Target Dreams

This Post is based on the article "Need for Climate Smart Agriculture in India" Which is Published in the The Hindu on 25th November 2023.  Introduction: The 21st century confronts humanity with two paramount challenges: climate change and food insecurity. Ongoing climate-related impacts, such as heatwaves, floods, droughts, and cyclones, are adversely affecting lives and livelihoods globally. Challenges for Agriculture: Severe droughts in the southern continents, including India, are negatively impacting agricultural production and farmers' livelihoods. Population growth and dietary changes are escalating the demand for food, placing additional strain on traditional farming practices. Climate change is rendering traditional farming less productive, necessitating farmers to reevaluate their methods. Adapting to Climate Change: Farmers worldwide are adopting adaptation measures to mitigate the negative effects of climate change. Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) emerges as ...

Why in News : A team of researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Ropar, has unearthed tantalum, a rare metal with exceptional properties, in the sands of the Sutlej River in Punjab. Tantalum is a rare and valuable metal with various unique properties that make it useful in a variety of applications. Here are some key points about tantalum: Discovery:  Tantalum was discovered by Anders Gustaf Ekenberg, a Swedish chemist, in 1802.  Initially, it was thought to be a different form of niobium, but the distinction between the two elements was later established by Swiss chemist Jean Charles Galissard de Marignac in 1866. Name Origin:  The metal is named after Tantalus, a figure in Greek mythology who was punished by the gods.  Tantalus was condemned to stand in a pool of water with fruit hanging above him, but whenever he tried to drink or eat, the water and fruit would recede.  The name tantalum was chosen because of the metal's insolubility in aci...

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: In...

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 Jabal...

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 ...

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...

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 ...

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 wi...

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 detrim...