Syllabus: General Studies Paper 3

The Department of Consumer Affairs, Legal Metrology Division has notified a draft amendment to the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules 2011. 

The Department of Consumer Affairs Legal Metrology Division has observed that many manufacturers/packagers/importers do not clearly label necessary declarations or prime constituents on the front of packaged commodities, which are deemed essential to be disclosed in order to protect consumer interests.

What are the mandatory provisions under the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011?

• It is mandatory under the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011 to ensure a number of declarations, such as 
• The name and address of the manufacturer/packer/importer, 
• The country of origin, 
• The common or generic name of the commodity, 
• The net quantity, 
• The month and year of manufacture, 
• The Maximum Retail Price (MRP) and consumer care information. 
• As a consumer-oriented policy, 
• All prepackaged commodities should also be inspected.
• As stated in Rule, the “principal display panel”, in relation to a package, means the total surface area of a package containing the information required in accordance with these rules, namely that all the information should be grouped together and given in one place the pre-printed information could be grouped together and given in one place and the online information in another place.
• Additionally, Rule provides that the declaration on the package must be legible and prominent. 
• The consumers’ ‘right to be informed’ is violated when important declarations are not prominently displayed on the package.
• If there is more than one major product, Rule states that “the name or number of each product shall be mentioned on the package.” 
• This sub-rule is however, not applicable to mechanical or electrical commodities.

What are the proposed amendments?

• The Department of Consumer Affairs, Legal Metrology Division has suggested that at least two prime components should be declared on the package’s front side along with the brand name. 
• Currently, manufacturers list the ingredients and nutritional information only on the back of the packaging.
• The proposed Section states that when a commodity contains more than one constituent, the front side of the package must include a declaration of two or more of the commodities’ prime constituents along with the brand name. 
• This declaration must also include the percentage/quantity of the USPs of the product in the same font size as the declaration of the USPs. 
• However, mechanical or electrical commodities are excluded from this sub-rule.
• When the new provision of Section is added, consumers will not be misled by the fake claims of manufacturers relating to the content in blended foods and cosmetics.

Earlier Amendment

In July 2022, the Department of Consumer Affairs had notified the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities), (Second Amendment) Rules 2022.

It allowed the electronic products to declare certain mandatory declarations through the QR Code for a period of one year, if not declared in the package itself.

This amendment allows the industry to declare the elaborated information in the digital form through the QR Code.

Need for the Amendments

• It is common for consumers to assume that brands’ claims are accurate, but such claims are usually misleading.
• The front side of the package must contain the percentage of the composition of the unique selling proposition (USP).
• A USP also known as a unique selling point, is a marketing strategy designed to inform customers about the superiority of one’s own brand or product.
• Listing the USP of a product on the front of the package without disclosing its composition percentage violates consumer rights.
• Also, packages displaying key constituents must display a percentage of the content used to make the product.
• For example, if a brand sells aloe vera moisturiser or almond milk/biscuits, then the maximum percentage of the product should be aloe vera and almond, otherwise, the product name is misleading.

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 2

A new centrally sponsored scheme aims to transform 14,500 government schools across the country into a showcase of the new National Education Policy.

What are the key features of NEP in school education?

• The National Education Plan (NEP) envisions a curriculum structure and teaching method organised into foundational, preparatory, intermediate, and secondary levels. 
• Play-based learning will be used in the foundational years (preschool and grades I and II). 
• At the preparatory level (III-V), light textbooks are to be introduced along with some formal classroom teaching. 
• Further, at the medium level, subject teachers will also be introduced (VI-VIII). Arts and sciences as well as other fields will not be clearly separated throughout the secondary stage (IX–XII).
• The schools will use a cutting-edge, transformative, and all-encompassing approach to educating students. 
• A learning-centered, discovery-oriented approach to teaching will be prioritized. 
• Linkage with Sector Skill Councils and local industry for enhancing employability and providing better employment opportunities will be explored.
• A School Quality Assessment Framework (SQAF) is being developed, specifying the key performance indicators to measure outcomes. Quality evaluation of these schools at regular intervals will be undertaken to ensure the desired standards.
• Modern infrastructure will also be emphasized, including cutting-edge technology, intelligent classrooms, sports, and more.
• Schools that will be upgraded under the scheme will receive upgrades that include labs, modern classrooms, libraries, sporting goods, and art studios. 
• They will be built as green schools, with energy-efficient infrastructure, recycling of garbage, water conservation, and curricular integration of an organic lifestyle.

