Surrogacy

The Surrogacy (Regulation) Rules, 2022, have been changed by the Union government to allow married couples to use donor sperm or eggs for surrogacy. The notification states that at least one gamete from the intending parents must be present in the kid born via surrogacy.

Context:

• Married couples can now use donor sperm or eggs for surrogacy under the Modified Surrogacy (Regulation) Rules, 2022. This is a huge relief for people who are dealing with health issues. This nullified an earlier modification that forbade the use of donor gametes of that kind and was made in March 2023.

About Surrogacy in India:

• It is a contractual procedure wherein a woman undergoes in-vitro fertilization (IVF) to implant an embryo in her and then bears and delivers a child for a couple or individual.
• It is illegal for commercial surrogacy in India.Only selfless agreements in which surrogate mothers receive no financial compensation or reimbursement at all are permitted.
• The only women who can apply for a surrogacy are married couples and evermarried single women (divorced or widowed).
• In India, prospective parents are only able to finance the medical costs and insurance premiums of a selfless surrogate.

Latest changes to the Surrogacy Regulation Act (2021)

• The Surrogacy Rules, as amended by Rule 7 and Form 2 (Consent of the Surrogate Mother and Agreement for Surrogacy), stated on March 14, 2023, that donated eggs could not be utilized for the gestational surrogacy of an intended couple.
• A statement from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has now changed this, permitting married couples to use donor gametes as long as a District Magistrate Board verifies that one of the spouses has a medical problem.
• On the other hand, the notification states that the intended parents must provide at least one gamete to the surrogate kid. This suggests that a married couple cannot choose surrogacy if one of them has a medical issue that prevents them from using their gametes.
• However, because the regulation stipulates that a widow or divorcee undertaking surrogacy must employ self-eggs and donor sperm, it is not applicable to women who have never been married.

Glacial Lake Outburst Floods

Two expert teams have been assembled by the Uttarakhand government to assess the risk that the region’s five potentially dangerous glacier lakes pose. Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs), which have caused multiple tragedies in the Himalayan states recently, are a common occurrence around these lakes.

Context:

• 188 glacial lakes in the Himalayan states have been listed by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), which is housed under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, as possibly breaching due to intense rains. In Uttarakhand, there are thirteen of them.

About Glacial Lake Outburst Floods

• Large quantities of water that sit in front of, on top of, or beneath melting glaciers are known as glacial lakes, and they can suddenly spill their water, causing calamity occurrences known as GLOFs. A lake is created when a glacier recedes and leaves behind a depression that melts and fills with water.
• The lake grows larger and more threatening as the glacier retreats. Most often, unstable ice or sediment made up of loose rock and debris block these lakes.
• A GLOF event happens when the border surrounding them cracks, sending massive volumes of water rushing down the mountainside and perhaps causing flooding in the areas downstream.
• Glacier calving is one of the main causes of GLOFs; large ice pieces break off from the glacier and fall into the lake, causing an abrupt displacement of water.
• A glacier lake’s border may become unstable due to avalanches or landslides, which could cause the lake to break and release water quickly.
• Large amounts of water, silt, and debris can be released downstream by GLOFs with incredible power and speed.
• The floodwaters have the power to completely submerge valleys, destroy buildings, bridges, and other infrastructure, and cause a great deal of fatalities and economic losses.
• The Himalayan region has seen an upsurge in GLOF incidents in recent years because to increased glacier melting brought on by rising global temperatures. The surge in these kinds of disasters has also been attributed to the rapid expansion of infrastructure in susceptible locations.
• The last several years have seen two significant GLOF incidents in Uttarakhand. The first occurred in June 2013 and had a significant impact on the state, with thousands of people dying in the Kedarnath valley. The second incident happened in February 2021 when a glacier lake erupted, causing flash floods to affect the Chamoli area.

TORNADOS

A tornado recently struck West Bengal’s Jalpaiguri district’s Mainaguri region.

Context:

• Significant damage was wrought by the tornado, which also tragically claimed five lives and injured over 300 others.

About TORNADOS

• A tornado is a rapidly spinning column of air that connects a cumulonimbus cloud (or, in rare instances, the base of a cumulus cloud) to the Earth’s surface.
• Storms in the shape of a funnel with extremely low central pressure are called tornadoes.
• Despite being the tiniest storms, they are the most destructive and powerful.
• The majority of tornadoes occur in middle latitudes.
• Air moves quickly toward the center as a result of steep pressure gradients.

