Target Dreams

This Post is based on the article "Recognising the impact of climate change on health"  Which is Published in the The Hindu on 22nd November 2023.  Introduction: As India prepares for the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28), a critical concern emerges regarding the impact of climate change on the country's health.  The vulnerability of India's population to climate risks is exacerbated by inadequate health systems. Direct Health Impacts: Climate change directly contributes to increased sickness and mortality rates. Indirectly, it influences nutrition, diminishes working hours, and heightens climate-induced stress.  The rising global temperatures, surpassing the agreed-upon limit of 1.5°C in the Paris Agreement, pose a severe threat.  Recent records indicate 2023 witnessed historically high temperatures and heat waves, with the situation expected to deteriorate further. Double Burden of Morbidity: India fa

The " State of India’s Birds, 2023 " report indicates a general decline in the numbers of most bird species in the country, with some currently declining and others projected to decline in the long term.  The report is based on data from approximately 30,000 birdwatchers and assesses the distribution range, trends in abundance, and conservation status of India's bird species. The report was conducted by 13 partner organisations, including the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and Zoological Survey of India (ZSI). The assessments rely on three indices. Two of them are related to change in abundance — long-term trend (change over 30 years) and current annual trend (change over past seven years) — and  The third is a measure of distribution range size in India. Key findings from the report : Decline in Raptors and Migratory Birds:  Raptors (birds of prey), migratory shorebirds, and ducks have experienced the most significant declines. Long-distance migrants, such as birds fr

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has recently announced the winners of the India Smart Cities Award Contest (ISAC) 2022.  This contest aims to recognise and reward outstanding practices and innovations in the Smart Cities Mission.  The initiative received a significant response, with 845 nominations coming from 80 smart cities across India. Key highlights of the announcement include: Top Smart Cities:  The city of Indore in Madhya Pradesh has secured the top spot as the best Smart City in India.  It is followed by Surat in Gujarat and Agra in Uttar Pradesh.  Indore's achievements span various categories such as urban mobility, solid waste management, water supply, sanitation, citizen engagement, social welfare, and urban governance. State Rankings:  Madhya Pradesh has been recognised as the leading state for its remarkable performance in the Smart Cities Mission.  Notably, four cities from Madhya Pradesh—Indore, Bhopal, Gwalior, and Jabalpur—have won awards across differen

This Post is based on the article " How can ‘One Health’ help India, and India help ‘One Health’ ? " Which is Published in the The Hindu on 24th August 2023.  Introduction : The global concept of 'One Health' is gaining popularity, and India is adopting its principles to enhance its response to health crises.  One Health is a holistic approach to problems that recognises the interconnections between the health of humans , animals, plants and their shared environment. This idea dates back to Hippocrates, who linked public health with a clean environment.  Rudolf Virchow in the 19th century emphasised the connection between animal and human medicine.  Modern veterinarians like James Steele and Calvin Schwabe further emphasised the ecological link between animal and human health. Why is One Health Special ? The One Health approach is significant due to its ability to address the complex challenges arising from factors like population growth, urbanisation, and environment

Source : Indian Express      The article provides an overview of the Chandrayaan 3 mission, its scientific objectives, and its connection to previous Chandrayaan missions.  Chandrayaan 3 aims to enhance our understanding of the Moon's surface, composition, and geological features by utilising insights from Chandrayaan 1 and Chandrayaan 2.  The mission involves a 26-kg rover equipped with six wheels, with a capacity to cover 500 meters at a slow pace, will explore the lunar terrain after descending from the lander.  The rover's activities will begin during lunar dawn and continue for a lunar day, approximately 14 Earth days.  The lander and rover together carry six scientific payloads for data collection.  Chandrayaan 3's payloads will delve deeper into lunar understanding by investigating lunar seismic activity, mineral compositions, and the behaviour of electrons and ions near the lunar surface.  The mission also aims to build upon the discovery of water-ice, a significan