Where will these schools come up?

• The PM SHRI schools will “provide mentorship” to other schools nearby.
• Since this school is sponsored by the Centre, it will bear 60 per cent of the cost of implementation. 
• The remaining 40 per cent will be borne by the state or UT. 
• In Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir and the northeast, the contribution of the Centre can go up to 90 per cent.

How it is implementing?

• PM SHRI Schools would be implemented through the existing administrative structure available for Samagra Shiksha, Kendriya Vidyalayas (KVs) and Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNVs).
• These schools shall be monitored vigorously to assess progress and understand the challenges faced in implementation of National Education Policy 2020.

As per the union government Pedagogy adopted in PM shri schools will be more experiential, holistic, integrated, play/ toy-based (particularly, in the foundational years) inquiry-driven, discovery-oriented, learner-centred, discussion-based, flexible, and enjoyable.

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 2

The scheme was launched as a part of the Atma Nirbhar Bharat package for the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) borrowers to mitigate the distress caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

• The scheme was initially announced in May 2020 and then over a period of time, the Finance Ministry has expanded the scope of the ECLGS.
• Recently (May 2021), ECLGS 4.0 has been introduced which provides 100 percent guarantee cover to loans up to Rs.2 crore to hospitals/nursing homes/clinics/medical colleges for setting up on-site oxygen generation plants, interest rate capped at 7.5%.

Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme 

• The Scheme allowed additional funding of up to Rs.3 lakh crores to different sectors, especially Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) and MUDRA borrowers.
• Under the ECLGS, all loans sanctioned under the Guaranteed Emergency Credit Line (GECL) facility will be provided with additional credit. However, there are two specifications:
• The scheme would be applicable for loans sanctioned from the date of announcement of the scheme to October 31, 2020, [Now September 3, 2021] OR
• Guarantees for an amount of Rs.3 lakh crore are issued (whichever happens first) Disbursement is permitted up to December 31, 2021.

Major objectives of ECLGS

• As per this scheme, 100% guarantee coverage is to be provided by National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company Limited (NCGTC) to the Member Lending Institutions (MLI), Banks, Financial Institutions, and Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFC)
• The Scheme aims at mitigating the economic distress faced by MSMEs by providing them additional funding in the form of a fully guaranteed emergency credit line.
• It shall also provide credit to the sector at a low cost, thereby enabling the small sector businesses to meet their operational liabilities and restart their manufacturing and work

Who is eligible under the ECLG Scheme?

• As per the latest eligibility criteria with the launch of the expanded Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme, the following criteria had to be met to be applicable for a loan under the scheme:
• Enterprises with a turnover of up to Rs. 250 crores (FY 2019-20) with outstanding loans up to Rs. 50 crores, as of February 29, 2020
• GECL credit provided will be up to 20% of the borrower’s total outstanding credit as of February 29, 2020.
• The maximum amount of loan that can be availed under the scheme is Rs. 5 crores.

Tenure & Interest Rates under ECLGS

• The loan tenure is for 4 years and the moratorium period of 1 year on the principal amount is also applicable [Now the loan tenure is 5 years]
• Interest rates under ECLGS have also been capped:
• 25% for Banks and Financial Institutions
• 14% for Non-Banking Financial Companies
• The National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company Ltd (NCGTC) is not allowed to charge any Guarantee Fee from the Member Lending Institutions that are included under this scheme.

