27 Jan 2023: UPSC Exam Comprehensive News Analysis

A. GS 1 Related
B. GS 2 Related
SOCIAL JUSTICE
1. The path to righting historical wrongs in Tamil Nadu
C. GS 3 Related
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
1. Japan to flush Fukushima wastewater
D. GS 4 Related
E. Editorials
GOVERNANCE
1. Level Playing Field for Sportswomen in India
F. Prelims Facts
1. Etikoppaka toy craft
2. Aditya-L1 mission
G. Tidbits
1. India and Egypt reiterate support for Non-Aligned Movement
2. States fall short of target to improve forest cover, quality
H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions
I. UPSC Mains Practice Questions

A. GS 1 Related

Nothing here for today!!!

C. GS 3 Related

Category: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

1. Japan to flush Fukushima wastewater

Syllabus: Science and Technology- developments

Mains: Discharge of wastewater from Fukushima facility and its associated concerns

Context

Japan is set to undertake the flushing of 1.25 million tonnes of wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean.

Details

• Japan has come up with a $76-billion project to decommission the facility and as a part of this project, Japan is looking to flush out wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear power plant.
• The decommissioning project was approved by the Japanese cabinet in 2021 and is expected to take close to 30 years to complete. 

The Fukushima disaster

• In March 2011, a massive tsunami triggered by an earthquake (magnitude 9), impacted the power supply and cooling system of three Fukushima Daiichi reactors in Okuma, resulting in a major nuclear accident.
• The loss of power arrested the coolant supply to reactors and the tsunami had also impacted backup systems.
• Despite the quick shut down of the reactors, the radioactive materials leaked from reactor pressure vessels that produced heat and as the cooling system was impacted,  the entire plant was melted down.
• The radioactive materials which leaked from the reactor have been exposed to the air, water, soil, and local population in the areas. Ever since the incident, the surrounding areas of the power plant have been uninhabitable.
  • Further, the winds have also carried radioactive material into the Pacific.
• Post the Fukushima accident there was a transformation in the nuclear power situation beyond Japan and plans for scaling up nuclear power were put on hold across the globe.

The wastewater from the plant and the treatment of wastewater

• The Japanese government intends to flush out wastewater from the plant that was then used to cool the reactors, rainwater and groundwater. 
• The wastewater in the plant contains radioactive isotopes from the damaged reactors and is hence radioactive.
• The Japanese government aims to release this wastewater into the Pacific Ocean in the next three decades.
• According to Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), which operates the Fukushima plant, the company has treated this wastewater available in the plant to remove most radioactive isotopes. 
• As per former Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga in 2021, the treated wastewater will be “far above safety standards” as his government had mandated that the water must have 1/40th of the concentration of Tritium levels permitted under safety standards.

Key concerns

• Experts say that there is no known threshold below which radiation can be considered safe and that exposure to radioactive materials will increase the risk of cancer and other health problems.
• Experts also feel that the release of affected water into the ocean will affect marine wildlife.
  • South Korea since 2013 has banned all imports of seafood from around Fukushima due to concerns over their radiation level.
• Experts further feel that it is very difficult to remove Tritium from the water and it can be easily absorbed and distributed by the bodies of living creatures.
• Furthermore, according to the reports published by Kyodo News in 2018, other radionuclides such as the isotopes of ruthenium and plutonium could not be removed completely by TEPCO’s treatment procedure.

Impact on Pacific Ocean 

• Pacific Ocean countries such as China, South Korea and Taiwan have expressed concerns over Japan’s move to flush out wastewater into the Ocean.
• A representative of the Pacific Islands Forum, which is a bloc of Oceania countries including Australia and is the region’s leading political and economic policy body, has called the move “simply inconceivable” and has expressed concern over “nuclear contamination”.
• As per a study conducted by The National Institute of Marine Laboratories, which is a non-profit group from the U.S., the supporting data published by the TEPCO and the Japanese Government are insufficient and also have flaws with respect to sampling protocols, sample analyses, design, and assumptions.

Recommendations and alternatives

• Researchers and experts have urged for more studies and examination of the treated water and TEPCO’s water-treatment procedure before the water is flushed into the ocean.
• Experts have also asked the Japanese government to store the water for longer before discharging it as the half-life of Tritium’s half-life is 12-13 years. 
  • Further, the amount of other radioactive isotopes present in the water will also reduce if it is stored longer which means that the water is less radioactive.
• In order to store such treated water, thousands of tanks can be built in the areas around the Fukushima plant as the government has declared the land around the plant to be uninhabitable.

Japanese’s stand

• The Japanese officials have defended the move by saying the TEPCO is running out of room for the water-tanks and that nuclear plants across the world regularly release such treated water containing traces of radionuclides into large water bodies.
• The officials from International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) after visiting the plant in 2020 had also said that the discharge of wastewater is technically a more feasible option over storage and vapourisation.

