UN report on groundwater extraction: Every drop counts

According to a recent analysis by the United Nations University, unsustainable groundwater extraction in India is causing 27 out of 31 aquifers to deplete faster than they can be refilled.

What Do Aquifers Mean?

• These are subterranean sedimentary or rock strata with the ability to transfer and store groundwater. They function as natural water reservoirs, essential for the supply of freshwater to springs, wells, and other water sources.

Important Groundwater (GW) Status:

• India is the country that uses groundwater the most, using one-fourth of the entire amount extracted.
• The utilization of GW for irrigation is 87%.
• Of the GW units now in use, 67% are safe (extraction < 70% of recharge), 14% are overexploited, and 4% are at the critical
• Extraction is very high in Haryana, Punjab (78% of wells are overexploited), Rajasthan
• Climate Concerns:In southwest India, increasing temperatures might hinder groundwater replenishment.

Initiatives:

International:

• The purpose of the 2022 United Nations-Water Summit on Groundwater is to increase public awareness of groundwater conservation.
• UN-Water is running a campaign called “Groundwater: Making the invisible visible” through 2022.

National:

• Launched in 256 water-stressed districts, the Aquifer Mapping and Management Programme Jal Shakti Abhiyan (2019) aims to enhance groundwater conditions in these areas.
• In 2019, the Atal Bhujal Yojana was introduced as a groundwater management initiative.

Pichwai Painting

• 350-year-old Pichwai paintings are on display in an art exhibition at Collage in Chennai.
• Pichwai art was first produced on cloth, usually khadi, in Nathdwara, which is close to Udaipur.
• Features: Vegetable dyes are used to create vivid colors like orange, red, chrome yellow, and kesari, while stone pigments are used to get gold and silver tones in the paintings.
• A single piece of the painstaking, time-consuming work takes several months to finish.
• Over time, the art genre has changed as a result of artists incorporating contemporary topics and ideas.
• Pichwai art has seen a comeback in recent years, drawing in younger collectors and inspiring artists to return to their native Rajasthan to pick up and carry on the old skills.

Japan-India Semiconductor Supply Chain Partnership

• The Indian Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry have signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC).
• With an emphasis on the Japan-India Semiconductor Supply Chain Partnership, its goal is to fortify bilateral collaboration in improving the semiconductor supply chain between the two nations.
• In order to create a robust semiconductor supply chain and capitalize on each nation’s advantages, it promotes collaboration between governments and businesses.
• The MoC intends to improve cooperation with Japan in the semiconductor industry and is a component of India’s larger aspirations for international information technology cooperation. It is regarded as a step toward improving semiconductor supply chain resilience for mutual benefit and is in line with the “India-Japan Digital Partnership.”

Indigenous charging standards

• Light electric vehicles (LEVs) can now use the indigenous AC and DC mixed charging connector standard IS17017 (Part 2/Sec 7): 2023, which has been authorized by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS).
• Developed in India, this standard is the first of its sort in the world.

Importance:

• Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in India can now deviate from only depending on foreign standards and protocols thanks to this initiative.
• The new standard provides a hybrid and economical infrastructure for all forms of charging, addressing the demand for a standardized connector for combined AC and DC charging systems for two-wheelers, three-wheelers, and microcars.
• Customers can conveniently charge their EVs without lugging heavy chargers thanks to the interoperable networks it offers for both fast and slow charging.
• This achievement is viewed as a major step in accelerating the use of EVs in India and possibly globally, thereby fostering the expansion of electric transportation.

Venus had Earth-like plate tectonics billions of years ago

• Despite being a sweltering wasteland, Venus may have once experienced plate tectonics akin to those on the early Earth, according to a recent research.
• Venus’s current atmosphere and surface pressure can only have been the consequence of early plate tectonics, according to study that employs computer modeling and atmospheric data from Venus.
• Because plate tectonics creates habitable conditions and stabilizes surface temperatures, it is vital to life.
• According to the study, Venus had plate tectonics between 4.5 and 3.5 billion years ago, which is comparable to Earth’s plate tectonics but with less plate involvement and limited plate movement.

Significance:

• This discovery indicates that both planets were more similar than previously believed and suggests that there may have been early microbial life on Venus.
• Additionally, the work raises the possibility that planets’ habitability may be impacted by shifts in and out of distinct tectonic regimes.
• The study offers evidence that atmospheres can reveal information about the early history and formation of a planet.
• The results of the study could affect our knowledge of other planets and moons, such as Jupiter’s Europa, which exhibits plate tectonics similar to those of Earth.
• The findings pave the way for additional research into Venus’s demise and its possible effects on Earth’s habitability.

Carbon nanoflorets

Carbon nanoflorets that effectively convert sunlight into heat have been made by researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay.

Carbon nanoflorets: what are they?

• A special kind of nanostructure known as a carbon nanofloret is made up of carbon atoms organized in a way that resembles florets. Because of their remarkable qualities and structure, they offer a high surface area and a wide range of possible applications in industries including materials science, electronics, and nanotechnology.
• These nanoflorets are very effective in converting sunlight into thermal energy because they can absorb light at various frequencies, such as visible, infrared, and ultraviolet light.
• Furthermore, their distinctive shape guarantees low light reflection and effective heat retention.
• These nanoflorets can evaporate 5 litres of water in an hour on a surface area of 1 square meter, outperforming industrial solar stills.
• It has potential use in a number of industries, including healthcare and construction, and it can provide warmth that is environmentally friendly.

Premature mortality from major non-communicable diseases

• In terms of lowering the number of early deaths from major non-communicable diseases (NCDs), India is predicted to fall short of the targets established by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).
• The WHO’s target of a 25% reduction in premature mortality from the four major NCDs—cancer, cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory diseases, and diabetes—by 2025 compared to 2010 is unlikely to be met by India, according to an analysis by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

Key Findings:

• According to the study, NCDs cause a significant percentage of fatalities in India, with 22% of deaths in 2019 being preventable.
• Premature death can be decreased by reducing a number of risk factors, including obesity, high blood pressure, physical inactivity, alcohol and tobacco use, and poor food choices.
• India is making less progress in lowering NCDs than other countries like China, Sweden, Moldova, Peru, and lower- and middle-income countries.

Agartala-Akhaura railway

• Recently, the roughly 12-kilometer railway link between Bangladesh and Tripura was opened. The Agartala-Akhaura railway project has the potential to significantly cut the time it takes to travel from 31 hours to just 10 hours between Agartala and Kolkata, creating new opportunities for trade, tourism, and people-to-people interactions between the two nations. With contributions from the Ministries of External Affairs and Development of the North East Region, India is the project’s sole funder.