ECLGS 4.0 – Expansion of the Scheme

• On 31st May 2021, the Indian government notified the expansion of the ECLGS. Under the version of ECLGS 4.0:
• 100 percent guarantee cover is being provided to hospitals/nursing homes/clinics/medical colleges for loans of up to Rs 2 crores at an interest rate of 7.5 percent. It is given for setting up on-site oxygen generation plants.
• The eligible borrowers who earlier had a loan tenure of four years can now avail of a loan tenure of five years.
• Additional ECLGS assistance of up to 10% of the outstanding as of February 29, 2020, to borrowers covered under ECLGS 1.
• The 500 crore loan ceiling under ECLGS 3.0 is being discontinued.
• The maximum additional ECLGS assistance to each borrower is being limited to 40% or Rs.200 crore, whichever is lower.
• Civil aviation sector is an eligible borrower under ECLGS 3.0.

About ECLGS 2.0

• The scheme was announced in November 2020 as a part of the Atma Nirbhar Bharat 3.0 package.
• The Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme has been expanded to 27 new sectors, including the health sector.
• These 27 sectors have been identified by the Kamath Committee for one time debt restructuring. Power, construction, textiles, real estate, tourism are few among the many sectors identified.
• Individual beneficiaries for both, professional and self-employed people have also been included in the scheme
• The tenor has been upgraded to 5 years with a 1-year moratorium on repayment of principal.

About National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company Limited

• NCGTC or the National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company Limited was registered under the Companies Act, 1956 in 2014.
• It is a wholly-owned company of the Government of India.
• It was established by the Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance.
• The main role of the Organisation is to design credit guarantee programs, to share the risk of lending among the lenders, and facilitate financial access to a prospective borrower
• Conclusively, to revise the economy of the country which faced major disturbances due to the COVID lockdown, the Government of India decided to take charge of making the country self-dependent. And, the Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme is one of those initiatives.

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 3

China’s first fully solar-powered unmanned aerial vehicle has successfully completed its maiden test flight with all onboard systems functioning optimally.

The New Machine

• With a wingspan of 164-ft, the drone is a large machine powered entirely by solar panels. 
• The high-altitude, long-endurance (HALE) UAV can stay airborne for long durations. 
• Named the Qimingxing-50, or Morning Star-50, this drone flies above 20-km altitude where there is stable airflow with no clouds. 
• This helps these drones to make the maximum use of solar equipment to stay functional for extended durations. 
• It can operate without a break for months, even years.

Cross Between Drone and Satellite

• The fact that the drone can operate in near-space 20 km to 100 km above the Earth’s surface makes it capable of carrying out satellite like functions. 
• If satellite services are not available for, say, time-sensitive operations or in case of wartime disruption, then near-space UAVs can step in to fill the operational gap. 
• These drones are also referred to as ‘High Altitude Platform Stations’ or pseudo-satellites. 
• China already has this capacity, but the Qimingxing-50’s long-endurance provides an added advantage to make this capability available over a longer period.
• In July this year, the US Army helped test a solar-powered, near-space Airbus Zephyr S drone that set a new record by being airborne for 42 days.
• Both these drones can undertake surveillance missions that require them to stay operational, watching over borders or oceans, for months.

Easy To Lock-and-Load

• Drones like the Morning Star-50 are cost-effective to build and are also easy to launch and operate. 
• Being entirely powered by clean energy from the Sun, the present one can help boost China’s capabilities to operate in near-space and over the ocean. 
• This HALE UAV is capable of conducting high-altitude reconnaissance, apart from monitoring forest fires, providing communication and environment relay.

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 3

An analysis by the environmental think tank, Centre for Science and Environment, reported “barely any difference” in trends in particulate matter pollution (PM2.5) between the group of cities under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) and those outside its ambit.

