating to the conduct of entities in the industry (members) with the aim of protecting the customer and promoting ethics, equality, and professionalism. 
      • SROs typically collaborate with all stakeholders in framing rules and regulations.
      • Their self-regulatory processes are administered through impartial mechanisms such that members operate in a disciplined environment and accept penal actions by the SRO. 
      • An SRO is expected to address concerns beyond the narrow self-interests of the industry, such as to protect workers, customers or other participants in the ecosystem.
      • Regulations, standards, and dispute resolution and enforcement by an SRO get legitimacy not just by mutual agreement of its members, but also by the efficiency with which self-regulation is perceived to be administered. 
      • Such regulations supplement, but do not replace, applicable laws or regulations.
    • Need for the Framework: 
      • With the growth of regulated entities (REs) in terms of number as well as scale of operations, increase in adoption of innovative technologies and enhanced customer outreach, the RBI had felt the need to develop better industry standards for self-regulation.
    • Eligibility of SRO: 
      • The SROs would be a not-for-profit company registered under Section 8 of the Companies Act, 2013. 
      • The membership of SRO shall be voluntary. 
      • Existing SROs already recognised by the Reserve Bank would continue to be governed by the terms and conditions under which they were recognised, unless this framework is specifically extended to such SROs. 
    • The Omnibus Framework:  
      • It prescribes the broad objectives, functions, eligibility criteria and governance standards, which will be common for all SROs, irrespective of the sector.
      •  The framework is the minimum requirement and the recognised SROs will be encouraged to develop their best practices.
      • The SRO shall establish minimum benchmarks and conventions for professional market conduct amongst its members, 
      • The SROs are expected to adhere to a set of overarching objectives for betterment of the sector they represent, foster advancement and address critical industry concerns within the broader financial system.
      • The dispute resolution process should consistently use efficient, fair and transparent policies and procedures that are in line with the regulatory and statutory requirements.
      • SROs are also told to offer counselling on restrictive, unhealthy and such other practices which may be detrimental to growth of the sector.
      • RBI expects the SROs to be an ally of it in ensuring better compliance with the regulatory guidelines, development of the sector, protection of stakeholder interests, foster innovation and detection of early warning signals.

Meme Coins

  • News: Meme coins, a unique category of cryptocurrencies, have gained significant popularity in the digital currency space.
  • Meme Coins:
    • They are also known as ‘memetic tokens’ or ‘community coins’.
    • They are digital currencies created as a form of satire or humorous tribute to the internet culture. 

Meme coins

  • Features: 
      • They often feature quirky names, logos, and branding that reference popular memes, jokes, or internet phenomena.
      • These coins are inspired by memes, which are humorous or interesting ideas captured in various forms of media like images or videos. 
      • Unlike traditional cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin or Ethereum, meme coins are characterised by their lighthearted and often comedic nature, designed to go viral and be shared widely.
      • These coins are satirical.
      • These coins are highly volatile in nature.
      • Meme coins are subject to extreme changes in value over short periods, driven by the current buzz surrounding the token. 
      • They typically have a massive or uncapped supply, leading to very low values per token.
      • These coins leverage blockchain technology, often utilising smart contracts on platforms like Ethereum and Solana.    
      • Creating a meme coin is relatively easy compared to traditional cryptocurrencies. 
      • With the proliferation of blockchain platforms and decentralized finance (DeFi) tools, virtually anyone can launch a meme coin with minimal technical expertise and resources. 
      •   Some of the famous meme coins are Dogecoin, Shiba inu, Retik Finance.
  • Limitations of meme coins:
    • These coins are primarily driven by speculation and community engagement, lacking fundamental value or unique use cases.
    • The prices of meme coins can experience rapid fluctuations, making them risky investments.
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