Nut graf: The Japanese government’s move to discharge treated wastewater from the Fukushima facility into the ocean has attracted concerns over its impact on the water, marine life, livelihoods of fishing communities and other countries in the area.

D. GS 4 Related

Nothing here for today!!!

G. Tidbits

1. India and Egypt reiterate support for Non-Aligned Movement

• A joint statement issued by India and Egypt after the bilateral engagements with President Abdel Fateh el-Sisi, who was invited as the chief guest at the Republic Day parade 2023 has reiterated both counties’ support for the Non-Aligned Movement.
• Further, both the countries also reiterated their commitment to multilateralism, the principles of the United Nations Charter, international law, and respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states.
• India and Egypt are celebrating the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties.
• India and Egypt have also agreed to initiate new engagements to better military-to-military engagements and have planned more joint exercises between their armed forces.
• The leaders of the two countries expressed concern over the spread of terrorism across the world and believe that it poses one of the most serious security threats to humanity

Read more about – India-Egypt relations

H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions

Q1. Which of these statements are not true? (Level – Moderate)

1. The Green Railway Station Certificate is given by the Ministry of Environment and Forest.
2. Visakhapatnam Railway station is the first station in India to receive this certification.

Options:

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: c

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is not correct, The Green Railway Station Certificate is given by the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) for adopting green concepts thereby reducing the adverse environmental impact. 
  • The Environment Directorate of Indian Railways, along with the support of the IGBC, has developed the Green Railway Station rating system.
• Statement 2 is not correct, Visakhapatnam Railway station is one of the few railway stations to get this prestigious certificate.
  • In 2022, Bhagalpur railway station (BGP) of Malda division, Eastern Railway (ER) received Green Railway Station Certification
  • In 2021, Central Railways’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus Railway Station (CSMT) was awarded IGBC Green Railway Station Certification.

Q2. Consider the following statements: (Level – Moderate)

1. India launched its first solar mission in December 2022.
2. It will be placed on Lagrange point 1.
3. Aditya 1 will study the solar atmosphere and solar wind patterns among other things.

Options:

1. 1 and 2
2. 2 and 3
3. 1 and 3
4. 1, 2 and 3

CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: b

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is not correct, The ISRO is planning to launch the Aditya-L1 mission which is the first Indian space mission to observe the Sun and the solar corona, by June or July 2023.
• Statement 2 is correct, The Aditya-L1 mission will be launched by ISRO to the L1 orbit (which is the first Lagrangian point of the Sun-Earth system).
  • L1 orbit allows Aditya-L1 to look at the Sun continuously.
• Statement 3 is correct, Aditya 1 will study the solar atmosphere and solar wind patterns among other things.

Q3. Which of the following is/are not located in or around Egypt?(Level – Difficult)

1. Lake Victoria
2. Mediterranean Sea
3. Red Sea
4. Gulf of Aden

Options:

1. 1, 2 and 3
2. 1 and 4
3. 2 and 3
4. 1, 2, 3 and 4

CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: b

Explanation:

Image source: World Atlas

Q4. Which of the following are correctly matched? (Level – Easy)

1. Recession: Decline in growth for 2 consecutive quarters
2. Stagflation: Stagnant Inflation
3. Deflation: Negative inflation

Options:

1. 1 and 2
2. 2 and 3
3. 1 and 3
4. 1, 2 and 3

CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: c

Explanation:

• Pari 1 is correct, A recession is a significant and prolonged downturn in economic activity and a common rule of thumb is that two consecutive quarters of negative GDP growth mean recession.
• Pari 2 is not correct, Stagflation is an economic condition when stagnant economic growth, high unemployment, and high inflation combine together. 
• Pari 3 is correct, Deflation is referred to as the decrease in the price of goods and services. In such a situation the purchasing power of the population increases.
  • It is also referred to as Negative inflation.

Q5. Consider the following statements: (Level – Easy) PYQ 2020

1. The Constitution of India defines its basic structure in terms of federalism, secularism, fundamental rights and democracy.
2. The Constitution of India provides for ‘Judicial review’ to safeguard the citizens’ liberties and to preserve the ideals on which the Constitution is based.

Which of the statements given above is/ are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: d

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is not correct, The Supreme Court in its landmark Kesavananda Bharati case 1973 judgement laid down the doctrine of the “basic structure” of the Constitution.
  • Thus, the Constitution of India does not define the term “basic structure”.
• Statement 2 is not  correct, There is no direct provision in the Indian constitution that provides for “Judicial review” to safeguard the citizens’ liberties and to preserve the ideals on which the Constitution is based.