• The covers 132 of India’s most polluted or so-called non-attainment cities. 
• This is defined as a city whose air quality did not meet the national ambient air quality standards of 2011 to 2015. 
• The NCAP launched in 2019 aims to bring a 20%-30% reduction in pollution levels from PM2.5 and PM10 particles by 2024, using 2017 pollution levels as a base.
• Cities are required to quantify improvement starting 2020-21, which requires 15% and more reduction in the annual average PM10 concentration and a concurrent increase in “good air” days to at least 200. 
• The CSE in its national analysis of PM2.5 levels in cities for which data is available found that between 2019 and 2021, only 14 of 43 (NCAP) cities registered a 10% or more reduction in their PM2.5 level between 2019 and 2021. 
• Only 43 cities, said the CSE, were considered as they had adequate data to scientifically establish a long-term trend.
• On the other hand, out of 46 non-NCAP cities with adequate data, 21 recorded significant improvement in their annual PM2.5 value with 5% or more decline between 2019 and 2021. 
• There were 16 NCAP cities and 15 non-NCAP cities that registered a significant increase in their annual PM2.5 levels with near identical numbers.
• There is hardly any difference between the performance of NCAP and non-NCAP cities between 2019 and 2021.
• Cities in Punjab, Rajasthan and Maharashtra dominated the list of cities which registered a significant increase in PM2.5 levels between 2019 and 2021. 
• Chennai, Varanasi and Pune show the most improvement among NCAP cities. 
• But unlike cities with increasing pollution level which have a very clear regional pattern, there was no regional pattern seen among cities reporting significant improvement in their air quality, the CSE analysis noted.
• The cities of Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat dominate the list of non-NCAP cities that have registered significant increase in air pollution levels.

National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) 

• It was launched by the government to tackle the increasing air pollution problem across the country.
• Overall objective of the NCAP is comprehensive mitigation actions for prevention, control and abatement of air pollution besides augmenting the air quality monitoring network across the country and strengthening the awareness and capacity building activities.
• NCAP is the first ever effort in the country to frame a national framework for air quality management with a time-bound reduction target.
• NCAP’s focus on ‘city based plans’ is a shift from earlier air pollution mitigation schemes which were based on national strategies. 
• Also air pollution impact on health will be included in making plans, which is a novel feature of the scheme.

Features of the scheme:

• NCAP is a five-year action plan with 2019 as the first year. It aims at 20%–30% reduction of PM5and PM10 concentration by 2024, taking 2017 as the base year for the comparison of concentration. It targets 102 non-attainment cities.
• The NCAP will be institutionalized by respective ministries. At the Centre, Apex Committee at the Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change and at the State level, Chief Secretary Level Committee will be constituted.
• Sectoral working groups, national level Project Monitoring Unit and Project Implementation Unit.
• Existing programmes of government, in reference to climate change, including the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) will be dovetailed while executing NCAP.
• Number of monitoring stations in the country will be increased including rural monitoring stations, technology support, emphasis on awareness and capacity building initiatives and trained manpower and regular inspection drives will be initiated.
• Collaboration between various levels of governments and civil society: The approach for NCAP includes coordination between:
• Relevant central ministries among themselves like Ministries of Road Transport and Highway, Petroleum and Natural Gas, New and Renewable Energy, NITI Aayog, CPCB and experts from the industry and civil society etc.
• Centre and state governments and local bodies.Partnership with international organizations, and leading technical and research institutions.

National Ambient Air Quality Standards

• National Ambient Air Quality Standards are the standards for ambient air quality set by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)
• The CPCB has been conferred this power by the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.
• Ambient Air Quality Standards contains 12 pollutants.

The pollutants that are covered under the National Ambient Air Quality Standards include:

• Sulphur dioxide (SO2),
• Nitrogen dioxide (NO2),
• The particulate matter having a size less than 10 microns (PM10),
• The particulate matter having a size less than 2.5 microns (PM2.5),
• Ozone
• Lead
• Carbon monoxide (CO)
• Arsenic
• Nickel
• Benzene
• Ammonia, and
• Benzopyrene

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 3

The National drug regulator DGCI has given the green signal to the country’s first intra-nasal Covid vaccine for emergency use in adults Called iNCOVACC.