Western disturbances are meteorological phenomena that play a significant role in shaping weather patterns in certain regions, particularly in northwest India. These disturbances are labeled as extra-tropical storms due to their region of origin.  Origins and Travel Patterns Originating primarily in the Mediterranean Sea or the Caspian Sea, these disturbances are essentially low-pressure areas that travel eastwards, affecting various regions along their path.  They owe their name to the fact that they move from west to east, carried by high-altitude westerly jet streams.  These jet streams are powerful bands of fast-moving winds that stretch across the Earth's atmosphere, playing a crucial role in transporting these disturbances across long distances. Nature of Disturbance The term "disturbance" in "Western Disturbance" signifies an area of disrupted or reduced air pressure.  In nature, there exists a constant push for equilibrium, causing air in a region to try

This Post is based on the article " Resisting Landslides- Building resilience against landslides " Which is Published in the The Indian Express  on 23rd August 2023.   Fragile Himalayan Ecosystem The Himalayas, a young and rugged mountain chain, are susceptible to various natural and human-induced activities.  Tectonic movements, erosion, weathering, and climate events like heavy precipitation and freezing/thawing pose threats, resulting in landslides, floods, and avalanches.  Human activities further accelerate stress on this delicate ecosystem. Urgent Measures for Resilience:  To combat these challenges, the region must establish resilience against geo-hazards through an integrated approach.  This includes deploying a network of sensors, real-time monitoring, and AI/ML-based Early Warning Systems (EWS).  These tools can help anticipate and mitigate the impact of natural processes, environmental degradation, and human actions. Climate Change and Vulnerability The impacts of

Why in News:  Nitin Gadkari launches Bharat NCAP: Set to be implemented from October 1, 2023 Aim of Bharat NCAP: Promoting Safety Standards in Indian Automobiles The primary objective of the Bharat New Assessment Program (Bharat NCAP) is to facilitate Indian automobile manufacturers in subjecting their vehicles to stringent safety evaluations, specifically conforming to the Automotive Industry Standard (AIS) 197. Understanding NCAP:   Bharat NCAP's core mission is to enhance road safety by assigning star ratings to vehicles based on their performance in rigorous safety examinations.  These tests encompass assessments of both adult occupant (AOP) and child occupant (COP) safety, offering consumers a simplified means of comparing safety levels across different car models prior to purchasing. Manufacturers have the option to voluntarily present their vehicles for testing according to the guidelines laid out in the Automotive Industry Standard (AIS) 197. The new programme will be appl

This Post is based on the article " Crafting safe Generative AI systems " Which was Published in the  The Hindu on 21st August 2023.   Introduction The emergence of Generative AI holds the potential to bring about revolutionary changes across various sectors, potentially contributing trillions of dollars annually to the global economy through Large Language Models (LLMs). As an illustration of this transformative potential, consider the case of the Jugalbandi Chatbot deployed in rural India, driven by ChatGPT.   This innovative chatbot has the capacity to democratise information access, thereby enhancing the economic prospects of numerous individuals.  However, this promising trajectory is accompanied by legitimate concerns regarding the risks associated with Generative AI. Malicious actors can exploit AI-powered tools to craft highly convincing human-like entities, paving the way for misinformation, disinformation, fraud, hate speech, and other detrimental outcomes. Risks an

Daily Current Affairs 20 and 21 August 2023 Alzheimer Disease: Why in News:  US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted “accelerated” approval for a drug to treat Alzheimer’s disease, developed by Biogen and Eisai and called lecanemab, another pharmaceutical company, Eli Lilly, has released Alzheimer’s treatment, donanemab. Aducanumab is also another drug to treat Alzheimer. Donanemab, Lecanemaband aducanemab are monoclonal antibodies which neutralise the build up of amyloid protein in the Brain. About Alzheimer's Disease:  Alzheimer's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative condition that affects the brain, leading to a range of symptoms including memory loss, cognitive decline, behavioural changes, language difficulties, impaired judgment, mood swings, personality shifts, and confusion related to time and place.  This disease stands as the primary cause of dementia, accounting for 60-80% of dementia cases. Underlying Factors and Risks: While the exact causes of Alzheime