Types of Tornadoes:

• Multiple-Vortex Tornado: Consists of multiple smaller vortices revolving around a central point.
• A non-supercellular tornado that forms over land is known as a “landspout.”
• A waterspout is a wind current that spirals in a funnel shape and joins a big cumulus or cumulonimbus cloud. Waterspouts are less prevalent at high latitudes and often occur over bodies of water.

Occurrence:

• When thunderstorms are prevalent in the spring and summer, tornadoes are most common in the mid-latitudes of both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.
• These storms allow the turbulent atmosphere to calm down by converting potential and thermal energy into kinetic energy.

OZONE

Scientists from India and other countries have collaborated to uncover compelling evidence of ozone on Callisto, Jupiter’s moon.

Context:

• This discovery provided insight into the intricate chemical reactions taking place on frozen planets in our solar system.

About OZONE

• Ozone, a chemical compound with the formula O₃, is frequently referred to as trioxygen.
• In the Earth’s atmosphere, ultraviolet (UV) radiation and electrical discharges combine to form ozone from dioxygen (O₂).
• The earth’s atmosphere contains extremely small amounts of ozone.
• It is most concentrated in the stratosphere’s ozone layer, which absorbs the majority of ultraviolet (UV) energy from the Sun.
• Because it keeps excessive UV radiation from reaching the surface, the ozone layer is essential to maintaining life as we know it on Earth. Living things could suffer serious harm from solar UV radiation in the absence of this shield.
• Ozone is a sign of a stable, oxygen-rich atmosphere, which is necessary for the emergence of complex organic compounds and possibly life on Jupiter’s moon Callisto.
• The possible habitability of Callisto and the hunt for extraterrestrial life are significantly affected by the discovery of ozone on the moon.

Green Elections

The use of non-biodegradable materials in elections has raised concerns from the Election Commission of India (ECI) about potential environmental implications.

Context:

• The adoption of sustainable methods in all areas of human endeavor has become imperative in light of the climate issue.

Green Elections:

• These are procedures designed to lessen the effect that elections have on the environment. They include actions like encouraging candidates to use sustainable campaign tactics, advocating the use of recycled materials, and promoting electronic voting.

Objectives/Aims of Green Elections:

• Parties and candidates can use eco-friendly substitutes including reusable materials, biodegradable banners, and recycled paper.
• During rallies, choosing energy-efficient vehicles, sound systems, and lighting can assist cut down on carbon emissions.
• Using digital tools (websites, social media, email) for campaigning lowers the amount of paper and energy used.

Need for a shift towards Green Elections:

• Because of a number of reasons, including the emissions from campaign planes during elections, traditional election processes have a major negative impact on the environment. These factors add significantly to the overall carbon footprint.
• The use of paper-based materials for voting, political literature, and administrative paperwork results in energy-intensive production processes and deforestation.
• Large-scale election rallies that use energy-intensive equipment such as lights, loudspeakers, and other devices increase emissions and energy use.
• Hoardings, PVC flex banners, and single-use goods used for campaigns all contribute to trash production and environmental damage.

Issues/Challenges in the Adoption of Green Elections:

• It is imperative to guarantee equitable access to modern technology for all voters. On the other hand, this calls for significant work in terms of teaching voters about the new technologies and training election officials. Developing the skills of election officials to operate and troubleshoot the new technology is one of the unique issues. Another is making sure that all voters, especially those in underprivileged or rural locations, can access and use the equipment. It is imperative to tackle inequalities in internet connectivity and digital literacy.
• Adopting cutting-edge technologies and environmentally acceptable materials frequently has large upfront expenditures. Finances being tight, governments may hesitate, particularly those with little budgets.
• Voting has historically been connected to being present in person at polling places. Achieving successful modernization requires transforming voter behavior and breaking through cultural stagnation. For many voters, traveling to the polls in person is an essential civic responsibility. It can be difficult to persuade them that digital alternatives are just as legitimate.
• Voter security is an issue when new methods are introduced, such as blockchain-based systems or internet voting. Election integrity and public trust could be compromised by any cybersecurity breach.