• Manufactured by Bharat Biotech the company behind Covaxin.
• The new vaccine has been approved for primary immunisation.
• It can be administered only to the unimmunised.
• Those who have already received the first and second doses of other vaccines will not be eligible to get iNCOVACC as the “precaution” third dose.

The approval by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) is significant: 

• iNCOVACC will be delivered through the nasal route, which would potentially trigger an immune response in the mucosal membrane. 
• It has been designed to not only protect against infection but also reduce transmission of the virus.
• The vaccine uses a modified chimpanzee adenovirus, which cannot replicate in the body, to carry the Covid spike protein to induce immunity.

Benefits of Intranasal Vaccine

• iNCOVACC has the double benefit of enabling faster development of variant specific vaccines and easy nasal delivery that enables mass immunization to protect from emerging variants of concern.
• Being an intranasal vaccine, BBV154 (iNCOVACC) may produce local antibodies in the upper respiratory tract, which may provide the potential to reduce infection and transmission.”
• Stable at 2-8°C, which makes it easy to store and distribute, the vaccine will be manufactured at multiple sites in the country, including Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Telangana.
• Delivered through a nasal drop, the vaccine will do away with the need for needles and syringes that are currently required for all available Covid vaccines.
• It will also reduce dependence on trained personnel to administer the shots

Drugs Controller General of India

• Drugs Controller General of India is the head of department of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization of the Government of India.
• Responsible for approval of licences of specified categories of drugs such as blood and blood products, IV fluids, vaccines, and sera in India

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 2

The study was carried out jointly by the Union Ministry of Education and the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT).

• A nationwide study has found that 37 per cent of students enrolled in Class III have “limited” foundational numeracy skills, such as identifying numbers, while 11 per cent “lack the most basic knowledge and skills”.
• With a sample size of 86,000 students in 10,000 schools, the study — the largest ever in terms of scale at the foundational level also assessed the literacy skills of students in 20 languages including English. 
• While 15 per cent lacked “basic skills” in English, 30 per cent were found to have “limited skills”.
• National Achievement Survey (NAS), which evaluates learning outcomes of students in Classes III, V, VIII and X through a test based on multiple choice questions (MCQs) every three years, the findings of the Foundational Learning Study (FLS) were based on one-to-one interviews with each participant.

Depending on their performance, the students were categorised into four groups: 

• Those who lacked the most basic knowledge and skills
• Those who had limited knowledge and skills
• Those who had developed sufficient knowledge and skills
• Those who had developed superior knowledge and skills.

Findings

• Students who could partially complete their grade-level tasks were put in the “limited skills” group.
• While those who failed to complete even the simple grade-level tasks were categorised as “lacking the most basic skills”.
• In numeracy, Tamil Nadu, at 29 per cent, had the maximum number of students who could not complete the most basic grade-level tasks, followed by Jammu and Kashmir (28 per cent), Assam, Chhattisgarh and Gujarat (18 per cent).
• In literacy, the findings were based on phonological awareness, decoding letters, decoding words, decoding non-words, reading fluency and comprehension. For instance, a child was made to read a text aloud and asked questions based on that text, which was not from the school syllabus.
• In English, 15 per cent students were found to be lacking even basic skills, 30 per cent had limited skills, 21 per cent had sufficient skills, while 34 per cent had fairly superior skills.
• In Hindi, 21 per cent fell under the worst performing bracket, while 32 per cent had limited proficiency.
• Among other Indian languages, the proportion of students who lacked basic skills was: 17 per cent in Marathi, 20 per cent in Bengali, 17 per cent in Gujarati, 17 per cent in Malayalam, 42 per cent in Tamil, and 25 per cent in Urdu.
• At the national level, 11 per cent did not have the basic grade-level skills; 37 per cent had limited skills; 42 per cent had sufficient skills; and 10 per cent had superior skills.

