Diverse Topics: Deserts, Spices, Law, Wildlife & Food Security

Table of Contents

GS Paper 1

Atacama Desert

News: Recent research reveals a vast and diverse group of bacteria thriving beneath the arid sands of the Atacama Desert.

Geographical Location:
- - Located in northern Chile, bordered by the Andes Mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west.
  - Shares borders with Argentina, Peru, and Bolivia.
Extreme Environmental Conditions:
- - Known as the driest desert globally.
  - Exhibits extreme dryness, highest UV radiation levels on Earth, and highly saline and oxidizing soils.
  - Hosts 12 volcanoes, primarily situated in the western outliers of the Andes.
Climate and Geography:
- - Receives an average rainfall of about 1 mm per year due to its location between the Andes (blocks the humid air from the Amazons) and Coastal Mountain ranges.
  - Formerly part of the Pacific Ocean seabed, featuring caked salt deposits called playas, stretching for miles and up to 1.6 feet thick.
Natural Resources:
- - Has largest natural supply of Sodium Nitrate, suitable for fertilizer and explosive production.
  - Soil samples resemble those from Mars, making it a testing ground for NASA’s instruments for missions to the red planet.
Astronomical Significance:
- - One of the few locations with over 300 days of clear skies annually and minimal light pollution.
Cultural Heritage:
- Houses the Chinchorro Mummies, the oldest artificially mummified human remains ever discovered.

Debunking the Myth: UPSC Civil Services Exam is Not Just for the Super-Intelligent

GS Paper 2

Spices Board India

News: Spices Board of India has asked companies for quality check information.
Introduction to Spices Board
- Established under the Spices Board Act, 1986, on February 26, 1987.
- Operates under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India.
- Formed by merging the Cardamom Board and the Spices Export Promotion Council.
Mandate and Responsibilities
- Oversight of 52 spices listed in the Spices Board Act, 1986.
- Development of small and large cardamom sectors.
- Promotion and regulation of spice exports.
- Quality control measures for exported spices.
- Research activities focused on cardamom conducted through the Indian Cardamom Research Institute.
- Through these functions, the Spices Board works towards enhancing the development, promotion, and quality assurance of India’s diverse spice industry.

Article 244(A)

News: Residents of the Diphu Constituency in Assam advocate for the enforcement of Article 244(A) of the Constitution.
Background of Article 244(A): Inserted into the Constitution by the 22nd Constitutional Amendment Act of 1969.
Provisions of Article 244(A):
- - Allows for the establishment of an autonomous State comprising select tribal areas within Assam.
  - Grants the autonomous state its own local Legislature, which may be either elected or partially nominated and elected, along with a Council of Ministers or both, for local governance.
Enhanced Powers for Tribal Areas: Offers greater authority to tribal areas compared to the Sixth Schedule, particularly regarding law and order administration within the region.
Determination of Powers and Functions: Specifies that the specific powers and functions of this autonomous state will be delineated by legislation enacted by the Parliament.

GS Paper 3

Kalesar Wildlife Sanctuary

News: Supreme Court stays construction of four dams inside Haryana’s Kalesar Wildlife Sanctuary.
Location
- - Situated in the Shivalik foothills of the Himalayas in Haryana.
  - Bordered by the Yamuna River to its east.
Geographical Features
- - Valleys in the sanctuary contain seasonal rivulets known locally as ‘soats,’ which typically remain dry for most of the year.
Historical Landmarks
- - Houses the historic Kalesar Fort, constructed during the reign of Aurangzeb.
  - Notable for its Dak bungalows, colonial-era administrative architectural bungalows.
Flora
- - Rich in diverse flora, including sal, khair, shisam, tun, sain, and amla trees.
Fauna
- - Home to a variety of wildlife, including leopards, sambar deer, barking deer, hyenas, jackals, Indian porcupines, Indian pangolins, and langurs.
  - Hosts a range of bird species such as the red junglefowl, grey partridge, Indian peafowl, and white-throated kingfisher.

Maximum Residue Limit (MRL)

News: The Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) increased the maximum residue limit (MRL) of pesticides in herbs and spices by 10 times.
Maximum Residue Limit (MRL): Defined by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) as the highest legally tolerable level of pesticide permitted in food or animal feed.
Setting of MRLs:
- - Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) establishes MRLs for pesticides in food and feed crops to ensure food safety and facilitate international trade.
    - CAC was established jointly by the FAO and the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1963.
Objective of MRLs:
- - MRLs are instituted to safeguard consumer health and ensure food safety.
MRLs in India:
- - Specified under the Food Safety and Standards (Contaminants, Toxins and Residues) Regulation, 2011, by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).
  - Determined based on field trial data obtained through the Central Insecticides Board and Registration Committee (CIBRC) under the Ministry of Agriculture.
Implications of Increasing MRL Limits:
- Potential Benefits:
  - Enhanced pest control measures may lead to increased agricultural yield.
  - Ensures food security by safeguarding crops against pests.
Concerns:
- Elevated dietary exposure to pesticide residues.
- Overuse of pesticides may contribute to the development of pesticide resistance in pests.
- Possibility of import bans on Indian food items due to elevated pesticide content, affecting international trade relationships.

Global Report on Food Crises (GRFC) 2024

News: It is released annually by the Global Network Against Food Crises (GNAFC).
Background of the GRFC
- - Published annually by the Global Network Against Food Crises (GNAFC).
  - Established in 2016 as an international alliance to combat food insecurity.
Member Organizations
- - Includes the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Food Programme (WFP), UNICEF, IFPRI, and other governmental and non-governmental organizations.
Highlights of GRFC 2024
- - Scope of Analysis: Analyzed a population of 1.3 billion across 59 countries in 2023.
    - Revealed that nearly 282 million individuals faced high levels of acute food insecurity.
Trends in Food Insecurity: 2023 marked the fifth consecutive year of escalation in acute food insecurity. Despite varied causes and durations, food deprivation persisted.
Drivers of Food Crises: Conflict, extreme weather events, and economic shocks identified as primary drivers. Conflict pushed 135 million people in 20 countries into hunger.
- - - Extreme weather events impacted over 72 million individuals in 18 countries.
Countries Facing Severe Food Crises: Ten most affected countries in 2023:
- Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria, Sudan, Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Yemen, Syrian Arab Republic, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Myanmar.
- These nations urgently require comprehensive intervention strategies to address food insecurity challenges.