Utility of the Findings

• The findings will set the baseline for NIPUN Bharat (National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy), the Centre’s scheme to improve foundational learning. 
• “The study also aims to establish reading proficiency benchmarks for fluency and comprehension for each of the languages being assessed.
• It will also provide data to report on Sustainable Development Goals at the global level,”.

National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy (NIPUN Bharat)

• Aims to achieve universal foundational literacy and numeracy in primary classes and to ensure that all children attain grade-level competencies in reading, writing and numeracy.
• Lays down priorities and actionable agendas for States/UTs to achieve the goal of proficiency in foundational literacy and numeracy for every child by grade 3.
• Detailed guidelines have been developed for implementation of the NIPUN BHARAT Mission which includes the Lakshya or Targets for Foundational Literacy and Numeracy starting from the Balvatika upto age group 9.

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 1

In the 1960s, hydrologist Robert L Raikes and archaeologist George F Dales put forward the theory that a series of catastrophic floods in the Indus around c. 1800 BC had wiped out the great urban centres of the Harappan civilization. 

Recently Pakistan’s Department of Archaeology warned that heavy rainfall in the Sindh province threatened the World Heritage status of Mohenjo Daro, one of the largest of Indus Valley Civilization sites.

Mohenjo Daro

• The prehistoric antiquity of Mohenjo Daro, which flourished on the right (west) bank of the Indus river in the 3rd millennium BC was established by Rakhal Das Banerji of the Archaeological Survey of India in 1922. 
• The ruins of the sprawling city of unbaked (burnt) brick 510 km north-east of Karachi and 28 km from Larkana in Sindh were recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1980.
• Mohenjo-daro, which means ‘mound of the dead’, was one of the oldest cities of the world.
• It is on the right bank of the Indus River.

Mound of the Dead

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 2

The National Medical Commission (NMC) has directed all the State Medical Councils to ban conversion therapy and has called it “professional misconduct”.

What is conversion therapy? 

Conversion or reparative therapy is an intervention aimed at changing the sexual orientation or gender identity of an individual with the use of either psychiatric treatment, drugs, exorcism or even violence, with the aim being to make the individual a heterosexual. 

Conversion therapy also includes other measures that are aimed at altering the core identity of youth whose gender identity is incongruent with their sexual anatomy.

Risks associated with conversion therapy

• Such therapy is usually undertaken by people who pretend to be professionals but do not have any expertise.
• As per the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP), such conversion interventions are undertaken under the false impression that homosexuality and diverse gender identities are pathological and there is actually no need for conversion or other such interventions.
• Further, such therapy or interventions cause severe mental health issues such as anxiety, stress and drug use which can lead to suicide.

Madras High Court’s ruling

• In June 2021, the Madras High Court while hearing about the ordeal of a same-sex couple who sought protection from their parents issued interim guidelines for the police, activists, Union and State Social Welfare Ministries, and the National Medical Commission to “ensure their safety and security to lead a life chosen by them.” 
• Further, the High Court prohibited any attempt to medically “cure” or change the sexual orientation of LGBTQIA+ community individuals. 
• The court directed the authorities to take action against “individuals involving themselves in any form or method of conversion therapy,” which would result in the withdrawal of the licence to practice medicine. 
• The court then ordered the NMC to issue an official notification to regard “Conversion Therapy” as “professional misconduct.” 

Other important guidelines issued by the court

• The Madras High Court ordered the police to close the complaints of missing person cases, “without subjecting them to harassment” if it is found that the individuals were consenting adults belonging to the LGBTQIA+ community.
• The High Court also asked the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment to formulate a list of NGOs and other organisations that can help address various challenges faced by the individuals of the LGBTQIA+ community
• Further, the court directed that individuals of the community should be accorded legal assistance by the District Legal Services Authority along with various law enforcement agencies. 
• The High Court highlighted the importance of undertaking sensitisation programmes to understand the needs of the individuals and also directed the agencies to follow the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Rules, 2020, and the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019 in letter and spirit.

Recommendations

The curriculum in educational institutions must be changed and should include chapters that ensure a better understanding of the community. 

Gender-neutral washrooms and toilets must be compulsorily set up in educational institutes and other places. 

Awareness programmes must be undertaken among the parents as the individuals are often misunderstood and abused at home which forces the individuals to opt for conversion therapies.

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 3

By the end of 2022, India will establish the country’s first Dark Sky Reserve in the cold desert regions of Ladakh.

What is a Dark Sky Reserve?

• A Dark Sky Reserve is public or private land with a distinguished nocturnal environment and starry nights that has been developed responsibly to prevent light pollution.
• According to the International Dark Sky Association (IDSA) website, these reserves “consist of a core area meeting minimum criteria for sky quality and natural darkness, and a peripheral area that supports dark sky preservation in the core.”
• These reserves are formed through a “partnership of multiple land managers who have recognized the value of the natural nighttime environment through regulations and long-term planning”.

How does a site become a ‘Dark Sky Reserve’?

• Individuals or groups can nominate a site for certification to the International Dark Sky Association (IDSA). 
• There are five designated categories, namely International Dark Sky parks, communities, reserves, sanctuaries and Urban Night Sky Places.
• The certification process is similar to that of a site being awarded the UNESCO World Heritage Site tag or getting recognised as a Biosphere Reserve. 
• Between 2001 and January 2022, there have been 195 sites recognised as International Dark Sky Places globally.
• The IDSA considers a piece of land suitable for dark sky place only if it is either publicly or privately owned; is accessible to the public partially or entirely during the year.
• The land is legally protected for scientific, natural, educational, cultural, heritage and/or public enjoyment purposes.
• The core area of the land provides an exceptional dark sky resource relative to the communities and cities that surround it and the land offers prescribed night sky brightness either for a reserve, park or sanctuary.

Who is developing India’s first Dark Sky Reserve?

• The Ladakh Union Territory administration is leading the efforts in establishing the country’s first Dark Sky Reserve.
• To be situated at a height of 4,500 metres above sea level, the Hanle Dark Sky Reserve (HDSR) will come up within the Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary.
• The Department of Science and Technology and experts from the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), Bengaluru, are providing scientific and technological support in developing this first-of-its-kind facility. The IIA already manages the Indian Astronomical Observatory (IAO) complex at Hanle, Ladakh.
• The formal decision to set up this Dark Sky Reserve was made through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between officials from the IIA, Bengaluru, the Ladakh UT and the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council in June this year.

Why was Ladakh chosen for the project?

• Ladakh is a unique cold desert located about 3,000 metres above sea level with high mountainous terrains.
• This aridity, limited vegetation, high elevation and large areas with sparse populations – all make it the perfect setting for long-term astronomical observatories and dark sky places.
• But the primary objective of the proposed Dark Sky Reserve is to promote astronomy tourism in a sustainable and environment-friendly manner. 
• Scientific methods will be used here to preserve the night sky from ever-increasing light pollution.
• With metros, cities and peripheral areas experiencing light pollution and remaining constantly lit up, there are diminishing areas that offer a view of clear skies on cloudless nights.

Will this help boost tourism in Ladakh?

• The Ladakh Tourism Vision Document 2022 underlined the need for efforts to increase the use of green fuels and boost carbon-neutral activities.
• In the pilot phase, the IIA has procured ten small and easy-to-handle telescopes and light-reflecting shields. 
• IIA’s scientists and outreach experts will identify locals and train them to use these telescopes. 
• This will include basic sky gazing, identification of constellations, and locating the pole star, among others. 
• These telescopes will be installed at the homestays, which is a popular option for tourist accommodation in Ladakh.
• The 22-km radius around the Hanle observatory, where the core Dark Sky Reserve will stand, will have restrictions imposed on outdoor lighting. 
• All vehicles will be barred from using high-beam headlights. Houses here will be encouraged to use curtains of darker shades, install light reflecting shields and switch off all unwanted illumination.